This is a review of the English version of Bloom Into You: Regarding Saeki Sayaka, licensed by Seven Seas Entertainment.
The publisher has made multiple changes to the manga Bloom Into You that muddle the meanings.
For more details, please refer to the master list, section “mistakes by Seven Seas Entertainment”.
Unfortunately, a similar fate has befallen the spin-off light novel.
The highlights (a small sample) from each volume can be read here.
Let’s begin the investigation on nuances lost or changed in volume 1.
Specifically, chapter 1. Chapter 2 will be in separate entries.
I will also point out inconsistencies such as poor continuity with the manga, characterization, terminology, spelling, grammar, names, dates…
(This is not a comprehensive list.)
Distinguishing which differences matter is left as an exercise for the reader.
(Due to the amount of text, please understand that explanations will be heavily simplified.)
Page numbers refer to the print edition.
front cover
art & designs by
Why are designs credited to Nakatani Nio?
This is inconsistent with the title page, which credits art to Nakatani Nio,
inconsistent with the copyright page, which credits designs to other people,
inconsistent with the original cover, which credits the original work & illustrations to Nakatani Nio,
and inconsistent with the original table of contents, which credits design to BALCOLONY.
page 9-11 (English), 9-10 (Japanese)
This may sound arrogant, but I knew early on that I was talented.
When I say “talented,” I mean that I can get results when I work really hard and that I can maintain those results, too. I think I understood the value of those two things much sooner than the other kids.
傲慢なことを言うなら、自分ができる人間なのだと早々に知った。
この場合のできるというのは、努力を重ねれば成果が出るということ、そしてその継続ができるということ。その二つの価値と意味を、私は他の子より早く理解したのだと思う。
Extraneous implication: “talented” has the connotation of being innate. Loss of details: 意味 is gone.
Sayaka’s swimming capability loses to that girl, who is talented.
If I may be so arrogant, I knew early on that I was a capable person.
What I mean by capable is that I can get results when I work hard, and that I’m able to maintain those results. I think I understood the value and meaning of these two things much sooner than the other kids.
Spoilers for volume 2
Sayaka finds meaning and value in certain methods in volume 2.
I was considering taking on English speaking classes next.
次に加わるのは英会話だと思う。
Concerning 英会話: “English speaking classes” is less common than “English conversation classes”.
English conversation
Spoilers for volume 2
There is an 英会話 club in volume 2, which is the English conversation club.
Even a child could see that that my house was a respectable one.
私の家は子供の目から見ても、他より立派だった。
Loss of details: 他より is gone.
Sayaka believes she should perform better than others, not just respectably.
Even as a child, I could see that my house was more respectable than others.
Growing up in that house, I knew I had no choice but to be talented. No one actually said as much, but I knew instinctively that it was true.
そこに生まれて生活する自分は、できない子でいてはならない。
私は、誰かに教えられることなく自然とそう考えていた。当然、誰かに聞いたわけではないから本当に正しいかは分からなかった。
Extraneous implication: “talented” has the connotation of being innate. Loss of details: 当然、誰かに聞いたわけではないから本当に正しいかは分からなかった。 is gone.
Growing up in that home, I shouldn’t be an incapable person.
I naturally thought as such without being taught by anyone. Of course, I had no idea if I was actually right since it wasn’t as though I had asked anyone.
I grabbed the bag with all my swimming gear and left the house. I had swim class once a week on Wednesdays. Although this wasn’t on purpose, it was easy to remember that I went into the water on Wednesday, since they both started with a W.
Instead of heading straight to my lesson, though, I took a small detour, walking around the house to take a look at the garden.
水泳道具の入った鞄を持って家を出る。そのまま真っ直ぐ外には向かわないで、少し寄り道する。家の壁に沿って回り込み、庭の方を覗く。
Why are the Wednesday swimming sentences moved to here?
I grab the bag containing my swimming gear and head out of the house. Instead of going straight outside, I take a small detour. Following along the walls of the house, I peek into the garden.
I watched them go and then headed to class.
見送って、水泳教室へ向かうことにした。水泳教室は週に一回、水曜日に参加している。狙ったわけではないけれど、水の日に水泳と覚えやすい。門をくぐり、外へ出た。
Why are the Wednesday swimming sentences moved from here? Loss of details: 門をくぐり、外へ出た。 is gone.
