Inuyasha - Translation Notes

INUYASHA: SENGOKU O-TOGI ZOUSHI:
TRANSLATION & READING NOTES

READING THE MANGA

The manga is scanned as it appears in the Japanese publication "Shonen Sunday.
That is, it's read from right to left. I generally keep the words in the same
places as they appear in the original.

PARDON MY JAPANESE...

First of all, obviously I'm not a professional translator. I've studied Japanese
and translate this for my own enjoyment, so I just don't forget what I've learned.
(Not that manga is a very good way of "studying the Japanese language" so to
speak, it's fun to read...) That and I like continuing to read and learn more about
the Japanese culture and language.

Anyway, I do take a few minor liberties in translating. I try to keep things as literal
as possible while still trying to flow in natural English (ie. not quite "bookish")
and build on character personalities. There are swear words where the language becomes
so in the original Japanese version. I also find mistranlations and errors in my
translating here and there. Plus there's almost always lines that bowl me over
in regards to what they really mean...

This isn't perfect, but hopefully passable. Special thanks to Roy for doing some
proofing for me, as well as being my dictionary, thesaurus, and all-around Japanese crash
course instrcutor when I'm thrown for a loop. Heh-heh.

So enjoy the read, all!

~ MR

CHAPTER 336 NOTES

FUYOUHEKI: This is the concept that gave me the most headaches. Fu-you-heki
literally translates to "un-demonic wall." It sounded like a description, so I wanted to
translate it. I chose to use more figurative language (ie. "youki-barrier"). It's
a barrier that hides youki, essentially.

GAKUSANJIN: "Mountain Peak Man." How fitting. I was callinghim "Yama-guchi"
(mountain-mouth) for a while... :)

MAMORI ISHI: "Protecting stone." It seems that the stone itself is the thing
that creates the "fuyouheki."

REIHATSU: Literally "spirit hairs." I chose to call them "Kikyou's hair braid."

SHIKIGAMI: "Method of Spirits." They're manifestations created with miko (preistess)
powers. The shikigami in this chapter are the two girls, named Koucha and Asuka.

YOUKAI: Often translated as "demon," although I find the concept a little misleading.
Youkai are generally not from hell or as evil as the English concept puts across. Which is
why I leave the word untranslated.

YOUKI: "Bewitching or demon energy." It's the power of a youkai.