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I have started reading _Karate Shoukoushi Kohinata Minoru_ manga, and there is
this title "OB" for some kind of teacher or guardian, like I supposed to
understand what it means.

Google Translate doesn't know it, googling " _karate ob_ " goes to " _obi_ ",
and I can't find any translator's note.

![page where the term occurs](https://i.stack.imgur.com/eajoil.jpg)

> Well... being an OB, I really didn't want to get involved in such trouble,
> but...
>
> (bottom-left panel)


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2016-04-04T21:20:43.140
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question
japanese-language karate-shoukoushi
What's "an OB" in the Karate Shoukoushi Kohinata Minoru manga?


According to the [Oct.
1965](https://books.google.com/books?id=BdoDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA14) issue of _Black
Belt_ magazine:

> Beginning of (the Second Sino-Japanese War) in 1940, about 30% of Japanese
> colleges and universities had campus karate clubs allied with one or another
> of four principal schools of karate, referred to as "ryu." In addition to
> the club on campus, each of these universities had what is referred to as an
> "O.B." karate club. "O.B." here stood for "Old Boys" and was made up by the
> particular school's alumni.

These OB clubs typically served as advisors for the student clubs. So "OB"
here most likely refers to alumni, a graduate or elder disciple and liaison of
sorts of that particular school, some of whom might later become instructors.

It would make sense, judging by the notches on Tachiyama's belt that he's a
senior amongst the Judo club.

Here are the original pages for reference:

[![chapter 3, page
81](https://i.stack.imgur.com/00kajm.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/00kaj.jpg)
[![chapter 3, page
82](https://i.stack.imgur.com/0ZUB5m.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/0ZUB5.jpg)


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answer