Illusion of Gaia Translation Commentary Part 14: Diamond mine and memories
I wonder what percentage of mistranslations in this game are simple pronoun mix-ups.
Disclaimers:
I’m an amateur. My advantage over the original translation is that I have no deadline pressure, and I have the modern internet to help me. I’m assuredly wrong about some of my translations.
Translation is hard. When I point out a mistranslation, it’s not a judgment of the original translator(s). They had a deadline and poor resources.
Please no jokes in the comments about Karen being a Karen. I really hate that trend.
Notation reminder:
JP: Original Japanese
T: My translation
OE: Original English
We’re going through the Diamond Mine, so naturally this will be stuck in my head the whole time I’m writing this post.
On the Mode 7 map, the Diamond Mine has different names in the Japanese and English versions.
But when you enter…
JP: ダイヤモンド鉱山
T + OE: Diamond Mine
It doesn’t say Diamond Valley in the JP. Tim gives some flavor text when you enter:
JP: テム： 鉱山の中は 不気味なまでに 静まりかえっている。
どうくつの おくの方から ときおり 聞こえる ドレイたちの 悲鳴に 背筋が 寒くなった．．．
T: Tim: It’s eerily quiet inside the mine.
The occasional screams of slaves coming from the depths of the mine sent chills down my spine.
OE: Will: The Diamond Mine was as quiet as a tomb.
A chill ran down Will’s spine when he heard the screams from the back of the cave.
Something you’ll notice about the mine is that the cave walls are different colors in the Japanese and US versions of the game. They changed all the purple rocks to a relatively dull gray. Kind of unfortunate, in my opinion. I don’t understand why you’d do that.
JP: （リフトのり場 入り口） リフトには そこの とびらより 向かうこと。
T + OE: (Elevator Entrance) Use that door to get to the elevator.
There are numerous slaves to rescue in the mine. They’re all chained to iron balls, and before you destroy the balls, they all say the same thing.
JP: ドレイ： お願いです！ この くさりを 切ってください！！
T: Slave: Please! Please, cut this chain!
OE: Laborer: I beg you! Cut this chain!
If you hit the ball with your flute, it will explode. What a versatile instrument. After that, the (former) slaves are more talkative.
JP: この鉱山には 私も ふくめて 8人のドレイが 働かされています。 どうか 助けてあげて下さい。
T: Including me, there are 8 slaves working in this mine. Please rescue all of them.
OE: There are eight laborers including me forced to work in the mine.
Please save us.
1 down. Next!
JP: 助けてくれて ありがとう。 おれいに いいことを 教えます。
この鉱山には かくされた部屋が あって その入り口は カベと 見分けがつきません。
T: Thank you for saving me. To show my gratitude, I’ll let you in on something.
This mine has a hidden room. The entrance is indistinguishable from the wall.
OE: Thank you for saving me. As a reward, I’ll tell you something.
This mine has a secret room. Its entrance blends into the wall.
JP: ですが カベのすきまから ふきこむ 風に気をくばれば 見つけられるって 話です。
もっとも あなたのような さらさらのカミなら なびくから すぐ わかるでしょうね。
T: However, if you pay attention to the wind blowing through cracks in the wall, you can find it.
I bet you’ll notice right away when it blows your fine hair around.
OE: But you can find it by watching for wind blowing through cracks in the wall.
Of course, it would blow fine hair like yours around. Then you’ll understand.
That’s two slaves down. There are actually two destructible walls that blow Tim’s hair around. Behind one of them is the third slave:
JP: ありがとう ございます。 落ばんで 生きうめになって いたんです．．．
もうちょっと おそかったら どうなっていたことか．．．
T: Thank you so much. I was buried alive in a cave-in.
What would have happened to me if you were just a little bit slower?
