hontou ni sou omou?

We of English-speaking fandom tend to laugh or lament over Engrish or Japlish in anime de arimasu. But it also seems that anime repays the favour by making fun of foreigners who speak Japanese either with not quite contextually correct use or by adding unnecesary bits to sentences de arimasu. A Japanese friend told me that one of her non-Jp colleagues introduces himself with the “-san” honorific and refers to himself in the third person de arimasu. She was too mortified to correct him and suspects he learns his Japanese from six year old female anime characters de arimasu. (Btw she also tends to add “desu” at the end of her English sentences when speaking quickly LOL de arimasu.)

The unnecessary addition that comes to mind right now is: “de arimasu” (であります - It is so.) Wilhelmina Carmel, power maid of Shakugan no Shana and the hapless Keroro Gunso (screencaps above)both add this to the end of most of their sentences de arimasu. Former is a foreigner and latter is an alien - though the Japanese may consider both to be the same thing if my first impression of Japanese immigration booths is anything to go by de arimasu (many years ago, seeing the word "alien" under "外国人" at Narita arrivals de arimasu). Keroro Gunso is a comedy and Keroro’s use of “de arimasu” (especially in the titles of each episode’s two parters) is funny but being bombarded by a string of “de arimasu” suffixed sentences from straight-faced Wilhelmina had me guffawing through Ep 15 and 16 de arimasu.

Finally a note of thanks to Jason for opening my mind to the gem that is Keroro Gunso (lesbian ninja girl Koyuki being an initial draw) and to Hitoribochi Fansubs for bringing this as-yet-unlicensed series to English-speaking fandom and even making it even funnier (e.g. “You dares to call my Sergeant ’stupid frog’? That’s unforgivable, bitch!” ) de arimasu.