MovieChat Forums > Neko no ongaeshi (2005) Discussion > Is she in love? (spoiler)

Is she in love? (spoiler)

posted 20 years ago by ayame_kyoko
9 replies | jump to latest

I live in Belgium and saw the movie twice; first dubbed in Dutch, then in Japanese with dutch subtitles. I noticed quite a difference between those two translations.
At the end, when Haru says goodbye to the Baron, she says two different things:
(dubbed)
Haru: "I think I'm really falling in love with you."
Baron: "I appreciate your honesty."

(subbed)
Haru: "Can't you just come home with me?"
Baron: "Haru, you know that's impossible."

Now which one is the closest to the Japanese? I'd really like to know, because it seems important for the plot and the character of Haru.

Many thanks...

[–] dballred 20 years ago

The dub is a bit closer to what was said. In Japanese, she says,

"Baron! Watashi Anata no koto ga suki ni natchatta kamo"

(Baron, I think I might have fallen in love with you)

He says, "Fumu... Haru no sono sunao-na tokoro ga watashi mo suki dayo"

(Hmmm... and your gentle manner is something I like about you)

That's about as close as I can get it, though I am not a native speaker. The Baron is referring to Haru in the third person which is the equivalent of the word "you." Haru is using the word "anata," which is the pronoun 'you.' In my opinion, the sense of the word 'anata' is a bit more intimate-sounding than the use of the third party name.

[–] marsodyssey2010 20 years ago

Anata loosly means dear. It is over used in Anime, especially between female characters, but in everyday life is certainly intimate.

In the Chinese dub, the barron replies, I admire your honesty.

English Language Anime: Dub it, don't pervert it.

[–] dballred 20 years ago

It loosely means "dear" in certain circumstances--most often wife to husband. Tone of voice is important. It is still a perfectly valid way to say "you" without the romantic overtones.

I agree that the word "love" is always a bit strong for the word 'suki,' (unless she said, 'dai suki') so the word "crush" is better in this particular case. Good word choice.

Unless there is a figure of speech involved, I don't think sunao-na tokoro translates to 'honesty.'

[–] marsodyssey2010 20 years ago

"I don't think sunao-na tokoro translates to 'honesty.' ". Since honesty is an admarable quality .... its not literal but it still works, sort of.

It wouldn't have been my choice either.

English Language Anime: Dub it, don't pervert it.

[–] dballred 20 years ago

I don't do it very often, but I brought the matter up by showing my wife, a native speaker, the film comic. Oddly, the first thing she said was "I like your honesty," but she almost immediately took it back. She couldn't think of an exact word, but she went on to describe a person who seems very pleasant, doesn't get contrary, easy to get along with, smiles, doesn't say much, then said, "you know, like me!" After we stopped laughing, I realized that Haru had moments when she wasn't at all that way--like the way she talked back to the King. The Baron had to be implying that he liked her when she was being "sunao-na," which might actually mean (in a friendly way) that she might be a bit much to handle when she's not being that way.

[–] marsodyssey2010 20 years ago

I took a closer look and I think that I know where the honesty tranlsation came from.

The first kanji in sunao can mean simple or unobscured and the second can mean honest, frank or straightfoward. If you translate them individually, you get 'I admire your simple frankness', AKA 'I admire your honesty'.

Together however, I would probably translate them as meaning meekness 'I admire your meekness/unobjectionable character' So your wife's translation works quite well.

I really need to practice Japnese more, or I will forget how to speak it entierly, this is a good excuse to look some things up.

English Language Anime: Dub it, don't pervert it.

[–] marsodyssey2010 20 years ago

I wuld have said that Hur said that she had a crush on him rather than she loved him (love is often too strong a word in Japan).

English Language Anime: Dub it, don't pervert it.

[–] mannix-6 20 years ago

This is fascinating! Thanks for this thread!

I just watched the film last night and thought it was kind of lame her saying "I think I have a crush on you!"

This is not something people say. They don't say "I have a crush on you." They say "I'm in love with you" and other people tell them "No, it's just a crush". The way haru looked into the Baron's eyes at each time during the film, especially when dancing, it was very nicely developed that he was falling for him and to counter that the Baron was obviously looking out for her in a caring way, even literally sweeping her off her feet, but it was for her safety not to be in love with her.

So I think it works better her saying "I'm in love with you" and him saying a platonic "I like you too". It also does leave the door open for either another story or just the imagination of "what happens between these two".

Of course the other problem is that he isn't a cat, but a statue with a soul. :)
BTW I just love the fact that they turned her into a cat! That was a best part!

[–] Danny_Elfmans_Biggest_Fan 20 years ago

In the version I saw, the Baron replies (after she says she has a 'crush' on him)

'I appreciate your sincerity?'

it was subbed by the way.

Life is pain, Highness. Anyone who says differently is selling something.