This will probably be the final post in this series on Famicom related slang. I haven't done the whole list but its taking a fair bit of time. I might do some more at a later date.
For the last entry I thought I'd go for some of the Rockman slang, as that is a relatively popular one. These aren't all of the Rockman related phrases contained on Tata Hitori Famicom no Shonen's dictionary (from which all the terms in this series are drawn). I'm embarrassed to admit that I suck at Rockman and as a result don't play it much, so the meaning of some of the phrases were a bit beyond me due to my lack of familiarity with the games. I invite anyone out there to translate the other ones!
Here are the ones that I did understand:
岩男 (Iwao) - The Japanization of "Rockman", made using the characters for "Rock" and "Man".
カプコン的 - (Capcomteki) - Used to describe games that are similar in gameplay to Rockman. Literally means "Capcom-like".
金玉 でか金 (Kintama/ DekaKin) - the names of the power-ups in Rockman (small power up/ big power up). Literally these are Japanese slang for (ahem) testicles.
クイックマン棒 (Quickman Bou) - The beam on the Quickman stage of Rockman 2.
しらふで勝つ (Shirafu de katsu) - To beat a boss in any game in the Rockman series without using any special weapons. Drinking an energy can invalidates a Shirafu de katsu.
スライム (suraimu - slime?) - In Rockman 2 to avoid the enemy's shots by repetitively pushing the start button (not sure how that works).
ターターブロック （tata block) - The flashing blocks that appear in Rockman (named after the sound they make).
DIO様 (DIO sama) - refers to Flashman in Rockman 2 and Brightman in Rockman 4. It is a reference to something called "Manga Jo Jo" - I don't know what that is though!
土下座野郎 (Dogeza yarou) - A nickname for Dr. Wily. Literally means "Guy who bows deeply while sitting (kowtows)".
ヘルメットおじさん (Helmet Ojisan) - A nickname for the little enemies that wear helmets.
ボスハンター (Boss Hunter) - A person who is really good at beating the boss in games like Rockman or Akumajo.
Related Posts:
- Famicom Baseball! Reflections on the Art and More Famicom Slang!
- Ice Climber Famicom Japanese
- Japanese Famicom Slang 101
Showing posts with label Famicom Vocabulary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Famicom Vocabulary. Show all posts
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Famicom Baseball! Reflections on the Art and More Japanese Video Game Slang
Spring is my favorite season of all. Mainly for the warm weather. But also because it is when my favorite sport of all starts up again: baseball!
The Famicom has an awful lot of baseball games for it. I'm pretty sure there are more Famicom baseball games than any other single type of game. This makes sense as Baseball is definitely the most popular sport in this country (yet another reason why I like living here).
In the comments section of my last post on Ice Climber Nate astutely pointed out that there are a lot of interesting Famicom slang related to Namco's Family Stadium series of baseball games, which were the most popular baseball games on the Famicom (Jaleco's Moero Pro Yakyuu was also popular though). So I thought I would do a post here about Famicom baseball. In the first part of this post I offer some thoughts on the genre of Famicom baseball games and their artistic qualities. In the second part I offer a continuation of my series on Japanese Famicom slang with some entries on baseball games.
First, a little word about Famicom baseball and Family Stadiumin particular:
If you were a baseball loving kid in the English speaking world in the 80s as I was, you probably longed to play this game's American release, Tengen's R. B.I. Baseball. This is a really great game, partly because it just plays well, but also because it was the game that used actual Major League player names rather than just generic ones.
I didn't have this game as a kid. Instead I had Bases Loaded 3, which used generic teams and player names, much to my disappointment. That game had its predecessor on the Famicom in Jaleco's Moero Pro Yakyuu:Not a bad game. This one holds the record for being the cheapest Famicom game I have ever purchased: 10 yen. It actually had a "10 yen" price tag on it and everything.
Anyway, a lot of people criticize older Baseball (and other sports games) for not aging well. The clumsy graphics and controls are no match for today's games. I have to admit that this is one of the few genres (along with racing games) where I fully acknowledge and embrace the newer consoles. About the only games I play on my PS2 are Baseball and racing games. Still though, I could never completely abandon my old Famicom baseball games.
One of the main points of brilliance in the early baseball video games is their coincidental similarities with American folk artist's rendering of baseball games. Look at this painting by the brilliant Ralph Fasanella ("Night Game - 'tis a bunt"):
Doesn't that field with those players bear a strong resemblance to the way early baseball video game designers made their field's look? The simplicity brings to mind Nintendo's first baseball game on the Famicom (the descriptively titled "Baseball"):The elements of folk art aren't just found in the games but on their labels as well. Probably the best in my opinion is an obscure old game called Chounin Ultra Baseball:
The use of color is perfectly balanced on that cover art. The simplicity of the background and the bold, yellow letters perfectly compliments the detail on the player's jersey and the look of determination on his face. I really love this cart.
