Ranma 1/2 is a classic anime that has been attracting viewership ever since its release. The series’s protagonist, Saotome Ranma, is known for his casual and informal way of speaking, which has prompted some to wonder if he sounds like a member of the Yakuza.
The Sound Bite
To investigate this further, we decide to play a sound bite featuring Saotome speaking. The sound bite we choose is from the “Lambada / Ranma da” song off of one of the soundtracks where he says “omee, kawaiku nee n da yo”.
Expert Opinion
We play the sound bite for some people who speak Japanese, but who are not familiar with the anime. Interestingly, both of them think that the sound bite is from someone playing a member of the Yakuza.
However, we need to ascertain whether this accent is unique to Ranma or if it is a common accent in Japan. To better understand this, we reached out to Japanese linguistics expert, Katsumi Shiohara.
Expert Analysis
According to Katsumi Shiohara, the accent used by Saotome Ranma is not unique to him alone. It is an accent that can be found in certain parts of Japan where the dialect is said to be tough or rough.
This dialect is called “hosoita” and is found in places such as Okinawa, Kagoshima, and Himi. Hosoita is characterized by the use of slang, regionalisms, and sentence-ending particles like “ne” and “yo,” which are often spoken sharply.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Saotome Ranma speaks with an accent that is known as “hosoita,” which is common in certain parts of Japan. Therefore, it is safe to say that he does not sound like a member of the Yakuza specifically.
‘omee, kawaiku nee n da yo’ represent a nonstandard variation of the Kanto region’s Japanese.
For example, 僕 (boku) to 俺(ore), ある (aru) to あるん (arun), ない (nai) to ねえ (nee) while adding the particle ‘ne’ at the end
Does Saotome Ranma Talk Like a Member of the Yakuza?
Ranma 1/2 is a classic anime that has been attracting viewership ever since its release. The series’s protagonist, Saotome Ranma, is known for his casual and informal way of speaking, which has prompted some to wonder if he sounds like a member of the Yakuza.
The Sound Bite
To investigate this further, we decide to play a sound bite featuring Saotome speaking. The sound bite we choose is from the “Lambada / Ranma da” song off of one of the soundtracks where he says “omee, kawaiku nee n da yo”.
Expert Opinion
We play the sound bite for some people who speak Japanese, but who are not familiar with the anime. Interestingly, both of them think that the sound bite is from someone playing a member of the Yakuza.
However, we need to ascertain whether this accent is unique to Ranma or if it is a common accent in Japan. To better understand this, we reached out to Japanese linguistics expert, Katsumi Shiohara.
Expert Analysis
According to Katsumi Shiohara, the accent used by Saotome Ranma is not unique to him alone. It is an accent that can be found in certain parts of Japan where the dialect is said to be tough or rough.
This dialect is called “hosoita” and is found in places such as Okinawa, Kagoshima, and Himi. Hosoita is characterized by the use of slang, regionalisms, and sentence-ending particles like “ne” and “yo,” which are often spoken sharply.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Saotome Ranma speaks with an accent that is known as “hosoita,” which is common in certain parts of Japan. Therefore, it is safe to say that he does not sound like a member of the Yakuza specifically.
‘omee, kawaiku nee n da yo’ represent a nonstandard variation of the Kanto region’s Japanese. For example, 僕 (boku) to 俺(ore), ある (aru) to あるん (arun), ない (nai) to ねえ (nee) while adding the particle ‘ne’ at the end