Please don't take liberties on names when its not the same as the light novel/web novel....
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Welcome... to Zombo Com
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@guspaz That is so horrible on so many levels... I can't even take it seriously at this point.
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That's 90s Internet memes for you. It's remained completely unchanged for 19 years.
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So long as zombo com doesn't mean we get stuff like goatse back
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After noticing this I’ve made an executive decision to change this for the ebook.
He will now be named Mr. Mittens.
Garfield was a poor localization choice that seems out of place for Japanese touya to know that reference and is too obvious a localization rather than a translation.
Keeping nyantaro without any localization is still a bad idea as people have expressed in this thread.
Thanks for the feedback.
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@sam-pinansky said in Please don't take liberties on names when its not the same as the light novel/web novel....:
Garfield was a poor localization choice that seems out of place for Japanese touya to know that reference and is too obvious a localization rather than a translation.
Keeping nyantaro without any localization is still a bad idea as people have expressed in this thread.
Thanks for the feedback.While I can't say that I completely agree with the localization issue, at least the new translation choice feels a bit more in-line with the original intent behind the character's naming choice.
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@sam-pinansky said in Please don't take liberties on names when its not the same as the light novel/web novel....:
After noticing this I’ve made an executive decision to change this for the ebook.
He will now be named Mr. Mittens.
Garfield was a poor localization choice that seems out of place for Japanese Touya to know that reference and is too obvious a localization rather than a translation.
Keeping nyantaro without any localization is still a bad idea as people have expressed in this thread.
Thanks for the feedback.
Thank you! And yes Mr. Mittens is a lot better in this sense. I appreciate the change.
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@sam-pinansky I've got no idea how well known Garfield is (or isn't) known in Japan, but I can agree with it being more localization than translation. Mr. Mittens brings to mind certain markings on a cat, so I'll need to go look at the picture of him to see how fitting it is.
Edit to add:
He is clothed pretty much from head to toe, including gloves, which on a cat's paws probably would resemble mittens. The comment about being swindled out of a fresh lasagna will need to be changed as well. Garfield is associated with lasagna. A regular cat? Nope. Doesn't make sense. -
@paul-nebeling Yeah we'll make sure to fix that too.
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I’m happy for the change, but you don’t have much time lol. Comes out on Amazon in 5 days, and they probably have a deadline for finalized edition.
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@sinnoaria Sorry, but can you stay at one standpoint. 3-4 postings above you are against the name because who knows Garfield. Then after someone reminds you that Garfield is more known as the "Puss in boots" you change it that it is simply not funny and makes no sense?
I get it that you are simply unhappy that a Pun in japanese gets changed. But what about the majority of the people reading this, who don't understand this? Should they simply learn the aspects of a language to apreciatte this? Maybe that you get my point. Some centuries ago it was the norm to hold the church in latin. A language which many could not speak. But yeah it was part of the lithurgie so why change it? Only that everyone can understand it? I don't know but I find a mess which you can understand better.
Yeah we can add footnotes, translator notes, etc. But for something which only exists to make fun of him? Why not name him in a way that says that Touya doesn't take him seriously. As I said previously it is arguably if Garfield is the best choice. But it is one which is easy to understand. As said, "Meow Hero". Would this fit better? It just doesn't flow like the japanese variant.
Ultimately there are different aspects what is better. Literal? Liberal? This is up to the translator. And I don't see it is a crude error that he made this judgement. Maybe if I give you a saying in my language you will appreciate a translator which can give it a better context. Here we say "Aus einer Mücke einen Elefanten machen" which literally translates to "making an elephant out of a fly". Now I wonder if this idiom is well known in english and if it would not be better to say "storm in a water glass" which can be understood by everyone.
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@saskir I never changed my stance. That is two different issues you are talking about. It is like saying that because I'm the most evil being on the planet, I'll do evil things. No, because I'm the most evil being, I'd rather just watch humans destroy themselves without lifting a finger. Evil mindset != Evil actions. Conversely, a good being could do evil actions. Two different issues.
I said that I don't know Garfield, but knew Puss in Boots and I didn't find either funny or sensible. Especially considering the intent behind the naming.
It is the same reason I got annoyed at How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord Vol. 5. They kind of change the character's normal thought process in order to get rid of the overpowered gear. It might not have been a huge change, but it felt unnatural.
Naming someone after a noble or respected (I'm assuming Garfield is respected) character in order to harass them... Seems unnatural.
