The Localisation Of Pac-Man

The early eighties was when the videogame industry established itself in North America. This was thanks to the popularity of arcade machines. A Japanese company by the name of Namco was responsible for the most famous arcade game of this period, Pac-Man. Such was its fame that today, over thirty years later, people still know the name. However, what people likely do not know is that Pac-Man is one of the earliest examples of videogame localisation.

First, the name of the game itself. In Japan, the game was titled Pakkuman. This name was based on the Japanese onomatopoeic word pakupaku, which describes the noise a person makes when gobbling down food. This made sense given that the game is all about the titular character navigating a maze and eating pellets. For the game's foreign release, Namco transliterated the Japanese title. This resulted in the name, Puck-Man. So how did the game end up being titled as Pac-Man? The answer lies with Midway, the company who obtained the rights to manufacture the game in the United States. They were concerned by the potential for people to vandalise the machine by changing the 'P' into an 'F.' And so, Pac-Man was born! Following the North American release, Namco adopted Pac-Man as the official name for all future iterations of the game in Japan and abroad.

However, the game's title was not the only part of it touched by localisation. The nicknames of the above-pictured enemy ghosts that chase Pac-Man were also localised (as opposed to being directly translated). In the Japanese version of the game, the red, pink, cyan, and orange ghosts are called Akabei, Pinky, Aosuke, Guzuta. If translated literally, these names would read as Reddy, Pinky, Bluey, and Tardy (although note that the unifying nature of the 'y' sound is just my personal addition and is absent from the Japanese). When the game came to the West, these ghosts were introduced as Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde. Pinky and Inky can be seen as  transliterations of the colours (with the caveat of regarding Inky as a reference to blue ink). In contrast, Blinky and Cylde are entirely new creations. The choice of Blinky likely stemmed from a desire to match the ending 'y' sound of the other two ghosts. Plus, it links to how the bodies of the ghosts blink as the period when they are vulnerable to Pac-Man is running out. It is a perfectly good choice of name (certainly better than 'Reddy') but it does not compare to the master stroke of naming the fourth ghost Clyde. His Japanese nickname means 'tardy', and his AI programming matches this personality. All the other ghosts are programmed to complement each other by working as a team to track down Pac-Man. The red ghost gives direct chase, the pink ghost plots ambushes, and the blue ghost reacts to the red ghost's positioning to come at Pac-Man via an opposing route. However, Clyde's behavioural programming makes him appear to act on a whim, often not capitalising on prime chances to capture Pac-Man. In other words, his behaviour is completely detached from the combined work of the other ghosts. It was therefore wonderfully fitting to give him such a left-field name as Clyde that contrasts so sharply to the unified naming scheme of the other ghosts. Whoever thought up this name deserves a pat on the back!

The arcade machine era introduced videogames to the masses in North America, and the naming of Pac-Man and its ghosts represent some of the earliest examples of videogame localisation. Approximately five years later, Nintendo entered the North American home console market with the Nintendo Entertainment System, and with it brought about a slew of Japanese videogames that needed to be localised. Next time, I'll discuss the localisation challenges of this period, as well as the surprising story behind how and why a character originally known as Jumpman ended up with the name Mario.

Localising Food: Pokemon's Rice Balls

There is a reason why the term 'localisation' exists in addition to the word 'translation.' Translating involves convey a text's meaning in another language. On the other hand, localising is deeper translation process that includes changing cultural references to make the content more relatable and understandable to a target audience. This leads to localisation work often being the target for criticism among diehard fans of a particular piece of work. They argue that any content edits bastardise the source material in straying from the original creator's intentions. I discussed this matter in greater depth in a previous post. In short, I usually have few qualms with content being changed for cultural reasons, so long as there is a good and identifiable reason behind it. The majority of a product's audience will be unfamiliar with the source material, and primarily seeking an enjoyable experience. The audience are be none the wiser if the localisation process has led to content changes. Moreover, I doubt they would even care if they did find this out. However, for those interested in localisation, such as myself, it is fascinating to research these subtle edits. One aspect that has recently peaked my interest is the issue of food being localised, which often pops up given how different cultures have different diets.

This post is going to focus on some interesting examples from the American localisation of the Japanese anime, Pokemon.

Localising Food: Inside Out's Broccoli

There is a reason why the term 'localisation' exists in addition to the word 'translation.' Translating involves convey a text's meaning in another language. On the other hand, localising is deeper translation process that includes changing cultural references to make the content more relatable and understandable to a target audience. This leads to localisation work often being the target for criticism among diehard fans of a particular piece of work. They argue that any content edits bastardise the source material in straying from the original creator's intentions. I discussed this matter in greater depth in a previous post. In short, I usually have few qualms with content being changed for cultural reasons, so long as there is a good and identifiable reason behind it. The majority of a product's audience will be unfamiliar with the source material, and primarily seeking an enjoyable experience. The audience are be none the wiser if the localisation process has led to content changes. Moreover, I doubt they would even care if they did find this out. However, for those interested in localisation, such as myself, it is fascinating to research these subtle edits. One aspect that has recently peaked my interest is the issue of food being localised, which often pops up given how different cultures have different diets.

This post is going to focus on one interesting example from the Japanese localisation of the American animated film, Inside Out.

How To Japonese - Locali Links

Be it games, manga, fashion, anime, or martial arts, Japanese culture enjoys great popularity among young people around the world. I think the prominence of these cultural exports is one of the main reasons why many people have the idea of trying to learn Japanese, and why there are many sites (such as Tae Kim's Guide to Learning Japanese, and Maggie Sensei) that cater to this desire. These sites are great for beginners and intermediates. Moreover, I am sure the continuing popularity of Japanese culture is constantly creating new people interested in learning Japanese. However, I'd wager that the majority of these people are unable to commit the time Japanese demands, and so never progress beyond an intermediate level. It thus makes sense for the aforementioned sites to give more focus to beginners, and ensure a low barrier of entry for the site's content. However, this has led to a dearth of sites with content tailored towards experienced Japanese speakers who are looking to deepen their proficient understanding of Japanese.

