#シロクニ

[fdbc00]

東京で一度訪れてみたかった場所。

北の大地を駆けていたC62 15の足回りが眠る「動輪の広場」

数年後にはここからシロクニが駆けた山々を抜け、道都まで新幹線のレールがつながる・・・

[tabloidjunkie]

フィルム未開封 陽映のC-62 重連 ニセコ号 函館本線 蒸気機関車 鉄道 シロクニ ジグソーパズル JIGSAW PUZZLE 日本製 やのまん 2014ピース

[makkii3497]

今週末の日曜日は山口線までやまぐち号の追っかけをしに行ってきます。津和野は雪の予報が出ていますね。雪と蒸気機関車っていうのは絵になるので、好きです。 この写真は2017年1月14日 梅小路機関区でのC62形2号機です。 #蒸気機関車 #蒸気機関車撮影はドアンダーで #白黒写真 #白黒写真好き #雪の京都 #日本の風景 #雪景色 #雪は絵になるね #C62 #c62形蒸気機関車 #C62形2号機 #シロクニ #スワローエンジェル #元小樽築港機関区 #京都鉄道博物館 #梅小路 (梅小路蒸気機関車館)

[kaialone]

Spirit Tracks Translation Comparison: Character Names

In this post I will cover how the names of notable characters were changed in the English versions of The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks.

--

Like many Zelda characters, the ones introduced in Spirit Tracks are connected by common naming themes. Specifically, most of the major characters in this game have names that relate to trains.

With such pun-based names in particular, the localization may choose to adapt or even change the names in ways that make them more appealing to the target audience.

And that's exactly what happened with Spirit Tracks, so let's have a look at them.

With each of these I will list the character's English name, as well as my romanization of their Japanese name, and then explain the origin of both.

Note that my romanizations won't always match the respective literal romanizations, depending on the name's origin.

--

The Lokomo:

Anjean = Sharin

Anjean's Japanese name is シャリン/Sharin.

It's taken from 車輪/sharin, which means "wheel".

Her English name is derived from the word "engine".

Gage = Valve

Gage's Japanese name is バルブ/Barubu.

It's taken directly from the Japanese spelling of the English word "valve", so the most logical thing is to romanize it as "Valve".

His English name is taken directly from the word "gage".

Steem = Stym

Steem's Japanese name is スチム/Suchimu.

It's taken from the Japanese spelling of the English word "steam", スチーム/Suchīmu, with the long-vowel mark "ー"  removed. This means the vowel is short instead of long.

To get the short vowel across, I personally like to romanize this name as "Stym" (rhymes with "gym".)

His English name is derived from "steam" as well, following the same idea of being an altered spelling of the original word.

Carben = Senrin

Carben's Japanese name is センリン/Senrin.

It's derived from 前輪/senrin, which means "leading wheel".

His English name is derived from the word "carbon".

Embrose = Boila

Embrose's Japanese name is ボイラ/Boira.

It's derived from the Japanese spelling of the English word "boiler", ボイラー/boirā, with the long-vowel mark "ー"  removed.

Therefore, I like to romanize it as "Boila".

His English name is derived from the word "embers".

Rael = Tenda

Rael's Japanese name is テンダ/Tenda.

It's derived from the Japanese spelling of the English word "tender", テンダー/tendā, with the long-vowel mark "ー"  removed.

His English name is derived from the word "rail".

Byrne/Staven = Dego

Byrne's Japanese name is ディーゴ/Dīgo.

ディー/Dī is one way to transcribe the letter "D" in Japanese, and ゴ/go means "five". The name is a reference to the JNR Class D51, an old Japanese type of steam locomotive that is quite popular.

This also gives this name a connection to Cole's Japanese name, which I'll explain in his section. The reason for them being connected is likely since they were designed as a duo from the start.

I personally like to romanize this name as "Dego".

His US English name is derived from the word "burn". Like the Japanese name, this one also has a connection with Cole's name.

In the EU English version, he is called "Staven", which is derived from the BR Standard Class 9F 92220 Evening Star, the last steam locomotive to be built by British Railways.

While "Staven" is closer to the Japanese name in the sense of being named after a specific locomotive, "Byrne" retains the aspect of being connected to Cole's name.

In general, all the Japanese Lokomo names are taken from the actual parts of a train, with the exception of Dego (Byrne/Staven), who is named for a specific locomotive. This is likely because he was one of the earlier characters to be created, going through many design changes, and wasn't planned to be a Lokomo from the very start.

The English version is a bit more loose with their pun sources, but still sticks to the theme of train-related names. Overall, it feels like they were trying to go for names that sound similar or allude to actual real life names, though.

Byrne/Staven stands out again, this time as the only major character to have his name be different in the EU English version. I don't know the reason for this, but he also has different names in the respective American and European versions of French and Spanish.

--

Main Antagonists:

Cole = Kimaroki

Chancellor Cole's Japanese name is キマロキ/Kimaroki. Also of note is that he is a minister in the Japanese version, not a chancellor.

His name is taken from the キマロキ編成/Kimaroki-hensei, a Japanese train formation used for snow-plowing.

Notably, JNR Class D51 locomotives were commonly used to lead the Kimaroki formation, thus giving the names Kimaroki and Dego (Byrne/Staven) a connection. Again, this is likely since they were seemingly designed as a duo from the start.

His English name is derived from the word "coal", and I presume his title was changed to chancellor for the sake of alliteration. Like the Japanese name, this one shares a connection with Byrne.

Malladus = Mallador

Malladus' Japanese name is マラドー/Maradō.

His name is seemingly derived from the LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard, the holder of the world speed record for steam locomotives.

The name takes the Japanese spelling of "Mallard", マラード/Marādo, and moves the long-vowel mark "ー" to the end.

Thus, in Japanese, his name is simply an anagram of the word "Mallard".

To reflect that, one could adapt it into English as something like "Mallad'r", but the problem with that spelling is that it doesn't get the Japanese pronunciation of his name across.

Therefore "Mallador" is my personal compromise.

Of course, there's plenty of other possible romanizations, depending on which details one wishes to keep.

His English name is derived from "Mallard" as well.

--

Supporting NPCs:

Alfonzo = Cirokuni

Alfonzo's Japanese name is シロクニ/Shirokuni.

シ/Shi is a Japanese transcription of the letter "C", ロク/roku means "six", and ニ/ni means "two". The name is a reference to the JNR Class C62, another old Japanese type of steam locomotive.

Given its origin, I like to romanize it as “Cirokuni”.

His English name was likely chosen since it sounds similar to “Gonzo”, his ancestor from The Legend of Zelda The Wind Waker.

Teacher = Jī ("Geezer")

Teacher's Japanese name is ジイ/Jī. This literally translates to "Old Man" or "Geezer".

From what I've seen, ジイ/Jī appears to be an at least somewhat common thing to call characters who fill the archetype role of "elderly retainer of a princess".

In any case, I like to go with "Geezer" as a translation for this name.

His English name is taken directly from the word "teacher".

Fun Fact: While it's never mentioned in the game, I know of at least one Japanese guidebook for Spirit Tracks which states that Teacher's real given name is アルバトロス/Arubatorosu. This would be romanized as "Albatross".

There have been multiple train models called “Albatross", so he was likely named for one of them.

Ferrus = Tetsuo

Ferrus' Japanese name is テツオ/Tetsuo.

