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 look into some words from the latest My Hero Academia chapter. These terms show up in a lot of Shonen Jump manga, so they should make the perfect addition to your vocabulary!

TASUKERU (たすける)

TASUKERU means "to save" or "to rescue." You can't be a superhero without knowing this word. Deku sure has grown a lot since the beginning of My Hero Academia! He's gone from a Quirkless wonder always needing to be rescued to a true hero. He'll need to keep upping his game though—some of these villains look really tough!

MAMORU (まもる)

MAMORU means "to protect," and that's just what Deku did for Kota. The odds were seriously against him, but he managed to protect the little tyke from that muscle-bound brute. All it took was using his power at 1,000,000 percent!

DAIJI (だいじ)

DAIJI means "important" or "precious." If you're gonna be doing any saving or protecting, it's probably because there's something DAIJI involved. You gotta respect that Aizawa Sensei and the other teachers are risking their lives to save their precious students!

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