Anime, Manga and Dorama that feature Kansai-dialect speakers

niwa1985 · Post by **niwa1985** » Oct 22nd, '09, 22:10

Hello !!

For my MA Thesis, I am in need of anime, manga and/or dorama that feature characters that are considered to speak what is called Kansai-dialect or Osaka-dialect.

Can you name a few, preferably with the specific character mentioned?

Thank you very much !!

koushounin · Post by **koushounin** » Oct 22nd, '09, 23:10

Is a variety show OK? HeyHeyHey! Music Champ and Downtown DX's Matsumoto and Hamada (aka Downtown) both speak in Kansai dialect (aka Kansai-ben) in their jokes usually. Most Manzai(Kansai style comedy) acts also speak Kansai dialect. Hope this helps!

Gir · Post by **Gir** » Oct 22nd, '09, 23:48

Osaka?

How about the anime "Abenobashi Mahou Shotengai" (Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi). It's set in Osaka, and the dialect is used in the show, probably the most by the lead character: Satoshi "Sasshi" Imamiya.

Chen Yisi · Post by **Chen Yisi** » Oct 23rd, '09, 00:37

Oh I know one drama in which they speak Kansai-ben !
It's Ganbatte Ikimasshoi.
Well, you can guess from the title itself ^^

jewelchan · Post by **jewelchan** » Oct 23rd, '09, 01:08

From what's in my head now,

Drama
- Ganesha in Yume wo kanaeru zou.
- Sometimes the main characters (Rokuro & Rikako) in 33 Pun Tantei speak with kansai-ben. (I think there's one whole episode in Season 2 that takes place in Osaka but I'm not sure about that.)

Anime
- Heiji & Kazuha & Heiji's family in Meitantei Conan (Detective Conan, a.k.a. Case Closed)

If you want to look into video game as well, both Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side 1 and 2 have characters that speak with Kansai-ben. (Madoka in Girl's Side 1 and Haruhi and Chris in Girl's Side 2).

I just used Google with keyword "Kansai-ben, Anime, Drama" and found a lot of related links so you should try that too. ^_^

kaidanmono · Post by **kaidanmono** » Oct 23rd, '09, 01:22

The manga/anime Lovely Complex (ラブ・コン) is well known for its use of the Kansai dialect. ALL the characters speak it.

niwa1985 · Post by **niwa1985** » Oct 23rd, '09, 07:45

Thank you very much for your help so far.

koushounin wrote:Is a variety show OK? HeyHeyHey! Music Champ and Downtown DX's Matsumoto and Hamada (aka Downtown) both speak in Kansai dialect (aka Kansai-ben) in their jokes usually. Most Manzai(Kansai style comedy) acts also speak Kansai dialect. Hope this helps!

Hmm, variety shows and Manzai (I love manzai

) may be different, as the hosts and artist usually come from that area and speak naturally.
Especially anime and manga are artificial and may feature a dialect that might only look as a variety of Kansai.

Basically what I plan to do is analyzing in how far the Kansai-dialect used in anime and manga series (maybe dorama as well) reflects the actual Kansai-dialect that is spoken within the region. I hope I can make something out of that idea.

*has to talk to prof*

Post by **mizune** » Oct 24th, '09, 02:27

^ Interesting idea...
Any reason why you are focusing purely on the Kansai dialects as opposed to any regional dialect in Japan?

I think a great source for seeing how dialects used in dramas compare to the real thing are NHK asadoramas. Whenever the storylines are outside the Kanto area, they generally try to bring in elements of the region's dialect into the characters... But at the same time, they can't go completely into some of these dialects because if they did/could I'm sure nobody would understand what the characters were saying

I've only (relatively) recently gotten hooked on this form of drama, but here are a some good examples of Kansai region dialects from the asadoramas I've seen in recent years. I decided to add the other dialects used in the series as well... ^_^;;; (Prefecture - dialect)

Chiritotechin - Wada Household (Fukui - Wakasa), Most everybody else (Osaka)
DanDan - Megumi (Shimane - Izumo), Nozomi (old Kyoto Gion dialect -- chracters are geiko)
Kaze no Haruka - Haruka (Kyushu - Oita-ben), characters from Soyokaze Travel Agency etc (Osaka-ben)

And just because....
Junjou Kirari - Sakurako, Tatsuhiko (Aiichi - Mikawa), Sugi Togo (Aomori - Tsugaru) <- incidentally, the actor playing Sugi Togo, Nishijima Hidetoshi, got to use the Tsugaru accent again in the regular/renzoku drama, Yama Onna Kabe Onna

niwa1985 · Post by **niwa1985** » Oct 24th, '09, 11:00

mizune wrote:^ Interesting idea...
Any reason why you are focusing purely on the Kansai dialects as opposed to any regional dialect in Japan?