Tetsuo is an actual masculine Japanese given name, chosen here for sounding similar to 鉄道/tetsudō, which means "railways".

His English name is derived from "ferrum" which is Latin and means "iron". I would assume they chose that because 鉄/tetsu by itself also just means "iron".

--

That’s about it for major characters first introduced in this game.

In this post I only went over the name changes of the more prominent characters, but if you are interested in learning a bit more about the names of all the characters from this game, you can read about them here.

If you wish to see the rest of my The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks translation comparisons, you can find them here.

--

[neko73]

@shirokuni622(研究員のシロクニ@Vket5 DC-05 Green-04)

VR性転換実験によって心の性別が簡単に揺らぐという記事に対するVRChat勢の大半の感想が「知ってた」でワロタ。

Twitter for Androidから

[qbbape89326]

Favorite tweets

木更津のイオンモールに集結してる全国の電力会社の作業車、リアルヤシマ作戦だ…。 pic.twitter.com/lplwlaeOhT

— 研究員のシロクニ@JHR超進化研旺宮支部 (@shirokuni622) September 13, 2019

from http://twitter.com/shirokuni622 via IFTTT

[fdbc00]

きらめき

[makkii3497]

雪のシロクニをもう一枚。蒸気機関車に雪はよく似合いますね。かつては小樽築港機関区に所属して函館本線を走っていたC62形2号機です。2017年1月15日撮影 #steamlocomotive #kyotojapan #kyotorailwaymuseum #C62 #c62形蒸気機関車 #C62形2号機 #シロクニ #SwallowAngel #京都鉄道博物館 #梅小路機関区 #梅小路機関区扇形機関車庫 #SLスチーム号 #大雪 #雪と蒸気機関車 #蒸気機関車には雪が似合う #雪がレフ板効果 #eos5dmark4 #今年も雪が降ってほしい #eos5dmark4 #Canon (Kyoto Railway Museum)

[makkii3497]

京都鉄道博物館 梅小路機関区 扇形庫 京都で大雪が降った2017年1月15日のSLスチーム号はC62形2号機が牽引していました。 小樽築港機関区時代を彷彿とさせる姿ですね。 #steamlocomotive #C62 #c62形蒸気機関車 #C62形2号機 #SwallowAngel #梅小路機関区 #梅小路機関区扇形機関車庫 #大雪 #雪と蒸気機関車 #京都鉄道博物館 #今年も雪が降るかな #雪と蒸気機関車 #蒸気機関車オタク #蒸気機関車 #モノクロ写真 #シロクニ (Kyoto Railway Museum)

[kaialone]

Spirit Tracks Translation Comparison: Zelda’s Spirit

This will be a comparison of the original Japanese version and the US English localized version.

Specifically, this will cover the cutscenes in which Link follows and encounters the spirit of Princess Zelda.

You can also watch these scenes for yourself in English and Japanese. If you want, you can check out the EU English version, too.

For the comparison, the usual points apply:

Bolded is the original Japanese text, for the reference.

Bolded and italicized is my translation.

Italicized is the official NOA translation.

A (number) indicates that I have a specific comment to make on that part in the translation notes.

As you read this, please keep in mind that with translations like these, it’s important not to focus on the exact literal wordings, since there is no single “correct answer” when it comes to translations.

Rather than that, consider the actual information that is being conveyed, in which way, and why.

--

Characters in this part who had their names changed between versions:

Cirokuni = Alfonzo, Kimaroki = Cole

--

Seeing Zelda's Spirit:

Zelda:

ああ 誰か...

Ahh... Anybody...

Hello! Hello! Guards! Please help me!

Zelda:

誰か わたしが見える人 いませんか？ たすけて..

Anybody? Is there no one who can see me? Help me...

...Can any of you see me? I need your help!

-

Guard by the stairs:

ん？ なんか 今 声がしたような しなかった ような...

Huh? I thought I heard a voice just now, but maybe it was nothing...

Did you hear that voice? Or did I just imagine it?

Guard by the stairs:

最近寝不足だからな... 今日は早く帰って寝よう

Probably haven't been getting enough sleep... I oughta go home early today and hit the hay.

I really need to get more sleep. I'm so tired that I'm hearing things.

-

Following Zelda:

Zelda:

もし！ そこの兵 私が見えないのですか！？

Hello?! Can you not see me, soldier?!

Help! I need your help!

Zelda:

........

...

...Why can't anyone hear me?

-

Guard by the door:

何やら 人の気配が したような気が...

I sort of feel like there was someone here just now...

I thought I saw someone moving out of the corner of my eye.

Guard by the door:

はっきりいって こういった 広いところにいるのは あまり好きじゃないですね  

Frankly, I'm not that fond of wide open spaces like this one here.

This castle can be awfully creepy sometimes...

-

Meeting with Zelda:

Zelda:

…リンク 私が…見えるのですか？

...Link, can you... see me?

...Can you...see me, Link?

Zelda:

…そうですか シロクニには 申し訳ないことを しました

...I see. I must apologize for what happened to Cirokuni.

...I must apologize to Alfonzo for what happened.

Zelda:

そして あなたにも…

And to you, too...

And to you too.

Zelda:

まさか大臣が あのような 魔物だったなんて…

To think that the minister was such a monster... 

I never knew the chancellor was capable of such evil.

Zelda:

長年 気がつかなかった 私が愚かでした

All these years, I never noticed it. I was a fool.

All these years, and I never noticed what he really was.

I was a fool.

Zelda:

リンク あなたも見ましたね？

あの禍々しく変わってしまった 神の塔の姿を

Link, you saw it too, right?

How the Tower of God changed so ominously?

And the Tower of Spirits breaking apart...

You saw it too, didn't you, Link?

Zelda:

塔が あのような奇怪な 動きを始めた理由…

あの魔物と関係があることは 間違い無いでしょう

The reason that the tower started moving in such a bizarre way...

It must have something to do with that monster, no doubt about it.

It must have something to do with the dark forces.

Zelda:

これまでの線路が消える現象も 全て彼ら…

キマロキ達の仕業とみるのが 妥当だと思います

Not to mention the train tracks that have been disappearing lately. They...

Kimaroki and the other one are behind it all, I am sure of it.  (1)

After all, they made the Spirit Tracks disappear.

This must be the handiwork of Cole and his cronies.

Zelda:

それにしても…キマロキの 目的は何なのでしょ？

Even so... what is Kimaroki after?

But what could their goal be?

Zelda:

結界が消えた…と言って いましたが それはいったい？

He said the barrier was vanishing... but what is that supposed to mean?

He said something about the Spirit Tracks vanishing.

What did he mean by that?

Zelda:

それに私の体を持ち去った 理由も分かりません…

And I do not know why they took my body, either...

And why would they take my body away with them?

Zelda:

何をしようと いうのでしょうか…？

What are they going to do...?

What will they do with it?

Zelda:

あ ごめんなさい…

Oh, I am sorry...

Oh, I'm sorry.

Zelda:

私 この姿になってから 浮けるようになったみたいです…

I seem to have started floating when I assumed this form...  (2)

It seems I'm much…lighter without my body.

Zelda:

リンク

Link.

Listen, Link.

Zelda:

私は もう一度あの塔に 行こうと思います

I would like to go to that tower once more.

Let's try again to go to the Tower of Spirits.

Zelda:

こうなっては何としても 賢者様に お会いしなければ

At this point, I absolutely have to meet with the sage.

