translations

[louiselux]

It's amusing to compare different translations. Not knowing any Japanese I haven't got a whelk's chance in a supernova of knowing if a translation is true to the original or not, (and besides am grateful for any and all of them), but reading more than one you pick up slight differences in meaning that can give a bit of insight into a) what the original was aiming for and b) the mindset of the translator. There's tons of examples of this in Saiyuki, but my favourite is when Hakkai wakes up. The fan/unofficial translation is:

Hakkai: 'Hell is so mediocre'
Gojyo:  'Who you callin' mediocre?'

Tokyopop changes it to

H: 'Hell is so anticlimatic.' 
G: 'Who you callin' anticlimactic?'

I think the Tokyopop translation get the dibs on the slashy, there. yay!

Comments

[mistressrenet.livejournal.com]

...just when I thought that panel couldn't get any slashier, there it is!

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

I know! I love that panel, and the way Gojyo's hair just touches Hakkai's mouth. Just *so* slashy. And it's not even subtext really because Gojyo refers to how pretty Hakkai is twice. I mean, did he spend that whole first week just staring at him, or what?

[mistressrenet.livejournal.com]

Dude, can you blame him?

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

No! In fact, I such obsessive behaviour *g*

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

I encourage it! I meant to say.

[mistressrenet.livejournal.com]

I really cannot decide which of the lot I ♥ more.

[jamjar.livejournal.com]

Sometimes, Tokyopop rocks.

It's weird when you find fansubs or translations as less slashy than canon or official. Granted, sometimes it's hard to match. I was watchinG Samurai Champloo (pimppimppimppimppimp) and the fansubbers had translated something where the closest *literal* translation is probably "That's a bit gay." which kind of matches the words, but not the feel, as "that's a bit nasty" (Me, I'd have said "that's a bit..." or "you boys are a bit too close", which is closer to feel than word, but...)

Also, let me pimp out Samurai Champloo:
http://www.animeforever.org/

Gorgeous, gorgeous fight scenes and animation in general.
Deliberately anachronistic, but has historical mentions that often get overlooked in most period anime.
On complete and total crack. Really. The "Summer of love" episode, the training of the sumo-wrestling beatle... Jin's disguise at one point. crackitycrack-crack-crack
Mentions the Ainu (native people of Japan)-- really, the only anime or manga I can think of to do so.
Jin and Mugen's voices...
When it gets serious, it can be real break-your-heart stuff.

[louiselux.livejournal.com]

Oooh, pimpage! you are eeevil - my brain is already on overload *g*

I think the Tokyopop translators really went for the slashy in some parts of Saiyuki, but even the fan translations show that original is very slashy anyway, I think.