Jump to content

Oni (myth): Difference between revisions

Line 93: Line 93:
Alternatively, it may have made sense to call the project "Dao Dan Guǐ" 捣蛋鬼 (which is Chinese for "troublemaker", or "trouble-making ghost/spirit/demon" if taking the last symbol literally/fundamentally). Appropriately echoing Shirow's "[[Ghost in the Shell|Kōkaku Kidōtai]]", such a title would have emphasized the historical source of the "oni" kanji 鬼 (referencing a language where "ghost" actually ''was'' its primary meaning), and it would also have highlighted Oni's core concept (the [[Daodan]] Chrysalis), which breaks every balance and sends the world tumbling into uncertainty.
Alternatively, it may have made sense to call the project "Dao Dan Guǐ" 捣蛋鬼 (which is Chinese for "troublemaker", or "trouble-making ghost/spirit/demon" if taking the last symbol literally/fundamentally). Appropriately echoing Shirow's "[[Ghost in the Shell|Kōkaku Kidōtai]]", such a title would have emphasized the historical source of the "oni" kanji 鬼 (referencing a language where "ghost" actually ''was'' its primary meaning), and it would also have highlighted Oni's core concept (the [[Daodan]] Chrysalis), which breaks every balance and sends the world tumbling into uncertainty.


Apparently it was deemed that "Oni" was catchier and snappier (and spookier?) as a title. Admittedly, "Dao Dan Guǐ" (or even "Yōkai") don't exactly roll off the tongue for a non-otaku.
Apparently it was deemed that "Oni" was catchier and snappier (and spookier?) as a title. Admittedly, "Dao Dan Guǐ" (or even "Yōkai") don't exactly roll off the tongue for a non-otaku, whereas "oni" is mainstream enough to have a [[wp:Oni|Wikipedia article in English]], so it's one of those Japanese words that sounds exotic yet "works" without a translation. The deep ambiguity of the "Oni" title - not clearly meaning "ghost" or "demon", and not even clearly singular or plural - was another possible plus.
 
If Bungie had settled for an English translation of "Dao Dan Guǐ" instead, we could have known Oni as "Stirring Demon(s)".


[[Category:Oni influences]][[Category:Added value]]
[[Category:Oni influences]][[Category:Added value]]