Now more than ever, we must find the tower's sage!

But before we go, I want to show you something.

Zelda:

この楽器は大地の笛といって 昔から王家に伝わるものです

This instrument is called the Flute of the Land, and has been passed down the royal family for a long time.

This Spirit Flute is a prized family heirloom.

It's been handed down for generations.

Zelda:

この地に移り住んだ ご先祖様が お持ちだったと聞いています

I heard that it once belonged to my ancestor, the one who migrated to this land.

It originally belonged to one of my ancestors,

the one who founded this kingdom.

Zelda:

…わたしの大事な 宝物なんです

...It is my greatest treasure.

It is my greatest treasure of all.

Zelda:

リンク 今わたしは これを持つことも出来ません

Right now, I cannot even hold it, Link.

I can't carry it while I'm in this state, as you can see.

Zelda:

でもこれは ご先祖様から 伝わるもの…

きっと わたしを守ってくれると 思うのです

But it has been passed down from my ancestor...

I am certain that it will protect me.

But I'm certain it's meant to protect me.

Zelda:

これ以上 ご迷惑をおかけ するのは忍びないのですが…

I cannot bear to ask any more of you, but...

I can hardly ask you to do any more for me...

Zelda:

これを持って もう一度…

Would you take this, and...

But...will you take this?

Zelda:

一緒に塔へ行って もらえないでしょか？

Would you go to the tower with me again?

And will you come to the tower with me?

Zelda:

今のわたしには あなたしか 頼れる人が いないのです

Now there is no one left I can turn to but you.

You're the only person I can turn to now.

Text Box:

大地の笛を手に入れた！

You got the Flute of the Land!

You got the Spirit Flute!

Text Box:

きっとそのうち 何かの役に立つはずだ

It'll definitely be useful in some form.

This pan flute will probably come in very handy!

Zelda:

ありがとうございます リンク…

Thank you so much, Link...

Thank you so much, Link...

Zelda:

では参りましょう

わたしは この姿で あなたに付いていきますね

Now then, let us depart.

I will follow you in this form.

Now then, shall we go? I will travel alongside you.

Translation Notes:

What I translated as “Kimaroki and the other one” is キマロキ達/Kimaroki-tachi in Japanese. Adding the suffix 達/-tachi essentially means “that person as well as one or more additional people”. In the context here, I felt it most likely referred to just Cole and Byrne, which is why I translated it the way I did.

What I translated as “floating” here is 浮ける/ukeru in Japanese, which can refer to floating in the sense of being light, like when levitating, or floating on water, similar to the English word.

--

Comparisons & Thoughts:

The localized dialogue in this part is overall pretty close to the original version, and well-written as usual.

But there are still several aspects I want to point out here, though some of them are more about how prior changes alter the implications here.

-

I want to start with Zelda’s flute.

We don’t learn the full story behind it until later, but I still want to go over it here, since this is the point in the game where it’s first named.

In both versions, receiving this flute is significant, since Link will use it throughout his adventure, but it’s especially important in the Japanese version.

Like I mentioned in the introduction of this comparison series, the Japanese name of this game is 大地の汽笛/Daichi no Kiteki, meaning “Steam Whistle of the Land”, which ties directly into the name of this instrument, 大地の笛/Daichi no Fue, meaning the “Flute of the Land”.

So, in the Japanese version, we are finally receiving the instrument which the game is partially named for, so it’s a moment not unlike receiving the Ocarina of Time or the Wind Waker in their respective games.

In the English version, the name Spirit Flute does relate to the game title Spirit Tracks, but since this version overall has plenty of things that have “Spirit” in their name, the flute itself doesn’t stand out as being particularly special.

In Japanese, the flute is completely unique with its “of the Land” descriptor.

I also want to explain in more detail what the name “Flute of the Land” actually means.

The “Land” part of this name, is 大地/daichi in Japanese, which could also be translated as “earth” or “ground”. But in this case, it’s referring to “the Land”, as in the entire land the game takes place in.

In a way, the flute symbolizes this land itself. As we learn later, it used to belong to the sage of the tower at the center of the land, and the colors of its pipes reflect those of the individual regions: Forest, Snow, Ocean, Fire, Sand, and even Darkness.

We will also learn later that this flute having been entrusted to Zelda’s family was done so under the condition that they would promise to protect the land.

With this flute, as well as the game’s title, and the overall dialogue in it, the Japanese version places more importance on the actual land.

This ties in with the history of its native people and pantheon, plus the divine servants and their sacred instruments, which still continue their ancient traditions and duties, playing important roles in the narrative.

In turn, Zelda and Link, being representative of the Hyrulean people, prove themselves worthy and capable of continuing this legacy over the course of the story.

These are elements which are still present in the English version, but a few general changes like this one make them slightly less prominent.

The English version focuses on a general “Spirit”-themed branding, though I feel this was done for marketing purposes, rather than censorship or anything.

-

It’s minor, but I want to mention this change of what one of the guards says:

Frankly, I’m not that fond of wide open spaces like this one here.

This castle can be awfully creepy sometimes…

Mostly because I think it’s another neat example of completely rewriting the original line, but still conveying its meaning.

It’s just this optional line from a guard, but maybe that’s why it kinda stood out to me.

-

After Link confirms to Zelda that he can see her, the scene cuts to a shot of just the room’s window, which slowly zooms out.

In the Japanese version, Zelda’s next line starts with her saying “…I see.”

Combined with the framing, this tells us that there was probably a tiny skip in time, during which Link told Zelda about the current situation, particularly how Alfonzo is completely out of commission now.

The English version omits this line, and thus the implication, but it could be another oversight from lack of context.

It’s a minor difference, but it explains how Zelda later knows about the extent of Alfonzo’s injuries, compared to the mostly unscathed Link.

-

I’ve already talked about terms that the Japanese versions of Zelda games generally use when referring to the demonic, and also how the respective English versions of Zelda games generally go for “monster” rather than “demon” when adapting those.

And in that same vein, you’ll notice the English version of this game right here seems to avoid calling Cole a demon directly, and doesn’t even go as far as calling him a monster in this particular part.

Instead, phrasings like “evil” and “the dark forces” are used instead.

It’s strange, because they did finally use the term “Demon King” in the English version of this game, but for some reason they avoid most other instances of demonic aspects being mentioned.

It could be they were only using different phrasings for the sake of sounding natural, and it coincidentally ended up like this, but I can’t say for sure.

I won’t bring this up every time there is an example of it, but you can keep an eye out for yourselves whenever something like “demons” comes up in Japanese, and see how the English version handles those instances.

-

In the Japanese version, Zelda says she’s certain that Cole and co. are also involved with the disappearing of the train tracks, in addition to what happened to the tower.

While she’s later proven to be right, it’s still supposed to be speculation on her part here.

In the English version, Zelda instead states that Cole and co. made the tracks disappear like it’s a confirmed fact.

Cole did mention that the tracks disappearing was something beneficial to their plans in English, but he technically didn’t say that they were the ones behind it.

-

Also, a minor detail is that in English, “Cole and his cronies” is used as the translation for キマロキ達/Kimaroki-tachi.

This is a possible way to translate this, but at this point we haven’t really been given any indication that there are any more people besides just Cole and Byrne involved, so it’s more likely Zelda was supposed to be referring to just those two in Japanese.

