Japanese wordplay may depend on readings, shared kanji, ruby, script choice, or visual resemblance. Before you choose an English solution, record the mechanism and its story function.
Strategy set
Use one explicit strategy for each recurring case:
- preserve directly when the same mechanism works in English
- explain once when a short contextual explanation preserves a later effect
- rebuild locally with a different English mechanism that has the same function
- accept a controlled loss when explanation would damage the scene
- do not force when evidence does not establish an intentional pattern.
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 | Where syntax permits, translate as “memory log”. Preserve both technical meanings. | 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. Mark the resemblance 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
- Give explicit ruby and in-game Latin text priority over a guessed reading.
- Later knowledge can confirm a pattern. Do not use it to reveal more than the source in an earlier line.
- Do not explain every mechanism inside dialogue. A glossary, translator note, image treatment, or one contextual explanation can be better.
- Recheck translated textures and helper text at gameplay size when the mechanism is visual.