Well, yes.

First of all, one has to limit oneself to something, as it might get too much to do for a 80 pages paper. I want to focus on Osaka, as it is my favorite dialect and as I may have the chance to go to a university there next year for research on my MA topic, though I might also consider other Kansai dialects for comparing purposes.

And: I did my BA thesis on Japanese dialectology taking examples from the Osaka dialect into account. My course of study is really strange, as I handed in my BA thesis a month ago, but at the same time, I am almost finished with my MA studies (although I am not MA yet officially

). Therefore it is quite handy to take a similar topic for the MA thesis.

I think a great source for seeing how dialects used in dramas compare to the real thing are NHK asadoramas. Whenever the storylines are outside the Kanto area, they generally try to bring in elements of the region's dialect into the characters... But at the same time, they can't go completely into some of these dialects because if they did/could I'm sure nobody would understand what the characters were saying

I've only (relatively) recently gotten hooked on this form of drama, but here are a some good examples of Kansai region dialects from the asadoramas I've seen in recent years. I decided to add the other dialects used in the series as well... ^_^;;; (Prefecture - dialect)

Chiritotechin - Wada Household (Fukui - Wakasa), Most everybody else (Osaka)
DanDan - Megumi (Shimane - Izumo), Nozomi (old Kyoto Gion dialect -- chracters are geiko)
Kaze no Haruka - Haruka (Kyushu - Oita-ben), characters from Soyokaze Travel Agency etc (Osaka-ben)

Oh, that sounds good. I think I saw one, when I was in Japan a few years ago. Have to check the torrents (if there are any).

And just because....
Junjou Kirari - Sakurako, Tatsuhiko (Aiichi - Mikawa), Sugi Togo (Aomori - Tsugaru) <- incidentally, the actor playing Sugi Togo, Nishijima Hidetoshi, got to use the Tsugaru accent again in the regular/renzoku drama, Yama Onna Kabe Onna

I liked that Yama Onna Kabe Onna guy. He was so not-understandable.

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Does anybody know about literature written in Kansai-dialect?

ZEaLoUsThEFiSh · Post by **ZEaLoUsThEFiSh** » Nov 10th, '09, 00:48

There's a big list of movies, anime, manga, music, etc. that feature the Kansai dialect. As well as some videos and such comparing it to the standard dialect.

It also covers some basic expressions and parts of the grammar that change for Kansai.

http://web.mit.edu/kansai/index.html

wmcnair370 · Post by **wmcnair370** » Nov 10th, '09, 01:05

Doesn't Tomo-chan speak in Kansai-ben in Azumanga Daioh?

KanzakiUrusei · Post by **KanzakiUrusei** » Nov 10th, '09, 15:35

All downtown/Gaki no Tsukai shows have Kansai-ben jokes on them

RoosterMcTey · Post by **RoosterMcTey** » Nov 13th, '09, 17:11

Hmm, I recall that Sakurai Sho had to use Kansai-ben in a movie called Kiiroi Namida, though I can't remember where exactly his character was from. (It's up on dramacrazy.net under the English title.)

yellowsky · Post by **yellowsky** » Jan 17th, '10, 14:47

Detective Conan features some, notably Hattori Heiji. I think the anime actually gave him an kansai dilect in the manga as well so check it out. =]

Ethlenn · Post by **Ethlenn** » Jan 17th, '10, 15:24

Clamp's X-1999 character Sorata speaks in Osaka dialect.

niwa1985 · Post by **niwa1985** » Jan 20th, '10, 18:09

Thank you for all your help.

I more or less decided on my topic by now and it will probably mainly focus on Yakitate!! Japan's Kawachi Kyôsuke for that matter.

I wonder how it will work out....

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