Trees of Happiness
Masaru stands at a crossroads. On the one hand, life is going well. His career at the Tokyo securities firm where he works is solidly on track. But his private life is less fulfilled. One day, he experiences an unexpected change that allows him to better understand the people around him and help them to grow. But can he do the same for himself?
Much of this story takes place in a professional environment, providing excellent exposure to work vocabulary that may feel challenging for some. Scenes outside the office will feel easier. Weaving together work, family, fantasy, and current societal issues, this story will make you think. (Ongoing, 103 episodes)
Episode 1
Masaru Hirose starts his day hearing a familiar voice.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a set of common words whose adverb form can behave as nouns, a note on a way that parents sometimes pick names for their children, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers |  |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 11946 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 1993 |
Episode 2
Masaru's mother weighs in on the topic at hand.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a common naming pattern for female given names, one on a pattern that means "to take care to do," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 4154 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 539 |
Pro
Episode 3
Masaru reflects on his daily life.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a word that means that a similarity is almost perfect, one on a challenging kanji, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 2440 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 325 |
Pro
Episode 4
Masaru starts his workday.
Notes: This episode contains notes on two pairs of words that can be written using the exact same kanji but are used differently, a breakdown of a tricky sentence, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 1450 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 175 |
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Episode 5
Masaru's capable secretary briefs him on his day.
Notes: This episode gives us our first taste of some of the business-world vocabulary we'll be seeing in certain episodes. Don't be overwhelmed! Our notes will help you to break it down.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 1218 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 156 |
Pro
Episode 6
Masaru asks Akemi for supplemental information.
Notes: This episode contains a note that looks at a word that literally means "legal person," a suffix that allows you to say how you want information broken down, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 1065 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 137 |
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Episode 7
The narrator tells us about Akemi's reputation among the other secretaries.
Notes: This episode has a note that takes up a word that means "let alone...; to say nothing of...", one on a word that means "anyway," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 976 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 123 |
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Episode 8
Masaru's skills as a negotiator lead to wins on both sides.
Notes: This episode contains notes explaining the organizational structure of Japanese companies, one on a verb that means "to serve as," and more. Also, if you're feeling overwhelmed by the office vocabulary, we're on the home stretch for this scene. Hang in there!
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 869 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 101 |
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Episode 9
Masaru returns home for some precious rest.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the word hazu, one on a sentence that uses the "noni of lament," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 769 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 103 |
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Episode 10
Masaru's mind races for a plan.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a pattern that means that something is left in a certain state (window left open, TV left on, etc.), a word that signals that an "even (hypothetically) if..." sentence is coming, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 731 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 88 |
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Episode 11
Masaru makes his move.
Notes: This episode contains a note about the kurai that demonstrates an extent, one that explains two different meanings of a word that means "to roll; to tumble," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 723 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 90 |
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Episode 12
Masaru prepares to come face-to-face with the intruder.
Notes: This episode contains a note on why mimetic words are sometimes written partially in katakana and partially in hiragana, one on a use of the word hitotsu to mean "even one," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 713 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 87 |
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Episode 13
Masaru peers into the closet in confusion.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the word nante, one on a suffix that means the speaker is searching their memory, and one on a word that means a feeling that something is off.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 673 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 81 |
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Episode 14
In a trance, Masaru presses forward.
Notes: This episode contains several long notes, including one that breaks down a tricky sentence, one on a suffix that means "(verb) is possible," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 689 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 81 |
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Episode 15
Masaru looks with disbelief on the scene before him.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an alternate way of joining two adjectives, and one on the sometimes beguiling word saki.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 773 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 90 |
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Episode 16
Questioning his own sanity, Masaru presses onward.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an expression that literally means "to be possessed," one on the difference between two words that mean "wall," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 726 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 88 |
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Episode 17
Masaru investigates the plots he sees behind the gates.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a phrase that literally means that one has "well come," one on a verb that originally meant "to drive livestock," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 626 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 77 |
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Episode 18
The strange man invites Masaru to have a look at one of the plots.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a common change to the present progressive in dialects, one on a word that means that someone has done something "at great pains; with trouble," one on the origins of the word sumimasen, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 580 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 73 |
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Episode 19
The old man explains more about this strange place.
Notes: This episode contains a note on two uses of the word annai, a use of mon to mean "a general tendency of the world," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 582 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 71 |
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Episode 20
Masaru takes a closer look at the trees in his plot.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a word that mean "exactly that way," one on an expression that an older person might use to say "do it and see," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 586 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 67 |
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Episode 21
Masaru feeling bewildered by what he sees.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an expression that means "the very thing; that thing itself."
