Into the lion-dog’s den
Twin dragons, your one-stop source to learn single words of Japanese you will never use xD
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Ohio Gus’ eye muss, or something similar. Pardon me for my horrible accent. (Yeah, I know it’s actually spelled `ohayo gozaimasu` when rendered in our alphabet. I just can’t pronounce it right, and thought it’d be fun to try to render how badly I do.)
Exposure is not the same as learning, especially when there’s no translation presented. Just saying, so you know.
You mean like the little translation notes at the bottom of each of the panels with Japanese words?
But you’re quite right – exposure and learning, while related, are not the same thing.
Well, with my new reading glasses on, sure. Without them on, that’s just a bit of squiggle at the bottom of each of those panels.
Sigh.
Don’t worry, there are more horrible accents out there, I’m sure xD
Cleo, don’t say ‘hi’ to Jin, just say ‘Rei’
and bow to the temple’s young Guardian.
Show respect, as we know you can do
as Jin protects his pericardian.
His ‘mom’ doesn’t trust that one guy by there;
she’s watching him as he circles around.
If she had a physical mass to use
she’d hammer that guy, right into the ground.
We’ve seen him at peace, now he’s on the mat
to show us how he can defend himself.
He can’t use currency to do it, see,
although I’m pretty sure he could use stealth.
Hmmm, I started writing my own poem before yours was here… by the time I posted mine here yours was!
Oh, well… maybe next week…
I see three ways this could go:
1: Jin is good at this and has Katsumi watching his back and telling him what to look out for.
2: Katsumi gets to take the drivers seat when it comes to the defence of Jin.
3: Katsumi just directly helps out and the good Doctor missed some serious evidence for Katsumi being real. (I’m not saying that Dr. Reiniger doesn’t believe Katsumi’s real, but if he’d seen option 3 happen, we’d have heard about it)
It’s possible Katsumi helps in way which is obvious to someone who studies martial art but not to doctor. Like, maybe Jin can lean on Katsumi, allowing him moves impossible without Katsumi … possibly up to changing directions mid-jump …
Daniel here. I’m thinking it would most likely be #1, with Katsumi acting as a 2nd pair of eyes and watching Jin’s blind spots. Wouldn’t put it past the Guardian Lion-Dog to warn him or even subtly help directly (deflect/guide away attacks/move Jin out of the way) if 1 of the opponents became actually aggressive, but this looks to me like she’s just watching his back right now…
Good ideas there. Next week will be full of Jin and Katsumi in action. Stay tuned xD
Hmmm. Not often I get here before Welshie…
But he’ll be here soon – you’ll see!
While here in the dojo
It’s clear they do not know
That Jin has a big, strong guard
So they’ll soon be knocked down – HARD!
Jin’s strength will be praised
And all doubt erased
That he can help Cleo and the dragons
Bring a crowd to their food wagon
To make the day a success…
The resteraunt is next!
That guy to the left of him would be in real trouble…
Noogies Skunkbro
I think they’re ALL in trouble Welshie!
*Noogies Ratbro right back!*
Noogie noogie noogie :p
Big dog is big,
And Jin looks rather small.
But please, do not worry,
For he’ll beat them all.
Hmm, if Jin comes to help out at the food truck with a big invisible dog with him, make sure the guardian does not get to the food.
Kai: [ Yelling out the side of the food truck ] Burger, Fries, Chocolate milkshake for Kevin. Order Up. [ Turns away to get the next order ]
Rex: [ Arrives at the window to grab the order ] Hey, where is it?
Kai: [ Turns around to face Rex ] Where is what?
Rex: Kevin’s order. You just called it.
Kai: Yeah, I put it right there. Did Thunderpants grab it?
Rex: Nah, he’s way over there, getting an order. So where is it?
Kai: Okay, hold on, I’ll make a new one.
Uhhh isn’t Italian?
