Content Hub

Journal

Japanese language and culture through the lens of anime.

12 min read

Why Magikarp Evolves to Gyarados?

The real myth behind Magikarp's evolution into Gyarados: the Dragon Gate legend, where koi climb a waterfall guarded by demons and become golden dragons.

Anime Characters Are Teaching You Japanese - Part 2

Translation

10 min read

Anime Characters Are Teaching You Japanese - Part 2

Nami means wave, Akainu means red dog, and Usopp literally means lie. Part 2: colors, nature words, and everyday Japanese vocabulary hiding in anime character names.

Captain Tsubasa's Characters Are Portraits of Real Footballers

Lore

12 min read

Captain Tsubasa's Characters Are Portraits of Real Footballers

In Captain Tsubasa, the foreign players are real footballers renamed: Roberto Hongo is Tostao meets Socrates, Schneider is Rummenigge, Pierre is Platini.

Raikou, Entei, and Suicune - The Three Pokémon Ho-Oh Brought Back from the Dead

Lore

12 min read

Raikou, Entei, and Suicune - The Three Pokémon Ho-Oh Brought Back from the Dead

Three Pokémon died in the Brass Tower fire. Ho-Oh brought them back as Raikou, Entei, and Suicune - each named for a different force that destroyed the tower.

Why Magikarp Evolves to Gyarados?

Anime Characters Are Teaching You Japanese - Part 2

Captain Tsubasa's Characters Are Portraits of Real Footballers

Raikou, Entei, and Suicune - The Three Pokémon Ho-Oh Brought Back from the Dead

Learning Japanese with Again (Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Opening)

Your Favorite Anime Characters Are Named After Japanese Vocabulary

You Already Know How to Count in Japanese

Learning Japanese with Blue Bird (Naruto Shippuden Opening)

Bushido: The Samurai Code Running Every Anime You Watch

Captain Tsubasa Made Japan Obsessed with Soccer - Then Zico Made It Real

Learning Japanese with Cha-La Head-Cha-La (Dragon Ball Z Opening)

Learning Japanese with Crossing Field (Sword Art Online Opening)

You Already Know 1,000+ Japanese Words

The Kanji That Conquered Anime

Guren no Yumiya Is the Hardest Japanese in Any Anime Opening

Learning Japanese with Gurenge (Demon Slayer Opening)

Learning Japanese with Homura (Demon Slayer: Mugen Train Theme)

Every Japanese Day of the Week Has an Anime Character in It

Rurouni Kenshin's Japan Was Real

What Do Naruto's Jutsu Names Actually Mean?

Ninja vs Samurai: They Were Never the Same Thing

Is Oden From One Piece Based on a Real Person?

One Piece's Three Admirals Have Real Faces

Learning Japanese with Silhouette (Naruto Shippuden Opening)

The Legend Behind Goku, Luffy and Every Anime Monkey Hero

Why Are Uchiha Jutsus Named After Japanese Gods?

Learning Japanese with Unravel (Tokyo Ghoul Opening)

Learning Japanese with We Are! (One Piece Opening)

Learning Japanese with Zankoku na Tenshi no Thesis (Evangelion Opening)

Why Magikarp Evolves to Gyarados?

Anime Characters Are Teaching You Japanese - Part 2

Captain Tsubasa's Characters Are Portraits of Real Footballers

Raikou, Entei, and Suicune - The Three Pokémon Ho-Oh Brought Back from the Dead

Learning Japanese with Again (Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Opening)

Your Favorite Anime Characters Are Named After Japanese Vocabulary

You Already Know How to Count in Japanese

Learning Japanese with Blue Bird (Naruto Shippuden Opening)

Bushido: The Samurai Code Running Every Anime You Watch

Captain Tsubasa Made Japan Obsessed with Soccer - Then Zico Made It Real

Learning Japanese with Cha-La Head-Cha-La (Dragon Ball Z Opening)

Learning Japanese with Crossing Field (Sword Art Online Opening)

You Already Know 1,000+ Japanese Words

The Kanji That Conquered Anime

Guren no Yumiya Is the Hardest Japanese in Any Anime Opening

Learning Japanese with Gurenge (Demon Slayer Opening)

Learning Japanese with Homura (Demon Slayer: Mugen Train Theme)

Every Japanese Day of the Week Has an Anime Character in It

Rurouni Kenshin's Japan Was Real

What Do Naruto's Jutsu Names Actually Mean?

Ninja vs Samurai: They Were Never the Same Thing

Is Oden From One Piece Based on a Real Person?

One Piece's Three Admirals Have Real Faces

Learning Japanese with Silhouette (Naruto Shippuden Opening)

The Legend Behind Goku, Luffy and Every Anime Monkey Hero

Why Are Uchiha Jutsus Named After Japanese Gods?

Learning Japanese with Unravel (Tokyo Ghoul Opening)

Learning Japanese with We Are! (One Piece Opening)

Learning Japanese with Zankoku na Tenshi no Thesis (Evangelion Opening)