I passed through the gate and went outside.
page 12-17 (English), 11-15 (Japanese)
I watched the people and wheelchairs emerging from the buses out of the corner of my eye while I headed to the stairs.
車いすと人を抱えるように運んでいる様子を横目で眺めながら、入り口に向かう小さな階段を上ろうとする。
Loss of details: 入り口に向かう小さな and を上ろうとする are gone. Now Sayaka seems to head to some random stairs.
This is the first mention of stairs, so they should be specified.
made to go up the small stairs to the entrance
“Hello,” I greeted her coolly. I didn’t really like this girl.
「こんにちは」
挨拶はするけれど正直、私はこの子のことが好きではない。
Loss of details: けれど正直 is gone.
Sayaka maintains civility despite her personal opinion.
“Hello.”
I greet her, but to be honest, I don’t like this girl.
The wall to the left of the reception desk was glass, so you could see the pool in the basement below.
受付の左側は一面ガラス張りになっていて、地下一階のプールを見下ろすことができる。時々、見学者がここから覗いているのを見る。
Loss of details: 時々、見学者がここから覗いているのを見る。 is gone.
Sometimes I see visitors looking from up here.
It hadn’t been long since the girl started coming to swimming lessons in July, but she was already tan.
そういう女の子は七月も始まってさほど経っていないのに、肌が褐色になっている。
There is no mention of swimming lessons in the original line. Also, since the pool is indoors, it has no relation to the girl becoming tanned.
Even though it hasn’t been long since July began, the girl is tanned.
I looked at it as I answered bluntly, “Of course I go outside.”
眺めながら、簡素に答える。
「そんなわけないじゃない」
特に面白くない受け答えになる。面白くする必要もないのだけど。
Loss of details: 特に面白くない受け答えになる。面白くする必要もないのだけど。 is gone.
This shows how Sayaka later changes her responses when there is a need to make it interesting.
It wasn’t a particularly interesting answer. But there wasn’t a need to make it interesting.
The girl did the same with her school backpack, shoving it in unceremoniously.
視界の端で、一緒に来た女の子も同じようにランドセルを押し込んでいた。
Loss of details: 視界の端で、一緒に来た is gone.
This shows how Sayaka sneaks instead of stares when she watches someone and explains why their eyes meet.
In the corner of my vision, the girl who came with me did the same with her backpack, pushing it in.
“Nothing.”
「なんでもない」
本当に用なんてないし、興味もない。
Loss of details: 本当に用なんてないし、興味もない。 is gone.
There really wasn’t anything I needed, nor was interested in.
I didn’t like the way she was ogling me.
じろじろ見られて愉快なものではない。
Extraneous implication: “ogle” has the connotation of being lecherous.
It wasn’t pleasant to be stared at.
The instructor was taller than my father, with dark skin and a cheerful orange shirt.
私から見ればとても、父より背の高い職員の人は浅黒い肌とオレンジのシャツが陽気なイメージを浮かばせる。
Loss of details: 私から見ればとても and 陽気なイメージを浮かばせる are gone.
The instructor seems cheerful, not the shirt.
From my point of view, the instructor is much taller than my father, and his dark complexion and orange shirt gives him a cheerful impression.
It was a weekday, so there were only six kids, including me. Obviously, there would be a lot more kids on the weekends.
参加者が全員揃ったので、職員の人が奥から出てくる。平日なので、私を含めて六人ほどしかいない。当たり前ではあるけど土日の方が参加者はずっと多いらしい。
Loss of details: 参加者が全員揃ったので、職員の人が奥から出てくる。 is gone. Also, Sayaka is merely guessing at the number of participants on weekends.
With all participants present, the instructor comes out from the back. It is a weekday, so there are only six kids, including me. It might be obvious, but it seems there are much more kids on the weekends.
page 18-22 (English), 16-20 (Japanese)
Still, I never did like the way the word intermediate sounded.
だから仕方ないとはいえ、中級という言葉はあまり響きが好きになれない。
Loss of details: だから仕方ないとはいえ is gone.
Sayaka will do things to help her situation if there is an opportunity.
So there is nothing that can be done about it, although I can’t bring myself to like the sound of the word intermediate.
But I just couldn’t age faster, no matter what I did. I couldn’t catch up, but I also couldn’t wait.
I thought of the cats at home and my grandparents.
年齢だけはどうあっても早くもならない。追いつくことも、待つこともできない。
家で暮らす猫と、祖父母の姿を思い浮かべた。
These lines of thought are meant to connect together. The cats and her grandparents can hurry if Sayaka catches up to or waits for them, respectively.
