Name Differences

[KotokoPlum]

Why are names in the transition from manga to anime or anime to manga misspelled (purposely?) or changed completely?

Take [i]Chobits[/i] as an example:
Anime: Sumomo Manga: Plum (I know they mean the same thing, but still.)

Anime: Chii Manga: Chi

Anyone know?

[Thirteen_Black_Roses]

You mean in the American translations, I'm assuming?

Well, for some things, like Chii, the subtle difference in pronounciation would be lost on an American audience because most readers do not actually speak Japanese. Most likely only people who speak the language or are very used to hearing Japanese (like us sub fans) would get the difference. And it probably just made sense to them to translate Plum. But some things...Plum and Chi don't irritate me much. But when they change the names of the entire cast for no reason it annoys me. Like anything from 4Kids.

Case in point: Julian of Cardcaptors. They completely oblitorated the meaning of his name. Yukito Tsukishiro is named that for a [i]reason[/i] and they changed the name to Julien Star. [i]That[/i] is what I'd like to know, why they change important names and then don't recreate the meaning in English.

[b]QUOTE[/b] (Spoiler-why Yukito's name is important)

The name Yukito Tsukishiro (which they kept in the manga) is important to the character because in the end of the first season they discover that he is the Moon Guardian of the Clow cards. In japanese Yukito can be read as 'snow rabbit' and the Japanese see a rabbit in the moon rather than a man's face. 'Tsukishiro' I belive breaks down to 'white moon.'[/quote]

[Fayore]

o.o; You don't want me started on CCS. >_<

TBR is right. o.o; It's because of the pronounciation. Also, although it might not seem as obvious, foreign things (in this case, Japanese names) tend to put people (especially in the age-target for manga - usually younger teens) off from buying stuff. So sometimes they change the names, so they'll be a little more 'familiar.'



_________________
[url=http://vdexproject.net/user.php?user=15636][img]http://vdexproject.net/p/15636/trainer.png[/img]
[img]http://vdexproject.net/p/15636/partymini.png[/img][/url]

[silver_dreams]

it's worse when they change the names to ones that 'are easier to pronounce and more familiar'.

i.e. YuGiOH...they BUTCHERED the names as well as the storyline

from what i can tell (despite the fact that i've never really bothered to learn the english names really,) the names/tranlsations are something like:

Yuugi=Yugi
Jounouchi/Jou=Joey
Honda=Tristan
Anzu=Tea
Shizuka=Serenity
Insector Haga= Weevil (or w/e..)
Otogi= Duke Devlin

etc. etc....

[cstdenis]

Pioneers sub of CCS spelled Touya as Toya. Minor difference, technically a valid Romanization, but worth noting.

The dub of most anime, espically older ones change stuff.
DB/Z has several I dont care enough to mention.
Most in digimon also changed, but I like how they at least just shortened them insted of completely changing them Taichi -> Tai, Izumi -> Izzy.

At least in subbed anime, the changes are usually minor like the first example.
_________________
You will obey or molten silver will be poured into your ears.

[Thirteen_Black_Roses]

Yeah, and sometimes the name is 'different' because they try to write it the way it's pronounced by the Japanese voice actors, like in the old fansubs of UFO princess. 'Walkure' instead of 'Valkyrie.' That can really distorts some names if they're of Western origin. They did that with Isis in Yugioh, have it as Ishuzu or something riduculous like that. I'm not sure what it is exactly.

[Fayore]

Yep. Ishizu and Marik. And they pronounce "Marik" wrong anyway - nothing like the japanese. >_< I still can't get over the fact that they changed "Oshirisu no tenkuu ryuu" to "Slifer the Sky Dragon". >_<

I honestly prefer it when they just leave the names as they are. Although shortening some names isn't so bad as changing them completely, it still irritates me.
_________________
[url=http://vdexproject.net/user.php?user=15636][img]http://vdexproject.net/p/15636/trainer.png[/img]
[img]http://vdexproject.net/p/15636/partymini.png[/img][/url]

[Thirteen_Black_Roses]

And who the heck is 'Slifer?' It's supposed to be [i]Osiris[/i], not some random made up name. The [i]Egyptian God Cards[/i] are named after Egyptian Gods. Imagine that. I mean, if they can keep Ra they can keep Osiris.

I agree, I'm all for keeping names the same.

[Fayore]

Slifer = last name/nickname of one of the head editors or something like that at 4Kids, I believe. I am terribly disgusted at 4Kids.

...Egotistical bastard. >_<
_________________
[url=http://vdexproject.net/user.php?user=15636][img]http://vdexproject.net/p/15636/trainer.png[/img]
[img]http://vdexproject.net/p/15636/partymini.png[/img][/url]

[Thirteen_Black_Roses]

I am sickened. [i]Why[/i] are they altering the [i]meaningful[/i] names given by the creator for a [i]reason[/i] just so they can have an ego trip? I bet one of the guys who worked on Cardcaptors was named Julian...

