#I'll be happy if this helps change the mind of some people who are iffy about the TL

[missmako-chan]

Hello I'm here to ask about trans Gira since you asked (also my phone corrected gira to girl so it approves lol)

Phone approves! Gonna put this under a cut since it's a bit long

Okay so basically it all starts with episode 3, where Gira officially meets Hymeno for the first time and gets to see Ishabana. Gira thinks Hymeno is pretty, but less in a "romantic" way and more in a "gender envy" way

Gira: You have a crush on Hymeno?

Yanma: I— Well— I-I mean I have eyes! Just look at her!

Gira: Well, her dress is really pretty… kinda wanna wear something like that myself…

Yanma: what

Gira: what

There's not much introspection after that for a while, but when Gira is revealed to be related to Rcules and is praised as his "brother" and the lost "prince," they're a bit uncomfortable with that. They don't mind calling themselves and being called a Tyrant "King"; not all rulers in the Quintet Alliance are men and they're fine with being called that, not to mention how the original 6 5 heroes in the legend were also a mix of genders (I mean presumably they weren't all male, we only know 2 of them), so to Gira "King" always had a bit of a gender neutral vibe to it. But when Gira is called "Prince," that's a bit more iffy with them. It doesn't have the same connotations as "King" does in Gira's mind. They're fine when being called "brother" by the kids, because Gira's close to them and trusts them.

(y'know, in case "he" ever changes "his" mind what who said that)

But total strangers calling Gira Rcules' "brother" doesn't sit right with them. Probably only because Rcules is a terrible ruler and Gira doesn't want to be associated with him like that, yep, definitely the only reason. Just not gonna think about that for the next 20 episodes.

Early into the timeskip, like maybe a few months, Hymeno has Gira model some Ishabanan clothes for her. Maybe she figured they were an egg and wanted to help crack it, maybe Gira gathered up the courage to offer to help when she brought it up during a meeting, not sure yet. Point is, Gira sees themself in a dress and likes it. Really likes it.

Gira: Woah…

Hymeno: You look nice! But I think you'd look even better with a bit of makeup. If you don't mind, of course.

Gira: … Sure.

One makeover later…

Hymeno: Well, what do you think?

Gira: … Ithinkimagirl—

Hymeno: Hm?

Gira: what

They have a discussion on Gira's new gender, with the main points boiling down to Gira wanting to try out new pronouns, but only around those Gira's told about her realization, and that Gira shouldn't rush into things if she's not ready yet.

Hymeno: But if you ever want any medical assistance, just know that Ishabana is the best when it comes to gender-affirming care.

Gira: I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Hymeno.

The first people Gira tells is the kids at the orphanage, and after a bit of explaining they're all really happy for their big sister ("!!")! After that it's the other kings, and then eventually the rest of the public.

Aside from that, not much else really changes. Gira is still the self-proclaimed Tyrant King, and yes she uses she/her and yes she is absolutely rocking that dress, thank you for noticing.

(As a Giramie bonus maybe when flirting Jeramie aludes to how female spiders eat their mates and Gira is like "WHAT NO I WOULD NEVER DO THAT" and tearing up at the implication and Jeramie is like "No dear I was just referencing spiders-")

[mystictarotcafe]

COD 10.31.2024

New Deck, chatty as hell, (I'm a collector in case you haven't noticed) called Stained Glass Tarot, no creator listed, Chinese and cheaply made deck with beautiful picks. FYI there is no instruction book and symbolism is iffy so you need to know your tarot.

**If you are starting out and want a cheap deck Temu may be a place to look. I also go to local shops and other online sites but Temu sells unauthorized decks cheap. Might be a way to see if Tarot is for you. I'm not endorsing Temu. Again...I'm not endorsing the site called TEMU. Use at your own risk and at your own decision.

Deck: Stained Glass Tarot

Query: A lot is going on in my mind. Please be honest and tell me what I need to know or hear.

