The reason WHY I wanted to be a translator.

So, something has finally caught my attention, too many times, that I really want to blog/rant about it.

Recently, I finally broke down and decided to translate A9's new mini album銀河のヲト(Ginga no Woto) from the "English" back into Japanese. Why, because I'm a Japanese geek, that's why, and I really like to keep the original titles. Helps with my kanji and practice reading Japanese.

Anyway, I noticed one song was titled, "Pierrot", which is french for "Clown" and this was fine. Nothing wrong. In fact, the word was not wrong, nothing was truly wrong. It all meant the same thing.
Show(formally known as 将) decided he wanted to title it "Clown". I'm sure he has his reasons.

Here's the deal, fans who donated money to their A9 fan project was able to download their mini-album a week earlier. If you downloaded the songs from the Japanese or even Chinese translations you probably got the original Japanese titles, which is what happened to my friend who lived in Osaka. She of course picked Japanese because, she's living in Japan, can read and understand Japanese. I decided to go with the "Good old American" pass and go English on this project.

Yeah, I've been running into some problems. Which is good! Don't get me wrong, if there weren't any problems, then translators wouldn't be needed.

Back to the song title.
My friend was talking to me about "道化師" and that she enjoyed the song. I, being American and lazy, had not translated the song titles yet, so I assumed she was talking about "Pierrot", which was what the song was titled when I downloaded the album. We went on our way with our conversation.

Want to know what Pierrot is in Japanese?
It's ピエロ
I believe any fan of the VK band Pierrot could have told me that. In fact, Japan loves that word to no end. There's an anime studio called Pierrot. Heads up, Japan loves french anything, and it's so true it's hilarious. But who exactly hates the French, WHO isn't British. (joke, I'm trying to be funny)

Do you want to know what "Clown" is in Japanese?
It's 道化師 (doukeshi)

Now, why on earth would Show translate a word from Japanese to French? Who knows what that man is thinking. I've stopped asking after meeting him a few times. Odds are he wanted to be artistic and look smart.

So, I look back at the moment my friend was asking me what I thought of doukeshi, I now understand what she was talking about. This is a problem. I see this as a problem, because I was on a side of a conversation that was slightly divided from my friend. This SHOULDN'T be a thing.


I'm not blaming Show, or A9. In fact, this has been a problem between Japanese and English speaking countries for YEARS! I mean YEARS!

Let's look at an example.
Attack on Titan. Many hard core fans, or fans who have been watching Anime know it as 進撃の巨人 (shingeki no kyojin) I hope you can see where I'm going. Just a simple title can divide up people between, "You don't speak Japanese" and "I'm on a different level than you. SUCK IT!"
THIS SHOULD NOT BE A THING!

This really should not be a thing.
Now, I do not see my friend being higher up or more superior to me, since I really like to think we are friends. (Won't lie though, for a short period I thought of her as Senpai.) But after a little time of getting to know her, and her getting to know me, we stand on even level footing.
I mean the only difference or leveling we have is that she's Canadian and I'm American. But even then, we both came from the west coast. We surprisingly do not have too much distance between us.

Now, I'm going to tell you what my ideal translator can do for fans. They translate titles or names so that all fans can stay on the same page and feel connected. I mean, that's why translators have been needed for centuries! I mean it literally too, centuries because we all know what happened in history when translators weren't involved. Bad things. Very bad things happened.

Another set of examples I have is good old Sailor Moon and Pokemon!

American fans knew "Usagi" as "Serena" and "Satoshi" from Pokemon was "Ash Ketchum"
We all know this; and if you didn't know this...sorry. To me, this is a trip up, plus it keeps American fans from fully connecting with other fans from other countries.

Fan: "OMG, I love Usagi she's so cute."
American fan: "haha, have no idea who that is, but I love Serena."
Fan: "..."

See the problem? Please see the problem, because this is where misunderstandings take place. This is where fans and people in general will feel lost and disconnected from the things that they love.

