Even the French dub called it "Black Butler." With a French accent no less.

[amanuensis1]

I've always been a snob for "the original way things are," where "original" translates to "The way things were when *I* first found them" (so, that kind of "it's all about me" snob), but I am discovering that the title Black Butler comes to my lips more easily these days, with the American release of the DVDs, with English dub. Prior to this I clung to Kuroshitsuji without compromise, but when I find a simple phrase like, "Black Butler will be out on DVD in just a few days!" comes out of my mouth and gives me no twinge of, "What did I just call it?", well, maybe it's time I caved. It's good that English-speaking audiences will discover it and an English title helps that. It's not a proper noun, after all. But I keep feeling like the source material will turn its back on me in one collective flounce for the offense.

This, as I'm actually starting to begin learning Japanese, too, beyond just practicing hiragana and katakana over 'n' over. I learned to write fourteen kanji this week!

Comments

[crescent-moony.livejournal.com]

I don't disagree, but I'd probably tell them the Japanese name, too, because 9 times out of 10 the first thing that jumps out of my mouth is "Kuro" or "Kuroshitsuji," not "Black Butler." So if we're gonna be talking, they're gonna have to know both titles. XD;

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I would get worse than blank stares from some folk if I said the Japanese name, though. I'd get instant, "Some of her Japanese shit. Not interested," turn-off.

Wanna hear my extra-special snobbishness? I refuse to call it "Kuro." I tell myself I wouldn't abbreviate "Black" if it were Black Butler, would I? I'd call it BB if I needed to abbreviate it. My personal abbreviation for it has long been KSS, actually.

[crescent-moony.livejournal.com]

Well, introduce with the American name, then. After that, slip in the Japanese. XD

Personally, I don't like KSS-- it doesn't make sense to me, as a student of Japanese. ^^; The name comes from two words "kuroi" and "shitsuji." So if someone were to call it KS, that'd make sense; the extra s doesn't. I always have to think for a good five minutes WTF people are talking about when they call it KSS. XD;