shield; buckler; escutcheon; pretext; excuse; grounds (for)
to play a role; to serve a function; to play a part
beginning; outset; first; onset
blue dragon (an auspicious creature in Chinese mythology); Azure Dragon (god said to rule over the eastern heavens)
composition; piece of music; tune; melody; enjoyment; fun
thin; slender; fine; unlucky
to smash; to break into pieces
difference; disparity; gap
to play (a stringed or keyboard instrument)
basics; fundamentals; basis; basically; fundamentally
tea (esp. green or barley); tea break; teatime; tea ceremony
movie version (based on TV series, anime, etc.); the movie
supervision; control; superintendence; director; superintendent; supervisor
(measuring) scale; rule; scale; scope; (musical) scale; weighing scale
historical play; period drama
public broadcasting (e.g. NHK, BBC)
battle; fight; fighting; engagement; contest
investigation into historical evidence; study of historical artifacts
(fictional) character; character; personality; persona
though; although; notwithstanding; while; as; at the same time as
common soldier; private; rank and file; small fry; underling
action; conduct; behaviour; behavior; mobilization; mobilisation
if you think about it; come to think of it
leading part; leading actor; leading actress
war; battle; match; game; competition
picture; drawing; painting; image (TV, film, etc.); picture; footage
Warring States period (of Japanese history, approx. 1467-1568); Sengoku period; Warring States period (of Chinese history, 403-221 BCE); era of vicious competition
to rise to the surface; to surface; to stand out (e.g. against a background)
stage (of a theatre, concert hall, etc.); stage performance; stage production; setting (of a story); scene; sphere (of activity)
actor; actress; player; performer
to act (a part); to play (a role); to perform (a play, etc.); to put on (a production); to commit (e.g. a blunder); to disgrace oneself
storytelling (of war chronicles, revenge tales, etc.) with highly dramatic delivery; story
single combat; duel; one-on-one fight
close combat; close(-quarter) fighting; in-fighting
busyness; a lot of things to do; frequent use; heavy use (of); many uses
background research; research into the period
direction (of a play, film, etc.); production; organization (of an event); arrangement; staging (for effect)
sad; sorrowful; melancholy; plaintive
wall; partition; barrier; obstacle; Chinese "Wall" constellation (one of the 28 mansions); wall (of stones)
line of spears held at the ready
to push out; to project; to stick out; to hand over (e.g. to the police)
mainly; chiefly; primarily; for the most part
main; principal; chief; primary; major
proximity; nearness; being nearby; approaching; drawing near; coming close