Monthly Archive for February, 2007Page 2 of 2

Winter Menu

14 Comments |
February 11, 2007
| Television

I only chose to pick up a few new shows from the current season. And from the look of things, they’re the same new shows everyone else picked up. I’m so original. Anyway, a few thoughts on the latest and greatest…

Nodame Cantabile - You know, this show isn’t Honey & Clover. But, because it looks and feels so much like Honey & Clover, I keep expecting it to live up to the standard set by its spiritual predecessor. It’ll never happen, though. The drama clearly isn’t anywhere near as intense (not yet at least), nor is the humor anywhere near as sharp and quick. In fact, I’d go so far as to say the show is kind of boring. But, it’s still fun in its own way, and if I can ever get over comparing it to something it’s not, I’ll probably come to enjoy it even more.

Manabi Straight - I actually don’t dig Ufotable’s work all that much. I think they’re a talented studio, but I also think they’re too clever for their own good. So, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Manabi Straight… and after a few episodes, I’m still not sure. However, I think the show has done a good job balancing content with style thus far, and for that, I’m relieved. Perhaps Ufotable’s style is simply best suited to this relaxed sort of slice-of-life.

Hidamari Sketch - These shows based on 4-koma can really be hit or miss. It’s like trying to build a skyscraper out of Jenga blocks. The individual pieces will stack just fine, but stability and appearance are entirely different matters. You’re destined to end up with something that not only looks truly bizarre, but could just as well come tumbling down with the slightest nudge. The 4-koma shows that succeed, I think, are the ones that embrace their shaky eccentricity and run with it. So far, Hidamari Sketch has done just that. Could it be my favorite show of the season? Possibly.

Now I’m Hungry…

30 Comments |
February 9, 2007
| Miscellaneous

Here’s a question for you: why do some fansubbers choose not to translate the word “bento” when it pops up in dialogue? I’ve seen several fansub groups do this, so I’m curious. Did I not get the memo or something? Is “boxed lunch” no longer an acceptable English translation?

Mind you, I’m not the sort of person who expects subtitles to be devoid of anything that sounds remotely Japanese. If a word or concept is especially difficult to translate, I’d rather it be left alone. And I generally like to see honorifics in subtitles. Basically, I don’t like it when translators get clever and start looking for ways to jam a square peg into a round hole. This is just a hunch, but I suspect sub watchers aren’t allergic to Japanese.

I wouldn’t exactly consider “bento” to be a difficult to translate word or concept, however. “Did you bring a boxed lunch?” Looks fine to me. Hell, in most cases, a simple, “Did you bring a lunch?” would suffice. So, what gives?

Oh, and the beach was nice. You might think I’m easily amused, but consider what I came home to.

The beach was nice, indeed.