OE: Thank you. I was buried in the cave-in…
What would happen if we took longer…
JP: 私からの ほんの 気持ちを プレゼントさせてください。 後で 宝石商さんの ところへ 赤い宝石を３つ送っておきますね。
T: It’s not much compared to my gratitude, but allow me to give you a present. I’m going to send 3 Red Jewels to the Jeweler.
OE: We want to give you a present. I’m sending 3 Red Jewels to the Jeweler.
After you break another wall later, you’ll find a Dark Space where you’ll get a new ability for Freedan.
JP: フリーダンの力 ダークフライヤーは つるぎの とどかない場所にいる敵を たおすことが できるのだ。
敵を すべて たおしていけば 必ず 道は ひらけるものだ。
T: Freedan’s power, the Dark Flyer, can defeat enemies out of his sword’s reach.
If you defeat all enemies, the path will surely open up.
OE: Freedan’s power - The Dark Friar can defeat enemies in places a sword can’t reach.
When you’ve defeated all the enemies the road will open up.
I can tell you for sure that Dark Friar is a mistranslation. Friar in English means a member of one of the mendicant orders of the Roman Catholic church. It doesn’t, to my knowledge, have any other meanings. It’s obviously inappropriate to describe a long distance attack.
What I can’t tell you for sure is what フライヤー (furaiyaa) was intended to mean. The description of the move in the menu says that it’s a shock or impulse that flies (とぶ - tobu) from your sword. So Flyer is a likely candidate. However, when Gaia describes it, the word 焼きつくす (yakitsukusu - to burn completely) is used. So Frier/Fryer is also a candidate. I’ll use Flyer but I don’t know which one was intended.
JP: ヤミの力 ダークフライヤーが 使えるようになった！
T: The Dark Power called Dark Flyer can now be used!
OE: Dark Friar can now be used!
JP: ダークフライヤーは ヤミの戦士フリーダンだけが 使える ヤミのちから。
オーラのパワーを放ち 遠くはなれた 敵を 焼きつくすことができるのだ。 こうげきボタンで 力をためて 使うがよい．．．
T: The Dark Flyer is a Dark Power that only the Dark Knight Freedan is able to use.
Letting loose the aura’s power allows you to burn distant enemies to the ground. Hold the Attack Button to store energy.
OE: The Dark Friar is a dark power that only the Dark Knight, Freedan, can use.
Use the Aura Power to scorch a distant enemy. Use the Attack Button to save energy.
We use the Dark Flyer to open up the path to the 4th slave:
JP: ダイヤモンド鉱山の 深部にも はたらかされている人たちがいます。
この カギを使って どうか 助けてあげて下さい。
T: There are also people laboring in the depths of the Diamond Mine.
Please use this key to save them.
OE: There are people who are forced to work deep in the Diamond Mine.
Please use this key to save them.
JP: リフトのカギを 手にいれて！
T: Got the Lift Key!
OE: You’ve got the elevator key!
The Lift Key is supposed to be used back where that sign was near the beginning of the mine. Before you use the key, the lift gate will say this:
JP: このとびらには カギ穴が ひとつ ついているようだ。
T: Looks like there’s one keyhole in this gate.
OE: There’s one keyhole in this door.
Before we use it, here’s the menu description for the key:
JP: リフトのカギ
ダイヤモンドこうざんの リフトのりばへ いく カギ。
T: Lift Key
The key to the lift in the Diamond Mine.
OE: Elevator Key
Diamond Mine Elevator Key.
JP: リフトのり場のカギを 使ってみる ことにした。
カギが 不気味な音をたてて まわった。
T: Used the Lift Key.
The key turned, making an eerie sound.
OE: He tries using the elevator key.
The key turns, making a strange sound.
Once in the depths, there’s another gate immediately ahead. Let’s check it.
JP: カギ穴が 二つ ついているようだ。
T: Looks like there are two keyholes.
OE: There are two keyholes.
Two keyholes, and two open doors leading to other areas. I’ll go through the left entrance first.
