Gundam 00 — Nyoro~n Translation Errors
I was quite alarmed by a comment posted by tsuki_Yomi in my previous entry. His understanding of the relationship between Ptolemaios and Gundams in Gundam 00 appears to be the complete opposite of what episode 3 revealed. I decided that some fansub group must have done everyone a huge disfavour and since Nyoro~n is the only group that has released so far (as of this posting)…
So yeah, here’s a comparison of all the major translation errors in episode 3 released by Nyoro~n Fansubs. Of course since I do translation checking for Mendoi-Conclave, you can say that I have a vested interest in doing this comparison. But keep in mind that I didn’t make anything up and all the errors are really there when you watch their release. Enjoy.
Original: よもや君に出会えようとは
Nyoro~n: Oh come now, this is just like when I first saw you.
Menclave: Who would’ve thought… facing you like this…
Original: おとめ座のわたしには、センチメンタリズムな運命を感じずにはいられない
Nyoro~n: You’re not going to end this fated battle without returning my sentimentalities.
Menclave: Being a Virgo, I can’t help but feel this is a sentimental destiny.
Comment: Completely missing out the first half of the sentence (Virgo part). I agree that “sentimental destiny” sounds really stupid, but at least it doesn’t alter the meaning.
Original: それとも、光の粒子を出していなかったから見つけられたのか……
Nyoro~n: Or perhaps you thought I hadn’t noticed that light that’s streaming out of you?
Menclave: Or was I able to find you because you forgot to send out those glowing particles?
Comment: An honest mistake, I’m sure.
Original: 手土産に…破片の1つもいただいていく！
Nyoro~n: I admire your strength… So I’m going to take you back in one piece!
Menclave: As a souvenir… I’ll take a piece of you with me!
Comment: WTF?
Original: いやはや、本当に予測不能な人だよ君は
Nyoro~n: Goodness gracious, you’re certainly someone who grasps your shortcomings far too late, aren’t you?
Menclave: My, my, you’re such an unpredictable character.
Comment: Nice…
Original: 今回の戦闘で得られたガンダムのデータは、フラッグ1機を失ったとしてもおつりがくる
Nyoro~n: We got some battle data on the Gundam, and your Flag was unharmed.
Menclave: Considering the data we obtained on the Gundam during this fight, even losing the Flag would have been a good trade.
Comment: Hey, at least all the important keywords are there!…This time~nyoro~
Original: それにしても若かったな…ソレスタルビーイングのパイロットは
Nyoro~n: I just did this to better understand… that Celestial Being pilot.
Menclave: Besides all that, he sure was young… Celestial Being’s pilot.
Comment: LOL~!! wakai (young) != wakaru (understand)
Original: モビルスーツの動きに感情がのっていたのさ
Nyoro~n: When you’re moving a mobile suit, you tend to lose yourself.
Menclave: I could read his feelings from the way he moved his mobile suit.
Original: 10分以内に速報配信！次のニュースは現地からの中継だ！3時間以内に人革主席の公式声明が出るぞ！
Nyoro~n: There’s got to be something that’s been leaked. Just run a recap for the next newscast; this time tomorrow you all better have something to give me!
Menclave: Send out this news flash within the next 10 minutes! Do a live on-site broadcast for the next news segment! The head of the Human Reform League is making an official statement in less than 3 hours!
Comment: Okay, Nyoro~n, now you are just making shit up.
Original: 枠を空けとけ！
Nyoro~n: Get your asses in gear!
Menclave: Keep that time slot open!
Comment: Mmmm…ass…
Orignial: 21世紀のセキュリティはあってないようなものだからな
Nyoro~n: Besides, there’s no way a man from the 21st century could be around today.
Menclave: Security in the 21st century was almost non-existent, after all.
Comment: Not even close.
Major WTF Errors
Actually I am sick of this. It’s only 5 minutes into the episode and a quick glance through the rest of Nyoro~n’s script reveals that the entire thing is full of nonsense. But I’ll just highlight a few more MAJOR MISTAKES, some of them which totally changed the entire plot. I have doubts that the translator speaks any Japanese at all.
Original: 僕たちに弱点があるとすれば、ガンダムがないとプトレマイオスの活動時間が極端に限定されてしまうと
Nyoro~n: If there was one weak point for us… It would be that our Gundams are severely limited by the need to periodically return to the Ptolemaios.
Menclave: If we have a weak point, it’s that, without the Gundams, the operational time of the Ptolemaios would be extremely limited.
Comment: This may sound counter-intuitive, but yes, the Gundams really are Ptolemy’s power source. The original Japanese dialogue made it very clear.
