The "Makankōsappō"...How WOULD you localize that?

[Fionordequester]

You know, thinking of it now, "Kamehameha" may actually be self-evident enough anyway. Had "Master Roshi" been localized properly to start with, he would have been "Kamesennin", or "Turtle Sage/Hermit", right?

Well, the word "Sensei" is pretty familiar even to English speakers; just call him "Great Turtle Sage", "Turtle Sensei", and "Kamesennin" interchangeably! And when the "Kame" style is referred to in the original script, go back and forth between calling it "Turtle Style" and "Kame Style". Heck, remember that one time when Tenshinhan did the Kamehameha himself? Well maybe have him make a snide remark about the "so-called 'Destructive Turtle Wave'" when he does it.

Do that enough times, and I think kids would figure out that "Kame = Turtle" on their own, without any localization shenanigans.

[KBABZ]

You know, thinking of it now, "Kamehameha" may actually be self-evident enough anyway. Had "Master Roshi" been localized properly to start with, he would have been "Kamesennin", or "Turtle Sage/Hermit", right?

Well, the word "Sensei" is pretty familiar even to English speakers; just call him "Great Turtle Sage", "Turtle Sensei", and "Kamesennin" interchangeably! And when the "Kame" style is referred to in the original script, go back and forth between calling it "Turtle Style" and "Kame Style". Heck, remember that one time when Tenshinhan did the Kamehameha himself? Well maybe have him make a snide remark about the "so-called 'Destructive Turtle Wave'" when he does it.

Do that enough times, and I think kids would figure out that "Kame = Turtle" on their own, without any localization shenanigans.

It also says Kame right there on his house, but to devils advocate myself the link to the man living inside it is never explicitly called out.

[Robo4900]

I've practically always had a simple localization in mind... "Demon Drill Cannon." Gets all the key translation points across, has some alliteration with "Demon" and "Drill," and it can easily become "Darkness Drill Cannon" for TV broadcast if that must be a thing that happens.

That's a pretty good one. I'd side with this.

I personally also don't mind Viz's attempt with "Light of death". It's most certainly not perfect, but if it must be localised, it's not a bad way to do it. Particularly since Americans tend to be quite antsy about "Demon" or "Demonic" being words used in media in any context, particularly media aimed at all at children. Though I would perhaps suggest something along the lines of "Demonic murder wave". It's cheesy, but it does what it says on the tin.

Though honestly, the best way is to just romanise it, and leave it untranslated. Attack names tend to sound better like this anyway, and as long as the actor playing Piccolo makes it sound menacing enough, it'll work great.

[Polyphase Avatron]

You know, thinking of it now, "Kamehameha" may actually be self-evident enough anyway. Had "Master Roshi" been localized properly to start with, he would have been "Kamesennin", or "Turtle Sage/Hermit", right?

Well, the word "Sensei" is pretty familiar even to English speakers; just call him "Great Turtle Sage", "Turtle Sensei", and "Kamesennin" interchangeably! And when the "Kame" style is referred to in the original script, go back and forth between calling it "Turtle Style" and "Kame Style". Heck, remember that one time when Tenshinhan did the Kamehameha himself? Well maybe have him make a snide remark about the "so-called 'Destructive Turtle Wave'" when he does it.

Do that enough times, and I think kids would figure out that "Kame = Turtle" on their own, without any localization shenanigans.

It also says Kame right there on his house, but to devils advocate myself the link to the man living inside it is never explicitly called out.

When I watched the dub as a kid, I didn't know the difference between "kame" and "Kami".

[Robo4900]

You know, thinking of it now, "Kamehameha" may actually be self-evident enough anyway. Had "Master Roshi" been localized properly to start with, he would have been "Kamesennin", or "Turtle Sage/Hermit", right?