That and the many other issues that can result from renaming. I understand that most people wouldn't understand the original names sometimes, but there are LNs out there that still sell well despite not renaming and those LNs so it isn't like not renaming automatically means that a series will fail.
With the many different methods of translation, you tend to see more Liberal (localization) translations from official sources, which is why I generally prefer the unofficial translations (usually more Literal) even if I am willing to buy the official source. It is why I usually respect companies that don't try to get rid of the unofficial versions - they let me buy the official and still enjoy whichever version I prefer.
Here is what I said. I'll snip off the unnecessary parts.
@sinnoaria said in Please don't take liberties on names when its not the same as the light novel/web novel....:
Who is Garfield anyways? I know Puss in Boots, but Felix? Garfield? Morris?
Like, seriously. Knowledge of those names aside... How are any of them funny?
Note: "Knowledge of those names aside" before "How are any of them funny?" meaning I'm putting them as separate issues.
Note: "Who is Garfield anyways?" with "I know Puss in Boots, but Felix? Garfield? Morris?" meaning I don't know them, not that other people don't.
Also, sorry if I make elephants out of flies. I mean, not like the fly needs their body after they die right? In seriousness, I've seen little things that build up and end up resulting in something major. Even if I didn't have any settings other than 0% or 100%, I'd still go all out as a result of seeing little things lead to major things. I didn't stop a person who I saw was about to die by talking to them for a few seconds longer. They died after because of something that small. I saw a kid who was about to die and didn't act to save them. They died when all it would have taken to save them was something as small as a light nudge.
So yes, I do consider 'small' things to be on the same category as 'big' things. You aren't the same person as me, so I don't expect you to think the same way, but don't underestimate the importance of a fly, or a molehill, or even a water glass.
Winning isn't really that fun if you want a challenge... Making others win, on the other hand...
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@sinnoaria Then sorry for the misunderstanding with the issues.
But you just mentioned one of the things where you need an understanding. You get that Nyantaro is a pun. Those who are well versed in Japanese literature, anime or LN in generell get it. But everyone else doesn't understand it.
I get that Garfield was not the best choice as a name. But what else? Leave it as Nyantaro? Then you would need to explain it. If you need to explain a pun it is not funny for me. Call him Puss in boots? Hobbes? Tigga? All could be considered.
Besides before anyone gets me wrong. Normally I am someone who wants everything to stay as literal as possible. I hate that some companies need to change -sama, -kun as there is no real equivalent in english. Or in Mahouka that it is not still onii-sama.
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@saskir said in Please don't take liberties on names when its not the same as the light novel/web novel....:
@sinnoaria Then sorry for the misunderstanding with the issues.
But you just mentioned one of the things where you need an understanding. You get that Nyantaro is a pun. Those who are well versed in Japanese literature, anime or LN in generell get it. But everyone else doesn't understand it.
I get that Garfield was not the best choice as a name. But what else? Leave it as Nyantaro? Then you would need to explain it. If you need to explain a pun it is not funny for me. Call him Puss in boots? Hobbes? Tigga? All could be considered.
Besides before anyone gets me wrong. Normally I am someone who wants everything to stay as literal as possible. I hate that some companies need to change -sama, -kun as there is no real equivalent in english. Or in Mahouka that it is not still onii-sama.
Why does it absolutely need to be a pun in the translation? Why do people need a pun to be funny? Yes, the pun exists and is great, but I think just as important is the character's intent (even more important in a longer series where the intent might come up multiple times while the joke will probably lose the humor over time).
A clever pun is great IF done right. However, take Esti Erhard -> Esty Dee as an example. Why was that pun even needed? Or considered appropriate?
Why sacrifice the character's intent (or purpose) just to make a joke in the translation?
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Hey everyone, simmer down here.
Let me summarize:
The original name was meant to be a cliched and embarrassing reference to a cat character name, the translator thought "Garfield" would be funny and added in a lasagna reference for the joke of it.
My objection to this is rooted in that Touya is a Japanese character and would not be particular familiar with Garfield (unlike Peanuts, which is a hit in Japan), and that to a reader that fact seems out of place and an obvious "westernization". Replacing with Mr. Mittens maintains the two important facts in the original: It needs to be embarrassing, and it needs to be cliche.
I'm not sure where puns came in but no puns were involved here in this particular issue.
I think the discussion of this particular issue is complete so I'll lock the thread. If you find other issues you think are overlocalized, feel free to mention them in their appropriate series/parts threads and I'm sure the translator/editor will give your opinion due thought.
