The dialogue concerning Maruko's name is likely to be a bit opaque to anyone not familiar with Japanese writing.
Maruko's surname is "Maruko", written using the ideographic characters (kanji) for "circle" and "child". Despite Japanese female given names often ending in the "child" character, ENAMDICT lists this particular name as only being a common surname.
Maruko's given name is "Maruko", written in the phonetic katakana script. Foreign names with no corresponding kanji are written in katakana; in particular, the name "Marco" would be written "Maruko", hence her comment about her name sounding like a boy's name. Some modern Japanese youth also habitually write their names in katakana rather than kanji.
Maruko adds that her given name originated as hiragana, the phonetic Japanese script usually used to write native Japanese words. The meaning of this is a bit unclear, I take it to indicate that she drew her name from the Japanese syllables, not a foreign name such as "Marco".
- dn
Sunday, June 20, 2004
Maruko's name written as described in kanji and katakana can be seen on the 1st page of chapter 102.
- Chris Keck
Sunday, June 20, 2004
I was going to ask if anyone knew why chapter 102 is called Maruko Maruko, but then 118 appears and explains it all. Spooky :)
Wow, Alpha sure can tease :)
- Brad
Sunday, June 20, 2004
Maruko is a very common female name... i.e. Chibi Maruko-chan. I don't think I've never heard a boy named Maruko.
I know some women use katakana to write their very female name in order to appear as not so feminine for professional purposes.
- JC
Sunday, June 20, 2004
This chapter has plenty of fun stuff...besides the guy at the coffee bean shop having Misago-hair.
So, Maruko chose BOTH of her names, right? Is seems to be a given that robot persons choose their first names. Maruko makes it clear that they can change their family names, too (but she doesn't offer the details about that or her owner). So for her, "circle-child" must be doubly significant. Alpha's reaction suggests that she takes pride in carrying the Owner's name.
And are ALL the owners absent now?
I wonder why Maruko's "work face" makes her look like Alpha's twin. Do the robot persons really look more alike than Alpha seems to realize? Does this suggest that robot persons have to exert themselves to create individuality? When she talks about Kokone, Maruko's face relaxes into...her work face!
Hmmm. Maruko is very self-absorbed. To be so embarassed that Alpha has seen her "playing" the customers with a professional demeanor seems to suggest she is very consciously transcending her default personality and creating a new one...interesting capability for a "robot." Interesting psychology to play the "good robot wife" for the human customers, and then the "angsty girl" for her robot person friends. Very human.
What is Maruko selling? I couldn't quite figure out the shop banner. A grated yam product (tororo-te-e..."grated yam shop person")?
It's ALL questions, sorry.
Why is Alpha freaked that Maruko likes Nai, too? Did Alpha not know that Maruko knew Nai (that's a bit of a tongue-twister)?
- seaweb
Sunday, June 20, 2004
In chapter 92, Maruko is driving a car from her job with a sign that reads "wholesale stationary, painting supplies, framing". [a2002, p49]
- dn
Sunday, June 20, 2004
Maybe the name "maru-ko" says more about what she senses as a mission...
Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_ship_naming_conventions) mentions the legend of Hakudo Maru, "a celestial being that came to Earth and taught humans how to build ships..." That's a saviour if I ever heard of one. Which might suggest something about why the robot persons are here. Or some of them...
"Alpha" suggests a pre-eminence, and noting the derivation from the Hebrew "aleph," also the greatest possible energy. "Maruko" implies perfection and a defender's role.
What is "Kokone?" "Tiny, tiny sound?" Does she represent enlightenment, perhaps?
And Nai, well...it's not good in Japanese.
- seaweb
Monday, June 21, 2004
I seem to remember that Maruko lost or quit a job, too. I had the impression she isn't a careerist. Maybe it's yams this chapter...
- seaweb
Monday, June 21, 2004
Just to add to the confusion...
"maru" as a suffix is used for ships, but was once used (no longer) as a suffix for a child--I think only aristocratic--or as a suffix for a sword. I can't tell you what the suffix in those cases actually *means*, just that it was used that way.
Also: katakana is not only used for foreign words. For reasons I cannot fathom, it is used also for writing the names of plants (especially flowers), animals, and onomotopaeia--words that sound like what they describe.
