Some Japanese Questions

[Dayspring]

After watching the Bardock special last night (2000 version), I noticed the Japanese subtitles use the name ''Kakarot'' instead of with the T and O at the end. It also called him a ''Lowest-Class Saiyan'' when it came time to send him to ''FX-50,'' whereas Bardock and others were always refered to as ''Lower-Class Saiyan.''

1) Can ''Kakarot'' actually be a proper translation, if only meant to be pronounced ''Kaka-wrote,'' as if all that was dropped from ''Kakarotto'' was the ''toe'' sound of ''Kaka-wrote-toe''?

2) Does the original Japanese actually refer to Goku as a ''Lowest-Class Saiyan'' here?

[Herms]

I'm not entirely sure what you mean about the "Kaka-wrote" stuff, but "Kakarot" is indeed a valid transliteration of Goku's Saiyan name. Considering that the English word 'carrot' is written in Japanese as キャロット/kyarotto, it makes sense to drop the 'to' at the end of "Kakarotto" (of course, the downside is that you run into problems with Vegetto's name).

As for "lowest-class Saiyan", it's been ages since I've seen the special, so I can't help you there.

[Olivier Hague]

After watching the Bardock special last night (2000 version), I noticed the Japanese subtitles use the name ''Kakarot'' instead of with the T and O at the end.

What are you talking about?

Does the original Japanese actually refer to Goku as a ''Lowest-Class Saiyan'' here?

It says "saikakyû senshi", so yeah. Then again, he's also called a "kakyû senshi" ("lower-class warrior") less than four minutes later.

[Kiyza]

After watching the Bardock special last night (2000 version), I noticed the Japanese subtitles use the name ''Kakarot'' instead of with the T and O at the end.

What are you talking about?

I think he means that the subtitles said "Kakarot" as opposed to "Kakarotto" and wants to know why that is.

[desirecampbell]

Dayspring means "is 'Kakarot' an acceptable romanization, and should it use a long 'o' sound (like in 'road', or 'wrote') instead of the usual short 'o' (like in 'carot', or 'hot')?"

And secondly, what is said about Goku being a lower/lowest class Saiyan?

[Herms]

It says "saikakyû senshi", so yeah. Then again, he's also called a "kakyû senshi" ("lower-class warrior") less than four minutes later.

I remember that the daizenshuu seem to use those terms interchangeably when referring to the same character. For instance, I'm pretty sure Raditz gets called both a lower and lowest-class warrior, and I think Bardock's crew does too. Kinda weird, though I guess we could assume that a lowest-class warrior is just a sub-division of lower-class warriors, so both terms would be applicable. Like how if someone is morbidly obese, it's just as accurate, but less specific, to call them simply "obese". I guess.

[Olivier Hague]

After watching the Bardock special last night (2000 version), I noticed the Japanese subtitles use the name ''Kakarot'' instead of with the T and O at the end.

What are you talking about?

I think he means that the subtitles said "Kakarot" as opposed to "Kakarotto" and wants to know why that is.

And he's actually talking about non-Japanese subtitles, I assume...

[Adamant]

No, Daimao's subtitles have always said "Kakarrot".

[Dayspring]

What are you talking about?

I think he means that the subtitles said "Kakarot" as opposed to "Kakarotto" and wants to know why that is.

And he's actually talking about non-Japanese subtitles, I assume...

I was referring to the English subtitles for the Japanese audio track.

Regarding lowest and lower both being used by the same people, I think it actually tells us that there are indeed three social (or at least strength) classes. Because of Saiyan logic, you're either upper class (elite) or not (lower-class warriors), but there should also be a middle class, so the term "lowest-class warrior" is probably there to define the actual lower class, while the "lower-class" is probably the real middle class. So like Herms said, be it officially or unofficially, "lowest-class warrior" is probably a sub-division of the Lower-Class Saiyans. This is neat, because it gives us a more accurate idea of what the average Saiyan's strength was, since Radditz (1,500) represented the average for the Lowest-class. It also makes the use of Saibamen more realistic, as strong Saibamen are only in the 1,200s.