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 662 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 69 |
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Episode 22
Back in his apartment, Masaru tries to make sense of what has just happened.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a verb that means "dawn" but which can signal both the beginning and the end of something, a word that means "far from (the foregoing)," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 568 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 65 |
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Episode 23
Masaru is greeted by a strange sight on his way to work.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a pattern that means that something nearly happened, one on an expression that means "strangely," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 530 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 63 |
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Episode 24
Masaru continues his surreal journey, observing people at the train station.
Notes: This episode contains notes on a pattern that means "if there is A, there is also B," a pattern that means "each and every," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 533 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 62 |
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Episode 25
A packed commuter train provides more opportunity to observe the strange phenomenon.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the indirect ("suffering/adversative") passive, one on a verb that shows up in phrases like "rocked by the train," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 494 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 56 |
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Episode 26
Masaru gets his daily brief, in a very different version of his normal routine.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a word that means "to fudge; to evade; to dodge," one on a pattern that means it looks like something might happen at any moment, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 494 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 59 |
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Episode 27
Masaru notices an obvious difference in one of his team members.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a pattern that can be used to make "unless (such-and-such occurs)..." sentences, one on a word that means "geek; nerd; nut," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 488 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 57 |
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Episode 28
Masaru asks Tamura about his obvious good health.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a verb that means "to suddenly start a new or unexpected topic," one on a word that means the external signs of some internal process, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 493 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 56 |
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Episode 29
Given the opportunity to expound on his favorite topic, Tamura shares eagerly.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a word that means for work to proceed smoothly, one on an expression that literally means to take turns hammering, and one that looks at alternate ways of making a conditional statement.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 378 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 48 |
Pro
Episode 30
Masaru continues talking to his subordinates.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a word that can mean to think of something as only natural or to take for granted, one on an expression that means "out of the blue," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 369 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 50 |
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Episode 31
Masaru learns more about Ooyoshi as he attempts to validate his understanding.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a verb that means "to win a prize in a competition," one on how to read a kanji that means "to draw/paint," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 359 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 49 |
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Episode 32
Masaru asks Tamura to come up with a plan.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a special use of nani mo, a note on using ni to mark the person "to whom" something is possible or not possible, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 349 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 49 |
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Episode 33
Masaru considers the impact of the company's generous provisions for employees who work overtime.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an expression that means "it leaves nothing to be desired," one on a proverb that means "There is no time like the present," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 338 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 45 |
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Episode 34
Masaru calls an impromptu meeting.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a use of a verb for "turn; rotate," one on the difference between two expressions for things that happen at the same time, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 338 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 45 |
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Episode 35
Masaru asks his team to report on their work-life balance.
Notes: This episode contains a note on how to use the expressions isogashii tokoro and moushi-wake nai.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 323 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 44 |
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Episode 36
Masaru asks the team to try a new style of working.
Notes: This episode contains a note that explains a word that means "scope; range," and one that means "the set time."
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 323 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 42 |
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Episode 37
Masaru's team members share their experiences and reactions to the new policies.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a word that means "to be lured/tempted" into an activity, one that means "to go to meet someone," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 310 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 39 |
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Episode 38
Finding himself with a rare early night on his hands, Masaru reaches out to an old friend.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an expression that means it is worth it to do something, one on a prefix that means "this past" or "this coming" time period, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 313 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 40 |
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Episode 39
Masaru heads to out to meet up with his friend Arai.
Notes: This episode contains a note on how to use the word for "graduate," one on a word that means that the speaker thinks a question is unanswerable, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 417 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 41 |
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Episode 40
The two friends sit down to dinner together.
Notes: This episode contains a fun note on the ways that a string of numbers can be read as words.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 420 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 43 |
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Episode 41
Masaru and Arai get up to date on each other's lives.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a pattern that allows you to use a phrase like "the balance is good" as an adverb, one one a phrase that can mean both "worthless" and "silly," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 423 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 42 |
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Episode 42
Masaru recalls a difficult period.
Notes: This episode contains two notes about "special effects" uses of は, as well as a note about a way to say you should have done something.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 430 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 40 |
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Episode 43
As Arai consoles Masaru, Masaru opens up about a sense of hopelessness.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an expression that means "to the maximum extent possible," one on a pattern that is used to create a warning, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 357 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 40 |
Pro
Episode 44
Arai recounts an episode from their childhood.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the word さすが, one on an alternative form of ～なくて, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 343 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 40 |
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Episode 45
Arai recounts the events of that day and how they affected him going forward.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an expression that means "to meet up with a (usually difficult) experience," and one on a verb that means "to adopt a posture of bold defiance."
