Colors and Animals

When I watch Kamen Rider OOO some time ago, although I did not really know much Japanese language, after finish watching the series, I find myself remembering many animals in Japanese. This is due to Kamen Rider OOO uses the powers of different animals in various combinations.

Kamen Rider OOO Tatoba Comba

In this series, the five Greed and their medals play an important role.  Each medal carries the power of an animal.  Hino Eiji, the Kamen Rider OOO can use the medals to transform into different forms, using different medals combination of the head, arms, and legs.  The default Tatoba Combo uses the head of a Hawk, arms of the Tiger, and legs of the Grasshopper.

Gatakiriba Combo

When using only one Greed’s medals, OOO can transform into a more powerful combo.  Each Greed has a particular theme of animals.  The Green, 緑 orみどり (midori) medals belong to Uva, who has powers of insects, 昆虫 orこんちゅう (konchuu).  By using three of Uva’s medals, OOO will transform into the Gatakiriba combo.  This combo has the head of a Stag beetle, 鍬形虫 orクワガタムシ (kuwagatamushi), arms of a Praying Mantis, 螳螂 or カマキリ(kamakiri), and legs of a Grasshopper, 飛蝗 or バッタ (batta).

Latorartar Combo

The yellow, 黄 orき (ki) medals belong to Kazari, who possesses the power of felines.  It allows OOO to transform into the Latorartar combo, having the head of a Lion, ライオン (raion), the arms of a Tiger, 虎 or トラ (tora), and the legs of a Cheetah, チータ (chita).

Sagozou Combo

The gray, 灰色 or はいいろ (haiiro) medals is Gamel’s, who possesses the power of heavy animals.  The Sagozou combo has the head of a Rhinoceros, 犀 or サイ (sai), arms of a Gorilla, ゴリラ (gorira), and legs of an Elephant, 象 or ゾウ (zou).

Shauta Combo

The blue, 青 or あお (ao) medals belong to Mezool, the only female Greed who possesses the powers of sea creatures.  The Shauta combo has the head of a Killer Whale, 鯱 or シャチ (shachi), arms of Electric Eels, 電気ウナギ (denki unagi), and legs of an Octopus, 蛸 or タコ (tako).

Tajadol Combo

Using Ankh’s red, 赤 or あか (aka) medals, OOO can transform into the more powerful Tajadol combo, which has the motif of a Phoenix, フェニックス (fenikkusu) and possesses the powers of birds.  Tajadol combo has the head of a Hawk, 鷹 or タカ (taka), arms of Peacock, 孔雀 or クジャク (kujaku), and Legs of Condor, コンドル (kondoru).  OOO eventually gain its ultimate combo, using the purple, 紫 or むらさき (murasaki) medals of dinosaur powers.  These two are the only combos that enable OOO to have the power of flight.

Ultimate Combo

Kanji	Hiragana/Katakana	Romaji	English
色	いろ	Iro	Colors
緑	みどり	Midori	Green
黄	き	Ki	Yellow
灰色	はいいろ	Haiiro	Grey
青	あお	Ao	Blue
赤	あか	Aka	Red
紫	むらさき	Murasaki	Purple

動物	どうぶつ	Doubutsu	Animals
昆虫	こんちゅう	Konchuu	Insect
鍬形虫	クワガタムシ	Kuwagatamushi	Stag beetle
螳螂	カマキリ	Kamakiri	Praying Mantis
飛蝗	バッタ	Batta	Grasshopper
	ライオン	Raion	Lion
虎	トラ	Tora	Tiger
	チータ	Chita	Cheetah
犀	サイ	Sai	Rhinoceros
	ゴリラ	Gorira	Gorilla
象	ゾウ	Zou	Elephant
鯱	シャチ	Shachi	Killer Whale
	電気ウナギ	Denki Unagi	Electric Eel
鰻	ウナギ	Unagi	Eel
蛸	タコ	Tako	Octopus
	フェニックス	Fenikkusu	Phoenix
鷹	タカ	Taka	Hawk
孔雀	クジャク	Kujaku	Peacock
	コンドル	Kondoru	Condor

Watching this series is really a good way to learn or revise animals' name.  In this post, we also learn some colors.  We will learn more colors in the next post.

Some Animals in Japanese - Part 3

Finally arriving at Alabasta, a place where many animals were encountered.  Here, Chopper was helped by eyelashes, a camel, 駱駝 or ラクダ (rakuda), to escape from a wagon delivering weapons.  Eyelashes later travelled with the crew to Alubarna.

