The Big List of Localisation Problems

[bansama]

(Okay, so it's not a big list at this moment, but I expect the number of examples to grow so I've future proofed the title!)


I've noticed an alarming amount of problems with the localisation in the little I've played so far and can only expect the rest of the game to see similar issues.

Although the examples in this post are from the first half hour to hour of play (a guess based on my playing this section a couple of times to collate these examples), future examples may contain spoilers depending on how far you've played. These are also not all potential problems in the the section played, only the ones that immediately caught my attention.

Note, I have no idea if the localiser had to deal with a character limit, so I've kept my translations in the examples close to the length of the official translation while also retaining as much of the original Japanese as possible.

I'll add to the thread as I collate more examples.

These are listed in the order they are encountered (with the exception of typos, which are listed at the end).

(Key: JP - Japanese original, OT - official translation, FT - fixed translation)

LIST OF EXAMPLES

Problem: Changes meaning.
JP: ええ、そうよ。
ほら見て、爆裂魔法に驚て逃げ出したモンスターも
戻って来たわ。
OT: Sure does! Even some of the monsters who didn’t get drawn in by the explosion are coming!
FT: Sure does! Even monsters scared off by Explosion are coming back!

Problem: Changes tone.
OJ: さて、ここで問題だ。
残り１０匹はどうやって倒す。
お前に任せても大丈夫ならそうするが。
OT: So here’s a question for you, Aqua. How are we supposed to take down the extra ten, huh? Got any bright ideas?
FT: Question time. How do we take down the extra ten, huh? It’s fine by me if you want to take them down yourself.

Problem: Wrong item referenced.
JP: す、凄いアイテムじゃないですか！
さすがは黒いだけあります！
OT: Wow! What an incredible item we’ve found! It’s what I’d expect from such a beautiful jet-black gem!
FT: Wow! What an incredible item we’ve found! It’s what I’d expect from such a shiny black tablet!

Note: The original Japanese has omitted the object, which is common in Japanese. But context of the ongoing story, as well as the colour mentioned, should have made this clear. The gem was red after all, and Megumin, showing no interest in the gem, only gushed over the shiny blackness of the tablet.

Problem: Changes nuance.
JP: （うん、確かに凄いと思う。
それだけに、不安だ......）
OT: (Yeah... It’s really awesome. That’s why I’m narrowing my eyes at it...)
FT: (Yeah... It’s really awesome. That’s why it’s giving me the chills...)

Problem: Loses context.
JP: そういう問題じゃない。
まだ何が起こるか分からないんだから、
呪いを解けるお前の側に置いておいた方が良いだろう。
OT: It’s not about your style, idiot. We need to keep them close, just in case something goes wrong with them later.
FT: It’s not about your style, idiot. You're our curse breaker, you need to keep them close in case something goes wrong.

Problem: Incorrect interpretation of original Japanese.
JP: あと、石板をむやみやたらに使わないこと。
これを守れるなら......。
OT: Try not to use the slab thing too much, okay? If you can keep it safe...
FT: Don’t use the slate without good cause! If you can follow these rules...

Note: 守れる here is not about protecting something, it's about observing rules. The word is used with both meanings but context, Kazuma telling them what not to do, should have made which meaning to use clear.

Problem: Incorrect interpretation of original Japanese.
JP: これを守れるなら？
OT: If we can keep it safe?
FT: If we can follow the rules?

Problem: Changes tone.
JP: だ、ダクネス？
ごめんなさいするからそんな顔しないで。
ホントに怖いから......。
OT: D-Darkness? Don’t look at us like that... I-It’s really scaryyyyyy...
FT: D-Darkness? We apologize so don’t look at us like that! I-It’s really scary...

Problem: Changes Aqua’s character.
JP: カズマ、今度は何をやらかしたのよ！
ほら、謝って！
一緒にごめんなさいしてあげるから、すぐに謝って！
OT: What’d you do this time, Kazuma?! Hey! Go apologize! Go say you’re sorry!
FT: What’d you do now, Kazuma?! Go apologize! I’ll go with you, so let’s go say sorry!

Problem: Changes meaning.
JP: 確かに、
今までのダクネスからは想像もできないね......。
OT: Goodness... That must be quite the handful.
FT: Goodness... I can’t even imagine a Darkness like that!

Problem: Incorrect interpretation of original Japanese.
JP: ちょむすけもただいまです。
良い子にしてましたか？
OT: Chomusuke’s back too. Were you good today?
FT: Chomusuke! We’re home. Were you good today?

Note: This last one is the most worrying as the difference between ただいま (I'm back) and お帰り (welcome home) is basic level Japanese. If Megumin was pointing out Chomusuke had come home, she'd not say ただいま.

