This is one post in my series of Fire Emblem Fates localization comparison posts! I discuss anything from major to minor changes here as I play through the game. Today, we look at a scene from Chapter 11 in Conquest. I was curious and was asked to look into it, too. It is really minor, so I decided to do this post today too.
There are plot spoilers, so please be wary as you go forward.
Please note that this post is purely informative and may share some opinion, but this does not mean the change is necessarily good or bad. A change is just a change that is being looked into, and you can be the judge of whether you like it or not!
It is all just for fun and curiosity for me. : )
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In Chapter 11 (Rainbow Sage), Corrin/Kamui is ordered to kill the Rainbow Sage after he reveals a wealth of wisdom and prophecy to them. MacBeth/Iago say it is King Garon’s wishes, but Corrin/Kamui can’t find it in themselves to do it. So the Rainbow Sage takes it upon himself to end his own life.
I bring this up mostly because this (and some other examples from later on) show that Iago is more (openly) aware of Corrin/Kamui’s reluctance/deceit/goody-two-shoes-ness than it seems in Japanese.
Also, I couldn’t help but feel like his line was a slightly self-aware stab at the game/path itself.
These are the lines in Japanese:
ふん…確かに、死んだようだな。虹の賢者よ。またしても王命を果たしたか…運の良い奴め…
Hmph… that Rainbow Sage. He really died. I suppose that technically fulfills the King’s orders. You lucky brat.
This is the original. I translated the above. The localization is below:
Hmph. You and your loopholes. Well, I suppose dead is dead. You technically fulfilled King Garon’s order. You sneaky little rat…
You can see it is more or less the same. But the way the localization handled it (of which I approve) is the “You and your loopholes” line, as well as “sneaky little rat” as opposed to a “lucky brat.”
The loopholes line works well for Kamui/Corrin trying to find every possible way out of doing something against their morals in this particular path, and it shows he is clearly aware of such. (In the Japanese one, it felt as if every incident was isolated and that they would rarely reference earlier reluctance).
Secondly, “sneaky little rat” implies Kamui/Corrin had purposefully maneuvered in a way where they would manage to get away with it (back to those loopholes). In Japanese, simply saying “lucky brat” has more if the deus ex machina implications. Kamui/Corrin just constantly gets lucky (which isn’t completely untrue, either, even in the English version)…
I suppose that can come down to being the chosen one, or something. xD Either way, a minor but positive change for MacBeth/Iago, and a small bit of the overall story in a small way, I think.
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I will continue to note these little differences (and major ones apparently in the supports!) as I go through the games. Feel free to point out anything that stands out and that need looking into! I have played all three games already in Japanese, so do not worry about spoilers.
What do you think of the above? I considered this really minor and with quite a bit of reaching, but still a fun point!
kantopia 