MaruMA:Vol03:Translator's Notes
Prologue
Shinou
Shinou (Shin-Ou): literally means the Original King. It is not a proper name as many people think. In fact, out of respect for their god and first king, the mazokus have made the real name of the original king a taboo, not to be pronounced out loud, and so everyone calls him Shinou.
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Chapter 1
Yuuri
This is a little play on words based on the kanji of the name "Yuuri," which is translated as "advantage / benefit / interest." The kanji “ri” in “yuuri” can be combined with other kanji to form many different words, but all are related to banking terms. Examples: "rieki" (earnings / profit / interest), "kinri" (interest rates), "riken" (interest / rights / concession), etc. And worst of all, his name has the kanji “yuuri” (Advantageous / best / good / profitable). As Yuri's father works in a bank, it would appear like he was obsessed enough with interest rates to put something related to that in the name of his own child. So Yuuri complains that even though Conrart suggested the name, those who chose these kanji were his parents. Apart from this, and since “Yuuri” means "advantage", there is another joke: Shibuya Yuuri Harajuku Furi. Harajuku is a train station which is next to the station Shibuya, while "furi" means "handicap / unfavorable / disadvantageous," the exact antonym of “yuuri.”
Princess Tenko
David Copperfield and Princess Tenko are two magicians. The first is world famous, and the second is well-known in Japanese culture. Her real name was Marie Akos, and she was a singer before she started her career as a magician. She became very famous in the 90's around which time they released a doll in her honor.
Ian Thorpe
Ian Thorpe is an Australian swimmer. The national sports in Australia are rugby and swimming. In July 2001 Australia confirmed its dominance by winning six gold medals in different categories in the World Swimming Championships, held in the Japanese in the city of Fukuoka. Perhaps this is the reason why Yuuri knows about Ian Thorpe.
Kamen-Rider
Kamen Rider is a hero of a Japanese series/franchise who rides a motorcycle and wears a suit with a helmet that looks like a grasshopper. His name means 'masked motorcyclist' literally, and his costume is different in each seasons of the series. But his muscles are always emphasized, especially the abs to which Yuuri refers.
GI Joe
G.I. Joe is a line of action figures produced by the toy company Hasbro. The initial product offering represented four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces with the Soldier (Army), Action Sailor (Navy), Action Pilot (Air Force) and Action Marine (Marines). The term G.I. stands for Government Issue and became a generic term for U.S. soldiers (predating the action figures), especially ground forces. The development of G.I. Joe led to the coining of the term "action figure". (from Wikipedia)
Mito Komon
Mito Kōmon is the longest-running and most famous historical drama series (jidaigeki) in Japan with over 1000 episodes, which began broadcasting on Aug. 4, 1969. Its main character is based on the historic Tokugawa Mitsukuni, former vice-shogun and retired second daimyo of the Mito domain. In the guise of Mitsuemon, a retired crêpe merchant from Echigo, he roams the realm with two samurai retainers, fun-loving Sasaki Sukesaburō (Suke-san) and studious Atsumi Kakunoshin (Kaku-san). Episodes typically conclude with a brawl in which the unarmed, disguised protagonists better a crowd of samurai and gangsters, culminating with the presentation of the inrō that reveals the hero's identity. (from Wikipedia) Mitsuemon is the nick name that Yuuri used when he traveled incognito with Conrad and Wolfram to retrieve the Maken Morgif.
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Chapter 2
Lawrence of Arabia
‘Lawrence of Arabia’ is a 1962 British epic film based on the life of T. E. Lawrence. The film depicts Lawrence's experiences in Arabia during World War I, in particular his involvement in the rebellion against the Turks. The film was nominated for ten Oscars at the 35th Academy Awards, and won seven, including Best Picture (from Wikipedia). Here Yuuri mentions the typical Arab dress with turban and long white robe covering the whole body as shown in the movie.
Tone River
The Tone River is the widest in Japan (16 840 km²), and the second longest in the country with 322 km in length.
Kin and Gin
Kin Narita and Gin Kanie, the twin sisters from Japan who were record-setting in terms of their longevity, who reached 107 and 108 years of age. Their names mean “Gold and Silver,” respectively.
Boston and Saitama
Boston is located on the east coast of the United States, one of the oldest cities in the country, and one of the most populated today. Saitama Prefecture of Japan is located north of Tokyo, more or less at the center of the country.
Tottori
Tottori Prefecture in Japan is the least populated in the country and is located to the southwest. The small desert Yuri mentioned is a sandy desert 2km wide by 16km long, which has up to one small oasis in the middle.
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