Differences between English and Japanese MSQ Dialogue (bit of a rant)

[Mahoukenshi]

Be very, very alarmed if you ever see a rice ball replaced with a jelly doughnut.

Like it or not but something like that is perfectly normal and common in a localization, even though Onigiri may have become more well-known in western countries. You replace stuff and referencere your target audience is not familar with with something they are familar, unless the foreign concept IS a core element of the game (see Persona's decision to keep honorofics or Okami games). Many professional academic books about video game localization (including MMOs) will confirm this.

[DumdogsWorld]

Like it or not but something like that is perfectly normal and common in a localization, even though Onigiri may have become more well-known in western countries. You replace stuff and referencere your target audience is not familar with with something they are familar, unless the foreign concept IS a core element of the game (see Persona's decision to keep honorofics or Okami games). Many professional academic books about video game localization (including MMOs) will confirm this.

Being common doesn't make it any less stupid. This isn't some obscure, foreign figure of speech we're talking about here. We're talking about food. There is absolutely no good or sane reason to edit footage frame by frame to replace food. It's obnoxious, doesn't make the work of fiction any more relatable, and is a flat-out insult to the untranslated material.

[Mahoukenshi]

Being common doesn't make it any less stupid. This isn't some obscure, foreign figure of speech we're talking about here. We're talking about food. There is absolutely no good or sane reason to edit footage frame by frame to replace food. It's obnoxious, doesn't make the work of fiction any more relatable, and is a flat-out insult to the untranslated material.

Welcome to real life, where a translator's job isn't all fluff like with fanmade translations (no matter if the fantranslation is excellent or subpar). Some decisions are within the freedom of choice a translator may or may not have, but you not liking it, doesn't make it as the only opinion that (should) matter.

[DumdogsWorld]

Welcome to real life.

Real life = voting with your wallet.

4Kids Entertainment, any several other companies who do equally hideous translations, went out of business.

Funimation, as much as I hate to admit it, is much more faithful to the untranslated material. They're doing really good in terms of business. Various other dubbing companies follow.

And this isn't specific to the anime industry. I can't tell you how many people I know modded their Nintendo 3DSs to run bootleg games, just so they can play fan translations for games they already purchased. Why? Because the localization is stupid, and they know it.

[Krotoan]

Being common doesn't make it any less stupid. This isn't some obscure, foreign figure of speech we're talking about here. We're talking about food. There is absolutely no good or sane reason to edit footage frame by frame to replace food. It's obnoxious, doesn't make the work of fiction any more relatable, and is a flat-out insult to the untranslated material.

There's an example of this reversed in the pixar movie "Inside Out". In the US it's common for kids to dislike broccoli, in japan it's much more common for kids to not like bell peppers. In the US version baby Riley is being fed broccoli which Disgust rejects, in japan it was changed to bell peppers to be more relatable to the audience.

You might consider it stupid, but the idea is to be the most relatable to the largest audience. Most english speaking countries large user bases aren't intimitely familiar with Rice balls as a staple but will instantly recognize and have experience with a doughnut.

[DumdogsWorld]

There's an example of this reversed in the pixar movie "Inside Out". In the US it's common for kids to dislike broccoli, in japan it's much more common for kids to not like bell peppers. In the US version baby Riley is being fed broccoli which Disgust rejects, in japan it was changed to bell peppers to be more relatable to the audience.

You might consider it stupid, but the idea is to be the most relatable to the largest audience. Most english speaking countries large user bases aren't intimitely familiar with Rice balls as a staple but will instantly recognize and have experience with a doughnut.

So...we have to alter stories to be more relatable, now? Just because you don't know about something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Where do we draw the line? Should we remove fictional food from fantasy franchises because people might not know what they are?

Just...don't mess with the story. It's the logical thing to do.

[Krotoan]

So...we have to alter stories to be more relatable, now? Just because you don't know about something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Where do we draw the line? Should we remove fictional food from fantasy franchises because people might not know what they are?

Just...don't mess with the story. It's the logical thing to do.

... Yes? There's being faithful to the source material and then there's making it relatable (or palatable) to the target audience. For instance Dragonball. English versions refer to dying as "Going to another dimension", mainly because we coddle our kids (the target audience) and more parents would be unlikely to let their kids watch a show if it forced them to explain death. By changing the translation and the meaning the cartoon appeals to a broader audience, gets more popular, makes more money and is therefore more successful.

You can still watch the originals with subtitles if you want the "real" experience, but calling the changes stupid just ignores that a big reason these are being "officially" localized to profit from their re-release.

[DumdogsWorld]

Snip

Broader audiences aren't always a good thing. I'm sure porn companies would make a lot more money making their stuff friendlier for kids. Or not.

Dragon Ball Z isn't a show for kids. That's something the dubbing companies did. Just...arrrggghh...

[Krotoan]

Broader audiences aren't always a good thing. I'm sure porn companies would make a lot more money making their stuff friendlier for kids. Or not.

Dragon Ball Z isn't a show for kids. That's something the dubbing companies did. Just...arrrggghh...

Dragon Ball (all of them) is absolutely a show for kids. It always has been in japan. The problem is the western world considers a lot of the topics it covers to be taboo for children, so we get censoring and edits.

... you.. really gonna go with the porn comparison.. for kids cartoons reaching wider audiences?