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{{Useful Notes|wppage=Kansai dialect}}
In Japanese, ''Kansai-ben''. Accent commonly associated with the Kansai region of Japan. Since most anime is made in Tokyo (the accents sound different even if you can't understand them), this is usually very thick and exaggerated. It's also usually the first variation to pop up. The Kansai region generally consists of Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, Wakayama, and Nara, as well as the surrounding region. While the dialects generally get lumped together as Kansai-ben because of their general similarities, there are distinctions between them.
Osaka-ben (Osaka dialect) used to be the stereotypical villain accent until Osaka comedians performing with their accent became popular in the nineties. These days Osaka-ben is generally used to indicate a fun loving, impatient, loud, boisterous personality. (See also [[The Idiot From Osaka]].) Osaka-ben speaking comedians are common in [[Real Life]] and in anime, and the [[Boke and Tsukkomi Routine]] has its roots there. Recall, for instance, the scene in ''[[
Even though it is also part of Kansai-ben, Kyoto-ben is generally a much softer dialect. The Kyoto dialect has its roots in the courtly dialect from the time when the capital of Japan was Kyoto instead of Edo (later Tokyo). Recently in anime, Kyoto-ben has been reserved as a primarily female dialect. (See: Shizuru in ''[[
A few quick tips for catching a character speaking Kansai-ben:
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* The use of the ''-hen'' ending, instead of ''-nai'', as in ''wakarahen'' versus ''wakaranai'' (lit. "don't know").
* ''-han'' instead of ''-san'' as an [[Honorifics|honorific]].
* Using the word "aho" (roughly, "dumbass") instead of "[[baka]]".
* The use of the "-haru" ending as an intermediate between plain style and the formal "-masu"
* Saying "se ya naa" instead of "sou da ne" ("I know, right?"; "I agree."; "Is that so?")
* Using "meccha" (not [[Humongous Mecha|that mecha]], the "ch" is soft like "Charles") instead of "tottemo" as an intensifier.
* Listen closely to when they say something like "e~to" (uh; um; er...). The "e", which is pronounced "eh", will be pronounced ''a bit'' more like "ih" (IPA: ɪ). This is easier to pick out when singing, as it is more exaggerated, making words like "shonen" sound ''a bit'' more like "shon'''ih'''n" or "shon'''uh'''n".
For a good explanation of Kansai-ben versus standard Japanese, see
Depending on the country, [[Accent Adaptation|preserving these dialects through translations and dubs]] can be tricky. The usual British equivalent is Cockney, though a Northern accent might represent the geographic and societal differences better than a dialect of the capital (and for Osaka-ben specifically, Brummie might be more accurate, being that Birmingham is Britain's second city, with a gritty industrial image and a local accent with markedly different intonation patterns and pronunciation from those of the southeast; Scouse may be even more appropriate, since it combines the gritty industrial image with a reputation for good humour). In American adaptations, Kansai usually translates to either a Southern or Texan accent (comparisons between Osaka and Houston as large, business-oriented cities with rowdy reputations in the southern part of their respective countries are perhaps not without merit), or a nasal New York or Boston accent (closer in terms of the actual nasal ''sound'' of the accent, and New York's fast-paced reputation isn't far off from Osaka's). The location of the company making the decision seems to be more than a little important in which gets chosen. They're considered stupid like [[Deep South|rednecks]], but rude and brash like [[Brooklyn Rage|New Yorkers]]. A good approximation for a thick one would be a Brooklyn accent a la Tony Soprano, while a softer one might be good as a North Jersey accent (a real one, not the stereotypical and completely inaccurate "Joisey" one).
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See also: [[Tohoku Regional Accent]].
{{examples|Examples}}▼
== [[Anime]] and [[Manga]] ==
* Maeda, the main character of [[Rokudenashi Blues]], slips back into his natural (and extremely thick) Kansai accent whenever he gets mad.
* [[Ranma
* Kinnosuke from [[Itazura
* Sakura the Kyuubi-fox in ''[[Hyper Police]]'' has one of the thickest Kansei accents in all of anime. Even non-Japanese speakers can pick it out.
