#so full of jargon orz

[kanasmusings]

[Translation] Lost Alice Drama Track 1

Woohoo! Here is ‘Lost Alice’ finally~  As usual, I’ll be referring to the characters with their names in the story. Also, a huge thank you to the Anon who told me the official English spelling of the characters’ names! That was a huge help ^^

Characters:

Shinomiya Natsuki – Charles Liddell

Kotobuki Reiji – White Rabbit

Hijirikawa Masato – The Hatter

Kurosaki Ranmaru – Cheshire Cat

Camus – Albert Liddell

Jinguji Ren - March Hare

Aijima Cecil - Dormouse

Under the cut as usual, enjoy~

[UtaPri Shining Masterpiece Show - Lost Alice Drama Track 1]

LOST ALICE - Act 1

ALL: “Lost Alice”

WHITE RABBIT: Are you Alice? A beloved child.

THE HATTER: Who is Alice? An unloved child.

CHESHIRE CAT: Who’s to say who is Alice or who isn’t Alice?

WHITE RABBIT: Welcome to Wonderland! A never-ending paradise.

CHESHIRE CAT: Goodbye, oh normal world. A paradise about to meet its end.

THE HATTER: Fall! Slowly and slowly…

THE HATTER: Deeper and deeper…

CHESHIRE CAT: Now, let’s open the door to a new beginning.

THE HATTER: Climb! Gently and lightly…

THE HATTER: Higher and higher until you reach heaven…

WHITE RABBIT: Now, ring the bell of the beginning.

CHESHIRE CAT: Is this a dream?

WHITE RABBIT: Or is it reality?

THE HATTER: Lies and truth.

CHESHIRE CAT: They go hand in hand.

THE HATTER: To part with something or to acquire something.

WHITE RABBIT: What we gain and what we lose is…

  ***

  WHITE RABBIT: It was a fine May morning, surrounded by beautiful greenery.

WHITE RABBIT: What a magnificent sight it truly is.

WHITE RABBIT: It was a fun and exciting picnic where the sunlight shines on, the forest is brilliant, and you can hear the laughter of various people.

WHITE RABBIT: Yes. All but one was having fun…

ALBERT: Charles! Stop reading fairy tales in such a secluded place. Go and greet everybody.

ALBERT: After that is the tea party.

CHARLES: Why don’t you just go and do it, Big Brother Albert?

CHARLES: Why do I have to do something I don’t want to?

CHARLES: Honestly, I find these creepy tea parties very unnecessary!

CHARLES: Reading your boring books is even better.

ALBERT: Would you desist already? This is an age old tradition after all.

ALBERT: You are of age already. You have to be aware of your surroundings more now.

ALBERT: Good grief. It’s bothersome that you’ve only grown taller but not more mature.

ALBERT: Today is a very important custom for the Liddell Family. I can’t just let you do what you want.

ALBERT: It’s a picnic to deepen our relations with our friends and families.

CHARLES: There’s no one here who really wants to see me.

CHARLES: I’m sure they’ll only be talking gossip as they always do while drinking tea.

CHARLES: I’m very different from you, Big Brother. I’m an unloved child.

CHARLES: All I need is you.

ALBERT: Will you stop already?! It’s because you act like that that they think you’re unusual!

CHARLES: …! That’s right… I’m unusual! I’m not perfect like you, Big Brother!

CHARLES: Please, just leave me alone! (Charles starts to walk away)

ALBERT: Wait a minute, Charles! The forest is—

CHARLES: I hate you, Big Brother!

CHARLES: Ah…!

ALBERT: Watch out!

(Charles falls down the rabbit hole)

ALBERT: CHARLES!!

  ***

  (Charles wakes up after the long fall)

CHARLES: … Wh-where is this…?

CHARLES: I fell down a hole and then…

CHARLES: …! I can’t remember…

CHARLES: It’s completely dark. Where’s everyone? Big Brother?

CHARLES: Is no one here?

(Charles hears White Rabbit running)

WHITE RABBIT: This is bad, very bad! I won’t make it, I won’t!

WHITE RABBIT: I need this and that! If I don’t prepare them, I’ll be in trouble!

CHARLES: What’s wrong…?