Yeah, but burgers are easy to use in jokes like this ^^
Kai seems to be the most informed, and respectful, of the group. Although, I’m pretty sure Cleo is also very respectful, mostly because she knows how her behaviors can reflect on her father (especially his business) and she doesn’t want to unintentionally cause tensions when there is no need for such things. Kaya, on the other hand, I don’t doubt she knows how to be respectful (she does seem to intuitively know how she can get away with a lot of stuff in just about any setting), but she also strikes me as someone who would totally want to sign up for martial arts training just she can make more friends, actually learning the art is mostly secondary to her. Kaya would probably sign up for classes at this dojo just so she can spend more time with Jin, and maybe learn some martial arts so she can better protect herself in the future.
And now, I’m imagining Kai, Kaya, and Cleo learning kung fu. Cleo learning one of the serpent/snake styles, Kai learning Northern Dragon style (a style that focuses on deep-rooted stances and drawing energy from the world around for powerful offense and defense), and Kaya learning Southern Dragon style (a style that’s more focused on fluid movements). Mostly I think it would be amusing to see two dragons learning Dragon Style kung fu and a snake learning a snake style kung fu. A lot of people make the mistake of believing that only style of a certain fighting style exists, when the truth is there are a few variations of certain styles, there isn’t just Monkey style kung fu, there are several different Monkey styles, within Monkey style kung fu you have Drunk Monkey style, Monkey Staff style, and other kung fu styles modeled after animals, real or mythical, have several variations as well. They’re usually broken into what are commonly referred to as the Northern and Southern styles.
Honestly, I can totally see Cleo’s dad signing her up for martial arts class, although the irony of Cleo learning a style of combat meant to imitate the movement of a snake is also kind of amusing to me. But if Cleo were to learn Snake style kung fu, she would still learn either Northern Snake Style or Southern Sanke style. There’s a nuance to the Nothern and Southern Shaolin styles, ones that came about due to mostly environmental factors. I think Southern Dragon style suits Kaya best since she’s very much that sort that could use a little more grace, and she has a frame that seems better suited for more fluid movements. Kai learning Northern Dragon style makes sense to me because he’s definitely the “Stand Your Ground” type of person, especially when it comes to people and things he cares about, and a style of combat that exemplifies that seems like a good fit for him.
Wow, love how well informed you are on the different styles of Kung-Fu. Do you practice Kung-Fu? If yes what style do you use?
I study Karate myself, Go-Ju Ryu style, and it always seems to blow other people’s minds about how different martial arts have different styles. I liken it to cars. Karate and Kung-Fu are like VW and Ford, but it breaks further down so Karate=VW equates to Go-Ju Ryu = Golf, Shotokan = Polo, Go-Kan Ryu Passat
I’m not a martial arts practitioner, but it is a field I’ve spent some time studying up on the subject because I genuinely like learning about other cultures, and I’ve been very interested in Asian cultures since my early teens.
I was part of a karate dojo when I was a preteen, but I fell out of practice by my teen years, I also bought a video for learning Tai Chi a few years ago, but I don’t have the space to practice with the video now, so I’ve fallen out of practice again.
That all said, I do have sense of the mystical side of things; when I did the Tai Chi exercises, I could actually “feel” thins when they entered my aura/chi field, it felt like my senses were extended a bit further than their usual range.
Thank you, for those of us who don’t know much about martial arts comments like this help a lot.
So Drunk Monkey style isn’t something Dragon ball made up.
Nope, Drunk Monkey (also known as Drunken Monkey) was created ages before Dragon Ball was even a thing, but they do share an inspiration (Sun Wu Kong/Goku/Monkey from A Journey to the West). Dragon Ball’s Goku is based on the Character of Sun Wu Kong from a Journey to West, his name in the Japanese translation is Goku.
