Yatagarasu Series
Volume 9:
The Raven's Loyalty
Author: Abe Chisato
A Note on the Title
This is the first title in the series that is practically untranslatable. It follows the usual pattern of “Raven’s [Something],” but in this case, the word used is almost nonsense: Suikan’s birth name (Hamidori) spelled backwards (midoriba). Literally this means something like “green feathers” or “green plumage,” but this translation does a poor job expressing what this book is actually about.
After much consideration, I have opted for an English translated title of The Raven’s Loyalty. The original title implies that Suikan can be turned inside out or backwards—a reference to Rokon’s ongoing quest to understand his motives. But this book is not really about Suikan, nor is it really about Rokon. It is about Prince Natsuka and his relationship to his attendants—including Rokon and Suikan—and how these relationships shape his choices after the events of The Raven’s Reminiscence.
A different translator might make a different choice, but the title as literally presented does not make sense in English to me, so I have altered it to reflect the book’s content.
Translator's Note
The original title can be interpreted in various ways, not just this one. Suikan rejects his mother’s name at the Keisōin, for example, even when Michichika confronts him with it. But he keeps part of it as his own identity, much as he keeps his connection to the Valley even when it doesn’t benefit him. The interrogation of his name in the text is synonymous with the examination of his motives and reasons for service.
No comments:
Post a Comment