* In the ''[[
* Likewise Kouhei, the shopkeeper with the five o'clock shadow in ''[[
* Tina Foster in ''[[
* Keroberos from ''[[
* Ken-chan from ''[[Yami to Boushi
* Sumiyoshi from ''[[Excel Saga (
** [[Excel Saga (
* In episode 18 of ''[[Keroro Gunsou]]'', Kururu invents a machine to change one's accent to Kansai-ben in order to make them better at a [[Boke and Tsukkomi Routine]] contest. The English dub goes for a different tack, where it makes Natsumi "[[Blue Collar Comedy|swear like a comedian]]".
* Kaolla Suu of ''[[Love Hina]]'' speaks in ''Kansai-ben'' as part of a [[Running Gag]] about her [[
* The American dub version of Osaka from ''[[
** In the Russian translation of the manga the "Kansai" phrases that Osaka uses in her first appearance are in Ukrainian. Considering the Russian sterotypes of Ukrainians as unsophisticated and greedy, the fit seems close enough. The translator also makes a side note to the effect of "Kansai-ben is not ''that'' different from standard Japanese, but Yukari probably thinks otherwise".
** The Korean localization of Azumanga has "Osaka" come from the city of Pusan which, like the city of Osaka is a major southern port city and the population has a reputation for being unrefined.
* Nanako Kuroi in ''[[Lucky Star]]'', and NOT from that region! In the English dub, they handle this by giving her a Southern accent.
* Mikan in ''[[Gakuen Alice]]''.
* ''[[
* Hazel from ''[[Saiyuki]]: Reload Gunlock '' is from "a land far west of India" (by his Old West themed appearance, implicitly America), but speaks in Kansai-ben. In this case, the "brash outsider" associations of the dialect contrast with the character's exaggeratedly gentle and friendly demeanor; the less confrontational he delivers "Sanzo-han", the more sarcastic it sounds.
* An episode of ''[[Ghost in
* Something of a bit character, Cho of the Juppongata from ''[[Rurouni Kenshin]]'' receives a hilarious "southern" accent in the English dub. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-ne93Ve1Ck Take a listen.]
* ''[[
* It's not too clear why Tentomon, from ''[[Digimon Adventure]],'' uses this accent.
** The English dub drops it more or less completely; Tentomon is distinguished primarily by his vocabulary, rather than his accent.
* Aspiring comedian Haruki Emishi in ''[[
* ''[[Bleach]]'':
** Ichimaru Gin uses Kyoto-ben. Since it's a high-class accent, the English dub makes him sound a little posh instead of going the standard Southern-accent route.
** Shinji and Hiyori of the Vizards also use Osaka-ben. In one of the anime's [[Next Episode Preview|next episode previews]] he tried to form some sort of Kansai-solidarity alliance with Gin, only for him to point out that their accents are different and spark a flame of Osakan pride in Shinji.
* The Spiderman from ''[[Yaiba]]'' speaks with a thick Osaka-ben, since he's referred as a parody of [[The Idiot From Osaka|Osaka people]]
* John Brown, the Catholic priest from Australia in ''[[
* Hayate of ''[[Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha]]''. This may be why some fanworks portray her as infatuated with the [[Boke and Tsukkomi Routine]].
* Aoi Nogami from ''[[Zettai Karen Children]]'', or just many of the characters played by her seiyuu, Ryoko Shiraishi, who is from Nara. Incidentally, Aoi uses the Osaka dialect, but she herself is from Kyoto (the one place in Kansai where the Japanese usually use the right dialect).
* ''Nobody'' uses the dialect in ''[[The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya]]'', even though they ought to: the series is set in [
* Toji in ''[[Neon Genesis Evangelion]]'' uses Kansai-ben, rendered in the manga as a heavy Brooklyn "wise guy" accent.
* The Tigers team in ''[[Zoids]] New Century'' all have thick Kansai accents. However, they appear to have been engineered as a deliberate [[Shout
* Tasuki from ''[[Fushigi Yuugi]]''.
* Amano Jyaku from ''[[Urotsukidouji]]''. For some reason, though, his sister Megumi sounds nothing like him.
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* The Black Tri-Stars, an [[Ace Pilot]] trio from the original ''[[Mobile Suit Gundam]]'', though their case is somewhat inexplicable as none of them are Japanese. In the American dub, they're all given Southern accents.
* Hattori Heiji and Toyama Kazuha from ''[[Detective Conan]]''
* Nanako (aka Casey) in the Japanese version of the ''[[Pokémon (
** Also Bill in ''[[
* In ''[[Magic Knight Rayearth]]'', the main characters meet someone on the medieval fantasy world of Cephiro who has such an accent. They even ask ''why'' she has it, but this is never answered.