JapanesePod101, another popular site for learning Japanese, advertises itself with the slogan, "Learn Japanese in the fastest, easiest and most fun way." However, the kind of slogan an experienced Japanese speaker looks for in a Japanese learning site would be something more along the lines of, "Refine your Japanese in the most detailed, nuanced, and interesting way." There are precious few sites that fit such a tagline line, so it is my truly pleasure to introduce one such site...

Learning Japanese & Translation Skills With Anime

I'm a fluent Japanese speaker. I can handle novels and text-heavy videogames. When it comes to films or anime, I am just about able to enjoy them without subtitles (though having them there certainly makes things less mentally taxing). Regardless, it's a fact that the more you read and listen, the more your reading and listening skills improve. However, this week I have found myself back watching anime with English subtitles, back to a time when I could barely speak Japanese. But why?

Super Mario RPG - Localisation Review (2)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the beginning segment of the game, Super Mario RPG. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Original Japanese	Game's Translation	Literal Translation	LocaliReview Translation
Bowser	フンギャ！	Fungah! Foiled again!	Fungya!	Fungah! Foiled again!

At first I was suspicious of the game's original translation because it replicates the sound Bowser makes in Japanese, albeit finessed from fungya to fungah to include the word gah, a common noise of dismay in English. Many Japanese noises, if exactly replicated, do not translate well. For example, the animal sound, gero gero. I doubt any native English speakers would imagine that this is the sound of a frog. This is because in English, we write the sound frogs make as ribbit ribbit. 

In this case, fungah has no meaning in English and is not a common term. However, to my surprise, I found that the same can be said about the term in Japanese! Googling the term revealed only a very sparse usage. In this way, I've come to appreciate the game's translation! I also like the addition of foiled again. I initially thought this might have been added because the translator was concerned about whether the meaning of fungah would carry across in English. However, upon reviewing the game footage, Bowser utters this line right after Mario stomps on his head and is sent plummeting to his doom. A single fungah would seem rather lacking, so I think adding foiled again is a much more natural way for Bowser to bow out.

Final Fantasy XIV - Midgardsomr's Dragon Speak

This blog is home to my thoughts on game localisation. I sometimes write thought pieces, but most of my posts involve comparing the script of a Japanese game with its localised English. I dig down into the minutia of the text to reveal some nuggets of information that were lost in translation, or just highlight some particularly impressive translations. The internet is a big place, especially in this age of user-generated content, yet analysis or discussions about the localisation of games is notably sparse. This is one of the reasons why I decided to make this blog! However (as this blog never gets any comments) it occasionally feels like I am alone in having this interest.

I was therefore overjoyed when my friend linked me to a message board discussion about Final Fantasy XIV's localisation. Though it concerned just a tiny aspect of the game's localisation, it was debated with deep care and consideration! 'There are other people in the world like me,' I thought. I found it incredibly enjoyable to read through the nine pages of discussion about this one localisation aspect. That's why, for this post, I want to share with you some of the highlights of this heated discussion.

Super Mario RPG - Localisation Review (1)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the beginning segment of the game, Super Mario RPG. Thanks for reading!

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	Original Japanese	Game's Translation	Literal Translation	LocaliReview Translation
Peach	クッパにきをつけてマリオ！！	Don't let Bowser bruise you, Mario!	Pay attention to Bowser, Mario!	Be careful, Mario!

The phrase Peach uses, ki wo tsukeru, is a common everyday Japanese expression. The JMDict definitions of, "to be careful; to pay attention; to take care," perfectly summarise its usage. It's a simple sentence to translate, yet the game's translation is fairly quirky. The Japanese is closer to specific advice than the official English translation, but both comments have the same function; Peach is warning Mario so that he will be less likely to be hurt by Bowser. There's no denying that the word bruise can function as a verb, but I don't think this usage is particularly widespread. It's hard to imagine a fight occurring and either participants or bystanders using the word bruise as a verb. Given that this is a Mario game, set in the fantasy world of the Mushroom Kingdom, it will always be possible to argue that quirky sounding dialogue is always passable. While I acknowledge this point, there is no such quirkiness in the Japanese. Unless the translator was given the directive to make the dialogue more quirky, I don't think it was necessary here to deviate from a more straight forward translation. In this case, the difference isn't particularly pronounced, but it is a matter that become more noticeable further down the line. (Just look at the next paragraph I discuss).

As an aside, it's worth noting that in Japanese, the villain Western players know as Bowser is called kuppa (Koopa). According to MarioWiki, "Bowser was created by Shigeru Miyamoto as the villain of Super Mario Bros. Miyamoto stated that they considered naming him either Kuppa (국밥), Yukke (육회), or Bibinba (비빔밥), which are all Korean dishes as they are known in Japanese. In the end, 'Kuppa' was chosen. For the later North American release of the game, which also introduced the anglicized spelling Koopa, the character was named 'Bowser.'" As for how this translation came about, an article on 11points,com states, 'During the import process, there was a concern that the American crowd wouldn't understand how the little turtles and big bad guy could both be called Koopa. So a marketing team put together dozens of choices for a name, they liked Bowser the best, and slapped it on him.' I'd be surprised it really was a marketing team that had the final say over this decision, but I couldn't find any other sources related to this matter.

Final Fantasy XIV - Hunberct's Package

This, a quest item from Final Fantasy XIV, is one of the most peculiar localisation examples I have ever seen. I wanted to post a screenshot as evidence, but for the sake of convenience I have typed up the text.

