#translated from Japanese

[shinsengumi-archives]

Letter from Kondo Isami dated May 20, Genji 1 (June 23, 1864) to Nakajima Jirobei (中島次郎兵).

The second line from the left reads, "Male sexuality is popular" (男色流行).

Original letter

（本文略） 尚々、御家内中様御尊父始メ御勇猛之至奉恐賀候。陳者尊兄健次郎様事市ヶ谷辺江御縁談之由、恐悦至極奉存候。 次ニ下拙義も素□愚魯身不顧尽忠報国有志御募リ相成、然馬合之局中ヲ預リ、州鄙客申述頻ニ心配致ゆへ□哉意外多病相成、依而去二月肥後守殿□なるへく温泉致候様、依之罷越候処僅七八日ニ而俄ニ　肥後守殿御役替ニ付飛脚到来、其夜五十丁十六里帰京致候。 併相応度候哉当節大丈夫ニ相成候間、御懸念可被下候間敷、且乍憚一統様暫時処公然様奉願上候。 一、扨先年府中宿おいて御同様始楼登リ、妄戯仕事時々思ひ出申候。就而者当節婦人戯候事聊無之。局中頻ニ男色流行仕候。尚帰府之上申上度。以上

Translation

(Text omitted) I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of you, including your dear father, for your bravery. I am very pleased to hear of your older brother Kenjiro's marriage proposal and move to the Ichigaya area. Next, I have been recruiting volunteers to repay the nation with loyalty without regard for my own life, and have been entrusted with the affairs of bureaucrats. I've had too many worries on my mind and I have been unexpectedly very ill. Last February, Higo-no-kami-dono asked me to visit a hot spring, so I did. After just 7 or 8 days, a courier suddenly arrived with news of Higo-no-kami-dono's change of position, so overnight I returned to Kyoto at a distance of 50 blocks and 16 ri [16 hour walk]. At the same time, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for your concern. For the time being, I can only offer my best wishes. Now, I sometimes recall that last year when I was in Fuchu, we visited brothels and indulged in raunchy games. In that regard, people no longer play around with the ladies these days. Male sexuality is popular frequently throughout the headquarters. I would like to mention this to you upon my return to my home province. That is all.

Commentary

In the main text (omitted), he writes that he was disappointed in the Shinsengumi's position and its role, and that he considered disbanding the group, but was consoled, and so on. [T/N: This was before Ikedaya]

In the postscript, in addition to congratulating the Nakajima family on their happy event, he wrote that he had fallen ill due to hard work and went to a hot spring for treatment, as recommended by Katamori, but after about a week, Katamori informs him that he was to be reassigned to a different position. It is written that he returned to Kyoto, sick and beaten.

He then fondly remembers how they used to indulge in "raunchy games" together at a brothel in Fuchu, and tells them that these days there is no such thing as playing with women at all, and that "danshoku" (male sexuality) is prevalent within the Shinsengumi.

(source: www.toshizo.com)

Translator Notes

Instead of interpreting it as Kondo complaining about the prevalence of male sexuality, doesn't it sound like he's actually trying to convince Nakajima to go for male prostitutes together next time?

"I know we used to play around with women, but no one does that anymore. Here at the Shinsengumi HQ, we do male love all the time. Just something I wanted you to know before I visit you ;)" 😂

#letter from kondo #letters #document #culture #homosexuality #kondo #translated from japanese #translated

[els-reading-notes]

This world throws all kinds of obstacles at us; we are forced to endure so much that is absurd. Our best weapon for fighting all the pain and trouble isn't logic or violence. It's humor.

Sosuke Natsukawa, The Cat Who Saved Books

#sosuke natsukawa #the cat who saved books #translated from japanese #the cutest book

[nevinslibrary]

Mystery/Thriller Monday

This was a really cool and different (and yet not different) sort of mystery. It was originally published in 1987 in Japanese, and is still a classic mystery in Japan.

The story is that the members of a university book club go to an island to investigate a murder (more than one actually) from a few months before. Ah, but, it’s not that easy. Suddenly their members start dying. And so catching the killer becomes less of an academic exercise and more a necessity so that they don’t all die.

The first thing that popped into my head while reading this was the fact that it most definitely seemed to be influenced at least, by Agatha Christie and her books. I think that the translation was good too, but, don’t quote me on that because I can’t read Japanese so can’t compare it to the original. All in all it was a seriously fun read.

