A Dragon Attacks Kero’s Village!

A very bad day

Narrator: Panic grips Kero’s village. A dragon strikes without warning. Run for your lives!
Three frog villagers flee through a burning street beneath the village tower.
Kero: Stay SHUT!
Kero presses his back against a wooden door barricaded with a plank.

Scene description: Kero braces the dojo door.

Goro: Come out, FROG!
Goro roars outside the dojo, his mouth open and both horns visible.
Kero: Not a CHANCE!
Kero stands defiantly against the barricaded door.

So much for the door

The door bursts apart, throwing Kero into the room with the wooden plank.

Scene description: Goro charges straight through.

Goro: YOU’RE MINE!
Goro lunges through the broken doorway after Kero.
Kero: TOO SLOW!
Kero ducks below Goro’s claws, clutching the plank.
Kero: I’ve GOT this!
Kero raises the plank to block Goro’s claw with a small flash of impact.

Scene description: A plank against a dragon.

Watch out, Kero!

Kero jumps away from a jet of dragon fire, eyes wide with alarm.
Kero thinks his plank will stop a dragon. Warn him!
あぶない Romaji: abunai Watch out!
Sensei

Try it with Sensei

A warning when something is dangerous. Listen, then say it back.

That was his good plank

Kero: That was my GOOD plank!
Kero stares down in shock at the two broken plank halves beside Goro.

Scene description: Goro snaps the plank.

Goro: I’m not DONE!
Fire pours from Goro’s open mouth while a shocked Kero jumps above the broken wood.
Kero: You MISSED!
Kero lands beyond the flames while Goro turns to pursue him.

Another door. Really?

Kero and Goro burst out of the dojo onto the burning street.

Scene description: Goro sends Kero through another doorway.

Kero: Do you know what doors COST?
Kero tumbles head over heels above broken wood while Goro gives chase.
Kero: HOT! HOT! HOT!
Kero leaps away from fire licking across the street at his feet.
Goro: Shut up, frog!
Goro bears down on Kero as their chase continues through the village.

Terrible time for a snack

Kero collides with the octopus chef’s cart, sending takoyaki balls flying.

Scene description: Next stop: the takoyaki stall.

The chef: My BALLS!
The octopus chef holds his face in horror as his takoyaki flies through the air.
Kero: I’ll pay you BACK!
Kero calls back to the chef from beside the battered stall.

Secret weapon

Kero: Secret weapon!
A takoyaki ball flies into Kero’s wide-open mouth.

Scene description: Kero eats a takoyaki.

Kero: HOT! HOT! HOT!
Kero turns bright orange-red and steam rises from his overheated face.

Scene description: Still scorching!

Too hot to handle!

Kero holds a steaming takoyaki ball and reacts to its heat.
That takoyaki is still steaming.
あつい Romaji: atsui Hot!
Sensei

Try it with Sensei

For hot food or drinks. Listen, then say it back.

His turn

Kero: My TURN!
A golden aura flares around Kero after the hot takoyaki.

Scene description: The heat turns to power.

Goro: You call that a punch?
Goro taunts Kero against red and gold action streaks.
Kero: That was the FREE sample!
Kero drives a glowing punch into Goro in a flash of golden energy.

No refunds

Kero somersaults above a stream of fire from Goro’s open mouth.

Scene description: Goro breathes fire. Kero flips over it.

Kero: No refunds!
Kero unleashes another fierce golden attack beside Goro.
Goro’s sustained flame presses against the bright energy disc in front of Kero.

Scene description: Fire meets Kero’s golden guard.

Running out of street

Kero braces behind his golden energy shield as Goro’s fire drives him backward.

Scene description: The flames force Kero back toward the river.

Goro: HOLD STILL!
Goro catches up to Kero at the end of the burning street.
Kero: What, and ruin your workout?
Kero dodges beside the river wall, golden energy still surrounding him.
A golden arc follows Kero’s spinning kick as Goro ducks close by.

Scene description: Kero spins into a flying kick.

Kero: You need a MINT!
Kero recoils as Goro leans close to him beside the river.

Scene description: That dragon breath…

Dragon breath. Ugh!

Kero recoils from Goro’s smelly green breath.
Kero gets a whiff of Goro’s breath.
くさい Romaji: kusai Smelly!
Sensei

Try it with Sensei

For an unpleasant smell. Listen, then say it back.

One step from fish food

Kero: One more step and I’m fish food!
Kero balances on the stone river ledge with Goro blocking his way back.

Scene description: The chase has reached the edge.

A wide-eyed fish with sharp teeth waits in the water below.

Scene description: And the fish are waiting.

They need their frog

A villager: I can’t move… Help!
An injured blue-green frog is trapped among fallen timbers with other villagers nearby.
Goro: THIS CITY IS MINE! HA HA HA!
Goro stands triumphantly beside the river as the village burns behind him.
Kero reels beside Goro after a blow on the narrow river ledge.

Scene description: Goro knocks Kero back.