Japanese	English
フンベルクト宛ての小包	Hunberct's Package
シルフ族の商人から送られたフンベルクト宛ての小包	A new package for Hunberct Longhaft (not that he was dissatisfied with his current one).
逢いたい背中	Stroking the Haft

Academia & Game Localisation - Locali Thoughts

I think it's fair to say that videogame localisation is a fairly new part of the Japanese to English translation industry. However, it has long been an essential part of the videogame industry. This is because it allows the English-speaking world to enjoy Japanese games, especially those that feature a lot of text. This makes it surprising that in the early nineties when these games were coming to the forefront in the form of JRPGs, this part of a game's development was generally not given the attention it deserved. In an interview on the Player One Podcast, Ted Woolsey (the main translator of Square's JRPGs during the nineties) commented that for Chrono Trigger, 'I was given thirty days to do it, which is not a lot of time. I think there were about 1,300 pages of text and it wasn't contiguous.' Thirty days!!! That's unbelievable! Thankfully, things have changed since the nineties...

The Count Of Monte Cristo's Retranslation - Locali Thoughts

While the field of videogame translation can be said to still be in its relative infancy, literature translation dates back aeons. Translating videogames has its own unique qualities (such as the added consideration that must be paid to the animation on screen), yet at its core it is still based around the task of expressing the sense of a set text in another language. The majority of this blog's posts involve shining a spotlight on the English translations of Japanese videogames, pointing out moments of superb translation or when it diverges from the source text. The translation of some videogames (in particular, JRPGs from the nineties) have long been a target of criticism, and have even seen retranslations. Indeed, translator Tom Slattery did this for the rerelease of a number of Square Enix games (such as Final Fantasy VI), and once commented that his job was, "translating games that have been translated already." Some games have also even have fanmade retranslations; see Final Fantasy VII or Chrono Trigger. One day I intend to devote some time to analysing the necessity of these retranslations, but for this post I mention them as way to highlight how some classic videogames have translations that have caused tongues to wag and new translations to be produced. The same is true of classic literature!

One of the most common pieces of advice for aspiring translators is to read as much as possible. On the forums of Gengo (a freelance translation company), Mohamed Yehia, an English to Arabic translator offers the following advice...

Super Mario RPG - Peach's XXX (UPDATED)

The screenshot from Super Mario RPG tells the whole story here! If you check the right corner of the fireplace in the room of Princess Peach (who at the time was still known as Princess Toadstool) you will find an item. In the Japanese version of the game it is called "XXX" but in the translated English copy it is termed "???" The MarioWiki has more details on this scene:

Toadstool's ??? is in between a blue chair and the fireplace in the back of Toadstool's room in the Mushroom Castle. If Mario finds it at the beginning of the game, Grandma rushes over to Mario and offers him a Mushroom if he'll mind his own business; however, this can only occur once, and before Toadstool joins the party. If they look at it after returning Toadstool to the kingdom, either Toadstool or Grandma (it is unspecified) tells Mario to return it. If Mario looks at the object after Toadstool joins Mario's party, the princess will scold the plumber, saying that he does not respect her personal, private belongings. Players cannot see the object on either occasion as Mario faces away from the player rather than towards them when he finds it.

From a localization standpoint, this scene caught my attention because linguistically-speaking XXX is valid English. However, I wondered if this XXX was an example of waseieigo, a word that has English origins but differs in meaning when used in Japanese. As I am sure many people are aware, in English, XXX is typically used to refer to pornographic or explicit material. For example, the domain .xxx is used as a marker for pornographic Internet sites. But does the word hold the same meaning in Japanese? I scoured the Japanese internet for answers.

Language & Locale - Localisation Thoughts

When thinking about a game’s localisation, it's easy to think only of the script. However, there are many other important matters to consider! Today, I want to examine one of these, the linguistic elements present in the game’s environment that go unspoken by the game's characters but are seen by the player's eyes. Shop signs, posters, notice boards, letters, and books all fall under this category. How developers build the environment for foreign locales when they themselves may not speak its language? This post examines the way a number of developers (originating from both the USA and Japan) have tackled this issue, and discusses its effect on player immersion. Read to the end to see an example from a Japanese game that demonstrates the incredibly jarring effect a disparity between the language used in the game's dialogue and its environment can have.

Final Fantasy VIII - Localisation Review (12)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the beginning segment of the game, Final Fantasy VIII. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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		English
Garden Faculty 1	学園長……そろそろ学園長室へ。	Headmaster Cid, you have some business in your office...

1. The Japanese features the word sorosoro, an interesting term that lacks an exact English equivalent. In a post dededicated to the term,  the chap over at SelfTaughtJapanese.com explained the term in the following way:

そろそろ is commonly used to express that its [sic] about time to do something, often because its getting late or you have other plans.

When you're at a social gathering in Japan, you just need to utter sorosoro to indirectly convey that you are thinking of heading off; it saves you from directly mentioning the fact. I think there are times in the Western world too when people are reluctant to directly say that they want to leave a party, but since there is no sorosorso, these people often end up trying to convey their desire to leave by stretching, yawning slightly, looking at their watch, or mentioning their plans for tomorrow. In the the dialogue above, it is not Cid himself, but the Garden Faculty communicating this sentiment. Literally the Japanese reads, "Headmaster, it's about time you went to your office." As outlined though, sorosoro is a far more delicate way of communicating that it's about time to leave. I therefore applaud the game's translation, "you have some business." It's both very natural sounding, and preserves the indirectness of the sorosoro.

Final Fantasy VIII - Localisation Review (11)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the beginning segment of the game, Final Fantasy VIII. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Xu	サイファー、いい気になるんじゃないよ。Ｂ班が持ち場を離れた責任はあんたがとるんだからね。	Seifer, don't be so stuck on yourself. You'll take all responsibility for leaving the designated area.
Seifer 1	戦況を見極め、最善の作戦をとるのが指揮官ってもんだろ？	Isn't the captain's duty to take the best possible action?
Xu 2	万年SeeD候補生のサイファー君。指揮官だなんて笑っちゃうわ。	Seifer, you'll never be a SeeD. Calling yourself a captain is a joke.

