Question to the localization team

[Anonymoose]

Localization by its very nature differs due to cultural nuance. Each team has considerable freedom over the little, repetitive smack n' fetch particulars. In English, they often go for things that are memorable and will evoke some reaction, whether you think it's clever, funny, or groan-evokingly lame.

It's kind of a Catch 22. The only people who will really notice the silliness are those who read things, and the people who read things are usually sick to death of "Big Crab: Hit with stick" and "Empty Stockroom: Gil for Jam." You can only build so much serious, polished lore, but that's no excuse to be simple and bland... ergo puns, memes, throwbacks, and pop culture.

For Japanese, French, and German, it's up to them when they want to be accurate and bland, when they want to use fanciful phrases from their own cultures, and they want to use references and jokes that will make sense to people in those territories speaking those languages.

To use your question as an example:

English: It's Not Lupus
Reference to the TV show House, where the titular Gregory House claims, "It's never lupus." of medical diagnoses.
It's funny because cancer is both a medical condition and a legendary crab! <FamilyGuyFouadLaugh.wav>

Japanese: 死顔の簒奪者 Death Face of the Usurper [Cancer]
Refers to 死顔 (Shinigao), the facial expression of the deceased.

French: Défi: Cancer, le casque de mort; Challenge: Cancer, the Helm of Death
Nicknames the crab The Helm of Death because it is as smooth and hard as a metal hemlet.

German: Krabbe XXL (Crab XXL)
Damn that's a big crab. Hit the big crab!