OK, now on with the baseball slang. Courtesy of Tatta Hitori no Famicom Shonen's excellent glossary of terms. In no particular order:
コントローラー落とし ("Controller Otoshi") - when you are about to lose, you drop your controller on the Famicom, causing it to stop working, thus nullifying the game's results. Literally "Controller drop".
侍打法 ("Samurai Dahou") - I have a little trouble understanding the precise meaning of this as it is written, but basically this is a type of hit where you stop the bat at one of the corners of the plate. Literally "Samurai hit".
ハットリ打法 ("Hattori Dahou") - another name for a hit similar to Samurai Dahou. The name comes from the game Ninja Hattori Kun.
ピッピ ("Pi-pi") - The sound the pitcher makes in Family Stadium. Can be used in a sentence like "Does anyone want to Pi-pi?" (ie does anyone want to pitch?). Of course in English if you ask that it sounds like you are asking if anyone wants to urinate, so you should probably use this with extreme caution.
武士なさ (Bushi nasa") - This took me a bit of time to figure out, but basically it means to have mercy on your opponent. Like if it is the 9th inning with two outs and your opponent hits a fly ball to right that will end the game, you might choose to let it drop instead. Comes from an old Samurai expression ("Bushi" is another word for Samurai).
雨天中止 ("Utenchuushi") - literally "game called due to rain". Use this phrase when you are losing (and frustrated) and hit the "reset" button. Can also use "teiden" (blackout), "Bochittona" (a word that mimics the sound of a button being pushed) or "hekkushon" (Achooooo!).
Related Posts
Dining a la carte: Ice Climber Famicom Japanese
Famicom History Part 2: Japanese Famicom Slang 101
The Famicom has an awful lot of baseball games for it. I'm pretty sure there are more Famicom baseball games than any other single type of game. This makes sense as Baseball is definitely the most popular sport in this country (yet another reason why I like living here).
In the comments section of my last post on Ice Climber Nate astutely pointed out that there are a lot of interesting Famicom slang related to Namco's Family Stadium series of baseball games, which were the most popular baseball games on the Famicom (Jaleco's Moero Pro Yakyuu was also popular though). So I thought I would do a post here about Famicom baseball. In the first part of this post I offer some thoughts on the genre of Famicom baseball games and their artistic qualities. In the second part I offer a continuation of my series on Japanese Famicom slang with some entries on baseball games.
First, a little word about Famicom baseball and Family Stadiumin particular:
If you were a baseball loving kid in the English speaking world in the 80s as I was, you probably longed to play this game's American release, Tengen's R. B.I. Baseball. This is a really great game, partly because it just plays well, but also because it was the game that used actual Major League player names rather than just generic ones.
I didn't have this game as a kid. Instead I had Bases Loaded 3, which used generic teams and player names, much to my disappointment. That game had its predecessor on the Famicom in Jaleco's Moero Pro Yakyuu:Not a bad game. This one holds the record for being the cheapest Famicom game I have ever purchased: 10 yen. It actually had a "10 yen" price tag on it and everything.
Anyway, a lot of people criticize older Baseball (and other sports games) for not aging well. The clumsy graphics and controls are no match for today's games. I have to admit that this is one of the few genres (along with racing games) where I fully acknowledge and embrace the newer consoles. About the only games I play on my PS2 are Baseball and racing games. Still though, I could never completely abandon my old Famicom baseball games.
One of the main points of brilliance in the early baseball video games is their coincidental similarities with American folk artist's rendering of baseball games. Look at this painting by the brilliant Ralph Fasanella ("Night Game - 'tis a bunt"):
Doesn't that field with those players bear a strong resemblance to the way early baseball video game designers made their field's look? The simplicity brings to mind Nintendo's first baseball game on the Famicom (the descriptively titled "Baseball"):The elements of folk art aren't just found in the games but on their labels as well. Probably the best in my opinion is an obscure old game called Chounin Ultra Baseball:
The use of color is perfectly balanced on that cover art. The simplicity of the background and the bold, yellow letters perfectly compliments the detail on the player's jersey and the look of determination on his face. I really love this cart.
OK, now on with the baseball slang. Courtesy of Tatta Hitori no Famicom Shonen's excellent glossary of terms. In no particular order:
コントローラー落とし ("Controller Otoshi") - when you are about to lose, you drop your controller on the Famicom, causing it to stop working, thus nullifying the game's results. Literally "Controller drop".
侍打法 ("Samurai Dahou") - I have a little trouble understanding the precise meaning of this as it is written, but basically this is a type of hit where you stop the bat at one of the corners of the plate. Literally "Samurai hit".
