Maidens of the Kaleidoscope

~Hakurei Shrine~ => Touhou Addict Recovery Center => Topic started by: TheMasterSpark on March 14, 2010, 10:35:29 PM

Title: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: TheMasterSpark on March 14, 2010, 10:35:29 PM
Hello,

I've been thinking of sending ZUN a short letter of appreciation through either his blog or his twitter, but I've no idea if he'd actually be able to read it without dragging it through a translator. Has it ever been revealed (through an interview or something) if ZUN is capable of understanding English?
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: warpshadow on March 14, 2010, 10:41:33 PM
Possibly a little bit. Japanese students do take English classes.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Dead Princess Sakana on March 14, 2010, 10:43:26 PM
I dunno about Zun's English, but I wouldn't get my hopes up. Japanese might learn English, but more grammar, less vocabulary.

However, we have a lot of nice people here who are capable of translating to Japanese, so if you just ask one of them they'll surely help you.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Cadmas on March 14, 2010, 10:54:18 PM
Didn't someone send him a letter before on behalf of the western touhou community dealy dealy?
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Forte Blackadder on March 14, 2010, 11:27:15 PM
I didn't know he care about western touhou community tho.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Sabino on March 14, 2010, 11:31:35 PM
looking at some spell cards and titles I'd think that he's fare with english but not so much as to reading stuff fluently.
If you want, I can try translating in my spare time, but I think we should just leave ZUN be, he's happier with his peace, quiet, and glass of alcohol.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Sen on March 15, 2010, 12:18:31 AM
Judging by the quality of the random English throughout Double Spoiler, I'd say no :V
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Nyyl on March 15, 2010, 12:32:34 AM
Judging by the quality of the random English throughout Double Spoiler, I'd say no :V
REST 4!!
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Alfred F. Jones on March 15, 2010, 12:50:42 AM
My personal favourite is "Argade Mode" in SWRRRRRRRRS. :V
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: nintendonut888 on March 15, 2010, 12:54:38 AM
ZUN has an interesting vocabulary of English words that he knows, but if the Engrish he uses in the games is any indication, his grammar sucks.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Jaimers on March 15, 2010, 01:08:25 AM
Don't forget HARRY UP!  :V
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Serela on March 15, 2010, 01:23:34 AM
Don't forget HARRY UP!  :V
Well this can probably be excused for being like 15 years ago, but  :V
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Dizzy H. "Muffin" Muffin on March 15, 2010, 02:12:40 AM
If his English is anything like my Japanese, I'd say sending him a letter in English won't be entirely appreciated ... ;)
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Nat Tea on March 15, 2010, 03:48:25 PM
REST 4!!
That's not actually terrible.

My personal favourite is "Argade Mode" in SWRRRRRRRRS. :V
That's Tasofro's fault.

ZUN, your English is fineeeeeeeee.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Slaves on March 15, 2010, 04:07:05 PM
REST 4!!

"Shooting" instead of "Start Game" really had me going.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Iryan on March 15, 2010, 04:42:02 PM
Don't forget HARRY UP!  :V
What about Continuous and Totle?  :V
And the classic "Girls do their best now and are preparing. Please watch warmly until it is ready."

Also, transliterating the name "Flandre" into the Katakana for "Fu ra n dō ru" (or vice versa). I know the name isn't English, but an English ponounciation of it wouldn't have looked like that, either...

So yeah, don't make the mistake of overestimating his English skills.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Ghaleon on March 15, 2010, 07:43:26 PM
"Shooting" instead of "Start Game" really had me going.

