a pet peeve.

[kokoronagomu]

one of the reasons why i don't like how translators used the blanket term 'demon' (in japanese 'akuma' by the commonly held 'western definition) for the terms: 'youkai', 'mononoke', 'oni', 'bakemono' (the original japanese never uses the term 'akuma'). that's like using the blanket term 'demon' when one is speaking/writing of fae (fairies),

Comments

[vashka_kat]

It is interesting, isn't it? You would think some translators would grasp the subtleties.

[kokoronagomu]

i believe that most translators try so hard to translate everything, even down to the japanese attack names that they lose much in the translation... or they're trying to dumb down the dialog because they believe that we're too stupid to realize that when someone says, "Look, a youkai!!" that the creature the character is pointing at must be a youkai --the way the creature acts and looks will help the distinguish that creature from the other different creatures that appear later (most are identified in the dialog as to what particular kind of creature they are).

i really like the 'rurouni kenshin' translators have left the japanese attack names in the dubs --it's one of the few anime dubs i can tolerate.

[lrdrandallslady]

Not being fluent in Japanese myself, nor as thoroughly versed in the culture as I probably should be, I find it difficult to understand the distinctions myself. A quick google search for a definition of "akuma" revealed next to nothing while "youkai" looked to be an all-encompassing term that included "oni" as one of the creatures classified within it. This did not help enlighten my confusion very much...lol

[kokoronagomu]

i don't understand why they don't use the actual untranslatable term for the japanese mythological creature instead of using the generic term. the first time someone says, "Look, a mononoke!!" the audience would understand that that creature is a mononoke. someone watching would surely get the sense when an ogre type creature shows up and someone calls it an 'oni'. 'bakemono' is a general term for 'monster' which can include the previously mentioned creatures.

my point exactly! we don't give a generic name to a genie (an arabic mythological creature) then why assign a generic name to a japanese mythological creature?

a friend in sweden told me that they're all generally translated as 'demon' also.

[landofthekwt]

Interesting. The American translators used demon to describe the herd of snake like creatures that Naraku used to threw at the Inu tachi. I believe that Sesshoumaru was attacked by oni twice.(big ugly creatures)Most of the creatures are described by name or species. The NO-Women was born out of the suffering of women in the war. RT once described Naraku as a ghost which is one possible translation of youkai. (She said that she put the story in the Sengoku Jidai because she thought people would be bothered by the number of people he killed if it were set in the modern era. She use bakaneko to describe the creature which possessed the nun.

[kokoronagomu]

keade called uresuei a mononoke, some monks who were attempting to 'save' rin called sesshoumaru a mononoke. the monk in episode 22 called kikyou mononoke and youkai. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiSr-lChiko

her 'gatherers' were called shinidamachuu. kirara is nekomata but i'm not sure if she's been called that in anime --i'll need to find the episodes/fillers that feature her and watch them again.

[madmiko]

I agree completely! The term "demon" carries certain connotations that do not necessarily fit all "youkai."

[kokoronagomu]

especially in the 'judeo-christian' understanding of the term.

yyh dubs use 'apparition' a lot in referring to creatures from makai, a more acceptable generic term --but they also use the term 'demon' which doesn't fit.

maintaining the original japanese terms would have given a greater depth and understanding to yyh and to inuyasha. instead translators have perpetuated a misunderstanding as to the nature of these creatures.