Differences in localization and the original of Gyakuten Saiban / Ace Attorney pt.3
Nature has been so purified that we're back to the Lost in Localization! Hooray!
This time, we're dealing with Case 1-4 (Turnabout Goodbyes/ Gyakuten, Soshite Sayonara), which managed to make a splash where it seemed like there was nothing to touch. This mostly concerns, by the way, the character Phoenix, i.e., Naruhodō, who lost his reactions where they existed and acquired them where they shouldn't have. But there are also a few linguistic peculiarities that couldn't be transferred (or weren't wanted) to the localization.
The first thing we'll notice is our hero's attempt at poetry when they arrived at the nature park. For comparison, let's first look at the lines we wrote for the localization. I'm not an expert on English poetry, but it seems like a mere statement of fact, even though the character eventually says there was an attempt at poetry.
Now let's turn to the Japanese version, where Naruhodo tells us the following:
葉を落とした木々に、
冬の訪れを感じる今日このごろ。
In the trees that have shed their leaves,
I feel the coming of winter these days.
Hmm. Winter really does make a person into a poet.
These lines are close in rhythm and image to a haiku or poetic sketch, but all the necessary rules are not followed, which makes it similar to a zuihitsu or free haiku (Jiyu-haiku, 自由律俳句)
What rules exist for haiku:
a seasonal word - kigo (季語, relating to the seasons)
kireji (切れ字 - a «cutting word» that divides the verse into two semantic parts)
the theme of «contemplation» of nature.
Why, what Naruhodo created is similar to classic haiku:
there is a seasonal word - 冬 (ふゆ, fuyu) - winter (and leaf fall as its harbinger - 葉 (は, ha) - leaves; foliage)
nature is observed without direct authorial assessments
the tone of the poem is contemplation, i.e. the sensation is conveyed through an image, and not through an explanation.
the number of syllables does not match (here there are 24 - 10 in the first line, 14 in the second, and not 17 as needed)
there is no kireji (cutting word)
and there are 2 lines (however, there is a possibility that there was simply not enough space for the third).
If we take this as a jiyu-haiku, in which there is:
no rule for the number of lines (can be any - 2, 3, 4),
the rhythm is free (there is no strict adherence to 5-7-5)
the seasonal word is no longer necessary (after all, the theme does not focus only on nature)
kireji also cannot always be included
then our verse fits quite well within the framework.
Notice the words Naruhodo uses to create the verse:
木々(きぎ, kigi) every tree; [numerous] trees.
訪れ (おとずれ, otozure) – coming; visiting. The word is used for both animate objects and seasons, so he’s technically «animates» winter.
感じる (かんじる, kanjiru) to feel; to sense; to experience
今日このごろ (kyō kono goro) - these days/lately. This part shows a moment that drags on/lasts for some time.
If you want to feel what 今日このごろ means in English, think of the Present Perfect Continuous. It's the same sense of time flowing through the present moment.
By the way, here's for those who want to try reading:
Ha o otoshita kigi ni,
fuyu no otozure o kanjiru kyō kono goro.
This, of course, could also be attributed to Zuihitsu (随筆, «following the brush») - a genre of Japanese short prose in which the author freely records his thoughts, impressions, sketches from life, and reflections as they arise, without being bound by a strict structure. However, we should not ignore the character's words that he was attempting to compose a poem, and not simply voicing his thoughts.
Hey, it's cold, isn't it, Naruhodo-kun?
Let's go somewhere soon.
(Wait, «cold» - is that my poem?)
And we remember that サムい (samui) not only denotes cold, but also slang for «unfunny, stupid, awkward». So, in other words, Mayoi is clearly trying to pick on Naruhodō here.
A Little Bit of Childhood
Let's take a break from high art and chat with Yahari (Larry in the localization), who gives us an important insight into one of the characters.
ヤッパリさんが御剣検事のこと、知ってるワケが・・・
Why would Yappari-san know about Prosecutor Mitsurugi...
Well, you see. The three of us with Naruhodo used to hang out together a lot.
That guy, even back then, was such a spoiled rich boy.
“おとーさんみたいになるんだ” って、おベンキョウしてたよ。
"I'm going to become like my dad" - that's what he was studying for, you know.
So, here Yahari describes the impression Mitsurugi made on him even before he transferred to another school.
He calls him おボッチャン (o-botchan)
坊ちゃん (ボッチャン, Botchan) - a word meaning a young man from a wealthy family, spoiled and ignorant of life.
(If anyone reading this has watched Black Butler with subtitles, they've probably heard that «Ciel» is also constantly called this by all the servants, especially by Sebastian.)
So, Mitsurugi was already quite privileged when he lived with his father. This suggests he didn't suddenly become wealthy and aristocratic when Karuma took him under his wing, much less when he began earning a lot of money as a prosecutor. In fact, his social status hadn't changed, and he was already quite accustomed to this life. His upbringing up until age 9 and his manners had simply become a mechanism for adapting to the new environment.
