24 January 2009 @ 12:53 am
chikotori

Translation - Persona 4 Club: Kanji

Lots of random information about Kanji in here. Thanks to kinotachi for sharing the scans!
SPOILERS for everything related to Kanji, Naoto's big secret and a Konishi Naoki S-link event.

Firstly, I've edited the translation I did for Naoto's section. I realised I made a few mistakes and left out some bits, so I fixed those and also reworded some bits for consistency's sake. Nothing major, except for the first section.

Secondly, I've reworded this translation a gazillion times but I still fail to channel Kanji's voice orz. I think my brain is just too different from Kanji's. So if some bits here seem cheesy/ don't make sense/ don't sound like Kanji, I'm sorry (I can't help the cheesy bits though).

Lastly, I don't know if anyone's expecting me to, but I won't be translating the pages for the other characters. They'll take way too much time. I hope someone else will do them. If anyone wants to collaborate....well, I guess we can work something out....but I really don't think I can do much...so I hope someone with more love for the other characters will give it a shot.

Okay, enough waffling. On to the main part!

*

I want to be just as I am
Dyed in my own colours with my burning heart

As the thread and needle weaves in and out, the cloth twisting around the body is reborn as a beautiful rip. The loop of supple knitting wool around the finger intertwines to shape a soft yet solid form. The world of sewing and knitting is somehow so deep, so captivating. However, as a guy, how can I tell the world that I like stuff like dressmaking? No, I don't have such girly hobbies. As proof, I get into fights, I stopped going to school and I loiter around at night, don't I? I give myself a completely wild look and I even piss off my folks. I'm doin' this much, so don't go callin' me a 'girly man'!

Kanji's Profile
Nickname: Those who call me baldy should shut up
Gender: The man amongst the men
Date of birth: 1996/1/19
Zodiac sign: Aquarius
Height: 183cm
Weight: 65kg
Blood type: A
Famous person resembled: Seki Tomokazu
Favourite food: Animal crackers (the bigger versions are delicious too)
[T/N: If this doesn't make much sense, please refer to the bonus section on Kanji's favourite foods.]
Favourite ice-cream: Homerun Bar (I scored a three-base hit at Shiroku before)
[T/N: Yes, I probably spent too much time researching about Kanji's favourite foods orz]
Hobbies/Skills: Sewing, knitting, peeling the silver wrapper of Homerun Bars
Favourite type of battle: A fight without rules!
Comment: I have to obey my strict curfew or my mum'll kick up a fuss. Nice to meet you.
Extra stuff on the right:
Friends list: Naoto, Rise, Kuma, MC, Naoki, Yosuke
Social groups: Let's Sewing, Knitting Cafe, Delicious Shops in Inaba, I Like Hawaiian Quilts
Mail Notification: Mail from Hanamura Yosuke-san: I got the submarine...

Btw, after reading this, I realised that these profiles are supposed to be written by the characters' themselves, ie Kanji's handwriting is truly horrible.

Bonus: Kanji's Favourite Foods (I debated a bit on posting this part, since it's basically useless information unless you're curious about the Japanese counterparts of animal crackers and Topsicles. But since I've already wasted my life researching about it I'll just spam you guys share the fruits of my labour.) This part is not included in the book, since the Japanese probably don't need it.

Animal Crackers aka Ottotto
Basically a snack manufactured by Morinaga, but instead of land animals, it features marine life.

Picture taken from the Morinaga Ottotto page. Go click and enjoy the cuteness. I bet Kanji did.
From row 1, l-r: squid, sea urchin, tuna, crab, puffer fish, turtle, prawn, octopus, sunfish, starfish
There seem to be seven rare characters; I've found pictures of four of them: submarine, whale, anchor, penguin
Given that Yosuke's mail to Kanji mentions the submarine, I'm wondering if the one Kanji's lusting after in the original Japanese game is the submarine. The penguin's a lot cuter though :3.

Topsicles aka Homerun Bar
They look like this.
After eating them, you can check the stick and see if you're scored a homerun!
You might get nothing on the stick, or you might score a single, a two-base hit, a three-base hit, or a homerun, with the homerun being the rarest one. You get a free extra Homerun Bar if you score a homerun.

PS: This reminds me of the icre-cream I used to eat a lot when I was a kid. I collected one large bundle of the sticks and never won anything but it was fun eating the ice-creams. Paddlepop anyone? :D
This also makes me wonder if there are ice-creams like this in other countries.

*

The mini-essay part which is.... really mini.

He is the eldest son of the Tatsumi family, owners of the textile shop in Inaba's Central Shopping District. From the start, he was known as a delinquent. When he was in middle school, he destroyed a biker gang and his notorious fame as a wild person spread to every corner of the countryside town. Although people mistake him as a member of a biker gang himself or as someone who likes violence, he actually truly does not have even the tiniest inclination to be violent. When his strong denial of the side of him which enjoys feminine hobbies like sewing and knitting was pushed to the extreme, it unexpectedly established his position as a juvenile delinquent.