Problem: Loses nuance.
JP: お前、俺に何をして欲しいんだ？
OT: Is there something you want to do?
FT: What do you want to do to me?

Note: A more literal translation would be “What do you want to make me do” but that comes of clumsy in English to me.

Problem: Incorrect interpretation of original Japanese.
JP: お前の何を満たせば呪いが解けるんだ？
どんな欲求があるのか、
この際、遠慮なしに言ってみろ。
OT: What do we need to do to break the curse? What are your desires? I feel like I just need to ask you straight up at this point.
FT: What’s going to satisfy you enough to break the curse? Don’t hold back, tell us what you truly desire.

Problem: Changes tone and omits details.
JP: 俺をしばきたいのか罵倒したいのか蔑みたいのか。
踏み付けたいのか足を舐めさせたいのか。
３回回ってワンじゃ何がたりないんだ！？
OT: What’ll it take? Spanking me? Degrading me? Looking down on me? Weren’t the three dog walks and the woofing enough for you?!
FT: You want to whip me? Insult me? Belittle me? Squash me like an ant? Make me lick your feet? The three doggie walks and woofing weren’t enough for you?!

Note: If there is a character limit assigned for each line (which is sadly still common even today), the English here likely goes over that count. Assuming there is a limit and something had to be omitted, I personally would go with the following as much as possible:

“You want to whip me? Insult me? Squash me like an ant? Make me lick your feet? The three doggie walks weren’t enough for you?!”

This retains a larger amount of the original intended tone while losing insignificant detail. (For example, we already know about the barking from the chat with Megumin and Chris).

Also, しばく here has the meaning of striking with a whip as well as beating (punch/kick). Given the earlier chat where Chris mentioned Darkness looking at whips, this is a good opportunity to reinforce that desire.

Problem: (There’s no real problem here, see note)
JP: （本当に、変なスイッチさえ入らなければ
いつものダクネスなんだよな。
温度差が激しすぎる）
OT: (Honestly, she’s just the normal Darkness unless you set her off... But when she goes into sadist mode, it’s way too scary.)
FT: (Honestly, she’s just the normal Darkness unless you push her buttons. But that flip from frigid to boiling is way too much.)

Note: I only include this line as the next problematic line (right afterwards) directly references it. The OT English isn’t too far off from the Japanese, but when “pushing someone’s buttons” is a viable phrase in English to complement the original Japanese’s “pervy switch”, it seems a shame not to use it. Also, 温度差 is literally a difference in temperature, but is also used when talking about changes in enthusiasm, etc.)

Problem: Incorrect interpretation of original Japanese.
JP: （いやまあ、ドMになる時もそうだったけど......
ヤバイ、俺、いつの間にかアレに慣れかけてたのか？）
OT: (Maybe I should just embrace the masochism... Wait, no! When did I start accepting this?!)
FT: (She was the same when she went full on masochist, mind... Whoa! When did I get used to that side of her?!)

Note: The previous line (and/or familiarity with Darkness’s character) should give enough context to know that ドM here is still talking about Darkness and not what is currently happening to Kazuma.

Problem: Omits detail.
JP: つまり、行き抜きためには
戦いだけではなくサバイブルの知識と経験も必要なのだ！
OT: Precisely. That’s why we need to apply our survival knowledge!
FT: Precisely. That’s why we need to apply survival knowledge and training on top of our fighting skills.

Note: The original omits a chunck of what Darkness has said. But this example is mainly included due to the following one.

A lit. translation of this line would be: [in other words, in order to survive, survival knowledge and experience is needed and not just fighting (experience and knowledge)] The part in circular brackets is implied. “In order to survive” can be omitted in English as the rest of the conversation prior makes it obvious.

Problem: Omits detail, potentially indicts Japanese that wasn’t understood.
JP: そうだ！
自ら街を出て、
右も左もわからない空間で生と死を共有するのだ！
OT: Yes! We’ll wander out of the city and indulge in first-hand survival training where death awaits around every corner!
FT: Yes! We’ll wander out of the city and find an unfamiliar clearing, where death awaits around every corner!

Note: It is unclear if the translator understood 右も左もわからない or not, (lit. it means don’t know left from right, but means more of not knowing where you are, as in being in an unfamiliar place). It is also possible this was how they chose to deal with 経験 (experience) from the previous sentence, which could be possible if these sentences had (harsh) character limits, but I don’t think that was the case here.

Problem: Changes meaning.
JP: （でも何をやって呪いは解けないし。
そもそも心身を満たすって何をすればいいんだよ......）
OT: (But how am I meant to break the curse? What can I do to fulfill her desires in both body and soul?)
FT: (But nothing we’ve tried has broken the curse. Just how do we fulfill her desires in both body and soul?)