WHITE RABBIT: Uwah--! Wh-who are you?! (White Rabbit suddenly stops running and runs into Charles)

WHITE RABBIT: O-ow…! Oh my, if it isn’t Alice!

WHITE RABBIT: What are you doing in a place like this?

CHARLES: Alice? My name’s not Alice. My name is Charles Liddell.

WHITE RABBIT: What are you saying? You are Alice! What should I call you aside from Alice?

WHITE RABBIT: You came from the world above, didn’t you?

CHARLES: That’s true… I don’t know what this place is. I don’t belong here.

WHITE RABBIT: Then, you really are Alice~! That’s what you’re called here.

WHITE RABBIT: My name’s White Rabbit. Nice to meet you, my friend~

CHARLES: Eh…?

WHITE RABBIT: Anyway, Alice, this is bad! We can’t just stand around here. Time waits for no one, see?

WHITE RABBIT: (he takes out a watch) I was just in the middle of turning back the hands on this clock.

WHITE RABBIT: But… This clock is broken and won’t do as I say.

WHITE RABBIT: (he turns the hands again) See? Just like this!

WHITE RABBIT: I keep turning them and turning them but… it’s a futile effort.

CHARLES: Why are you in such a hurry? What’s going on?

WHITE RABBIT: What do you mean ‘what’?! It’s a big a problem, really, a big one! Time is of the essence!

WHITE RABBIT: Time is money, you know? No, wait, it’s even more important than money.

WHITE RABBIT: It can’t be bought with money and it disappears before we know it. It is a thing to which we lose our precious things!

WHITE RABBIT: (with a sudden change of tone) It’s too late once you fail. Once you’ve lost it, life won’t give you the chance to fix it.

WHITE RABBIT: I…

WHITE RABBIT: I’ve failed many times so I know it well…

CHARLES: Then, what should we do?

WHITE RABBIT: That’s why I’m hurrying so it won’t happen again! Just like this…!

WHITE RABBIT: Even if… it’s futile…

WHITE RABBIT: It’s better to regret its results than regret doing nothing.

WHITE RABBIT: You can’t get used to the feeling of losing something no matter how many times it has happened.

WHITE RABBIT: But… not knowing what’s going to happen next is destiny.

WHITE RABBIT: And yet, once it actually happens we’re not prepared for it! We can just accept it.

WHITE RABBIT: Even when we try our hardest, there are times when we just can’t do anything!

WHITE RABBIT: That, too, is… fate…

WHITE RABBIT: But, there’s something I have to do. It’s my duty, you see?

WHITE RABBIT: See ya. I have to get going soon.

CHARLES: Wait! Where are you going?

CHARLES: I want to know the way home. This place is strange and cold… And it’s scary…

WHITE RABBIT: (in a serious and foreboding tone) There’s no way out. You just have to move forward.

WHITE RABBIT: (in his usual cheery tone) By the by~ You’re interested in where I’m going so are you going to help me~?

CHARLES: No, I just want to—

WHITE RABBIT: Thank you, Alice! I really need your help!

WHITE RABBIT: Wait, no. It can’t get started without you there! Definitely be there, okay!? (White Rabbit runs off)

CHARLES: Ah… Wait a minute, Mr. White Rabbit! Hey, please wait! (Charles starts running after him)

  ***

  CHARLES: (sighs) I lost sight of Mr. White Rabbit…

CHARLES: I’m the one who needs some help.

CHARLES: Geez… I don’t even know where I am.

CHARLES: Tch. What’s really going on?!

CHARLES: (trips on a bush) Uwah! O-ow… What’s with this bush!? I’m really down on my luck today…

FLOWER A: (laughs) What a pathetic Alice. Tripping on a rock and rolling down. Serves you right~

CHARLES: (gasps) The flower spoke!

FLOWER B: Who decided that flowers can’t talk~?

FLOWER B: As if we’d keep quiet about something as interesting as this!

FLOWER A: More importantly, this time’s Alice is a little dunce, huh?

FLOWER C: Yes~ Plus, he’s very self-centred.

FLOWER C: Even though he just tripped on his own, he blames it on other people and he’s very irritated~

FLOWER D: (giggles) Yoo-ho~ We’re not really people though~ We’re flowers.

FLOWER A: This is my first time seeing an Alice like this. The ones before were elegant and friendly.