Unfortunately, Cleo isn’t the kind of girl for physical exercise like that. Otherwise, snake-style kung fu would totally be her thing xD
Jin’s martial art style is a style of aikido passed down in his family, based on water. I don’t have a name for it yet, but I’m basing it a little on my own experiences in martial arts (Although I never did aikido, I have done Hakko Den Shin Ryu Jujutsu, which has a lot of similarities, and is totally unlike brazilian jiujitsu)
A martial art based on water used by a Japanese character? You canNOT pass up the opportunity for a Kingdom Hearts joke. Half of the original cast’s females have names based on Japanese words for water. (Kairi – from kai, sea; Naminé – from nami, wave; Xion – from shio, tide)
My Good Robin
As you probably know, Hakkoden Shinryu Jujutsu is directly connected/descended from Daito Ryu Aiki Jujutsu,
a 1,200-year-old martial art and “National Treasure of Japan”. Its core principles focus on subtle manipulations
of balance an internal energy manipulation. Daito Ryu is not just a set of techniques, but a mindset that can
transform budo practice.
It has directly influenced the development of many popular martial arts, such as Shorinji Kempo,
Hakko Ryu Jujutsu, Hapkido and most famously Aikido, whose founder Morihei Ueshiba trained
extensively in Daito Ryu.
It is the foundation of many of Japanese “circular arts” and all of the above arts included training in
cultivation of and manipulation Ki or Chi internal energies.
How about a haiku, given the theme?
Time to spar with Jin
Katsumi is standing by
Ready to curb-stomp
I think you have 5-6-5 not 5-7-5
I parsed it as ‘Kat-su-mi is stand-ing by’, which is definately seven~
Correct. But it’s stan-ding by. ((Ooh, poetical pedantry!))
Kaya wants to help
Kai stops her interference
Jin does not need it.
Nice haiku ^^
Either we’re going to see Ka-chan go Matrix on these guys, or we’re going to see Jin show us the Yoda method of combat.
Daniel here. It looks to me like Katsumi will be a 2nd pair of eyes, watching Jin’s blind spots (like that guy trying to flank Jin’s left), but actual combat will be all Jin. He is supposedly to be a Lion-Dog, a Guardian creature, and it’s hard to be an effective Guardian if you can’t fight skillfully.
What has me curious is Jin’s fighting style – is he the calm eye of the storm, or is he the terrorizing Demon delivering fear and pain in varying degrees? Does he use minimalist movements, using the enemy’s strength against them, or will he also add more of his own power in an attempt to be more effective? Personally, I’m thinking both of those 1st options (making him the opposite of both my OC and myself 😋), but we’ll have to wait for the next page to see I guess. Unless our esteemed Author is willing to let such information slip… 😇😜
My Tae Chun Do instructors told me stories about their sensei, when he was accosted by punks in Central Park. Seeing a 60-year old man roundhouse kick a large tree and shake it to its top branches gets the point across without injury.
Old Yoda or baby Yoda? :p
Probably a mixture of both, Yoda’s combat skills and Grogu’s youthfulness. And incredible cuteness factor.
Ah, so many chew toys yet not enough time to really chew and maim them. Also, never underestimate the shot or small they have ways to make that a good deal of an advantage.
Instead of Kill Bill, we get the less violent version: Pin Jin.
I’m suddenly wondering how to write “pin Jin” in pinyin.
Katsumi is too dignified for chew toys :p
At least when we’re watching…
Hmm. now I’m wondering what grade Jin is. Normally when you see bottoms (I don’t know the proper name), it means that the martial artist is high grade, black belt or higher (yes, there are levels higher than black belt).
It might be that Jin is being allowed to wear them to be more comfortable/accommodate for his hybrid biology, but the fact that he is not wearing a belt, that pinning him is being seen as a challenge to the other students (one who has a black belt), and they’re all going against him at the same time, makes me 97% sure he is highly skilled (or that Katsumi will be a big help)
If I’m not mistaken, isn’t red belt higher than black belt? Google says it is highest possible rank.
Don’t trust everything you read on Google. Different martial arts, and even different schools of the same martial art, have the colours in different orders. In the group I’m a part of the colours go (between white and black);
White
Red
Yellow
Orange
Green
Blue
Purple
Brown
Brown with a black tag
Brown with 2 black tags
Black
He – the guy in red belt – IS quite young. A 9th dan wearer would be fairly old.
Yeah, he’s not wearing the hakama for show :p
Hmmm, Katsumi giving Jin’s opponents the eye. Wonder if there will be any mysterious interference that they won’t see but might feel? Or perhaps as others have speculated she will just advise Jin and to them it will seem like he’s got eyes in the back of his head to use an old saying.
