Discussion Main / IWillDefinitelyProtectYou

"I'm always here for you"?

And the response would be, "What does that mean?"

I've been studying Japanese more fully since I created the original article and recently tried to update the article to reflect on more of what I've learned about the language, how much it can depend on contextual meaning and the phrase specifically.

tangent: Japanese is fascinating in the way the language is constructed. You can have sentences with no subject at all assuming the subject is clear from context. Relevant in that "Zettai ni mamoru" is a complete sentence as "promise to protect" since the subjects ("me" and "you") are a given based on the person talking and to whom they are talking. anyway...

I think it's pretty clear between the many uses in Unwanted Harem that it can be used as a macho boast, the Black Cat example is very clearly Train saying "If anything happens to you, they will have me to answer to, this I promise." (Considering who Train is, that's a pretty big fucking deal...) And Ai Yori Aoshi is, well, it's nothing like those. It's basically "I will always be there for you."

I think one of the keys for the vast difference in meanings is that "mamoru" seems to be able to mean "protect", "defend" or "obey" depending on what you're trying to say. I think in the intimate meaning it is probably sort of a version of the traditional "Love, honor and obey" you hear in English marriage ceremonies.

"I will protect you at all costs" seems like it's perfectly within reason. Then again, I still can't honestly claim to fully understand it myself.