There, there! ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡
dungeon meshi episode 23 - izutsumi & marcille || anime vs manga
it's a shame that a pretty important part of kabru's characterization is difficult to translate to english and many other languages. i'm talking about the way he uses first-person pronouns [僕] "boku" and [俺] "ore".
most people who are familiar with japanese language know about these pronouns. these are the two types of masculine pronouns that can be used in different situations:
[僕] "boku" is more polite, has a softer tone to it: it's casual, but not too informal. for example, a guy can use this pronoun when he's casually talking with his coworkers.
[俺] "ore" is very informal, can be seen as rude and in contrast to other pronouns may seem more masculine. in fact, "ore" seems to be more of a default pronoun for men lately, especially for teenagers and young adults. most male characters in dungeon meshi, for example, use "ore".
kabru uses both pronouns and it's part of the way he presents himself. it's important to know what he prefers to use in his mind - and it's always "ore". he also uses "ore" when he's a kid living with elves and i think it's interesting, because it seems like elves prefer to use [私] "watashi" (gender-neutral pronoun leaning to feminine). i couldn't find a solid proof that "watashi" is completely gender-neutral for elves though, because mithrun and lycion are the only male elves with speaking roles and lycion uses "ore", while mithrun uses "watashi".
kabru has a pretty good grasp on when he wants to use "boku" or "ore". when he interacts with people he's not very familiar with he uses "boku" pretty much exclusively. it's more polite, but also, he likely wanna present himself as less intimidating than he truly sees himself. he uses "boku" with toshiro, namari and canaries throughout the story, but with his own team he uses "ore". when he interacts with the group that tried to kill them, he uses "ore" too, clearly acting colder than he usually does.
what's even more interesting though, sometimes it's hard for him to stick with one pronoun with certain people. iirc it's normal in japanese, you can use a pronoun that is more fitting for the sentence, but i feel like it's intentional from the writing standpoint.
for example, when he initially talks to laios and his group he uses "boku", as usual. after they fought against falin together he switches to "ore". but after that, when he asks if laios remembers his name, he uses "boku" again. his mask is slipping, but he carefully puts it back on. when interacting with laios in chapter 76 he starts by using "boku" again, but as he gets more desperate and sincere, he starts using "ore".
another example, after he realized that mithrun doesn't care about his charismatic act, he starts using "boku" and "ore" interchangeably with him. at first, he's trying to use "boku" when they talk - it's important for him to respect social hierarchy after all, but when he's caught off guard he uses "ore". at some point he switches from "ore" to "boku" in one conversation! closer to the end of their 6 days journey he starts using "ore" more or less exclusively, almost like he forgets that he's supposed to keep his distance.
anyway, i wish this interesting pattern of his would be more obvious in translation!
Yes!!! This, along with the change from calling Mithrun "Captain" to "Mithrun-san" (that's what happens, right?) makes it so incredibly clear that they've grown close during the week they spent together, and also that Kabru has grown as a person and he's starting to emerge out of his mask.
I think that it's clear in the English that Kabru becomes frantic when he loses control of a situation, but it isn't as explicit and obvious as how he switches between boku and ore in Japanese.
really glad my brother got into dungeon meshi because our conversations led to stuff like this
This chilchuck may be surviving, but he is DEFINITELY not thriving. There’s a couple important issues with the husbandry right here.
1. Hydration. While it’s true that a chilchuck requires beer to be available at all times, offering solely Corona Extra is NOT correct. Chilchucks need at least two drinking sources from two different brands, more if possible, and Bud Light or Miller High Life is more suitable. Corona extra is fine if offered occasionally, or with a combination of other beers, but shouldn’t be his sole source of hydration.
2. Substrate. Wood chips aren’t dangerous per se, but are overall less natural and comfortable for chilchuck. The best substrate is lightly shredded newspaper—it’s softer and less likely to irritate chilchuck’s sensitive paws. Additionally, visible text provides enrichment. Mixing in a small amount of magazine shreddings is acceptable as well.
3. Overall enrichment. Chilchucks require multiple sources of enrichment such as traps, locks, and feed toys. There’s not even a single chest in this enclosure. [NOTE: I know it’s hotly debated whether or not the chest actually stresses the chilchuck due to its resemblance to its natural predator, the mimic. Introduce chests slowly into the enclosure in open areas, allowing chilchuck to investigate at his own pace. Some are more tolerant than others. If your chilchuck seems fearful after introducing a chest it’s best to remove it and find other sources of enrichment.] A chilchuck should have at least three traps or locks in its enclosure along with a feed toy that stimulates its lockpicking skills during mealtimes.
The calendar is a nice touch, but I also recommend adding small stuffed animals or framed photographs to remind the chilchuck of its family.
Remember to let your chilchuck out for supervised enrichment sessions every once and a while! Mazes with a food reward are great. Use high-value treats such as cooked sweet potato, steak chunks, or even a thimble of wine. I hope this can be a learning experience for everyone!
