Localization Team Appreciation Thread

[Lemur]

Let's hear it for the incredible work the English localization team (and maybe other languages!) did with this game. All the olde vocabulary they used, such as forsooth, vouchsafe, perfidy (not to mention all the thous thys and theretofores) kept me completely immersed in the setting, and lent the game a level of verisimilitude that's often missing in historical fantasy. The dialogue is also brilliantly quotable, especially from our party members, and I imagine we'll be seeing lines from this game echoed for years to come.

I know these localizers get a lot of undue crap because of our ridiculous political climate, so I wanted to throw a petal of positivity back into the wind: thank you for your careful localization and translation of this game, and I hope to see you guys in Persona 6.

[Splinter of Chaos]

Originally posted by Clown Reemus:

You... you want to commend that? That old vocabulary they used has no place in the game - the original Japanese script doesn't use "ye old'e English" equivalents in 9/10 cases where the same is done in English localization.

I'm just playing in Japanese so I don't know what characters are using old-timey language. Could someone clarify this? There are a few characters that definitely use old-timey language in the Japanese version.

Originally posted by Jeffer'son Airship:

Originally posted by DrkCntry:

[
Yes, the important thing that you don't understand the purpose of localization and would rather demonize it when it's a necessity.

Sure, learning a language is great, but reality doesn't always allow that to happen.

I mean, Japan has to rewrite this significantly when translating the other way too and yet it doesn't start these culture wars.

Yeah, I actually had an opportunity to discuss that briefly with someone recently, talking about how J-E translations are often controversial, are E-J translations sometimes controversial? It sounded like the answer was "no", but there were some interesting examples,

The movie "Frozen" アナと雪の女王
Taylor Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" -> 私たちは、絶対に絶対にヨリを戻したりしない
(The person I was talking to described herself as a Disney otaku and loved Taylor Swift :D )

I feel like some might claim the Taylor Swift song title's translation is pretty close, but at least to the person I spoke to this title was significantly changed. The Japanese title is much more emphatic and expressive than a direct translation into Japanese would be, in my opinion.

But I feel like their perception of translation changes like this and others not causing "culture wars" or something like isn't necessarily proof that they aren't. I wouldn't know about most of the controversies around the games were it not for me entering Steam forums, and most do not. Additionally, most content I've seen on social media about Metaphor isn't about the translation or culture wars. Many, if not most players of this game are probably entirely unaware of the controversy surrounding it and so it stands to reason that if there are controversies in E-J translations, that non-Japanese speakers and to some degree Japanese citizens might not be very aware of them.

[Lemur]

Originally posted by Fuhrer:

I at least appreciate that we're branching out a little and trying different bait threads now.

No bait I promise, I legitimately adore the clever use of olde grammar and the nuances in this game's localization. You can really tell they put in the effort. A 1:1 translation from Japanese simply wouldn't hit the same.

[Clown Reemus]

Uuugh I just got spat in the face again...

Batlin, the town crier, has the following exchange.

Batlin, why don't you try becoming a king?

Original script (direct translation): Unfortunately, I'm not interested in power/authority
Stupid monkey dog localisation: ThE lAsT tHiNg ThIs CoUnTrY nEeDs Is Me As ItS kInG.

Come, come around and just *try* to justify this as a good localisation. Not only it has NOTHING to do with the original, it entirely changes the way the character is presented - if you want me to chew the semantics for you, the original paints him as free-spirited and carefree in a positive way, while the localisation makes him sound a sarcastic good-for-nothing.

They SPAT in my face, I know it and I hate it. But some deviants seem to like it instead...

[DrkCntry]

Originally posted by Clown Reemus:

Uuugh I just got spat in the face again...

Batlin, the town crier, has the following exchange.

Batlin, why don't you try becoming a king?

Original script (direct translation): Unfortunately, I'm not interested in power/authority
Stupid monkey dog localisation: ThE lAsT tHiNg ThIs CoUnTrY nEeDs Is Me As ItS kInG.

Come, come around and just *try* to justify this as a good localisation. Not only it has NOTHING to do with the original, it entirely changes the way the character is presented - if you want me to chew the semantics for you, the original paints him as free-spirited and carefree in a positive way, while the localisation makes him sound a sarcastic good-for-nothing.

They SPAT in my face, I know it and I hate it. But some deviants seem to like it instead...