Original: アイルランドのアルスター地方では、散発的ではありますが、テロ行為が4世紀近くにわたって続いています
Nyoro~n: Ireland’s Ulster Volunteer Forces are scattered across the country, though those factions who engage in terrorist activities remain hidden.
Menclave: In Ireland’s Ulster region, though sporadic, terrorist acts have been occurring for approximately four centuries.
Original: 材質はEカーボン。最新素材ではありますが、構造上、目新しい技術は確認されていません
Nyoro~n: It’s well-reinforced with carbon, the technology on the inside is cutting edge, some of it’s unheard of.
Menclave: It’s made out of E-carbon. It’s made out of the most up-to-date material, but, in terms of design, we cannot find any new technology being used.
Comment: The whole point of this dialogue is to show that CB are really careful not to divulge their technological secrets. Great job missing the whole point, Nyoro~n.
Original: あの特殊粒子は、ステルス性のほかに機体制御にも使われている
Nyoro~n: If we obtain a sample of that special particle, we can achieve the same results.
Menclave: Those special particles, besides their stealth features, are also used for controlling the suit.
Original: おそらくは、火器にも転用されているじゃろうて
Nyoro~n: So you’re going to give a Flag the firepower to match him?
Menclave: They’re likely to be applied as weapons too.
Original: 恐ろしい男じゃ、わしらより何十年も先の技術を持っておる
Nyoro~n: He’s a wicked man. 70 years ago I learned of his deceit.
Menclave: A dreadful man… having technology that’s several decades ahead of us.
Comment: STOP MAKING THINGS UP!!!
Original: わしは麻薬などというものが心底嫌いでな！焼き払ってくれるというなら、ガンダムを支持したい
Nyoro~n: That’s not the role you’re meant to fill, you need to be remade before then. I want to teach you what you need to blow the Gundam away.
Menclave: I hate narcotics from the bottom of my heart. If they intend to burn that down, I’ll support the Gundams.
Comment: Uh… How the fuck did you even get that?
Original: エネルギー、ヴァーチェからトレミーへの転送準備完了、転送開始します
Nyoro~n: Virtue now drawing energy from the solar furnace.
Menclave: Energy, transfer preparations from Virtue to Ptolemy complete.
Comment: Once again, Nyoro~n totally fucks up the relationship between Ptolemy and Gundams. Oh well, at least they are being consistent about it. :)
Original: ソレスタルビーイングを利用する国。その国すら利用する国
Nyoro~n: Celestial Being begins to be received by countries. These countries become host nations.
Menclave: The nations who make use of Celestial Being. The nations who use those nations.
Comment: Once again, I admit the shortcomings of Menclave’s version. It sounds a little weird in English, but at least that’s what the original dialogue is saying. We didn’t make things up! Yay!
Conclusion
Keep in mind that beyond the first 5 minutes of the episode, I only chose to highlight selective mistakes because it would probably take me a few hours more to document the whole thing. There’s something wrong with at least 70% of the lines. The translator goes to great length to make it sound like he knows what he is doing, such that his so-called “translations” sound reasonable to someone who doesn’t speak Japanese. That is, in my humblest opinion, dishonest and disturbing.
If you don’t understand a single word of Japanese at all, it’s better for you to watch the raws than to watch Nyoro~n. I hesitate to call their release a “translation” because in reality it is closer to being a parody sub. It’s as if the “translator” decided to write his own story because he didn’t like Sunrise’s scriptwriters. If you are a Gundam fan, please, for the love of Haruhi and all that is good, wait for some other group to release. It doesn’t even have to be Mendoi-Conclave…
If my experiences are anything to go by, some commentators will start accusing me of being “elitist” and “not helping the situation” just about now. But this time I learnt my lesson. Rest assured that Nyoro~n’s translator has had his mistakes pointed out to him many, many times before I typed this blog entry. He continues to insist that he knows what he is doing. Fine, here’s my proof otherwise.
That said, Nyoro~n’s release does offer hours of quality entertainment for someone who speaks Japanese. It’s hilarious. :)
This has been a public service announcement from a guy with too much free time on his hands.
October 23rd, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Wow I actually wrote “IMHO” and “On the other hand” twice in one sentence. Seems like I should stop writing for today…
October 23rd, 2007 at 8:04 pm
YES LAH, DORAMA.
October 23rd, 2007 at 8:12 pm
I have no idea of translation except the limited knowledge I have acquired through the many hours of fan subbed anime I have watched! Even that limited knowledge was enough for my me to understand that something was wrong from ep.2 of Nyoro~n release and downright screwy in ep.3.