ハットリ打法 ("Hattori Dahou") - another name for a hit similar to Samurai Dahou. The name comes from the game Ninja Hattori Kun.
ピッピ ("Pi-pi") - The sound the pitcher makes in Family Stadium. Can be used in a sentence like "Does anyone want to Pi-pi?" (ie does anyone want to pitch?). Of course in English if you ask that it sounds like you are asking if anyone wants to urinate, so you should probably use this with extreme caution.
武士なさ (Bushi nasa") - This took me a bit of time to figure out, but basically it means to have mercy on your opponent. Like if it is the 9th inning with two outs and your opponent hits a fly ball to right that will end the game, you might choose to let it drop instead. Comes from an old Samurai expression ("Bushi" is another word for Samurai).
雨天中止 ("Utenchuushi") - literally "game called due to rain". Use this phrase when you are losing (and frustrated) and hit the "reset" button. Can also use "teiden" (blackout), "Bochittona" (a word that mimics the sound of a button being pushed) or "hekkushon" (Achooooo!).
Related Posts
Dining a la carte: Ice Climber Famicom Japanese
Famicom History Part 2: Japanese Famicom Slang 101
Labels:
Baseball,
Famicom Vocabulary,
Family Stadium,
Moero Pro Yakyuu
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Dining a la carte: Ice Climber Famicom Japanese
Famicom carte, that is.
After so many kind readers expressed interest in the Famicom Japanese slang I introduced in my previous post, I decided to put up a few more in (yet another) separate series of posts. I've decided to introduce a few of the individual games that seem to have more colorful video game slang going for them. Today's game is the classic Ice Climber.
By way of introduction, I really like this game. Its one of the few Famicom games that you can play in two player cooperative mode, and its actually quite fun. I think my favorite such game is Son Son, but Ice Climber comes in a close second (in a tie with Contra).
Anyway, here are some of the Japanese slang associated with Ice Climber as reported by the always entertaining Tatta Hitori no Famicom Shonen. As a disclaimer, I should note that according to that source, some of these phrases were "extremely local" in character and were not necessarily in widespread use. Nonetheless, I think they are kind of interesting and worthy of translation.
男気 - "Otokogi" - Refers to when you get to the top of a level, jump and fail to catch the bird and then fall, left or right, through the cracks to the bottom of the mountain. Literally means "Man spirit".
奈落 - "Naraki" - Used when you just miscalculate a jump and then end up falling through the cracks much further than you could have expected (ie all the way off the screen) to your death. Literally it is an obscure word for "hell".
ワッシャる - "Wassharu" - Game Over. This just mimics the sound the game makes when it is "game over".
雪印 - "Yukijirushi" - This is used when you make a mistake (such as making contact with a seal) and your character freezes (causing you to lose a life). It is the name of a famous dairy product company whose name means "snow brand" and whose logo looks like this:
Anyway, there you go. Next time you plunk Ice Climber into your Famicom or NES, be sure to have these four useful terms memorized. Impress your friends!
Related Posts
- Famicom History Part 2: Japanese Famicom Slang 101
- Famicom History
After so many kind readers expressed interest in the Famicom Japanese slang I introduced in my previous post, I decided to put up a few more in (yet another) separate series of posts. I've decided to introduce a few of the individual games that seem to have more colorful video game slang going for them. Today's game is the classic Ice Climber.
By way of introduction, I really like this game. Its one of the few Famicom games that you can play in two player cooperative mode, and its actually quite fun. I think my favorite such game is Son Son, but Ice Climber comes in a close second (in a tie with Contra).
Anyway, here are some of the Japanese slang associated with Ice Climber as reported by the always entertaining Tatta Hitori no Famicom Shonen. As a disclaimer, I should note that according to that source, some of these phrases were "extremely local" in character and were not necessarily in widespread use. Nonetheless, I think they are kind of interesting and worthy of translation.
男気 - "Otokogi" - Refers to when you get to the top of a level, jump and fail to catch the bird and then fall, left or right, through the cracks to the bottom of the mountain. Literally means "Man spirit".
奈落 - "Naraki" - Used when you just miscalculate a jump and then end up falling through the cracks much further than you could have expected (ie all the way off the screen) to your death. Literally it is an obscure word for "hell".
ワッシャる - "Wassharu" - Game Over. This just mimics the sound the game makes when it is "game over".
雪印 - "Yukijirushi" - This is used when you make a mistake (such as making contact with a seal) and your character freezes (causing you to lose a life). It is the name of a famous dairy product company whose name means "snow brand" and whose logo looks like this:
Anyway, there you go. Next time you plunk Ice Climber into your Famicom or NES, be sure to have these four useful terms memorized. Impress your friends!
