Lance M. Hatami (michio@jps.net)
Fri, 5 Mar 1999 15:01:26 -0700
X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.01 (Macintosh; I; PPC) Message-ID: <36E05436.1B65@jps.net> Date: Fri, 5 Mar 1999 15:01:26 -0700 From: "Lance M. Hatami" <michio@jps.net> Subject: Re: Sakura Taisen: How did you find out about it and decide to buy it?
> Can someone explain this to me? I do not understand why "nippon" is not
> historically accurate, or why Orihime's remark is hilarious...
The name "Nippon" is the official name of Japan now. In the past, it
used to be "Nihon," but after Japan lost World War II, it was changed to
sort of distance the new country from the past. The change was more of
a United States influence than a Japanese one. After all, I don't think
Germany changed their name. So, the "real" correct way to call things
Japanese is really, "Nippon-jin," for the people and "Nippon-go" for the
language, but no one does, not even in Japan. I don't know of anyone in
America or Japan that calls anything "Nippon." The only time I see it
used is on stamps (which confused the hell out of me as a child).
Anyways, it's not a bad thing or anything, but it is supposed to be used
in all official documents, etc. to keep with the treaty or whatever
states that "Nippon" is the new name. However, since Sakura Taisen is
pre-World War II, they should use the name "Nihon." I don't see
anything really wrong with it seeing that dramas set in olden Japan on
TV use "Nihon."
Orihime is just a funny little "gaijin" (in the negative term) and her
speech reflects Japanese ideas of how foreigners speak. Actually, her
voice actress takes the accent one step further by really pronouncing
things badly. :< Think of her speech as how The Simpsons or other
shows stereotype Indian accents or Chinese accents. You get the
picture.