Japanese in Serenity movie?
POSTED BY: JuniperJayne
UPDATED: Wednesday, May 2, 2007 13:39
VIEWED: 11044
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So my newly converted friend swears that he saw Japanese in Serenity along with the Chinese, but since I know neither language, has anyone else seen it? Not improbable if they were trying to include lots of different Asian cultures...
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Quote:
Originally posted by JuniperJayne:
So my newly converted friend swears that he saw Japanese in Serenity along with the Chinese, but since I know neither language, has anyone else seen it? Not improbable if they were trying to include lots of different Asian cultures...
Don't know about any Japanese characters in the movie, but the culture is definitly there. In fact, more than anything else asian. So, I wouldn't be surprised if it is in there.
Just one of the breaks from canon that states only China and the US where the cultures to make it.
----
I am on The List. We are The Forsaken and we aim to burn!
"We don't fear the reaper"
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Quote:
Originally posted by SigmaNunki:
Don't know about any Japanese characters in the movie, but the culture is definitly there. In fact, more than anything else asian. So, I wouldn't be surprised if it is in there.
Just one of the breaks from canon that states only China and the US where the cultures to make it.
Canon doesn't say that the US and China were the only survivors. Just that they were the dominant cultures at the time of the migration and therefor became the most influential source of culture and language for the 'verse. Still plenty of room for influences from other cultures in a minor way. See also Jaynestown where Jayne uses the spanish pronounciation for Jesus.
As for language in the BDM I think the man in the fruity oatey bar commercial is ranting in Japanese about how ashamed he is that he didn't buy fruity oaty bars for his family. I could be wrong though.
David
"Not completely as well as the series of Firefly..." - From a review of Serenity at amazon.de
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Quote:
Originally posted by daveshayne:Quote:
Originally posted by SigmaNunki:
Don't know about any Japanese characters in the movie, but the culture is definitly there. In fact, more than anything else asian. So, I wouldn't be surprised if it is in there.
Just one of the breaks from canon that states only China and the US where the cultures to make it.
Canon doesn't say that the US and China were the only survivors. Just that they were the dominant cultures at the time of the migration and therefor became the most influential source of culture and language for the 'verse. Still plenty of room for influences from other cultures in a minor way. See also Jaynestown where Jayne uses the spanish pronounciation for Jesus.
As for language in the BDM I think the man in the fruity oatey bar commercial is ranting in Japanese about how ashamed he is that he didn't buy fruity oaty bars for his family. I could be wrong though.
The problem with what you are saying here is that there isn't a small influence of Japanese culture, but a grand one. That is what make the contradiction with canon.
----
I am on The List. We are The Forsaken and we aim to burn!
"We don't fear the reaper"
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I'm pretty sure the Kanji used in Japan and China are the same.
More insane ramblings by the people who brought you beeeer milkshakes!
No one can see their reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.
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My sister is working in Tokyo. She says the kanji are the same in meaning, but pronunciation is different due to having different languages. Japanese can read Chinese writing (since that's where they originally got it from) and get the general essence of the characters, but speaking it is another matter entirely. Of course she could be full of it, but I doubt that.
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Stinkingrose's sister is right. (See what my learning Japanese as a youngster taught me? 
) Japanese people use kanji to write with (it's what the Chinese call han-zi, from what I've gathered) but pronounce it differently (or sometimes have even two pronounciations). I've had a co-worker talk about being in Japan and because part of the group can read the characters in Chinese, and others could read it in Japanese, they had to translate it to English -- e.g. "We'll meet at the 'flower-mountain-town' sign." or "Use the 'east-lantern-district' station...." It's kinda funny...
..and Yes, there was also katakana (one of the other ways to write in the Japanese language)...it's one of the things that distracted me during the movie the first time I saw it...Check out the labels in the ship -- I think I saw "serra" or something next to the pantry door where they locked River in... I also think they had hiragana and katakana flowing along with the kanji across the screens in the 'classroom' (the characters flowing across the screens looked like nonsense, but don't hold me to that -- I can read just enough to know if I'm in Japan, or in China.)
Hope I didn't "vague it up" with this. 
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Quote:
Originally posted by SigmaNunki:
The problem with what you are saying here is that there isn't a small influence of Japanese culture, but a grand one. That is what make the contradiction with canon.
Not being the worlds greatest expert on Japanese culture I'm not really in a position to argue the point except as far as to say that the elements I recognize as being of primarily or soley Japanese in origin all seem to be coming from the filter of US cultural adaption. The anime oatey bar commercial (inspired at least in part by the Mr. Sparkle episode of the simpsons.) The Zaibatsu like Blue Sun corporation has antecedents in mainstream american scifi since the 80s. Companions while reminicent of geisha also have roots in Italian rennaisance courtesans.
Right off hand I can't think of anything else that has particular roots in Japanese culture. Are there other things you are thinking of?
David
"Not completely as well as the series of Firefly..." - From a review of Serenity at amazon.de
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The sword the Operative carries owes more to the katana than to the West. Given the Japanese influence within the global economy, it would make sense for them to be around, though given the history with China, they would probably be more inclined to link up with (and probably subtly dominate) the economic elements within the Londinium ie US sphere of influence. Joss already posited the Brits as a '51st state' by that stage, so other cultures keeping some form of integrity within the dominant one could happen.
At least, I hope so. I wrote a character who was manifestly Yakuza.
Other cultural pointers - we've seen figures in burquas (Train Job) and one bloke in a yarmulke (Amon Duul in the Message) It may be that any culturally 'different' elements have been forced out of the Core worlds, (anyone read 'Strength of Stones'? Greg Bear, a future where the squabbling religions have bought up their own planet to have their war on. I rather liked the idea.)
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Let's not forget the Native American fellow pushing an elder (in full war bonnet) in a wheelchair on Persephone.
I think it's safe to say that there are not only two cultures in the 'verse. It is as much a melange as it is today,possibly moreso due to exposure to otheres on a daily basis. There are two *dominant* cultures (East meets West), but not exclusively two.
Pick and choose your cultural influences, you are probably right. It's a buffet that needs questioning.
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