Jumpers in order:

Two of swords: Uncertainty, indecision, avoidance, and reluctance. There is something the fool is avoiding, but knows they need to deal with. They know this but are hesitating and not sure which is the right path. Should they or shouldn't they? Research, talking it over with someone the fool trusts, using instincts and looking within will help the fool find their way.

Ten of cups: Family, home, fulfillment, emotional security. The fool is craving these things and is about to find them on their journey. Home is a place of comfort, but it's not always the place we reside. Home is inclusive of things like comfort, safety, emotional security, acceptance, and peace. Maybe it means being among nature, a social setting that's a familiar hangout with people who accept the fool without judgement, or it may be a kitchen, house, or porch. This is unique to every fool and their journey. Today, will be full of comfort, acceptance, and safety.

Back to front in deck: Four of pentacles; fear of risk, conservatism, ownership, accumulation, stability. This card brings confusion to some and clarification to others. While fearing risk the fool desires stability. Hoarding or holding on to items or thoughts may be one way to feel stability. Though the fool needs to find a way to face the risks in life and find other alternatives. Buying, gathering, keeping, items can make one feel safe from scarcity, but these are just temporary fixes that will never bring what the fool yearns for. Find what you are scared of, look inside and see what you can do to take control of the situation. Abundance does not mean security or happiness so look for other options.

COD: 6 of pentacles: Gifts, generosity, support, charity. This card tells the Fool to look at how giving and receiving affect them. Have they found that during a time of need it only takes one person to help them. Or have they noticed that giving to those in need is appreciated and can help someone who is truly having a rough time. Give and take can be in the forms of emotional support, money, physical items like food or clothing, and more. Receiving can make the fool feel useless and shamed. They feel they shouldn't ask or need help from anyone. If this is true then they need to find out what lays at the root of this way of thinking and work at reversing them. Asking for help when really needed is a sign of personal strength and awareness. Nothing to be ashamed of. If the Fool is giving then they need to establish boundaries. Not all who seek help actually need as much as they ask for. Boundaries and limits can trigger a feeling of balance for the Fool.

My take for me... (Deck was chatty today)

To sum up the entirety of the cards in this reading...I need to get my head on straight and my shit together. I've never hid my battle with health issues and I have decisions to make regarding them which I'm avoiding and need to face. Instead of taking on all the responsibility I'll talk to my PCP and see what she thinks.

I've not felt like I'm "home" for a while and not sure if it's med changes or what but I want that feeling back. So, I need to take control and find out what it is that makes me feel safe, comfortable, happy, and accepted. Doing work inside the house, working on my room which is my sanctuary, caused an imbalance in my comfort zone. I don't like chaos in my surroundings so I'm going to have to push myself a bit, not overdo it like when involved in the redecorating project, to organize and bring order to my surroundings.

This card 4oP is me in a nutshell to a point. This can be seen in all the metaphysical stuff I have around me. Do I need all of these items? No, but I like them, connect with them, and they bring me comfort. I tend to overspend at the holidays which ties the 6oP into this portion. I need to find balance and an alternative to gathering things around me. I, actually, prefer a somewhat minimalist surrounding. Neat, organized, limited meaningful items, and lack of clutter...this is what I prefer and am trying to find a way to obtain. There must be a way to do updates (painting, replacing fixtures, taking back yard, etc.) around the place without making a huge mess in the meantime. Trying to find that balance of dealing with disorder and the giving/taking is important to tying the 4 cards together.

Enjoy your spooky holiday,

MV

[fukasenanairo]

Some thoughts on YP’s official translation and possible explanations

This post attempts to address a few complaints on the official manga release by Yen Press, and why I believe YP’s work is an insufficiently-edited take that actually tries to adhere to the original as closely as possible.

You might have seen me around, but I used to do some minor translations for this fandom. It is not to an extent as some of the more dedicated translators, and I am under no illusion that I am an authority in anything BSD-related. However, I can offer my two cents in a time where everyone is confused, enraged and/or anxious about the official translations and what may come next.