1. This part is bears mentioning because the English omits a nugget of information. In Japanese Seifer literally says, "Isn't being a captain all about gauging the state of battle and then choosing the best possible strategy?" Although I agree with the change of "action" to "strategy", I am at loss for why the English doesn't mention that part about gauging/weighing up the battle condition/state before taking action. Perhaps this was just a simple oversight?

2. Xu is slightly sassier in Japanese. Her first sentence reads, "Seifer, the eternal SeeD candidate." She also affixes the suffix kun (君) to Seifer's name, which emphasis his junior status in comparison to her senior status (as a SeeD). She then literally says, "I laugh at you calling yourself a captain." I would make this palatable by straying away from such a construction (while keeping the same core meaning) with something like, "You? A captain? Don't make me laugh." This is the second count of the English localisation toning down Xu's characterisation; a previous post highlighted the removal of a mercenary edge to her character. It's a shame, as without these added elements, the Xu in the English translation is slighter duller figure.

Final Fantasy VIII - Localisation Review (10)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the beginning segment of the game, Final Fantasy VIII. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Zell 1	あ、おい……またやられた～！お得意の個人行動～	H-Hey!!! Not again, man! There goes Mr. Ego...

1. I was intrigued by the Japanese source for "Mr. Ego." It is otokui no kojinkoudou (お得意の個人行動) which can be broken down as individualistic behavior that is his (i.e. Seifer's) forte/specialty. A quick Google search for this term reveals results only related to Final Fantasy VIII, so this is presumably an uncommon turn of phrase in Japanese. As for its translation, I think "Mr. Ego" is fantastic; it's not at all unnatural but perfectly conveys the intended meaning of the Japanese that Seifer is someone always behaves in a self-centred manner. I doubt I would've been able to produce such a smooth and concise translation. I probably would've offered something like, "H-H-HEY!!! REALLY!? AGAIN!? How is always so self-absorbed!?"

Final Fantasy VIII - Localisation Review (9)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the beginning segment of the game, Final Fantasy VIII. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Seifer 1	１９００時……あと３０分しかない！３０分で【海岸】まで！走れ！	1900 hours...We only have 30 minutes! You got 30 minutes to get down to the [shore]! Better run!
Selphie 2	あ！自分だけズル～い！	Heeey! Wait for us!
Zell 3	あいつ、オレたちをなんだと思ってるんだ！	Who the hell does he think he is!

1. Seifer's final remark in English uses the word "better" (as an auxiliary verb) to advise Squall's party to run. It comes off as a fairly light remark, as if Seifer feels that getting to the shore within this time will be a kind of game. In contrast, his Japanese dialogue is closer to a direct order (by using the imperative verb form). Literally, it would be, "Run!" I prefer the game's English because it compliments Seifer's previously established attitude of not taking the mission seriously.

2. The situation here is that upon realising the need to quickly get to the shore, Seifer takes the elevator alone without waiting for Squall's party. In the Japanese, Selphie reacts to this by exclaiming that it's unfair/sneaky of Seifer to ride the elevator alone. She uses the word zurui (ずるい), a term often used when someone does something selfish that seeks to only benefit themselves. It's tough to convey this in English as making her spelling spelled this out would be unnaturally verbose. For example, "Heeey! Riding the elevator by yourself isn't fair!" However, given that Seifer's behaviour occurs right in front of Selphie, I think it'd be fine to shorten her dialogue to, "Heeey! That's not fair!" I think such a translation comes closer to preserving Selhpie's criticism of Seifer that is present in the Japanese.

3. The English translation reverses the Japanese. It reads, "What does he think we are?" I can't come up with a strong reason for why the translation reserves the sentence's focus. Moreover, I think there is reason behind the way the Japanese focuses on Zell's complaint of Seifer's perspective of him. In the gameplay leading up to this point, Seifer frequently made light of Zell (calling him a chicken-wuss etc.), so this dialogue can be seen as Zell again airing this grievance he has towards Seifer. If I was the translator here, I would add to the translation I provided to make it read, "What does he think we are? Chopped liver!?" For anyone unaware of this expression,  Wikipedia notes that the expression "signifies frustration or anger at being ignored on a social level." Is this not a perfect fit for the situation!?

Final Fantasy VIII - Localisation Review (8)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the beginning segment of the game, Final Fantasy VIII. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Squall 1	何をしている！	What do you think you're doing!?
Biggs 2	なんだぁ～？きさまこそこんなところまで来て何している！お、おい！下にいる兵はどうなっとるんだ？！ウェッジ！ こんなガキども、さっさとかたづけろ！！ ウ……ウェッジ？わ……私は、もうこの電波塔には用がないから……か……か……帰るぞ。どけっどけっ！	Huhhhh? Likewise, MISTER! What do you think you're doing!? H-HEY! What happened to all the soldiers down below!? WEDGE! Take care of these twerps!!! W…Wedge? I...ah...Well...ah...I seem to be done here, so I'll just be on my... I-I'm leaving...Move! Move! Move!
Seifer 3	残念だったな。	Sorry to crash the party.

1. The Japanese literally reads, "What are you doing!" I like the way the English makes this sentiment slightly stronger because it shows that the translator took the exclamation point in the Japanese to slightly ratchet up the strength of the English. It also added in a question mark, which is strangely missing from the Japanese.

