advance guard; vanguard; athlete who competes in the first match of a team competition (kendo, judo, etc.)
to choose the best; to select carefully; to handpick
elite; best; pick; cream of the crop
selection; choice; picking out; National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament; Spring Koshien
false accusation; trumped up-charge; pretext; statement that cannot be retracted; saying something one cannot take back
to be caught; to be captured; to be taken prisoner; to be seized with (fear, etc.); to be a slave to; to stick to
serious reflection; soul-searching; penitence
to catch up (with); to draw level; to pull even; to be compensated; to make up for one's losses
to pass (e.g. car); to overtake; to surpass; to outstrip; to get ahead of
radiant smile; contented smile
Genji (the character in the Genji Monogatari); the Minamoto family
volume (of book); reel (of film); scroll (of books or paintings); roll (paper, etc.)
castella (type of sponge cake)
as always; as ever; though it's always the case
yearned for; longed for; missed
to live under another's roof; to become a dependent on; to flatten oneself (against); to lean in close to
particular; special; exceptional; particularly; especially; exceptionally
inscrutable; incomprehensible
stormy weather (at sea); poor catch of fish (due to stormy seas); poor turn-out; recession
drink; drinking; spigot; tap (in a cask, etc.); stock market bucketing; bookmaking
why; how; for what reason
to leave out (someone); to exclude; to ignore; to ostracize; to shun
luxury; extravagance; treat (i.e. at someone's expense)
prohibition law; dry law; Prohibition (in the United States, 1920-1933)
last time; last inning; last part; final episode (of a television program)
last; final; closing; last train (bus, flight, etc.; of the day)
cannot be compared (with); being no match (for)
severe; harsh; hard; cruel; rigorous
bad things happen to those who attempt things; (lit.) if a dog walks they will hit a stick; good luck may come unexpectedly
performing without rehearsal; doing impromptu
to step over or across; to overcome
fighting scene; scene of carnage (bloodshed); location of the fight between the Asuras and Shakra; difficulties (in a love relationship); crunch time (esp. for cartoonists)
reeking of liquor; smelling of alcohol
colouring; coloring; shade (of colour); flavour; nuance; feel
tone (of voice); manner of talking
environment; surroundings; circumstances
to make progress; to develop; to evolve (method, style, etc.)
mystery; mysteriousness; secret
degeneration; retrogression; atrophy; regression (e.g. of society); deterioration; degeneration
-ing and -ing (e.g. "coming and going"); doing such things as ...; expresses a command