# Fictional VN — Writing-System and Wordplay Guide Example

> Japanese wordplay may depend on readings, shared kanji, ruby, script choice, or visual resemblance. Record the mechanism and story function before choosing an English solution.

## Strategy set

Use one explicit strategy for each recurring case:

- **preserve directly** when the same mechanism works in English;
- **explain once** when a brief contextual gloss protects a later payoff;
- **rebuild locally** with a different English mechanism serving the same function;
- **accept a controlled loss** when explanation would damage the scene;
- **do not force** when the supposed pattern is speculative or incidental.

## Decision table

| Evidence | Source mechanism | Function | Strategy | Required treatment | Controlled loss / warning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1:0110, B1:0204 | Two aliases share the kanji `灯` | Hints at a family connection | explain once | On first comparison, note that both names use the character for “light”; afterward use approved romanizations. | Latin spelling hides the repeated glyph. |
| A1:0277 | `記憶` carries ruby `ログ` (“log”) | Reframes memory as recorded data | preserve directly | Render as “memory log” where syntax permits; retain the technical double sense. | Do not replace every ordinary `記憶` with “log.” |
| X1:0061 | `橋` / `箸` homophone in a nervous joke | Breaks tension and causes a misunderstanding | rebuild locally | Use a short English near-miss that can trigger the same correction. | The literal bridge/chopsticks pair is lost. |
| A1:0032 | Similar-looking characters appear once | No demonstrated recurrence or reaction | do not force | Translate normally and mark as observed, unconfirmed. | Resemblance alone is not evidence of a pun. |

## What to inventory

- ruby/furigana that changes or contradicts the printed reading;
- recurring kanji components across names, factions, items, and chapter titles;
- homophones and deliberate mishearings;
- switches among kanji, hiragana, katakana, Latin text, or unusual capitalization;
- glyph contrasts, damaged text, signs, and text embedded in artwork;
- lexical networks whose recurrence matters more than one isolated pun.

## Decision record

For every non-obvious treatment, retain:

| Field | Required content |
|---|---|
| Line IDs | First use, payoff, and meaningful recurrences. |
| Mechanism | Reading, glyph, sound, register, typography, or mixed mechanism. |
| Function | Plot clue, joke, identity link, theme, characterization, or atmosphere. |
| English decision | Exact required treatment and where it applies. |
| Sacrifice | What cannot survive and why this loss is controlled. |
| Status | observed, review, or locked. |

## Guardrails

- Explicit ruby and in-game Latin text outrank a guessed reading.
- Later knowledge may confirm a pattern, but must not make an earlier line reveal more than the source.
- Do not explain every mechanism inside dialogue; glossary, translator note, image treatment, or one contextual gloss may be better.
- Recheck translated textures and helper text at gameplay size when the mechanism is visual.