- Ian Darrow
Monday, June 21, 2004
Everybody puts on a "work face" to some extent, even if it's a pleasant voice when answering the telephone. I work in a museum, when you have to deal with the public you have to present a (reasonably) well groomed appearance and a courteous manner. Act professional, though academics can get away with being amusingly eccentric. We had David Attenborough in doing some filming a few months ago, when the cameras were rolling he was in full "David Attenborough" mode, but as soon as they stopped he quite clearly relaxed (and looked a lot older and rather weary to be honest). So I don't think Maruko's behaviour is that strange, it's just what you do in a job.
- Andy Tucker
Monday, June 21, 2004
Well, for you and I, I agree. We employ our social finesse to make working situations "work."
But robots persons?
I was wondering about why their "programming" would deliver them with one type of personality, then allow them to develop another independent, potentially disruptive "personal" personality. It's a multiplicity that is common among humans, but in robot persons...is this the manifestation of a survival instinct for a valley-challenging AI?
Would they suffer more in human-robot interactions, be persecuted and become "ineffective," without being able to employ this default "work face"?
Will that offer them the potential for "personality problems?"
- seaweb
Monday, June 21, 2004
I don't think they are that much "programmed" - earlier tidbits, mostly from Sensei, seem to indicate that they develop similar to humans. This IMHO implies that they can grow to quite different personalities - and didn't they? City-child Maruko seems (for better or worse) more adult and determined than Alpha, who, in here reclusive surrounding, remained more like a teenager und just "recently" took a bite off the Big World. She still remains clueless to how Maruko feels for Kotone, though; but her reaction to Maruko mentioning Nai ist quite different: Alpha doesn't know about the Nai-Maruko relationship, AFAIK (given the delivering technique of these messages Kotone doesn't know, too), and is shocked to hear him being mentioned by "dreadful" Maruko;-)
Jealousy? We'll see:D:D
- Rainer
Monday, June 21, 2004
to Sea-web
Nai could just be that, nothingness.
As for this chapter, we have more glimps in the background of the robots... it seemed either most or all of them have or used to have owners; yet we've never met one. While they used to have their owner's surname, they can now freely choose their own. Looks like that robots has more rights now than they did before.
To fit within my little theory, it seemed that robots now are much more integrated into society, being independant in every way. Making their own living, and choosing their own names. In a way, human beings no longer owned them. My thought was that there maybe some event (a new law? forging of a common perception?) which has given robots full rights has human, and they are given the same freedom. Perhaps those in charge of creating these extinction-saving robots (the owners) realized that they must let the robots go and live by themselves in order to survive a world without human beings. A gentle first step toward total independance in a world without mankind, perhaps.
- JC
Monday, June 21, 2004
I think, Kokone and Maruko are seperating their jobs from their lifes. They're just doing a "nine to five" gig. To Alpha, the cafe has become her life. She started personal relationships to others with the beginning of YKK (her first stop at Ojisans). In the period between the leave of owner and that tank stop, her only social interaction might have been to costomers.
So maybe her personality changed to "permanent work face mode" and the "native" Alpha is hidden somewhere. Maybe page 26 of Afternoon 2003 is showing the real Alpha. (But the things she said there are proving me wrong, actually...)
About Nai... well, has Alpha told anyone (besides Takahiro) about Nai? I can't remember Kokone mentioning him once. Maybe Alpha kept him as a "dirty secret". Maruko kept quiet too, because she doesn't want to reveal too much about herself.
But now that Alpha knows a secret about her, she had to play that ace up her sleeve. Quite nasty... ;-)
- Tobias Rieper
Monday, June 21, 2004
Howdy,
Fun chapter. Couple things:
1) Some robots chose their names, but Alpha "acquired" hers by default.
http://ykk.misago.org/Volume2/29
2) Maruko has never lost her job. As far as we have seen, she works for the stationers/art supply place to fund her painting.
Best,
Dave
- dDave
Monday, June 21, 2004
It appears that our heroine's untarnished optimism and unparalleled good will is about to be tested. She showed no significant stress over Kokone’s friendship with Maruko. What will she do now that she knows Maruko may come between her and Nai?
The curious part of this crisis is that we see so little of Nai. We have seen Alpha and Kokone together quite a bit. Her relationship with Nai is an undeveloped, long-distance friendship maintained by occasional fly-bys. It is curious that she is more upset by the news of Maruko’s affection for Nai.
- Loran
Monday, June 21, 2004
Are you sure she's upset? It looks more to me that she's just very surprised. I don't believe she's even aware that Maruko and Nai know each other.