-

In both versions, Zelda talks primarily about Cole in this cutscene, rather than Byrne.

So there isn’t really a change here, But the context of previous scenes slightly changes the implications.

In the English version, Cole has acted as the primary antagonist so far.

So, there is nothing unusual about Zelda speaking of him the way she does here.

However, in the Japanese version, Cole had previously acted subservient to Byrne, referring to him as “master”. And Link earlier described Cole as a “minion” to Teacher.

Despite that, Zelda still focuses on Cole here, showing that from her perspective, he is the more prominent antagonistic force, likely because of their history.

-

When Zelda shows her flute to Link, the English version adds a line of her saying she’s about to show him something.

This was probably done to make the transition flow better, which is understandable.

-

In the Japanese version, Zelda says that her ancestor “migrated to this land”, whereas in the English version she says her ancestor “founded this kingdom”.

Both are true, but note again how the Japanese version puts a bit more focus on the actual land itself, rather than the current kingdom in it.

Also, it’s not important just yet, but over the course of the game, there will be occasional mentions of Zelda’s ancestor, or ご先祖様/gosenzo-sama in Japanese.

In the Japanese version, any mention of this almost exclusively refers to one specific ancestor of hers: Tetra.

But in the English version, this sometimes gets translated more vaguely as “ancestors”, making the references to Tetra more ambiguous.

So keep that in mind.

-

And finally, when they are about to leave, the Japanese version has Zelda say “I will follow you in this form”, referring to the small ball of light form she turns into while travelling.

The English version just has her say “I will travel alongside you“, maybe because they didn’t realize what she meant by “this form”, considering they probably didn’t get to see the footage.

-

As I said, the dialogue in this part is pretty close and well-written.

Almost all the notable differences here are the results of prior changes or possible lack of context for the translators.

I can’t help but wonder how this script would’ve turned out under different circumstances?

The biggest change for me here is definitely the name of the flute and how it ties into the name of the game, as well as the story, because it’s likely to shift the perspective of the player.

Anyway, that’s it for this part, feel free to check out the next one!

--

< Previous Part | Start | Next Part >

--

[kaialone]

Spirit Tracks Translation Comparison: Zelda’s Body Taken

This will be a comparison of the original Japanese version and the US English localized version.

Specifically, this will cover the cutscenes in which Princess Zelda’s body ends up being stolen.

You can also watch these cutscenes for yourself in English and Japanese. If you want, you can check out the EU English version, too.

For the comparison, the usual points apply:

Bolded is the original Japanese text, for the reference.

Bolded and italicized is my translation.

Italicized is the official NOA translation.

A (number) indicates that I have a specific comment to make on that part in the translation notes.

As you read this, please keep in mind that with translations like these, it’s important not to focus on the exact literal wordings, since there is no single “correct answer” when it comes to translations.

Rather than that, consider the actual information that is being conveyed, in which way, and why.

--

Cirokuni = Alfonzo, Kimaroki = Cole, Dego = Byrne

--

After Link’s Train Derails:

Alfonzo:

姫さま あれを！

Your Highness, look over there!

Your Highness! Look over there!

-

Zelda:

…なんということでしょ 一刻も早く あの塔に行かないと

...My goodness, we have to reach that tower as soon as possible.

What's happening to the Tower of Spirits?

-

Cole:

…困りますねぇ 姫さま お忍びで散歩などされては…

...Now this just will not do, Your Highness. Going out for a little secret stroll like that...

Out for a leisurely stroll, Your Highness?

Tsk, tsk, tsk! You know that's not allowed!

Zelda:

大臣?

Minister?

Allowed by who? You, Chancellor Cole?

Cole:

ガキはおとなしく城で王様ごっこ してりゃいいんだよ!!

You brat should've just kept playing pretend-monarch at the castle like a good girl!!

Who else? Who do you think is really in charge?

Zelda, Link and Alfonzo:

!!

!!

…

Cole:

我が名はキマロキ…

長い間 人間の振りをして いたので肩が こりましたよ

My name is Kimaroki...

Pretending to be human for so long has taken its toll on me.  (1)

My goodness, pretending to be human is exhausting.

Who knew that chancellor was just another word...

for royal babysitter?!

Cole:

まあ もう少し大臣で いるつもりだったのですが…

予定を早めました

Well, I had actually intended to keep being the minister for a while longer, but...

We ended up going ahead of schedule.

I had meant to keep up the ruse a bit longer.

Cole:

姫さまが悪いのですよ ? 余計なことを かぎ回るから

The fault is yours, Your Highness, is it not? You and your unnecessary meddling.

But you pushed me to this, Princess.

Cole:

しかも そんな小僧や機関士 なんぞに手を借りてまで…

Moreover, you even went as far as to call a mere boy and an engineer to your aid...

Bringing in the boy and the engineer didn't help either.

Zelda:

あなたは… 一体?

What in the world... are you...?  (2)

What are you talking about?

Cole:

おぞましき神の遺物…

The relic of that repugnant god...

I'm talking about your infernal meddling!

Cole:

忌まわしい結界が消えうせ 今 時は満ちた…

Now that this repulsive barrier is vanishing, the time is at hand...

But now that those vile tracks are disappearing,

the time is finally at hand!

Cole:

あと必要なのは…

All we need now is...

All we need now is...

Cole:

あなたの… カ ラ ダ

Your... b o d y.  (3)

A little help--hee hee--from you, Your Highness!

Alfonzo:

何者か知らねえが 姫さまに 仇なすってんなら…

I dunno who you are, but if you harm Her Highness in any way...

I don't know who these two are, Your Highness.

But with your permission...

Alfonzo:

このシロクニ 容赦は��ねえぜ？

I, Cirokuni, won't hold anything back against ya.

I'd be happy to teach them some manners.

Cole:

かっかっか… 人間ふぜいが

Ka ka ka... Typical human.

Nyee hee hee hee hee! How gallant! How brave!

How incredibly foolhardy!

Alfonzo:

なめんなよ こちとら先々代から 王家に お仕えしてんだ

Don't you underestimate me! My folks've been serving the royal family for generations, you know!  (4)

Enough out of you!

My family has served the royal house for generations!

Cole:

!… ディーゴ様…

...! Master Dego...

Melodrama bores me.

Byrne, would you kindly dispose of this fool?

Byrne:

この男の言うとおりだ… かなり 腕に覚えがあるようだな

It's like this man said... He certainly seems confident in his own strength.

This man speaks the truth, Cole.

His movements are not those of an amateur.

Byrne:

だが 私の敵ではない…

But, he's no match for me...

But he is only human.

Alfonzo:

…なあんなって言っただろ？

...I told you not to underestimate me, didn't I?

I told you, I will defend the princess at any cost!

Byrne:

こちらも言ったはずだ 我が敵ではないと

And I told you. You are no match for me.

And I told you. You're only human.

Cole:

キキキッ さすがディーゴ様！ お強に！イカス！

Keekeekee, I expected no less from you, Master Dego! Such strength! Tubular!

Nyee hee hee hee hee!

Oh, Byrne, you do know how to put on a show!

Byrne:

しょせんは人の技だ

あの程度で私の前に 立つことは かなわぬ…

That's just the extent of human skill.

One can't hope to face me with something that meager...

It was hardly a fair fight, Cole.

Zelda:

あ… リンク…

Ah... Link...

Help me, Link!

Zelda:

こ 来ないでください… それ以上 近づかないで…

P-please stay away... Do not come any closer...