Well, the word "Sensei" is pretty familiar even to English speakers; just call him "Great Turtle Sage", "Turtle Sensei", and "Kamesennin" interchangeably! And when the "Kame" style is referred to in the original script, go back and forth between calling it "Turtle Style" and "Kame Style". Heck, remember that one time when Tenshinhan did the Kamehameha himself? Well maybe have him make a snide remark about the "so-called 'Destructive Turtle Wave'" when he does it.

Do that enough times, and I think kids would figure out that "Kame = Turtle" on their own, without any localization shenanigans.

It also says Kame right there on his house, but to devils advocate myself the link to the man living inside it is never explicitly called out.

When I watched the dub as a kid, I didn't know the difference between "kame" and "Kami".

The solution to that problem is for the localisation team to just call Piccolo's other half "God". Perhaps more specifically "The god of earth" once you start exploring the wider Dragon Ball cosmology after the Piccolo arc.

[Doctor.]

...Nail Gun?

[Robo4900]

...Nail Gun?

"Shit, that's pretty good."

[MasenkoHA]

But of course, leaving it untranslated isn't a valid choice either. For most English viewers, it'd sound like Piccolo was just shouting a random word, since we don't actually know Japanese.

?

Leaving it untranslated is totally a valid choice and is what should have been done.

If anything keeping attacks untranslated makes them sound more exotic and interesting amd it would make sense for Piccolo, a demon/alien, to have an alien sounding (to non-Japanese speakers) attack

[KBABZ]

But of course, leaving it untranslated isn't a valid choice either. For most English viewers, it'd sound like Piccolo was just shouting a random word, since we don't actually know Japanese.

?

Leaving it untranslated is totally a valid choice and is what should have been done.

If anything keeping attacks untranslated makes them sound more exotic and interesting amd it would make sense for Piccolo, a demon/alien, to have an alien sounding (to non-Japanese speakers) attack

I agree! Part of what makes Dragon Ball setting appealing to me is that it's foreign in that way, and it helps give it flavour and be more interesting by embracing its various cultural influences, be that ancient China or Inuits or the Middle-East.

[Kuwabara]

Demon's Flash Fire! Technically only four syllables, but I think it rolls off the tongue a little better than, "Demonic Flash Fire" would.

[jjgp1112]

Gum-Gum Pistol

[Rubens]

"Demonic Driller"

"Super Demon Drill"

"Demon Light Spear"

Just throwing around a few names... I personally prefer to stick with japanese name but I think it sounds kind of a complicated for the general community, especially the more casual fans, in which case I would understand a localization.

[JohnnyCashKami]

Just leave as is. I love hearing the original terms on foreign dubs.

If you're gonna try to translate that, then what's Kamehame-Ha!? Blue Energy Solar Wave?

[Kamiccolo9]

Demon/Devil/Darkness Drill Spiral, or something like that.

Piercing Devil Beam

The Penetrator.

[Cure Dragon 255]

Change the DEVIL word for DEMON, and we have a deal Kamiccolo!

[Hulk10]

Just leave as is. I love hearing the original terms on foreign dubs.

If you're gonna try to translate that, then what's Kamehame-Ha!? Blue Energy Solar Wave?

I agree, but Kamehameha is supposed to be translated as Turtle wave.

[Robo4900]

I agree, but Kamehameha is supposed to be translated as Turtle wave.

Kamehameha actually comes from the name of a Hawaian king. "Turtle wave" and/or "Turtle destruction wave" are just attempts people make at trying to make sense out of it as a Japanese word phrase... Which ends up similar to trying to make sense out of the "German" in the Monty Python funniest joke in the world sketch.

[Cure Dragon 255]

I KNEW IT! I was going to say something along those lines but you know way more than I do. Also this brings one more reason it shouldnt be translated, Like the Kameha Wave sounds weird and adds too many lip flaps. Its better to just keep as is.

[ErikB]

Simply "Demon Drill." Short enough that working it into lip-flaps wouldn't be an issue, alliterative, and a decent-enough translation.

[8000 Saiyan]

Honestly, just keep it as it is. Like Forte said, Makankosappo is a cool name on its own.