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 448 GLOSSARY & NOTES

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

What. A. Chapter.

YOU SENTIMENTAL FOOL - (page 8) A bit of a translation decison on my part here. I originally wanted to translate and keep Naraku's line as "You're still a big wuss as ever, Inuyasha." XD Seriously. But it sounded too slangy for my taste when translating the guy. He calls Inuyasha "amai," literally meaning "sweet" but figureatively meaning, soft-hearted, sentimental, and easy to take advantage of.

XD The "you're a wuss" translation actually came from talking to my Japanese friends.... who have been playing much FF7 at the time.

ME: What would you mean if I called him "amai?"
FRIEND: You're calling him a chicken-wuss.
ME: XDDDD

KIKYOU HELPING MIROKU - (pages 14) I think Sango's line, when she brings up the point about Kikyou helping Miroku, in Japanese, also implies that Sango is noting Kikyou is not only taking it on herself, but also working very hard or being exhausting. "Konna fuu ni mi o kezutte," literally seems to translate to "Your body wittles away (works hard) like this..."

...I HOPE IT'S NOT LIKE THIS UNTIL... - (page 16) Man, I love Shippou... XD

I DON'T WANT THIS TO WEIGH ON YOUR HEART - (page 18) This line more literally reads "I want for you to put this away in your heart," but it's one of those expressions that translates just a bit differently. Something like, "Please don't worry about it (don't tell anyone)."

Well, it partially what I expected, but the execution totally entranced me throughout the whole reading. I dunno about you, but I DID breathe a sigh of relief when Miroku woke up.

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