No! Don't come any closer!

Cole:

…まあ良いでしょう 必要なのは王女の体…

...Ah well, that should be alright. We just need the body of the princess...

Good work, Byrne.

That takes care of the first step of our plan.

Cole:

さあディーゴ様 参りましょう くっくっく…

Now, let us depart, Master Dego. Ku ku ku...

Nyee hee hee hee hee! Our work is done here.

Come now, Byrne!

Translation Notes:

What I adapted as “taken its toll on me” more literally translates to “made my shoulder stiff”, but from what I've seen, this is a generic phrase characters sometimes say when they’re exhausted? In any case, I adapted it the way I did because I thought it sounded a bit better. The English version likely did the same thing.

In this line by Zelda it’s not exactly clear if she is just supposed to be saying “What in the world are you...?” or if she means to say “What in the world are you talking about?” but doesn’t finish the line completely. The response from Cole makes the latter seem plausible though, which is probably why the English version went with that.

In Japanese, the word for body is 体/karada, but in this line here Cole drags it out for dramatic effect, saying it syllable by syllable as “ka ra da”, which goes along with the animation in this scene.

Alfonzo uses a somewhat informal word to refer to his family, so I translated it as “my folks” here, in case you were unsure what he meant.

--

Comparisons & Thoughts:

In this part, we are formally introduced to our main antagonists, as well as the central conflict of the game, which gives us a lot to go over.

Some of the changes to Cole in particular also become more apparent here, so I will start off with those.

-

A strange difference between versions is when and how we first learn Cole’s name.

In the English version, he was named right when he was introduced, but in Japanese it’s only at this point in the game right here that his name is revealed.

And the way he introduces himself with “My name is Kimaroki...” raises some questions. He’s using a rather dramatic way to say it in Japanese, too.

Since he was the minister, it seems unlikely that Zelda wasn’t aware of what his name was, so why would he need to say it like that?

Perhaps he was only introducing himself to Link and Alfonzo? But that's also kinda unlikely, since he doesn’t really address those two directly, he mostly speaks to Zelda.

Alternatively, this could imply he was actually working at the castle under a fake name, so this moment is him revealing his true name for the first time.

I think this would make the most sense from a story perspective, given how this dialogue flows.

But, we aren’t really given a clear indication of either option, so it’s also possible this was just a result of clunky writing.

Given this, I can understand why the English version changed it up so that Cole was already referred to by name at the castle.

Since it’s not really clear what, if anything, the Japanese version was trying to imply here, it's easier to go with something else that simplifies the issue.

As a fan, I am still interested in the potential implications of the Japanese version here, assuming it was intentional, but the change makes perfect sense from a localization perspective.

-

In the Japanese version, Cole says “You brat should’ve just kept playing pretend-monarch at the castle like a good girl!!”, when he reveals his true nature.

This calls back to what has been established back at the castle, namely Zelda being more of a figurehead ruler, with seemingly only Cole holding any real authority.

But it also shows us more about how Cole regards Zelda in this version. Whenever he addresses her, he scolds and berates her like one would a misbehaving child.

The English version does include these bits of information, with lines like “Who else? Who do you think is really in charge?“ and “Who knew that chancellor was just another word…for royal babysitter?!”

But I personally feel the Japanese version does it a bit better. It just feels slightly more natural, whereas the English version has Cole spell it out a bit too directly.

It’s not much of a difference right now, but the English version eventually drifts further from the Japanese version’s portrayal of how Cole talks to Zelda.

-

At this point, we also see more of how Cole’s general characterization has been tweaked in English.

Like I mentioned when he was first introduced, Cole has a formal and technically polite manner of speaking in the Japanese version, even if he is still condescending, of course.

But, that’s only half of it.

He actually has this character quirk where he flip-flops between that formal speaking style, and a very informal style, to the point of being almost crude sometimes.

And it’s not just him being insulting, he genuinely goes to talking more like a goon, no hint of class, not even ironic.

It’s different from the way Alfonzo switches up his speaking style, too. It’s a fairly normal thing to speak differently depending on the social context like Alfonzo does.

I’ve seen Cole’s flip-flopping being compared to the Happy Mask Salesman, who has some memorable outbursts in Majora’s Mask.

But with the Happy Mask Salesman, those are always caused by anger, whereas with Cole they don’t happen every time he’s angry, and can also happen when he’s delighted.

In any case, there is this clearly deliberate duality to Cole’s personality in the Japanese version.

In the English version, this aspect was dropped.

Here, Cole’s speaking style doesn’t really change, it’s always technically formal, but in a smug, more openly insulting manner.

It’s almost like a merging of Cole’s formal and informal sides from the Japanese version, slightly leaning more towards formal.

Compared to other characters, Cole’s lines will also see more rewrites from this point on, usually to make him seem more pompous, toning down how goony he can get during his informal moments.

Which characterization you prefer is up to you, of course, but it's arguably one of the bigger changes when it comes to the characters.

Though this change with Cole here is probably related to the next one I want to talk about.

-

Something that might have caught your eye is Cole referring to Byrne as “Master Dego” in Japanese.

Specifically, he uses the very respectful suffix 様/-sama when addressing him.

And yes, in the Japanese version, Byrne is presented to us as the leader of this scheme the two of them have going on, while Cole is his underling.

This is reflected by their interactions as well.

You could read them as equals, since Byrne doesn’t give out any orders, but Cole definitely addresses Byrne like one would a superior.

Of course, Cole doesn’t exactly come off as trustworthy, but still.

In English, this dynamic between them is completely turned around, so Cole is now implied to be directly in charge of this duo, with Byrne being an underling who does his bidding.

I’m guessing this is also part of the reason why Cole’s characterization was altered, or perhaps the other way around?

Since Cole is in charge now, he’s portrayed as less goofy, so to speak.

Most of Cole’s dialogue addressing Byrne in this cutscene has also been changed to reflect this change in their dynamic.

In Japanese, Cole acts subservient and flattering to Byrne, to an almost silly degree.

In English, Cole will flatter Byrne too, but in a way like a master would flatter an amusing servant of theirs.

-

I probably don’t need to go over each line between Cole and Byrne in detail.

But as a quick example, Cole’s reaction to Byrne actually stepping forward is completely different between the versions.

In Japanese, Cole says “…! Master Dego…”

Here, Cole is surprised about Byrne stepping forward like that, and seems a bit nervous, almost like he’s worried Byrne is getting impatient, or something similar.

If you pay attention, you’ll see his animation reflects the tone of this line, too.

But in English, he instead says “Melodrama bores me. Byrne, would you kindly dispose of this fool?”

In this version, Cole continues to be condescending, and dismissively summons Byrne to take care of the situation for him.

This also means that in the English version, Byrne presumably wouldn’t have acted on his own, while in the Japanese version he fought Alfonzo because he himself wanted to.

The latter is more consistent with how we see him act later.

It’s kinda interesting though that Byrne’s own dialogue remains mostly the same, despite these changes.

The way the dynamic between Byrne and Cole was changed between versions really does affect Cole more than it does Byrne. It’s really more how Cole plays off of him, and the implications of that, which are different.

There isn’t much of a direct difference to how Byrne treats Cole in Japanese compared to English. The implications are more those between the lines - Byrne working with a guy who acts more like a bootlicker to him in Japanese, while in English he works with a guy who treats him like a lackey.