Katsumi gives pretty much everybody the eye xD
Time to get the bleach and body bags again….
Maybe that’s also magically fixed xD
And this is why Jin is the only permanent student in the dojo.
Do they call the paramedics before or after Katsumi goes to town on the attackers?
Better! The paramedics know their training hours and are ready xD
Ah, that makes sense!
Hey! I’m back with more Q’s! This will be a little longer than usual (& slightly unusual)
Rank: both Kai & Kaya (And anyone else you want) using these categories
Intelligence: 80: Low average 90: Average 110: High Average 120: Superior 130: Gifted/Very Advanced 145:Very Gifted/Highly Advanced
Strength: List in Kilos on how much they can lift
Speed: List is meters per second they can run (top speed)
Durability: 5: Human attacks 10: Large caliber bullets/Grenades 15: Bombs
Power: 0: No powers 5: Minor abilities/equipment 20: Higher Abilities/High end equipment 30: 1-2 Low tier powers 40: Multiple Low tier powers
Combat: 0: No experience 1: Some knowledge 10: Some experience 20: Experienced fighter 30: Prof Boxer 40: Med Martial arts training 50 Heavy martial arts 60: light multi Martial arts
Tier: 0: Human 1: Athlete/Peak Human/Superhuman/Building 2: Island/Mountain
Thank you in advance (I am aware some of these may not be able to be answered due to spoilers but please answer what you wish to)
That’s indeed a bit unusual xD
For both Kai and Kaya:
Intelligence: Both somewhere between 90 and 110
strength: Can’t answer because of spoilers ^^
Speed: About the average for a human
Durability: 5
Power: 5
Combat: 0
Tier 0
They may be stronger and have firebreath and fire resistance, but on the whole, they are still pretty much human ^^
Alt-text: Are you sure? She’s not glaring as intensely as last time.
Oh, she is but it’s all on that guy to Jin’s left for the moment.
She’s in a particularly good mood, I guess xD
I like the way Katsumi only shows up when the panel is focused on Jin. It gives a cool Calvin and Hobbes vibe.
Good point! And fun to consider. I’m pretty confident that Katsumi is waaay more real than Hobbes, but the good doctor, and others, don’t “Believe”. 😉
Thanks ^^
It’s a nice visual challenge to depict that Katsumi is in fact invisible to anyone but Jin 🙂
Kasumi be like “You morons are all going to leave this place with your asses kicked.”
Probably, yeah xD
Waoo, Jin with Katsumi behind him looks so epic! :O
Thanks 😀
Small child concusses six – more at 11
and there are only three opponents. Collateral damage? xD
And now it is time to BOOT SOME HEAD.
*cues music*
And one for Jenny and the wimp.
yes, yes indeed 😀
Jin does not look particularly happy to be where he is. I wonder if that’s a cue for Kaya to use her dragon strength to interfere..? 😉
That’s just Jin’s normal face xD
It might just be because I’ve been seeing too many of the memes recently, but for some reason looking at that fifth panel I just started quietly hearing the DOOM soundtrack in my head. Fortunately, this is just a training exercise. That and Jin seems just a little bit more self-restrained than Doomguy. If Katsumi takes on *any* of his personality traits then she should be respectful of the fact it’s an exercise too despite being his protector. The art is just as impressive as ever Robin, and the setup has me eager to see what happens next week. I know I’ve given you this title before, but you really are the master of cliffhangers. Keep up the good work, and as always, stay awesome!
Just imagine Doomguy, but with the discipline of a Japanese warrior xD
Thanks, Alpha ^^ I’m glad the cliffhangers are well-received xD
“Jin is so small compared to the rest.” Kaya, not all martial arts are about hitting your opponents. Some are about making your opponents hit the ground.
Also, Jin looks so cute in hakama.
Except for the most extreme exaggerations, most of the unarmed martial arts favor the shorter opponent, because they have a shorter distance to travel, in order to get under their opponent’s center-of-gravity.