Me too, especially since you don't really shoot in DS..Unless you mean like a photoshoot type of sense...Which I kinda doubt.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: moldy_tomato on March 15, 2010, 08:32:56 PM
Me too, especially since you don't really shoot in DS..Unless you mean like a photoshoot type of sense...Which I kinda doubt.
That's how I interpreted it immediately when I saw it. You shoot photos. Why makes you doubt it?
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Ghaleon on March 16, 2010, 12:24:45 AM
That's how I interpreted it immediately when I saw it. You shoot photos. Why makes you doubt it?
Because Zun's English is normally wonky. Photo shooting is not quite as basic a term as some of the other terms/words that get screwed up.
Not to rag the guy, his English is better than my Japanese.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Nyyl on March 16, 2010, 12:40:50 AM
That's not actually terrible.
I've never heard anyone say "there are rest 4 pictures to take"
unless I'm interpreting it wrong, and rest is supposed to mean "break" rather than "remaining"?  ???
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Firestorm29 on March 16, 2010, 01:02:55 AM
I've never heard anyone say "there are rest 4 pictures to take"
unless I'm interpreting it wrong, and rest is supposed to mean "break" rather than "remaining"?  ???
If I'm not mistaken, didn't older arcade games sometimes use that Rest #, but to indicate lives. It's not like this is the first time I've seen Rest used like that for games.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Slaves on March 16, 2010, 01:04:06 AM
to be fair, using "Remaining (x)!" wouldn't sound very good either.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: dustyjo on March 16, 2010, 01:07:24 AM
This is unprecedented serious affair.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Observer on March 16, 2010, 01:08:35 AM
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v365/Wyrm/logo00.jpg)
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Serela on March 16, 2010, 01:10:35 AM
Quote
Kareidoscope
GIRUGAMESH

But seriously, that picture made me giggle.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Ghaleon on March 16, 2010, 01:16:34 AM
If I'm not mistaken, didn't older arcade games sometimes use that Rest #, but to indicate lives. It's not like this is the first time I've seen Rest used like that for games.

Yeah, not just arcade games, but many NES games as well. But that's an example IMO of some basic terminology being messed up compared to shoot. I think shoot was just coincidently "right" in a way that Zun never even intended >=P.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Nyyl on March 16, 2010, 02:17:42 AM
to be fair, using "Remaining (x)!" wouldn't sound very good either.
I had something more like "[X] Left" in mind...
Well I guess we're not here to debate something silly like English grammar in a doujin game. If "Rest #" has been used in a variety of games then I admit defeat
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Dizzy H. "Muffin" Muffin on March 16, 2010, 02:57:28 AM
Violator and subject to severe penalties and will be prosecutedt to the full extent of the jam.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: ebarrett on March 16, 2010, 03:05:52 AM
the full extent of the jam.
Looks great when it appears on Dangun Feveron, though.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Hieda no Aya on March 16, 2010, 06:34:38 AM
I dunno, I think "Shoot the Bullet" is way too good for ZUN to not know what photo shooting is.

Personally, though, I'd still like to know who Norma is.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Sabino on March 16, 2010, 06:40:04 AM
Where'd you see it?
From the word I'd suspect that It remfers to Norm/Standard since Japanese people and games say norma when they refer to a certain line of expectations.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Hieda no Aya on March 16, 2010, 06:44:17 AM
Oh, that's common usage? Yeah, it's in Double Spoiler, the par score for each scene, so that sounds about right. Darn, now I have to stop being as amused by it.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Dead Princess Sakana on March 16, 2010, 07:15:20 AM
Who said the "Rest X" was English anyway? If it was meant to be german, it would be absolutely correct. Zun's just trolling you all by making you think he uses English   :V
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Tengukami on March 16, 2010, 10:30:04 AM
Yeah, the title 'Shoot the Bullet' tells me he's aware of photoshooting.

Would probably be best to write him in Japanese though.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: haruko on March 16, 2010, 04:38:37 PM
ZUN can't do anything else than make games and drink beer.
On a more official note, maybe a little, but I'm pretty sure his english is engrish.
If you have ever read the staff rolls, they usually consist some engrish.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Helepolis on March 16, 2010, 06:45:45 PM
Few months ago I send ZUN an english e-mail (e-mail adress on his blog) to ask if I was allowed to use the song Lemuria for the flying drunkard as distributable song along with the sprites of Tenji. Never had a reaction on it :V

I might retry I guess.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: DgBarca on March 16, 2010, 06:47:15 PM
Few months ago I send ZUN an english e-mail (e-mail adress on his blog) to ask if I was allowed to use the song Lemuria for the flying drunkard as distributable song along with the sprites of Tenji. Never had a reaction on it :V

I might retry I guess.

STOP HELEPO...
Ho wait you asked it ?
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Ghaleon on March 20, 2010, 10:09:35 PM
I dunno, I think "Shoot the Bullet" is way too good for ZUN to not know what photo shooting is.

