It's more accurately a "rolled" R (like in Spanish or Italian) but where the tongue only "rolls" off the top of your mouth once. The "Y" is then layered over
that.
English speakers try to use an English "R," which doesn't exist in Japanese to begin with. Then they to force a vowel sound between the R and the Y, ("Rai-yuu" or "Ree-yuu"), which tend to be entirely different words in Japanese. (I.e. not identifiable as a simple mispronunciation.)
Link to wav of correct pronunciation.
Due to an unfortunate trick of spelling, I can't use my legal given EN name (Dorian) in Japan, and due to nobody being able to pronounce it, I can't use my legal given JP name (Ryuji) in the US.
Sylph.Beelshamen said:
Can they even do such a thing? :S
Isn't there a code for interpretations when translating?
Depends on how much liberty you grant your voice actors. They granted... a lot... to the EN voice actors in FFX. To the point there were some major reinterpretations.