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Translation errors
As with any work translated from one language to another, the process of translating and localizing will result in a few different interpretations of the material. The purpose of this article is to record these notable discrepancies between the Japanese and English versions of Phantasy Star Universe.
Contents
Mistranslations
These entries are simply and plainly incorrect, and cannot be attributed to simple typos or Japanese language quirks.
English | Japanese | Suggested Correction | Details |
---|---|---|---|
Rod | ロドウ | Rodou, Rodoh | Applies to all Yohmei Rods (i.e. Ulrodou, Rayharodou, and so on). GRM Rod, added in Ambition of the Illuminus, is simply Rod (ロッド) in the Japanese version. |
Lumirus/Kaos Knight | ルミラス/カーズナイト | Lumirus / Cursed Knight | "Chaos" (カオス), as the English name would suggest (and misspells, presumably to fit the item's name into the provided space), doesn't really work. |
Jao | ジャッゴ | Jaggo | The names of these room items should match the name of the enemy, as they do in Japanese. Contrast with Cushion Jaggo. "Jaggo" itself is an intentional alteration of "Chao" (チャオ) from Sonic Adventure. Also see specific notes for Chao Staff within the inconsistent translations section. |
Relaxing Jao | リラックス・ジャッゴ | Relax Jaggo, Relaxing Jaggo | |
De Rol Le | ヂィ・ロレイ | De Rolei | The Japanese name is a deliberate alteration of the PSO boss De Rol Le (デ・ロル・レ) and does not match. Compare Delsaber and Delnadian. |
Typographical Errors
These are minor, most likely unintentional spelling errors.
English | Japanese | Suggested Correction | Details |
---|---|---|---|
Ank Bico | アンク・ピッコ | Ank Piko, Ank Pico | A reference to the "Piko Piko Hammer" weapon used by the Sonic the Hedgehog series character Amy Rose. Similar to Toy Hammer from Phantasy Star Online. |
Assasin | アサシン | Assassin | The board for this weapon is spelled correctly. |
Neddle Cannoc | ニードルカノック | Needle Cannoc | The board and GRM version of this weapon are spelled correctly. |
Barada | バラタ | Barata | Prefix for all Shotgun bullets. |
Regrant | レグランツ | Regrants | Consistency with technique Grants in previous games. |
Nel Soul | ネイ・ソウル | Nei Soul | A reference to Nei of Phantasy Star II. Correctly referred to as "Nei Soul" in the trading information screens of Desert Arms Shop. |
Deliberate Changes
With these entries, the original Japanese has been deliberately set aside. As opposed to a translation error, which is an unintentional mistake, the text is purposefully rewritten with something entirely different, often bearing no resemblance to the original Japanese at all.
English | Japanese | Approximate Romanization | Details |
---|---|---|---|
Fortetecher | フォルテクター | Fortecher | An extra "te" was added to make this type syllabically consistent with Fortefighter and Fortegunner. |
Koltova Gun | コルトバズーカ | Koltobazooka, Koltovazooka | The English version chooses to ignore the Japanese's pun entirely. |
RCSMs | シャドゥーグ | Shadoog | Known as both ranged combat support machines and R-Mags in English, but consistently Shadoog in Japanese. |
TCSMs | マドゥーグ | Madoog | Known as both TECHNIC combat support machines and TECH-Mags in English, but consistently Madoog in Japanese. |
Grav | グラブター | Gravata | Shortened for the ground elemental bullets of Rifles, Laser Cannons, Twin Handguns, Handguns, and Machineguns. |
Dark | ダークネス | Darkness | Shortened for the dark elemental bullets of Rifles, Laser Cannons, Twin Handguns, Handguns, and Machineguns. |
Shot | シュート | Shoot | The suffix for all Rifle bullets, "Shoot", was (appropriately) changed to "Shot". |
Fury | フィーバー | Fever | The suffix for all Machinegun bullets, "Fever", was changed to "Fury". |
Shifta | アグタール | Agtal | Name changed to match a similar technique in previous games. Interestingly, in the Japanese version of Phantasy Star Portable 2, its effect is merged with Retier's TP boost to create a new TECHNIC called Shifta. Also see notes for Agtaride in the inconsistent translations section. |
Jellen | アグディール | Agdeel | Name changed to match a similar technique in previous games. Interestingly, a new TECHNIC called Jellen with an added TP lowering effect replaces Agdeel in Phantasy Star Portable 2. |
Deband | デフバール | Defbal | Name changed to match a similar technique in previous games. Interestingly, in the Japanese version of Phantasy Star Portable 2, its effect is merged with Zodial and Retier (MST boost) to create a new TECHNIC called Deband. Also see notes for Defbaride in the inconsistent translations section. |
Zalure | デフディール | Defdeel | Name changed to match a similar technique in previous games. Interestingly, in the Japanese version of Phantasy Star Portable 2, its effect is merged with Zoldeel to create a new TECHNIC called Zalure. |
Reverser | レジェネ | Regene | Named changed to match the name of a technique in previous games; however, the effect of Reverser in previous games (revival of a fallen party member) does not match, and its Japanese name is actually rather close to a technique present in Phantasy Star IV anyway: Raja's Regen (レジェネス/Regenes). |
Inconsistent Translations
While many of these entries are technically accurate, they are translated inconsistently within the game itself or against another Phantasy Star game's translation.
