DB Multiverse

Bonus - Translation of Names

You may wonder how I chose the names which are used in the comics, since some are not quite the same as the official translations.

I chose each character's name according to all the translations I knew, so as to get the same names in French and in English, and close to the Japanese pronounciation.

The rules I established were as follow:

  1. A spelling confirmed by Toriyama is immediately accepted (i.e.: seen in the manga). This concerns Bulma, Kulilin and Satan (ahaha none of them are present in DBM !)
  2. A name which means something must keep this meaning. Cell is Cell and not Seru.
  3. Spelling what is heard in Japanese, but taking into account the fact that guys in Japan pronounce really strangely. If I write "Vegeta", they'll read it "Bedgita" anyway, so there's no reason to write "Bejita".
  4. Never take into account romaji ;) Torankusu must die!

Japanese people don't say Carot, they do say Kakaroto. Do we lose the pun with "carrot"? Not really, since Tori often writes anagrams or backslang with the words he takes. Just look at the whole Ginyu Force.
Why would I translate Kakarot by Carot, but keep Saiyan instead of "Vegetable"? Or even Getableve or Gevebatle...

There's always the problem of adaptation/restitution: what's better, Master Roshi or Muten Roshi? I chose the second solution.

Here are some characters, in alphabetical order, and my choices for their names:

French AnimeManga Trans. 1Manga Trans. 2Dragon Ball Dictionary English VersionChoice for MultiverseComments
BulmaBulmaBulmaBURUMABulmaBulmaWriten on her clothes in the first chapter of DB.
BoubouBooMajin BooMAJIN BUU(Majin) BuuMajin BuuI prefer the "u".
Broly--BURORÎBrolyBrolyPun with Brocoli.
CachalotCarotKakarottoKakarotKakarottoIt's clearly pronounced "Kakaroto". More details above.
CellCellCellSERUCellCellComes from the English word "cell". Cell defines himself as a clone, and it is known that we "use cells to clone".
Cooler--KUULACoolerCoolaSame reason than Freeza.
DablaDabraDabraDÂBURADaburaDabraComes from "Abracadabra"
Petit CoeurPiccoloPIKKOROPiccoloPiccoloInstruments'n'stuff...
FreezerFreezerFreezerFÛRIZAFriezaFreezaPun with coldness, since his father's name is Cold. Freezer could have worked too but I wanted the same name in English and in French. And as they say in the anime: Freeeeeezaa!
?GinueGinyûGINYÛGinyuGinyûThe most used one wins.
NeptuneKaïo Shin (du Sud)Kaiô Shin (du Sud)(MINAMI NO) KAIÔSHIN(South) Kaioshin?(South) Kaiô Shin 
?OobÛBU?UubBuu backwards.
Super GuerriersSaïyensSaïyensSAIYAJIN?SaiyansI've been told to use Saiyans. So I used it.
HerculeSatanSatanSATANHerculeMr. SatanSay it with me! Satan! Satan! (plus it's writen on the boards carried by the fans in the manga)
SangokuSangokuSon( )gokûSONGOKÛGokuSon GokûSeems clear to me.
VégétaVégétaVégétaBEJÎTAVegetaVegetaLike I said.
VégékuVégétoVégettoBEJITTOVegitoVegettoI added a "t" so that it's slightly more different from Vegeta.
VidelVidelVidelBÎDERU?Videl"Devil" backwards, since Satan is her father.
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