JP: 死体置場
T: Morgue
OE: Morgue
Criminy this game is dark sometimes. I don’t like the game’s choice of the word morgue. To me morgue has a connotation of temporary storage, especially while awaiting identification or autopsy. This place is clearly a permanent dumping ground for dead bodies. It’s like a cemetery but the slavers are too lazy to bury anyone. Awful. Anyway, there’s a key lying next to a corpse.
JP: 鉱山のカギを 見つけた！
T: Found a Mine Key!
OE: You found the Mine Key!
On the other side of the depths, we rescue the 5th slave.
JP: ドレイ： あ ありがとう！！ この ご恩は 決して忘れませんよ。
このカギを もっていって下さい。
T: Slave: Oh, thank you! I won’t ever forget this kindness.
Please take this key.
OE: Laborer: Thank you! I won’t forget what you’ve done!
Take this key.
JP: 鉱山のカギを 手にいれた！
T: Got the Mine Key!
OE: You have the key to the mine!
Menu descriptions!
JP: こうざんのカギA
こうざんの したいおきばで はっけんしたカギ。
T: Mine Key A
Key found in the morgue of the mine
OE: Mine Key A
Key found in morgue.
JP: こうざんのカギB
ダイヤモンドこうざんの どれいが もっていたカギ
T: Mine Key B
Key obtained from a slave in the Diamond Mine.
OE: Mine Key B
Key obtained from Laborer in Diamond Mine.
JP: こうざんのカギを 使ってみる ことにした。
カギが 不気味な音をたてて まわった。
T: Tried the Mine Key.
The key turned, making an eerie sound.
OE: He tries using the key to the mine.
The key turns, making a strange sound.
The gate gives a different description after you’ve used one key:
JP: カギを 二つとも 開けないと とびらは 開きそうにないな．．．
T: The gate can’t be opened without both keys.
OE: Without both keys, the door won’t open…
The second key just gives the same message. Past this door we reach the end of the mine, and the final 3 remaining slaves. Surprise, it’s Remus, Imus, and Samus. Before you destroy their iron balls, they all say the same thing:
JP: どうか くさりを 切ってくださいっ！
T: I beg you, cut the chain!
OE: Cut the chain!
JP: レムス： ありがとう。 ぼくらの こきょうの村は 海をこえた はるか 遠くの場所。
もし おとずれることが あったら 村人たちの 力になってあげて ください。
T: Remus: Thank you. Our native village is somewhere far across the sea.
In case you ever go there, please offer your help to the villagers.
OE: Remus: Thank you. Our home village is far across the ocean.
If you could go there, help the villagers to regain their strength.
JP: イムス： ありがとう。 ぼくらの こきょうでは 生き物が みな おかしく なってきて いるんです。
石に 変わってしまう人や 原因不明の 病気で死ぬ人も 後を たちません．．．
T: Imus: Thank you. Something is wrong with all the living things in our native land.
There’s no end to people turning into stone or dying from an unknown illness.
OE: Imas: Thank you. All living things in our home country have grown strange.
People have turned to stone. Some are sick with unknown diseases…
後をたちません (ato o tachimasen) is another form of 後を絶たない (ato o tatanai) which means endless/never ceasing.
The final slave in the mine is good ol’ Samus, whose message in a bottle we found not long ago. He turns out to be the one needed to progress the story.
JP: サムス ありがとう。
エリックくんから 聞きましたが あなたたちの仲間が きおくそうしつ になっているそうですね。
T: Samus: Thank you.
I heard from Erik that your friend has amnesia.
OE: Sam: Thank you.
I heard from Erik that your friend has lost his memory.
Interesting that Samus recognizes that the Dark Knight Freedan here is friends with Erik.
JP: ぼくらの部族に伝わる むかしを 思い出す歌が あります。 この歌を 聞かせてあげて下さい。
サムスは 不思議なメロディを 口ずさんだ。
T: There’s a song passed down in our tribe that reminds people of times past. Please play this song for him.