Now first of all, opinions are divided on the quality of the official translation. Some think it’s the most horrible thing since gacha games, others like it because it’s funny and quirky, the rest couldn’t care less or don’t want to comment in fear of sparking an all-out war. Personally, I believe the translator’s choices backfired on him somewhat, but it is by no means as bad as everyone seems to be saying.

A note on the translator: I will not reveal his name, but a quick search told me he has quite a reputation. To my knowledge, he has worked in the translation business for roughly 9-10 years, and has done translations for games and light novels including Kagepro and Nier: Automata. This is not to say he cannot make mistakes, but rather you should be very careful before you criticize him.

As for the list of complaints I see the most often (if I missed something, feel free to comment and I will try to address you personally).

1.      The translation sucks!

2.      Why do I need to break out a thesaurus every time I try to understand something?

3.      Why does Dazai talk like ______?

4.      For that matter, why do I want to punch a wall every time they say something?

5.      That’s not what ____ means in the original Japanese!

6.      Why do fan translations have them talk normally and the official does that?

7.      What should I do if the translation is so headache-inducing and I want to introduce BSD to my friends?

8.      But what if I want to support the series and can’t stand the official translation?

1.      The translation sucks!

This is the complaint I see most often, and the one that is the most puzzling. To ‘suck’, a translation needs to be 1) inaccurate or 2) did not portray the original meaning. While YP’s work does make me feel iffy because they try to purple prose it up, I cannot say it’s wrong. The most I can say that it’s weird and needlessly complicated, and could have used an editor. This is the only complaint I have against Yen Press, and that does not make them bad.

Now if you hate the translation because it doesn’t click with you, then that’s your thing. To be honest, I don’t like the official translation either, but I don’t necessarily have to read it, and neither do you. Other translators exist. Japanese-learning resources exist.

2.      Why do I need to break out a thesaurus every time I try to understand something?

That is a very good question, one that a lot of Japanese fans would like to ask as well. Let me tell you about the first time I sought out the raws for this manga, after I read chapter 29 (the latest chapter at the time). I had no clue what game they were playing. The authors go out of their way to use difficult, even outdated, kanji in a medium that’s supposed to be easier to read. Here is a list someone compiled:

Some characters have noticeable quirks (Akutagawa has his infamous ‘yatsugare’, and if you read EGS, you’ll have seen them once complain that “No one talks like Kouyou in the 21st century”.) Is it annoying? Do you just groan at some of those ridiculous words no one uses in the modern age? I can assure you, on the other side of the world, someone is feeling just the same way about the original.

3.      Why does Dazai talk like ______?

Dazai’s speech is notably...strange. To be honest, I don’t know why he got hit the worst with the ye olde speech syndrome. However, there is a question from this 2014 interview that would put his speech in more perspective.

Interviewer: What is the world view you’re mostly going for?

Asagiri-sensei: “Stylish Taishou”. The stage is the modern age, but I thought it would be an interesting remix to combine the air of the authors, who lived in the Taishou era, with the stylish atmosphere of the modern age, using old-fashioned expressions and difficult kanji.

So if you think this Dazai is talking like someone straight out of a Victorian era novel, congratulations! The translator did his job. Taishou, from around 1912-1926, is marked by rapid Westernization, a continuation of the movement Fukuzawa Yukichi advocated at the end of the Meiji era. This is the period where a lot of Japanese authors started reading Western works like Dostoevsky, Franz Kafka or Emile Zola’s works, and consequently influenced by them. We do have a few authors (Mori Ougai, Natsume Souseki etc.) who were active around the Meiji (reform) era and some (Dazai Osamu, Nakahara Chuuya, Nakajima Atsushi etc.) who were mostly around Shouwa (militarist) era, but generally the atmosphere should be Taishou, the age of modernization and Westernization. I hope it adds to your enjoyment when you look back at the translation, official or otherwise.

