creator (of a work); author; writer; artist; composer; playwright
association; union; guild
character; personality; (fictional) character; letter; character
first; foremost; most important; best; greatest; above all
story; tale; narrative; account; fable; legend
these days; nowadays; recently
totally at a loss; lose one's bearings; in a maze; in a fog; all at sea; up in the air
groping in the dark; exploring new avenues without having any clues
foreshadowing; preparation; precautionary measures
to stretch around (e.g. a fence, dragnet, etc.); to lay out (e.g. a wiring system, network, etc.); to string up (e.g. an antenna, ship's rigging, etc.)
harmonious; peaceful; happy; amicable; smooth; free from trouble
heroine; female protagonist
to report to the Emperor; to play (musical instrument); to accomplish
efficacy; benefit; efficiency; effect; result; success
(fictional) character; character; personality; persona
someone who gets in the way without serving any useful purpose; fly in the ointment; buttinsky; third wheel
colouring; coloring; sex appeal (esp. of women); sexiness; interest in the opposite sex; sexual feelings; charm
(not) in the least; (not) at all; (not) a bit
to wriggle; to squirm; to crawl like a worm
to meet; to assemble; to congregate
life or death struggle; mortal combat; struggle to the death
human intellect; knowledge
kapow; bang; bulging; filled to bursting; prostitute (catering to Occupation soldiers in Japan after WWII)
to rush into; to surge into; to crowd into
decisive battle; deciding match; play-off
entry (on stage); appearance (on screen); entrance; introduction (into a market)
talk; recital; narration; topic
advance notice; previous note; preliminary announcement; trailer (film, TV); preview
volume (of book); reel (of film); scroll (of books or paintings); roll (paper, etc.)
to have an audience (with); to have an interview (with); to meet; to see
to stare back (at); to glare back
lack of expression; blank look (on one's face)
800; eight hundred; multitude; large number
to surge; to well up; to gush out
character (esp. kanji); letter; handwriting; penmanship; the ... word (e.g. "the L word" = "love")
to tell; to inform; to announce; to indicate; to signal; to mark
next (year, spring, etc.); coming; since (last month, etc.); for (20 years, etc.)
lightly; gaping wide; suddenly; unexpectedly
to run about trying to escape