Cantaur

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    Xi (クシー, Kushii, EN: Dyan), pictured left, and Theta (セータ, Sēta, EN: Edward), pictured right, from Shining and the Darkness. Artwork from the Mediamix guide book.[1] Illustration by Yoshitaka Tamaki (玉木美孝).

    Cantaurs (キャントール,[2] kyantōru, "kyantaur", EN: Cantaul, Cantore) are a race of humanoid people with characteristics resembling dogs, elves, and deer. They first appear in Shining and the Darkness, where they are identified in publications as gelflings (ゲルフリング,[1] gerufuringu) in reference to the 1982 film The Dark Crystal.

    Cantaurs were first illustrated in the Shining series by artist Yoshitaka Tamaki, who often featured human–animal hybrids in his work.

    Etymology and Localization Differences

    Shining Forceː Resurrection of the Dark Dragon uses the spelling "Cantaul" for the race.

    The word "kyantaur" is constructed from a combination of the Japanese onomatopoeia kyan kyan (キャンキャン), which represents the sound of a small sharp dog bark, and the suffix "-taur" taken from "centaur" to connote the sense of a human–animal hybrid.

    This etymology is somewhat obfuscated by the game otherwise using the Greek derivation of centaur, i.e., kéntauros, in the Japanese kentaurosu (ケンタウロス) to refer to centaurs. A transliteration more akin to santōru (サントール) is needed for the -tōru ending. Santōru corresponds to one of many possible transliterations of the English "centaur" into Japanese, along with sentō (セントー) or sentōa (セントーア). 　

    Because the reference in the onomatopoeia kyan is lost to an audience unfamiliar with Japanese, the race could be rendered as "cantaur" to approximate the sound of the original Japanese while suggesting the sense of "canine".

    The naming convention of kyantaur is repeated in Shining Road to the Force with the pyontaur (ピョントール, pyontōru), a humanoid rabbit race. The Japanese onomatopoeia in this instance is pyon (ピョン), a springy hopping sound.

    Shining Force EXA's doglike Faulklin (ファークリン, Fākurin, "Firklin" in the Design Works book) is identified as a kuintōru (クイントール),[3] with kuin corresponding to a Japanese onomatopoeia for the bark of a dog smaller than that suggested by kyan. This race is spelled "quintol" in English publications.[4]

    The transliteration into English of kyantōru as "kyantol" has long suffused English-speaking Shining communities on the Internet, but this proposed spelling has no known reference in any official publications and no suggested derivation.

    The first official English-language reference to the race appears in the 2004 remake of Shining Force, where the Japanese kyantōru is given as "cantaul" in the English localization.

    The version of the race that appears in Shining Force Neo and EXA is localized in the English releases of the games as "cantore". The village inhabited by the race is also named Cantore and appears in both games, albeit relocated in EXA. Neo uses a three-syllable Spanish-sounding pronunciation of the word, /kanˈto.re/,[5] whereas Shining Force EXA opts for the more English-sounding two-syllable /ˈkæn.tɔr/.[6]

    Examples of Cantaurs and Adjacent Races

    • Cantaurs are based on the Gelflings from The Dark Crystal. The Gelflings' ears resemble those of a deer, an animal to whom some cantaur designs also bear resemblance.

      Cantaurs are based on the Gelflings from The Dark Crystal. The Gelflings' ears resemble those of a deer, an animal to whom some cantaur designs also bear resemblance.

    • Eta (エータ, Ēta, EN: "Dai") artwork from the Shining and the Darkness Official Guide Book. Illustration by Yoshitaka Tamaki.

      Eta (エータ, Ēta, EN: "Dai") artwork from the Shining and the Darkness Official Guide Book. Illustration by Yoshitaka Tamaki.

    • Chip (チップ, Chippu, EN: "Khris") artwork from ASCII's Shining Force Strategy Guide. Illustration by Yoshitaka Tamaki.

      Chip (チップ, Chippu, EN: "Khris") artwork from ASCII's Shining Force Strategy Guide. Illustration by Yoshitaka Tamaki.

    • Concept art by Tamaki for an early version of Landstalker. The label above the far left figure reads "kyantōru". The text in the top left reads, "For Lancelot", in reference to the game's working title, Hero Lancelot: Legend of Shining. [English]

      Concept art by Tamaki for an early version of Land Stalker: The Emperor's Treasure. The label above the far left figure reads "kyantōru". The text in the top left reads, "For Lancelot", in reference to the game's working title, Hero Lancelot: Legend of Shining. [English]

    • The arushidea (アルシデア) in FEDA: The Emblem of Justice use the same design as Shining Force's cantaurs.[7] Illustration by Yoshitaka Tamaki.

      The arushidea (アルシデア) in FEDA: The Emblem of Justice use the same design as Shining Force's cantaurs.[7] Illustration by Yoshitaka Tamaki.

    • Sarah is a cantaur from Shining Force Gaiden II. Illustration by Hiroshi Kajiyama.[8]

      Sarah is a cantaur from Shining Force Gaiden II. Illustration by Hiroshi Kajiyama.[8]

    • Mint (ミント, Minto), a cantaur from Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict. Her design is unique among cantaurs in its inclusion of a tail. Illustration by Hiroshi Kajiyama.[9]

      Mint (ミント, Minto), a cantaur from Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict. Her design is unique among cantaurs in its inclusion of a tail. Illustration by Hiroshi Kajiyama.[9]

    • Grace is a cantaur from Shining Force III.[10] Illustration by Shin Yamanouchi.