** It's explained in the series' second part that Caldina (the girl in question), is not actually from Cephiro, but rather Chizeta, an ''Arabian''-style fantasy world. Only two other characters from that realm are given speaking roles within the series itself, and although they both appear to speak standard Japanese, one of them is faking it and lapses into Kansai-ben when agitated, so it may just be common there. Somewhat understandable since their seiyuus, [[Yuko Nagashima]] and [[Aya Hisakawa]] respectively, ''are'' Osaka-born and thus fluent in the accent.
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** Wheeljack in ''[[Transformers Generation 1]]'' (adlibbed by the Osakan voice actor)
** Browning in ''[[Transformers Super God Masterforce]]''
** Diver, Thrust, Dirge, and Ikard in ''[[
** Gusher (Slapper) in ''[[Transformers: Robots in Disguise]]''
** Hitoshizuku Amaō and Teletraan 10 in ''[[Kiss Players]]''
* Antonio/Spain from ''[[Axis Powers Hetalia]]''. Himayura [[Accent Adaptation|typically renders Spanish speaking countries speech as Kansai accents.]] Also, Berwald/Sweden speaks Touhoku-ben, Denmark speaks Ibaraki-ben, Belgium speaks Shiga-ben, and Feliks/Poland, like, totally speaks Nagoya-ben.
** The actual character of Osaka speaks in that accent, and his VA is from that region.
* Seita and Setsuko in ''[[Grave of the Fireflies]]'' speak in the dialect, since they're from Kobe. This is solely for the accuracy of the setting, however, and definitely '''not''' [[Played for Laughs]].
* Kawachi from ''[[Yakitate!! Japan]]'' speaks with a Kansai accent, given his [[The Idiot From Osaka|personality]].
* Natsumi from ''[[Sketchbook]]'' speaks Fukuoka-ben, with its typical drawn-out vowels. It's weird that she is the ''only'' one who speaks that way, considering the series takes place in the Fukuoka prefecture.
* Averted in ''[[GA Geijutsuka Art Design Class]]''. Awara's accent, perceived as the Kansai dialect, is actually the Nagoya dialect.
* The Osakan characters (particularly Takane) in ''[[Burst Angel]]''.
** In the Funimation dub, this is portrayed as a somewhat overdone Texan accent.
* ''[[K-On!]]'': Ritsu suggests that the girls should talk like this while on a school trip to Kyoto, and demonstrates by adding Kansai endings. [[Wise Beyond Their Years|Mugi]] on the other hand, shows that she can speak it fluently.
** Most street scenes in the anime are actually situated in Kyoto (mostly in the Kamigyou ward), whereas the high school is modeled after an elementary school in Kansai's [
* Juzo Naniwa from ''[[Combattler V]]''
* Scanlations of Yamatogawa's manga often have their characters speaking in colloquialisms such as "Didja ferget yer old friend?" reportedly as a reflection of this trope, either as a literal accent adaptation or as an indication of a character's personality.
* Mako from ''[[
* Aizawa Sakuya from ''[[
* For reasons unexplained, [[
* Hadzuki Nouge from ''[[Koe
* When the other people on the riverbank think Recruit is a leech in ''[[Arakawa Under the Bridge]]'' it serves as a [[Berserk Button]]. He becomes so enraged he starts speaking in a Kansai Accent.
* Oddly not used in ''[[
** Not that surprising since many people from the Kansai region learn to speak in the "Tokyoite accent" so as to fit in or at least to not stand out. Even less surprising in the case of Misa since she's an idol.
* The characters from the Nue story in ''[[Mononoke]]'' speak Kyoto-ben since the setting is near the capital. The ~han honorific is fairly prominent.
* Watari Yutaka from ''[[Yami no Matsuei]]''
* Yuina from ''[[
* The ferret mascot Tarte (and the denizens of the Sweets Kingdom) from ''Fresh Pretty Cure'' speak in this dialect.
* Misaki of ''[[Angelic Layer]]'' speaks in Kansai-ben as does [[Bunny Ears Lawyer|Icchan]] which may be a reason she first trusts him. Interestingly enough his younger brother from Osaka does not though this is later explained.
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* Hime Onizuka from ''[[Sket Dance]]'' speaks this but addresses [[Japanese Pronouns|herself with "atashi" instead of the standard "uchi"]].