4.      For that matter, why do I want to punch a wall every time they say something?

Pretension. The text is unbearably pretentious – is what I thought. The wording is needlessly complicated. However, there is an example I usually use to explain this.

The word YP used to describe Dazai’s ability is “Annuls any ability he touches”. I needed to throw something when I saw that, because you can use “Nullify” and achieve the same effect.

And then I read the original. It’s sprinkled with kanji no one would see in anything they usually read. And I thought, isn’t the effect the same? The words mean the same. 珈琲 means コーヒー means ‘coffee’. 凡百 can be read as あらゆる means ‘everything’. But tell me, which would you prefer to read? And which do you think is in the original?

(By the way, the 凡百/あらゆる appears in the Japanese text of Yumeno Kyuusaku’s Dogra Magra. I remember seeing 珈琲 in Odasaku’s works. They’re all present in the actual authors’ works.)

So the YP translation uses SAT words the same way the original would use words you see in old novels and N1 exams. It pisses people off, of course. I didn’t read manga for a mental exercise. However, we can agree that for Bungou Stray Dogs, which tries to achieve a scholarly effect because of its characters, this is nothing unusual and even part of its charm. Afford it the same amount of concentration as you would a novel, and if you cannot, refer to the fan translation.

5.      That’s not what ____ means in the original Japanese!

First, I’d like you to have a sufficient knowledge of Japanese to understand exactly what it means in the original before you make such a claim. If you do, feel free to comment on something you think is wrong. I’ll listen you out and amend my post as needed.

That aside, when I hear this, the worst offender is usually Dazai’s weird way of referring to Atsushi as ‘lad’. While weird, it is not incorrect. ‘Lad’ is an informal way to refer to a young man. Dazai’s speech is largely boyish and informal. I can question the translator’s choice and poor editing, but I will not say that’s not what it means. You may not like it, but that’s what the fan version is for.

6.      Why do fan translations have them talk normally and the official does that?

As you can see, translators take plenty of liberties. On one hand you have fan translations who either work on a tight schedule or seek to make the text easy to understand, on the other you have the official that tries to keep the air of the work to varying degrees of success. Think of it as two ways to enjoy the work.

7.      What should I do if the translation is so headache-inducing and I want to introduce BSD to my friends?

The anime, thankfully, is a faithful adaptation of the original work with wonderful voice acting and easy to digest subtitles. The fan scanlations are speedy, high-quality, and supported by most of the fandom. Lastly, the plot is interesting, and the characters are colorful. Give your friends a heads-up about the official translation – “the wording takes some getting used to” – and help them understand why it is the way it is, if you must.

8.      But what if I want to support the series and can’t stand the official translation?

Because the fandom has grown over the years, there is a huge collection of official merchandise in many countries. If buying Japanese books are not an option, keychains, acrylic stands, figures etc. do not require Japanese knowledge and do support the original author. I especially recommend the official artbook – I do not regret a single cent I spent to buy it. The paper quality is top-notch, the art is stellar, and the comments (if you can read them) are a treat.

You should, as always, give feedback if you think it will prevent newcomers from reading BSD. Tell YP that while you understand why they made the choices they did, some of the word choices will turn people off, and offer some corrections as examples. People listen to you if you understand both sides of the argument and offer constructive efforts. Even if you don’t understand why, ask! With how much YP has done to reply to complaints, I’m sure they will not mind explaining.

However, I will advise against telling people not to buy the official or calling YP bad while not knowing why they decided to translate it like it is. Tell people why you do not like it, warn them that liking it is an acquired taste because of the reasons above, but let them read and come to their own conclusions.

9.      Conclusion

I believe the BSD fandom is really lucky. Despite its initial difficulties, Japanese fans have stuck with its unique way of portraying the manga’s atmosphere. The English fans have dedicated translators who love the series so much they try to translate every available material.