2. What drew my attention here was the way Biggs referred to Squall's party, and the Japanese origin of these words. First up was "mister", translated from the word kisama (きさま), a derogatory way to address someone. The English language has a huge amount of words that fall into the bracket of "a derogatory way to address someone" so this word often produces a wide range of translations. The JMDict dictionary offers "you bastard" and "you son of a bitch", but in this context of Biggs noticing Squall's party for the first, him using these swear words would be jarringly excessive. No matter how much I wrack my brain for an alternative, I can't come up with anything that trumps "mister." Google's dictionary defines the word as a "variant form of Mr, often used humorously or with offensive emphasis." I think this perfectly captures the scene's tone; it carries an air of denigration but is also humourous. This is also true of Biggs' use of the word "twerps", translated from the word gaki (ガキ). This is another derogatory form of address, but one typically directed at children. In other words, this remark can be interpreted as Biggs dismissing Squall's party because of their age (which is understandable given that they are just seventeen whereas Biggs appears to be an adult). For this term, the JMDict dictionary offers translations of "brat" and "kids." Such Japanese to English dictionary definitions are often too limited to be of value (as highlighted with kisama) but in this case I think "brats" is a plausible alternative. It is similar to the Japanese because it is also a derisive term typically directed at children, and this part is lacking from "twerps." Nonetheless, I'm loathe to criticise the usage of this term as it adds to Biggs' characterisation as a slightly likable and humourous individual given the rarity of the term "twerps." In contrast, if Biggs had said "brats" he have seemed more severe.

3. Zannen (残念) is an adjective Japanese people frequently to comment on lamentable situations. A Japanese to English dictionary defines it, "sorry; regrettable, regretful; disappointing; mortifying." In Japanese it's perfectly natural to say an adjective and leave it at that. However, this is not usually the case for English. For example, it would be far more natural to say, "That was unfortunate," than just saying the word, "Unfortunate." In this case, Seifer is sarcastically remarking that it is regrettable/unfortunate for Biggs that he won't be able to escape (because Seifer has turned up). I suppose the English conveys this meaning because Seifer is crashing Biggs's party i.e. his attempt to escape. I think a translation of, "Not so fast," would better convey Seifer's Japanese sentiment, but is is an inferior translation overall because the game's original English contains both the sarcasm of the Japanese, and gives Seifer some unique spunkiness.

Final Fantasy VIII - Localisation Review (7)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the beginning segment of the game, Final Fantasy VIII. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Zell	なっ……！！どいつもこいつも……！！オレは……チキンじゃねぇ！	What the...!!! WHY IS EVERYONE...? I am not a CHICKEN!!!
Selphie 1	チキンがいやなら大サービスでポークかなぁ～？でも、ブタ野郎っていうのもなんかやだよね～	Well... If you don't like CHICKEN, how 'bout...a PIG! Oh, but you look more like a CHICKEN, anyway.”

1. The first half of Selphie's first sentence is identical in Japanese, but from there on it differs. Continuing on from, "Well if you don't chicken...", she says, "I could be kind and call you pork." Japanese has a word for pig, (buta), but Selphie says pooku (meaning "pork"), Moreover, she emphasises that she would be being kind if she referred to Zell like that. In the second sentence she then says, "But pig-wuss is kinda weird." This would be the literal translation if I kept in line with the previous translation of yarou (野朗) as "wuss," Selphie swaps the word chicken for pig, but then comments that there's something off about it. I suppose the English does somewhat capture this sentiment that calling Zell a pig isn't as good a fit (because chicken is a better fit). Moreover, I can see why the translator opted against mentioning pork, along with Selphie's opinion that being referred to as one would be an upgrade from chicken; this dialogue are somewhat confusing. However, maybe this was to intentionally show Selphie's airy and eccentric nature (which the rest of the game shows is a big part of her characterisation). The game's English translation makes Selphie seem fairly mean, especially because the translator's decision to write the animal terms in capital letters makes it seem like she is shouting this at Zell. I would offer alternative dialogue of, "Well, if you don't like chicken, how about piglet? But hmmm... piglet-wuss just doesn't have the same ring to it as chicken-wuss, does it?" Selphie's complaint with Zell is that he is cowardly, so I felt that calling him a piglet conveys this sentiment (and also sticks to the Japanese). I think it would be a mistake to use pork (because it's unnatural sounding) or pig (because it conjures up images of greed that don't fit the context).

Final Fantasy VIII - Localisation Review (6)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the beginning segment of the game, Final Fantasy VIII. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Seifer	おまえ、本物の戦場は初めてだろ？怖いか？	This must be your first real battle. You scared?
Squall 1	……わからない。でも……考えると怖くなりそうだ。	...I don't know. I try not to think about it.

1. The translation of the second sentence here is interesting because I think it has the potential to slightly alter the chartericasion of Squall. The full dialogue Japanese literally reads, "...I don't know. But... I'd likely get scared if I were to think about it." The English does not clearly show that Squall doesn't want to think about being scared or not because that he thinks that would probably make him scared! I think this gives him a greater degree of humanity than the English, which paints him with a much cooler attitude. As an alternative, I'd offer, "...I don't know. But... I probably would be if I stopped to think about it."

Final Fantasy VIII - Localisation Review (5)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the beginning segment of the game, Final Fantasy VIII. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Zell 1	……なんだよ。仲がいいんじゃねえか。同類だぜ、あんたたち。あのなあ、これ、ただの戦闘じゃないんだぞ。大事な試験なんだ。勝手な行動はマイナスでかいぜ。	What the hell...I thought you guys didn't get along? You're like, all buddy-buddy now. Listen. This ain't no ordinary battle. It's an exam, an important one. I'm tellin' ya, we have to stick to orders.
Seifer 2	おまえ、ここに残れ。やる気のない奴はいらない。	Then you stay here. I don't need any boy scouts.

1. Zell's second and third English sentence is slightly different in Japanese. These two sentences are covered by one in Japanese that simply expresses Zell's questioning of the fact that Seifer and Squall are getting along with each other. He doesn't explicitly mention that he didn't think Squall and Seifer got along (although it is implied). The English also lacks Zell's comment in Japanese that he thinks Squall and Seifer are of the same sort (i.e. two peas in a pod/cut from the same cloth). As an alternative, I offer, "What the hell... You guys are getting along? Tch, you two are cut from the same cloth."