- martialstax
Monday, June 21, 2004
That's how I read it too.. Alpha had no idea that Maruko knew Nai.
I also wondered if Nai had sent Maruko a picture of Alpha and Takahiro in Chapter 90 http://ykk.misago.org/Afternoon2002/25
And of Alpha and Makki (and the family) in Box Garden http://ykk.misago.org/Afternoon2004/24
That would have irritated Maruko a bit :)
- Brad
Monday, June 21, 2004
True, perhaps she was just surprised. I wonder, however, if this revelation will cause her to worry. She appears in some of the stories to be more emotionally involved with Nai (or at least the idea of Nai). Seeing what happened between Kokone and Maruko, perhaps she will be motivated to do something about her affection for Nai.
- Loran
Monday, June 21, 2004
I read it that she was just surprised, I don't think Alpha is the sort of person to worry about sharing friends, that was Maruko's hang up. As has been mentioned, Alpha has never needed to create a "public" personna like the more worldly Maruko and Kokone, she's just Alpha, part of her charm.
She also has a way of causing others to be themselves too. I think Maruko's revealing that she also knows Nai is just one more step in the developing friendship between these two. A more guarded wary friendship than Alpha has with Kokone perhaps, but a friendship nevertheless. Alpha has that effect on people.
- Andy Tucker
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
I really like the way robots relate to one another. They just feel so close to each other, even those supposedly on bad terms like Maruko and Alpha.
I have a feeling that robots see each other differently than how they see humans. I mean, it seemed that their notion of friendship and romantic love is not that far apart... and they're not bothered by it. Kokone's infactuation and Maruko's jealousy played no part in how Alpha sees them... it's almost like, Maruko's just another family member.
I know Alpha treats everyone well but I just can't help but feel that the bonds between robots are just not the same as bonds betwen robots and human beings.
Oh and Maru-chan side of Maruko is really cute. I wish we get so see more of it. ^__^
- JC
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
The comments about Maruko's public and private personas is interesting in light of chapter 119. I just picked it up yesterday and did my best to read through it. Alpha actually thinks about how similar Makki and Maruko are, how they both have public and private personas. Despite how little dialogue there is in chapter 119, it may be one of the most indepth and revealing chapters yet about Alpha.
- martialstax
Thursday, June 24, 2004
now that u mention it, they are pretty similar, both trying to get attention from someone who is close to Alpha(Kokone and Takahiro)
- AltF4
Friday, June 25, 2004
Just curious... What are the sound effects on either side of Maruko's head in the last panel of this page?
http://ykk.misago.org/Afternoon2004/78
- Loran
Friday, June 25, 2004
"Gashi gashi"--it's the sound of her mussing her hair.
- dn
Friday, June 25, 2004
All this talk about robots who have moved beyond their owners makes me wonder about the "age" of Kokone.
Is she about the same development as Alpha? Or is she "older", except she only seems young because she has a naturally mousy personality?
What clues do we have on that... her owner is not living at her apartment it seems. Has she ever mentioned anything about that? Or has her lack of mentioning it mean she has left owner far in the past?
-k
curious
- Kempis Curious
Monday, June 28, 2004
Nai seems to be the only robot in the story still living with his owner/mother. The others have moved out or lost their owners.
Kokone is a production model and Alpha is the prototype. Chronologically speaking, Alpha is the elder. Developmentally, it is hard to say if Alpha is more or less developed than Alpha. Certainly Alpha is more spiritually developed.
- Loran
Monday, June 28, 2004
Howdy,
We know little about Kokone's past except that she lived in an institute when she was "young" - presumably before she was assigned/bought by an owner.
Best,
Dave
- dDave
Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Kokone does not seem to have much money.
After she bought herself a scooter [v3, p8], she was behind on her rent [v3, p37]. Her apartment looks modest [v5, p44]. The record player she could only afford was for kids [a2002, 67].
Kokone should be earning a fair amount of money (more than Maruko, much more than Alpha).
She has a job. She does early and late shift. She has special ability needed for her job. And robots need less food [a2003, 28].
Where does the money go? I suspect it goes to someone we don't know (yet).
- kGo
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
Assuming robots get paid at the same rate as humans, special abilities or not. I doubt they have an anti-discrimination lobby backing them up.
