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.

~ MS

CHAPTER 337 GLOSSARY & NOTES

Please refer to the Inuyasha General Glossary for recurring words that remain untranslated.

Chapter 337 is the 7th anniversary issue of Inuyasha. It's 24 pages long, rather than the usual 18, and has color images in it, which I will keep as part of this issue. :) Enjoy!

"TAKE HER HEAD/NECK" - (page 12) Naraku's line is literally this. "Kikyou no kubi o tore." Kubi generally means the head and neck. The "take" in this case is often used in a way that indicates taking spoils and such. So he's tellling Kohaku to behead her. Quite unsettling, hm?

"THE WAY NARAKU LEFT WAS UNUSUAL" - (page 17) Okay, this term gave me and everyone I talked to
a headache! ^_^ Miroku uses the word "sari giwa," which seems to literally translate into
"a method of leaving." So Miroku's referring to the fact that, although Kikyou was a target,
it was unusual that Naraku just left without doing anything further.

KAGURA & KOHAKU'S TALK - (page 19-20) "He's talking to me?" In previous chapters, Kohaku had always
addressed Kagura using the honorific "Kagura-sama," denoting respect. Here, he adresses her
merely as "Kagura."

Kagura's subsequent lines to Kohaku were a bit difficult for me to translate literally. ^_^; The literal translation is "Seems like you and I are in the same badger hole,
doesn't it." Meh, I think I'll just leave it at that.

"FOR MY SAKE." - (page 20) now here, I don't know if she means Kohaku will work for her (ie. "this work
will be done. For me.") or if that's a separate clause, since it could indicate that their working
together will have to be done, else something happen to Kagura. I don't know if that makes sense.

"IT'S LIKE IT ALWAYS IS..." - (page 21) I beleive Shippou is referring to Inuaysha and Kikyou here...

"SOMETHING ELSE" - (page 22) I'm not sure what she's referring to, although I think it might have something to do with Kohaku...