Special Cases
Outlined below are common scenarios that you may encounter when determining what term should be used in the synopsis.
Case #1
The original release provided its own English translation, romanization, or spelling.
The original release always supersedes the English licensor's release.
Detective Conan Movie 10: Requiem of the Detectives
Use Detective Boys as this is evident in their badges.
Do not use Junior Detective League or Junior Detectives.
Use Marine, the spelling of which is clearly written on a gate early in the story.
Do not use Navy.
Use Black Stones to refer to Nana Osaki's band.
Do not use BLAST.
Case #2
The licensor's "translation" is not English.
Licensed terms do not necessarily mean it is in English; in some instances, licensors simply romanize or spell out the Japanese, Chinese, or Korean word. When this happens, stick to the licensed term regardless if it is not in English.
Use Mekakushi-dan not Blindfold Gang.
Use Sound Hashira not Sound Pillar.
Use Zanpakuto not Soul Slayer.
Case #3
The series is not licensed.
First, if the entry in question has related entries, you can check those to see if a Rewrite synopsis has been written for them and determine if the term has been used there.
Consider Case #1 for the entry in question. Follow Case #1 instructions if true.
If the entry in question has related entries that do not have a Rewrite synopsis but are licensed and of the same medium, verify if the licensor has used the term in their translation.
Use the most popular fan translation to determine the spelling of the term. This will likely come from where you are watching/reading the anime/manga.
Otherwise, you may also translate the term yourself, ensuring that it follows MAL's romanization guidelines. It is recommended to leave a Google Docs comment containing the original text for others to verify it.
Use Chidori Public High School not Chidori Metropolitan High School.
The former is the most popular term in fan translations.
Kyoukai no Kanata: Mini Gekijou
Use Spirit World warrior, not Under World Warrior.
The former is the term used in the Rewrite synopsis of the parent series' entry, which has been licensed.
Use Ashura no Shindou not Divine Path of the Ashura.
While the anime adaptation is licensed, the manga is not.
Case #4
The series is part of a franchise with multiple licensors.
Each entry of the franchise might be licensed by different English companies and thus several "official" licensed terms can be found. When this happens, use the licensing company's terms of the entry you are currently writing or editing for.
If a licensor uses multiple versions of a term, choose one and stick with that version to maintain consistency.
Focus only on entries that are anime or manga, not any other media types (i.e. video games, visual novels, live-action adaptations, etc.).
Danganronpa 3: The End of Kibougamine Gakuen - Mirai-hen
Use Super High School-Level x (hyphen included) instead of Ultimate x.
The latter was only used in the games. Use Funimation's translation.
Use Generation of Miracles not The Miracle Generation.
Use Order of Rosen Kreuz not Rosenkreuz Orden.
For the last two examples, the former is the term used by the anime's licensors (Crunchyroll and Funimation, respectively), while the latter was used by the manga's licensor, VIZ Media.
Case #5
The same entry has multiple companies licensing it.
It is possible for a company to discontinue its license and another licensor to pick the same entry up. When this occurs, use the most recent or current licensor's translation. If you are still unsure about which translation to use, message a coordinator.
Use Yorozuya due to multiple licensors' internal inconsistency.
Do not use Freelance Oddballs or Yorozuya Gin-chan.
Use Rune God and not Mashin or spirit.
Licensors may use either direct translations or the romanized form of a term in the text; here, the direct translation is preferred, as Kodansha is the current licensor of the series.
Use Mystical Silver Crystal and not Legendary Silver Crystal or Imperium Silver Crystal.
Use Sailor Guardian not Sailor Scout.
Kodansha's most recent translation (2018) is utilized over their old translation (2011) and Tokyopop's translation.
Case 6
The licensor is inconsistent with the translation of a term throughout a series.
A licensor may translate the term one way in one volume/episode and then translate it a different way in a later volume/episode. Use the version that is utilized in the most recent volume/episode.
Use Pulau Yang Indah and not Pulau Yong'Unda.
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