Samuraisedge

Go figure that one. Thanks for laugh.

Shinobu

Ha, well the funny thing about anime is, if you watch enough of it, you'll pick up some Japanese. However, it will be anime Japanese, and to native speakers, it will sound real otoku. I heard of a guy that kept saying "atashi" when he was referring to himself, but that is because he was always hearing girls say it. English doesn't have a male/female form for "I", he just thought that's how you say it. Needless to say, he got a few funny looks.
I love watching anime where they have to American otoku come to Japan, and they don't know better, e.g. Patricia Martin from らき☆すた.

Kikiskeeter

It is kind of strange to think of gender specific wording like that. Yeah you have languages that use prefix and suffix but to use entirely different word would sure be hard to catch on to if you are not a native speaker. You would almost need to segregate the class so you wouldn't have the confusion of trying to teach men and women the difference in the words. But how divided is Japanese anyway? Do they do this with just nouns or do they do it with verbs and such too?

Ugetsu

The gender thing is mainly for pronouns. Little girls say "atashi" for "I", little boys, and sometimes men, say "boku." Everyone can say "watashi" or in very formal settings "watakushi." "He" and "she" are very different as well...

I'm trying to learn something now that ought to be really simple. When you say the date, it's like in English, you say "it's the fifth" meaning the fifth day of the month. But Japanese has a set of numbers taken straight from Chinese, and then they have the old native Japanese words for the numbers which are completely different. So for months -- there are no names for the months, March would be San-getsu (or is it sangatsu?) meaning "three month" using the Chinese word for three. But the third day would be mi-ka or mui-ka, I don't have these down yet. You see the old word for "two" in various contexts, for example 2 people is "futari." And the second of the month is futsuka.

Kikiskeeter

Well, thanks for the lesson, and answering my question. It seems to me Japanese evolved a little along the lines of English incorporating numerous languages into one system. Definitely something to think about, I guess when one of us strikes it rich we'll send everybody to school to learn to read and write in Japanese.

Ugetsu

So the next chapter is just a week off, are we excited yet?

Kikiskeeter

Yeah. I really like to see some of the tension come back between Reiji and Aoki. Maybe Rin seeing that Reiji wants her only as a replacement in his bed not necessarily in his heart. You have feel like Reiji only wants her like an athlete wants a trophy, and I don't think he has a real love or desire for her past a physical one. I really wander some times if there would not be another woman showing up looking for Reiji, maybe a girlfriend from before? Or even maybe somebody would knows this story a little more in depth. Revealing his history of selfishness and lack of compassion for others' feelings. It pretty clear after 35.5 that the previous telling of the Reiji-Aki relationship was mostly Reiji's view. It is clear to me that Aki found her self in the position of give Reiji physical love than the emotional support and a drive to go off on his own. Her own desire were not being fulfilled. You have to ask how long would things have lasted if she had not died. Could we see the first steps of Aoki toward Rin as more than her friend. Realizing she must be shown clearly that she has the final say in her own life.

Newnonimous

I'm too depressed to have contact with the social life for reasons i will not explain. However i can always talk to you guys so in the cyber world i'm good.

It will happen with Aoki and Reiji. I hate Reiji, his actions are atrocious if he had an ounce of conscious in is mind he'd be able to atone them but instead chooses to make his fantasies a reality. I've already mentioned that there was no relationship between Reiji-Aki. Rin is already catching on to his plans Aoki has a few plans of his own in case it ever happens. If Aoki and Rin ever start to see each other more than just friends and decide to make love then whatever. Aoki's age barrier is starting to weaken after seeing Rins vagina and said that he gets an erection whenever he thinks about it. I also think that the last thing that would really get Aoki fired up would be if Rin masturbated in front of Aoki. All we can do is wait...

nitrogen

Excuse me for butting in.

I haven't had much time to post here and I don't mean to take this off topic, but are you all still interested in sending KW a Japanese e-mail? I spoke to my wife about this and she is willing to write it for us. Here is a suggestion for a message to her (a template, if you wish):

Dear Watashiya-san,

We are some gaijin fans from Europe and North America that very much enjoy your Kodomo no Jikan manga because of its interesting storyline and it excellent sense of humour. Most of us have all volumes in our possession and some of us are even studying Japanese so that we can read them.

All of us want to see a happy ending between Rin and Aoki-sensei and we hope that you will continue the series for a long time but keeping this ending in mind.

Yours,
Your gaijin fans nitrogen, kikskeeter, newnonimous, ugetsu, shinobu and samuraisedge

Kikiskeeter

@Nitro :Looks good to me.