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Why does MAL still use Romaji for Anime Titles When not even the japanese do???

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2 hours ago
#1

Online
Jul 2021
1034
This site has been around since 2004 and a simple toggle function can't be implemented? I know this site has some , well a lot of "Japanese purists" that would never want anything to do with English associated with their favorite anime but this is just silly at this point. If the people running this site are so infatuated with Japanese might as well display the titles in Kanji, cause the Japanese dont even use romaji for anime. Anilist has this function so I see no reason why MAL can't.

AND YES I KNOW U CAN TOGGLE IN UR LIST
Which I find pretty meaningless tbh, and a function that is about 3 yrs old now.

I will not call Erased "Boku dake ga Inai Machi"

You guys can say what u want, but the very fact that english titles are more used in forums on this site than their Japanese counterparts is proof enough that we need a toggle function
Cestlavie_39 minutes ago
2 hours ago
#2

Offline
Jun 2017
1230
Romaji and English use the same letters... just read it lol
2 hours ago
#3

Online
Jan 2009
96733
because mal is an english website first heck how many japanese uses mal?
2 hours ago
#4

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Feb 2011
3506
I think Fullmetal Alchemist should be finally changed to Hagane no Renkinjutsushi.
2 hours ago
#5

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Feb 2023
331
deg said:
because mal is an english website first heck how many japanese uses mal?

Yes, it's an English website where most of its audience doesn't understand Japanese. Why shouldn't we use English titles then?
1 hour ago
#6

Online
Jan 2009
96733
Reply to Vaturna
deg said:
because mal is an english website first heck how many japanese uses mal?

Yes, it's an English website where most of its audience doesn't understand Japanese. Why shouldn't we use English titles then?
@Vaturna romaji is using the english alphabets though plus there is a toggle to use english titles but not all anime have english titles hence the use of romaji
1 hour ago
#7

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Feb 2020
91083
It looks better in Japanese in my opinion.
1 hour ago
#8

Offline
Nov 2020
522
lmao why are you so hurt over that of all things
"Are you the strongest because you're Satoru Gojo? Or are you Satoru Gojo because you're the strongest?"~ Suguru Geto

1 hour ago
#9

Offline
Feb 2021
6712
Yeah I also find funny how some people refuse to use the official english titles, and only use romanji, when not even JP people use the romanji titles...
1 hour ago

Online
Jun 2024
1094
Ah yes, my favorite anime is...

Shinseiki Evangelion Movie: Air/Magokoro wo, Kimi ni
1 hour ago

Online
Jul 2021
1034
AMBITZZ said:
lmao why are you so hurt over that of all things

Cause I was browsing the popular anime page here, saw the Erased romaji title and wept.
1 hour ago

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Sep 2016
8180
Because the Romaji titles are the closest to the original titles and most MAL users can only read Latin letters.
This dance is the pinnacle of human achievement.
1 hour ago

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Nov 2020
522
Reply to Cestlavie_
AMBITZZ said:
lmao why are you so hurt over that of all things

Cause I was browsing the popular anime page here, saw the Erased romaji title and wept.
@Cestlavie_ ooh. erased is one of those few exceptions lol
"Are you the strongest because you're Satoru Gojo? Or are you Satoru Gojo because you're the strongest?"~ Suguru Geto

1 hour ago

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Sep 2024
71
I would actually prefer if all titles stay exclusively in native Japanese format instead of English.


1 hour ago

Offline
Feb 2016
11536
Reply to Mualani
Ah yes, my favorite anime is...

Shinseiki Evangelion Movie: Air/Magokoro wo, Kimi ni
@Mualani
The Evangelion titles are wrong since they're not even called "movies" in Japanese. They are "gekijouban."
その目だれの目?
1 hour ago

Online
Jun 2024
1094
Reply to Lucifrost
@Mualani
The Evangelion titles are wrong since they're not even called "movies" in Japanese. They are "gekijouban."
@Lucifrost This oversight should not be tolerated, and the mods need to change this ASAP.
50 minutes ago

Offline
Jul 2010
644
Sounds better in Japanese, and when it doesn't they use English.
49 minutes ago

Offline
May 2021
3979
Cestlavie_ said:
This site has been around since 2004 and a simple toggle function can't be implemented? I know this site has some , well a lot of "Japanese purists" that would never want anything to do with English associated with their favorite anime but this is just silly at this point. If the people running this site are so infatuated with Japanese might as well display the titles in Kanji, cause the Japanese dont even use romaji for anime. Anilist has this function so I see no reason why MAL can't.