      Grace is a cantaur from Shining Force III.[10] Illustration by Shin Yamanouchi.

    • Prim, a cantaur from Shining Soul II. Illustration by Yoshitaka Tamaki.[11]

      Prim, a cantaur from Shining Soul II. Illustration by Yoshitaka Tamaki.[11]

    • A cantaur in Shining Tears based on a character created by Yoshitaka Tamaki for Shining Soul. Illustration by Kiyofumi Hino.

      A cantaur in Shining Tears based on a character created by Yoshitaka Tamaki for Shining Soul. Illustration by Kiyofumi Hino.

    • Chiquitita's race is given as "cantore" in Shining Force Neo. Illustration by Yuriko Nishiyama.

      Chiquitita's race is given as "cantore" in Shining Force Neo. Illustration by Yuriko Nishiyama.

    • Shining Force EXA's Firklin (ENː Faulklin) is described as a "kuintaur" (クイントール, kuintōru). The race is spelled "Quintol" in official English publications. Artwork by pako.

      Shining Force EXA's Firklin (ENː Faulklin) is described as a "kuintaur" (クイントール, kuintōru). The race is spelled "Quintol" in official English publications. Artwork by pako.

    • Maia Pavlov, a character from Shining Blade with doglike characteristics. Artwork from Shining Blade & Ark Collection of Visual Materials by Famitsu. Illustration by either Masaaki Yamada (山田 まさあき, Yamada Masaaki) or Minat's (湊亜美加, Minato Amika).

      Maia Pavlov, a character from Shining Ark with doglike characteristics. Artwork from Shining Blade & Ark Collection of Visual Materials by Famitsu.[12] Illustration by either Masaaki Yamada (山田 まさあき, Yamada Masaaki) or Minat's (湊亜美加, Minato Amika).

    • Doglike characters from Shining Ark. Artwork from Shining Blade & Ark Collection of Visual Materials by Famitsu. Illustration by either Yamada or Minat's.

      Doglike characters from Shining Ark. Artwork from Shining Blade & Ark Collection of Visual Materials by Famitsu. Illustration by either Yamada or Minat's.

    References

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Shining and the Darkness Official Guide Book (シャイニング＆ザ・ダクネス 公式ガイドブック, Shainingu & Za Dakunesu Kōshiki Gaido Bukku). Mediamix. Tokuma Shoten, May 1991.
    2. ↑ Instruction Manual (Japan). Shining Force: The Legacy of Great Intention (シャイニング・フォース 神々の遺産, Shainingu Fōsu: Kamigami no Isan, "Shining Force: Legacy of the Gods"). Climax Entertainment, Sonic! Software Planning. Sega, March 1992.
    3. ↑ Shining Force EXA Design Works Visual Setting Compendium (シャイニング・フォース イクサ ビジュアル設定資料集, Shainingu Fōsu Ikusa Bijūaru Settei Shiryōshū).
    4. ↑ Shining Force EXA BradyGames Official Strategy Guide. BradyGames, 2006.
    5. ↑ Recording of Shining Force Neo, "Shining Force Neo (PLAYSTATION 2) Part 33 .Chiquitita", YouTube. Were1974, August 3, 2019. Timestamp 22:52.
    6. ↑ Recording of Shining Force EXA, "Shining Force EXA - Chapter 7 Part 1: ' Warrior's Return + Training '", YouTube. Mirauder's Gaming, August 11, 2020. Timestamp 3:53.
    7. ↑ Instruction Manual. FEDA: The Emblem of Justice (フェーダ エンブレム・オブ・ジャスティス). Max Entertainment. Yanoman, Oct. 1994.
    8. ↑ Instruction Manual (JP). Shining Force CD (シャイニ・ングフォースCD, Shainingu Fōsu CD). Rit's, Seraphic, Sonic! Software Planning, Winds. Sega, July 1994.[1]
    9. ↑ Shining Force Gaiden: Final Conflict Strategy for Guaranteed Victory (シャイニング・フォース外伝 ファイナルコンフリクト 必勝攻略法, Shainingu Fōsu Gaiden Fainaru Konfurikuto Hisshou Kouryaku Hou). Fighting Studio. Futabasha, July 1995.[2]
    10. ↑ Shining Force III Official Setting Compendium (シャイニング・フォースIII 公式設定資料集, Shainingu Fōsu III Kōshiki Settei Shiryōshū). SoftBank Publishing, June 1999.[3]
    11. ↑ Shining Soul II Strategy for Guaranteed Victory (シャイニング・ソウルII 必勝攻略法, Shainingu Sōru II Hisshou Kōryakuhō). Brain Navi. Futabasha, August 2003.[4]
    12. ↑ Shining Blade and Ark Collection of Visual Materials (シャイニング・ ブレイド&アーク ビジュアル設定資料集). Famitsu. Enterbrain, 2003.[5]

    Shining Race Directory

    Races
    Basal Human・Hobbit・Elf・Dwarf・Centaur・Goblin・Dark Elf・Orc
    Bestial Cantaur・Wolfling・Lizardman・Foxling・Birdling・Pyontaur・Quintaur
    Magical Magical Creature
    Animal Yogurt・Armadillo
    Technological Robot・Divine Dragon・Bioengineered Organism
    Transcendent Star Eye・Devil・God・Phoenix・Hudol・Innovator
    Peoples
    Rune Ancients
    Parmecia Thousand Year Kingdom
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