Question ("Go-kou" vs "Go-ku")

Chibi Mystic Gohan · Post by **Chibi Mystic Gohan** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 12:26 am

Is there any reason why people, even fansubbers/fanslators, write 'Gokuu' as 'Gokou'? You would think that people that could read Japaense well enough to translate it would be able to see the error they're making, so is there something confusing about Goku's Japanese name?

*PINHEAD* · Post by ***PINHEAD*** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 12:29 am

I think it all started with Bandai and the Super Battle Collection line of toys. I guess no one really corrected it since. Even I am guilty of spelling Son's name "Gok-ou," and even to the extent of sometimes pronouncing it "Go-ko-uh."

Post by **VegettoEX** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 1:31 am

Agreed. Most likely began with Bandai. They, to this day, still write "Gokou" in all of their video games (and as stated, believe it started on the Super Battle Collection figures).

And despite it originating pre-FUNimation, there's still that fanboy-element of "I want to defy the company I hate and use a different spelling" (something I have to admit I was into in a past I'd like to forget).

SDHero · Post by **SDHero** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 2:05 am

Which, amusingly enough, is a practice Bandai is now managing to confuzzle people in the US with! Jakks Pacific has liscenced Bandai's "Ultimate Figure Series," and is bringing them over with what might be considered a certain amount of laziness, or '99 sub-only-fan cool (hey, I was there too, it's embarassing in retrospect, much like disco).

Here's a pic, http://www.dragonballtoys.com/archive/i ... 9/ImgID/20, US packaging on the right.

Chibi Mystic Gohan · Post by **Chibi Mystic Gohan** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 2:17 am

OMG! It's Song Okou!

SDHero · Post by **SDHero** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 2:28 am

I know! I fucking LOVE that guy! I hear he's a Super Saiya-jin!!!

DBW · Post by **DBW** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 2:38 am

Chibi Mystic Gohan wrote:Is there any reason why people, even fansubbers/fanslators, write 'Gokuu' as 'Gokou'?

That's the official "English" spelling of his name according to Bandai, TOEI and Shueisha. As people said, it's on all the action figure lines and video games. Just for some other examples, it appears as Son Gokou on pages 17, 111, and 117 of Dragon Book (the DB one). It's also appears as Gokou on page 2 of the Landmark manga guide, and pages 5-58 (along the edge) of the Son Gokuu Densetsu anime guide. I'm sure there are LOTS of other places where it's spelt "Gokou" throughout all the different books and Daizenshuu, I'm just too lazy to look through them right now...

Just some other ones I saw flipping through the books:

Saiyajin = Saiyan
Buruma = Bulma
Kuririn = Klilyn
Yamucha = Yamcha

Why the hell does the site automatically correct the spelling to Goku? That's...wierd...

SonGokuGT · Post by **SonGokuGT** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 3:54 am

I have Landmark and it has a lot of weird English spelling in it... And if "Son Gok.ou" is the official "English" spelling, why don't the original companies enforce it? I guess it's much like the Oda vs. Viz "Zoro vs. Zolo" thing...

Pedro The Hutt · Post by **Pedro The Hutt** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 10:02 am

Hm, perhaps it's a mess up between french and english pronounciation. >.>;; In french "ou" is pronounced like the "u" in Son Goku.
*most likely off the bat here*

El_Diablo · Post by **El_Diablo** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 10:42 am

It is also the case in English words, like "you"

Chibi Mystic Gohan · Post by **Chibi Mystic Gohan** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 11:21 am

El_Diablo wrote:It is also the case in English words, like "you"

But in Japanese, the 'ou' wouldn't sound like that, it'd be "Goh-koh o" instead of "Goh-Kuh"

Post by **TripleRach** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 12:30 pm

To add a bit more, the original manga uses either GOKU or GOKUH, and I believe Piccolo had the GOKUU hat in the anime.

I think it's generally best to ignore any "official" Japanese romanizations, since they're often inconsistent or just plain wrong. ("Red Ribon", anyone?)

Post by **VegettoEX** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 12:46 pm

DBW wrote:Why the hell does the site automatically correct the spelling to Goku? That's...wierd...

I've got it set on a whole bunch of lame spellings, like "Gokou" and "Hercule". ^^;;

Chibi Mystic Gohan · Post by **Chibi Mystic Gohan** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 12:51 pm

But Hercule is the champ!

Pedro The Hutt · Post by **Pedro The Hutt** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 12:55 pm

Of mount Olympus. :o In the DB world Mr. Satan is champ. XD

[JULIAN EDIT: "Satan," not "Saturn."]

[Pedro edit: Thanks for clearing that up for me once and for all. XD Been pondering the correct romanji spelling for some time. >.>]

SpaceKappa · Post by **SpaceKappa** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 7:40 pm

EX learned the censor bypass trick from me.

I admit I always spell it Gokou. I've always done it that way, and "Goku" looks too short. His name is pronounced longer than that.

It's not elitest-fanboyism, I've just always spelled it that way, I'm used to it, and I don't feel like changing it. The fact that it's always spelled that way in Japan makes me feel better about it too.

Jerseymilk · Post by **Jerseymilk** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 8:11 pm

Ya, that's the same as me with "Buruma". I just prefer that spelling and I'm used to spelling it that way. And I'll cotinue to do so, despite the constant mocking by certain, "significant others" in my life who shall remain nameless.

Xyex, you know who you are. XP

LaRésistance · Post by **LaRésistance** » Sat Jan 08, 2005 9:42 pm

TripleRach wrote:I think it's generally best to ignore any "official" Japanese romanizations, since they're often inconsistent or just plain wrong. ("Red Ribon", anyone?)

Or "WELL COME". Some of the mistakes they made just made you think "how in the HFIL could they let that mistake slide".

Michi · Post by **Michi** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 3:39 am

... I really don't see how they decided "Gokou" would be good for an English ごくう... It isn't ごこう .. *scratches head* It confused me at first, before I saw the Japanese version, because I thought his name was really Gokou in the original. @_x

Mizugi wrote:I admit I always spell it Gokou. I've always done it that way, and "Goku" looks too short. His name is pronounced longer than that.

Then why not go for Gokuu instead, as his name is really spelled? ^^ (and the extra u being the reason for the longer pronounciation as well)

Chibi Mystic Gohan · Post by **Chibi Mystic Gohan** » Sun Jan 09, 2005 3:42 pm

Michi wrote:... I really don't see how they decided "Gokou" would be good for an English ごくう... It isn't ごこう

Exactly! It makes no sense.

Kanzenshuu

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