Thread: Dogasu's Backpack Discussion

Out of curiosity Dogasu, why do you, and numerous other fans, refer to the Rocket Trio as the ‘Rocket Dan’? I’ve seen it stated on a few occasions that ‘dan’ is essentially Japanese for ‘gang’, so I always wondered why they weren’t referred to as such. Is it one of those words that are difficult to accurately translate to English without losing a part of the intended meaning, or is it just personal preference?

I liked the new comparison, but I'm really looking forward to that opening one. Sounds like it could be very interesting.

And if you feel like you have to take breaks every now and then so you don't get burned out, then go ahead. I try to take breaks with Pokemon related things as well, because I don't want to get burned out on the franchise like I did with Digimon.

Got another recurring character I forgot to mention - "Captain Sailor" makes another appearance in the recent Whaleko episode.

Originally Posted by Grave-E

Out of curiosity Dogasu, why do you, and numerous other fans, refer to the Rocket Trio as the ‘Rocket Dan’

The word 団 isn't really all that difficult to translate; I just choose not to translate it the same way I choose not to translate hakase when talking about the various pokemon professors.

To me, Rocket-Dan is who they are because that's the name I keep hearing over and over. No one ever says "Rocket Gang," for instance, so it never really registers with me as being their name.

Originally Posted by Adamant

Got another recurring character I forgot to mention - "Captain Sailor" makes another appearance in the recent Whaleko episode.

I saw that too :D

Boy with hoodie and hat is in "Dig those Diglett" too.

I think the "joke" that they were going for in the Japanese was still in the American version. I'm not sure where you were going with that...because he said something in English?

Brock thinks it's a Pokemon
Group does that "anime fall"
Brock corrects himself, and throws it again.

Nothing beats a Jelly Filled Donut lol. I remember as a kid thinking that they were donuts, and then when they started calling them other things thats when I got confused.

"Primeape Goes Bananas" was always one of my favorite episodes.

I'll always remember it for being the beginning of Prof. Oak's love for Pokémon Poetry.

The funny thing about the onigiri being called, Jelly-filled Donuts was that my first episode of Pokémon was, "Sparks Fly for Magnemite" and when I saw "Pokémon Paparazzi" and they were called, rice balls. Then when I finally saw "Primeape Goes Bananas", I was like what?!?. . . they're rice balls not Jelly-filled Donuts. LOL.

Originally Posted by Pokemaster Justin

I think the "joke" that they were going for in the Japanese was still in the American version. I'm not sure where you were going with that

One of the jokes got lost, though.

"Monster Ball, go!"
"I mean...rice ball, go!"

As opposed to

"PokeBall go!"
"Donut (?) go!"

Doesn't quite work the same.

I remember as a kid thinking that they were donuts

How in the world did you not know? Even if you didnt know that they were rice balls, the fact that those things look nothing like donuts should have let you know that 4Kids was feeding you bullshit.

Originally Posted by Dogasu

How in the world did you not know? Even if you didnt know that they were rice balls, the fact that those things look nothing like donuts should have let you know that 4Kids was feeding you bullshit.

One word: Timbit

Donuts ≠ Donut holes, though.

And besides, onigiri doesn't look much like donut holes, either.

Originally Posted by Dogasu

How in the world did you not know? Even if you didnt know that they were rice balls, the fact that those things look nothing like donuts should have let you know that 4Kids was feeding you bullshit.

Well lets see...

I was 10 years old, my family is not japanese, I didn't go on the computer, and I didn't watch anime. It didn't think it was a regular all american circle donut, but I don't think it's too far fetched for a kid to think that it did look like some kind of snack cake product.

Yeah, when I originally saw the episode I thought it was a donut too. Not everyone knows Japanese culture and food. There are white donuts with chocolate down the center, ya know! :p

Dang it now I'm hungry.

Originally Posted by DreamOutLoud

One word: Timbit

Timbits aren't as well-known in the U.S, just here in Canada.

Y'know, I didn't know too much about Japanese culture back when the dub of that episodes first aired, either. And my Internet access was close to non-existent.

With that said...I knew that something was up because the food LOOKED NOTHING LIKE DONUTS. I may not have actually known the name of the food, but I knew that they sure as hell weren't donuts or donut holes or eclairs or whatever other lie 4Kids was content to feed me.

If they really wanted to cover it up that badly, they could have at least called it a slice of cake or something. Now that, I could understand someone falling for.
But I'll have to throw my hands up and admit I don't think I'll ever understand how a triangular, lumpy white snack with a big black square at the bottom could ever be confused with the humble hula-hoop that is the wholesome donut.

To me, Rocket-Dan is who they are because that's the name I keep hearing over and over. No one ever says "Rocket Gang," for instance, so it never really registers with me as being their name.

Ahh, I figured as much. That's perfectly understandable. Thanks for clearing that one up :)

And while the subject of recycled characters is still up and running. Temacu (Himeka), the Momoko parody of the very awesome episode 'The Heartbreak of Brock' from
mid Johto made an appearence during the Wallace Cup (Staging a Hero's Welcome), in one of her fantasy wedding dresses, no less.