Personally, though, I'd still like to know who Norma is.

That's a very good point that I'm ashamed of not noticing earlier...
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Tonepoet on March 21, 2010, 02:07:03 AM
He also makes a few obvious references to Lewis Carrol's works. Granted he may've read translated versions but Phantasmagoria is such a complicated word...

Of course, for our sakes, I kinda hope he can't do so very well! I mean, it's one thing to be vaguely aware of some scant few weirdos in another country appreciating your work and another entirely to understand the reality of the situation... >_>
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Alice Fact on March 21, 2010, 03:40:26 AM
I believe that some Japanese people are trying to troll you with Engrish, and that they could probably speak better English than you could
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Infy♫ on March 21, 2010, 11:21:16 AM
PCB's stage cutins.
Have you ever taken time to read them all? Especially the one of stage 2.
Code: [Select]
It wavered in the village in which people are not.

"MAYOIGA"(apparitional village) refused human always.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: N-Forza on March 21, 2010, 01:16:03 PM
He tries hard enough, and at least he realizes what a "whodunit" is
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Recon 5 on March 21, 2010, 02:48:54 PM
He knows enough engl(r)ish to know that certain combinations of words sound AWESOME. That's all that he needs since his local fans seem to agree.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Dizzy H. "Muffin" Muffin on March 21, 2010, 05:26:07 PM
Reminds me of how the game Gundeadligne (a horizontal danmaku game) uses gratuitious French ...
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: DgBarca on March 21, 2010, 06:09:03 PM
He tries hard enough, and at least he realizes what a "whodunit" is
Charming Domination - Whodunit?

also, lolsamemoment (http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/8169/awesomeq.png)
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Lexica on March 21, 2010, 07:53:35 PM
Judging by his impressive set of vocabulary and equally impressive set of grammatical errors, the only situation I could imagine is if he didn't know English but had to prepare for a GRE test. Only that would teach him all the words he didn't even need once in his lifetime, all of which went into Touhou...
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: canobiecrazy on April 20, 2010, 10:19:30 PM
Didn't ZUN say he just tosses all the English postmarked letters away?
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Tengukami on April 20, 2010, 10:29:55 PM
Not unless you have an actual source for that comment, no.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Hakkai on April 20, 2010, 11:28:08 PM
Didn't ZUN say he just tosses all the English postmarked letters away?
That would be pretty mean. :(
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Solais on April 21, 2010, 10:24:56 AM
The only thing I remember, that in an interview, ZUN said that several Western publishing companies wanted to publish Touhou overseas, but he declined all of them.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Danielu Yoshikoto on April 21, 2010, 02:41:38 PM
ZUN said that several Western publishing companies wanted to publish Touhou overseas, but he declined all of them.

wait... WHAT!?  :colonveeplusalpha:
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Tengukami on April 21, 2010, 04:07:52 PM
I heard ZUN checks out library books and doesn't return them.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Solais on April 21, 2010, 04:17:22 PM
wait... WHAT!?  :colonveeplusalpha:

It was in that leaked out interview where he was rambling about stuff, all drunk, and it was mistranslated first as "ZUN hates Western fans and Ryukishi07."
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Drake on April 21, 2010, 04:19:07 PM
I heard ZUN has had many offers for marriage but has declined them all so he could work on Touhou.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Tengukami on April 21, 2010, 04:25:53 PM
I heard ZUN once shot a man in Reno, just to watch him die.
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: communist unity (comm-unity) on April 21, 2010, 04:36:59 PM
The only thing I remember, that in an interview, ZUN said that several Western publishing companies wanted to publish Touhou overseas, but he declined all of them.

 :colonveeplusalpha: :fail:

Of course, maybe this just means he's already accepted a deal from a publishing company, right guys?  :ohdear:
Title: Re: Can ZUN read English?
Post by: Tengukami on April 21, 2010, 04:43:22 PM
Solais has it right. ZUN said in an interview that he doesn't care about making a publishing deal with a Western company, or words to that effect, and someone misunderstood this as 'ZUN has nothing but contempt for Western fanbase'. Rage ensued, and despite numerous corrections, it's obvious this meme won't die.