AND YES I KNOW U CAN TOGGLE IN UR LIST
Which I find pretty meaningless tbh, and a function that is about 3 yrs old now

Romaji is literally "romanized", aka the roman alphabet spelling of japanese words, it's obvious that an english anime site will use the current alphabet used in english to write anime titles instead of kanji most english speakers don't know how to read

If you want to read anime titles in kanji, go to a japanese anime site where the target audience is people who can speak, read, and write japanese
44 minutes ago

Online
Jul 2021
1034
DigiCat said:
Cestlavie_ said:
This site has been around since 2004 and a simple toggle function can't be implemented? I know this site has some , well a lot of "Japanese purists" that would never want anything to do with English associated with their favorite anime but this is just silly at this point. If the people running this site are so infatuated with Japanese might as well display the titles in Kanji, cause the Japanese dont even use romaji for anime. Anilist has this function so I see no reason why MAL can't.

AND YES I KNOW U CAN TOGGLE IN UR LIST
Which I find pretty meaningless tbh, and a function that is about 3 yrs old now

Romaji is literally "romanized", aka the roman alphabet spelling of japanese words, it's obvious that an english anime site will use the current alphabet used in english to write anime titles instead of kanji most english speakers don't know how to read

If you want to read anime titles in kanji, go to a japanese anime site where the target audience is people who can speak, read, and write japanese

That's besides the point. I want to read them in English. I said might as well put it in Kanji if they are already using romaji
44 minutes ago

Offline
May 2021
3979
Reply to Lucifrost
@Mualani
The Evangelion titles are wrong since they're not even called "movies" in Japanese. They are "gekijouban."
@Lucifrost Gekijouban actually does mean movie, it's just a specific word for movies that are part of series, we just don't have a specifc word to directly translate it
43 minutes ago

Online
Jul 2021
1034
deg said:
@Vaturna romaji is using the english alphabets though plus there is a toggle to use english titles but not all anime have english titles hence the use of romaji

U can't toggle on the main site, only on ur personal list, which is quite silly
42 minutes ago

Online
Jan 2009
96733
Reply to Cestlavie_
deg said:
@Vaturna romaji is using the english alphabets though plus there is a toggle to use english titles but not all anime have english titles hence the use of romaji

U can't toggle on the main site, only on ur personal list, which is quite silly
@Cestlavie_ then make the toggle default to english titles then thats what you should suggest if you want everyone to use the english titles by default
41 minutes ago

Offline
May 2021
3979
Reply to Cestlavie_
DigiCat said:
Cestlavie_ said:
This site has been around since 2004 and a simple toggle function can't be implemented? I know this site has some , well a lot of "Japanese purists" that would never want anything to do with English associated with their favorite anime but this is just silly at this point. If the people running this site are so infatuated with Japanese might as well display the titles in Kanji, cause the Japanese dont even use romaji for anime. Anilist has this function so I see no reason why MAL can't.

AND YES I KNOW U CAN TOGGLE IN UR LIST
Which I find pretty meaningless tbh, and a function that is about 3 yrs old now

Romaji is literally "romanized", aka the roman alphabet spelling of japanese words, it's obvious that an english anime site will use the current alphabet used in english to write anime titles instead of kanji most english speakers don't know how to read

If you want to read anime titles in kanji, go to a japanese anime site where the target audience is people who can speak, read, and write japanese

That's besides the point. I want to read them in English. I said might as well put it in Kanji if they are already using romaji
@Cestlavie_ The anime that do have english titles have both japanese and english title on their page, click on the pages and you'll get to read the english title
40 minutes ago

Offline
Jul 2016
8888
Cestlavie_ said:
I want to read them in English. I said might as well put it in Kanji if they are already using romaji

Romaji is used to make learning Japanese easy. You want people to be illiterate?

