Nakoruru Germanizing Project

Mini Review on Osaka Dialect in Samurai Shodown RPG

You know Samurai Shodown RPG, which is called "Bushidohretsuden - Shinsetsu Samurai Spirits" in Japan, was produced by SNK. SNK is located in Suita-city, Osaka, Japan. There is a research development center of SNK in Suita-city. SNK is located at the place called "Esaka" of Suita-city, which is close to Esaka Station of Osaka Municipal Subway.
Perhaps SNK programmers speak Osaka dialect.

However you will be able to distinguish Standard Japanese from Osaka dialect as far as you play the English-version RPG.
Here I introduce three examples of Osaka-dialect which appeared on the Japanese-version RPG.

Nakoruru, Rimururu,and Mr. "Gale" Leon were still training in San Francisco, USA. They stayed in Beppu-city for a long time. Then Nakoruru and Rimururu were level-19 fighters. But they cannot defeat the level-17 boss of monsters. Mr. Earthquake, a rival of Galford, said to them, "Study German hard!" Thereafter they study German.

In Sega Saturn system, fighters from Samurai Shodown RPG are categorized by their levels.

The table is perfect.

Sword Skill Levels	Categories in Japanese	Meanings
Levels 3-4	Kenshi-Minarai	Probationary Swordsman
Levels 5-9	Kenshi	Swordsman
Levels 10-19	Kenkaku	Senior Swordsman
Levels 20-29	Tsuwamono	Daring Swordsman
Levels 30-39	Musou	Matchless Swordsman
Levels 40-49	Meijin	Master Swordsman
Levels 50-59	Tatsujin	Expert Swordsman
Levels 60-69	Kengou	Great Swordsman
Levels 70-79	Kensei	Great Master Swordsman
Levels 80-89	Kenki	Demon Swordsman
Levels 90-98	Kenshin	Almighty Swordsman
Level 99	Tenbu	Heavenly Sword Dance
The table shows the level names for Sega Saturn system. If your main character is a level-56 fighter there, it will overcome Ms Mizuki Rashoujin, the last boss character of monsters. On the other hand, if your main character is a level-99 fighter, it is free from the elevation of experience value.

They were level-32 fighters called "Musou" (matchless fighter) when they reached Paris. But they bought much clothes there. Especially Mademoiselle Lavoisier, who was a boutique owner designer, liked them. They three stayed there for a long time to save money for expensive clothes.
They were level-44 fighters called "Meijin" (master fighters) when they reached Greenhell, South America. They fought against Miduki with Herr Neinhalt Sieger. Then the three needed not to move because Herr Sieger fought by himself.

When they reached San Francisco, they were level-51 fighters called "Tatsujin" (expert fighters).
Nakoruru: Recently you have fallen so low as to pilfer. Moreover your followers are very poor. Remember your teacher, Mr. Hanzou Hattori.

Earthquake: Shut up! You must learn German. You must fight against Miduki. That is more important.

Nakoruru: Today we talk about Osaka-dialect.

Rimururu: Tako-yaki, Kuidaore, Kani-Douraku, Duboraya, ...

Nakoruru: Are you hungry?

Rimururu: Yes, of course, always.
In Chapter One, Haoumaru and we fought together against Mr. Amakusa. Haoumaru bought a new kimono in Osaka. A clerk said to him, "You are handsome enough to be popular at Hikkake-bashi Bridge."

Nakoruru: "Hikkake-bashi Bridge" is an Osaka-dialect example in Samurai Shodown RPG. The formal name of "Hikkake-bashi" is Ebisu-bashi Bridge. Another name is Nanpa-bashi. Hikkake and nanpa are Japanese words. They means "Seduction." Many young boys seduce young girls at random there.

Earthquake: At random...

Nakoruru: In every evening, many young girls who want to be seduced go there. In 1985 Hanshin Tigers directed by Mr. Yoshio Yoshida won the championship of Japan Professional Baseball. Many Tigers-fans dived from the bridge into Doutonbori-gawa River. Then they threw Kentucky Fried Chicken Colonel Harland Sanders dolls into the river.

Earthquake: What!? Colonel Harland Sanders is one of the symbols of USA. Did Osaka-people defile American symbol?

Nakoruru: No. It is thought that to throw a doll into the river had a certain meaning. For example, an exorcism, a festival, a funeral, and a kind of Japanese folkways.

Rimururu: In Chapter Two, we had to obtain the Bananan in Greenhell. Then we had to jump off a cliff.

Nakoruru: The God of the village said to us, "I will test your bravery."

Rimururu: Ah! A boy of the Greenhell village spoke Osaka-dialect.

Nakoruru: Yes, he did. When we met him in the first time, he had a dry cough.

Rimururu: A doctor said, "It is related with braid..."

Nakoruru: Bradykinin. A peptide.
That dry cough was a kind of side effect. Then he suffered from heart failure.

Rimururu: But after the destruction of Evil Bronze Handbell ("Ja-Doutaku"), he was cured.

Earthquake: Greenhell is the hometown of Cham Cham. But Cham Cham does not speak Osaka-dialect.
Greenhell means a green hell. Esaka is not in Toyonaka-city but close to Toyonaka-city. The city includes Midori-ga-oka. Midori-ga-oka means Green Hill. A programmer may live at Midori-ga-oka.

Nakoruru: Another example was "Shinbou Tamaran!" from Chapter Two. I was not able to understand the phrase.

Earthquake: It means "to be unable to endure." It is regarded as vulgar. The phrase appeared on "Naniwa Kinyu-dou." Naniwa Kinyu-dou means "Usurership in Osaka." The title was a very popular comic book drawn by Mr. Yuji Aoki published by Kodansha. It was drawn for the mature adult men. It reported debts, bankruptcy, frauds...

Nakoruru: Oh!

Earthquake: The author of the comic book confessed that he was a communist. He wrote the 19 volumes of the title to be very rich. He retired from the business as a cartoonist.

Rimururu: Retired?

Earthquake: He still stays in Osaka. He writes essays on the Asahi Shimbun newspaper at present. He reported his own copy money in 10/18/97 issue.

Rimururu: How much?

Earthquake: 100 thousand yen ($826) per a very short essay.

Nakoruru: .....

Rimururu: I want money, too.

Nakoruru: By the way, there are no Nagoya people in the RPG.

Earthquake: I saw a Nagoya Japanese. You remember Aso-zan Mountain in the Chapter One. A peasant near a hidden inn spoke Nagoya-dialect.

Nakoruru: We must study harder.

Earthquake: I expect your good job.

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