Congrats, you just made a subjective opinion using a biased viewpoint.

I find it funny that you think the localization changed the tone, when the original Japanese is more "I really don't think that I'd be a great king" than just the 1:1 you made.

Again, localization is more to keep a natural flow than a literal one and nothing in this example changed anything except for what you subjectively (and biased) perceived.

We get it, you don't like the localization, and sadly that is going to tarnish any changes perceived using that lens.

[Clown Reemus]

Originally posted by DrkCntry:

Originally posted by Clown Reemus:

Uuugh I just got spat in the face again...

Batlin, the town crier, has the following exchange.

Batlin, why don't you try becoming a king?

Original script (direct translation): Unfortunately, I'm not interested in power/authority
Stupid monkey dog localisation: ThE lAsT tHiNg ThIs CoUnTrY nEeDs Is Me As ItS kInG.

Come, come around and just *try* to justify this as a good localisation. Not only it has NOTHING to do with the original, it entirely changes the way the character is presented - if you want me to chew the semantics for you, the original paints him as free-spirited and carefree in a positive way, while the localisation makes him sound a sarcastic good-for-nothing.

They SPAT in my face, I know it and I hate it. But some deviants seem to like it instead...

Congrats, you just made a subjective opinion using a biased viewpoint.

I find it funny that you think the localization changed the tone, when the original Japanese is more "I really don't think that I'd be a great king" than just the 1:1 you made.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH WHAT IS THIS INSANITY I JUST GAVE YOU A DIRECT TRANSLATION OF JAPANESE VOICE OVER AAAAAAAAAAAAA

[Splinter of Chaos]

Originally posted by Clown Reemus:

Original script (direct translation): Unfortunately, I'm not interested in power/authority

Do you have the original untranslated text by hand, or in a let's play video or something? Ideally with context. There's not much point in discussing post-translation variations of a line.

[DrkCntry]

Originally posted by Clown Reemus:

Originally posted by DrkCntry:

Congrats, you just made a subjective opinion using a biased viewpoint.

I find it funny that you think the localization changed the tone, when the original Japanese is more "I really don't think that I'd be a great king" than just the 1:1 you made.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH WHAT IS THIS INSANITY I JUST GAVE YOU A DIRECT TRANSLATION OF JAPANESE VOICE OVER AAAAAAAAAAAAA

I have enough comprehension of the language to know that the example you made is not using the context actually in the scene.

[MeanMothercyka]

Weeaboos need to stop crying. The localization is fine. You all talk about "cultural context" as if Atlus is just making a fictional fantasy world based on Japan and everyone regardless of "clan" is Japanese. Have you even considered that maybe the United Kingdom of Euchronia has its own culture? Localization director Sam Mullen of Sega said in an interview a long time ago: "One of the things we constantly have to worry about is consistency. Yakua 5 is like 2.5 million JPCs (Japanese characters], Persona 5 was 50% bigger than that. In order to even attempt to get it done on time, so we didn't have to release the game two years after the Japanese release, we had to start translating mid-development. But text is being churned through, they're making changes, so stuff that they were already done with was getting ripped out and thrown away. And then like, oh sh!t, if you change that then this reference I wrote in doesn't make sense now and now I gotta go back and [frustrated groan]."

https://www.reddit.com/r/TwoBestFriendsPlay/comments/ac0lpk/segaatlus_localization_director_talks_about_the/

So maybe consider all the factors that go into translation and localization before you start getting your panties all in a bunch. You all think the processes should be sooo easy. By all means, if you're so good at it, then show Sega and Atlus your skills and apply for a job that's probably better and more fun than what you're currently doing.

[Clown Reemus]

Originally posted by Splinter of Chaos:

Originally posted by Clown Reemus:

Original script (direct translation): Unfortunately, I'm not interested in power/authority

Do you have the original untranslated text by hand, or in a let's play video or something? Ideally with context. There's not much point in discussing post-translation variations of a line.

I wrote the message fifteen seconds after hearing the line, and comparing it to the subtitles. It's on youtube.

[Splinter of Chaos]

Originally posted by Clown Reemus:

Originally posted by Splinter of Chaos:

Do you have the original untranslated text by hand, or in a let's play video or something? Ideally with context. There's not much point in discussing post-translation variations of a line.

I wrote the message fifteen seconds after hearing the line, and comparing it to the subtitles. It's on youtube.