I love Alice Nine, or A9 now, and they have allowed me to make friends all over the world. To learn and understand that America is not the center of this planet. (-cough- Of course I knew that -laughs nervously-)

I love to think that I have good friends from various countries. I've talked with fans from Russia, all the way to South Africa. I have talked with fans from so many countries that I get excited thinking about their homes and countries that all the way over there, they too sit in their room listening to A9 and squeal with excitement over a new single or album. I picture their rooms covered in posters and different characters both internationally known or only popular in their own home country. This broadens my mind and understanding that Disney is not the only company and Coca-cola is not the only soft drink available. I enjoy meeting people from different countries, and I love learning about them and their home country. I want to travel the world some day.
And call me a freak, but I really do believe that music really can bring people together.

You see where translators have a really important job. I want to be a translator, but it's really hard. You are responsible in bringing people together using a common or local native language. You are the reason why someone will say, "Clown" or Doukeshi".
I highly respect translators to no end, and wish their were more ways to support translators, because they are the ones that bring people together. They bridge the gap and can help people understand one another. If you know a translator, go and hug them. They need it, because they get crap from people sometimes and it's not fair.

To All translators:

  Thank you so much for all you do! It's not easy, and I understand that you have to make the choice between one or another, not knowing if it was the right choice.
I deeply appreciate the work you do.

 From me, the American


However, some translators, and no Google Translate does not count, are just not making it all the way. Why would you translate 進撃の巨人 into Attack on Titan? Well, for English speakers, Japanese isn't exactly easy to pronounce. Plus, people simply do not have time to learn a language.
This, I understand. I have no issues.

But, how come you have to translate a Japanese character's name into an English name?
I would think that we know at least how to appreciate that "Usagi" is Japanese, it's an odd name to name a baby, but hey to each their own. Or why couldn't American kids learn to call the main character of Pokemon "Satoshi"? Is it that difficult?
BEFORE! you go commenting away, I know this thing called "localization translation". Where you take something and not only translate it but to give it the local feel. This is why "Joey" in YuGiOh had a Brooklyn accent. That was probably because in the original Japanese dubbing, the character spoke in a unique Japanese dialect or form. That's localization. I know.
I do want to be a translator, but I'm now having second thoughts.

But this is not the point of this post.
I wanted to mention the problem of two friends, who do speak English and one understands a higher lever of Japanese than the other, but the fact that A9 would go so far to translate the song title, what, twice?
(My thought process: 道化師-->ピエロ-->Pierrot)
I can only imagine the thought process on this one title.

Now, I'm getting upset over one song title because I felt lost and confused. I felt left out. I was left out. I may be the only one who things this way, but I don't want any other fans to feel this way. If A9 want to get bigger and do world tours, they are gonna have to step up and hire a translator that is not using google translate to do their job.


Thank you for making it this far.
I shall reward you!

 

NAO! He's smiling and so cute when he's happy. 

-Nihongochick2

Shooting Star! Fan meeting event where I failed to meet Nao

I have written this in the morning so it probably doesn't make sense. I'm sorry.

Alright, so as some of you know, or don't know, Alice Nine has been doing special fan events with each other their singles. Daybreak was a signature, and Shadowplay was a poster. Well! Put those together and you got Shooting Star's in-store event. A poster with signatures.

 So, of course you had to buy CD's to get tickets so you can get a chance to meet your favorite member. This event was a little bit up in the air, so the rules weren't as strict. However, Ashleigh and I don't really like breaking rules, so we followed the order that they made up. ("They", being the staff)


(two of the many tickets that got you in. I only had two tries)

 Rules were you needed a ticket to have one try. Many tickets, many tries. The other rule was who you got, was who you meet. So you can imagine there were some girls who tried cheating in this part, I even saw a girl break down crying because she wanted Nao, but got Tora. I couldn't help but laugh, and even the people in line started laughing, telling her that's too bad, since she was trying so hard to get the member she wanted. It was so, what's the word, "Pathetic"? xD

And last, but the most broken rule I saw was, cutting in line. The line was fucking looooooonnnnnngggg! It went out of the building, down some steps to hell, and around a corner of butt-fuck-no-where. MY POINT is, it was long, and it took Ashleigh about two hours to get to her 5th ticket. She had 9 tickets.

