Manga

It's kind of difficult to be a wiki about something that's not written in the same language, not even the same characters as us. So, in order for us to actually record information, we have to turn the Japanese characters into English ones...which is not always an exact science. One of the biggest problems we run into is character names. People have so many ideas about what they should and shouldn't be, leading to arguments across the internet, and it can get kind of messy sometimes. So, I guess as a possible guide, I'll be looking at how we at the One Piece Wiki translate character names.

To start off, let me just say that IT SHOULD NOT MATTER AT ALL what names other people use when making conversation. If you don't personally use that name, there's no need to get onto them. Even if you view the wiki's naming system as the true guide, there's no need to criticize people for something so irrelevant. That being said, if you're editing a page on this wiki, please use the names we do. It's really not cool to write an entire paragraph about Pudding doing something when the page is titled Purin.

Comparing Translators:

 * Our wiki translators: Our translators, User:Klobis, User:JapaneseOPfan, and User:MizuakiYume do a pretty phenomenal job in deciding what name is the closest to Oda's intentions. They're not infallible, but since there are multiple translators it's easy to get a second opinion on things. If you have a question about why something or another was translated some way, don't be afraid to ask the person who translated it.
 * Mangastream: Most of our names initially come from Mangastream, since that's usually where we first see the translated chapter. Mangastream provides relatively good translations most of the time, but has a track record of localizing phrases to make them sound more western-like, which can sometimes strip something of its original meaning. They are still definitely fallible, though, and their translations should never be taken as law.
 * Viz: Stephen Paul is a pretty great translator, and it's usually shown in how well he translates phrases that Mangastream usually handles clunky. With names, however, it's a bit of a different story. Not only is he forced to use old Viz names (Zolo, et al) to maintain continuity, but he often localizes translations to make them more accessible to the North American public. While it's understandable to allow fans who don't understand Japanese at all to enjoy the manga, it sometimes causes accuracy to be lost for the sake of accessibility. While we at the wiki obviously want everything written to be understandable, we're not trying to cater to western culture, we're trying to transcribe a Japanese manga in the English language.
 * Internet translators: Getting translations from the internet can be a risky business. It's full of people who don't fully grasp the language. News sites like Anime News Network and the One Piece Podcast have not always given great translations for character names, as their main goal is mostly to just get the word out. On internet forums dedicated to One Piece, though, you can find some pretty good translators, and you will probably be able to tell who they are based on their relationship with other users. On Arlong Park for example, users like redon, sandman, and Aohige are widely respected as translators because they've proven to have a thorough understanding of Japanese.
 * Z-Ani: Do not EVER use a translation from them, should one of their chapters ever pop up.

Going About Names: Translating vs. Transliterating
Here at the One Piece Wiki, we try to keep character names as faithful to the Japanese as possible. It's names, after all. You wouldn't call a guy named Enrique Henry, so it doesn't make much sense to call Inuarashi Dogstorm.