You may like this book If you Liked: The Devotion of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino, Watching You by Lisa Jewell, or The Aosawa Murders by Riku Onda

The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji

#mysterythrillermonday #nmlRA #nevins memorial library #the decagon house murders #yukito ayatsuji #translated from japanese

[suiheisen]

happy year of the dragon from this guy…

#something deeply wrong with him (affectionate) #also #eyeing the third panel like: hm. this too is yuri. #this is art ryoko kui posted to her official blog by the way #i just translated it from japanese #dungeon meshi #lunar new year #year of the dragon #manga #falin #laois #marcille #art

[aria-greenhoodie]

Ok so my friend said that Ice King is basically an anime girl (huge ass, keeps getting in situations where his muumuu gets blown to reveal said huge ass, has a gay little run, etc.) And I um. My hand slipped. 😇

Click for Quality!

#aria draws #digital art #digital drawing #fanart #adventure time #ice king #simon petrikov #adventure time fanart #adventure time ice king #at #adventure time shitpost #I love making high level shitposts #but like being so serious rn I think he’s cute in this outfit #anyways the Japanese on the right says ICE KING and one on the left says YOUR MOTHER cause given the opportunity I WILL make a ur mom joke #the Japanese is from Google translate sorry my American ass does not read Japanese 😔 #should I tag this as anime #I think it would be funny #I’m doing it #anime

[psychictimestone]

Thinking about Silver and the references to his love of (blue) skies 🔵☁️

#silver the hedgehog #sonic the hedgehog #Sonic Forces #Sonic colors DS #mario and sonic at the olympic games #Sonic 06 #the last ones translated from the Japanese side of forces if anyones wondering why its diff from the english line #This all started because I was curious about the JP side of forces lol #also the text with silver and blaze is from Otherworld Comedy aka the 2023 calendar stories #its a very cute detail #if you wanna read the 2023 calendar i'll leave a link in the replies to a really great fan website that has them all translated into english

[mythicalartistx]

How did Riku talking about Slapping Sora awake get translated to

It's my job to keep him on his toes

It's so funny that he talks about it casually with Donald Goofy and Mickey right before taking the dive a second time.

And the gestures look like ah yes he's showing how he might slap him, but in the English version THEY ACTUALLY EDITED SO HE DOESN'T SWUNG HIS HAND ALL THE WAY 😭😭

#kingdom hearts #translation #japanese translations #dream drop distance #soriku #kingdom hearts dream drop distance #riku #kh riku #sora #kh sora #the fact they edited it too #kh translations #kh ddd #edit: didn't expect this to get this many notes wow #also I get why change happened it makes sense because some could misinterpret things since jp cultural is different from american cultural #though I still think it's funny #localization vs translation differences is just interesting to me

[peachssodapop]

the mention of their different dialects and languages immediately had my enraptured

so here's a very quickly drawn comic based on I cannot seem to find a good german equivalent to silly

#linked universe #linkeduniverse #lu hyrule #lu wind #lu four #lu legend #lu time #lu twilight #lu warriors #my art #hii german speakers are there any good translations #unfortunately I am scared of internet strangers and if anyone else in my family still speaks german at all I don't talk to them #from a quick search in japanese it seems the first suggestions are also things like stupid and dumb so like #there's the guys who's hylian can be translated directly into english #and the ones where their hylian is based on japanese instead #which i think leaves a giant gap where there are just going to be things that don't translate well

[lunarharp]

if i just told you i love you would this world change

#witch hat tag #orufrey #these kinda suck lol i feel like i cant draw right now *irritated sigh* BUT I FEEL EMOTIONS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #if you are gay go watch good omens season 2 right now. NO YOU DONT KNOW THO!!!!!!!!! #i know being this affected by good omens is probably cringe. I dont care any more. the last 1 minute of good omens season 2 was #some of the most affecting acting i've ever seen in my life. sometimes someone acts with the force as if their entire career led to that #like during the credits part the very end im not even talking about before that. holy god #aziraphale i know everything about you. i know what you are feeling right now. i can see everything on your face. we're going to make it #ER.... NOT THAT THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THIS POST. IT'S NOT SPOILERS !!!!!!!!!!!!! #I JUST FEEL THOROUGHLY CHANGED !!!!!!!!!!! SHIT GETS REAL FROM NOW ON.. LIKE IN GENERAL! IN MY LIFE! #tormented gay love tormented gay love TORMENTED GAY LOVE TORMENTED GAY LOVE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #btw the first 3 images were drawn earlier with an entirely different feeling and an entirely different mood. #Why do you keep pulling away from me? #It is because i love you that i do this #the lyrics from one of my japanese orufrey songs (A SONG THAT THE CREATOR LISTENS TO!!!!) led to feelings #“あなたが知らない私を残さず見ててほしいの” but i'm not translating it cause it just sounds weird. if with his eyes oru's asking “WHY don't you want #to let me in? to see all of you?“ those lyrics are like ”I actually want you to see every last bit of the parts of me you don't know“ #oru you have no idea how much i want to lay bare my whole soul for you #maybe it's an alternate version of chapter 40. to me #i need to draw something really fucking good or i'm not going to forgive myself. i will not rest in this life #until i have made the orufrey that fully satisfies me nor until i have seen what the manga is leading to #NO STORY MEANS ANYTHING WITHOUT TORMENTED GAY LOVE AT THE HEART OF IT. THATS THE HEART OF THIS WORLD!!!!! #........... so Hi im normal :) haha *goes and finally makes breakfast*