"Japanese don't use Romaji" is 100% false. They use it when they program video games. The filenames are in Romaji.

Official websites for anime titles have the URL in Romaji.
39 minutes ago

Online
Jul 2021
1034
IpreferEcchi said:
Cestlavie_ said:
I want to read them in English. I said might as well put it in Kanji if they are already using romaji

Romaji is used to make learning Japanese easy. You want people to be illiterate?

"Japanese don't use Romaji" is 100% false. They use it when they program video games. The filenames are in Romaji.

Official websites for anime titles have the URL in Romaji.

I clearly meant in anime titles like check out Anikore
Cestlavie_35 minutes ago
37 minutes ago

Online
Jul 2021
1034
DigiCat said:
@Cestlavie_ The anime that do have english titles have both japanese and english title on their page, click on the pages and you'll get to read the english title

It's not the same . When I'm looking at the top 100 popular shows, I shouldn't have to do extra clicks just to see it in English.
33 minutes ago

Offline
Jul 2016
8888
Cestlavie_ said:
I clearly meant in anime titles like check out Anikore

"Official websites for anime titles have the URL in Romaji."

I shouldn't need to repeat myself. Those official websites were created by Japanese people, and the URL has Romaji in it.
26 minutes ago

Offline
Feb 2016
11536
Reply to DigiCat
@Lucifrost Gekijouban actually does mean movie, it's just a specific word for movies that are part of series, we just don't have a specifc word to directly translate it
@DigiCat
I know. My point is that the MAL title uses an English word instead of the Japanese word used in Japan.
その目だれの目?
23 minutes ago

Offline
Nov 2011
6429
Reply to IpreferEcchi
Cestlavie_ said:
I clearly meant in anime titles like check out Anikore

"Official websites for anime titles have the URL in Romaji."

I shouldn't need to repeat myself. Those official websites were created by Japanese people, and the URL has Romaji in it.
@IpreferEcchi what official websites are you talking about? because anikore doesn't use the anime title. instead, they use numbers. for example,
ダンジョンに出会いを求めるのは間違っているだろうかⅤ 豊穣の女神篇(TVアニメ動画)have the url
https://www.anikore.jp/anime/14743/
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The songs are all DRM-free and you can re-download your purchased albums as you wish.
Show your support to your favorite artist if you can!
ps. if you are looking for Japanese albums, you have to search it in Japanese (not romaji). Just copy and paste the name.

For those who want to learn Japanese through anime
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22 minutes ago

Offline
Sep 2016
8180
Cestlavie_ said:
the very fact that english titles are more used in forums on this site than their Japanese counterparts is proof enough

Would you mind providing the evidence for this "fact" ?
This dance is the pinnacle of human achievement.
22 minutes ago

Offline
Feb 2016
11536
Reply to IpreferEcchi
Cestlavie_ said:
I want to read them in English. I said might as well put it in Kanji if they are already using romaji

Romaji is used to make learning Japanese easy. You want people to be illiterate?

"Japanese don't use Romaji" is 100% false. They use it when they program video games. The filenames are in Romaji.

Official websites for anime titles have the URL in Romaji.
IpreferEcchi said:
Romaji is used to make learning Japanese easy.

No, that is what hiragana and katakana are for.
その目だれの目?
19 minutes ago

Online
Oct 2017
2446
I think the fact that we don't even have a toggle on MAL when competitors do is kind of ridiculous. I have a backup of my watchlist on Anilist and they allow you to toggle between three options of show titles that effects both your personal list as well as what name shows up when you search for a show. They offer the officially localized English titles for shows that have them, the romanization of the Japanese title for every show, or the titles in Japanese using kana and kanji.

Similarly, they allow you the option for names characters and staff members to be displayed in Romaji or in Japanese, with additional options to change the name order to be family name first given name second like in Japanese, or given name first family name second like in English.


