Japanese Manga Movement Sound Effects (SFX) Glossary
Understanding movement sound effects, or 擬音語 (giongo) and 擬態語 (gitaigo), is crucial for fully immersing oneself in the dynamic world of Japanese manga. These onomatopoeic and mimetic words convey not just the sound of motion but also its speed, intensity, and texture. For readers, grasping these nuances enriches the visual storytelling, while for translators, accurately localizing these effects is key to maintaining the original artwork's energy and impact, preventing crucial visual information from being lost in translation. This glossary provides a comprehensive look at common Japanese movement SFX.
28 Terms
Japanese| Term | Romanization | Literal Meaning | Usage | Example | Translation Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ドドドド | Dodododo | Thump-thump-thump | Heavy, rumbling footsteps or a powerful, continuous advance. | A giant monster stomping through a city, or a large army charging forward with menacing speed. | Often translated as 'STOMP STOMP', 'RUMBLE RUMBLE', 'THUD THUD', or simply conveyed through speed lines and visual impact. |
| ズバババ | Zubabababa | Slash-slash-slash | A rapid series of cutting, slicing, or piercing motions. | A samurai character rapidly unsheathing and striking with their katana multiple times in quick succession. | Commonly localized as 'SLASH SLASH', 'WHISH', or sometimes just represented by visual lines suggesting rapid movement. |
| シュルル | Shururu | Swish-swish | The sound of something swiftly cutting through the air, often light and precise. | A kunai or shuriken being thrown through the air, or a thin blade quickly drawn. | Translated as 'SWISH', 'WHOOSH', or 'WHIZZ'. Sometimes used for quick, precise movements. |
| ヒュン | Hyun | Whoosh | A quick, sharp movement, often indicating something zipping past or a sudden, agile dodge. | A character narrowly dodging an attack, or a small projectile flying rapidly past someone's head. | Rendered as 'WHOOSH', 'WHIZZ', or 'ZIP'. Implies speed and suddenness. |
| ダッ | Da! | Dash! | A sudden, explosive burst of speed, initiating a run or a sprint. | A character starts running suddenly, or takes off at top speed from a standstill. | Often translated as 'DASH', 'ZOOM', 'WHOOSH', or simply indicated by speed lines and character posture. |
| スタタタ | Statatata | Pat-pat-pat | Light, quick, and continuous footsteps, often implying speed or urgency. | A character running quickly but lightly, perhaps through a hallway or escaping quietly. | Translated as 'PATTER PATTER', 'RUSH', 'SCURRY', or 'DASH'. Conveys light and rapid movement. |
| ビュン | Byun | Zoom | The sound of something moving at high speed, often flying or rushing past. | A superhero flying past, a car speeding down a road, or a powerful punch traveling through the air. | Commonly translated as 'ZOOM', 'WHOOSH', 'WHIZZ', or 'SWISH'. Emphasizes high velocity. |
| ブォォン | Bwooon | Vroom | The powerful roar of an engine or a large object moving with considerable force and speed. | A motorcycle revving up and speeding off, or a large robot launching into the air. | Translated as 'VROOOM', 'RUMBLE', 'ROAR', often associated with vehicles or machinery. |
| ヒュォォ | Hyoooh | Whoosh (long) | A prolonged whooshing sound, indicating sustained flight, a strong gust of wind, or a powerful sweep. | A character gliding through the air for a significant distance, or a large cape flapping dramatically. | Often 'WHOOSH', 'SWISH', or 'GUST'. Implies continuous air movement. |
| シュッ | Shu! | Swish! | A quick, single swishing sound, often for a swift, decisive motion or a light leap. | A ninja quickly moving from one spot to another, or a character making a small, agile jump. | Translated as 'SWISH', 'WHOOSH', 'FLIT', or 'ZIP'. Often for singular, quick motions. |
| スッ | Su! | Slip! | A smooth, silent, or effortless movement, often for disappearing or appearing subtly. | A character silently slipping away from a conversation, or a ninja appearing out of nowhere. | Translated as 'SLIP', 'WHOOSH', 'FLICKER', or sometimes left untranslated as the visual implies the movement. |
| ダン | Dan! | Thump! | A single, firm landing or a heavy step. | A character jumping down from a height and landing firmly on their feet, or a powerful stomp. | Translated as 'THUD', 'THUMP', 'STOMP', or 'SLAM'. Conveys a solid impact on landing. |
