Titan Class METROPLEX

[Trent]

I'm not surprised that TakTOM Metroplex speaks English. The Fall of Cybertron game in Japan does use the same Anglophone voices (e.g. Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime etc.), but with Japanese subtitles. It also wouldn't be too hard for TakTOM to simply include a translation of the lines say on the instructions somewhere (I'd be interested to know if this is the case or if they're solely relying on people's exposure to the game).

Also... don't underestimate the power of fanboys. Some Japanese fans' knowledge of English comes almost exclusively from video games. When I was a uni student in Japan, I knew some guys whose English virtually entirely came from Diablo... when I told them I was from Australia, they'd say, "Oh, I know some English... "Fresh meeaaat!"" ... uh... 'kay. It's not too dissimilar from Western fans of Japanese games and anime whose Japanese vocabulary almost completely comes from games and anime.

These are gateway words into more hardcore language-learning.

I meant kids that aren't hardcore fans. Everyday kids that see a giant robot toy and want it. Maybe they have other TFs, maybe this will be their first.

I don't know what percentage of children in Japan speak English, but it seems strange that you would release a toy that into a market not in that market's native and primary language.

[drifand]

I am surprised we are all of a sudden so overly concerned about a robot's sounds etc.......perhaps discuss it in the Japanese fan based thread to see if they were at all pissed off with it?

I think we have under estimated their knowledge honestly and over reacting. A lot of Japanese anime does includes occasional English words in their dialogue.

Because I am not just a Transformers fan, I know Gundam has its labels and decals all in English entirely and nobody has ever had this form of debate, plus their gunpla is made entirely in Japan.

[Hursticon]

I am surprised we are all of a sudden so overly concerned about a robot's sounds etc...

I don't believe that anyone is overly concerned dude: "What language will the TakTom Metroplex employ?" has simply been a question that many have pondered since the announcement of the figure, way back when.

At the end of the day, as I think I expressed elsewhere on the boards, I didn't care if he spoke English, Japanese or Cybertronian! - His batteries weren't going to remain within him (Batteries aren't included ) anyway.
(Although, I'd of been pretty happy if he did speak Japanese - G1 Scorponok's Japanese v/o actor sounded awesome! )

[drifand]

Well...question was answered. So lets move on already, I don't think there is a need to question Japanese intelligence of understanding "metroplex" language.

[Trent]

Well...question was answered. So lets move on already, I don't think there is a need to question Japanese intelligence of understanding "metroplex" language.

It's related to the topic and a question I have that I believe Gok has the knowledge to answer. Im hardly concerned. Like Hursty, i don't care if he speaks Trolloc. I'm just curious.

[drifand]

It's related to the topic and a question I have that I believe Gok has the knowledge to answer. Im hardly concerned. Like Hursty, i don't care if he speaks Trolloc. I'm just curious.

I have answered it, they aren't dumb as what you think. Very often enough there are English phrases in their cartoons more than you think is just pure Japanese language.

I have just watched Gurren Laggan, and there are words like "Giga Drill!" "definite kill".

Gundam : "Commencing sequence initiation." "critical damage" "hyper drive"

Hence, this is trivial.

This is almost like you think they won't know what is "Transform!" "To all are one" "destroy decepticons"

[Hursticon]

I have answered it, they aren't dumb as what you think. Very often enough there are English phrases in their cartoons more than you think is just pure Japanese language.

No one is questioning the intelligence or capacity of the Japanese to understand English words/phrases, your inference to the contrary is rather off-putting.

[GoktimusPrime]

Having lived in Japan and tutored English there, I can tell you - most Japanese kids (and adults) don't speak a lick of English. It's nothing to do with being dumb, it's more to do w/ their education system which I won't elaborate on here.

But lemme put it this way, a lot of Western kids know Japanese catchphrases without knowing their meaning like "Kamehameha," "Hadouken", "Shouryuuken," "Hokage," "Arashikage" etc. Heck... how many English speaking kids know what Latin based names like "Optimus Prime" or "Ultra Magnus" means? When I teach Latin to Year 7 students, it's always been the first time that they've discovered the meaning of these words.

e.g.
Marcellus optimus est ("Marcellus is great").
Balaena magnus^a est ("The whale is big").

Or when I teach them the verb "salit" (to jump), and explain to them that that's where the word "sault" comes from in "somersault" (to leap over). This is also why the Jumpstarters are called "Saltman" (Jumping Man) in Latin American countries. I sometimes like to amuse kids (and see who's really paying attention) by putting in ridiculous statements in questions. Like in a test a question will ask students to translate "Mater est in horto. Mater in horto salit." ("The mother is in the garden. The mother is in the garden jumping.") The clever kids have a good muffled chuckle. Often when I return the test papers I get asked, "Why is the mother jumping in the garden?" to which I reply, "Because she's waiting for the trampouline to be invented."

[Trent]

I have answered it, they aren't dumb as what you think. Very often enough there are English phrases in their cartoons more than you think is just pure Japanese language.

I have just watched Gurren Laggan, and there are words like "Giga Drill!" "definite kill".

Gundam : "Commencing sequence initiation." "critical damage" "hyper drive"

Hence, this is trivial.

This is almost like you think they won't know what is "Transform!" "To all are one" "destroy decepticons"

I never inferred that they were dumb. And i dont like that you implied otherwise. I was simply curious and asked Gok a question. I apologize for not being the cultural knowledge powerhouse that you appear to be. I will derail this thread no longer.

Gok, thanks for the explanation. It was appreciated