Odama

[Fryguy64]

This game comes out soon (end of March in Europe), and is supposed to be filled with little references to Nintendo. This topic is a dropping ground for anything anyone finds that we should keep our eyes out for when the game comes out.

It has already been suggested that Yamanouchi and his "Way of Ninten" are referencing Hiroshi Yamauchi.

Here's something else I spotted in an interview with Yoot Saito on Nintendo Europe's website:
"There are 11 levels altogether. There's even a level where you take a position outside Nintendo's current headquarters. Keep an eye out for it!"

So Nintendo's HQ will also be tucked away in there.

[Nester the Lark]

admin said:

It has already been suggested that Yamanouchi and his "Way of Ninten" are referencing Hiroshi Yamauchi.

"The Way of Ninten?" That's cool! Since "do" means "the way of" in Japanese, that literally translates to "Nintendo!"

From Wikipedia:

It is used as a suffix for various arts and implies that they are not just techniques but have spiritual elements. In this circumstance it is usually translated as "the way of." For example, Japanese tea ceremony is called "Sado" (茶道) and flower arrangement is called "Kado" (華道), these translate to "the way of tea" and "the way of flowers" respectively. Since the Meiji era, Japanese martial artists have adopted this suffix for names of martial arts such as Aikido, Judo and Kendo. This convention was introduced to Korea, but not to China, with martial arts themselves during the Japanese rule so that the suffix can be found in Taekwondo.

Ah, the art of Nintendo. Be at one with the game.

But back on topic. I'm not sure if I'll buy Odama. A few other games have the priority right now, but the in-game references sound cool! I can't wait to see what you guys find!

[Saim]

Actually, the "do" means company, according to dictionary .com.

dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=Nintendo

Dictionary.com said:

Main Entry: Nintendo
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: trademarked name of a Japanese company that makes video game systems, consoles, and software
Example: The founder of Nintendo stepped down in 2002.
Etymology: Ninten `leave luck to the heavens' + do `company'

Wait... Yamauchi wasn't the founder of Nintendo, was he?

[Nester the Lark]

saimdusan said:

Wait... Yamauchi wasn't the founder of Nintendo, was he?

Not Hiroshi Yamauchi, but his great grandfather, Fusajiro Yamauchi did.

And "do" does, in fact, mean "way." I saw a documentary on TV about martial arts several years back that also explained it that way. Or should I say "it explained it that do?" (Bad joke alert! )

[Saim]

coreywoods said:

saimdusan said:

Wait... Yamauchi wasn't the founder of Nintendo, was he?

Not Hiroshi Yamauchi, but his great grandfather, Fusajiro Yamauchi did.

And "do" does, in fact, mean "way." I saw a documentary on TV about martial arts several years back that also explained it that way. Or should I say "it explained it that do?" (Bad joke alert! )

I know, but it obviously also means company, which makes more sense in Nintendo's case.

Even so... "the way of luck to the heavens" and "the luck to the heavens company" both make the same amount of sense.

[Nester the Lark]

saimdusan said:

I know, but it obviously also means company, which makes more sense in Nintendo's case.

Even so... "the way of luck to the heavens" and "the luck to the heavens company" both make the same amount of sense.

Oh, I see. We're both explaining different sides of a Japanese pun. I just liked that Odama refers to Nintendo as a spiritual thing because it ended in "do." I had never thought of it that way before, but it's pretty clever.

[Wildcat]

I plan on picking this up when it hits in April, so I'll post what I find then. ^^

[Fryguy64]

Not if I get it first... it's out on the last day of March over here

We get it before Japan as well. I love it when that happens. Heh heh heh.

[Old Man Rupee]

This one is definately near the top of my birthday list, just below Metroid Prime Pinball.

PINBALL WIZARD!!!!!! ahem, sorry.

[Wildcat]

admin said:

Not if I get it first... it's out on the last day of March over here

We get it before Japan as well. I love it when that happens. Heh heh heh.

Yeah, I know.
I'll still post what the U.S. version has. There's different translations, more than likely.

[Wildcat]

Well, I was planning on getting it this week, but alas, I got struck with the nasty strep throat, so I haven't been able to work, so I won't have the money until a few weeks from now. *sigh*

[nocturnal YL]

"任天堂" (にんてんどう) is the company's name.
"任天道" (also pronounced as にんてんどう) is what they call "the way of ninten".

That is, both way to explain "Nintendo(u)" is correct.