Problem: Changes Vanir’s character.
JP: こいつ本当におっさんなんじゃないか？
と駆け出しプリーストの性別に疑問を感じ始めている小僧よ。
OT: Why, it seems you’re wondering if the goddess isn’t actually an old man in disguise!
FT: Why, boy who is doubting the fledgling priest’s gender and wondering if she isn’t actually an old man!

Note: Vanir is intentionally not calling Aqua a goddess. He is one of the few who actually knows (and believes) she is one. So he uses 駆け出しプリースト (fledging priest) as his way of mocking her skill level. Also, I’ve tried to keep the English more in line with Vanir’s odd way of speech in Japanese. It’s been some time since I’ve read the light novels in English and I’ve only seen the anime in Japanese, so I don’t recall/know how the official English translations of those dealt with Vanir’s character in terms of speech pattern.

Problem: Changes meaning and typo in English
JP: どんな心配をしているかは知らないが
郷に入っては郷に従うバニルさんは、
ご近所づきあいも完璧である。
OT: I’m not sure where you concern comes from, but let me assure you that I’m doing quite well as Axel’s premier model citizen!
FT: I’m not sure where your concern comes from, but I, Vanir, who, when in Axel does as the Axel denziens do, am adored by my neighbors!

Note: 郷に入っては郷に従う is the Japanese version of “When in Rome do as the Roman’s do”. Obviously, there’s no Rome in this isekai, but that doesn’t mean the phrase cannot be adapted to fit. 近所づきあい is about how you get on with your neighbors and it flows (IMO) better into following line about the local wives adoring him.

Typo: where you concern → where your concern

Problem: Omits detail, incorrect English in terms of location.
JP: アホか！
こんな所でお前たちがやり合ったら、
怪我人どころか死人が出るだろ！
OT: Are you stupid?! If you guys start throwing magic around in here, there’ll be dead people!
FT: Are you stupid?! You two start throwing magic around here, someone’ll get hurt or killed!

Note: The background graphic clearly shows that this conversation is taking place outside (in one of Axel’s outdoor markets) as such, “around in here” is incorrect. Quality control playthroughs of the game prior to release should have noticed such issues.

TYPOS

OT: Oh? And was planning to run away in the middle of night a matter of pride, too?
FT: Oh? And was planning to run away in the middle of the night a matter of pride, too?

OT: And witness that oufit’s oufit’s story unfold!
FT: And witness that outfit’s story unfold!

OT: (Whoa, she didn’t react to the taint.)
FT: (Whoa, she didn’t react to the taunt.)

=========
Change log:
Feb 10: Updated the last typo, I hadn't noticed auto correct corrected the typo. (outfit outfit → oufit oufit)
Feb 11: Added four more examples (and a bonus fifth because it ties into the last problem)
Feb: 15: Addid six more examples and one new typo

[Fany-kun]

Thanks for bringing attention to this mistakes. Hope the dev actually read this and post an update to fix them.

[Chika Ogiue]

Ok, speak up, who was the PQube shill who awarded a professional translator a jester award for pointing out legitimate mistakes with the translation?

[Cipher]

Sure hope someone who can make changes sees this.

[Japoński Anon]

Bump,

[黒猫]

I though that PQube was good? Their Gal Gun, Gal Gun 2 and Our World is Ended translations were good. Even had honorifics. What happended?

[エルフレンド_Darkhilt]

Just got to the end of ch 2 and saw some pretty horrible errors and thought it'd be helpful to share in this thread

Here's a chain of them from choosing Darkness to wear the ch 2 key outfit.

JP: あ、ごめん。やっぱりアイツと別れられない。あと、お前とは遊びだったんだ。
OT: Uhhh, sorry. I can't break up with her, no. And I was just fooling around with her, so don't take it so seriously.
FT: Sorry. After thinking about it I can't get behind breaking up with her. Also, what we had? I was just playing around with you.
Problem: Changes the subject of who he was talking about fooling around with to the girl in the Darkness scenario instead of referring to him messing around with Darkness.

JP: あ、でもお前と別れるつもりないから、安心してくれ。こうなったらとことん遊び倒すからさ
OT:Yeah. I'm not gonna break up with her cause I wanna keep on playing with her.
FT: Ah, but don't worry - I won't break up with you. After all, if its gonna be like this might as well get my fill in playing around with you.
Problem: Same as above, misinterprets the subject of who Kazuma is talking about messing around with, causing the entire flow of the last part of this scenario in Ch 2 in choosing Darkness to not make sense since its supposed to be playing on Darkness' whole M side.

