The New Year Paradox
Posted: Sat Apr 08, 2006 11:23 pm
It would seem Star Fleet did have its flaws after all - this is a fascinating guestbook entry from Japan, from Minako NAKAKURA:Quote I was so surprised.Only after seeing your site and reading your episode guide, I noticed theinconsistency that there are twice of "New Year's Day" in this story!As you say on this site and on the forum log, the end of A.D.2999 and the NewYear's Day of A.D.3000 comes at the end of the story. But, "New Year's Day" inepisode13 which you think as Shiro's birthday or something is also "New Year'sDay" actually, not being mis-translation.For its authority, original play in Japanese at the beginning of episode13 goesas following :Lee : Shiro, genki daseyo. Kyou ha Chikyu-reki no Sho-gatu dazo.(means "Shiro, cheer up! Today is New Year's Day on the calender of the Earth.")Hurcles : Sitteta ka? (means "Do you remember it?") Shiro : Sho-gatu....sou ka,son-na mono ga attandana. Wasurete ta yo. (means "New Year's Day....I see, Iremember such a day now. I forgot it.") Lee : Jinkou no Kome de Zou-ni wotukutte mimasita. (means "I tried making Zou-ni from artificial rice.")I got that play from my own laserdisc set of "X-Bomber".They actually said "Sho-gatu (= New Year's Day)" in that dialogue of episode13.So, "New Year's Day" in episode13 is a literal translation of "Sho-gatu" withmissing the inconsistency of double New Year's day, not being mis-translation.Incidentally, Zou-ni that Lee carried for Shiro on that scene is a traditionaland symbolic Japanese food of New Year's Day, not eaten on birthday. Of course,there are no customs to eat it on Chinese New Year's Day....I'm sorry but I canoot have any idea or source to clear up the inconsistencyof double New Year's day now. Possibly it may not be a inconsistency but may bea happening on some unknown theory of that story such as there are defferentaxies of time between on the earth and in the space. Of course, I also thinkthat the making staff of X-Bomber missed the inconsistency, or forciblydisregarded it for making episode13 as new year's episode, planed to broadcaston 3.Jan.1981 in Japan.