The above mentioned article only gave confirmation to my suspicions and I am DONE with Nyoro~n as a fan sub group! Last I checked fan subs were volunteer translations of anime, not volunteer (mistaken) interpretations.
October 23rd, 2007 at 8:14 pm
Hey, maxchs, you’re right. The webmaster in that site has their translator “out of order”, so they were looking for another one.
But sometimes I feel that their phrasing isn’t good to a certain extent. Just to state an example:
“Fight! Blue Wing will arrive soon.” (Episode 1)
I didn’t mean to criticize any of those in charge of making the subbed episodes of Gundam 00 in that site, but I find that it was a bit awkward when I hear “Fight!” Personally I feel it should be phrased “Keep fighting!”
Again, I don’t mean to criticize at all.
Anyway, can anyone tell me if Mendoi-Conclave has a good subbed version of Episode 3.
October 23rd, 2007 at 8:35 pm
yes we do. check our website http://www.mymenclave.com/ and our BT tracker http://bt.mendoi-fansubs.com/
October 23rd, 2007 at 9:03 pm
I’m checking it out now
Trackback from
Primal News Transmute [23/10/2007] (Your sound card works perfectly.) - Elitist JerksOctober 23rd, 2007 at 9:15 pm
[...] Add Moyashimon to your list. If you’re watching Gundam 00, stay the hell away from Nyoro~n subs. They’re literally making shit up as they go along. Amusing Armoury Link of the Week Here. Really digging the bottom of the barrel here, maybe I’ll [...]
October 23rd, 2007 at 9:15 pm
@tjhan Rubbish. China is maxing out, India’s going to take over the world.
October 23rd, 2007 at 9:44 pm
Hell, India and China are gonna team up and take over the world.
Anyway, I fully support you DarkMirage. Giving out messed up subs is just doing the anime community in, not helping.
October 23rd, 2007 at 9:51 pm
Isn’t that the storyline of G00? LOL. :P
October 23rd, 2007 at 9:52 pm
DM: Don’t most English fansubbers just use Chinese subs and translate from there? And the computers fansubbers use are made in China, as are the ipods. And their precious anime figurines are made in China!! GOD SAVE US.
October 23rd, 2007 at 9:54 pm
Holy crap…are all those mistakes for real? LOL~ Things are gonna get interesting.
October 23rd, 2007 at 10:10 pm
Actually they don’t. That’d be too slow. D:
October 23rd, 2007 at 10:14 pm
I love my prediction. Dorama is good.
October 23rd, 2007 at 10:20 pm
the same thing happened during gurren lagann.
it’s quite terrible really.
October 23rd, 2007 at 10:36 pm
Thanks for informing us about the subs, I only downloaded them because they had the most seeds so i thought it would be the best sub group. Sadly I was wrong.
Does anyone know where I can get HD .avi? Cus if not ill have to go back to nyoro~n subs, as my DVD player dont do MKV.
October 23rd, 2007 at 10:46 pm
You know i think that darkmirage rant, is completly valid.
But i can understand in that in his way of making the incident funny he included the red comments in the picture, is what is causing the flaming and troll accusations.
Not get me wrong, it IS kind of funny. So i think people should light up a little. Nothing wrong with a litlle humor here, i dont think darkmirage is necesarily trying to insult nyoro, just make the best of the all situation.
Look a new episode will come next week and we will see how things how there. There is a lot of gundam 00 to go around.
October 23rd, 2007 at 10:53 pm
Actually Hayata-kun was employed as a lip reader to transcribe the original script, see how it turned out to be.
October 23rd, 2007 at 11:02 pm
Basically I would say the easiest thing is to just go and learn how to speak Japanese and watch the raws.
So far for all the anime I have seen, the only animes I watched with subtitles are Hayate No Gotoku, Digimon Series, and Gundam Seed Destiny.
It isn’t really tough when you are watching the moving pictures without the words, it is just the conversations will bore you out, but you will still get most of the storyline.
Disclaimer : I suck at basically every single language with the exception of the lingua franca, but I am currently trying my best to pikc up Japanese. Apparently it isn’t really working out.
October 23rd, 2007 at 11:07 pm
I’m not going to comment anymore about the different communities that sub the series. Each have their own way of translating the entire series, but it’s not to say that all of them are inaccurate (no matter the extent). When the official word is given, we will get to see the official English dub (not to mention subs too) when the time comes.
If Gundam 00 is to come to my region, I doubt it will until 2 years or later (given the time delay the local broadcaster in my region broadcasted Gundam SEED and SEED Destiny for the 1st time.)