[Raymei]

[quote="KotokoPlum (Stephanie)"] Why are names in the transition from manga to anime or anime to manga misspelled (purposely?) or changed completely?

Take [i]Chobits[/i] as an example:
Anime: Sumomo Manga: Plum (I know they mean the same thing, but still.)

Anime: Chii Manga: Chi

Anyone know? [/quote]
are you basing this on subtitles? o.o?

[KotokoPlum]

Well, Raymei, I know for a fact that Sumomo is what they say in the anime and in the manga she's called Plum. "Chii" is how I've seen many other people spell it and it is spelled "Chi" in the manga. That's really where it came about.

Thanks to everyone else for the input. Wonders how much something can change so drastically...

[silver_dreams]

has anyone else noticed that in the translated Saiyuuki manga, Hakuryuu's name becomes 'Jeep'?

-_- damn tokyopop

[Keyido]

Why do they change the names? If you try to go talk to someone about a manga/anime and one of you read the [i]real [/i] names and the other one read the changed names you's both be confused.

And why do they have to change the spellings?
Ex. from YYH
Keiko in the Manga and
Kayko in the anime

Why'd they do that?

[quote]has anyone else noticed that in the translated Saiyuuki manga, Hakuryuu's name becomes 'Jeep'?[/quote]

It does? Thanks, I hadn't noticed that. No wonder I was so confused.

[cstdenis]

Some spelling changes are legit because Japanese and English dont have quite the same phonetics and there is more than one correct way to romanji japanese (tho some are more accurate than others)

touya toya
mahou maho
hale hare
mil mir

all of those are 2 spellings that can both be correct with different romanji.


Of course, completely changing character names, or translating names is a different issue. (Sumomo is the japanese word for plum, but they really shouldn't be translating names like that, they may as well translate chii as blood (ya I know its a different spelling, but you get the idea))
_________________
You will obey or molten silver will be poured into your ears.

[Fayore]

[quote="silver_dreams (Silver)"] has anyone else noticed that in the translated Saiyuuki manga, Hakuryuu's name becomes 'Jeep'?

-_- damn tokyopop [/quote]
It's because Hakuryuu's name IS Jeep. ^^; The reason why it was changed for the anime was because they thought there'd be some copyright issues for the name (Jeep, as you'll recall, is the name for a company that produces vehicles).

So, really, Tokyopop didn't make a mistake there.

That's a wonderful name, Hakkai. Yes. Name your pet after what it can actually transform into. So original. ^^; Heeh.
_________________
[url=http://vdexproject.net/user.php?user=15636][img]http://vdexproject.net/p/15636/trainer.png[/img]
[img]http://vdexproject.net/p/15636/partymini.png[/img][/url]

[Keyido]

Ok, thanks!

Why change them completly? That's just plain stupid

[Stelok]

Honestly I think Plum sounds cooler and cuter then Sumomo.

That explains why they changed Sumomo's name to Plum in the manga.

[PhoenixAshes]

I'm opposed to most name changing...except when the Japanese version sounds (unintentionally) like something in English.

I was watching "Akira" recently, and every time someone yelled out Kaenada's(sp?) name, I would be like "what? what about Canada?!?" . In the English dub, they changed the vowel sounds slightly, so it wasn't as confusing...

I also don't mind them [i]shortening [/i]some of the names when they're dubbing kids animes. As amusing as it is to hear an eight-year-old trying to spit out a five-sylable foreign name, its just not practical.

[Reepicheep-chan]

For kid's stuff giving chara's easier to pronouce/ remember names is a fine, but I think they should make a go at having the dub names a bit closer to the originals. For instance, Jounouchi to Joey makes perfect sense to me, but Anzu to Tea`?

And changing Usagi into Serena seemed ok to me because, really, Bunny (her translated manga name) is dumb sounding, Usagi is wierd sounding if you are not used to it (i.e: young American children) and the whole Serena - Serenity thing just worked. Also Rini was a convient nick-name for Chibi-Usa. Michiru to Michelle is a no-brainer, leaving Rei as is and changing Ami to Amy is fine, but most of the rest of the names are so different, I wonder whoes ass they pulled them out of.

Also when the dub name is just plain lame it irritates me. Like changing Manta to Mortimer *shutters* Granted Manta is a little nerd-ling and the name Mortimer suits him in a weird sorta way, but dang if does not sound stupid. I can honestly say I feel sorry for anyone named Mortimer.

But I remember back in the day when I first saw Tenchi Muyo in Love and I could not for the life of me keep the characters straight from their names. Sasami, Aeka, Achika, Ryoko, Reo-ohki, Mihoshi, Nobuyuki, Kiyone... @.@
_________________
[url=http://www.fanart-central.net/user-Reepicheep-chan.php][img]http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c363/Reepicheep-chan/banner.jpg[/img][/url]