 But I'll tell you what I did. I of course got there in the crack of dawn, before any normal and sane store was open. Even Starbucks wasn't open, so I sat out in a very light and fly with the wind skirt. I felt like I should have thought more about my outfit. But I did want to be cute. Oh well. So, I'm in Harajuku, and I'm waiting, and while I'm waiting I'm texting Ashleigh, and we are figuring out the day and what she's gonna wear, so on and so forth. It got closer to the time that the store was to be opened so I stood outside waiting, and Ashleigh came and we both waited outside. The place were going to be, was a food Court. So, you can imagine, everyone was there, young, old, and foreigners were all there. Not for the event, but the food. I want to skip over this part, because I personally don't think mentioning how a bunch of Foreign girls kept making fun of the Alice Nine event, and how "stupid" it looked. God damn it! This was my money, Stupid or not, the fans are doing it!

 
(All Photo's are taken by me: please don't re-post)

 So while Ashleigh and I were waiting, we wrote letters. She wrote to Hiroto, and I wrote a Japan-glish letter to Nao xD

 

 I had so much to say, so it came out really jumbled and stupid. xD I'm really bad at writing letters, and essays, and anything that makes me sit and think. Some parts I wrote in Japanese, and other parts I wrote in English. (-__-;)
Probably should have written it all in one. Oh well, Nao has it now. xD And it finally came, for us to line up, and we lined up and got into our order, by number, and waited. We waited for so long, and it pissed me off. Not too much, because I was quiet, but I was sitting there thinking of what I was going to say and how the guy with the microphone was annoying the hell out of me. I wanted to like punch him, or take his microphone away. And the reason why it was late starting was because the boys were late. They came in through the normal entrance and walked past Ashleigh and me. Hiroto stared at Ashleigh and looked at me, then back at Ashleigh like having a, "Wait,... what!?" Kinda of reaction.

 xD It was funny and cute. Nao did wave, but he always looks at the people in the back. So, of course he didn't notice me. I tried looking at Saga, and he was head down and focusing on walking in-front of so many people (girls). You know how you get when you see a lot of cute boys and all of a sudden you forget how to walk and breath. I bet you that was him. xD So cute.

And Tora was looking at everyone and smiling, but no wave of the hands. So, we waited and while we waited, Ashleigh and I sang to Shooting Star, and watched the PV that was on projector. :) It was a nice change. So, the event started and I'm on my first ticket. I'm so nervous I can't explain. I almost wanted to run away and throw up. That's how nervous I was.

You would think after one event, it would get better and easier. No, it didn't. Not for me. I give the woman my ticket and stick my hand in the "Lucky Box", and I got Tora, and showed to Ashleigh and she laughed in response. Ashleigh and I have a horrid curse of getting Tora on our first try, and so it's an inside joke. I smiled bitterly, and was like "Fuck, I forget what I was going to say to him". I did, so badly you have no idea how bad I wanted to say, "Minna say What!?", but fuck when I got to Tora my mouth refused to move. So, I was in line for him, and watched the girl in front of me chat up a storm with him, and the staff that was taking the members tickets, were really nice. They pushed us towards the members. She was like, "doozo" and lead me towards him. I was thinking, "NO! NOT TORA!"

joking joking!

 So, in my short skirt, I made a lovely move of stepping up on the stage, possibly showing off my black shorts to Tora, and walking towards him. I'm an idiot and didn't use the fucking step that was next to me. *facepalm*

He probably thought the same thing. "Why didn't she use the step?" So, I walk up to him and say, "Konnichiwa" and he responds with "Itsumo Arigatou" and looks at me, however I'm still lost for words, and I think he remembers me from the Daybreak event and told me, "I'm signing it now", which I said, "Yes please~" and after he was done, he gave me the poster and told me, "as always, Thank You". That man says Thank you a lot. (Just a comment).