2. When I saw the term, "boy scouts" pop up, I just knew that there was no way that the Japanese could have contained this exact phrase. I was correct! In the Japanese, Seifer says he doesn't need someone who is unwilling/unmotivated/uneager. I don't intuitively associate boy scouts with these qualities, so I don't think I can support this translation. The boy scouts remarks suggests that Seifer's problem with Zell is his lack of experience, when he is actually complaining about his lack of enthusiasm. As alternative, I offer, "I don't need anyone whose heart isn't it."

Final Fantasy VIII - Localisation Review (4)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the beginning segment of the game, Final Fantasy VIII. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Seifer 1	さて、敵さんの到着まで待機だ。待機……退屈な言葉だ。	Well then, we're on standby 'til the enemy comes. Standby... How boring...

1. In the first sentence of the Japanese, Seifer appends the honourific san (さん) to the word for enemy. I think even non-Japanese speakers are familiar with this honourific, and is commonly translated as "Mr/Ms." In this case, I think Seifer is sarcastically talking about the enemy in a respectful tone. However, how to translate that is tricky. "We're on standby 'til Mr. Enemy comes" would just be strange. How about, "We're on standby 'til the enemy decides to grace us with their presence." I think this captures a sense of sarcastic respect for the enemy. In the second sentence, Seifer literally says, "Standby... A tedious term." In the Japanese, it seems more like Seifer is expressing his disdain for the concept of standby work, whereas in the English he is expressing his disdain for the standby work in that context. The previous literal translation could be made slightly more palatable with, "Standby... What a tedious term." However, the English is perfect as it is. I just wanted to highlight the difference in phrasing.

Final Fantasy VIII - Localisation Review (3)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the beginning segment of the game, Final Fantasy VIII. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Zell 1	…ムカつく野郎だぜ	...Bastard.

1. Slang and derogatory terms can be interesting to translate as they are often impossible to literally translate. Here, what ended up as, "Bastard" stemmed from the Japanese verb mukatsuku (むかつく), which means "to feel angry or sick", and yarou (野郎), which is a derogatory way to refer to a male. I think "bastard" is a great translation here, but what I wonder about is whether the translator had to first get clearance to use this swear word. All games have age-ratings, and I imagine this imposes a limit on the degree of foul language deemed acceptable to use. If there was a limitation on swear words, this part could easily be translated as, "...Dick." (Perhaps my British heritage shows with that choice of words...).

Final Fantasy VIII - Localisation Review (2)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the beginning segment of the game, Final Fantasy VIII. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Seifer 1	ウザイんだよ。……チキン野郎	Stop that...It's annoying. ...Chicken-wuss.

1. When I played this game as a child, this was a line that stuck in my memory. I think this was perhaps because I'd never previously heard such a combination of chicken and wuss. All the search hits that arise from Googling this term produces results related Final Fantasy VIII, so it's fair to say that the game coined this new insult. In fact, one of the top search hits link to a forum discussing this in translation, as pictured below. I expected this insult to be a very liberal translation, but it is actually the opposite. In the Japanese, Seifer calls Zell a chicken (チキン (chikkin)) and tags on the derogatory term 野郎 (yarou), which dictionaries define as an "asshole/bastard/son of a bitch." Some online Japanese dictionaries contain a definition of these words when combined.

チキン野郎：臆病者の青二才。 この弱虫野郎、といった意味で相手を罵る表現。米国のスラングに由来する。- A cowardly and immature greenhorn. It is an expression used to deride an individual. It derives from American slang.

In this respect, chicken-wuss succeeds in accurately conveying the meaning of the Japanese. It could be seen as a failure because it doesn't seem very natural, but I like the line because it gives Seifer a unique insult and the game a standout line. Admittedly, this is not the case in the Japanese so perhaps this could be seen as straying from the writer's original intent. If it was me, I would translate the line as, "Chicken-shit," as this is an insult in common parlance that also conveys the meaning of the Japanese.

Final Fantasy VIII - Localisation Review (1)

This is the first entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the beginning segment of the game, Final Fantasy VIII. Thanks for reading!

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		English
Squall 1	北ブロックの西にあるのが学生食堂だ。ここの売店のパンは競争が激しい。確実に手に入れるには並ぶしかないな	West of the North Block is the cafeteria. There's always a big rush for the hot dogs. You better get used to waiting in line.

1. The biggest issue the translator had to deal with here was how to translate "pan" (パン), the popular food in the cafeteria. A Japanese to English dictionary defines pan as "bread; pastries (e.g. croissants); pastry-based products." A Google Image search for this word confirms that accuracy of this definition, as shown below by one of the top hits. However, this is fairly difficult to translate into English. For one thing, the word encompasses multiple items, which although is a natural reference term in Japanese, I feel doesn't sit as smoothly in English as, "pastries" or "danishes." Moreover, from my years living in Japan, I think pan holds a different status in Japan than Western countries. Let's just say I can't imagine many people in the West would be have experienced a cafeteria where students run to get danishes. Conversely, a hot dog is a food item that would easily be accepted as having such status, and it stills falls into the pan category (as the picture below shows), which is why I think this is great localisation work. Of course there is the issue that Final Fantasy VIII is not specifically set in Japan or a Western country, but I feel that the use of pan is simply a bit of Japanese culture slipping into their game's writing, rather than intentional, specific world building.

Mario Party - Hip Drop

The Japanese language uses a separate syllabary known as katakana to spell loanwords from foreign languages. It is therefore often fine to literally translate these words into English. オレンジジュース (orenjijuusu) becomes orange juice, and ホットドッグ (hottodoggu) becomes hotdog. However, this is not a viable translation strategy for every katakana word. First, there are words that originate from languages other than English, such as デッサン (dessan) which comes from the French word "dessin", the word for a drawing. Second, there are Japanese words that are constructed from elements of English that would be nonsensical if translated back into English, such as マイブーム (maibuumu), a word used to describe something that you've recently got into/obsessed with. It goes without saying that it would be incredibly strange if a character in a book said, "My boom is tennis."

