In the popular battle manga from Weekly Shonen Jump, the hero uses polite language when speaking to their mentor and seniors.
鵺の陰陽師
In this blog, we present manga that are not only highly captivating but also ideal for Japanese language learners. Studying Japanese through manga is both fun and effective. Manga allows you to understand the subtleties of keigo (honorifics), teineigo (polite speech), and casual conversation in Japanese.
Today's featured manga
Story overview
From a young age, Gakuro Yajima has been able to see beings known as "phantom spirits." On the first day of high school, he unexpectedly encounters Nue, a phantom spirit with a love for subculture, who asks him to exorcise the phantom spirits within the school. Thus begins the modern tale of an onmyoji, woven by Gakuro and Nue!
Why this manga is suitable for learning Japanese
Currently serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, this school youth supernatural battle manga is ideal for Japanese language learners for the following reasons.
There are many scenes where Gakuro speaks in polite language.
The hero, Gakuro, uses keigo (polite speech) when talking to Nue, who grants him supernatural abilities, and Kazusa Suo, a senior one year ahead of him. Since there aren't many works in Weekly Shonen Jump where the hero frequently uses polite language, this series is valuable for enjoying action battles while learning keigo.
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Nue no Onmyoji / Kota Kawae / Shueisha
All kanji have furigana.
In works from Weekly Shonen Jump, except for handwritten text outside of speech bubbles, all kanji in the dialogue have furigana (hiragana readings). This allows Japanese language learners who struggle with kanji readings to focus on following the story without needing to constantly look up pronunciations.
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Nue no Onmyoji / Kota Kawae / Shueisha
Nue no Onmyoji / Kota Kawae / Shueisha
Some points to note
Gakuro's polite speech sometimes becomes casual.
The polite language Gakuro uses occasionally includes casual expressions typical of students. Be aware that these casual expressions might not be appropriate in situations where strict keigo is required.
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Nue no Onmyoji / Kota Kawae / Shueisha
Nue's manner of speaking is somewhat haughty.
Nue, whose true nature is ..., uses a slightly archaic and haughty tone to emphasize this character trait. Imitating this way of speaking in the real world is likely to cause people to chuckle uncomfortably, so it's best to avoid doing so.
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Nue no Onmyoji / Kota Kawae / Shueisha
Data
* Title : Nue no Onmyoji(鵺の陰陽師)
* Author : Kota Kawae
* Publisher : Shueisha
* Latest volume : Vol.5
（Jul.2024 / Ongoing）
* Text volume : plentiful
* Challenge level : ★★
Tips for procuring works
Why BOOK☆WALKER is the go-to for enjoying manga in Japanese - Oshikuda
In this article, you'll find insights on how to get your hands on your favorite Japanese manga titles...
