Forum - View topicToo much jargon in manga/anime?
|
|
| Author | Message | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Zumie
 Posts: 51 |
|
|||
|
I guess it's going to seem like I'm ranting a lot
 Ah well- I guess maybe I just noticed this recently- but it's always been present in anime/manga is the use of jargon/terms unique to the universe.
It's kind of hard enough now to get into some series, but when they start making up a whole new glossary of terms I just start to roll my eyes x_x; It seems particularly bad in shounen/sci-fi manga. Like using terms such as "demon" for an evil spirit- why not just call it a demon flat out? It sounds so pretentious that now whenever I see any kind of manga using most jargon terms I just stop reading instantly or put it back on the shelf. Anyone out there agree with me or have noticed this too?? |
||||
|
||||
Chagen46
 Posts: 4377 |
|
|||
|
This is all connected with Chūnibyō. But yes, you are right, manga, anime, and light novels all for some reason are obsessed with intense amounts of jargon.
Though, there is a certain charm to those chūni-as-hell names like "Reality Disengage" (just a fake example) |
||||
|
||||
Mr Adventure
 Posts: 1598 |
|
|||
|
Jargon is an easy way to infuse a sense of pathos to a fictional world.
But I agree that it sometimes can become a bit overbearing, but not really anymore then any other source of genre fiction. |
||||
|
||||
Touma
 Posts: 2651 Location: Colorado, USA |
|
|||
I am confused. It looks to me like you are saying that instead of "demon" they should use "demon." Am I misunderstanding something?
I really have not noticed it. Or at least I have not been bothered by it enough that it left an impression on me. Are you referring to stories that use made-up words in place of real, existing words? I cannot remember any of those, but maybe I just have not read enough of them. Sometimes the author makes up words for things that exist only in the universe of the manga, but you are not talking about that are you? |
||||
|
||||
Yulhen
 Posts: 6 Location: Siberia |
|
|||
|
Hmm...As for me it's normal. May be I just haven't read or watced enough to say. I think, it comes from translators and correctors(if you are not japanish) or just from writer(his/her idea, a way to link with reader).
|
||||
|
||||
Shadowrun20XX
 Posts: 1937 Location: Vegas |
|
|||
|
It's the norm, you either like it or you don't. People love other ways to stay connected to a series they like If its jargon they connect to than more jargon is created. If English is your first language then sci fi nerds making up languages and inside jokes are a way they stay connected to the series they like.
Notice it, how can you not? What I don't like are full on rules or boardgames and rules of fictional games. In my mind its more for a marketing ploy than to tell a cohesive story. |
||||
|
||||
Papochulo
 Posts: 63 |
|
|||
|
I guess like using the word "katana" to refer to swords in general? For example the main character in "Ladies Vs. Butlers" is attacked by a girl welding a curved sword aka a scimitar, which the guy refers to it as a katana. Granted this was the fan sub translation and they tend to be more precise, sometimes translating too accurately.
|
||||
|
||||
|
Touma
Posts: 2651 Location: Colorado, USA |
|
|||
I do not think that Zumie was referring to that kind of thing, but I am not sure. It would have been really nice if he would have come back to his thread and commented on the contributions that others made to it.
Using the wrong word is neither precise nor too accurate. 
|
||||
|
||||
Alan45
 Village Elder Posts: 10122 Location: Virginia |
|
|||
|
There are a lot of different types of words in anime and manga that may be referred to as "jargon". The original poster was not too clear as to what he was upset with and has not come back to clarify.
Un translated Japanese words. An area of contention, some want more some want less. This is more a failing of fan translations than commercial. Made up words specific to a given fantasy or science fiction world. This is common to all fantasy and science fiction regardless of nation. If you are dealing with concepts or processes that don't actually exist you have to name them something. Names of attacks or special moves. For some reason the Japanese have a convention that special attacks must be named and usually called out aloud. If you are not used to this it probably seems a bit odd. Japanese concepts that don't translate well. This is especially a problem with the supernatural. Basically the Japanese have a rather rich and vibrant supernatural pantheon. There is not a one to one relationship to the Western pantheon and you have a variety of supernatural characters that present problems for translators. This is complicated by the fact that in anime and manga they show no hesitation to add in supernatural characters from multiple other cultures. Since the original poster mentioned demons and evil spirits I suspect this is his problem. Ultimately a demon and an evil spirit are not the same thing. Actually they are not the same thing in western mythology either. I would suggest he either make an effort to figure out what the specific story is talking about or just give it up. What he considers "jargon" is probably necessary. |
||||
|
||||
einhorn303
 Posts: 1180 |
|
|||
|
I think what OP is referring to is series with a synopsis like (made up example):
"Keiichi is a normal student, attending Royal Academy, where prospective magic users called 'Deva' learn to pilot mecha named 'Harbingers' which use mystical attacks called 'Icons'..." I don't find stuff like that appealing. It's usually a sign that the setting works more like a an escapist video game than anything related to the real world. Like Chagen said, it's very chuuni. |
||||
|
||||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group