Thanks for translating the latest episode. It was very poignant.
spoilers...
I especailly liked Makki's reaction when she opened the canister. Alpha gets one letter, she gets two. She is so relieved.
But what does the title mean? Is it a reference to Takahiro's perception of his home? Typical of all young men, he wants to explore. His home is too small now for his ambitions and imagination.
- Loran Gayton
Monday, February 2, 2004
My personal favorite was the picture of Alpha and Makki side-by-side...and wearing almost the same clothes.
The title, I'm quite sure, refers to Takahiro's view of his home town: Pretty...but small. As a small-town boy myself, I can sympathize.
Anyone have a better translation for the title ("Hakoniwa")? Various dictionaries give "miniature garden", which doesn't flow well and doesn't have the sense of constrained space that the Japanese conveys.
- dn
Monday, February 2, 2004
Howdy,
I've been thinking about this as well, but the best I could come up with was something on the theme of "flower box".
Best,
Dave
- dDave
Monday, February 2, 2004
When I search the google image lists for "Hakoniwa," I see a collection of small rectangular boxes with toys or miniature plants. Apparently this word is used for a sort of indoor play area for little children.
- Loran Gayton
Monday, February 2, 2004
I it when Makki and Alpha saw each other and realized they were both dressed up. ^_^ How long is she going to stay jealous of Alpha?
Makki's face is sure getting drawn more mature. How many more issues before she's old enough to chase after Takahiro?
Do the two letters mean that he is starting to see her as a potential love interest now? She sure is a lot more interesting than Takahiro has ever been. : )
-k
- Kempis Curious
Tuesday, February 3, 2004
Old enough to chase Takahiro? Makki's been chasing him since she was six years old!
She's getting close to catching him, though. :>
- dn
Wednesday, February 4, 2004
I wonder if Makki realizes that she probably won't get to go where Taka is heading. Hopefully, he'll come back. He needs to see more of the world now. She just wants to see him.
Everyone dressed for the occasion. I thought that was interesting, a holdover bit of ceremony. Though Alpha and Makki had "enhanced" motives.
Makki is in love.
But Alpha seemed filled with pride, or something close to that. Not resigned to the inevitability of age and children passing into adulthood as Ojisan and the others were. She said they all "misunderstood." I wonder what she felt.
Did Makki question Alpha's formal wear because of competition, or was there something more? Was Makki questioning a robot's place in a human ceremony?
- Steven Austin
Saturday, February 7, 2004
Howdy,
Here is another instance where translation can be hard. The way I read it, it's Makki who is saying
"I wonder why I wore this when everyday clothes would have been ok..."
The sentance is "demo nan de konna kakko sun daro. Fudangi demo ii no ni". What makes it hard is that there are no pronouns in it. Looking at the panel, it shows Makki, and given her somewhat abashed expression, it leads me to believe that it's Makki that is speaking, especially with the use of the indicator "konna".
If this is the correct interpretation, as I believe, then it shows the way Makki is attracted to Takahito, but I suspect she doesn't quite yet realize just what it is that she feels.
Given the way everyone loves Alpha, I have a hard time believing anyone in that group would leave her out of such a gathering, especially since she received a letter informing her of the fly-by as well.
Best,
Dave
- dDave
Saturday, February 7, 2004
What does "konna" mean in this context?
(I don't know any Japanese grammar, I was just curious.) : )
-k
- Kempis Curious
Monday, February 9, 2004
Howdy,
konna means "this/these" as in "I wonder why I wore *these* clothes." This means that who ever is talking is referring to their own clothes. Given the panel layout, and given that Alpha responds to the quote in question, my take is that it's Makki who is speaking.
Best,
Dave
- dDave
Monday, February 9, 2004
I agree; I botched that line. Fixed version going up now. (Somehow, I've never internalized "kore"/"sore"; I know the difference, but I don't pick up on it subconsciously.)
- dn
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
How about "Dollhouse" for the title?
It's pretty. And small.
A hakoniwa is a dollhouse with a garden, or, a bonsai with a dollhouse.
21, panel 1
Ojisan:
"I thought you might be late."
"He hasn't come yet."
Man:
"That's the way it goes."
"Easy does it."
26, panel 1
"everyone" can be replaced with "we" and "us".
26, panel 2
"... 'City of Motor' Hamamatsu, ..."
"The letter also said that after seeing Nai's plane ..."
"... Takahiro visited the airport often ..."
By the way, gardening hakoniwa is not a kid's play, but an elder people's hobby.
- kGo
Saturday, February 21, 2004
I wonder if one of the two letters that Makki received will be one that she hides.
-k
- Kempis Curious
Thursday, February 26, 2004
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