Eyelashes the camel

At the shore of Sandora River, the crew met the Kung-Fu Dugongs, クンフージュゴン (kunfuu jugon).  The Kung-Fu Dugongs became Luffy’s disciple after he defeated all of them.

Kung-Fu Dugongs with Luffy

When trying to find Crocodile at the casino in Rainbase, the crew was captured by Crocodile.  They were almost being fed to a bunch of Banana Gators, バナナワニ (bananawani), a creature with a banana on the head of an alligator, 鰐 or ワニ (wani).

Bananawani

When they finally escaping from Rainbase, the crew travelled halfway on a giant crab, 蟹 or カニ (kani).  After crossing the Sandora River with the Kung-Fu Dugongs’ help, they travelled the rest of the way riding on Super Spot-Billed Ducks, 軽鴨 or カルガモ(karugamo), captained by Carue.

Scissors, the giant Moving Crab.

Super Spot-Billed Ducks

In Alabasta, there’s two head guards, Chaka and Pell.  Chaka’s power allows him to transform into a jackal, ジャッカル (jakkaru), while Pell can transform into a falcon, ハヤブサ (hayabusa).  Chopper and Usopp also fought against Miss Merry Christmas who can transform into a mole, もぐら or モグラ (mogura).

Chaka the Jackal

Pell the Falcon

Usopp thought he could let Miss Merry Christmas crash on the ruins' wall.

When the Straw Hat Pirates plans to go to Skypiea, the island in the sky, they were assisted by the Saruyama Alliance, 猿山連合軍 (Saruyama rengougun).  Saruyama Alliance means Monkey Mountain Alliance, which makes sense since it is an alliance of Montblanc Cricket (Mont Blanc is the highest mountain in the Alps) and the two “Ape Pirates”, Masira and Shoujou.  Saru, 猿 or サル means monkey and yama, 山 or やま means mountain.  

Saruyama Alliance

After leaving the Sky Island, the ship of the crew, Going Merry, was in a bad shape and they decided to repair it at Water 7.  However, they had to travel to Enies Lobby to save Nico Robin.  At Enies Lobby, they fought against the Cipher Pol 9 (CP9).  The strongest of the CP9 is Rob Lucci, who always has Hattori, his pet pigeon, 鳩 orハト (hato) on his shoulder.  Rob Lucci can transform into a leopard, 豹 orヒョウ (hyou).  Another assassin of CP9, Kaku, can transform into a giraffe, 麒麟 orキリン (kirin), while Jabra transforms into a wolf, 狼 orオオカミ (ookami).

Rob Lucci and Hattori

Kaku the giraffe

Jabra and Sogeking

When the Straw Hat Pirates intend the travel to Fishman Island, they first get their ship coated at Sabaody Archipelago.  However, they got into trouble with the Marine Admiral, Borsalino Kizaru, due to the attack on the Celestial Dragons.  Bartholomew Kuma saves them by using his powers to send each member to different parts of the world.  Luffy was sent to Amazon Lily, the Island of Women inhabited by the Kuja tribe, ruled by the Boa Hancock.  Boa Hancock is known as the Snake Princess, 蛇姫 (hebihime).  She is always seen with Salome, her pet snake, 蛇 orヘビ (hebi).

Boa Hancock and Salome

Kanji	Hiragana/Katakana	Romaji	English
駱駝	ラクダ	Rakuda	Camel
	ジュゴン	Jugon	Dugong
鰐	ワニ	Wani	Alligator/Crocodile
蟹	カニ	Kani	Crab
軽鴨	カルガモ	Karugamo	Spot-Billed Duck
鴨	カモ	Kamo	Duck
	ジャッカル	Jakkaru	Jackal
	ハヤブサ	Hayabusa	Falcon
	もぐら/モグラ	Mogura	Mole
猿	サル	Saru	Monkey
鳩	ハト	Hato	Pigeon
豹	ヒョウ	Hyou	Leopard
麒麟	キリン	Kirin	Giraffe
狼	オオカミ	Ookami	Wolf
蛇	ヘビ	Hebi	Snake

Note that many Japanese terms of organisms are often spelled in katakana.  

The final part will be other animals from another Japanese TV program.  Read Part 1 and Part 2 as well.