Boogiepop Returns VS Imaginator Part 1 (17 page)

But even so, I've got to aim for pop. This is the theme of my life, so it can't be helped. If everything I make ends up being more boogie, it's not my fault. . . I'd like to say that, except it is my fault, really. But I'm going for it anyway. Even if it's a kind of boogie pop, then someday, I still might make the real thing.

(This guy just writes whatever crap he wants to. . . )

(Whatever.)

BGM “CHILDREN OF THE SUN” BY MAYTE

Komiya Mariko (F)
Minahoshi Suiko / Imaginator (F)
Miyashita Touka / Boogiepop (F)

Asukai Jin (M)
Detective (M)
lmazaki Shizuko (F)
Kinukawa Kotoe (F)
Minahoshi Suiko / Imaginator (F)
Nakadai Sawako (F)

Anou Shinjirou (M)
Kirima Nagi (F)
Orihata Aya / Camille (F)
Spooky E (M)
Taniguchi Masaki (M)

Asukai Jin (M)
Kinoshita Kyoko (F)
Kinukawa Kotoe (F)
Minahoshi Suiko / Imaginator (F)
Misaki (F)
Miyashita Touka / Boogiepop (F)
Suema Kazuko (F)
Yuriko (F)

Orihata Aya / Camille (F)
Taniguchi Masaki / Boogiepop (M)

Anou Kumiko (F)
Anou Shinjirou (M)
Asukai Jin (M)
Miyashita Touka / Boogiepop (F)
Orihata Aya / Camille (F)
Spooky E (M)
Taniguchi Masaki (M)

Anou Shinjirou (M)
Anou’s Girlfriend (F)
Kinukawa Kotoe (F)
Miyashita Touka / Boogiepop (F)
Niitoki Kei (F)
Orihata Aya / Camille (F)
Suema Kazuko (F)

(F) = female (M) = male  (O) = other

Minahoshi Suiko (F)
Komiya Mariko (F)

Asukai Jin (M)
Kinukawa Kotoe (F)

Miyashita Touka (F)
Suema Kazuko (F)

Orihata Aya / Camille (F)
Taniguchi Masaki (M)

Kinukawa Kotoe (F)
Kinoshita Kyoko (F)

Yuriko (F)
Misaki (F)

Asukai Jin (M)
Minahoshi Suiko / Imaginator (F)
Orihata Aya / Camille (F)
Spooky E (M)
Miyashita Touka / Boogiepop (F)

Translating a foreign language work is a challenging task that can result in a lot of sleepless nights and headaches for the production team involved. The general rule of thumb for any English-language release is to make sure that it retains the intricacies of the source material, while not reading like a literal translation. It's a difficult line to walk, but we at Seven Seas believe that preserving cultural nuance is of utmost importance.

For this reason, we've strived to present a translation that is as close to the original as possible, while keeping the flow of the novel intact. The following pages of translation notes are presented here as a way to offer some additional insight into many of the terms, characters and other cultural items that you may not have understood while reading the novel. These notes also offer a further look into some of the choices that the editorial staff at Seven Seas had to make while bringing the work to you. Enjoy!

For those familiar with the Japanese novels, you may have noticed that the books contradict themselves with regard to how to spell the word “Imaginator.” In Japanese, “Imaginator” is consistently written one way, but in English it appears as both Imaginator” and “Imaginater.”

Imaginator” is the version that we will be using consistently throughout our Boogiepop translations as it seems to be the more accepted spelling, and frankly, is the one that sounds the coolest.

How does it appear in the Japanese book? Well, the spelling “Imaginater” can be found in English on the Japanese covers of novel 2 and 3 and within the color pages. However, this is contradicted by the interior text itself, which uses “Imaginator” in several places including the title page before Chapter I, and at the very end of Chapter VI, leading us to believe that this is Kadono-sensei’s preferred spelling.

Ifukube-sensei is regarded by many as Toho's greatest and most beloved composer. While he is most famous for his contributions to the Godzilla series of films, Ifukube's body of work spans decades.