He is terrified of having the secrets he has kept for so long - his likes and his true nature - revealed and he suspects that he really does have a feminine heart. As a result, on the other side of the TV, a dazzling world of love between men was created. Even after his friends have accepted his long-standing inner conflicts, his likes and hobbies, and the him who represents all those things, he still feels unsettled at times.
He drapes his school uniform over his shoulders in a punk-ish style to emphasise the atmosphere he wants to create around him. The sight of a spurt of blood on the strangely fair hair he inherited from his mother gives a full impact. Even the sunglasses he uses in the TV suits the scary-faced Kanji perfectly. He conveys perfectly an impression of madness when he's around any authority figure, but he speaks politely to the main character and his other seniors. However, whenever he gets flustered and he wants to threaten people effectively regardless of the circumstances, he still occasionally gets into fights and scraps.

*

Kanji, the Triple Crown Winner in housework?

He has been interested in arts and crafts since young and has been honing his skills without anyone knowing. Kanji's cutely designed works, which include knit plushies and plush hand mitts are already being sold as proper goods in the shop. He also conducts handicrafts classes for the neighbours. When it comes to crafts, Kanji is unrivaled. In addition to that, in the social link event with Konishi Naoki it was revealed that the 'super yummy croquettes Kanji's mum made' which he had 10 years ago was actually made by the young Kanji. In other words, not only is Kanji good at crafts and sewing, he's also a decent cook. Now, let's look at the last of the three main housekeeping skills; cleaning. Since he has a neurotic personality and is obsessed with details, likes fine work, hates cockroaches and likes cleanliness, we can guess that Kanji is the type who likes to clean, and folds clothes with perfect corners and not a crease in sight. If Kanji's abilities were to become widely known... it may be the start of his era of popularity with women.

*

This entire section is about Kanji and Naoto. The fangirl in me is very happy and amused :).

Kanji's pace gets messed up

2011 was the year where due to various incidents concerning his school life, Kanji's life took an important, positive step. Amongst those incidents, the one at the very top in Kanji's personal ranking is, of course, meeting the main character... and also, meeting Naoto. Ever since he met Naoto, Kanji was aware that he was constantly feeling unbalanced, and in the end, the year ended without him regaining his balance. When he sees or hears Naoto, he is sometimes nervous and flustered, sometimes rude and sometimes gentle. It may be Kanji's fate to always be unbalanced around Naoto, maybe even in the future long after their schooldays are over.

*

I like all the Q&A sections; they'll full of interesting and random tidbits.

Q&A
Q: Did he keep a photo of his late father in the silver locket he had at the beginning?
A: No, he didn't keep a picture of his late father there. Kanji's relatively indifferent towards his own fashion; he chose the locket simply because he liked the design. He only realised that you can insert a photo there after his mother pointed it out to him.

Q: So, there's nothing in the locket?
A: Since it's Kanji, so he might occasionally put in cute photos of cats. When he's feeling down, he might even look at it, make some mewing noises and feel better after that.

Q: He really wants to join the Sewing Club, doesn't he?
A: The kind-hearted Kanji felt that he might frighten the other club members, so it seems like he didn't do more than wish for it. However, he doesn't know that by standing outside the classroom and staring into it continuously for days, he has made the Sewing Club members nervous.

Q: Did he get Naoto to tell him the answer of the 'question' she gave him?
A: No, he didn't. However, it wasn't because Naoto was being mean. She just thought that it'll be boring once he knows the answer so she thought it'll be kinder to keep quiet. Kanji cries.

T/N: What question? I don't remember any question? Did I miss it?
Actually, I don't remember the locket either but the mental image of Kanji peeking into it to look at pictures of cute cats (and probably blushing while he's doing it) is just so hilarious :D.

*

Random crack conversation part.

What kind of person is Kanji?
Rise: Hey, you know the outfit Teddie was wearing during the cultural festival? Where did you get it from? Do girls' clothes fit you?

Teddie: At first I thought I could get something at Junes, so I went to the the ladies section there...

Yukiko: And?

Teddie: Well, Teddie's a popular boy, you know, so they let me try on lots of clothes...

Yosuke: So you can fit into girl's clothes after all. It must be because you're the slim type, out of that bear suit.

Teddie: But Teddie's image of a maiden is a soft and flowy one, not a trendy one. So Teddie was told to look for 'cosplay costumes'.

Rise: That sort of dress with an apron is indeed a maid style outfit; normal shops won't have it.

Teddie: And so, Teddie cast his eye far and wide, and realised something amazing! Teddie should just get Kanji to make him one.

Rise: Huh? So, Kanji was the one who made that outfit!?

Yosuke: Ooh! As expected of the eldest son of the Tatsumi house, your dressmaking skill is top notch! You're all set to be a good wife!

Kanji: Stupid bear! Why did you tell them! I'm gonna kill you!! ...But, it's nothin' big, really. He just said that he wanted to wear something like that...

Rise: Hey, Kanji~. I want you to make me something to wear too.

Kanji: Aah!? Don't just jump on the bandwagon here. Why should I make something for you?

Yosuke: I see. So, during the holiday before the cultural festival, in the living room at the back of Tatsumi's Textiles, Teddie who is stark naked because his measurements were being taken, and Kanji whose hands were all sweaty, were so close together...

Kanji: AAAAAHHH!! What the hell!!? Stop bullshittin' or I'll shut it for you!!! I, I am just a normal high school guy!!

Poor Kanji :3.
Yosuke obviously writes bad smutty fanfic in his spare time.