Samus hummed a strange melody.
OE: Legend says that there is a song that brings back the past. Please let him hear it.
Sam hums a strange melody.
JP: 思い出のメロディを おぼえた！
サムス： ひとつ お願いがあるんですが．．．
T: Learned the Melody of Memories!
Samus: I have something to ask of you.
OE: You’ve learned the Memory Melody!
Sam: I need a favor.
JP: あなたと 出会えた 思い出に ろうごくのカギと 風のメロディを いただいて いいですよね。
きっと 今後 使うことは ないはずですから。
JP: I’d like you to give me the Prison Key and Melody of the Wind as a souvenir of our meeting.
I’m sure you won’t need to use them again.
OE: May I have the prison key and the Melody of the Wind as a souvenir of our meeting?
I’m sure I’ll never use it again.
The game nicely clears out a couple of inventory spots for us. In OE, Sam uses the wrong pronoun and implies that he’ll promptly throw them in the closet and forget they exist. (Also, how is he taking a song that Tim has memorized? Video games!)
Here’s the menu description for the Memory Melody:
JP: おもいでメロディ
どれいのしょうねんから おしえて もらった おもいでのメロディ。 きおくが よびおこされるらしい。
T: Memory Melody
Melody of Memories learned from a young slave. Said to awaken memories.
OE: Memory Melody
Memory Melody from Laborer. Restores Memory.
Tim leaves the mine and returns to the inn, where he’ll play this song in front of Rob and the others:
JP: テムは 思い出のメロディを 静かに ふきはじめた。
T: Tim began to quietly play the Melody of Memories.
OE: Will began playing the melody he remembered.
A very minor mistranslation here, but I think it’s interesting. I know this game had at least 3 translators. I wonder if a different person did this line than whoever did the part where Tim learns this melody? It uses the same name here as when you learn it.
When Tim plays the flute, the screen goes dark and sparkly.
JP: ロブ： ここは どこなんだろう．．．
カレン： なんだか とっても なつかしい 感じがするわ．．．
T: Rob: What is this place?
Karen: For some reason I feel terribly nostalgic.
OE: Lance: What is this place?
Kara: Somehow I feel a little homesick…
JP: エリック： まるで お母さんの おなかの中に いるような感じ．．．
リリィ： 生まれてから 今までに 起こったことや 出会った人たちが つぎつぎと 頭にうかんでくる．．．
T: Erik: It feels like being back in the womb.
Lily: One after another, everything that’s happened and everyone I’ve met since I was born is coming into mind.
OE: Erik: I feel like I’m back in the womb….
Lilly: Everything that’s happened and the people I’ve met are pouring into my head…
How come Tim didn’t have a weird reaction like this when Samus played the song?
JP: ロブ： おれは サウスケープの町で育った
そして おやじは 探険にいったまま もどってこなかったんだっけ．．．
T: Rob: I was raised in the town of South Cape.
Then, when my father went on an expedition and didn’t return…
OE: Lance: I was raised in the town of South Cape.
When my father didn’t come back from an expedition…
JP: 自分の中で いちばん 大きい存在が なくなって どうしていいか わからなかったなあ．．．
T: The biggest presence in my life disappeared, and I didn’t know what I could do.
OE: The most important thing in my life was gone. I didn’t know what to do.
JP: カレン： あたしは お父さまが 他の国へ 兵隊を使って せめていくのが たまらなかった。
人が 死ぬのって 大変なことよね。
T: Karen: I couldn’t bear my father using soldiers to attack other countries.
It’s a terrible thing for someone to die.
OE: Kara: I couldn’t stand my father using soldiers to invade other countries.
It’s awful when someone loses their life.
JP: 何年もかけて つみあげてきたもの が いっしゅんで なくなっちゃうん だもの。
T: What they’ve spent years building up is lost in an instant.
OE: What had taken years to put together was destroyed in one moment.
