Pronounciation of "Bulma"?

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

I can understand the desire to stick with Bulma, but it doesn't make sense...

It's just that "Bulma" is used in a lot of official merchendise and consistently in the Anime and Manga. I don't want to be contrary to that.


And I've been using "Bulma" since I became a fan and I don't wanna change.

I think that's a valid reason for using "Bulma".

[Chuquita]

"Blooma" sounds more fun to say outloud (bloo-mah X3 ), but as my db-related stuff is mostly online, I'll be sticking with "Bulma".

[linkdude20002001]

I can understand the desire to stick with Bulma, but it doesn't make sense...

Why not?

It doesn't make sense when compared to the common spellings of her family members' names. Everyone but her (and occasionally her daughter) has their names spelt exactly the same as the word their name's based off.

It's just that "Bulma" is used in a lot of official merchendise and consistently in the Anime and Manga. I don't want to be contrary to that.

And I've been using "Bulma" since I became a fan and I don't wanna change.

I think that's a valid reason for using "Bulma".

No, I agree with you. Bulma is her name and I understand completely the reasons for people (including myself) to use Bulma, but I'm just saying the spelling itself is weird.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

No, I agree with you. Bulma is her name and I understand completely the reasons for people (including myself) to use Bulma, but I'm just saying the spelling itself is weird.

As a romanization, it is weird. But as a spelling, it doesn't look that weird.

[Olivier Hague]

It doesn't make sense when compared to the common spellings of her family members' names. Everyone but her (and occasionally her daughter) has their names spelt exactly the same as the word their name's based off.

"Panchy"?
But even if that were the case, that wouldn't necessarily make the spelling "Bulma" a mistake or nonsensical.

[ThunderPX]

I just went back and checked the first episode of Kai to hear the Japanese pronunciation, but no matter how much I replay it, it sounds like "Bulma", not "Bluma." (Well, with an R, but you get the point.)

[Adamant]

While we're on that subject, has any dub actually used "Blooma"?

"Bluma" is used in the Norwegian dub, and presumably various other dubs using the AB Groupe dub as a base. They also use the equally unconventional "Clirin" for Kuririn.

ブルーマー, ブルマー, and ブルマ all get used in Japan.

As does ブルーマ, to complete your list.

[linkdude20002001]

As a romanization, it is weird. But as a spelling, it doesn't look that weird.

That's basically what I meant; it doesn't match the others in terms of romanization. Then again, none of the other characters had their names written in English except for Trunks.

It doesn't make sense when compared to the common spellings of her family members' names. Everyone but her (and occasionally her daughter) has their names spelt exactly the same as the word their name's based off.

"Panchy"?
But even if that were the case, that wouldn't necessarily make the spelling "Bulma" a mistake or nonsensical.

Panchy is written パンチー (panchii) in Japanese. Muten Rōshi uses that very spelling when asking Gokuh for the mermaid's panties. The reason her name is written Panchy is because Toriyama specifically says (I'm paraphrasing by the way) ""it's パンチー (panchii) rather than パンティー (pantii)".

I never said Bulma was a mistake. Bulma a possible transliteration (and the only correct one), but it doesn't fit in with other common transliterations like Trunks, Dr Brief, Bra, and Panty/Panchy. For all we know, Toriyama would write them all like he did Bulma; Toranks, Breef, Bulla, et cetera.

"Bluma" is used in the Norwegian dub, and presumably various other dubs using the AB Groupe dub as a base. They also use the equally unconventional "Clirin" for Kuririn.

ブルーマー, ブルマー, and ブルマ all get used in Japan.

As does ブルーマ, to complete your list.

Did they actually spell it "Clirin"? In the Philippines, his name is Kririn. It's a little better, I suppose.
Thanks. I couldn't remember for sure, so I left ブルーマ out.

[Piccolo Daimao]

What is the correct pronounciation of Bulma? Is it "Boolma", so it sounds closer to its name pun, "bloomers"? And no, this is not a thread for speculating whether or not "Bulma" is the correct term to use.