Only age won’t hasten, no matter what is done. Whether it’s catching up to, or waiting for another.
The cats at home and my grandparents came to mind.
She rubbed me the wrong way.
というより、気に入らない。
Loss of details: というより is gone.
Or rather, I dislike her.
Since swimming took my whole body, my improvement was easier to see than in my other classes.
上達の具合は、身体全身を使うためか他の習い事より分かりやすかった。
Extraneous implication: now Sayaka thinks in absolutes. Also, this is inconsistent with how the publisher translates 習い事, which are lessons.
Maybe because it used the whole body that my improvement was easier to tell than my other lessons.
The instructors always told us which stroke to use when that time came, and today it was the breaststroke.
泳ぎ方はその時に職員の人に指定されて、今日は平泳ぎだった。大抵、習った泳ぎになる。
Loss of details: 大抵、習った泳ぎになる is gone.
A stroke I’ve mostly learned.
But I still took these lessons seriously, so being slower than someone who wasn’t even trying would make me downright miserable.
でも、せっかく真面目にやっているのだから、それに応じた結果が欲しい。なにもしてない相手より遅かったら、大変、悲しい。
Loss of details: それに応じた結果が欲しい。 is gone.
Sayaka believes in capability through hard work.
But I’m taking this seriously, so I want results that match my effort.
When the girl came back up to the water’s surface, she threw her head back and held it up high, looking pleased.
水面に上がると、女の子は満足そうに、仰け反るように上を向いていた。
Since the girl was swimming the front crawl, she was already at the surface.
When I came back up to the water’s surface, the girl had thrown her head back and was holding it up high, looking pleased.
That was all I wanted to hear.
Once I decided to do something, I had to be the best at it. That was how I approached all of my many classes.
それが聞きたくて、背伸びをするように前へ前へと進んでいく。
やるからにはどの習い事でも前に立つ。そのつもりで臨んでいる。
Loss of details: 背伸びをするように前へ前へと進んでいく is gone. Also, this is inconsistent with how the publisher translates 習い事, which are lessons.
This shows Sayaka’s approach at life, which changes as she gets older.
That’s what I want to hear, so I’ll move forward and forward to push my limits.
When I do something, I will stand out at the front. That is how I approach all of my lessons.
page 23-24 (English), 20-21 (Japanese)
I didn’t particularly mind.
そこに侘しさはない。
Concerning 侘しさ: to mind something is less specific than to feel left out.
I felt no loneliness from that.
The one that was easiest to remember was 伯.
馴染むまで練習していると、最初に書きやすさを覚えたのは伯だった。
Loss of details: 馴染むまで練習していると is gone.
As I practiced to become familiar with it, the easiest one to learn first was 伯.
Learning one thing lead to learning the next thing.
一つ覚えたことが、次の知識への呼び水となる。
Improper grammar. Loss of details: the water imagery of 呼び水 is gone.
Learning one thing primed the pump for the next piece of knowledge.
Since these were private lessons I took at home, it was just me.
個人レッスンを自宅で行っている先生に指導を受けているので、水泳と違って競う相手はいない。
Loss of details: 水泳と違って競う相手はいない is gone.
This shows how Sayaka categorizes her extracurricular activities, which changes as she gets older.
I’m being taught by an instructor who gives private lessons at home, so unlike swimming there aren’t others to compete with.
page 24-32 (English), 22-29 (Japanese)
I was a little late leaving school that day, so I had to start running on the way home.
I felt that summer day like rain on my skin, as though I were leaving a trail of sweat behind me.
その日は少し遅れたので、途中から少し走ることになった。
夏の日が雨のように肌を伝い、後を追うように汗が流れていく。
There is no mention of leaving school or going home in the original line. Concerning 日: now the day seems humid.
Sayaka is going from home to swimming lessons. The sunshine falls on Sayaka’s skin.
I was a little late that day, so I had to break into a light run on the way.
The summer sun travels along my skin like rain, and my sweat flows as if following it.
When I put my shoes on in the entryway to leave for swim class, the house cats came over to brush their heads against my legs, which was unusual for them. I couldn’t just leave, so I petted them until I completely lost track of time. They were so cute, and it was so satisfying—right until I had to start running again.
