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 at a topic that seems to be popping up in a lot of Shonen Jump manga the last few weeks. The plots of Black Clover, My Hero Academia and World Trigger have been revolving around moles and traitors recently, so let's review the Japanese versions of some of these terms!

URAGIRU (うらぎる)

URAGIRU is the verb "to betray" or "to double-cross." There are some similarities in the current situation the Magic Knights of Black Clover find themselves in and what happened with the Soul Reapers in Bleach during the arc to rescue Rukia. The Wizard King has seemingly flushed out the rat, but there may still be traitors among the Magic Knight captains...

URAGIRIMONO (うらぎりもの)

URAGIRIMONO is the noun form and means "traitor." It literally means "thing that betrays." William Vangeance is clearly up to no good in Black Clover, but how will he be exposed? Or is it all just a misunderstanding and he's actually a good guy? This kind of stuff is what makes manga great! Nothing beats analyzing manga plots and having a healthy discussion with friends about it.

NAITSUUSHA (ないつうしゃ)

NAITSUUSHA also means "traitor" and is the term used in My Hero Academia. This word is a little softer than the ones above, and the meaning could range from a total traitor to someone leaking important information. The term "mole" is used in our translation. So who is the NAITSUUSHA in My Hero Academia? Some crazy theories point to the invisible girl, Hagakure!

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