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 focus on Kishimoto Sensei's one-shot, Karakuri. Not only are we able to get a glimpse into how the creator of Naruto grew as a manga artist over the years, we also get to learn some Japanese!

KARAKURI (からくり)

KARAKURI is a complicated word but, in general, it means a mechanical device. The word was first coined in ancient Japan to describe mechanical dolls or other devices with gears. However, this word does not cover modern technology. KARAKURI is the perfect word to describe the cool gadgets you see in steampunk stories. It inspires the readers's imagination and that's why it's a common term seen in many manga series.

In the Karakuri one-shot, Kiru is a member of the Karakuri squad. Based on what we saw in the story, the members of this squad use advanced technology to fight against villains. This one-shot did a great job setting up an interesting world that's rife for a deeper story! Kiru and his rat guardian must have gone on some awesome adventures together!

NINGYOU (にんぎょう)

NINGYOU means "doll" or "puppet." It's a word that frequently follows KARAKURI. A KARAKURI NINGYOU is a mechanical puppet that can perform some kind of trick or gimmick. A common KARAKURI NINGYOU was a wind-up doll that, when a cup of tea was placed on it, would roll towards the guest and thus serve the tea. However, the KARAKURI NINGYOU in manga are a lot cooler than that and much more deadly. Remember all of Sasori's puppets in Naruto? Or Gein's in Rurouni Kenshin? Those were some puppets you would not want to mess with!

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