FLOWER A: Really, he’s such an unusual Alice~

CHARLES: Shut up! What would you know about me?

FLOWER D: He’s so harsh with words, too, oh my~

FLOWER D: Looks like he doesn’t have manners, nya~

FLOWER C: Uwoohhh~ Oh, so scary~ He’s so quick to yell.

FLOWER B: He’s got no good points, huh~

FLOWER D: So true~

FLOWER C: Such a pitiful one.

FLOWER and B: (laughs)

CHARLES: …! (he runs away)

CHARLES: It’s always like this…

CHARLES: No matter where I go… There’s no one who understands me!

CATERPILLAR: (turning pages) Volume 6… “The Origins of the Forest”…  About 100 pages…

CATERPILLAR: This substance is Thee up of carbonated water and calcium as the main ingredients… I’m sure it’ll react well with sweetened water.

CATERPILLAR: A doline is a hole on the earth’s surface… I see.

CATERPILLAR: Page 64 of the tax structures…

CATERPILLAR: Inheritance is a fortune that’s divided and changed depending on the amount of people who’ll receive it… I see…

CATERPILLAR: Then there’s… page 81 of the analysis on the mind…

CATERPILLAR: The unconsciousness of a person compared to the consciousness is…

CHARLES: Um… Isn’t it difficult to read more than one book at once?

CHARLES: I’m pretty sure it’ll be easier to read and understand one at a time…

CATERPILLAR: That may be the case for you but it’s not for me.

CATERPILLAR: This is further proved that I can still hear and understand you perfectly at the same time. Worry not.

CATERPILLAR: “There’s no one who understands me!” There was so much displeasure in that sentence.

CATERPILLAR: (closes his book) However, there is no need to be so down, Alice.

CATERPILLAR: A person finds it hard to understand himself so you shouldn’t be bothered about not being understood by others.

CHARLES: …! Then what about you?

CATERPILLAR: It is in me not understanding myself that I can understand more.

CATERPILLAR: Unlike you, see?

CATERPILLAR: I am but a mere caterpillar. Nothing more, nothing less.

CATERPILLAR: But, it is quite humorous to see you irritated about others not understanding you when you don’t understand yourself.

CHARLES: I don’t… want to understand myself either.

CATERPILLAR: You recognize that and yet you’re unable to understand others.

CATERPILLAR: Well, I guess that’s just about what you’re capable of.

CATERPILLAR: (laughs) ‘Read a book one at a time,’ you say?

CATERPILLAR: I didn’t think that you’d suggest that to a reader.

CATERPILLAR: Do you think that books have more value than yourself?

CHARLES: I mean… Books are more important than people, aren’t they?

CATERPILLAR: You’re quite the selfish one.

CATERPILLAR: You think only of yourself and not consider what others are thinking.

CATERPILLAR: That is… simply your logic.

CATERPILLAR: More so—

CHARLES: Enough, please! I don’t want to hear any more.

CHARLES: You’re nagging too much like Big Brother does!

CATERPILLAR: Let’s see here… That person is…

CATERPILLAR: Is he really a bad person? Or is he only bad in your perception?

CATERPILLAR: Moreover, listen until a person finis—

CHARLES: That’s not true! I’ve heard enough. Please excuse me.

  ***

  CHARLES: This place is really full of weird people!

(cat bell rings)

CHESHIRE CAT: (chuckles) I wonder what they mean by ‘unusual’~

CHESHIRE CAT: Answering what’s unusual or not is difficult, huh~

CHESHIRE CAT: Anyway, is that something that you can say?

CHARLES: Who--!? There’s no one here… Even though there’s a voice…

CHESHIRE CAT: I wonder~ Who am I, really~?

CHESHIRE CAT: ‘I am someone, and I am not.’

CHESHIRE CAT: The only one who can decide that is you.

CHESHIRE CAT: The question ‘Who am I?’ is not really that difficult~

CHESHIRE CAT: When I am not here then I am not.

CHESHIRE CAT: When I am here, then I am here.

CHESHIRE CAT: Such as when there’s a front, there’s a behind.

CHESHIRE CAT: I’m that much of a contradictory existence.

CHESHIRE CAT: The others call me Cheshire Cat.

CHESHIRE CAT: (laughs) Do you hate strange people, boy?

CHARLES: (deep breath) Yes. I’ve only been troubled the moment I arrived here!