I wonder if Kokone is sort of "farmed out" from the institute she "grew up" in. If she is being paid a good wage perhaps they're taking a cut. Could be that she's buying herself off the institute in installments, be a nice story twist. After all, they will have had to put a lot into her creation and education, there must be some form of profit in it unless the robots are part of some bigger plan.
- Andy Tucker
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
Well, both Alpha and Maruko live alone and out in the middle of nowhere. We know Alpha doesn't pay any rent, and I bet Maruko doesn't either. Kokone rents in town, which must be much more expensive than living out in the bush.
Kokone doesn't seem to have to use her ability to transfer robot person messages very often, so I wouldn't assume she gets paid big bucks for it. She also might still be paying off a nice new electric scooter!
- Brad
Saturday, September 18, 2004
Well, prices should be pretty high for some things in the YKK universe, because a lot of the infrastructure collapsed, especially the roads and ports. Even if Kokone has a decent wage, she may not be able to afford, or even find, items not made locally. Money is not a factor if you just don't have merchandise to buy. I'd imagine she paid a pretty penny on the scooter (either "imported" or individually made in a small factory), but daily expenses are small.
Energy seems plentiful, too-cheap-to-rate though. Alpha's electric heater should run a really high power consumption, plus the natural gas she uses, but apparently she can afford it all right.
Nobody cares about saving power, not even to power down the submerged lampposts.
I noticed that Alpha's coffee beans are raw. Either she's a coffee gourmet, or she buys them so far apart that roasted beans would go flat before she used them all.
- Z
Saturday, September 18, 2004
I meant that the money goes to the owner of Kokone. Isn't it possible?
- kGo
Monday, September 20, 2004
Sure it's possible! We know about Alpha's owner, we know Nai maybe belongs to Obachan, and we've heard about Maruko's (ex?) owner...We don't know anything about Kokone's owner.
I wonder if Kokone knows herself. If she doesn't, it could be why she seems to be the only one trying to learn more about the history of the A7 series.
- Brad
Monday, September 20, 2004
Friend seaweb was wondering what the banner in front of the shop said.
First off, it's not Maruko's workplace. It's clear from the context that it's a different place, somewhere where you buy food - Maruko and Alpha are waiting outside to be served. Having mentioned that...
The banner says "tokoroten" in hiragana. It's an advertisement for a specific product on sale in the shop (one among several, since Alpha and Maruko are served soba zenzai noodles and koume "baby" plums). The product in question is gelidium jelly, a jellied substance made from agar-agar. Tokoroten is usually cut into noodle-like strips and eaten cold, with a sweet vinegary sauce. Mmm...
Anyway, the banner advertises the delicacy available inside.
There's a picture of tokoroten here:
http://japanesefood.about.com/library/pictures/bltokoroten.htm
- abunai
Wednesday, September 22, 2004
A followup to my previous post...
I was re-reading YKK - a practice I heartily recommend to anyone who is feeling stressed-out :-) - and I came across this:
http://ykk.misago.org/Volume5/19
Here we see the same shop, which Alpha has visited earlier. The store's signs are a bit clearer in this view. They're not all equally legible - but you can see the banner advertising tokoroten: "Tokoroten arimasu", as well as smaller banners advertising other specialties: senbei (rice crackers), ebi (shrimp), anko (sweet red bean paste) and stuff.
- abunai
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
The rightmost small banner reads 'imo senbei' [v5, p19]. Usually a 'senbei' is a cracker made of "rice" but an 'imo senbei' is made of "sweet potato". Usually a 'zenzai' has some "rice dumplings" in it but a 'soba zenzai' has some "soba (buckwheat) dumplings" [a2004, 86].
Rice seems to be rare in Alpha's world [v5, p122].
- kGo
Saturday, October 23, 2004
@kGo
We've discussed the rice shortage earlier, mostly blaming the warmer, dryer climate that's not suitable for growing rice. OTOH most lowlands used for it may simply be submerged in Alpha's world by now.
- Rainer
Saturday, October 23, 2004
Yeah, we did.
"Something I noticed about Alpha...":
http://ykk.misago.org/Forum?cmd=show&id=1026
"Rice and Global Warming":
http://ykk.misago.org/Forum?cmd=show&id=1407
- kGo
Saturday, October 23, 2004
That's interesting how Ashinano remembered that rice was rare in the YKK world, and made the foods have ingredients from different plants. What a meticulous author!
- Kempis Curious
Saturday, October 23, 2004
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