EyeOnAnime Forum

Toraman · Shinigami Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 2091 Location: London

Do you agree with anime companies changing the name of anime? A lot of fans seemed to be quite happy recently when ADV decided to keep the name 'Utawarerumono' (alternate title being 'The One Being Sung') for example.

Is this right for preserving a work, or is it an elitist thing which alienates potential new fans.

Other examples (couldn't be bothered to research properly, just grab some random stuff):
Saikano/She: The Ultimate Weapon
Devilman Lady/Devil Lady
Doomed Megalopolis/Teito Monogatari
Oh My Goddess!/Ah My Goddess!
Hokuto no Ken/Fist of the North Star
Ginga Tetsudo 999/Galaxy Express 999

I feel that a properly translated title works for the best. A good title should serve as a good first point of reference to a show's contents. Untranslated titles, while very artful, mean nothing to those who don't know Japanese. Is it right to preserving a work so literally, or is it an elitist thing which alienates potential fans and risks driving sales down? (keeping Utawarerumono takes the piss imo though)

IanC · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:39 pm Post subject:

I prefer translated titles, unless the translated one doesnt make sense. Im one of the few who prefers She, the Ultimate Weapon to Saikano.

One thing that really, really annoys me is when people continue to use the untranslated title in an effort to seem "superior". It really grinds my gears.
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Gawyn · Elite Poster Joined: 09 Aug 2006 Posts: 567

Title translation is largely required. Most stores would be lost with the original title and asking them to get a title like Utawarerumono for you will probably be greeted by:

"Eh? Are you taking the mickey?"

One problem with this is when you aren't aware of what the name has changed to, such as Kimi ga Nozumo Eien being renamed Rumbling Hearts (at the Japanese author's/owner's request, incidentally). If you were not aware of this change there is no way you would guess since the one does not translate in any way into the other and could otherwise pass it by in your ignorance. For this reason I think listing an alternative titled version is probably beneficial, such as happened with Ikki Tousen/Battle Vixens.

Fudce · Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 2:24 am Post subject:

I like both trains of thought (fence man!), I like names to be translated, but I'm not so sure about outright changed names. Some of them fit, some don't.
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Toraman · Shinigami Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 2091 Location: London

Damo · Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 12:25 pm Post subject:

"Utawarerumono" should be changed, I mean come on if/when ADV release it over here can you imagine solisiting that to retailers "Eh what's it called?" and poor sales could be attributed to the fact that no-one can spell it - so wont be able to put it correctly into online retialer search engines. Twisted Evil

Ikki Tousen - battle Vixens was changed for the anime not online to fit in with Tokyopops manga but because MVM didn't want retailers going "Eh what?". That's some logic there

But I think there's a lot in a name and tend to stick with what I hear first, or the one that sticks in my head the most, so I tend to like the japanese affectionate names if I've heard of the series when it's doing the fansub rounds.

Rumbling Hearts = "Kiminozo"
Burst Angel = "bakuten"
Tengo tenge - "Tenten"
His and hers circumstances - "Karekano"

So naturally it's "Saikano" for me, not withstanding that "She - The ultimate weapon" is a hidious jerky title anyway

If it's a sereis I'm only hearing of when it gets its DVD release I'll remeber it by teh DVD title it's given.
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botmaster2005 · Ninja In Training Joined: 08 Aug 2006 Posts: 856

I think in the case Utawarerumono maybe a re-name would be best, apart from the eh? what? factor, people will have to copy and paste this just to look it up on DVD retailers search engines! it's like evanescence, I must've spelt that 3 or 4 different ways when looking for the albums! Very Happy

LOL you can't help but wonder if complicated-to-spell names hurt sales.
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Damo · Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 4:38 pm Post subject:

Imagine going into a HMV and asking for volume 1 of "Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo" (name C&P'ed from ANN) and them not looking at you like you were crazy.

....

Some fans go crazy at a name change Ikki Tousen / Battle Vixens when sometimes surly it's counter productive not to change them.

Oh and does anybody want to get into the My/Mai Hime debate? Twisted Evil

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IanC · Posted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 5:09 pm Post subject: