Random Japanese player at your locals?

On a nerd pilgrimage to Akihabara and not sure what to say?

Pretty girl at the tournament and you want to show off your Japanese but don't actually know how to rune speak?

You're on the moon and the evil moon emperor who only speaks Japanese wants you to prove that the world is worth protecting... And the only way you can do so is through VANGUARD FIGHT!!!???

These situations are common in day to day life, and as such, it's important to learn some handy words to use when playing vanguard in Japanese.

Don't worry. Weve got you covered. Welcome to basic Japanese for Vanguard Fight.

As long as you know the basic rules and most cards, you don't actually need to communicate as much information to keep the game going. Card games are communication tool!

We will start with greetings.

[WELL MET] [YOROSHIKU ONEGAISHIMASU] [よろしくお願いします]

It is customary to greet someone at the start of a game when you first sit down with them.

Introducing yourself is also quite important in the foundations of relationship building .

[My name is Sarah. I play DIMENSION ROBO. What is your name?] [Wagahai wa Sarah to moushimasu. Wagahai wa Dimensions Robo wo tsukatteimasu. Kimi no Na wa?]「我輩はサラと申します。我輩はDimension Roboを使っています。貴殿に問おう：君の名は？」

You may or may not know your decks name in Japanese so English is somewhat acceptable.

Just insert your own name where Sarah was placed and you're all set! Wagahai can also be swapped in and out for any other word you use to call yourself. If you're at loss for what to use you can just use your own name and call yourself in third person!

Other examples of how to call yourself are Boku(girls and boys) watashi (more feminine but gender neutral) atashi (very female) or ore (masculine). If you have another on to for it.

If you get your pronounciation slightly wrong don't worry! You're a foreigner and therefore can get away with anything.

[I use Megacolony. What clan do you use?] [Watashi wa Megacolony wo tsukatteimasu. Kimi wa nani Clan tsuki desuka?] 「私はメガコロニーを使っています。君は何クラン使いですか？」

As you can see here we did an example of using watashi over Wagahai.

Another important thing is rock paper scissors.

In Japan we have Jyan Ken Pon.

It goes Saishou was gu (rock) jyan ken Pon (you throw your hand).

Both players place rock first, and on the PON bring out what they wanted.

However if it's a tie, instead or repeating the rock, they say [aiko de shou] with [shou] being the best you play your rock paper or scissors.

There are two beats to prepare for the first throw but only one to prepare if it's a tie. Keep this in mind.

In vanguard the most important thing to convey is Power, Guard amount, and Critical.

Power is basic numbers.

Thousand is [Sen]. However in Japanese instead of ten thousand we have a different word, [mann] to express multiples of ten thousand.

For example

[Twenty four thousand] [ni mann yonn sen] [にまんよんせん]

As you can see twenty four became "two ten thousands and four thousands"

[This attack] [kono kougeki] 「このこうげき」

[To guard] is [youkyuu] 「ようきゅう」

Example is [Twenty Five thousand to guard] [Ni mann go sen youkyuu] 「に まん ご せん ようきゅう」

Which is great if you're attacking but what if you're guarding?

[How much to guard?] [Guard Chi ikura desuka] 「ガード ち いくら ですか」

The Guard Chi here means Guard amount, and ikura means how much.

When giving some number of trigger to pass it's said as "XX to penetrate"

[4 to pass][yonn mai kantsuu]「よんまいかんつう」

Where perfect guard amounts are, as we know from the anime [perfect guard] [KANNZEN GAAADO！] 「かんぜんがーど！」

When declaring perfect guard remember to play anime bgm that announces a comeback

When declaring unit rows, use the word Retsu

[Front row] [zen Retsu]「前列」

[Back row][kou Retsu] 「後列」

In vanguard there are many skills and effects but most of them are a combination of several basic things to do. Call retire power guard restrict soul charge soul blast counter blast stand draw and criticals.

Of course there are many outliers but these are the basic few things that effects do.

Call, soul charge/blast, stand, draw and counter blast are all the same in Japanese.

Power pump and Critical gain is "JYOUSHOU"

[Gain power] [Power Jyoushou]「パワーじょうしょう」

[Gain critical][critical Jyoushou] 「クリティカルじょうしょう」

[Guard restrict] [guard seigen] [ガードせいげん]

[Retire][Taikyaku][たいきゃく]

「Retire Back Row Behind Vanguard」「taikyaku kouretsu vanguard ushiro」「退却、後列ヴァンガード後ろ」

[look at seven ] [Nana Mai miru] [ななまいみる]

So you just combine these short terms to the phrase you need.

Next we will review a few terms for asking to check opponents cards

[May I check your soul][soul Kakunin shite ii?]「ソウル確認していい？」

[How many cards in hand？][tefuda nannmai？] 「てふだなんまい？」

It is also important to call for your triggers in the correct language. While shouting COME MY TRIGGERS or anything else to call for stride costs etc in English may work in your home country it doesn't work In Japan. While in Rome do as the Romans do. Keep in mind that the leyline orientation in every country and even every location you go to is different. How you called for triggers in your home country will be completely ineffective when suddenly placed into a different leyline orientation and worse even different leyline all together.

(If you have been playing vanguard up til now and NOT been calling for triggers, now you know why your trigger rate is so low. You missed one of the basic classes in how to trigger.)

Instead, try these commonly used examples.

[My boiling blood calls out! Triggers! Friends! Come now for your master! Drive check! CRITICAL TRIGGER!!]

[Waga chi ga sakebu! Torigaa yo! Tomo yo! Imakoso aruji no tame mai kitare!! Doraibu chekku!! Kuruchikaru torigaa!!!]

「我が血が叫ぶ！トリガーよ！友よ！今こそ主のために舞い来たれ！！ドライブチェック！クリティカルトリガー！！！」

If that's not to your style try out

[I release the restraints on my right arm to unleash my true power!!(bzzt bzzt) The card I draw with my arm -Burning Fisto- will decide the fate of this Battle!!! Let's go! DRIVE CHECK!!! GET!! THE!! TRIGGER!! ]

[Kono migi ude no kousoku wo toki mezamero ore no shin no chikara!(pachi pachi) Ore no ude -BAANING Fisto- de hiita kardo de shoubu kimete yaruyo! IKUZE!!!! DORAIBU CHEKKU GETTO! ZA!! TORIGAA!!!!! ]

「この右腕の拘束を解き目覚めろ俺の真の力！（パチパチ）俺の腕-バーニングFIST-で引いたカードで勝負決めてやるよ！！行くぜ!ドライブチェック！ゲット！ザ！トリガー！！！」

Last is some quick words after you finish a game. Pick and choose which one you want to use

[Thank you very much it was a fun fight] [arigatougozaimashita tanoshii fight deshita] [ありがとうございましたたのしいファイトでした」

[Would you like to fight again?] [Mata faito shimasenka] 「またファイトしませんか」

Note that although shimasen here is a negative, the question nature makes it an inquisitive sentances.

[Let's meet again!][Mata aimashou]「また会いましょう」

[Your tears only feed me more][kisama no namida de ore GA iyasareru dake sa][貴様の涙で俺が癒やされるだけさ]

[ Is this the level of this country? Hmph How dissapointing. You are ten thousand years too early to be at my level! Ten thousand years!]

[Kore ga kono kuni no reberu dato? Funn shitsubou shitaze. Temera ore to yariaeru ni wa ichi mann nen hayai! Ichimann nenn!!!]

「これがこの国のレベルだと？フン失望したぜ。てめーら俺とやり合えるには一万年早い！一万年！」