Sure, but this is the localization appreciation thread, there are already tens of threads for railing on how bad the localization is. To actually discuss the localization's accuracy, we need to discuss the meaning of the original text pre-translation and not people's opinions about how it should have translated or how that meaning could've been conveyed.

I'm certainly not going to devote any time out of my day to substantiate someone else's claim about a translation inaccuracy if that person isn't going to provide the evidence themselves.

I could see finding an inaccuracy and being upset and wanting to come on steam and complain about it, but in a thread specifically created to counter the negativity, it just seems like raining on everyone else's parade.

[Xeilua]

Beat the game. Enjoyed every second of it. The dialogue is so much more sophisticated than a Persona game and the voice director and voice actors nailed their lines. Anyone complaining about the narrative should read more books.

[Rogue]

Originally posted by Clown Reemus:

Original script (direct translation): Unfortunately, I'm not interested in power/authority
Stupid monkey dog localisation: ThE lAsT tHiNg ThIs CoUnTrY nEeDs Is Me As ItS kInG.

...

They SPAT in my face, I know it and I hate it. But some deviants seem to like it instead...

This is the first example I've seen of "how bad the translation is"...so I've just got to ask. What's the problem? I don't think I'm at that point in the story yet, so I don't know the context but to me, the original script you quoted sounds so stiff and formal, while the sTuPiD mOnKeY dOg is saying the same thing but in a slightly more lighthearted way.

Also, what is up with the way you type dude? You sound like a melodramatic anime villain.

[AngelDormante]

Originally posted by Clown Reemus:

Originally posted by DrkCntry:

Congrats, you just made a subjective opinion using a biased viewpoint.

I find it funny that you think the localization changed the tone, when the original Japanese is more "I really don't think that I'd be a great king" than just the 1:1 you made.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH WHAT IS THIS INSANITY I JUST GAVE YOU A DIRECT TRANSLATION OF JAPANESE VOICE OVER AAAAAAAAAAAAA

Trying to discern what exactly is so incredibly deviant about the EN line that has you in histrionics like this. Baitlin is responding negatively to the suggestion of becoming king. Is that not communicated clearly? Where did the conversation fail to relay that relevant information?

Y'all do too much. It's fine to not like the tonal tweaks, you do you and I am not educated enough in the Japanese language to say what's been heavily altered, but the absolute meltdowns about random ♥♥♥♥ that you just decided to take in bad faith looks unhinged.

[Splinter of Chaos]

Ugh, I know I shouldn't waste my free time on it, but truth is I find this kind of thing fascinating so I looked up the scene I found the scene on youtube

"Me, in charge? Heh, that's the last thing this country needs."
https://www.youtube.com/live/Pe_eP71eoDU?si=41GDds83tKFgddnB&t=9930

"あいにく権力には興味なくてな。"
https://www.youtube.com/live/cgGXiHLP6H4?si=AdK567GKPEm322p1&t=13283

I don't feel authoritative enough to talk about translation to comment too much, though.

[Rogue]

Originally posted by Splinter of Chaos:

Ugh, I know I shouldn't waste my free time on it, but truth is I find this kind of thing fascinating so I looked up the scene I found the scene on youtube

"Me, in charge? Heh, that's the last thing this country needs."
https://www.youtube.com/live/Pe_eP71eoDU?si=41GDds83tKFgddnB&t=9930

"あいにく権力には興味なくてな。"
https://www.youtube.com/live/cgGXiHLP6H4?si=AdK567GKPEm322p1&t=13283

I don't feel authoritative enough to talk about translation to comment too much, though.

Thanks for finding this. At least someone is committed to finding the truth and bringing receipts. So if that's the best example of a "bad translation", I've got to say this is a big fat nothingburger. A common theme I notice in posts like these is most people who seem to be critical of the translation don't actually own the game (or at least they don't have a mouse icon next to their name) and likely don't even know the context or the story. If you did, I don't understand why you (Clown Reemus) would think it's appropriate for Batlin to be anything other than lighthearted, goofy, and affable.

I like to give people the benefit of the doubt but I don't think you (Clown Reemus) deserve it. I think you and people like you come into threads like this with your culture war nonsense, engaging in debate in bad faith and stirring up drama. I'd like for this forum to be a place to actually discuss the game, free of buffoonery. But we see you, so feel free to check out.