[russellius]

the story behind George signing the dad's shirt twice:

and the final result:

#george russell #f1 #*m #24 #jpn24 #suzuka #🥹 #such an amazing story for all sides really #i love it #he is such an angel. #and the dad's reaction is so relatable #😭😭😭 #(tweets are translated from japanese on twt) #(the dad made a bunch of lovely posts its really worth scrolling through their account :)!)

[bulbagarden]

pokémon horizons is now streaming on netflix in america!! go watch it go watch it!!

#maybe i will actually watch it now!!! this is coming from the girl who translated the japanese opening for bulbapedia o_O LMAO -lisia #pokemon #bulbagarden #anipoke #pokeani #pokemon horizons

[shinsengumi-archives]

Okita Souji's personality according to an old newspaper article

Okita Souji had certain "habit" according to the Telegraph newspaper article. That is, a habit of mocking people.

The article goes as follows:

He had a habit of taunting others, and even when he was in practice with swordsmen who were better than he was, he would stop the one who was about to strike him on the mask and say, "There we go, there we go, that's the mask".

This was the "habit" he did in that incident at the restaurant described in the article:

"Look at this commoner's swordsmanship. Strike here, you idiot!" he knocked on his own head with his left fist. With this, the man on guard was so angry that he slashed the tip of his sword into the wall.

Also, when fighting with the sumo wrestlers, seeing the gomenbo pole hitting the ground in vain after Okita dodged it, Okita teased them, "What was that for? The ground must be crying in pain." The angry sumo wrestlers chased after Souji and were led away from the headquarters.

The article summarizes that Okita's "habit" seemed to be a shortcoming, but it turned out to be a good thing.

If Souji had a habit of "taunting" people on a regular basis, there would be many such testimonies, but there is no such story in the testimonies of Kondo Yugoro, Yagi Tamesaburo, and others.

In the article, when Kondo Daizo (近藤大造), also a member of the Tennen Rishin-ryu, warned Souji that he would fail someday because of his arrogance, Souji replied, "You're right. I'll refrain from it", but it's a habit that he never corrected, the story goes.

If the source of this article is Kondo Daizo, it is possible that the "habit" appears only during training and fighting.

He would rile up his opponent to create an opening or keep the enemy away from the headquarters where his ill Commander was located.

This may have been Souji's special tactic rather than a "habit".

From this article, we can see not only his boldness in going alone to face the enemy, but also his cleverness. It gives us a glimpse into his personality.

I don't know if this is the reason, but the character for "intelligence" (賢) is also used in Souji's posthumous Buddhist name, "賢光院仁誉明道居士".

The scene in which Souji quickly goes to the restaurant, saying, "If we wait around too long, we will not be respected as law-enforcement", shows Souji's impatient side, while his concern for his mentor, such as his concern for the sick Isami, is also described.

He was brave and smart, and although he had a short temper, he was kind to his Commander.

Perhaps this was Souji's image at that time.

However, who was Kondo Daizo, who seems to be the source of this article? I would like to follow up when I have a chance.

#okita #personality #old book #document #translated from japanese #translated #recommended

[dankmaths]

I'm like 90% sure if I don't get more of your ghost au I may just implode so like 🥺👉👈

not necessarily my AU but i ended up drawing smth based on a scene from @novethegreat's fic, "In Love With A Ghost". ooohhhh you wanna read it so bad ooooohh

+more google doc delusions ive had in my head for a long time and havent been possessed to draw under the cut please work god please

i like to think once yosuke gets over the whole undead roommate thing he starts to feel bad for leaving yu at home all day. (like a pet dog.....) so at some point he invites chie and yukiko over. maybe it’s a study session. but at first yukiko can’t make it so it’s just chie. yosuke tells yu to stay put in the room since chie is scared of ghosts (just like yosuke she’ll never admit it though lol). chie says that she and yukiko have been working on a new recipe and offers to cook which yosuke shoots down Very quickly, offering to cook himself, since a "friend" of his has been teaching him-- he very conveniently leaves out the whole undead roommate thing. but when he’s preparing the food he accidentally cuts his finger. yu forgets what he’s told and rushes through the walls into the kitchen scaring chie on accident.