CHARLES: The guy I asked for the way home won’t tell me and he hurried off.

CHARLES: Some flowers just kept on making fun of me even though they knew nothing about me…!

CHARLES: I’m this troubled and yet no one will help me!

CHESHIRE CAT: Is that so, is that so? You’re troubled, huh~

CHESHIRE CAT: You said you wanted to go home?

CHESHIRE CAT: Unfortunately, no one here’s really an ally or an enemy.

CHESHIRE CAT: It’d be best to keep that in mind.

CHESHIRE CAT: Hm~ You reeeeaaally don’t know anything, do you?

CHESHIRE CAT: You’re as sweet as can be.

CHESHIRE CAT: But that doesn’t mean that you can just be protected by anyone anywhere.

CHESHIRE CAT: You are free here. There’s no right or wrong. You’re free to live the way you want to~

CHESHIRE CAT: That’s right, freely~

CHESHIRE CAT: You don’t dislike that right, boy? Being free.

CHESHIRE CAT: And yet, you’re so displeasured.

CHESHIRE CAT: ‘Alice is really unusual,’ was it~?

CHESHIRE CAT: (laughs in a taunting kind of way)

CHARLES: You speak as if you know everything.

CHESHIRE CAT: Well, not everything~

CHESHIRE CAT: What I know is the same as what you do.

CHESHIRE CAT: In other words, as long as you know it then I will, too~

CHESHIRE CAT: Hey, Alice.

CHESHIRE CAT: Do you really want to go home?

CHARLES: … O-of course I do!

CHESHIRE CAT: Heh~ ‘of course,’ huh?

CHESHIRE CAT: Then, I think you should go that way~

CHESHIRE CAT: I’m sure there’s some delicious food over there. You’re hungry aren’t you, boy~?

CHESHIRE CAT: Eat your fill first.

CHARLES: I’m not hungry!

CHESHIRE CAT: No~ You are.

(Charles’ stomach grumbles)

CHARLES: …!

CHESHIRE CAT: See? (laughs) You’re not gonna be late going home anyway.

CHESHIRE CAT: I’m pretty sure you’ll find what you need there, Alice~

  ***

THE HATTER: Cheers to the tea party where anything goes!

MARCH HARE: Cheers~! The Hatter really knows how to throw a party! Let’s all let our hearts out and enjoy this to the fullest~

(glass breaks)

THE HATTER: (laughs) Goodness, this cake is marvellous! It flies so well with the cup.

DORMOUSE: (nervously) A-ah… that cup is… the thirteenth cup you’ve broken…

DORMOUSE: Uwah…! So wasteful… Why did you do that…? It’s the end of the world…

THE HATTER: Oh, Dormouse! Let us enjoy no matter what happens!

THE HATTER: Also, it is because we’ve already broken so many that we need not be aware of what we throw next!

THE HATTER: Plus, everything that holds shape will be broken someday.

MARCH HARE: I wouldn’t dare think that even a stylish cup like this could be broken.

MARCH HARE: This might be an omen for something good~! Woah, this is the best!

THE HATTER: Exactly! If you keep in mind that we can buy new cups then, see, what do you think~?

THE HATTER: The fun will increase!

DORMOUSE: That… may be… Yeah, that’s right!

DORMOUSE: Then let me break my remaining cups, too. Cheers~

(laughter erupts from the trio)

CHARLES: (quietly) Amazing…! They’re doing toasts using tea cups. If I did that at a normal tea party, Big Brother will surely scold me.

(Charles steps on a twig)

THE HATTER: Oh my, this is…! (he claps his hands) March Hare, Dormouse, we have a guest~

THE HATTER: Young Master, your hand please. (he grabs Charles’ hand)

THE HATTER: Now, over here please.

CHARLES: A-ah, please wait a minute... U-um… I’m looking for the way home and—

THE HATTER: Let’s leave the talk for later. Have a seat first.

THE HATTER: Now, this should be fine. Everyone, please greet Young Master Alice.

MARCH HARE: Welcome, Alice~ Cute guests are always welcome! I am now a very happy March Hare~

MARCH HARE: (giggles) You’re very lucky to have met me, Alice~

CHARLES: N-nice to meet you… You’re quite energetic, aren’t you?