玄関で靴を履いていたら、家の猫が珍しく、私の足に頭突きしてきた。逃げないのでつい相手をしていたらすっかり時間が経ってしまっていた。かわいかったし、いいかなと走り出すまでは満足していた。
The ones who didn’t flee are the cats, not Sayaka. There is no mention of Sayaka running more than once in the original line.
When I was putting on my shoes in the entryway, the house cats had come over to brush their heads against my legs, which was unusual for them. They didn’t run away, so I petted them until I completely lost track of time. They were cute so I thought it would be fine, and my satisfaction lasted until I started running.
She wasn’t exactly wrong, but hearing someone else say it to my face still annoyed me a bit.
その感じは恐らく間違っていないけれど、人に言われるとどうにも、ムッとなる。なぜだろう。
Loss of details: なぜだろう is gone.
Sayaka reflects on her reactions.
I wonder why.
“Oh, you don’t look happy,” the girl said.
“It’s nothing,” I answered, but she still looked anxious.
「あれ嫌そう」
女の子が指摘してくる。「べつに」と素っ気なく答えると、「うーん」と女の子が悩む素振りを見せる。
Concerning 指摘してくる: to say is less specific than to point out. Loss of details: 素っ気なく and 「うーん」 are gone.
The girl shows worry because of Sayaka’s tone.
“Oh, you don’t seem to like it.”
The girl points it out. “It’s nothing.” I answered curtly. The girl gave a worried “Hmm.”
“Okay,” she said briskly and closed her locker.
「よし」と一言呟いて、女の子がロッカーを開いた。
Concerning 開いた: the girl had yet to open her locker, which is why she does so now.
“Okay,” she briefly mumbled and opened her locker.
No matter how much I struggled, churning through the water and pushing my shoulders forward, I couldn’t catch up. In the end, I just watched the backs of her feet vanish into the distance.
あがいても、水をかき回して肩を押し出すようにしても追いつける気配はなく、最後はその足の裏を見送るようになってしまった。
Concerning 足の裏: “the back of one’s foot” is less common than “the sole of one’s foot”.
soles of her feet
I always thought that as long as I was serious, there was no way I’d lose. But now I had. Where should I go from here?
真面目にやったら負けるわけがないと思っていたのに、この結果は。
There is no mention of questioning in the original line.
I pushed that hesitation aside and agreed.
本当は認められないものもありながら、複雑に、重々しく受け入れる。
Loss of details: 本当は認められないものもありながら、複雑に、重々しく is gone.
This shows how Sayaka does not understand parts of herself yet, which changes as she gets older.
Although I’m not able to recognize what it really is, I accept solemnly and with mixed feelings.
page 33-39 (English), 29-35 (Japanese)
I followed it.
そして走り出したので、つい追ってみる。
Loss of details: そして走り出したので is gone.
Sayaka runs because the cat runs first.
Then it started running, so I followed it.
When I reached out my hand, the cat turned away, even though it had been playing with me moments ago. Cats were fickle creatures, it seemed.
猫に手を伸ばすと、そっぽを向かれてしまう。この間は一緒に遊んだのに、猫の気持ちは移ろいやすい。
Concerning この間: Sayaka is referring to the day the cats didn’t flee from her. Cats run away because they don’t want to play.
When I reach out my hand, the cat turns away. Even though we played together the other day, their feelings change easily.
If I told one of the kids in my class, “You’re the best friend anyone could ever have,” I’m sure it would cause a great deal of embarrassment for everyone involved.
クラスの子に、最高の友達だ、なんて言ったらきっと顔が真っ赤になる。
言った私も、言われた方も。
なるほど。
The pacing of sentences demonstrate how Sayaka comes to understand what her grandmother is saying. Loss of details: なろほど is gone.
I’m sure faces would turn red.
Mine, and the recipient’s.
I see.
My grandmother gave me an uncertain look.
祖母が不思議なものを見るように尋ねてくる。
Concerning 不思議なものを見る: giving an uncertain look is not equivalent to looking at something mysterious.
My grandmother looked at me as if I were something odd.
He was out of breath.
正確には猫を見つけて近寄ってきたようだった。猫をずっと追いかけていたのか、息が上がっている。
Loss of details: 正確には猫を見つけて近寄ってきたようだった。猫をずっと追いかけていたのか is gone.
It seemed more accurate that he had simply found and approached the cat. He breathed heavily, as if he had been chasing it for a long time.