JP: 何というクズっぷり。さすが、私が見込んだ男だ。
OT: Y-You scumbag. To think I thought better of you.
FT: What a complete scumbag. As I expected you don't fall short of my expectations.
Problem: Also completely misses whats happening here. Its supposed to be another one of those moments where Darkness talks about Kazuma being a trashy scumbag, but is around because she expects that out of him (for her delusions).

Previous Line (for context): Fufu...Fufu...I see. You want me to wallow in my feelings alone for a while, do you?
Incorrect Line follows
JP: そして、あわよくば、心落とし、俺の前に跪けと！
OT: Well, if I'm lucky, you'll break first and kneel before me!
FT: Then, if things go according to plan, my heart won't be able to take it and I'll be on my knees before you!
Problem: This line is suppose to be a continuation of the delusion that Darkness has at the end of this scenario but instead is hinting to her prideful character from the outfit at the beginning of the scenario.

[bansama]

@エルフレンド_Darkhilt thanks for contributing. I'll keep a look out for those as I slowly make way through.

For those interested, I'm switching between this Steam version and a Switch copy of the original Japanese one. Then I cross reference the screenshots taken from each. It takes time but this system works best for me.

@黒猫 The translation for Gal Gun was brilliant and did well at trying to retain Japanese nuance with speech patterns (see, demon girl and her overuse of "hell" where the Japanese replaced the common to be verb, desu, with the English "death"). But that was by Matt Papa while he was at Inti_Creates. So PQube didn't do the translation themselves.

@Cipher We can hope, but it all depends on how much PQube care about the quality of their products and whether they're willing to address the number of concerns being discovered.

(I'll be adding some more examples tomorrow.)

[HeinousStorm602]

They named megumin staff as "cane"

[yamiryuu_zero]

There is a petition going around to get Japanese companies to create and enforce guidelines/Code of Ethics for the localization companies they work with.

I don't know if I'm allowed to post URLs here, but here we go: https://chng.it/Pgj597FD8q

Basically the petition demands no censorship, no name or script changes, no region locking content, and fixing mistranslations wherever they pop up, with refusal to adhere to the guidelines resulting in firings and blacklisting.

"5.Mistranslations, whether by mistake or in purpose, should be fixed as quickly as possible after their discovery even after release, be it for games (in the form of patches and updates), digitally distributed media (streaming for the case of anime and image hosting sites for the case of manga) and physically distributed media (Blu-ray and DVD disks, printed manga should be recalled and reprinted with the correct translations).

5.a. In order to prevent such mistakes from happening, it is entirely on the localization company’s hands to exercise better quality control of their translation services."

Make sure to support and promote this petition so we can fix the localization and avoid these low quality translations. Seriously, how do you not know what ただいま means and still work as a translator!?

[Evangela]

Did they reverse names like Satou Kazuma to Kazuma Satou? I hate it when localizers do that.

And did they keep honorifics?

[Showstopper]

One of the translators answered a question about the translation issues.

"It's certainly possible there could be some spotty parts. It was a somewhat patchwork job and was the last game that was fully outsourced before I joined PQube and had proper creative control over the processes and teams. That is to say, it was a project I had a bit part on, rather than oversight over. The project had multiple translators assigned to it and was translated a few years before it ended up releasing, as I recall. There was a fairly intense QA pass in-house, but it was hampered somewhat by reasons I'm not really able to disclose. That said, I think any of the more glaring issues will mostly (and unfortunately) be localized (heh) to the first chapter of the game. I saw a couple of lines that made my brow raise while watching some people streaming it on Twitch, but the monolingual players didn't seem to catch anything amiss so it's probably fine from a business perspective in the end. That is to say, it would not affect the consumer experience unless pointed out. I'm assuming any complaints raised have been that of interpretation and construction rather than content alteration or market censorship, since I know nothing like that was mandated."

https://retrospring.net/@SteinerTL/a/111906552942608166

[deristrome]

They translated "I can't get married any more..." into "I've been sullied..." man just why...

[Evangela]

Originally posted by deristrome:

They translated "I can't get married any more..." into "I've been sullied..." man just why...

That joke is like a taboo for American localizers. They think that the joke is glorifying women's virginity and also devaluing used women.

[Small Waves]

I don't mind the localization (which is a bit funky at times) so much as the egregious number of typos in the scripts. One of the events I encountered (I think it was one of the part-time ones) literally had a spelling/punctuation error in over half the lines and was virtually unreadable.

[Small Waves]

Originally posted by Evangela:

Did they reverse names like Satou Kazuma to Kazuma Satou? I hate it when localizers do that.

And did they keep honorifics?

Because Kazuma is his first name while Satou is the family name. Localizers have been doing that to names for decades.