One could speculate that the Japanese version of Byrne would have been too prideful to work with someone like the English version of Cole, but we have no way of knowing for sure.

-

Alright, so in my translation notes I already mentioned that during the line “Your… b o d y”, Cole is slowly dragging out the word 体/karada in Japanese, which goes along with how the camera zooms in on his face.

The English version adapted this with “A little help--hee hee--from you, Your Highness!“, which the last part is dragged out as “Your-High-ness”.

This is a clever adaptation, especially since you need to think outside the box a little here. A literal translation like mine wouldn’t work at all in-game.

Still, maybe they could have gone with something shorter like “your-bo-dy”?

-

Minor difference, but when Alfonzo steps forward, he directly talks to Cole and Byrne in the Japanese version, but in the English version he is talking about them to Zelda.

This could have been an oversight, or a deliberate change to give Zelda more authority in this part.

If it’s the latter, I’m not sure if it works, since it’s not like Zelda responds anyway, so it doesn’t feel any less like she’s being talked over.

-

I want to talk about the line “But, he’s no match for me“, because here we got a prominent example of the EU English version actually getting it wrong by being too literal.

In actual Japanese, Byrne says “だが 私の敵ではない��/“Daga watashi no teki dewanai“, which literally translates to “But, he’s not my enemy”, and the EU version went with that.

However, that was a bad call on their part.

Because “He’s not my enemy” is a Japanese figure of speech which means “He’s no match for me”. As in, not being strong enough to even be considered an enemy.

Therefore it should not be translated literally like that.

The US English version adapts this line as “But he is only human”.

This makes use of information Byrne originally gives after the battle in Japanese: “That’s just the extent of human skill. One can’t hope to face me with something that meager…”

In turn, that bit is then streamlined in English as: “It was hardly a fair fight, Cole.“

I am impressed by the way they spread around the information they needed to convey in a manner that allowed them to use less text here.

But it also changes up the flow of this scene, as in the Japanese version, we don’t get the confirmation that Byrne is not human until after Alfonzo is beaten by him.

It’s an easy guess of course, but there is that initial bit of tension.

-

As Alfonzo and Byrne fight, Alfonzo’s dialogue is changed from “ …I told you not to underestimate me, didn’t I?“ to “I told you, I will defend the princess at any cost!”, kinda shifting the topic of this conversation, which was originally about pitting their strength against each other.

This is notable because Alfonzo has been built up for the audience as being one of the strongest people in the land.

And without confirmation that Byrne is not human, there is this illusion of hope that maybe Alfonzo can match his strength.

The power of regular humans compared to beings of demonic or divine nature is one of the themes of this story, so this fight is part of the audience’s more personal introduction to it.

I do think the English version does a good job of setting this theme up in its own right, it’s just done differently.

-

And lastly, Cole’s comment after Zelda’s spirit is expelled from her body and flies towards the castle differs between versions:

…Ah well, that should be alright. We just need the body of the princess…

Good work, Byrne.

That takes care of the first step of our plan.

In the Japanese version, Cole acknowledges the fact that he just saw Zelda’s spirit fly away, but brushes it off as being unimportant, openly dismissing Zelda as a possible threat at this point.

But in the English version, that part isn’t mentioned.

I feel this was probably an oversight due to lack of context.

In the actual cutscene, we see Cole watching very closely as Zelda’s spirit emerges and flies away, so his comment follows up on that animation in Japanese.

But translators are rarely able to see the visuals of what they are translating, as they are usually only given the text itself.

And if that was the case here, the translators would have only gotten to see what amounts to Cole saying something along the lines of “That’s alright, we just need the body of the princess”, without any additional context.

If we assume this is what happened, it makes sense that they adapted the line the way they did in the final version.

I don’t know how the translation process was handled in Spirit Tracks, but I do know that with many game translations, you will usually have a first translator doing a more literal, rough translation draft, and then a second translator who rewrites that raw translation into the final text.

And if that second translator is unable to check the Japanese version to clear up any potential confusion, you can end up with even more deviations from the original quite easily.

This is just some possible examples of how various factors can affect text translations in ways the translators themselves have little control over.

-

Overall, this batch of scenes is interesting when it comes to the localization.

They’re rather faithful for the most part, outside of general slight differences I mentioned previously, like Alfonzo’s speaking style. The dialogue is mostly the same, though.

The biggest difference is really Cole’s characterization and dialogue, particularly in regards to his interactions with other characters.

Especially the flipping of his dynamic with Byrne is a notable change to the story from a character perspective.

But this part is already pretty long, so I won’t dwell on it more than that for now. Feel free to check out the next one!

--

< Previous Part | Start | Next Part >

--

[kaialone]

Spirit Tracks Translation Comparison: Link’s Journey Begins

This will be a comparison of the original Japanese version and the US English localized version.

Specifically, this will cover the cutscene at the start of the game that first introduces Link.

You can also watch this cutscene for yourself in English and Japanese. If you want, you can check out the EU English version, too.

For the comparison, the usual points apply:

Bolded is the original Japanese text, for the reference.

Bolded and italicized is my translation.

Italicized is the official NOA translation.

A (number) indicates that I have a specific comment to make on that part in the translation notes.

As you read this, please keep in mind that with translations like these, it’s important not to focus on the exact literal wordings, since there is no single “correct answer” when it comes to translations.

Rather than that, consider the actual information that is being conveyed, in which way, and why.

--

Character in this part who had their name changed between versions:

Cirokuni = Alfonzo.

--

At Niko’s House:

Niko:

どうだい？ わしの作った 「実録！神と魔王の大バトル！」は？

So, what do you think of my creation? "True Story! The Great Battle of the God and the Demon King!"  (1)

Well? Do I know how to tell a story or what?

I call it "Spirits and Demons...at War!"

Niko:

こいつは数年に 一度の 傑作...いや大傑作だよ！

This is something like you only see once every few years - it's a masterpiece... no, a great masterpiece!

I only do this show once a year, you know!

It's a blasted masterpiece! A...a...a blasterpiece!

Niko:

なんだ また寝ちまったのかい？ リンク

What's this? Did you fall asleep again, Link?

What's this? You fell asleep during my magnum opus?

Niko:

やれやれ...

一緒に住んでる お前だから 最新作をタダで見られるんだよ？

わかってんのかい？

Good grief...

You know, because you're living with me, you actually get to see my latest works for free.

You understand?

I can't believe this! You know, Link...

A lot of people would love to be in your position.

As my roommate, you get to see my work for free!

Niko:

わしも もう歳だ これが遺作になるかもしれない

少しは真面目に年寄りの作品を 味わって欲しいもんだよ...

I'm already pretty old, so this might end up being a posthumous piece.

I really wish you'd at least try a little to appreciate your elder's work...

Plus, I'm not getting any younger here.

This story might be the only thing that proves I existed.

Can't you pay attention for one minute...

And listen to an old man's final creation?

Niko:

聞いてんのかい？ リンク

Are you listening, Link?

Are you listening to me, Link?

Link:

ながいよ / あきたよ

It's so long... / I'm bored...

Sort of. / Zzzz...

Niko:

そうかい そうかい   そりゃ すまなかったねぇ

Alright, alright, I get it. Sorry 'bout that, then.

OK, OK, I can take a hint. Sorry for boring you.

Niko:

おや お前の 師匠が来たようだ

久し振りだね シロクニ

Oh, looks like your teacher's here.

