I'm all for clever localization but please don't just leave out important story.

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Originally Posted by Riepah

With some people's amount of "read between the lines", they could just as well defend the conclusion that Midgardsormr has a crush on the player.

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English script now 100% Shiva approved!

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Originally Posted by Hyrist

The mention of a repeated Sin is omitted in the English version completely, it's not even inferred.

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Yes it is; that's what the whole "sons will pay for the sins of the fathers" line is about. I'm a bit surprised that everyone seems to think that line is referring solely to things that happened in the past, because to me it was quite clear that it's referring to the repeating cycle. Things that my parents did can affect me down the line, and likewise, my actions can affect my future children.

The localization reminds me of an interview I read long ago on persona 3, and that "certain dialogue changes had to be made because of different cultures and some things in Japan wouldn't translate well for English speakers, so we had to pick something close to it so that the English audience can understand easier"

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Originally Posted by LunaHoshino

Yes it is; that's what the whole "sons will pay for the sins of the fathers" line is about. I'm a bit surprised that everyone seems to think that line is referring solely to things that happened in the past, because to me it was quite clear that it's referring to the repeating cycle. Things that my parents did can affect me down the line, and likewise, my actions can affect my future children.

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The problem with this is that "the sons will pay for the sins of the fathers" doesn't in any way imply that the sons are also sinning themselves. It implies a cycle of retribution, but not that the sons are in any way personally deserving of that retribution themselves because they are committing the same sins. In fact, the opposite is more commonly implied--when someone pays for someone else's sins, the general connotation is that the person paying is actually innocent and is being unfairly punished for the actions of another.

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Originally Posted by Riepah

Important things are omitted from the English version. With some people's amount of "read between the lines", they could just as well defend the conclusion that Midgardsormr has a crush on the player.

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Midgardsommr - I-It's not that I like you or anything! B-baka Adventurer...

There's something I feel needs to be pointed out, obvious though it may be to some...

While the translation provided by someone on reddit is much more accurate to the meaning of the text, it is not at all accurate to the feeling or tone, because it is focused on the meaning of the words. Though there are definitely things missing from the official English version of the text, it is important not to conflate them with the Japanese version being overly plain or straightforward if you do not understand Japanese and are relying on the reddit translation. Words like 汝, 己, 鬨の声, or 轟く are not really a part of modern Japanese, and are usually only seen in video games and stories set in other times.

Again, that's not to say that there isn't something missing from the English version. Just don't confuse someone else's translation for the Japanese being simple or plain.

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Originally Posted by Tsukino

There's something I feel needs to be pointed out, obvious though it may be to some...

While the translation provided by someone on reddit is much more accurate to the meaning of the text, it is not at all accurate to the feeling or tone, because it is focused on the meaning of the words. Though there are definitely things missing from the official English version of the text, it is important not to conflate them with the Japanese version being overly plain or straightforward if you do not understand Japanese and are relying on the reddit translation. Words like 汝, 己, 鬨の声, or 轟く are not really a part of modern Japanese, and are usually only seen in video games and stories set in other times.

Again, that's not to say that there isn't something missing from the English version. Just don't confuse someone else's translation for the Japanese being simple or plain.

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Agnes Lynd here.
There's a disclaimer right there saying that in fact the second translation is not stylistically edited at all.
However, Japanese text despite being written in faux olde Japanese so commonly used for characters such as Midgardsormr in Japanese pop fiction/fantasy, is very straightforward.
It pretty much amounts to the same thing as sprinkling the text with words and wordforms such as harken, thou and comesth in otherwise modern English.

I like it when a script doesn't blatantly explain every detail when it doesn't need to. There are things that didn't need to be stated in order for the reader/viewer/player to understand what is going on. If you're paying attention to the events and what's being said then you don't need the writer bashing your head in by telling you exactly what's going on after you figured it out.

I'm not sure about you all, but to me when the writer just lays out everything in plain it makes it feel like the writer thinks we, the audience, are too stupid to piece things together.

For example, in the English version of the dialogue Midgardsomr says "Guided by a star...? Heh heh heh.", but the Japanese translation says "This is true, the star in the northern skies burns with the valorous roar of my kin. This is the battlecry, calling to advance."

How much of the Japanese version could not have already been surmised by the player? It was already pointed out, or at the very least implied prior to meeting Midgardsomr that the Dravanians were preparing a full scale assault (hence Guided by a star). It doesn't need to be stated that a great dragon had roared.

Or another example; [PC shakes head in disagreement] "Seven children did I sire. One now singeth of retribution. I rise to join in the chorus..." compared to "You bid me to stop the war? You might possess the Echo, but you're just a human. I cannot grant such wish. I have awoken to answer to the roar for it was not me who roared, but one of my seven sons."

The information concerning stopping the war does not need to be stated. We already know it won't happen (because foreshadowing, prior statements, the war already having gone on for ages).

Or how about "Hearken to me, Hydaelyn! I remember... and I consent." This statement clearly implies that Midgardsomr had some sort of history with Hydaelyn. They do not need to directly say "Could it be, you think him special? Hydaelyn, you wish me to grant him power?"

His first two lines of dialogue ("By Her gifts has thou earned a moment's reprieve. Speak, mortal, and I shall listen.") imply he had some background with Hydaelyn and perhaps a previous dealing with Her.

And when he states in the Japanese one that he's testing us, the English version implies it. It's something that doesn't need to be said outright (I've noticed A LOT of localized Japanese games outright say things they didn't need to say, but that's how the writing is I guess).

I could go on for a long time on this stuff... but I won't (don't expect replies if you reply to this post, I probably won't). Ultimately, I like how the English version is. I, at least, was able to piece together the details as the story went along. I've played many JRPGs and many of them state too much of the obvious (that said, the intended audience of JRPGs in general are usually the younger teens rather than people in their late teens or adults). Not that I dislike JRPGs or their stories, but many of the ones I've played have little to nothing written in between the lines because they outright state everything to the audience.

Sorry for any typos or inconsistencies or anything. I really don't feel like proofreading at the moment. Too tired.

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Originally Posted by File2ish

Chatty Dragon.

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I think it all boils down to what you prefer in storytelling. On one side, we have people who feel the localized English version is "cutting" important stuff out and should stick to the Japanese script where everything is explained. On the other side, we have people who prefer to keep the English script as is so that they can go along with the ride and come to their own conclusions along the way. Of course, there's more finer details in this debate, though it seems most keep coming back to the point of how things are explained to the viewer.

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Originally Posted by MilesSaintboroguh

I think it all boils down to what you prefer in storytelling. On one side, we have people who feel the localized English version is "cutting" important stuff out and should stick to the Japanese script where everything is explained. On the other side, we have people who prefer to keep the English script as is so that they can go along with the ride and come to their own conclusions along the way. Of course, there's more finer details in this debate, though it seems most keep coming back to the point of how things are explained to the viewer.

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This I agree with.