THE HATTER: The March Hare is truly a strange one so we have no idea what he’ll do next! He is unpredictable~

THE HATTER: You might get eaten if you come too close to him.

MARCH HARE: Hey, hey, Hatter, that’s too much of a compliment~ Flattery will get you nowhere, you know~?

THE HATTER: (laughs) It’s your turn next! Come on, now’s not the time to be sleeping.

THE HATTER: Please pour some tea for Alice.

DORMOUSE: (yawns) Sure… I am… always sleepy so I’m a Dormouse…

DORMOUSE: The tea that I’d recommend is… (sleepily) the Darjeeling from… this pot…

DORMOUSE: It’s the best—(yawns) tea there is… (snores)

(the tea cups and stuff clatter as Dormouse falls asleep on the table)

CHARLES: Ah, this is bad…!

THE HATTER: It is fine! It’s a normal thing that happens in this tea party.

THE HATTER: It’s a small matter to be angry over. Moreover, he’s participating even though he’s sleeping so it’s fine~

DORMOUSE: (sleep talking) Please continue…

CHARLES: Ah… It’s true…! This is my first time in a tea party like this!

CHARLES: It’s refreshing and very fun, isn’t it?

THE HATTER: Thank you, Young Master! The Darjeeling pot has been ruined so let’s drink some other tea.

THE HATTER: What pastry would you like to eat?

MARCH HARE: Oh yeah~ How about the usual cookie. That special one that you always keep in your hat, Hatter~

THE HATTER: That is a NICE idea! (he takes off his hat to give some cookies) This is what ‘taking your hat off to someone’ really means~

THE HATTER: This is what I call the Hatter hospitality. Would you like one, Young Master?

CHARLES: Woah, they look delicious! Such cute hat-shaped cookies. Thank you!

(alarm rings)

THE HATTER: Oh, no, you can’t! (he snatches the cookie away from Charles)

CHARLES: What are you doing? You said I could eat it a while ago! Didn’t you give that to me?

THE HATTER: It is a law that the tea party should take a break once in a while.

THE HATTER: This alarm is the signal for that break.

THE HATTER: Well, even though we say that, this alarm is broken so we don’t know when it will go off.

CHARLES: No way…! Isn’t it a weird rule for a tea party to require a break at all?

CHARLES: There’s no way that it’s a law, is there?

MARCH HARE: Even if you tell us that, it’s a decided thing. We were told to strictly obey it.

THE HATTER: It’s unnecessary but at the same time it is. This world is just like that.

DORMOUSE: (sleep-talking) You’re quite the… unusual one, huh… Alice… (snores)

THE HATTER: (laughs) You say such interesting things, Young Master. Really, very wonderful.

(Charles slams his hand on the table)

CHARLES: It’s not interesting at all! (the tea sets clatter)

DORMOUSE: (snaps awake and panics) That way of speaking…! Did the King of Hearts suddenly appear?!

CHARLES: No, I’m not the King.

THE HATTER: Then, are you close to the King?

THE HATTER: Please forgive us…! We’ll do this properly. We’ll make it interesting like you wish!

THE HATTER: Please… Smile more…

THE HATTER: We beg of you… Please spare our lives…!

CHARLES: Um… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you this much.

CHARLES: Please raise your head, Mr. Hatter.

MARCH HARE: Alice, that’s the one thing you shouldn’t say to the Hatter.

MARCH HARE: That it’s not interesting, I mean.

MARCH HARE: Those words are taboo.

DORMOUSE: His life’s… riding on it, you see…?

DORMOUSE: The King’s orders are… absolute.

THE HATTER: One day, we were just doing a tea party like we usually do.

THE HATTER: It was nothing big, really. Very peaceful it was, yes.

THE HATTER: However, we were happily content with it.

THE HATTER: Reuniting with our friends, talking and laughing about random things while drinking delicious tea. It was your usual tea party.

THE HATTER: That’s when he suddenly appeared! The King of Hearts!

THE HATTER: “How uninteresting! What an uneventful tea party!” is what he told me.

THE HATTER: “Make it grander! Make it overflow with fun, don’t be afraid. Make this a perfect and free tea party!” he said.

THE HATTER: “If not…  I will have your head…” is what he told me.

CHARLES: Unbelievable…!