Once there, you rarely need to do more than block their center, & with their balance thusly upset, you’ll defeat them by allowing their own momentum to do most of the work for you. Why hit them, when the walls, the trees, & the ground are all so eager to hit them FOR you?
Ka-chan desu! =D
Judging by the fact that they seem to be ganging up on Jin, it looks like he’s really tough to beat. Especially with his guardian lion-dog. X3
Normally, I’d expect the RED-belt (Highest-ranked of these 3) to be the highest priority, in the eyes of Jin’s protector.
I’m guessing that the BROWN-belt (lowest-ranked of these 3) earns this scrutiny because they’re currently the furthest from Jin’s line-of-sight … ?
Red isn’t always the highest rank in a martial arts grading system.
The only scale of rank that I know at-least something about is from WHITE-YELLOW-(etc.)-(10 degrees of BLACK-belt)-RED, then you work your way BACK down thru the ranks, earning belts of DOUBLE thickness, starting with DOUBLE_THICK_RED, down to the final DOUBLE_THICK_WHITE. I am aware, however, that not all martial-arts (not even all DOJOS within just one martial-art) employ the same ranking-system.
I recently discovered a school for training Origami students, & instead of belts, they earned rubber wristbands of different colors, to signify their rank.
I think Katsumi’s just annoyed that the guy is trying to be sneaky and underhanded by slipping around to take Jin from behind. The “furthest from Jin’s line-of-sight” part is just a symptom of the sneaky and underhanded part. 🙂
“Slipping around behind”
Literally part of of multiple opponent Randori. The subject is expected to be able to sense 360 degrees
Without looking.
Robin’s depiction of this Randori brought a flashback to me.
In 1984 I watched our school Sensei Darryl test for black belt in Aikido.
Akira Tohei Sensei asked him how many opponents Darryl wanted.
Darryl said “ i would prefer three, but I wish to test against five”.
Tohei Sensei replied “That is how many you were going to get anyway” lol.
The five surrounded Darryl Sensei in the same manner, and Robin’s depiction
Of this Randori is shockingly similar, including what we jokingly called
“Bowling for trolls” (throwing one opponent literally into another) and
“Splat Waza” ( self explanatory i think)
Thanks Robin for this!
Maybe it’s because I’m running on two hours of sleep, but for some reason I imagined the intro to drowning pool’s “bodies” in the last panel and an image of Jin going rage mode a la aggrestsuko.
Next to last panel sorry
I’m sure I once read somewhere that it’s only Americans who have belt colors other than white and black. Is that a myth?
Since the sensei is telling everyone to gang up on Jin, it clearly isn’t going to surprise anyone but the visitors when Jin mops up all of them.
We have different colour belts in the UK as well.
Cleo hasn’t said anything. I wonder if she can see the big puppy…
ninjin
I take a bet : the guys are able to see Katsumi , and they have to pin Jin without be pawed …….. I can imagine the reptile team seeing the guys sent to the mat by “nobody” XD
Hmm.. If I recall correctly; Dr. Reiniger(?) could not detect Katsumi at all; see, hear, smell, OR -feel-. Does that imply the possibility that the guy behind Jin does not see Katsumi, AND can walk right through her? That would make it difficult for Katsumi to protect Jin. Maybe she is only undetectable when she wants to be? Guy could think he’s charging through empty space, and suddenly bounce off. 🙂
Panel 5: “5 minute” should be hyphenated.
This should be interesting. Lets find a seat and get out the snacks. 😀 Love this comic.
Ewww a furry jk lol
Is the paper copy of twin dragons still a thing?
I can’t wait to see what Katsumi can do. I hope she won’t hurt the opponents too much.
And I think she won’t. The fact that the instructor tells three grown men to try to pin down a little boy tells me that they know from experience that it’s exceptionally difficult to beat Jin. If opponents had been seriously injured before, then people would have learned not to practice martial arts with Jin. Therefore I think Katsumi understands that this is practice, and restrains herself.
I used to take taekwondo. I recognize some of those words woot.
Come to think of it, the Nakamuras are the only characters to speak a foreign language without colored speech bubbles.