Do you prefer to use the native Japanese title or the translated English title

[Kadmos1]

Do you prefer to use the native Japanese title or the translated English title when talking about light novels? For me, I suppose I prefer the English title or abbreviated title when it's the long LN title. Depending on the length. For example, I would much rather say Haganai's full length than for something like Yu-sibu's full title. For something like Vanadis' Japanese title, I actually will use either.

[Somethindarker]

Hm.. Not sure if this thread will get closed. Questions like these don't merit their own thread. Try post these in general or ask in an actual LN thread. See how nicely organized the respective sections are? A thread like this is sticks out and is off topic.

[Fizix]

I don't think there is anything wrong with the thread, it's a perfectly reasonable question and we have one about what makes the best loli, proper high quality discussion there. Lol

Anyway, to answer the OP...

I use whichever rolls of the tongue. For longer titles, whatever the common abbreviation is. Like Danmachi is ideal. I think Sound Euphonium sounds better and sounds more natural than Hibike though.

[Akito Kinomoto]

I prefer to use the most common title, and then the accepted shorthand. So Legend of the Galactic Heroes over Ginga Eiyu Densetsu (<---seriously?), Koihime Musou over Love Princess, Oreimo over Ore no Imouto long title, and Railgun over A Certain Scientific ect. If I'm exposed to a show before learning what the common title is, odds are I'm using the English translated one if it's not too ridiculous; Castle Town Dandelion rolls off the tongue pretty well, unlike Superb Song of the Valkyries: Symphogear--Believe meteors justice and then...whatever...I'll just call it Symphogear GX

[VORTIA]

I generally prefer either the full Japanese title or it's direct English translation. I dislike Japanese title abbreviations, because they tend to be meaningless gibberish and a lot of them are very similar, and a lot of English titles for series have little to nothing to do with the Japanese ones.

[Marcus H.]

There are times when I go with whatever English or Japanese nickname a series gets (like Haganai or Oregairu), but I usually just make my own nicknames for it.

[KanbeKotori]

I find it easier to remember the full Japanese title since most of them make sense so I only remember the Japanese titles and never used any English titles unless the series itself is in English aka Steins;Gate those kind.

[-Antares-]

I usually use the Japanese title, but there are some exceptions here and there. Although I know the Japanese title, The Tatami Galaxy will always be The Tatami Galaxy to me, for example. Actually, reading Akuma Kinomoto's post and remembering Legend of the Galactic Heroes, I think I only do this when I find that the anime is only rarely referred to by its Japanese title.

Aside from that, titles that mix English and Japanese tend to bother me on some kind of phonetic level, so I'll usually go with the English title in those cases. Like Ao no Exorcist sounds really bad to me, but Blue Exorcist is fine, so I'll use that. I'm in agreement with Fizix who mentioned Hibike/Sound Euphonium's title, too, although I think that's one case where I can get away with just calling it Euphonium and nobody will be confused about what I mean.

[IceHism]

Only Japanese cause easier to remember unless the title was already in English to begin with

[jdennis007]

It depends on whom I am talking to. some of my anime friends don't like the long titles and some prefer the English version. For my non anime friends I usually use the English version so it's easier for them to find, or less confusing.

[Jan-Poo]

It really depends, sometimes the English title sounds better or it is easier to remember and pronounce, sometimes it's the opposite. It's all pretty subjective anyway.

[Eisdrache]

I'm fine with either one as long as they're not using the romanized japanese title. That's literally the worst.

[Draco Spirit]

Typically go with the English.... through it depends on context. I certainly try to learn the Japanese titles for reference, but will use the English by default, if only because they roll off the tongue easier.

[Top Sergeant]

Generally I prefer the English title. Some I can easily pronounce in Japanese (Soronowoto, for example), but many are challenging, and I'd rather not butcher it when I try and say it.

[Kamijou Touma IB]

I use the Japanese title when I can.

[GreyZone]

I decide that on case-by-case basis.

[Triple_R]

For me, it's a case-by-case decision, hinging on three factors:

1. What makes for the quicker/easier title to spell/type out? (When I go with translated English, this is often a major factor)

2. What title simply sounds better to me? (Some anime titles in English sound really cheesy, so this can lead me to favoring the native Japanese title )

3. What title does the property's biggest fans tend to call it by?


Best 2 out of 3 wins, usually. This usually results in me using the native Japanese title, but there are exceptions ("Knights of Sidonia" for example).

[Lord of Fire]

It depends.

- If I can remember them easier in Japanese than English, or simply dislike the English title (because some English titles just sound stupid), I'll use the Japanese title.
- If the Japanese title is too difficult to write or pronounce, I'll use the English version.
- If the show has a long title, and is known better via an abbreviation or shorthand, I'll use that.

Basically, I'm not an anime purist who insists on using the Japanese title all the time, but I'm perfectly with people who do, nor do I look down on people who use the English title only (as far as that's possible).

[AnimeFangirl]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

3. What title does the property's biggest fans tend to call it by?

This. I usually google both titles and see which one has more hits in English. However if the title is too long in either language then I will usually use the standard shortened version, like Danmachi instead of Dungeon de Deai blahblah. I hope this fad of giving light novels super long names ends soon.

[Irenicus]

It's very subjective to me. The only rule I follow is what sounds "better" to my ears, and that can range from the inherent appeal or stupidity of the title's sound, to which title I encounter first, to what's the common one in use.

For example, "Gakkou Gurashi" sounds to me far, far better than Crunchyroll's direct translation of "School-Live!" (wtf?). On the other hand, when I see "Hokuto no Ken" used it sounds like the user is a weeaboo tryhard refusing to use the more common "Fist of the North Star." As for those super long light novel names, I tend to go with the Japanese shortening. Per previous posters, "OreImo" over "Ore no Imouto wa Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai!" Although, that series' full title in itself is an iconic phrase compared to other titles like, to AnimeFangirl's point, Dungeon ni ohscrewit.