The official translation may not be easy on the eyes, but it offers another perspective to the series many did not know about before. Like it or hate it, I believe you can learn to tolerate it. You can learn advanced/hard to understand words (you’ll use some of them in the SAT for the kids who are taking it) and just have an entirely different experience. While I was searching for the list of outdated kanji, I found a question where someone asked “Where can I find manga with interesting advanced kanji like Bungou Stray Dogs?” I think it’s a great attitude to take in regard to the translation as well.

And finally, Yen Press listens. The “Chuoya” thing was an honest mistake they fixed. They listened to complaints and toned down the pretension in volume 2. Rather than digging for faults and bemoan your ill fortune, I hope that you can believe in the winds this series is riding on, and wish the best for it.

[stop-breaking-my-heart-telltale]

Hi CJ, I have a question. I'll understand if you don't want to answer it, but what are your thoughts about the fighting about Lou and Vi that keeps happening? Do you think thier routes are unequal? I keep seeing posts about ppl insisting that the devs favor Vi and ppl getting nasty towards her about it. I love Louis and sometimes I agree with the posts but they are so mean about it that it makes me feel bad. You don't have to answer but I'd like to know your thoughts on the whole thing. Thank u

…….Sigh.

Okay. 

Anon, I’m sorry that it’s taken me a while to get back to you, given all the things I’ve had weighing down on me recently about my blog and life outside the fandom.

I answered this already and was ready to post it but then erased everything. When I reread it to make sure it was alright, I said, “Yeah, okay, that’s really nice and positive and… I don’t like it.”  So, let me try again and get what’s really on my mind off my chest. 

Basically, there’s a difference between being positive and being fake, and that answer I gave you originally was fake. 

You guys know that I like to remain mostly positive about everything on this blog. I don’t tolerate hate towards each other or towards myself. I rarely answer hate anons, if ever. I don’t start shit with other blogs because they happen to disagree with me on one little thing. 

Yeah, I get mad about things and complain and be anything but positive when it comes to topics such as Mitch’s death, Lilly’s character just in general, the flaws with ep4′s ending, ect. If you’ve been here a while, you know what I’m talking about.

When I talk about positivity, I mean it more in a way that I like to focus on the good within the fandom while also discussing things I would’ve liked within the series or things I didn’t like and would’ve changed, certain ‘what if’ scenarios. I try to do these things with a kind and optimistic outlook while also allowing myself to be truthful in how I feel. 

What I’m trying to say is I try to be a good person on here. I try to be nice, respectful and encourage you guys to create good things within the community and get invested in these characters and other topics. 

However, I also firmly believe in honesty. 

You asked for my opinion on this topic? Okay. I’ve yet to ever give a fake answer and I’m not starting now. 

If you’re new here: Hello. My name is CJ and I am a Louis/Clouis blog who loves twdg and discussing all the different characters, ships, and story elements within the game. I’m about to talk about some stuff with full honesty that it may get me some hate but y’know what? I don’t care, we’re gonna discuss it anyway. 

What are my thoughts on the constant fight between Louis/Clouis and Violet/Violentine?

It’s a waste of time. 

There are so many talented people out there who are wasting their energy on sending hate to each other, making nasty posts about the developers, shitting on the characters and the community, and then constantly wondering why this fandom is so damn negative.

I made an instagram account a long time ago for this blog where I started posting my favorite screenshots of Louis and posts from this blog. I followed the #twdglouis and #clouis tags and was seeing a lot of great things until I wasn’t anymore. 

I don’t post on instagram anymore because it’s a shitshow of hate. What’s new in the #clouis tag? Violentine hate. What’s new in the #twdglouis tag? Violet hate. 

I don’t know if y’all know this, but if I’m in any of the Louis tags, it’s because I want to see some good Louis content. OBVIOUSLY.

