[T/N: Repulogepgyar Levente II]
More additional info for volume 4.
>I like the Nordic gang. Do you plan to draw them in your next manga?
FUFUFUFU…
There used to be a lot of tension between the Nordics, but now they seem to help each other out.
The idea to raise a joint Nordic community is really impressive in my opinion.
Sweden is nowadays so cool!
And also I really love the ties between Iceland and Denmark and Norway and Denmark, I’m currently thinking really hard how to portray them properly!
> I didn’t know that they have a tradition of burning paper money as a sign of gratitude in Macau too.
I live in Okinawa and during our shimi we burn paper money in front of the graves. It looked somehow familiar.
[T/N: Shimi is a family gathering to worship ancestors]
> The tradition to burn fake money as a way to mourn the ancestors that you mentioned in Macau’s profile is very similar to a tradition we have in Okinawa.
I heard from my grandma that on the first day of the lunar year, they burn the money so that even the deceased ones can use it, like Otoshidamas.
[T/N: money that the children get on New Year in Japan.]
> Here in Okinawa, during the shimi and on the last day of Obon that we call Ukui, and also to console the souls of the deceased, we traditionally burn “uchikabi” – the paper money
It’s like pocket money for our ancestors.
[T/N: Oban is the Buddhist All Soul’s day.]
Thank you very much for the info about traditions in Okinawa! It’s fascinating to find out interesting info or search for similarities like this, isn’t it. I definitely want to learn more about the customs in Okinawa.
The Okinawan traditions are all so interesting. As I was visiting some friends there, I got the chance to experience “ukui”, and there was a special holiday for that, how nice that their cultural habits made it even to the calendar!
They danced and were happy as if they just won a highschool baseball match. The people from Okinawa are all so nice and they have so interesting stories to tell.
Random info, if you go for raw fish in Chatan (Okinawan city), check out Sealand!
[T/N: Chatan is an Okinawan city.
Sealand]
> In the introduction of the new character Macau, there is this line about “They burn paper money so that they can use it in the other world.”
That paper money went through an interesting evolution here in Hong Kong. As I was a kid (30 years ago), we had clothes, watches and buildings made of paper. 20 years ago → cell phones, 10 years ago → cell phones, 5 years ago → notebooks and credit cards, and now they ended up being Hong Kong’s SUICA and iPhones. Of course, everything is made of paper and will be burned. It’s always a surprise to go to a grave visit!
[T/N: SUICA is a Japanese rechargeable fare card.]
What glorious collection of high-tech goods! 🙂
It’s somehow cute to imagine our ancestors how they browse internet on their paper iPhons.
It’s remarkable how Hong Kong’s people always adopt new products so quickly.
Thank you for authentic info from Hong Kong and Macau!
> In the character introduction of Iceland, there is the line about “A dialect that nobody understands”. Which one is it?
I meant the Tsugaru dialect, that is generally considered even harder to understand than the Kagoshima dialect. However it turned out it’s really complicated, I bought even a CD of Tsugaru dialect but to not much use.
[T/N: Anybody understand what he means with the 温かみ?]
> In the gakuen colour strips from vol4, it’s said that all three Baltics sing in the school choir. Is it because the Baltic dances, songs and celebrations are a part of Intangible Cultural Heritage?
Yes, that’s where the idea comes from （＾ヮ＾）ｂ
Estonia is particularly famous for songs and choir performances, so I put him into the choir club.
I only listened to Baltic songs on CD, I hope one day I will hear them live.
> another impudent question, but what colour is Romania’s uniform? The image of a vampire is quite strong so I thought maybe black or gray, or even *le gasp* blue (haha)
I can’t decide.
> This has been bothering me for a while now, France was guiding Lisa-chan, right? Didn’t she get lost on her way back after he disappeared?
You have a point there. lol
If you just descend the stairs, it’s quite easy to find the way back, however once you step inside, it’s not easy to get out since the whole thing was build as a fortress.
I’m glad you enjoyed volume 4!
> We are going to America for a schooltrip, but to say the truth it’s my first time in a foreign country and I’m freaking out a bit, could you give me some advice please?
If it’s summer, it will get really really hot, so don’t underestimate the heat preparations!
Also, never leave your handbag or backpack out of your reach (leaving it on an empty seat or putting it on the ground while reading a map is also a no-go)
In America, the places that are dangerous are clearly pointed out, so as long as you will avoid going there, I’m sure you’ll have a great time!
> Jiufen
[T/N: An area in Taiwan]
Everybody seems to be visiting it lately. Jiufen is wonderful with it’s beautiful nostalgic scenery.
Also the cats stroll around and make great models.
And if you walk through the more distant sidestreets, you can catch glimpses of the usual life of the Taiwanese, that made me somehow very happy.
> Japan is sometimes seen with glasses, are those reading glasses or normal ones?
Those are reading glasses…that should have been normal glasses!
> What is 2P Italy in the bonus nyotalia pics holding in her right hand?
Oh yes, that’s a knife (cuttlery knife)
The usual Italy holds a fork, so I decided to make it a knife.
Thank you very much for all your feedback on volume 4!
And also thank you for your encouraging messages and all the interesting info about countries you are sending to me.
Special thanks to the person who wrote me that interesting stuff about Seychelles! I’m always thankful for info about Seychelles and other countries that have only very little info available.
Translation: lost_hitsu
LJ | Original