Linguacultural characteristics of Japanese anime title translations into English

Abstract

This work aims to consider the linguacultural characteristics of translating Japanese anime titles into English. The translation of foreign filmonyms requires the consideration of extralinguistic factors, which underlines the importance of this research. It is essential to analyse not only the language itself, but also the cultural nuances of the countries in which the animated and feature films are being distributed. The theoretical section of the study covers the conceptual framework, the definition of the term “title”, the functions of filmonyms, translation strategies and types, historical facts related to the development of the anime genre in Japan and around the world, with a further focus on the various types of animated films. The practical part of the study analyses 150 filmonyms from a list of the most highly-rated anime films and series, as identified by the MyAnimeList search portal. Linguistic and cultural analysis of the translation of Japanese anime titles into English was conducted, revealing specific features of translation adaptation and proposing alternative translation options for anime titles. The analysis revealed that a significant proportion of the titles were translated from Japanese into English using techniques such as calquing and transliteration. Nevertheless, it has been demonstrated that the most effective method for adapting Japanese anime titles into English is through the use of translation techniques that incorporate extralinguistic factors, such as the cultural aspects of the target language. This is due to the fact that titles adapted in this manner are more closely integrated with the receiving culture, are more easily understood by viewers, and are therefore more appealing. Furthermore, such titles are more effective in reflecting the plot of the anime.