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 348 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 36 |
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Episode 46
Masaru reflects on Arai's words and experiences.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a word that means "to lack," one on a special way to use 一人, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 377 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 35 |
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Episode 47
Masaru wrestles with the possible outcomes of making a change.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a word that means "now, at this late stage," one on a pattern that means "even just (verbing)," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 388 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 34 |
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Episode 48
Masaru gets to a core question.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a word that most basically means "respond," but which also can also mean "to impact in a negative way," as well as a note on the suffix ～つつ.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 355 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 38 |
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Episode 49
Masaru checks in with Akemi.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an expression that means "(not) at all," one that means "against my better judgment; without meaning to," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 339 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 34 |
Pro
Episode 50
Masaru heads home for the holidays.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a pattern that allows you to create poetic expressions like "How beautiful it is!" as well as a note that explains how the Shinkansen train naming system works.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 305 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 32 |
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Episode 51
Back in his childhood home, Masaru feels a memory trying to surface.
Notes: This episode contains a note on two important patterns packed into a single sentence.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 208 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 30 |
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Episode 52
In the family kitchen, the conversation turns to the topic of Arai.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a suffix that means that a verb comes to a completion, one on a pair of words that relate to respect for one's parents, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 206 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 32 |
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Episode 53
Things start to get heated in the kitchen.
Notes: This episode contains an explanation of a tricky expression, a note on a verb pair that means "to make a mistake," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 212 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 29 |
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Episode 54
Arai greets Masaru's parents and introduces his partner.
Notes: This episode contains a note about using the word 何 to fill in for a word the speaker doesn't want to say, one on the difference in two ways of greeting someone after a long absence, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 207 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 31 |
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Episode 55
Arai and Aizawa explain how they met.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a word that means "to smooth over," as well as one on a pattern that means someone hasn't done even the barest minimum of something that would be expected.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 204 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 31 |
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Episode 56
Arai helps Masaru to avoid making a mistake.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a word that can be used to mean "in the heat of the moment," one on a word that means the first visit of the New Year to a shrine, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 193 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 30 |
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Episode 57
Masaru thinks back to his childhood with Arai.
Notes: This episode contains a note on different ways to use the word for "consciousness," as well as two on important patterns that make use of the ～ず and ～ざる negatives.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 192 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 29 |
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Episode 58
A childhood memory returns to Masaru.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an equivalent pattern to the ～ずにいる pattern, a use of もの to name a common occurrence in the past, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 190 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 28 |
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Episode 59
The visitor explains his presence.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a word that means "contingent on...; dependent on...," one that means "upturned eyes" and a pattern the word illustrates, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 187 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 27 |
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Episode 60
Masaru recalls a harsh exchange with his mother.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the verb 溺れる, as well as one on the significance of the ～のだ itself appearing in the past tense.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 191 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 25 |
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Episode 61
Tarou's words force an internal reckoning.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a suffix that means "that person themself," one on a word that corresponds to "the sandman" in English, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 272 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 23 |
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Episode 62
Masaru begins the new year with his family.
Notes: This episode contains notes on several vocabulary words specific to New Year's.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 299 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 24 |
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Episode 63
Masaru goes to his first shrine visit of the year with Arai and Aizawa.
Notes: This episode contains a note on how to use an expression that means "in contrast with X," one on a way to use 見える to mean something appears a certain way, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 155 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 24 |
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Episode 64
Masaru receives concerning news.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a pattern that can happen when combining two yamato-kotoba into a compound word, and one on how to know which kun reading to use for 間.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 153 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 22 |
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Episode 65
Masaru wonders if he might be to blame.
Notes: This episode contains a note on how to use the word 強いる (しいる), and one on a pattern for softening a request for someone to do something.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 139 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 19 |
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Episode 66
Masaru arrives at the hospital.
Notes: This episode contains a note on the verb 患う (わずらう).
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 128 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 20 |
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Episode 67
Akemi explains her situation to a concerned Masaru.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a pattern for describing hypothetical situations.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 127 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 19 |
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Episode 68
Akemi shares something personal.
Notes: This episode contains a note about a word that can be used to speak about parallel experiences, one on a suffix that means "to do a verb deeply," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 120 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 15 |
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Episode 69
Akemi has an important realization.
Notes: This episode contains a note on a verb that means that something sharp gets lodged in something else, and one explaining a figurative use of the ～てやる pattern.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 110 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 15 |
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Episode 70
Masaru returns to the hustle and bustle of his job.
Notes: This episode contains a note about the word 仲間, one about an expression that means "to sign a contract," and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 84 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 25 |
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Episode 71
The passage of time brings changes for both Masaru and Akemi.
Notes: This episode contains a note on an expression that means for a bird or fish to be "fattened up," one that reviews the timeline over the last several episodes, and more.
| Editions | Status | Total Readers | |
| With Sound Effects | Unread | 49 | |
| Voice Only | Unread | 8 |