And the fact that in the localization, Larry calls his school friend a «stick in the mud» seems to slightly alter the speaker's attitude toward the person he's actually talking about.
The Cambridge Dictionary tells me that «stick in the mud» is an idiom used to describe someone who is boring, old-fashioned, or unwilling to try new things or participate in fun activities.
And in what world is a «young privileged gentleman» the same as a «boring person»?
The localization here completely killed the voice and personality of young Miles when Larry quoted him. This gives the impression that Larry disliked him for standing out from the crowd and that his dream wasn't worthy of being remembered.
Meanwhile, Yahari, quoting young Reiji, not only characterizes him as a person but also allows us to hear the child's dream in his own words. On the plus side, he doesn't call him «boring and old-fashioned», but rather highlights his status - a boy from a wealthy family who found common ground with the other kids because he wasn't shy about sharing his thoughts.
Yahari also uses a lot of slang, specifically the verb:
ツルんでた (tsurunda) from the verb つるむ (tsurumu) — «to hang out/spend time together».
Incidentally, when Yahari quotes young Mitsurugi, he pronounces the word «dad» with an elongated pronunciation おとーさん (o-to:-san), indicating a childish or affectionate pronunciation.
Young Reiji was indeed close to his father.
Not «Kenji» — Prosecutor!
Kind of like the "reverse" of a lawyer. Or something.
The gist of it is that Yahari mistook the job title «Prosecutor» for a proper name, so he asked again, «Which Kenji are you talking about?» (The name is written in katakana), which triggered a fit of indignation in Mayoi. For him, Mitsurugi had always been «Reiji», but now some new name had surfaced, so he froze for a bit.
ケンジ (Kenji) — name, 検事 (kenji) — «prosecutor»
Meanwhile, in the localization, Larry attributed our prosecutor to a «knee proboscis». I feel sorry for that guy.
かなしいほど、この場に マッチしていない万国旗だ。
It's almost sad - these national flags don't match this place at all.
寒空の下、冷たい風に吹かれて ヒラヒラゆれている。
Beneath the cold sky, blown by the chilly wind, they flutter and sway.
But still, it somehow makes me remember school sports day.
That was fun, huh - "Glasses Battle."
What's that? "Glasses Battle"?
Huh? No way? ... You don't know? "Glasses Battle."
... I guess it was only at our school after all...
(So what the hell is that event anyway!)
It would seem there's nothing to quibble about – the flags are all true, and so is the «Glass Battle». But the location has somehow changed.
運動会 (Undōkai) - school sports festival.
学校 (gakkō) - school; college; educational institution.
What local fair? Where did the mention of school get lost? Is it the village of Kurain that has this kind of fun, and not just the school Mayoi attends? There's no clarification, so the first thing I think of is a specific locality, not just any institution. It's just one word... Sigh.
思い出しちゃう(Omoidashichau) - to suddenly remember.
万国旗 (Bankoku-ki) - national flags. Literally, «flags of ten thousand countries» (all the countries of the world).
ヒラヒラゆれている (hirahira yurete iru)
Hirahira is an onomatopoeia for a slight flutter. Yurete iru means «to flutter». Naruhodō paints this sad picture for us.
The legend of that guy is still alive and well.
"In the shadow of every incident — Yappari (as expected) Yahari" …… you know.
In the Japanese version, the character's surname, Yahari (his given name, Masashi), is very cleverly played up, as the word ヤッパリ(Yappari) and his surname 矢張 (Yahari) are homophones and mean the same thing: «as expected/still».
And the wording, «in the shadow of every incident - as expected Yahari» is quite poetic and reminiscent of a proverb or legend, and doesn't carry any negative connotations or foster ill will toward the character.
Now, can someone explain to me what I'm supposed to associate the name Butz with, especially if smell is mentioned (even as an idiom, «suspicious»), other than... An unpleasant situation. Why did they do this to him?
Straying from the toilet humor, they could have easily chosen a different surname for him, and even better, based it on an existing idiom. This is what came to my mind
Where there's trouble, there's Trowell.
Where there's foul play, there's Fowles.
When someone's in a pickle, it's usually Pickle. (be in a pickle - to be in a difficult situation)
And those are all the existing names.
You have the right to agree with me, disagree, offer your own ideas about why this localization was chosen (without insults, of course), but these points are very important for preserving the identity of the characters, so we can get rid of them.
That's all for today. To avoid overloading this already long post, I'll take my leave here and bring you the next part soon. I've unearthed so many treasures, mmm.
snowghoul
s-u-f-j-a-n-s-t-e-v-e-n-s
titsay
germansingergirl
discoholicmusic
dailybridgerton
yousharknotpass
blakekathryn
turnnoffyourmind
