1 Month in impressions/criticisms...

[Noxifer]

we speak in a slalom around issues and avoid being too direct, but that's very much part of our identity, too.

Now, in the English, which could be just as indirect and get the point across nevertheless, everything's spelled out and sometimes, the thing unspoken in the Japanese, becomes something totally unfitting for the character in the English, when they try to "fill in the blanks".

It's rather interesting that this argument has been used in the opposite direction to defend the localization of the first Midgardsorm conversation. "But in the JP text he's being too forward and straight to the point, at least the EN version doesn't assume the player is an idiot who can't read subtext." (paraphrased from various comments made)

Personally I also go with JP voices and EN text. I'm not good enough at Japanese to understand everything, but I prefer the voice acting. And even with my poor understanding, I catch some 'translations' that make me go "wait, what?" And sometimes I can point out the Japanese term used to my flatmate or FC mates and explain (some of) the implications of that term.
Like the difference between Iceheart and Koori no Miko. I understand the Japanese term doesn't quite have an English equivalent, but it did help to make me realize a lot earlier in the storyline what was going to happen (without spoilers, that is).

[kazeandi]

Like the difference between Iceheart and Koori no Miko. I understand the Japanese term doesn't quite have an English equivalent, but it did help to make me realize a lot earlier in the storyline what was going to happen (without spoilers, that is).

"koori no miko" would be a ”shrine maiden of ice"

[Tenkuu]

"koori no miko" would be a ”shrine maiden of ice"

More simply, you could translate it as "priestess". If the Sahagin can have a character clearly named as a priest, what would be so wrong with giving Ysayle her due (in terms of how her followers revere her) and calling her a priestess, after all?

[kazeandi]

More simply, you could translate it as "priestess". If the Sahagin can have a character clearly named as a priest, what would be so wrong with giving Ysayle her due (in terms of how her followers revere her) and calling her a priestess, after all?

You can simplify it and make it "priestess", but that's not what a miko is.
However, this would at least not take the characters, their relationships, their personal quirks that reflect in the language they use (and with whom they speak how, and in which situation they use which technique to express something they find hard to say or don't want to say for obvious reasons) and transform them to a point that you can't tell in the English version who's speaking with whom if you only got the text with no names and a blacked out screen.

I can read one line and know "that's tataru, only tataru speaks like that". In the English version? Nope. Tataru, Minfilia, Haurchefant, all the same. No soul, no personality. And worst of all, all those subtle nuances are gone that help transport the bonds they share.

[Tenkuu]

You can simplify it and make it "priestess", but that's not what a miko is.

I agree that it wouldn't be the best translation, but I think "shrine maiden" would be too literal and not as easily understood. Besides, my dictionary gives one of the definitions as being "a maiden consecrated to the gods", which would work well with the implication of the term "priestess". I'm also basing this off the fact that in Fushigi Yuugi, this was the term used and it worked quite well, did not detract from the understanding of what the responsibilities of that character were.

However, this would at least not take the characters, their relationships, their personal quirks that reflect in the language they use (and with whom they speak how, and in which situation they use which technique to express something they find hard to say or don't want to say for obvious reasons) and transform them to a point that you can't tell in the English version who's speaking with whom if you only got the text with no names and a blacked out screen.

I can read one line and know "that's tataru, only tataru speaks like that". In the English version? Nope. Tataru, Minfilia, Haurchefant, all the same. No soul, no personality. And worst of all, all those subtle nuances are gone that help transport the bonds they share.

Yup, I agree completely. Even a minor character like Honoroit (from the Fortemps manor) has his own little speech patterns. In my case, with the japanese audio when occasionally a known character has suddenly come into a conversation and is called "???", it's often easy to tell who it is by their often unique speech patterns. In Thancred's case, I simply love the roguish way he casually and comfortably slips into any conversation, even with someone as generally cold-sounding as Y'shtola. Then there's also the ease with which he goes from joking around and teasing to a very serious conversation.