And after that, I stopped and told him, "I'll see you at the live" which he responded with a thumbs up. ugh... ^_^b okay~ ?? Ashleigh is right behind me, and I am lost. I ask her where do we go next and we go all the way outside and talk about our experience.

So, earlier, I'll admit, I was being a bitch to Ashleigh and Tora and making really rude comments. I don't do it on purpose, but it's the result of me not using my fucking brain. So when Ashleigh told me about her dream about Shou, she said, "I got Shou first". I reacted with "Holy Fuck!" And then told her about Tora she said, "He was being sarcastic". And then I got a little butt hurt. Yeah, alright we're close to even. We made it to the front of the line, and got my second and last try. I did want Nao, but I also wanted Saga too. And as I was standing in line, I was watching Saga. AND NO ONE WAS GETTING HIS TICKET.

He was all alone, even looking over at Shou or Tora's tables and sitting there looking like a kid who finished his test early. I noticed he was practicing his name on the poster with the pen, and started doodling. I seriously wanted to sit next to him and keep him company. He was the cutest, I seriously was so happy when I got him as my second member for the day. However, I couldn't speak to him, I wanted to, but I was scared. Scared that I wouldn't make sense, and scared that my voice would fail me. I wanted to ask him why he was all alone, and or if he remembered me. But, he didn't really react the same way that he did, at the Shadowplay event. I think he's bored of me to be honest.
But I did say hello, and after that I gave him my poster to sign. He saw that, and made a "Ooo" reaction and signed it. I guess he wanted to give me his doodle or something. If I had known, I would have taken in a heart beat and post it on my wall. Saga was just so adorable. And through out the event, the signatures started getting more random. Tora writing his name in Romanji, and Nao writing personal notes, and Shou write Alice Nine in English. I guess I should have taken a break and waited for that, because I didn't think they were aloud to do that. Oh well, I met Tora and Saga, and I'm really happy about that.

 So, I was done and waiting for Ashleigh to get through her tickets. Again, it took her two hours to get to her fifth ticket. So, after a while, I asked her if she needed help. And she said yes. She had this like, "Please help me, I beg!" look. I wasn't really thinking that should would want my help, but she did, and looked like she was in pain. So, she gave me a ticket and I ran in line. Of course excited to get another chance to meet the other members, even if it is for Ashleigh. She needed Saga and Tora's signatures and she was right to get me to help because I got Saga. My luck was working and failing at the same time. I got to meet him, but not talk to him. I was just so scared.
(And I'll write him a letter to make up for it) He is the sweetest but I was so scared of saying something to hurt him, or make him hate me or something. I didn't want that. I already have Tora giving me sarcastic thumbs. I didn't want that from Saga too. So, when I got Saga, Ashleigh got Tora. So, it was "Whoever get's there first". Saga's line, was empty, so I went first. I had Ashleigh's poster and gave it to him. And I wanted to complement his writing and doodles but I was just so scared o(;^;)o

And he gave me the poster I smiled at him and bowed. Walking through Tora's line kekeke Gave Ashleigh her poster and walking back to my seat. I made friends with this one Japanese girl, and we have been asking each other if we had meet our favorites. And as I was talking, they made an announcement that the event was almost over. It was about 6:40. So, Ashleigh believed that she wasn't going to have time, and gave me the last ticket. And she was hoping I would get Nao. And I got a lot of support from friends and followers on twitter hoping I got Nao. To the point that I almost started crying. But, I stopped myself and reminded myself that I will meet him, and I'm happy with whoever I get to meet. Last ticket was, Hiroto. I love Hiroto. He is great and cute, and I want him as a pet. (Does that sound weird?) I went up there in a rush because I was afraid I wasn't going to get there in time. So, I ran in line. In a rush I kept my phone in my hand and forgetting to think once again. I was in line, and Nao's line died out. And he sat there completely bored. He started drumming on the table with the pen and hands. He did look at me, but soon looked away. He was so cute and fun. I tried smiling and waving at him, but he didn't notice. So, I was in Hiroto's line, and he did something that I wasn't too excited about.