The fact that MAL is missing basic features like this is really dumb and can cause a lot of unnecessary confusion for newer fans trying to find shows to add to their list that they may have already watched, since the display option of the name when entering "Erased" in the search bar isn't going to match what they typed in, and you really shouldn't assume that every single person knows that the show is called "Boku dake ga Inai Machi" in Japanese. Even if someone were to prefer using the romaji titles, if they simply added in a toggle for search it wouldn't hurt anyone since it would be the user's choice as for which title to display and other sites have proven that this option is effective.
This post is brought to you by your local transfem gamer goblin. Will not tolerate bigotry and will fight against "anti-woke" sentiment to make the anime community a safer place.
18 minutes ago

Offline
Nov 2011
6429
by the way, if you go to setting > list, you can set the language for the titles in your list. i don't see why they couldn't implement this site-wide.
i don't think it would be too computationally expensive, though maybe i'm wrong.
You can buy lossless digital music from your favorite Japanese artists on https://ototoy.jp/.
The songs are all DRM-free and you can re-download your purchased albums as you wish.
Show your support to your favorite artist if you can!
ps. if you are looking for Japanese albums, you have to search it in Japanese (not romaji). Just copy and paste the name.

For those who want to learn Japanese through anime
Resources for learning the language
15 minutes ago

Online
Jul 2021
1034
IpreferEcchi said:
Cestlavie_ said:
I clearly meant in anime titles like check out Anikore

"Official websites for anime titles have the URL in Romaji."

I shouldn't need to repeat myself. Those official websites were created by Japanese people, and the URL has Romaji in it.

the URL is insignificant compared to the titles that are actually displayed for the user to see
10 minutes ago

Online
Jul 2021
1034
Zarutaku said:
Cestlavie_ said:
the very fact that english titles are more used in forums on this site than their Japanese counterparts is proof enough

Would you mind providing the evidence for this "fact" ?

Well, I don't have hard numbers, but through sampling, it's clear. Take the forum page for AOT.
In those forum titles, how many say Shingeki no Kyogin and not AOT?. This is usually the case for most shows on this app except those that don't have English counterparts
8 minutes ago

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Jun 2017
2768
Isn't it for the same reason that the Japanese use katakana to represent English words in anime names, only the other way around?

6 minutes ago

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Sep 2018
10888
Giving the romanji makes it easier to search. Giving the kanji is pointless since nobody would type it in to search. Kanji is not for a english focused website. If you understand kanji why not just use the japanese version of mal alternative instead?
6 minutes ago

Offline
Feb 2024
673
Reply to LSSJ_Gaming
I think the fact that we don't even have a toggle on MAL when competitors do is kind of ridiculous. I have a backup of my watchlist on Anilist and they allow you to toggle between three options of show titles that effects both your personal list as well as what name shows up when you search for a show. They offer the officially localized English titles for shows that have them, the romanization of the Japanese title for every show, or the titles in Japanese using kana and kanji.

Similarly, they allow you the option for names characters and staff members to be displayed in Romaji or in Japanese, with additional options to change the name order to be family name first given name second like in Japanese, or given name first family name second like in English.


The fact that MAL is missing basic features like this is really dumb and can cause a lot of unnecessary confusion for newer fans trying to find shows to add to their list that they may have already watched, since the display option of the name when entering "Erased" in the search bar isn't going to match what they typed in, and you really shouldn't assume that every single person knows that the show is called "Boku dake ga Inai Machi" in Japanese. Even if someone were to prefer using the romaji titles, if they simply added in a toggle for search it wouldn't hurt anyone since it would be the user's choice as for which title to display and other sites have proven that this option is effective.
@LSSJ_Gaming

The anime pictures that show in the search exist for a reason
58 seconds ago

Offline
Nov 2015
676
The English titles, if they exist, are included right below the Romaji. Why is that a problem?
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But we decide which is right

And which is an illusion.
36 seconds ago

Online
Jul 2021
1034
rohan121 said:
Giving the romanji makes it easier to search. Giving the kanji is pointless since nobody would type it in to search. Kanji is not for a english focused website. If you understand kanji why not just use the japanese version of mal alternative instead?

An English focused website that doesn't even have a function to display its titles in English.
Isn't that the height of irony?

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