* Subverted in [[Slam Dunk]], where Rukawa refers to Sakuragi as "aho" but doesn't seem to be from Osaka. Played straighter by Hikoichi and his sister Yayoi, who ''are'' Osaka-nites and use the accent. (Yayoi is also voiced by the Osaka-nite [[Yuko Nagashima]].)
* [[
== [[Literature]] ==
* [[Word of God|Her author]] has stated that Gamu of ''[[Kokoro]]'', who has a casual western accent, [[Translation Convention|actually]] uses a Kansai-ben, although her personal pronoun is "[[Bokukko|ore]]".
* "American ''Hijiki''", a short story by the author who wrote ''[[Grave of the Fireflies]]'', is for the most part in Kansai-ben. The main character lives in Tokyo, but grew up in Osaka during the Occupation, and still has some serious mental scars that manifest themselves when an American couple come to visit.
== [[Live Action TV]] ==
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** Likewise, Cait Sith from ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]''. On account of the game's [[Blind Idiot Translation|lousy translation]] this ended up as the rare case of [[Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping|Ooh Me]] [[Funetik Aksent|Funetik Aksents]] [[Ooh, Me Accent's Slipping|Slipping]], with Cait Sith randomly developing and losing his Southern drawl. More recent works have it translated as an obnoxious Scottish accent instead, what with the character's vague origins in Celtic mythology.
** Selphie of ''[[Final Fantasy VIII]]'' ''thinks'' in Kansai-ben, but speaks like the other characters. Interestingly, her younger [[Kingdom Hearts]] incarnation ''speaks'' with an unmistakable Kansai accent.
* In the Japanese version of ''[[Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney]]'', Lotta Hart uses a Kansai accent. In the brilliantly [[Woolseyism|Woolseyised]] English translation, she uses a deep-south American accent.
** In ''Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations'', Furio Tigre had a Kansai accent, which was translated to a Brooklyn accent.
* Hideyoshi in ''[[Umineko no Naku Koro
* Pigma Dengar in ''[[Star Fox (
* SNK (or SNK Playmore, as it's now known) has its headquarters in Esaka, Ōsaka, and they appear to like sneaking in references to Ōsaka stuff (e.g. the Japan Team theme song in the [[The King of Fighters|KOF series]] is titled "Esaka", and a few stages in the series are based on the area). While many SNK characters don't speak Kansai-ben, including ones canonically from the area, Kensou (Chinese) and Robert (''Italian-American''), curiously enough, do. There's also [[Last Blade|Akari]], and certainly others. Tsugumi from ''[[Fatal Fury]]: Wild Ambition'' is pretty much a walking Ōsaka tribute, and although she doesn't use Kansai-ben, Xiangfei's move names are mostly references to Ōsaka locations.
* Asuka Kazama from ''[[Tekken]]'' speaks in Kansai dialect.
* ''[[Breath of Fire III]]'' actually had, in the original Japanese version, a character named the Kansai Dolphin which [[Exactly What It Says
* Kurt, Bill, Whitney, and a few other NPCs in ''[[Pokémon Gold and Silver
* Kijyo Madoka in ''[[Tokimeki Memorial]] Girl's Side 1'' speaks Kansai-ben, and it's remarked upon several times over the course of his route. Kids at the park call him "Kansai no oniichan" and tell the protagonist he chases away high school-aged bullies for them, which he waves away as the bullies being creeped out by his dialect; similarly, a guy who harasses the protagonist at the beginning of a date makes a run for it when he hears Kijyo speaking Kansai-ben. Kijyo also drops the dialect and speaks normally during the school play, which impresses the protagonist with how serious he seems.
** In ''Tokimeki Memorial Pocket'', the Game Boy Color version of the original game, [[Eagle Land|Patricia McGrath]] (only when she's in [[Unstoppable Rage]] mode, though), as well as her brother and father, speak Kansai-ben.
* Natsume in ''[[Kara no Shoujo]]'' speaks in a weird manner that doesn't translate very well, but is noted instory as being based on the Kyoto dialect.
* Catherine Kyohbashi from ''[[
** Kyohbashi is, among other things, the name of a bridge across the Neya River (Neyagawa) north of Osaka Castle. The Kyohbashi commercial district around the bridge has a lot of bars and love hotels.
== [[Web Original]] ==
* Yanki J, the [[Acting for Two|alternate persona]] of [[That Guy With
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[[Category:Useful Notes/Japan]]
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[[Category:Accent Tropes]]
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