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La fée des pluies (English translation of the epilogue of the Garden of Words)

The Garden of Words
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Oct 18, 2015 12:43 PM
#1

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Mar 2014
7
I have recently read the novelization of the Garden of Words and wanted to give my recommendation, because I think a lot of people don’t even know the movie has a book adaptation (written by Makoto Shinkai himself).
First things first: As far as I know the novel isn’t available in English or any other language than Japanese and French (I myself am German and had to use my school French in combination with a dictionary, which worked out quite well considering it has been some years since I finished school and could use my French solely in some classes at university).
The novel itself is divided into ten chapters and an epilogue. Each chapter features a different point of view character, jumping between Takao and Yukari (or both in the same chapter) for the most part. The other chapters flesh out other characters from the anime, namely Takao’s brother, mother, Yukari’s ex-boyfriend (the PE teacher) and Aizawa-senpai (the girl who Takao slapped in the face and is partly responsible for Yukari’s resignation).
Contentwise is the novel partly a scene by scene recreation of the anime and partly complete new scenes. Shinkai makes good use of the change in media, by giving luscious descriptions of the backdrops and letting us know the thoughts of our characters. This leads to some amusing situations, where I found myself having a huge grin on my face. For example does Takao call Yukari his “Fée des pluies”, which basically means rain fairy, on their first couple of meetings like she is some kind of mystical being only visible to him in this detached space of the garden. Or did you ever wanted to know what both of them were laughing about while eating omurice in Yukari’s flat? The novel lifts this “secret”. Probably one of my favorite parts of the novel is how Shinkai changed my view on the side characters by giving them their own backstories and motives. Ito-sensei, Yukari’s ex-boyfriend, seems kind of like a roughneck at first. In the movie you find yourself asking why he couldn’t support Yukari against the gossip and mobbing by her class. The novel depicts his feelings of guilt and loss about their separation and his inaction. Aizawa-senpai the “bitch” who is responsible for Yukari’s resignation and even ridiculing Takao’s feelings as he was being beaten up? She was one of Yukari’s biggest admirers going as far as stalking her subway station to spend an afternoon with her on a weekend. If you would ask me who is responsible for this whole mess, it would be Aizawa’s ex-boyfriend, who “confessed” to Yukari. His treatment of woman is straight out sociopathic and manipulating. Aizawa for herself is twisted between her anger towards Yukari (as irrational as it might be she still blames her for the breakup between her and her boyfriend) and her guilty conscience of knowing she is responsible for Yukari resigning from her job as a literature teacher. Also she never actively spread the rumors about Yukari, she didn’t rebut them either which lead to the animosity towards Yukari.
Looking at the other discussions in the Garden of Words forum, asking for a sequel or if the protagonists do end up together in the end, this will probably be the most interesting part for most people. Knowing that the novel will have scenes after the movie ended was one of my reason for reading it in the first place. The last chapter of the novel and its epilogue both take place after Takao’s and Yukari’s staircase scene. Chapter ten is told from the perspective of Takao’s mother and includes some amusing scenes, like Takao in need for the opinion of a woman asking his mother what she thinks about the shoes he made for Yukari (those in the post-credits scene) and her immediately realizing they are made not for a high school girl but a much older woman than him. The epilogue describes in an alternating perspective between Takao and Yukari the thoughts and emotions swirling through their heads as they make their respective journeys back to Tokyo to meet up after five years without coming together( in the meantime keeping in touch via letters and e-mail only). I don’t want to spoil everything, because I think it is better read on your own and since the epilogue counts just nine pages I’m thinking about translating it into English.
Anyway is this the happy ending we have been looking for without the ambiguity, reinforcing our hope that they will overcome their age gap and different stations in life? Here I would comment a pronounced “kinda?”. If the ending of the original movie was hopeful enough for you that they will start a relationship in the future, then the novel ending can reaffirm this feeling strongly, but still leave you wanting for more. You feel as if you want to clench your fist up in the air and scream:”Shinkaiiii! Don’t just leave me hanging here! I want more!” A feeling probably everyone can relate to from at least one story, be it anime, movies, videogames or books. At first you simply don’t want it to end, but on a second thought you realize, if the story would continue past its climax, your enjoyment would decrease more and more.
This often reminds me of the ending of Tatami Galaxy when the main character, after finally taking the chance to ask out the heroine to Neko Ramen, says: “Because it is not the purpose of this program to show the further development of my relationship with Akashi-san, I will refrain from showing much. I wouldn’t want to throw my dear viewers’ time down the gutter, now would I. Nothing else is as boring to tell as a story of successful love.”

I have finished translating the epilogue, here is the link to the Word document:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/0B2hXIHdenvUZNGg1SnBnYzA5clk/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=110935212510776850645&resourcekey=0-HUjYhmeg0iLy-eFAt_lkNg&rtpof=true&sd=true
Conan2k5Jan 17, 2022 5:37 AM
Oct 22, 2015 12:27 AM
#2
Offline
Oct 2015
36
man i dont read it ive watch it and its so cool i mean all that time he dont know that she is a teacher man
kyle<3anime
Nov 2, 2015 3:46 PM
#3
Site Admin
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Aug 2012
8219
Thanks for translating! It was well translated, and definitely a nice read. Although I haven't watched/read Tatami Galaxy, I think it's fitting that you mentioned it, Kotonoha no Niwa's ending did seem like that.
Nov 6, 2017 7:41 AM
#4
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Nov 2017
1
Thank you so much for the translation.
Nov 6, 2017 8:47 AM
#5

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Mar 2012
755
I'm french so.. I don't really need it, but great work !
May 28, 2020 12:00 PM
#6
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Apr 2020
11
Thank you so much. I love you so much oml. If someone created a translated version of the book, that would be amazing. Sadly, I don't think that day will ever come...
May 28, 2020 10:22 PM
#7
Offline
Sep 2014
15
thank you for your translation. also it looks like the official translation will release this year, but corona will delay it.
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-03-06/yen-press-licenses-5-manga-2-novels-for-august-release/.157231
Jun 7, 2020 2:21 PM
#8
Offline
Apr 2020
11
madawy said:
thank you for your translation. also it looks like the official translation will release this year, but corona will delay it.
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-03-06/yen-press-licenses-5-manga-2-novels-for-august-release/.157231


OH MY GOODNESS YESSSS
Mar 9, 2022 12:21 PM
#9
Offline
Jul 2021
75
I want to express my great gratitude to you for translating this epilogue. After watching it, I couldn't find a place for myself, but when I started reading and realized that they continued to communicate, even at a distance, it became easier for me. But when they met again, I finally calmed down. This is a wonderful story for me, the best of all that I have seen and read in my entire life, I will think about this work for a long time and come back to it more than once, it inspires me.

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