Long time no see, Cirokuni.

Look, here comes your mentor.

Hello there, Alfonzo!

Alfonzo:

呆れたもんだな まだ ここにいたのか...

You gotta be kiddin’ me. You're still here?

Why are you still here, Link?

Alfonzo:

ん？ 寝ぼけてるのかよ？ リンク！

Hm? Are you even awake? Link!

Come on now--wipe the sleep out of your eyes!

Alfonzo:

起きろ リンク！

Wake up, Link!

Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up!

Alfonzo:

今日は大事な謁見の日だ 分かってんのか？

Today's the day of your important audience, don't you know?

Today is a very important day, you know!

It's your audience with the princess!

Link:

なにそれ？/ わすれてた

What's that? / I forgot

What?! / Uh, right.

Alfonzo:

なんと情けねぇ そんなだから いつまでたっても 半人前なんだよ

This is just pathetic. If you keep this up, you're gonna be a rookie forever.

Don't tell me you forgot!

You won't amount to much if you don't pay attention.

Alfonzo:

お前は今日 正式な機関士に なるために 城へ行くんだろ！？

ゼルダ姫さまに任命して頂く 大事な日じゃねぇか！

You're supposed to go to the castle today, so you can become an official engineer!

You know? That important day where Her Highness Princess Zelda is gonna appoint you as one?!

Don't you want your engineer certificate?

Well, the graduation ceremony is at the castle.

Princess Zelda herself is going to do the honors!

Alfonzo:

俺は先に駅で待ってるが 寝ぼけたままで来られるか？

迷子になるといけねえから 一応言っておくぞ...

駅は道沿いに上の方だ わかってな？ 早く来いよ

I'm gonna be waitin' up ahead by the station, if you can manage to get there half-asleep.

Just so you don't get yourself lost, I'm gonna tell you this once...

The station is along the road. Got it? Then get movin’.

I'm heading to the station now, so meet me there.

Remember, the station is up the road. Don't get lost!

Got it? Good! Then get a move on!

Alfonzo:

ニコじい お邪魔さんです

Pardon me, Old Man Niko.

See you later, Niko.

Translation Note:

The title Niko gave his story is done in a dramatized style, similar to anime episode titles and the like, particularly ones from 90s shōnen.

--

Comparisons & Thoughts:

The localization in this cutscene is pretty faithful, so this section won’t be all too long. But there are still a few things I want to point out.

-

First of all, something you will probably notice from this point on is that the English version will sometimes take about two text boxes to say something the Japanese version did in just one.

This is because in Japanese, you can write more words with less characters, due to how the writing system works.

When it comes to English localizations of Japanese games, an additional hurdle is having to work with limited text space that was originally tailored to Japanese writing.

Typically, the older a game is, the bigger this problem will be.

So, localization choices can’t just be based around being accurate, but also what they will be able to even fit.

-

In the Japanese version, Niko says that his picture story is "something like you only see once every few years” , but in the English version, he instead says “I only do this show once a year, you know!“.

So in Japanese, Niko uses a figure of speech to describe how great his creation is, while in English he says he only does one show like this per year.

I think this is probably a minor translation error, rather than a deliberate change.

And technically, you do see Niko doing another picture story show like this during the credits, which suggests it’s an at least somewhat common thing for him to do.

-

Something that might be hard to spot in this cutscene in particular is that we got a slightly different characterization for Alfonzo in Japanese.

It only comes up at the very end here, but the idea with him is basically that he talks in a very informal, gruff manner, but completely changes his tone when addressing someone with authority, switching to a far more polite, formal speaking style.

In this cutscene here we see him chew out Link in an especially harsh manner, but then he politely says goodbye to Niko, which makes for a stark contrast.

This gives us a bit of an early glimpse into this character, whom you might first expect to be a simple tough guy, but then shows that he has a more cultivated side as well.

I feel this kinda hints at his past, which we learn about later, and contrasts his character a bit with his ancestor Gonzo, who’s a nice guy, but not formal at all.

But in this case here there is only one line that shows off this contrast, so it’s easy to miss in any case, and it’s a bit harder to get across when writing in English, too.

-

Overall, the localization in this cutscene is great.

The two points I mentioned aside, it makes sure to include the information that is conveyed in the original version, even if it does it slightly differently.

The writing of the characters’ dialogue feels natural and clever, exactly what you would want from something like this.

A specific example I want to highlight are the lines: “It’s a blasted masterpiece! A…a…a blasterpiece!”

I find this bit to be a nice example of retaining the overall feeling of a portion of text, while still changing it in some form.

The line “it’s a masterpiece… no, a great masterpiece!” from my translation is technically closer to the original, but it also doesn’t get across how the slight escalation of Niko’s description can come across as humorous in Japanese.

So taking the funny escalation of “masterpiece” -> “great masterpiece”, and coming up with the equivalent “blasted masterpiece” -> “blasterpiece” is quite smart, I feel.

And with that, this part concludes. Feel free to check out the next one!

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[kaialone]

Spirit Tracks Translation Comparison: Asking Alfonzo

This will be a comparison of the original Japanese version and the US English localized version.

Specifically, this will cover the cutscene of Princess Zelda asking Alfonzo to accompany her and Link.

You can also watch this cutscene for yourself in English and Japanese. If you want, you can check out the EU English version, too.

For the comparison, the usual points apply:

Bolded is the original Japanese text, for the reference.

Bolded and italicized is my translation.

Italicized is the official NOA translation.

A (number) indicates that I have a specific comment to make on that part in the translation notes.

As you read this, please keep in mind that with translations like these, it’s important not to focus on the exact literal wordings, since there is no single “correct answer” when it comes to translations.

Rather than that, consider the actual information that is being conveyed, in which way, and why.

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Character in this part who had their name changed between versions:

Cirokuni = Alfonzo

--

Asking Alfonzo for Help:

Zelda:

リンク！ やりましたね！！ お城を抜けられました！！

Link! We did it!! We made it out of the castle!!

We did it! We made it out of the castle!

Zelda:

さあ 汽車に乗って 神の塔に 向かいましょう！！

Now, let us board the train and head for the Tower of God!!

Now, let's board the train and head for the Tower of Spirits!

-

Alfonzo:

なんだ リンク... やけに 遅かったな！

Link, what the heck... You sure took your sweet time!

What took you so long, Link?

Alfonzo:

おい！ おまえなんで そんな格好してるんだ...？？

Hey! What’s with that getup...??

Did you keep me waiting just so you could change clothes?

Alfonzo:

ひ！ 姫さま！！ なぜ 姫さまがここに...！

Y-Your Highness!! What are you doing here...?!

Oh! Hello, Your Highness! What are you doing here?

Zelda:

こんにちは シロクニ 元気にしていましたか？

Hello, Cirokuni. Have you been well?

Hello, Alfonzo! Have you been well?

Zelda:

貴方が城の兵士をやめてから 大きな掛け声が聞けなくなった ので さみしく 思ってましたよ

I have been feeling lonely ever since you quit being a soldier at the castle, and I do not get to hear your loud shouting anymore.

I'm so sorry we haven't spoken since you left the castle guard.

I must admit, I miss hearing you bellowing orders in the courtyard.

Alfonzo:

いやはや めんぼくない 大声だけが とりえでしたので .....

Goodness, how embarrassing that my loud voice was all I was good for...