I swear, if these people sat down, took ALL of that energy they’re using for this nonsense and put it towards the thing they claimed to love, we would have the most amazing content of any fandom out there. I would be able to check the louis tags every day and see brand new, beautiful artwork and read amazing stories. 

But no.

 As for your second question, that’s where my honesty really comes into play.

Do I think Louis and Violet’s routes are unequal?

Yeah, I do. 

I think Violet’s romance has a few more things to offer than Louis’.

When you go fishing with Violet and Brody, you don’t get a choice- you have to hang out with Violet. 

If you go hunting with Louis and Aasim, you have to choose Louis if you want to hang out with him. 

Brody mentions that she hasn’t seen Violet warm up to someone like she has Clem in a long time. 

Not a single person mentions anything about Louis in regards to Clem coming along. 

Violet stands up for Clementine in ep2 no matter what you do. She takes on the leader position and you can imply that she and Clementine spent the most time together during the two week time skip, making their romance feel more balanced and understandable.

Louis is still on iffy terms with Clementine and you can imply that they barely speak until their talk during the archery practice, making their romance feel rushed and questionable. 

Violet’s romance has a star gazing mini-game.

Louis’ romance does not have a mini-game. 

Violet makes Clementine a pin so that they can remember that night because it was easy to retexture one of Violet’s pin and have Clementine wear it.

Louis can’t give Clementine anything because the idea of a piano key necklace was scrapped even though they could’ve made a small model for it for her to wear. 

I’m sure there are more, and yeah if I’m being completely 100% honest with you? It does bother me sometimes and it’s okay if it bothers you, Anon. What really matters is what you do with those feelings. 

Because y’know what?

Just because I can play a mini-game in Violet’s route doesn’t make me like her more Louis, but it also doesn’t make me want to spam hate posts about her. 

Complaining and whining and talking shit about the developers because so many believe Violet is favored over Louis isn’t going to do anything. 

Melissa saying she prefers violentine doesn’t make me want to drop everything clouis because “Oh Melissa said it so it’s canon even though we went over this her word doesn’t mean anything.” 

Sterling not being on the commentary while Gideon is doesn’t mean anything. 

The ending stats don’t mean anything. 

The hateful people on here and instagram don’t mean anything. 

None of it means anything. 

The only thing that means something is you and how you deal with this.

Clouis is the love of my life, as I’ve said many times. 

I love Violet. I think she’s a great character and I appreciate the happiness she and violentine have brought to many people in our community. 

All the things listed above? They may bother me sometimes, but I can and have written fanfics that have solved this problem. I’ve talked with you guys about it, talked about how I will be forever bitter about a lack of piano mini-game while also sharing cute headcanons and gushing about the wonderful clouis moments we do get in canon. I’ve read amazing clouis fanfics and admired beautiful fanart. 

I don’t pick fights, I don’t write hate posts, I don’t shit on the devs [although I will admit that I’ve thrown my fair share of shade at Kent but that was over Mitch’s death so that’s completely different right? …Right?]  or throw little baby tantrums because someone said something I don’t like or someone doesn’t like Louis or WHATEVER. 

I focus on better things, like this blog, you guys, Louis, Clouis, and many other better things. 

Anon, as I’ve said before, all this nonsense is just that: nonsense and a waste of time. It’s okay to feel the way you do but I encourage you to take those feelings a create something better with them. If you, or anyone, ever want to talk about this more, feel free to DM me. If something like this is bothering you, I am more than happy to try and help you. 

Alright, that’s enough brutal honesty for one night. 

I don’t think I’ve ever admitted to thinking that about the different routes so I’m a little nervous about that, but I’m also not going to pretend that I think they’re equal just to remain neutral and “positive.” It’s actually kind of cathartic to get it off my chest… huh. 

God, I hope this post got across everything I tried to say because I don’t want to rewrite it again.

Also, drinking game: take a shot every time I say positive or a variation of honest. 

Unless your underage. Then use apple juice or something. 

I don’t know what I’m typing anymore ignore me