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.

~ MS

CHAPTER 401 GLOSSARY & NOTES

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

Here we see demonstrated, another Rule of Inuyasha™: Weekly Monster-Villain will often attack saying "WHERE IS MY (insert item here)!" I think I will call this the "Youkai Rosebud Effect."

"GAIKOU" - (title, throughout chapter) I was a little bit unsure of how to really refer to this thing, which showed up in chapter 400. Gaikou breaks down into "armor" and "hard shell." So "armored shell" seemed to be the most natural thing to continue to translate it into. For some reason, the title "gaikou" made me keep thinking of car insurance, though (it's pronounced the pretty much the same). :P

MEIOUJUU: (in a flat voice) 93% of people said that my armor insurance was the best they ever had. Can you guess how we appealed to the other 7%?
*cut to scene of the meioujuu eating the soldiers*
SOLDIERS: It's gonna eat us!!!
MEIOUJUU: You mock my gaikou!?

NO HEADWAY - (page 7) This was today's "new slang term" that I wasn't entirely sure about. While "rachi ga akanai" literally means "progress closed," it's a term that basically means "we're not making any headway," and implies that negotiations are over. I've never actually heard it used in practice, but maybe it is.

HOLY HELL ON A STICK!!!1 - (page 12) Nothing explainitory, but I just had to say, Sesshoumaru making Byakuya have that "OMFGBBQ~!! BRINGMEMYBROWNPANTS!!!" moment was hilarious... ^_^;

Out like a light, eh...?

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