Related Posts
- Famicom History Part 2: Japanese Famicom Slang 101
- Famicom History
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Famicom History Part 2: Japanese Famicom Slang 101
Here we go, part 2 in my new little social history of the Famicom (part 1 is here). Today's post looks at the language of the Famicom.
Jargon is an interesting thing. Impenetrable to outsiders, it helps to define the group of people who use it. Over time, some words may make their way into the larger lexicon of the language in question, but most do not.
When I try to think of some English examples of, for example, NES related jargon that kids back in the day used, I can't really come up with anything. I'm sure it existed but....I don't know. Nothing comes to mind. Weird...some of you readers out there must have some?
Anyway, over at Tatta Hitori no Famicom, they have put together a dictionary of all the "yougo" (jargon) that Famicom fans have developed over the years. It is surprisingly large, with 177 entries to date. I spent a bit of time pouring over these, some are quite witty and amusing. Others perhaps not so much so.
I decided to translate a few of them for your reading pleasure. So here you go all you Famicom wannabes: How to speak "Famicom yougo" like a real 80s Japanese kid.
I've divided these into two sections, the first one looks at some general Famicom words/phrases. The second one looks at words specific to individual games.
Section 1: General Famicom Vocab
Jargon is an interesting thing. Impenetrable to outsiders, it helps to define the group of people who use it. Over time, some words may make their way into the larger lexicon of the language in question, but most do not.
When I try to think of some English examples of, for example, NES related jargon that kids back in the day used, I can't really come up with anything. I'm sure it existed but....I don't know. Nothing comes to mind. Weird...some of you readers out there must have some?
Anyway, over at Tatta Hitori no Famicom, they have put together a dictionary of all the "yougo" (jargon) that Famicom fans have developed over the years. It is surprisingly large, with 177 entries to date. I spent a bit of time pouring over these, some are quite witty and amusing. Others perhaps not so much so.
I decided to translate a few of them for your reading pleasure. So here you go all you Famicom wannabes: How to speak "Famicom yougo" like a real 80s Japanese kid.
I've divided these into two sections, the first one looks at some general Famicom words/phrases. The second one looks at words specific to individual games.
Section 1: General Famicom Vocab
ファミコンあらし - "Famicom Arashi". I love this one, probably its my favorite. The definition on the website says:
"A person who goes to a friend's house only to play the Famicom and then goes right home after. Includes people such as those who only owned a Sega, or whose parents accidentally bought them Family Basic thinking it was a Famicom."
ファミカー "Famikaa" - Someone who really likes the Famicom. Also "Famiconist".
ファミる - "Famiru" - the verb form of "Famicom" (ie to "do Famicom" or "Play Famicom"). The -ru ending signifies it is a verb in Japanese.
ファミ逃げ - "Faminige" - Describes the situation where you are playing Famicom at home with someone and they (impolitely) say "Hey, I 'm really good at this part here, gimme the controller" and then when you do they immediately screw it up and die. Then they say "Oh I just remembered something I have to do" and run off. Literally means "Famicom runaway".
Section 2: Game Specific Famicom Vocab
1. Rockman
岩男- "Iwao." This word is the nickname for Rockman (Megaman). From the Characters for "rock" and "man".
2. Super Mario Brothers
大人マリオ - "Otona Mario". This is the word you use when you get a mushroom on Super Mario Brothers. Literally means "adult Mario".
スタート殺し - "Suta-to Kuroshi" - Used in Super Mario Brothers two player mode. When 2p is jumping over some hazard, 1p pushes the "start" button, pausing the game and messing 2p's timing up. Then pushes "start" again, and 2p dies. Literally means "Start Kill".
3. Dr. Mario
おま連 - "Omaren". Used when your opponent erases two rows of pills in Dr. Mario, causing penalty pills to fall onto your screen. Its an abbreviated way of saying "I have you to thank for these damn pills falling onto my screen."
4. Takahashi Meijin no Bouken Shima (Adventure Island)
カミカゼ - "Kamikaze" - used when you go really fast on the skateboard and run into an enemy.
5. Balloon Fight
地獄落ち - "Jigoku Ochi" - Used in "C" mode when you fall into the abyss and the game makes that "hyuuuuuuuu- " sound. Literally means "Falling into hell".
6. Spelunker
スペランカー的 - "Spelunker-teki". This can be used with any game, not just Spelunker. It literally means "Spelunker-ish", and refers to any game where you die quickly. A reference to the fact that the Spelunker character dies really easily in that game.
Related Posts
Labels:
Adventure Island,
Dr. Mario,
Famicom History,
Famicom Vocabulary,
Rockman,
Spelunker,
Super Mario Bros.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)