[US] Katanagatari

[hissatsu]

Originally Posted by kakugo

(Psst! hissatsu, I'm pretty sure it's "変体刀", not "変態刀" )

Nope, different word. Nisioisin used 変態 (pervert/abnormal/metamorphosis/misused as "porn" in English). 変体 has a much more restricted meaning, used almost exclusively for in the term 変体仮名, which makes sense. Read literally 変体 would mean strange/abnormal body/form.

[superdry]

Originally Posted by kakugo

Klesha Bringers are something the translator/editor for the series made up out of thin air. It doesn't mean the same thing as the Japanese words being expressed, and I can't honestly see any sensible reason to use them in place of a literal translation.

A silly localization decision is the only thing i can come up with.

Supposedly, as I don't have it on hand, the artbook explains it by saying:

"Among the most difficult terms to translate throughout the odyssey. The Japanese name, hentai, means to change someone. Because of the negative connotations the phonetics of this word carries, we avoid using the original name and honor the concept behind the swords' powers. "Klesha" is a Zen term, meaning "worldly desires that bring a life of suffering," or--as described repeatedly throughout the odyssey--"poison." These katana possess incredible power, as well as the ability to trigger the possessor's "poison" to manifest."

What? Avoid using the original name and honor the concept behind the swords' powers? Okay...I understand the whole "honor the concept" part, but...yea, something not as obtuse as Klesha would have also been perfectly fine as other's have stated.

Bizarre.

[Jeremy J.]

Originally Posted by Jeremy J.

There really is no pleasing anyone on here anymore. I don't come to the boards as often as I used to because of the constant complaining and bickering over relatively non-issues to me.

I never thought such a simple post would cause things to spin wildly out of control. You guys have got to admit, this argument is becoming pretty ridiculous. I really do not understand the amount of knock-down drag-out wars that happen in threads around here. Everyone gets so hostile about everything on these forums and it's becoming really hard to communicate without someone bowing down to the others' opinion lest a flame war ensue.

[something]

Originally Posted by Jeremy J.

I really do not understand the amount of knock-down drag-out wars that happen in threads around here. Everyone gets so hostile about everything on these forums and it's becoming really hard to communicate without someone bowing down to the others' opinion lest a flame war ensue.

Someone who accuses others of being impossible to please and blows off complaints about the release as being over "non-issues" is not allowed to play this card.

You don't think it's an issue? Lovely, amazing, wonderful. What does that have to do with anyone else? Nothing. If you don't care, don't post.

[sickVisionz]

Originally Posted by superdry

Supposedly, as I don't have it on hand, the artbook explains it by saying:

What? Avoid using the original name and honor the concept behind the swords' powers? Okay...I understand the whole "honor the concept" part, but...yea, something not as obtuse as Klesha would have also been perfectly fine as other's have stated.

Bizarre.

Having read that definition and knowing what the swords represent in the series, I'm really surprised that people all calling it a nonsensical translation with the sentiment that it betrays the true meaning behind their name... which was basically "strange swords". If you know what Klesha means I think it adds a lot. If you don't know, they'd just be strange swords.

To each their own though. I've seen someone say that CR has shitty subs because they use English word structure when translating foreign languages into English. This at least seems like more of an issue than that.

[hissatsu]

Originally Posted by sickVisionz

Having read that definition and knowing what the swords represent in the series, I'm really surprised that people all calling it a nonsensical translation with the sentiment that it betrays the true meaning behind their name... which was basically "strange swords". If you know what Klesha means I think it adds a lot. If you don't know, they'd just be strange swords.

That's because that "true meaning" is a figment of the translator's imagination. As others have mentioned, you could argue that this supposed true meaning goes directly against what those swords are shown to be later in the show. It's reading way too much meaning into it in an effort to justify a bizarre translation decision that is the product of one mind. If every "translation" involved latching on to obscure concepts at best tangential to the word or idea being translated, those translations would be of no use to anyone but the translator.

[Buster Darkwings]

Originally Posted by kakugo

Eh... FUNimation and Manga have both had forced-subs, as did the (non-anime) US release of Takashi Miike's Audition.

They're the exception to the rule, however. Perhaps NISA will release more series with non-forced subs somewhere down the line and this will seem like the exception to the rule for them as well, but for now it's not the best way to gain customer trust straight out of the gate with their BD releases.

[cstle]

Does Arakawa have locked subs too? If it doesn't then we can probably definitely pin the locked sub issue on Aniplex.

Quoting myself:

Originally Posted by cstle

Yep, it's definitely an Aniplex thing.

They did the same thing for the FMA Movie (Conqueror of Shamballa) and all of the FMAB sets.

[Junker Woland]

Does Arakawa have locked subs too?

Yes, the subs on the Arakawa Blu-ray discs are also locked, while the DVDs have the standard subtitle on/off option.

The one difference with the Arakawa BD is that you can choose between two subtitled audio tracks: the show's audio with subtitles, or a commentary track with subtitles.

[kakugo]

Originally Posted by hissatsu

Nope, different word...

Well, that's curious... the Japanese wiki page has extensive discussion of 変体刀 but nothing on 変態刀.

Now I'm not saying you're wrong and The Almighty Wiki is right. I'm just saying I'm glad I'm not the only one confused.