Grandpa sighed contentedly. As he swung the lower half of the cat’s body from side to side, it seemed to grimace at the heat.
祖父が穏やかに息を吐く。猫は下半身を左右に揺らしながら、暑さを嘆くように顔をしかめていた。
Sayaka does not refer to her grandfather so casually. Sayaka’s grandfather is not swinging the cat; the cat is swaying itself.
My grandfather exhaled gently. The cat swayed the lower half of its body from side to side, grimacing as if lamenting the heat.
page 42-55 (English), 38-51 (Japanese)
“Wait, I wonder if I just need to be more serious about that, too?”
「こっちも真面目になった方がいいかな？」
Improper grammar.
“Do I just need to be more serious about that, too?”
There was something mysterious about the way she sometimes looked at me, I thought as I headed towards the pool.
視線に不可解なものを感じながらプールに向かう。
Concerning 感じながら: Sayaka currently feels that gaze from the girl.
I feel something inscrutable in her gaze as I head towards the pool.
Clearly, she’d been in a rush.
そんなに急がなくてもいいのに。
Sayaka is making a comment, not an observation.
There’s no need to be so hasty.
The indistinct sound took on a shape that was neither a triangle nor a rectangle as it tried to tell me something.
不明瞭な音は三角や四角の文字以外の形で、わたしにそれを伝えようとする。
Loss of details: それ is gone. It refers to the indistinct sound.
The indistinct sound, in shapes other than triangular and quadrilateral characters, tries to tell me what it is.
page 57-68 (English), 52-62 (Japanese)
It wasn’t about whether I liked her or not—it was more that I was being drawn towards her, somehow.
好きとか嫌いとかではなく、その異質さには引き寄せられるものがあった。
Loss of details: その異質さ is gone.
It wasn’t that I liked or disliked her—there was something that drew me towards that foreignness.
Maybe I had abused my eyes so much that they now specialized in seeing things that were close to me at the cost of those that were farther away.
酷使された目が、近くのものを見るためのものに変わってしまったのかもしれない。
There is no mention of costing distance in the original line. Also, the addition is redundant because of the following line.
My overworked eyes might have changed to see things close to me.
It reminded me of the feeling of pushing my fingers down on both sides of a scale.
天秤の片側に指を乗せるような感覚を、想起する。
Concerning 片側: when one side of a scale goes up, the other side goes down.
one side
I locked the locker and, right as I turned to head to the pool, the girl cut in front of me.
ロッカーに鍵をかけて、プールへ向かおうとする途中で女の子の前を横切る。
The one who passes in front of the other is Sayaka, not the girl.
I lock the locker and, on the way to the pool, pass in front of the girl.
The lesson started, and unlike in the changing room, I was the one following after her in the pool.
程なくして、用意を終えた私たちが揃って指導を受ける。更衣室とは逆に、プールでは私が女の子を追いかける。
Loss of details: 程なくして、用意を終えた私たちが揃って指導を受ける is gone.
Not long after, we finished getting ready and gathered for the lesson.
I held my chest with my hand.
ゴーグルを引っ剝がして、胸元に手を添える。
Loss of details: ゴーグルを引っ剝がして is gone. However, I agree with leaving this part out, because Sayaka’s goggles had come off earlier.
The pain in my heart sent fireworks rushing past my eyes, and beyond them, I caught a glimpse of something else.
心臓の痛みで目に火花が走って、そしてその奥になにかを見た。
火花 is spark. Fireworks are 花火.
sparks
What was it that I had accepted—that made my breath leap until I couldn’t breathe at all—that had terrified me?
なにを受け取りかけて、息が跳ねて呼吸もままならないほどに走って、なにがそんなに怖いのか。
Loss of details: 走って is gone.
What did I receive—that made my breath leap, and made me run so hard I couldn’t breathe—that was so scary?
page 69-70 (English), 64 (Japanese)
I had given up on something for the first time, but they forgave me.
諦めたのに、許されてしまう。
There is no mention of a first time in the original line. Is the first time unforgiveable compared to subsequent times?
I had given up on something, but they forgave me.
The memories, the warmth—all of it.
傷だって、温度だって、なんだって。
This is inconsistent with how the publisher translates 傷 in the color gallery.
scars
Additional commentary
Personally, I prefer “wounds” because “scars” by definition are permanent, but I am trying to correct the publisher with the terminology they use.
Next is the first half of chapter 2.
Aletheia 