yosuke: OW shit

yu: (phasing through the wall) yosuke! are you ok?

chie: yosuke! are youuuuuuUUUUAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHHHHH

yukiko, the occult lover, is unable to see/hear ghosts… but when she hears abt "OHHH HANAMURAS APT IS HAUNTED ITS SO SCARY ITS AWFUL!!! i mean the ghost didnt kill me or anything he was actually pretty polite but its AWFUL!!!!!!" from chie, she gets sooo excited and begs yosuke to invite her over (for the ghost obviously not for yosuke. which is a bit of a blow to his ego LOL). and she comes in with a ouija board so she can talk to yu

yukiko: so. where is it?

yosuke: his name is yu. damn, not even a hello.

yukiko: well, where is he?

yosuke: …right over there.

yu tries to play along bc he thinks its fun, to yosukes exasperation. however he has trouble staying solid for very long so it takes foreverrrrr. but basically i think yu and yukiko writing each other notes to communicate like point blank pen pals would be cute… also when the others are around who can hear yu, playing telephone with what he says to yukiko and fucking it up (on accident OR on purpose) would be rly funny

#this has been in my inbox for a WHILE sorry anon. im sure you must be a ghost by now too. lol #askbox #souyo #p4 #i wish i had more time to draw or i could do it faster but alas. this is the path i chose for myself. #(started working on another doujin) #(abt to lurk for another 100 years #side note not too long ago i read a cute fic on pixiv where yosuke was the ghost and yu was the tenant #and yu could see+hear yosuke just fine but ignored him for a solid month bc he was scared the spooky ghost would attack him lol #but everytime i try to tell my friends abt smth from pixiv its like #“YEAH ITS IN JAPANESE YEAH YOU HAVE TO PUT IT THRU GOOGLE TRANSLATE AND/OR LOOK UP WORDS IN THE DICTIONARY EVERY TWO SECONDS” #“BUT ITS MAKING ME INSANE ITS CUTE ITS REALLY CUTE ITS SOOO CUTE REALLY GOOD I PROMISE” #and i know it sounds really really unhinged so i try to keep it contained lol

[magicalgirlfia]

I just got the art book and (roughly) translated this page of New Squidbeak Splatoon info.

See the translations are in the “readmore” because I don’t want to spoil anyone.

#splatoon #splatoon 3 #splatoon art book #I’m not fluent in Japanese at all so don’t take these as gospel but I tried my best! :) #I do not own a scanner so you have to deal with a picture taken from the spot on my bedroom floor (the translation corner!!) #I also adore how canonically Captain 3 passes out or gets hurt during the plots climax #as a reference to how they were out of commission during OE and RotM respectively #callie splatoon #marie splatoon #captain splatoon #traslfiations

[benkyoutobentou]

#i saw someone talking about how they had copies of the same book in multiple languages and i was like.... why tho #like i get collecting multiple language editions of a favorite of yours #but this was presented as specifically for reading in other languages #idk am i the odd one out here? #i will not read anything translated Into Japanese #the way i look at it is that i learn languages to get a deeper understanding of the author's original intent #but as of right now theres still a little bit of a language barrier #translation is already a type of barrier between you and the original work #so why would i want to be twice removed from what the author is saying #languages #langblr #studyblr #language learning #benkyou posting #polls #memes #studyinspo #polyglot #the only reason i can see myself reading a book translated into japanese is if i really want to read it but japanese is the only #available language i know #but even then #i always have so many books to read that it really wouldnt make a difference if i either a. read it or not #or b. waited for it to be translated into english #i do know that im weird about translations though

[bonefall]

did your partner pick out that gif for you

Funny enough I wanted a gif of the judge's clueless blink but couldn't find it anywhere, so I asked my partner if they had it on standby since Ace Attorney is currently their thing, but they didn't. So they actually went and recorded and personally made a gif just for little old me.

Any amount of gay homo autism you assumed previously, triple it. That's me and them.

#a year back during a different hyperfixation they wanted this obscure unfinished manga adaptation of a game they were into #but there were no scans online let alone a translation #SO I hunted it down in japanese and directly imported it for them #and scanned every page so we'd have digital copies #bone babble #Love is when you ask them for a reaction gif from their favorite game and they turn their fav characters into cats so you can name them