Gohan calls his father "Obasan"?

Bardock the Mexican · Post by **Bardock the Mexican** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:15 pm

Once again I have another question about the Japanese version of DBZ. Nothing new under the sun, and yet one that is very interesting to me. I think that it would be more realistic for young Gohan to use "chichi" with his father instead of the more honorific form used in the start of DBZ. He might have been shown using this form to show what level of manners he was taught by Chichi (the mom) and that way. For comparison, the Spanish dub says "Papá"

Gokuden553 · Post by **Gokuden553** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:22 pm

I think Son-gohan called that robot sheltering him the same name ^^

Olivier Hague · Post by **Olivier Hague** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:37 pm

Bardock the Mexican wrote:I think that it would be more realistic for young Gohan to use "chichi" with his father instead of the more honorific form used in the start of DBZ.

Er... I don't think it's realistic for anybody to use "chichi" when talking to their father...
It's fine as it is, really.

Mr. Announcer · Post by **Mr. Announcer** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 10:03 pm

You would never really call your father chichi when talking to him because it's very impersonal and is probably the term you would use to refer to him among strangers or in a formal suituation. Upa was the most formal, calling his father "chichiue" but barely anyone would ever just say "chichi." That's just not normal. And what do you mean by Gohan calls Gokuh "Obasan"....? He calls him "otousan." Obasan is a term for adult women....

Bardock the Mexican · Post by **Bardock the Mexican** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 11:51 pm

Mr. Announcer wrote:You would never really call your father chichi when talking to him because it's very impersonal and is probably the term you would use to refer to him among strangers or in a formal suituation. Upa was the most formal, calling his father "chichiue" but barely anyone would ever just say "chichi." That's just not normal. And what do you mean by Gohan calls Gokuh "Obasan"....? He calls him "otousan." Obasan is a term for adult women....

Lo siento. My hearing must have been bad. I meant otousan. My apologies to all who are confused by the title.

KinoFourpaws · Post by **KinoFourpaws** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 11:14 am

Bardock the Mexican wrote:
Mr. Announcer wrote:You would never really call your father chichi when talking to him because it's very impersonal and is probably the term you would use to refer to him among strangers or in a formal suituation. Upa was the most formal, calling his father "chichiue" but barely anyone would ever just say "chichi." That's just not normal. And what do you mean by Gohan calls Gokuh "Obasan"....? He calls him "otousan." Obasan is a term for adult women....
Lo siento. My hearing must have been bad. I meant otousan. My apologies to all who are confused by the title.

Hmm... was there something you were trying to imply, Bardock? Like some gender-swapping?

Yeah, I would figure Otousan would be the proper way to address your dad, since they made it an honorific term (and in the Japanese society where this term evolved, it was all about the honor xD). "Chichi" has a double-meaning, remember. Otherwise Toriyama wouldn't have picked it for Goku's wife.

But I suppose since we're on the subject of "obasan," can anyone tell me why Chichi calls her husband "Goku-sa?" I thought -sa was a more... feminine suffix? o___O;

Bejiita · Post by **Bejiita** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 11:29 am

Gohan probably uses 'Otousan' because they live away from civilisation, in a little house away from normal people, or any people to more realistic. So he uses more manners in the way he talks.

Don't you realise how Trunks calls his Dad 'Papa' in the Japanese version?

Post by **desirecampbell** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 11:41 am

KinoFourpaws wrote:Hmm... was there something you were trying to imply, Bardock? Like some gender-swapping?

This is Dragonball, not Ranma, you fool!

KinoFourpaws wrote:But I suppose since we're on the subject of "obasan," can anyone tell me why Chichi calls her husband "Goku-sa?" I thought -sa was a more... feminine suffix? o___O;

I thought it was that she was trying to say 'san' but, being a hick, it comes out 'sa'.

KinoFourpaws · Post by **KinoFourpaws** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 11:45 am

desirecampbell wrote:
KinoFourpaws wrote:Hmm... was there something you were trying to imply, Bardock? Like some gender-swapping?
This is Dragonball, not Ranma, you fool!

KinoFourpaws wrote:But I suppose since we're on the subject of "obasan," can anyone tell me why Chichi calls her husband "Goku-sa?" I thought -sa was a more... feminine suffix? o___O;
I thought it was that she was trying to say 'san' but, being a hick, it comes out 'sa'.

I was just joking about that! D: ... But thanks for the link. That was cute. :B

As far as I can tell, -sa means something along the terms of "wife." I'm not very knowledgeable in Japanese, so I could be wrong, but that's what I've heard...

Yea, I know Chichi's a hick. Makes me wish FUNi'd have kept that quality in there, but noooo, they don't wanna come off sounding like Texans...

Super Sonic · Post by **Super Sonic** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 12:32 pm

Perhaps they wanted to save that for any Osakans in their other properties.

Sun_Wukong · Post by **Sun_Wukong** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 2:42 pm

Bejiita wrote:
Don't you realise how Trunks calls his Dad 'Papa' in the Japanese version?

I assume youre referring to Chibi Trunks? Future Trunks always, as far as I know, used "Tousan"

Gokuden553 · Post by **Gokuden553** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 2:45 pm

I'm sure it's spelled "Otousan"

veshira · Post by **veshira** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 5:46 pm

Gokuden553 wrote:I'm sure it's spelled "Otousan"

"Tousan" is a short version of "Otousan." Future Trunks did, indeed, call Vegeta "tousan." ("TOUSA~N!")

Post by **desirecampbell** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 5:47 pm

Gokuden553 wrote:I'm sure it's spelled "Otousan"

What are you refering to? It looks like you're replying to Sun_Wukong. If so, you missed tyhe point. Tousan is 'short' for otousan.

If you were talking about the original question, saying that it's 'otousan' and not 'obasan', then you just didn't read the thread - because that's been established already.

Mr. Announcer · Post by **Mr. Announcer** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 9:22 pm

KinoFourpaws wrote: But I suppose since we're on the subject of "obasan," can anyone tell me why Chichi calls her husband "Goku-sa?" I thought -sa was a more... feminine suffix? o___O;

Actually you what I noticed that's kind of cute? She only uses the -sa for Gokuh and everyone else she refers to with -san like Kuririn and Bulma. I'm pretty sure this is done on purpose, but the one exception is when she used it for Piccolo's name in immediate succession after Gokuh's name so, er... whatever.

veshira · Post by **veshira** » Sat Sep 16, 2006 9:44 pm

Mr. Announcer wrote:Actually you what I noticed that's kind of cute? She only uses the -sa for Gokuh and everyone else she refers to with -san like Kuririn and Bulma. I'm pretty sure this is done on purpose, but the one exception is when she used it for Piccolo's name in immediate succession after Gokuh's name so, er... whatever.

When was that? I'm just wondering. Was it during the famous "driving" episode?

Olivier Hague · Post by **Olivier Hague** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 5:20 pm

Bejiita wrote:Gohan probably uses 'Otousan' because they live away from civilisation

Whuh? There's absolutely nothing weird about a kid calling his father that, in Japan.

KinoFourpaws wrote:I thought -sa was a more... feminine suffix? o___O;

Maybe you're thinking of "wa"?

As far as I can tell, -sa means something along the terms of "wife."

Er... No, it doesn't.

Kanzenshuu

Gohan calls his father "Obasan"?

Gohan calls his father "Obasan"?

Re: Gohan calls his father "Obasan"?

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