Villagers: Kero! Kero! Kero!
A purple villager calls out beside an injured blue neighbour in the wrecked street.

Scene description: His neighbours cheer him on.

Cheer Kero on!

Two villagers, one purple and one blue, raise their arms and cheer.
His neighbours are rooting for him.
がんばって Romaji: ganbatte You can do it!
Sensei

Try it with Sensei

Use it to cheer someone on. Listen, then say it back.

Eat dirt

Kero: I WILL NOT LET YOU TAKE MY VILLAGE!
Kero plants his feet beside Goro and shouts, blazing with golden energy.
Goro: Wait… why did your accent change?
Goro stares at Kero in surprise, his anger briefly interrupted.
Kero: Shut up. Eat DIRT!
Kero swings a handful of dirt straight toward Goro’s face.

Scene description: Kero throws a handful of dirt.

Goro: AAH! Not my EYES!
The dirt hits Goro’s face and stings his eyes.

Duck!

Goro opens his mouth wide and blasts fire across the river ledge.

Scene description: With dirt in his eyes, Goro fires wildly.

Fire strikes the low stone wall, sending chunks of masonry into the air.

Scene description: The blast tears through the stonework.

Kero crouches below a stream of dragon fire with the river just behind him.

Scene description: Kero ducks beneath the next burst.

Listen to this

Goro: I can HEAR you, frog.
Goro closes his dirt-stung eyes and listens for Kero’s movement.
Kero: Great. Listen to THIS!
Kero shouts back from beside the damaged wall, ready to attack.
Goro intercepts Kero’s golden punch at close range beside the broken parapet.

Scene description: Kero attacks. Goro catches the blow.

Kero blocks Goro’s claw at close range beside the broken river wall.

Scene description: Goro counters. Kero raises his guard.

Kero’s foot meets Goro’s blocking claw after a full turn in the air.

Scene description: Kero tries a spinning kick. Goro blocks that too.

The ledge gives way

A jet of fire explodes against a stone pillar at the edge of the ledge.

Scene description: Another blast shatters the river wall.

Falling masonry splashes below the damaged ledge. Kero has not fallen.

Scene description: Broken stone splashes into the river.

Kero crouches on the remaining stone ledge as Goro advances behind him.

Scene description: Kero is still standing. Just.

Why, Goro?

Bruised Kero tumbles sideways above the damaged ledge after another hit.

Scene description: Goro’s next hit sends Kero reeling.

Kero: Why, Goro? Why hurt our people?
Battered Kero looks up at Goro from the edge of the river.
Goro: You want to know why?
Goro looks down at Kero, dirt still marking his angry face.

Before he was the villain

Goro: I was only a hatchling.
Young Goro stands beside his mother in their peaceful village.

Scene description: Goro remembers his childhood.

Goro: Your soldiers drove us out of our homes.
Frog soldiers surround Goro’s mother while the small hatchling stays beside her.
Goro: My mother begged them to stop.
Goro’s mother pleads with the soldiers, young Goro at her side.
Goro: They burned everything.
Flames engulf the family’s home as Goro and his mother stand outside.

What he carried with him

Young Goro clutches his toy horse and cries in the ruins of his home.

Scene description: A hatchling. A toy. A home in ashes.

Goro: We have suffered for too long!
Back in the present, adult Goro roars beside the river.

Scene description: Back on the ledge, Goro’s grief becomes anger.

Some hurts stay.

Young Goro sits with his toy, a tear on his cheek.
Goro remembers losing his home.
つらい Romaji: tsurai Painful. Hard to bear.
Sensei

Try it with Sensei

For physical or emotional pain. Listen, then say it back.

That does not make it right

Kero: They hurt your family… so you hurt everyone else’s?
Bruised Kero challenges Goro from the edge of the damaged ledge.
Goro: Now you know what helpless feels like.
Goro faces Kero, his eyes red and his face still covered in dirt.
Goro’s extended foot strikes Kero, sending the golden frog off the stone ledge above the river.

Scene description: Goro kicks Kero over the edge.

Not fish food. Please.

Kero: I am NOT fish food!
Kero hangs by one hand from the crumbling ledge, with Goro standing above him.

Scene description: Kero catches the edge.

Goro: Goodbye, Kero.
Goro looks down at Kero against the fiery evening sky.
Kero falls away from the ledge, arms spread against the evening sky.

Scene description: The stone crumbles. His grip goes.

Dinner is falling

Sensei: And the fish below… have brought cutlery.
Hungry fish wait in the river wearing bibs and holding forks.
Kero: Oh, come ON!
Kero falls through the sky with his mouth open in disbelief.
Sensei: Kero has fallen. Goro has claimed the village.
Goro stands alone on the river ledge with the burning village behind him.
Sensei: Will Kero survive? Find out next time on Kero Learns Japanese!
Sensei appears beside the words To Be Continued.

Episode 1 · 5 questions

Japanese Word Quiz

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Next: Episode 2, The Croissant of Doom!