Tofugu - Latest Comments in Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

Regnad Kcin — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 01:11:59 -0000

Another point, perhaps the most significant one, is that the Japanese version, when compared with the original, is hugely pared down.

This is true of all Japanese lyrics because Japanese needs so many syllables to say things. All Japanese lyrics are minimal.

A lot of what is different between this and the original is simply that there isn't enough room.

The Japanese version of the German Bienchen Summ Herum (hachi ga tobu) misses the whole point that bees are busy and harmless, and it's simply because there ain't enough space. Japanese is a horribly inefficient language for lyrics.

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

TwoBlue — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 01:59:49 -0000

nice holiday posts ^_^

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

Designerhandbags — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 01:59:17 -0000

I wanna like record this now and send it to my host family. :)

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

narutobleach111 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:22:00 -0000

grant i'm sure i will stick out just like you

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

Vivian — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 05:29:27 -0000

The views on society are definitely different in Japan than in America. In the US you're encouraged to be different & are praised if you are. Actually, sometimes if you aren't 'special enough' then you're considered somewhat of a failure.
I actually worry about blending in too much.
"Am I boring? Maybe I'm just like every other person out there with nothing special to stand out about myself."
Like Kermit said, "It's not easy being green
It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things
And people tend to pass you over 'cause you're
Not standing out like flashy sparkles in the water
Or stars in the sky"
...BUT...
"I am green and it'll do fine, it's beautiful
And I think it's what I want to be"

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

GJB995 — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:34:22 -0000

Great I will stick out were ever I go so that is bad news for me.

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

BarbJ — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:18:08 -0000

I just wanted to say to Burrato, I'm from North America, and I always hated this song and the story. Ever since I was a little kid, I did not like it.

Rudolph is different through no fault of his own and is teased unmercifully by his peers. I always hated how even though Santa says Rudolph is great because of his nose, Santa never tells the other reindeer what asses they were for teasing him in the first place. And if Santa hadn't needed Rudolph, then he couldn't have cared less that the other deer made Rudolph's life hell.

I never bought that they really changed their minds about Rudolph just cause Santa found him useful. More like they were nice to him so they don't get in trouble with the boss.

So the lesson from this when I was a kid, that it's OK to be mean to those different from you, unless you need them for something or your superiors find them useful, then suck up to them, even though you still don't like them.
I also saw this behavior on the playground everyday, so it seemed very true to me back then.

Maybe it was supposed to make kids who are different have hope, but truly I thought it was in reality an horrible lesson about how awful people can be to each other.

I did enjoy learning some of the insight to Japanese society the article talked about. Maybe western culture becomes different as adults, but on the playground, between kids, it's pretty much just like that. In my experience.

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

Rudolph_Fan — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:22:09 -0000

Can someone please verify that this is a translation of the song? Where can you purchase this song in Japan? Who is the translator? When was the translation done? Does anyone know? Please let me know.

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

Erika — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 02:13:40 -0000

hmm....There is a subtle difference in nuance between the Japanese version and the English translation of it (not the original English lyrics). This is what the Japanese version actually says:

Everybody always made fun of the red-nosed reindeer.
But one Christmas day, Old Santa Claus said to him,
"your flashy nose would be helpful on streets at night.
The always-crying reindeer was delighted thinking/saying
"tonight I can finally shine!"

I think what you said about the Japanese culture is very true, but in this song, Rudolf is just being laughed at because of his "red nose" and not exactly because he's "different", if that makes sense?

Also, Santa Claus doesn't sound like he's an emperor at all there... It must be that the translator was just not very good at his job. Santa is being nice to Rudolf and telling him he shouldn't care about what others say and be proud of who he is. I don't think there's too much of a difference in the original and Japanese lyrics.

Your cultural analysis is very interesting though:D

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

TTD — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 23:03:05 -0000

Out of curiosity, when is this translation from? That is to say, is it a contemporary interpretation, or is it from the '50s? Or somewhere in between, perhaps?

I'm just saying, we're putting this into context, but exactly which context are we putting it into?

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

Chester_King — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 17:33:14 -0000

Heh,

I chose to be a little naughty, not nice, this holiday season.