You're too kind to me. I'm sure hearing me yell all day was far from pleasant.

Alfonzo:

…って そんな事を 言ってる場合じゃありません！！

...But this is neither the time nor the place to be talking about that!!

But you shouldn't distract me with talk about the old days!

Alfonzo:

警護もつけ��に なぜ このようなところに！

What are you doing out here, and without an escort, no less?

I'll just come out and ask. What are you doing here without a proper escort?

Alfonzo:

リンク！ おまえ！ まさか…

Link! Don't tell me you...!

Are you responsible for this somehow, Link?

Zelda:

リンクには 私からお願いしたのです

I was the one who asked Link for help.

I asked for his assistance. And I hope I can count on your help too, Alfonzo.

Zelda:

シロクニ！ 貴方も神の塔に 一緒に来てください！

貴方がいれば 私も安心です

Cirokuni! Please, accompany us to the Tower of God!

I would feel safer if you were there.

I would feel much safer with you at my side.

Please come with us to the Tower of Spirits!

Alfonzo:

神の塔に？ また どうしてですか？

To the Tower of God? I must ask again, why?

To the Tower of Spirits? Whatever for?

Zelda:

今は ゆっくりお話し してる 時間はありません！

We do not have the time to properly discuss this right now!

We don't have time to discuss it right now!

Zelda:

汽車の中で 説明いたします！

I shall explain it to you aboard the train!

I'll tell you all about it when we’re aboard.

Alfonzo:

しかし… 万が一 何かあれば…

But... If something were to happen...

But what if something happens?

Zelda:

その 万が一 のために 貴方が必要なのです

That "something" is exactly why I need you.

"If something happens" is exactly why I need you!

Zelda:

かつて ハイラル国 随一の 剣士と呼ばれた 貴方の力が…

You were once known as the greatest swordsman in the kingdom of Hyrule. Your power is...

You were once the greatest swordsman in the whole kingdom.

Alfonzo:

そんな 昔の話は おやめください！

Please stop bringing up these things from the past!

Yes, but that was a long time ago.

Alfonzo:

今は 片田舎で暮らしてる ただの機関士であります！

Now I am just a simple train engineer, living in the countryside!

Now I'm just a simple train engineer, living in the countryside.

Alfonzo:

それよりも 気は進みませんが 姫さまのたっての希望とあらば 私もお供します！

But more importantly, while I am reluctant, if Your Highness wishes for it, I shall accompany you as well!

I can't be more than that, but I'll come along with you if you wish.

Zelda:

ありがとう シロクニ！

Thank you, Cirokuni!

Thank you, Alfonzo.

Alfonzo:

よし リンク！ 神の塔に……

Alright, Link! To the--

OK, Link! To the Tower of Spirits!

Zelda:

神の塔にむけて 出発進行！！

To the Tower of God! All aboard!!

Aaaaall aboooard!

Alfonzo:

それは 私のセリフですって…

That's my line...

That's my line...

--

Comparisons & Thoughts:

This is a shorter cutscene, but we do get a closer look at Alfonzo’s character here.

Like I mentioned before, in the Japanese version, Alfonzo typically talks in a rather informal and rough manner, especially with Link, but he will speak much more formally and politely when talking to someone of authority.

So in this cutscene we see him completely change his way of speaking when he addresses Zelda.

Considering how harsh he can be with Link especially, this underlines how highly he regards the princess.

In the English version he doesn’t really seem to change his style of speaking, though of course he still is respectful when addressing Zelda.

Again, getting such differences across in English can be difficult, but it’s still something I wanted to explain.

-

In the Japanese version, Alfonzo seems a lot more shocked when he sees Zelda, which makes sense if she’s not allowed outside without an escort.

In the English version he comes across as fairly calm by comparison.

-

In the English version, Zelda says she misses Alfonzo “bellowing orders”, which is more specific than the Japanese version, where she misses his “loud shouting”.

I bring this up because the ending where Link chooses to become a swordsman features Zelda hearing Link’s typical regular fighting shouts from the courtyard, which is probably a callback to this scene here.

Alfonzo giving orders would also imply him being someone in a leading position back then, which isn’t specified in Japanese, but it’s probably not a stretch.

-

When Alfonzo agrees to help, in the Japanese version he says “But more importantly, while I am reluctant“, while in the English version he says “I can’t be more than that“.

I think this might have been a translation error?

-

And finally, the joke at the very end of the Japanese version is slightly lost in the English one.

In Japanese, Alfonzo is about to say “To the Tower of God! All aboard!!”, but Zelda interrupts him and says it herself, which prompts his “That’s my line...” response.

In English she just says the “Aaaaall aboooard!“ part, and she does not interrupt him mid-sentence.

-

Alfonzo’s slight characterization difference aside, this is a scene without many changes in English, with the localization following the original almost beat for beat.

So, this is the end of this part already, but feel free to check out the next one!

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[makkii3497]

雨の日は撮影機材を守るのが大変ですがドラマチックな写真が撮れるので好きです。C62形2号機の現役時代ぽく見せるためにモノクロに加工してみました。 Canon EOS 5D MarkⅣ Canon EF70-200mm F2.8L IS II USM SS0.3sec F9 ISO200 100mm #C62 #C622 #C62形2号機 #スワローエンジェル #シロクニ #モノクロ #モノクロ写真 #白黒 #流し撮り #流し撮り部鉄道課 #元小樽築港機関区 #梅小路 #梅小路転車台 #転車台のある風景 #京都鉄道博物館 #kyotorailwaymuseum #steamlocomotive #jr西日本 #kyotojapan (Kyoto Railway Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/BrC6lwrnCKo/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=fxfr57tbggda

[makkii3497]

‪ #自分史上最高のSLを貼る‬ ‪2017年1月15日 この日��京都は大雪でした。梅小路扇形庫も雪化粧しており、この日のSLスチーム号を牽引したC62形2号機がかつて所属していた小樽築港時代のように撮影できました。連結棒が赤色なのをモノクロ現像して隠してみました。‬ #C62 #C622 #C62形2号機 #C62形蒸気機関車 #シロクニ #swallowangel #スワローエンジェル #梅小路 #梅小路扇形庫 #梅小路運転区 #梅小路機関区 #梅小路転車台 #転車台 #転車台のある風景 #鉄道写真 #鉄道風景写真 #鉄道写真が好きな人と繋がりたい #蒸気機関車 #蒸気機関車写真 #蒸気機関車が好きな人と繋がりたい #蒸気機関車大好き #雪 #雪景色 #小樽築港機関区 #梅小路蒸気機関車館 #京都鉄道博物館 #JR西日本 (Kyoto Railway Museum) https://www.instagram.com/p/BnVSwUYFh9u/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=cjdvrvwchp9i

[makkii3497]

S字に光るSLスチーム号用のレールの向こうにC56形160号機のテンダーが見えます。その横にはC62形2号機のテンダーも 2018年4月2日撮影 #c56形160号機 #C62形2号機 #テンダー形蒸気機関車 #C56 #C62 #ポニー #シゴロク #シロクニ #スワローエンジェル #夕焼け #夕日 #夕陽 #SLスチーム号 #京都鉄道博物館 #梅小路公園 #梅小路運転区 #梅小路機関区 #動態保存 #鉄道写真 #鉄道写真を撮るのが好きな人と繋がりたい #ファインダー越しの私の世界 (梅小路公園)