The original Japanese edition of this second novel carries an interior subtitle in English, which dubs this book “Sign.” In Japanese language, there is rarely any distinction between the singular and plural, so you usually have to figure out the singular or plural based on the context. Judging by the various foreshadowed events of this novel, we felt that it was appropriate to think of the signs as more than just one, which is why we retitled it as “Signs.”

Known as Le Petit Prince in France, the 1943 novel is the most famous book by French aviator Antoine de Saint-Exupery. The novel is a profound children's book that carries many idealistic points about life and love. In the book, the author imagines himself stranded in the Sahara Desert and meets a young extraterrestrial prince and the two have many deep conversations. The essence of the book is contained in the famous line uttered by the fox to the little prince: “On ne voit bien qu'avec le coeur, I'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux” (One sees rightly only with the heart, the essential is invisible to the eyes).”

You might have noticed that Masaki tried to get money from an ATM, but it was off. In Japan, ATMs in Japan tend to close at 9 PM on weekdays. So next time you're in Japan, remember to hit the ATM before they close.

The meaning of Aya's code name, Camille (literally pronounced as Kamiiru in Japanese), is anyone's guess; though, the 1936 movie Camille staring Greta Garbo (based on the 1852 novel La Dame oux Camelias by Alexandre Dumas, fils.) seems to relate to Aya thematically. The movie Camille tells the story of a light-hearted romance in 1840s Paris where a young woman wins the heart of a wealthy young man, but ultimately gives him up for his own good. The story itself later inspired such movies as Pretty Woman and Moulin Rouge! For continuity buffs, Boogiepop novel 13 entitled Lost Mobius : Boogiepop Bounding features Aya quite prominently.

A board game similar to chess in which two players go head-to-head with 20 wedge-shaped pieces each with the objective to checkmate their opponent's king.

Foxes, known as “kitsune” in Japanese, have traditionally appeared in Japanese folklore and mythology as deceivers and tricksters. According to legend, these animals possess great intelligence and a multitude of magical powers -- including the ability to possess humans and to create illusions. In some tales, the kitsune have actually been known to take the shape of beautiful woman, pretty young girls or old men.

Every fan of Japanese anime should know that “bento” is a Japanese lunch box. “Nori” is seaweed. So, a nori bento consists of rice and seaweed only.

Basically, this is a little less than $2000US dollars (at the current exchange rate, at least.)

A Japanese restaurant that specializes in fried noodles.

Born in  1968. Kouhei Kadono grew up uncertain about his direction in life. He spent a considerable portion of his early years frittering away his youth before somehow ending up writing novels.

In 1997, Kadono-sensei's first Boogiepop novel, Boogiepop and Others, took First Place in the Media Works’ Dengeki Game Novel Contest. Early the following year, the novel was released to widespread acclaim and ignited the Japanese “light novel” (young adult) trend. Since that time, Kadono-sensei has written thirteen Boogiepop novels and several related works such as the Beat's Discipline short story collections and the two Boogiepop manga series entitled Boogiepop Doesn’t Laugh and Boogiepop Dual, In its entirety. the Boogiepop series has seen over two million copies in print and spawned a live action movie and a hit anime series.

In addition to the Boogiepop universe, Kadono-sensei's body of literary work includes a wide array of fantasy aid mystery novels such as the Jiken, Soul Drop, Limited World and Night Watch series.

Born in 1970, a native of Osaka, Kouji Ogata spent his early twenties struggling to get enough credits to graduate from Design School. In late  1996, Ogata-sensei was commissioned by Media Works to illustrate the first Boogiepop novel, Boogiepop and Others.

At the time, Ogata-sensei was simply a rising star with a distinctive, eye-catching art style, but he gradually was able to further hone his artistic skills with each subsequent work. His watercolor-style paneling seen in the two- volume Boogiepop Doesn’t Laugh manga series was a particularly high point of his early career. In addition to providing illustrations for novels and manga, Ogata-sensei has been involved  with supplying  character  designs for anime productions including Boogiepop Phantom, Spirit, and Gin-iro no kam no Agito. In his free time he enjoys motorcycles, tennis, and remote controlled models.