THE HATTER: Ever since then, it feels as if our time has stopped.

THE HATTER: No matter how many times it happens, we just repeat the same time over again.

THE HATTER: This fun tea party bound by harsh time will continue on until the King tells us to stop.

DORMOUSE: It’s not like… we’re doing it because we want to…

MARCH HARE: We have no choice. There’s just no other way. We have to make it fun even if it’s boring. Or else we’ll lose our heads.

THE HATTER: Alice went all the way here and yet we disappointed him.

THE HATTER: I am such a failure of a Hatter. A big fool who can’t do anything…!

CHARLES: That’s not true! Mr. Hatter’s not useless. You have to treasure yourself more.

CHARLES: Thank you for inviting me, I had a lot of fun.

THE HATTER: Young Master Alice…

CHARLES: I understand how you feel, Mr. Hatter. I’m always being reproved by my Big Brother, too.

CHARLES: But, this is too strange. We have to tell the King of Hearts or e— (alarm rings)

THE HATTER: Break time is over! I’m full of energy again after Alice’s encouragement.

THE HATTER: Thank you! We’re already used to it so it’s okay.

THE HATTER: We don’t want to hurt your feelings. Now, let us resume the tea party!

THE HATTER: Now then, where should we begin?

MARCH HARE: From the part where we were eating sweets while toasting.

MARCH HARE: Then, next up is riddle time.

DORMOUSE: I’ll be careful not to fall asleep… (yawns)

THE HATTER: Now then, let us enjoy this! With smiles on our faces.

THE HATTER: That’s the rule after all~ It’s the only way our heads can stay with our bodies.

DORMOUSE: With a grin and… a fun attitude…

CHARLES: No way… That’s not fun at all! I’ll go to where the King is.

CHARLES: There’s no need for you to follow such absurd rules.

CHARLES: You can’t give up! If you really want to change then…

THE HATTER: Of course I would prefer having genuine fun from the bottom of my heart.

THE HATTER: I do but…

CHARLES: I don’t know how I’ll do it but… I’m sure there’s a way!

CHARLES: That’s why let’s have courage to move forward.

CHARLES: Come on, let’s go.

MARCH HARE: That’s totally impossible~ Plus, it’s troublesome. Isn’t this fine~

DORMOUSE: (yawns) I won’t get scolded if I just sleep here… (snores)

CHARLES: I get it, you’re right. I don’t know what will happen if I go unprepared.

CHARLES: It’s scary, huh… Sorry for forcing it on you.

THE HATTER: I will go.

CHARLES: …!

THE HATTER: I will believe in Alice. And then, I’ll try believing in myself, too.

THE HATTER: Let us go together!

DORMOUSE: (sleepily) Are you really going…?

MARCH HARE: Hatter! It won’t be my fault if something happens.

THE HATTER: I am aware! Moreover, I am quite curious about Alice.

THE HATTER: It seems like he’s looking for a way home so I will help him as well.

CHARLES: Mr. Hatter…

CHARLES: I don’t know what I can do but if I’m with you I feel like I can figure it out.

CHARLES: The way to move forward…

CHARLES: Now then, let’s go!

  ==END== 

※ Please don’t re-upload these translations anywhere without permission. ^^

[roaringwingstofly]

A Look at Shiro’s Name

Something that always interested me in regards to Shiro, funny enough, is his name.  Primarily his full name, but his nickname intrigues me, too.  Namely, because having studied Japanese for 5 years and still wanting (and trying) to learn more and more, I just find the many ideas, readings, contexts, and even potential jokes you can use interesting (even quite amusing).

First of all, his full name is Takashi Shirogane.  If we’re going by Japanese reading, it’d be Shirogane Takashi since, in East Asian countries (also the South-East country, Vietnam), the surname is read before the first name (though in Vietnam, the specific structure is surname-middle name-first name).  

I’d imagine most of the time, in Japan, he’d be addressed as “Shirogane-san” (though I can see him telling some people “just Shiro-san”).  If you’re a girl or a senior, perhaps you may address him as “Shirogane-kun”.  “Takashi”  with no honorific would be reserved for very close and intimate relationships like family and extremely close friends.  

(I could go on about honorifics but I’ll leave it at that)

Now, with the kanji reading of Shiro’s name, that’s where things take a more interesting turn.  