JP: エリック： モリスも やっぱり 死んじゃった のかな．．．？
リリィ： 人って いやなことを忘れられるから 生きていけるんだよね．．．
T: Erik: I wonder if Morris died as well?
Lily: People can keep on living because they forget about unpleasant things.
OE: Erik: I wonder if Seth is all right…?
Lilly: People live on because they forget about unpleasant things.
OE censors the the bit about death, and it comes out funny. Erik, my dude, Seth was swallowed whole by a giant sea monster. I assure you, he is most certainly not all right, whether or not he’s alive.
JP: ロブ： あれ？ おれ 今まで 何してたんだろう。
それに みんな どうしたんだ？
T: Rob: Huh? What have I been doing?
And what happened to everyone?
OE: Lance: What? What have I been doing? What’s
happened to everyone?
JP: リリィ： ロブ！ きおくが もどったんだっ！
カレン： もう！ 心配したんだからあ！！
T: Lily: Rob! Your memory’s returned!
Karen: Geez! I was so worried!
OE: Lilly: Lance! Your memory is back!
Kara: I was worried!
JP: エリック： どうなることかと思ったようっ。
ロブ： みんなに 心配かけちゃったな。 でも 今度 だれかが 同じ立場に なったら かんびょうするからさ。
T: Erik: I wondered what would happen.
Rob: Everyone was worried, huh? But next time this happens to someone, I can help take care of them.
OE: Erik: I wondered what would happen.
Lance: I guess everyone was worried. I’d take care of someone in the same situation.
I find Erik’s sentiment here kind of odd, but I don’t see another plausible translation.
JP: リリィ： 旅をすると ほんと いろんな けいけんするね．．．
カレン： なんだか なみだが出てきちゃった。
T: Lily: So much has happened while traveling.
Karen: That made me a little misty.
OE: Lilly: I’ve experienced much in my travels…
Kara: What’s wrong? You’re crying.
Karen’s sentence is A little/somewhat tears came out [auxiliary verb implying either total or accidental nature]. Whose tears came out? Who knows! It’s not as if OE made a blunder. I just think it’s more likely she’s talking about herself. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Talking to Erik will automatically progress the scenario, so I’ve saved him for last:
JP: エリック： あのさ。 近くの森に かわり者の 発明家が いるらしいんだけど 行ってみない？
ニールっていう 名前の人らしいん だけど．．．
T: Erik: Hey, there’s supposed to be an oddball inventor living in the nearby woods. Should we check it out?
Apparently his name is Neil.
OE: Erik: Well, there’s an eccentric inventor in the woods nearby. Shall we go?
I think his name is Neil…
JP: テム： ニールだって？！！！
それ 行方不明になっている ボクの いとこと 同じ名前じゃないかっ！！
T: Tim: Did you say Neil!?
That’s the same name as my missing cousin!
OE: Will: Did you say Neil!!!
That’s the same name as my lost cousin!!
JP: いとこのニールも 発明家で 大空を鳥のようにまう エアプレイン っていう のり物まで発明したんだ。
そして テムたち一行は 森の中の 発明家の家へ 何かうのであった。
T: My cousin Neil was also an inventor. He even invented a vehicle called an airplane that flies in the sky like a bird.
So Tim and his group headed to the inventor’s house in the forest.
OE: My cousin Neil, the inventor, flew in the sky in a thing called an airplane.
So Will and his group went to the inventor’s house.
As a kid I got the impression that Neil was missing because he flew an airplane and crashed it or something. But it’s a minor mistranslation. It calls the airplane a のり物 (norimono). This means vehicle but ends with the kanji 物 which more or less means thing. The word is usually written with kanji as 乗り物. I assume that’s the source of the trip-up.
Next time, we’ll meet Neil and take a trip to the Nazca Lines. Yeah, we’re just gonna walk there. To Peru, from the Diamond Coast in South Africa. I think maybe this game’s world doesn’t match ours, geographically?
Erm. Definitely. See you next time!