Bulma. Buruma is the pun on ''bloomers'', not the transliteration. So the proper pronunciation would be which of two is closer to Buruma. So like Olivier said, figure out which you feel works best the Us and the A.

Yeah, I meant to say that. I know "Buruma" is a pun of bloomers.

If her name is "Bulma", you can't pronounce it "Blooma". Instead, you could try to pronounce Bulma as close to bloomers as possible. Bool-mah? I know it's odd pronouncing the U like that, but people do that with Luffy, so why the Hell not for Bulma too?

As well as Elder Muri, the Great Elder's successor.

Since forever, I've been pronouncing Bulma as "bul-mah" (like "dull" with a "b"). Simply because that's how I pronounced in my head whenever I saw it written down. It's been ingrained into my brain so much now that I find it hard to switch to what I believe would be the correct pronounciation of the word, "bool-ma" (because that sounds closer to "bloomers"). For me, "Bool-ma" just sounds weird and doesn't sit comfortable with me, but I'll probably end up using that pronounciation because I think it's correct.

[Adamant]

Did they actually spell it "Clirin"?

Yep. Checked the subtitles.

Yeah, I meant to say that. I know "Buruma" is a pun of bloomers.

But... it's not, no more than "Torankusu" is a pun on "trunks". It's just the word.

[Piccolo Daimao]

Did they actually spell it "Clirin"?

Yep. Checked the subtitles.

Yeah, I meant to say that. I know "Buruma" is a pun of bloomers.

But... it's not, no more than "Torankusu" is a pun on "trunks". It's just the word.

OK, whatever. *sigh* I thought Bulma was "Buruma" in English, and, obviously, "Bulma" isn't the word "bloomers"...But I'm no expert at Japanese anyway.

[Olivier Hague]

The reason her name is written Panchy is because Toriyama specifically says (I'm paraphrasing by the way) ""it's パンチー (panchii) rather than パンティー (pantii)".

Yes, Toriyama explained he would have used the tweaked "パンチー", that was my point.

For all we know, Toriyama would write them all like he did Bulma; Toranks, Breef, Bulla, et cetera.

You can't be sure there's a "rule", there.

[MCDaveG]

I'm pronouncing it bull-mah, boolma.... don't know how to describe it better.

[linkdude20002001]

Yes, Toriyama explained he would have used the tweaked "パンチー", that was my point.

You can't be sure there's a "rule", there.

But I already told you that panchii is ALSO a spelling of panties in Japan.

I never said there was a rule. All I'm saying is that there COULD be a rule. As far as I know, he's only used the "Trunks" spelling once. It could've been just a quick one time spelling like Goku and Kuririn, so who knows... His name MIGHT be something different. Toriyama might one day decide to write "Toranks" on his shirt or something.

[Olivier Hague]

But I already told you that panchii is ALSO a spelling of panties in Japan.

It's a tweaked spelling. Not the one you'll find in dictionaries.

I never said there was a rule. All I'm saying is that there COULD be a rule.

So the spelling "Bulma" doesn't make sense because it fails to follow a rule that might not even exist in the first place?

[linkdude20002001]

It doesn't make sense when used together with the other excepted spellings.

[Olivier Hague]

It doesn't make sense when used together with the other accepted spellings.

'Doesn't change a thing to what I said above: you're saying that because you're assuming there's some kind of a "rule", there.

[linkdude20002001]

Here are my thoughts on the matter. Her name is Bulma, but why? Is there a pattern or rule to her family's names? If so, is her name an exception? A mistake? In Japanese, her name is a type of underwear, so shouldn't it be the same when written in alphabet?

[Olivier Hague]

Well, the usual reply from me: "not necessarily". ^^;

[linkdude20002001]

I know, I know... But it's not impossible for Toriyama to suddenly start writing her name as Bloomer on official art. Someone needs to interview him and ask him how to spell his characters' names in alphabet. Lol.