He ran out of posters to sign, and he waved his hand and snapped for a Staff member to come. I want to say, "Well of course, he's Hiroto!" But, I don't know. I felt like that was the reason why I have my opinions about celebs. They don't care about fans, only the fame and money. That snapping reminded me of that. People ignored it, but I still didn't like it. But I let it go, and waited in line. When I got up to him, I said hello and asked him if he remembered me. He looked at me and nodded his head and said, "yes". And he looked at me like I was crazy to ask that question. His face asked me, "Why wouldn't I remember you?".

 [Side Note: I forget what I look like sometimes. xD Sounds stupid but I don't really sit in front of a mirror or look at pics of myself all day. So, when I walk around Tokyo, I feel like I'm one of the people and look like them and so on. So, when I ask, or get someone to say I remember you, I get shocked. "How?" They point to my red hair and blue eyes. ....-_- Oh yeah~, I'm white. I forgot.]

 So, he started signing the poster and I told him that I'm going to one of their lives. And he asked, "You're able to go to the live?", I smile and said, "Yeah that's right". And then he tapped at the poster with the pen, and said, "Shooting star is special for you". I think he meant for me, as a over-seas fan, but I smiled and agreed with him. Yeah sure, we all know that. I'll be honest I couldn't catch what he said about shooting star. I assume he meant it was special. And he saw my phone, and for those who don't know it's the court of Nine iPhone case, and he pointed to it and said, "Sexy" and went back to writing his name. xD Okay, I said thanks but Hiroto . . . never mind.



He gave me the poster and said thank you. I responded with a thank you and a bow. And after that I was done. Hiroto was the one I spoke to the most, and I didn't feel scared of. Possible because I don't care what he thinks of me. But with Saga and Nao, I obviously care. I gave Ashleigh the poster and she looked really disappointed that I didn't get Nao. But I was really happy with Hiroto. don't get me wrong, I wanted Nao. And I felt bad that I took two tickets from Ashleigh and didn't get Nao. I even get this feeling that a lot of my online friends are frustrated that I didn't get Nao. Here's my two cents.

No, I didn't get Nao. And I cried at the Shadowplay event. But, that was because he said something so sweet my heart couldn't take it. And I saw the Japanese girl fall the floor crying because she got Tora instead of Nao. I don't want to be like her. I want to meet Nao in my own time. I want to be able to meet him, and feel ready for it. I want to tell him that I have been waiting, and that he is my idol. I want to be clear about my feelings, and work hard for it. I am going to their Anniversary Live in July, and at the end of the lives, they are doing a high five event. You get to High five the members. All of the members. So, I'll meet Nao then. And that is my report.

 

(It's a little hard to see, but you can see Tora's sig. and Maybe Saga's)

-Nihongochick2

Welcome to the Nihongochick2 Blog!

Welcome, welcome! 
ようこそ！

I have created this blog to share all my stories that I have, to all of you,  for those who wish to know. 

Who am I? 
I am Nihongochick2, or for those who know my real name, it is not really Nihongochick2. 
I am American, but I live in Tokyo Japan. 
I am of the age to drink and vote. ^_^ That's all you need to know. 
And no, I sadly am not in a relationship. 

I am a big fan of Manga, Anime and Visual Kei bands.
My favourite band is Alice Nine, which is what you will read a lot, and see most of my blog posts will be about. 
But hopefully, I can post my stories of other things that may catch your fancy, like Manga or Anime. 

I am happy to start this blog. I will be posting a few of my past reports on Alice Nine, for all Alice Nine fans, and hopefully photos and videos along the way. 

So please look forward to it, and I hope you enjoy. 
よろしくお願いします！

-Nihongochick