MovieChat Forums > Mayonaka no Yaji-san Kita-san (2005) Discussion > Wow, that really didn't translate well.

Wow, that really didn't translate well.

posted 18 years ago by GurnBlenston
5 replies | jump to latest

Was looking forward to this, as I always like Kankuro Kudos efforts as scriptwriter but this wasn't a good film for me, because a) A lot/if not most of the humour was based on the Japanese language or pop culture references unknown to westerners and b) the actors all use that massively OTT, screaming anime style of Japanese comedy.

While there were a few gags that survived, most of this was pretty damn incomprehensible. I'm guessign that the a lot of the people who say they "loved it omg!!11" are total Wapanese.

[–] za_kannushi 18 years ago

I've lived in Japan for a couple of years, and while I understood the language and pop culture references, I did not like this one. Especially because of that "screaming anime style of Japanese comedy" (not sure what OTT means. "Odd trumpeting tractors"? "Old tantalizing telephones?"). The strange thing is that this movie is actually considered a mainstream movie in Japan.

[–] Deadly_Lil_Miho 18 years ago

OTT = Over The Top

"I don't want to achieve immortality through my work; I want to achieve it by not dying"

[–] mike_sensei 18 years ago

Are you sure you understood all the pop culture references? The language jokes aren't that hard, but I suspect most of the pop-culture references are WAY too obscure for someone who has only lived in Japan for a couple of years. I can't see how anyone wouldn't find this movie brilliantly funny if they got all the homages and references. Not that I do, but all my Japanese friends love this movie. And the more I watch it and pick up on the little references, the more I see why.

M

[–] LivingDog 17 years ago

I only got 3 sight gags. The characters became more interesting when the comedy stopped. Then the story took over. I don't see this movie as a straight forward 100% comedy.

It starts off as a comedy, in the middle it has a serious love story, and then ends on a tone of fantasy.

I started hating the Japanese b/c of this (o/j) - then thought that drugs have destroyed a wonderfully rich deep and long culture - and then ended up having a new respect for the modern Japanese.

So overall, I liked it. 8? out of 10??

-LD
____________
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[–] Umiko 16 years ago

<<I'm guessign that the a lot of the people who say they "loved it omg!!11" are total Wapanese.>>

Perhaps they are not Wapanese (whatecer that is), maybe Japanese or with good humor!
I loved the show. It is three years since I saw it in Japan. My husband likes it also. He is Japanese as well. My friends love it. Maybe the humor is just different from your taste?