Packed with everyday conversations set in a high school#

Since the main focus is on school life, the story features plenty of everyday conversations between family members and classmates at school (with occasional conversations at home). The dialogue is concise and easy to understand, making it ideal for beginners learning Japanese.

Source: Nakama Ryo, Kokosei Kazoku (Shueisha)

Furigana for all kanji characters#

In Shueisha manga, all kanji characters come with furigana (reading guides). This makes it easier for Japanese learners who struggle with reading kanji, allowing them to focus on the storyline without needing to look up every kanji reading.

Source: Nakama Ryo, Kokosei Kazoku (Shueisha)

What Is Nitchoku?#

In many Japanese elementary, junior high, and high schools, students take turns serving as nitchoku—a rotating daily responsibility usually shared by one or two classmates. Duties typically include:

・Greeting the teacher at the beginning and end of class
・Taking attendance
・Managing the blackboard or classroom materials
・Making announcements or reading school news

The nitchoku role is not optional; it is an expected part of student life and is taken seriously, helping foster responsibility, teamwork, and respect within the classroom.

A Word Rooted in Watchfulness#

The word 日直 is composed of two kanji: 日 (day) and 直 (direct, duty). The idea is that the student on nitchoku is in charge “for the day.” Interestingly, this word shares a structural similarity with other Japanese duty-related terms such as:

・当直 (tōchoku) – on-duty, usually for doctors or night-shift workers
・宿直 (shukuchoku) – overnight duty, often used in schools or dormitories

While tōchoku and shukuchoku imply more serious or adult responsibilities, nitchoku represents a child’s first encounter with collective responsibility—a small but meaningful way Japanese education instills social awareness.

A Common Trope in Manga—and Real School Life#

In school-themed manga and anime, nitchoku often appears as a storytelling device. Being paired with your crush, for example, creates awkward but cute moments, or a chance for accidental connection. This mirrors how students in real life may feel—nervous, excited, or even competitive about who they end up doing nitchoku with.

For this reason, understanding nitchoku can also help learners appreciate the emotional nuances of school-centered Japanese fiction.

Why It Matters for Japanese Learners#

For students of Japanese, nitchoku is a useful and culturally loaded term. It reflects key aspects of Japanese social values:

・Rotational responsibility
・Group harmony (wa)
・Early socialization into community roles

By learning about nitchoku, learners can better understand how Japanese children are gradually taught to act as responsible members of a group—a principle that often extends into adult work culture.

Summary#

The concept of nitchoku may seem small, but it plays a big role in shaping the school experience in Japan. Whether you encounter it in manga or in real life, knowing what it means—and what feelings it can stir—offers valuable insight into Japanese culture, both linguistic and social. And who knows? You might even get a glimpse into how romance and responsibility sometimes go hand in hand in a Japanese classroom.

A large amount of dialogue#

Since it’s a gag manga, there are quite a few cases where the panels are filled with dialogue. Because of this, beginners in Japanese language learning might feel overwhelmed by the large amount of text.

Source: Nakama Ryo, Kokosei Kazoku (Shueisha)