Trauma Center: Second Opinion - Patient Names

Second Opinion is a game that involves playing as an amateur surgeon. In the Japanese version of the game, the events take place in Japan, but in the English localisation the setting of game is the USA. The majority of the gameplay involves operating on a patient, and before each surgery the above briefing screen appears and introduces the patient. Given the switch of setting, these details required localising rather than just translating. At first, I presumed this equated to giving the game's generic Japanese names English equivalents. In the case above, Matsuo Tanaka was changed to Kevin Turk. It also makes sense that for the patients' height and weight, the metric system is ditched in favour of the US system. However, caught my eye is that the translator was aware that the average body measurements between Japan and the United States differ, and therefore needed to be tweaked. I imagine this is an aspect that could easily be overlooked, but in this case, the translator increased the weight and height of the patient to create an image closer to that of a typical American citizen. To be precise, the US patient is approximately five kilograms heavier and fifteen centimeters taller than his Japanese counterpart. Great work!

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Localisation Review (8)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the first chapter of the game, Phoenix Ace: Ace Attorney. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Phoenix 1	日本で午後４時のとき、向こうでは前日の午前２時。時計で見れば、その差はちょうど、２時間になります！	When it's 4:00 PM here, it's 1:00 AM the next day there. The clock wasn't three hours slow, it was nine hours fast!

1. The translation of the second sentence is different. The Japanese literally reads, "Judging by the clock, that time gap is two hours exactly." This can be more naturally conveyed as, "The clock shows that the time difference is exactly two hours." The English strays from the structure of the Japanese but nonetheless carries out the same purpose of precisely defining the time difference. Moreover, it is a more resounding statement because it corrects the previous assumption, and then spells out the true way to interpret the time difference.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Localisation Review (7)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the first chapter of the game, Phoenix Ace: Ace Attorney. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Sawhit 1	うるせえんだよ！細かいことをぐちぐちと！あ、アイツだ‥‥！オレは見たんだよ‥‥。し、死刑だ！あの男に、死刑を‥‥！	Shutupshutupshutup! I hate you! I-it was him, I tell you! I saw him! H-he killed her and he should burn! Burn! Give him death!

1. This sentence is translated very freely. In the Japanese, after telling Phoenix to shut up, Sawhit then express his irritation at Phoenix complaining over little details (i.e. flaws in his testimony). The English realigns with the Japanese for, "I-it was him, I tell you! I saw him!" but then takes a more extreme turn. In the Japanese, Sawhit simply twice demands for Larry be given the death penalty. I would offer an alternative translation of, "The death sentence! Give him the death sentence!" I don't think I agree with the English localisation because it is diverges greatly from Sawhit's original Japanese characterisation and instead portrays him as a very exaggerated figure.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Localisation Review (6)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the first chapter of the game, Phoenix Ace: Ace Attorney. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Payne 1	この置物は、証人の言うとおり、実は置き時計なんです。首がスイッチになっていまして、 時間をアナウンスするタイプです。	As the witness stated, this statue is indeed a clock. The neck is a switch. You just tilt it, and it says the time out loud.
Payne 2	時計には見えないので、<<置物>>として提出したんです‥‥。	As it doesn't look like a clock, I submitted it as a statue. My apologies.

1. This is a strange one. The Japanese contains not much information about how one would get the clock to announce the time. The fact that, "you just tilt it" for it to announce the time is completely new information, yet it is somewhat strange that the Japanese lacks this detail since the clock announcing the time is such an key part of the case. It's conceivable that Japanese players would logically assume that the clock announces the time when tilted, but there would be other ways to interact with the neck that could conceivably make it announce the time, such as pushing it or pulling it. I much prefer the English translation as it clears up this slight confusion, and also alludes to way Sawhit swung the clock when he used it as the murder weapon.

2. This is another strange one. Simply, the English sentence of apology isn't present in the Japanese. Indeed, the "...." ending to previous sentence suggests Payne feels justified in his actions, and therefore without reason to apologise. Within this context, the English makes sense if it represents Payne just making a glib apology. Alternatively, it could've been added to help show Payne drawing a line under the issue. Either way, I am not convinced that this addition was necessary.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Localisation Review (5)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the first chapter of the game, Phoenix Ace: Ace Attorney. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Judge 1	では、弁護人。<<尋問>>をおねがいします。	Mr. Wright, you may cross-examine the witness.

1. This is an example of good culturally aware non-literal translation. In the Japanese, the judge literally says, "Now Mr. Wright, please cross-examine the witness." Just by the the little courtroom knowledge I have acquired from courtroom scenes in television shows, I know that it is more common for a judge to give a lawyer permission to cross-examine a witness. A comparison of the number of search hits for these two sentences further confirms this point.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Localisation Review (4)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the first chapter of the game, Phoenix Ace: Ace Attorney. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Phoenix 1	しかし、それはおかしいんですよ。この解剖記録のデータと、あきらかにムジュンしています。	Frankly, I find that hard to believe! Your statement directly contradicts the autopsy report.
Phoenix 2	被害者が死んだのは、午後４時より後なんです。２時に死体を見つけられるはずは、ゼッタイにありません！	The autopsy notes the time of death at sometime after 4PM. There was nobody to... er… no "body" to find at 1:00 PM!

1. The first sentence in the Japanese and English seem to carry a different emotional weight. In the Japanese, Phoenix plainly states, "However, that's strange", before following up with his reason. The English however is much more confrontational and emotionally charged. I can come up with two possible ideas for this difference. First, perhaps as part of the overall localisation of Phoenix's character they wanted to inject him with a bit more spunk than his character in the Japanese version. Alternatively, this more confrontational style was chosen to better convey the atmosphere in an American courtroom. I have no legal background, so I am unable to comment on how courtroom speech patterns differ between Japan and the USA, but my instincts tell me that the former is likely probably more polite/restrained, and the latter more brash/heated.

