Welcome to the Nihongo Lesson feature. We strive to give you useful manga-based Japanese language tips and maybe even a glimpse into the translation process. This week’s lesson will feature some terms from one of our latest JUMP START series—SHUDAN! Some sports manga are all about the star player, but SHUDAN! chapter 1 really excelled by putting the focus on the team. Who wouldn’t want to play with these kids?

SHUDAN (しゅうだん)

SHUDAN is the title of this new soccer manga, but what does it mean? Well, a SHUDAN is a group—basically, a team! So from the very start, the series uses its title to draw attention to the fact that it’s going to be about a group of characters. Sure, Soshi, Roku and Akira seem to be the main focus, but you can’t win a game of soccer without 11 players!

DANSHI (だんし)

DANSHI means “boy” or “young man.” We saw a lot of the DANSHI on the team in chapter 1, and Yamato was one of the standouts. You gotta love a captain with a powerful shot. And the scene of him hurting his butt from sliding and then just lying there was hilarious. It was also cute how the other kids made fun of him, but it seemed like deep down they like him.

JOSHI (じょし)

JOSHI means “girl.” It feels like Hamanishi FC is in for big changes with the arrival of Akira Nanase. This JOSHI is an awesome player and seems much more mature than many of the boys on the team. Her enthusiasm and leadership might turn this team into a real winner. Hopefully these DANSHI can put their pride aside and work together for a common goal.

Get more tips by listening to our PODCAST!