You know I love you,

Chester

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

spacejay4000 — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 21:10:59 -0000

thats really interesting! i never really thought about what rudolph would be like in another culture, not to mention japanese. santa as the emperor...lol...and that really does fit. he is the emperor of the north pole. how is rudolph's story portrayed to kids? like "its okay if youre different cuz you can still help out in society" or like "you dont want to be like rudolph so be the same"?

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

Fluffy — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 17:59:52 -0000

That's pretty interesting translating everything to reflect Japanese culture. Those Japanese are a little crazy when it comes to being different.

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

koichi — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:06:29 -0000

Definitely not... wonder what part of the article you're getting that from?

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

Chester_King — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 12:34:20 -0000

Is it just me or is that electrical cord entering an 'interesting' area of Rudolph's anatomy ?

Brings new meaning to the term, 'REINDEER GAMES.'

Just sayin',

Chester

p.s. I suspect Koichi was slightly intoxicated when he wrote this article. Not that that's a bad thing.

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

Phil — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 02:10:37 -0000

Your re-translation is too literal in places and slightly slanted. A sentence written in any language can often be written and understood differently by different individuals. Also, have you every tried translating a song and then fitting it back to the same lyrics?

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

Facebook User — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 18:20:59 -0000

for some reason after reading the translation I felt sorry for Rudolph the reindeer

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

tindra — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 07:23:55 -0000

i didn't see any differences between the two versions until you pointed them out in your analysis. thanks for the cultural insight!

and how i wish we had some of that portland snow where i live! all there is outside my front door is an ice patch that people keep slipping on.

happy christmas, everyone!

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

Marc — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 22:26:23 -0000

Personally, I think Rudolph is a bit too chirpy and glossy. I much prefer hearing old-school religious Christmas songs even though I'm an athiest.

I'm also wondering whether Mariah Carey's 'All I Want For Christmas Is You' is Japan's *official* Christmas song. Like Jesus' daddy, this song is everywhere.

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

Matty — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:23:51 -0000

A very insightful article.

Happy Holidays, Koichi!

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

Arky — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:53:09 -0000

You guys are so lucky over there, we don;t get snow anymore in lame old' England :(

That's an interesting way they have over there in Japan hehe,

Merry Christmas Koichi and New Years too if you don't make another blog post :)

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

Ryan Sanford — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 04:26:55 -0000

I live in Oregon too (over near Portland) and I'm totally snowed in as well! I'm wishing it would melt so I could get out of the house again!

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

Akira — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 04:18:31 -0000

Many commentators don't seem to realize that the japanese boss's behaviour given in this is not a character exaggeration.

Imagine it this way: you're an ace pilot and you save your own air force from annihilation by shooting down the Red Baron in a epic dog fight that will be referenced in aviation tactics for over a century. You get back to base and the squadron leader never once mention the dogfight or the result. Instead he says: Good job. I hear the ground crew and other pilots think you're a nice guy. You'll be glad to hear I've decided to let you continue to serve under me.

A japanese pilot would be thrilled, because he knows that's all he'll get from the boss. Only from his peers will he get superior praise for a superior job. He will use this kudos for political altitude via popularity. I.e at first he gets all the toasts at the bar and then later be the first in his age group to be promoted mainly because he got more face time at year-end parties.

So, do one piece of good work then a lot of social drinking. You'll pass your prime by the time you get a promotion so stick with the drunken socializing for career prospects. The new hires underneath have brilliant new skills and youth-given stamina which you couldn't hope to have yourself, you alcoholic. Best to never let skills and accomplishments come up in any conversations with them.

Afternote:
Sadly for Rudolph he is not Japanese. His team will now hate him doubly- he was an outsider and now's showed them up and that'll brings out the nastiness people have to displace what should have rightfully been shame. He's f--ked on the outside, and he's f--ked even on the inside.

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

kitankoe — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 03:31:58 -0000

I think it's very........ interesting...... ;)

Re: Japanese Version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: Rudolph gets the Shafto

koichi — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 02:21:56 -0000

Just added facebook connect to comments, so now people can log in as their facebook account :) Will probably post about this later, but if you're in love with facebook, this was for youuu.