2. Leaving aside the matter of time difference (which has already been discussed in my second post in this series), this line is one of the stranger script differences. In the second sentence of the Japanese, Phoenix clearly and plainly states, "There is no way a dead body/corpse could have been found at 2PM." In contrast, the English contains a strange kind of pun that makes Phoenix look somewhat goofy. To facilitate this change, even Phoenix's animation while speaking was changed, which is rare. This kind of slightly goofy characterisation of Phoenix could have been targeted from the outset, but it still strikes me as curious as why this script change occurred at this particular moment. I wonder if the translator simply happened to come up with this joke on the spot, and just decided to insert it.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Localisation Review (3)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the first chapter of the game, Phoenix Ace: Ace Attorney. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Payne	事件があった日、きみは彼女の部屋に行かなかったかな？	You went to the victim’s apartment on the day of the murder, did you not?
Larry 1	‥‥‥‥！	Gulp!

1. Even people unable to read Japanese can see that in the Japanese, Larry's reaction to Payne's question is just a set of ellipses and an exclamation mark. It could be argued that since these punctuation marks are used in both languages, the English dialogue could be the same as the Japanese. However, as a native English speaker, I feel that a set of ellipses followed by an exclamation mark conveys a sense of confusement followed by a sudden cottoning on to something. This is not how the scene plays out in the game. The use of, "Gulp!" is fantastic because it is a specific word/sound in the English language that conveys a sudden sense of fear or foreboding. I am not a native speaker of Japanese, but to my knowledge there is not such a succinct word in Japanese.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Localisation Review (2)

This is an entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the first chapter of the game, Phoenix Ace: Ace Attorney. You can find the first post here. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Phoenix 1	矢張　政志。‥‥小学校からの大親友だ。”事件のカゲに、ヤッパリ矢張”と言われつづけて２３年。	Larry Butz... my best friend since grade school. Our school had a saying: "When something smells, it's usually the Butz."

1. This famous saying about Larry pops up a number of times throughout the series. Translated literally (and therefore also awkwardly), it means, “Behind every incident will no doubt be Larry.” The saying in Japanese is founded on the wordplay around the similarity of “yappari” (meaning, “no doubt” or “just as you would expect”) and “Yahari”,  Larry’s name in Japanese. The English translation of this phrase is really impressive. It retains the use of Larry’s name (this time his surname), it retains the core meaning of the saying, and then goes a step further by including a butt joke that is both amusing and convincing as saying that would originate from young school children. I wonder how long it took to come up with this translation. It is sterling translation work.

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Localisation Review (1)

This is the first entry in a series of posts looking at the localisation of the first chapter of the game, Phoenix Ace: Ace Attorney. Thanks for reading!

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	Japanese	English
Mia 1	...なるほどくん	Wright!
Phoenix 2	あ、しょ、所長	Oh, h-hiya, Chief.
Mia 3a	ふう。なんとか、間にあったわね。どうかしら？　初めての法廷は。	Whew, I'm glad I made it on time. Well, I have to say Phoenix, I'm impressed! Not everyone takes on a murder trial right off the bat like this.
Phoenix 3b	こ、こんなにドキドキするの小学校の学級裁判のとき以来です。	NOT TRANSLATED
Mia 3c	...それはそれは。ずいぶん、ごぶさたしてるのね。	NOT TRANSLATED
Phoenix 3d	え、ええ、まあ。あの… 所長。今日は、すみません。いそがしいのに...	NOT TRANSLATED
Mia 3e	ううん、かまわないわ。カワイイ部下の初舞台だもの。‥‥それにしても。	NOT TRANSLATED
Mia	初めての法廷で殺人事件をあつかうなんて、すごい度胸ね。感心するわ。	Well, I have to say Phoenix, I'm impressed! Not everyone takes on a murder trial right off the bat like this.

1. The Japanese contains the honorific “kun”, which has numerous uses, including for when a senior addresses a junior. Naturally, English doesn't have a range of honorific suffixes like the Japanese language so they can sometimes be tricky to translate. However, in this case the exclamation mark alone does a good job of conveying Mia’s senior status because it sounds like she is calling Phoenix to attention.

2. In the Japanese, Phoenix stutters over the word chief (shochou), but in the English he stutters over an added “hiya” before he says “chief.” I like this touch. If Phoenix had stuttered the word “chief”, it could have seemed that Mia's presence was the cause of Phoenix’s anxiety, when it is actually the fact that it is his first trial.

3a. The English chops up the order of the information slightly after Mia’s “Whew, I'm glad I made it on time.” In the Japanese, she then asks, “So, your first case. How are you feeling?” Phoenix responds, “I haven't felt this nervous since my trial in elementary school.” To a Western audience, the notion of a trial in elementary school would likely seem strange. For new players unaware of the series’ whacky tendencies, the idea of a trial in an elementary school might have been jarring. In contrast, in Japan a school trial (gakkyuusaiban) is not an entirely unheard of prospect. Apparently, there are teachers who may do such a thing when a student consistently fails to hand in their homework.

3b. Mia replies, “Hmm, well, that is a long time, isn't it.”

3c. Phoenix then stumbles over his response, “Mmm, yeah, I guess so. Hey chief, thanks for coming today. I know you're busy and all.” This line, and a lot of the script (and just Japanese writing in general) contains ellipses. My feeling is that while they have their place in the English language, it is usually limited to awkward situations, or when one simply has no idea how to respond to something. I think when translating these parts into English, they can be ignored or substituted with some small remark, such as, "Hey", or, "Hmm."

3e. Mia replies, "Don't mention it. I couldn't miss the debut of my cute little protege now could I? That said…" After that, the game's English realigns with the Japanese script.