From what I’ve seen, there’s no confirmation about what kanji are in his name.  All that’s mentioned on the Voltron wiki is that his nickname, and thus the first part of his surname, “Shiro” means white.  So, it’d have the kanji “白” (”shiro”).

That saying so, “shiro” is the noun form of the adjective “shiroi”  (”白い”), which means white as well, but is used to describe something that is white. 

For example: “白い竜“ (”shiroi ryuu”) is “white dragon”.  You rarely see “shiro” used on its own.

The Voltron wiki also mentions that “Shirogane” can mean platinum or silver in Shiro’s trivia section.  The kanji, in this case, would be “ 白金”.  The literal translation being “white metal”, which silver is referred to.  This would make things interesting as well since there is another metal called “kurogane”  ( “黒金”) which literally means “black metal”, but refers to iron.

However, “shirogane” is a more obsolete and outdated way of referring to silver.  People would say “銀“ (”gin” ) more commonly.  Additionally, the kanji used in “shirogane” (”白金“) is of irregular usage as opposed to “gin”.

For instance, in this sentence:

雄弁は銀、沈黙は金。

The romaji is “Yuuben wa gin, chinmoku wa kin.”  (”Speech is silver, silence is gold.”)  

Though that’s if we’re referring to saying “silver” in an everyday sentence.  With names? Maybe not.

That saying so, there are actually other ways to write the surname “Shirogane”.  One way is definitely with the kanji reading of white metal (”白金“).  Another way to write it is “銀”.  Look familiar? It’s the same way to write “gin” (silver).  

It’s also the kanji used for this guy’s surname.

Rest in pieces, sweet Quiet.  

Anyway, those are two ways to read the surname, “Shirogane”.  Both noticeably refer to the metal or silver.

Another one, which I quite like, is this reading: “白鐘“.  The meaning of this kanji is “white bell”.  Personally, it’s the reading I like using when writing Shiro’s name the most.  There are probably many more ways to read it since the “gane” part could be written with different kanji but for now, I’ll just stop here.

Now, that’s his surname, what about his first name?

Well, with the name “Takashi”, you can find quite a number of kanji readings on Wikipedia alone.  The article lists the following writings:

江詩 - "estuary, inlet, poem"

隆 - "prosperous noble"

喬士 - "high, boasting, samurai, gentleman"

峻 - "high, steep"

崇史 - "adore, revere, chronicler, history"

孝 - "filial piety, serve parents"

節 - "moral courage, integrity"

Of course, the above kanji aren’t the only ways to write the name “Takashi”.  The kanji used for the Takashi in GoLion is “貴”.  This kanji can mean “precious; esteemed”  and “honour”.

And that’s Shiro’s name, Takashi Shirogane.

Now, moving onto a few interesting notes of his nickname, Shiro.

“Shiro” can actually be used as a first name for a boy as it is a variant of the name “Shirou”.  However, the kanji is different, and thus the meaning is also different.  

In terms of actually using it as a boy’s first name, “Shiro” would be written with the kanji “四郎”.  It means “fourth son”.  

Besides white, the word “shiro” can mean a bunch of other things, also depending on the kanji that’s written.  Another reading of “shiro” is with the writing “城“.  This kanji means “castle”.

Also, “shiro”, when written in just hiragana (“しろ“) is a way to make a verb that ends with “する” (”suru”) more commanding.   

So, this sentence, “毎日練習しろ。” (”Mainichi renshuu shiro.”) would be said in a more commanding tone as opposed to “毎日練習する 。”  (”Mainichi renshuu suru.”)

Additionally, one should consider context when the word is used.  

There’s also the bonus of how “shiro” (”白”) can refer to an innocent person or someone who’s not guilty when it’s used in detective or police jargon.  

(Imagine the puns and jokes you can make in a Voltron murder mystery or Ace Attorney AU with Shiro)

There are more meanings with “shiro”, but it ultimately just depends on the context the word is being used.  

And that’s all with me sharing a few things of the name of one lovely Takashi “Shiro” Shirogane.

Anyway, that’s just a little (actually pretty long, sorry! orz) thing I wanted to share since I think we could all use a smile, laugh, or moment to diffuse.  Also, just a little fun trivia I wanted to share.  

Hope you have a nice day! ヾ(＾∇＾) - Saging