| ガタガタ | Gatagata | Rattle-rattle | Shaking, rattling, or clattering movement, often due to fear, instability, or machinery. | A character trembling with fear, a rickety bridge shaking as someone crosses it, or a worn-out machine vibrating. | Translated as 'RATTLE', 'CLATTER', 'SHUDDER', or 'TREMBLE'. Can indicate fear or mechanical noise. |
| バタバタ | Batabata | Flap-flap | Rapid flapping or flopping movement, often of wings or feet. | A bird frantically flapping its wings to take off, or a character running with noisy, clumsy steps. | Translated as 'FLAP FLAP', 'PATTER PATTER', or 'SCURRY'. Can also mean 'flustered' or 'in a hurry'. |
| ヒタヒタ | Hitahita | Pitter-patter | Soft, approaching footsteps, often subtle or ominous. | A shadowy figure slowly approaching in the dark, their footsteps barely audible. | Translated as 'PITTER PATTER', 'FOOTSTEPS', 'STEALTH', or sometimes just left to the visual. |
| ドスドス | Dosudosu | Thud-thud | Heavy, forceful footsteps or stomping, heavier than 'Dodo'. | A muscular character walking with powerful, intimidating strides, or a heavy object being dragged. | Translated as 'THUD THUD', 'STOMP STOMP', 'CLUMP CLUMP'. Implies weight and force. |
| パタパタ | Patapata | Flutter-flutter | Light, rapid fluttering or tapping, similar to batabata but often lighter. | A small bird's wings fluttering, or pages of a book flipping quickly in the wind. | Translated as 'FLUTTER', 'FLIP', 'PATTER'. Often for smaller, lighter movements than バタバタ. |
| ズルズル | Zuruzuru | Drag-drag | The sound of something dragging along a surface, or someone shuffling their feet. | A character slowly dragging themselves across the floor, or someone shuffling their feet in exhaustion. | Translated as 'DRAG', 'SHUFFLE', 'SCRAPE'. Can also imply slowness or reluctance. |
| グイッ | Gui! | Pull! | A sudden, strong pull or tug, indicating a forceful motion to change direction or move an object. | A character forcefully pulling open a stuck door, or being abruptly pulled back by someone. | Translated as 'TUG', 'YANK', 'PULL', 'HEAVE'. Denotes a sharp, strong movement. |
| サッ | Sa! | Rustle! | A quick, light rustling or sweeping motion, often for a subtle change of position or gesture. | A character quickly drawing back their hand, or a small rustle of clothing as someone moves stealthily. | Translated as 'SWISH', 'RUSTLE', 'FLICK', or 'SWEEP'. Implies a subtle, quick motion. |
| フワッ | Fuwa! | Float! | A light, floating, or soft ascending movement, often indicating weightlessness or gentleness. | A feather gently drifting down, a character lightly floating upwards, or a soft landing. | Translated as 'FLOAT', 'DRIFT', 'GENTLY', 'SOFTLY'. Conveys lightness and grace. |
| ストン | Suton! | Plop! | A soft, quiet, or gentle drop, often without much impact. | A character gently sitting down, or a small object falling softly onto a surface. | Translated as 'PLOP', 'THUD', 'DROP', or 'SIT'. Implies a quiet, simple descent. |
| クルクル | Kurukuru | Spin-spin | Rapid spinning, twirling, or circling motion. | A character twirling around excitedly, a top spinning, or eyes dizzyingly circling. | Translated as 'SPIN', 'TWIRL', 'WHIRL', 'CIRCLE'. Can also imply busyness or confusion. |
| ガクッ | Gaku! | Lurch! | A sudden lurch, jerk, or collapsing movement, often due to shock, fatigue, or being hit. | A character's knees buckling from exhaustion, or a sudden, unexpected stumble. | Translated as 'LURCH', 'JERK', 'STUMBLE', 'COLLAPSE'. Conveys a sudden loss of stability. |
| ヨロヨロ | Yoroyoro | Wobble-wobble | Wobbly, unsteady walking or movement, often due to weakness, drunkenness, or injury. | A character stumbling weakly after a battle, or a drunkard swaying as they walk. | Translated as 'WOBBLE', 'STUMBLE', 'TOTTER', 'SWAY'. Indicates unstable movement. |
| フラフラ | Furafura | Dizzy-dizzy | Lightheaded, dizzy, or swaying movement, often due to fatigue, illness, or shock. | A character feeling dizzy and swaying on their feet after a long ordeal, or walking aimlessly. | Translated as 'DIZZY', 'SWAY', 'WOBBLE'. Can also describe aimless wandering. |
| パタッ | Pata! | Flop! | A light, sudden fall or collapse, often implying a gentle or tired surrender to gravity. | A character lightly collapsing onto a bed or chair after a long day. | Translated as 'FLOP', 'DROP', 'SINK'. Softer than ダン, more about gentle collapse. |
| ドタッ | Dota! | Thump! | A heavy, clumsy fall or impact, often implying a lack of grace or accidental movement. | A character tripping and falling heavily, or a large object landing with a dull thud. | Translated as 'THUMP', 'CLUNK', 'CRASH', 'FLOP'. Implies a heavy, perhaps clumsy impact. |
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