remote control; remote operation
the reverse (side); back (side); other side; hidden side; behind the scenes
PvP battle; battle between human players (as opposed to AI)
sham battle; mock battle; dry run; military exercise; war game
to use as a pretext; to use as an excuse
to overestimate (someone); to overrate; to think too highly of; to make too much of; to give (someone) too much credit
to throw up a smoke screen; to put up a false front; to purposely mislead
to jump over; to leap over; to fly over; to fly across; to jump ahead (of someone); to skip over
to force one's way through
knowing only too well; being fully aware of
centre of gravity (center); centroid; barycenter; (one's) balance
chance to win; opportunity to win; chance of victory
field of vision; view; one's outlook (e.g. on life); one's horizons
how; in what way; how (much); to what extent; however (much); no matter how
to cut corners; to be shoddy; to slack off; to play a tenuki; to tenuki
fighting a good fight; putting up a good fight; fighting bravely
one more time; once more; once again
hating to lose; unyielding; unbending; competitive; sore loser; determined
to get poised again for charging; to toe the mark again; to start from scratch; to get a fresh start (on)
to hit (e.g. with a car); to knock down; to reject; to eliminate; to refuse (e.g. a request); to deny; to flip
great fortune; good luck; rice cake stuffed with bean jam
confident; full of confidence; cocky; full of oneself
to slip through (a crowd); to weave through (e.g. traffic); to pass through; to get around; to elude (e.g. the law); to evade
retention; maintenance; preservation
person inside a cartoon body suit; voice actor (of a particular character); insider; person on the inside
quick; prompt; without delay; simple; easy; effortless
favorite (top choice) for the championship (favourite); best bet for the title
gratitude; thanks; apology
thanks to ...; owing to ...; because of ...
service; duty; business; Buddhist religious services
mockery; derision; ridicule
lese majesty; lèse-majesté
directly opposite; right in front; middle of the forehead; helmet front
provocative; incendiary; inflammatory; suggestive; lascivious; risqué
origin; birthplace; descent; lineage; ancestry
continuation; rest (of the story, work, etc.); flow (e.g. of a piece of writing); pacing (of a story); succession (of); sequence
first day (e.g. at work, school); day one
to sit down hard; to sink down to the floor
completely exhausted; dead tired; knackered
given the situation; now that it has come to this; if it comes to this