Characters
English | Japanese | Details |
---|---|---|
Obel Dallgun | オーベル・ダルガン | The seventeenth President of the GUARDIANS, his first name is often seen as "Ohbel" instead. |
Orson Waber | オルソン・ウェーバー | Referred to as "Olson" in earlier story missions, most notably Valley of Suspicion 2. |
Bruce Boyde | ブルース | Hey, it's me, Bruce Boyd! Or was that Boyde? Interestingly, he doesn't appear to have a last name at all in the Japanese version. |
Reyna | レイナ | The receptionist at the Ohtoku City GUARDIANS Branch, her name is often seen as "Reina" instead. |
Items
English | Japanese | Alternative | Details |
---|---|---|---|
Durandal Replica | デュランダル・レプカ | Durandal Repca | Inconsistent with Agito Repca. |
Hard / Night | ハルド/ナイト | Hard / Knight | Part of the "Knight" series of arm units. This is carried over to the French and German translations as well, where "Nocturne" and "Nacht" are used instead of "Chevalier" and "Ritter" respectively. |
Agtaride | アグタライド | Shiftaride or similar | Derived from the TECHNIC Shifta, whose Japanese name is "Agtal", which matches in the same way Retier, Zodial and Megistar match their item names. Alternately, Shifta could be changed to Agtal. See notes for Shifta in the deliberate changes section. |
Defbaride | デフバライド | Debanride or similar | Derived from the TECHNIC Deband, whose Japanese name is "Defbal", which matches in the same way Retier, Zodial and Megistar match their item names. Alternately, Deband could be changed to Defbal. See notes for Deband in the deliberate changes section. |
Equipment Sets
These items together form a set bonus have matching names in Japanese, but were translated seperately and do not match in English.
English | Japanese | Suggested Corrections |
---|---|---|
Jitseen | ジートシーン | "Jitline" or "Zeetseen", or change both items to "Jitoshin" and "Jitoline" |
Zeetline | ジートライン | |
Nafli-zashi | ナフリザシ | "Nafri-zashi" or "Nafli-senba". |
Nafri-senba | ナフリセンバ | |
Rayharod | レイハロドウ | "Reiharod" or "Rayha-senba". Also see entry for Rod in Mistranslations section. |
Reiha-senba | レイハセンバ | |
Lidra | リドルラ | "Lidra-senba". "Ridolra" would be a bit difficult to pronounce. |
Ridol-senba | リドルセンバ |
Enemies
English | Japanese | Alternative | Details |
---|---|---|---|
Badira | バジラ | Bajilla | Bajilla would be closer to the original. Alternatively, Go Bajilla could be changed to Go Badira for consistency, but would make both equally more inaccurate. |
Go Bajilla | ゴ・バジラ | Go Badira | |
Tengohg | テンゴウグ | Tengoug | Half of this family of monsters uses "gohg", while the other half uses "goug"! |
Onmagoug | オンマゴウグ | Onmagohg | |
Zoal Goug | ゾアル・ゴウグ | Zoal Gohg | |
Alterazgohg | アルテラツゴウグ | Alterazgoug |
Inconsistent with Previous Games
The Japanese names of these items match those of their counterparts in Japanese versions of other Phantasy Star games, but are translated differently in Phantasy Star Universe.
English | Japanese | Alternatives | Details |
---|---|---|---|
TECHNIC | テクニック | Technique | Reasoning behind change is unknown, but is similar to other fully capitalized in-game terms such as RELICS, or GUARDIANS. |
Bardiche | バルディッシュ | Berdysh (PSO) | Phantasy Star Online's original naming is a rather horrible mangling of an actual weapon term for a long poleaxe. |
Stag Cutralli | スタッグカットラリ | Stag Cutlery (PSO) | A double saber originally from PSO. |
Neiclaw | ネイクロー | Nei's Claw (PSO) | Known as "Nei's Claw" in English versions of PSO. Neiclaw is actually the most accurate. |
Falclaw | ファルクロー | Rika's Claw (PSO), Rikaclaw | Known as "Rika's Claw" in the English versions of PSO. "Fal" is the Japanese name of Phantasy Star IV's Rika. |
Sonichi | ソニチ | Soniti (PSO,PSZ) | A Mag from Phantasy Star Online, now a RCSM. Like PSO, Phantasy Star Zero uses "Soniti". |
Chao Staff | チャオの杖 | Striker of Chao (PSO) | Known as Striker of Chao in the English versions of PSO. Note that Chao, and not Jaggo, is correct here and only here. |
Shato | シャト | Sato (PSO), Chato (PSZ) | A Mag from Phantasy Star Online, now a TCSM. Confusingly, Phantasy Star Zero, released later, uses a third spelling. |
Yasminakov | ヤスミノコフ | Yasminkov (PSO), Yasminokov (PSZ) | Reference to the Yasminkov series of weapons from PSO. "Yasminokov" would be the most accurate translation. |
Grinna Bete C | グリナ・ビートC | Grinna Beat C | The names of these machine enemies reference PSO's Sinow Beat (シノワビート), but both "Sinow" and "Beat" are spelled differently in PSU. "Shinowa" is closer to the original Japanese than the more liberal "Sinow", however. |
Grinna Bete S | グリナ・ビートS | Grinna Beat S | |
Shinowa Hidoki | シノワ・ヒドキ | Sinow Hidoki | |
Jigo Booma | ジゴ・ブーマ | Gigobooma (PSO,PSZ), Gigo Booma | A familiar enemy from the forest area of PSO. "Jigo" is closer to the original Japanese, since the "G" in "Gigo" could be mistaken for a hard G sound (as in "go" or "gravity") instead of the "j" sound (as in "jelly" or "jury") it should be. |
Dark Falz | ダーク・ファルス | Darkfalz (I), Dark Force (II,III,IV), Dark Phallus (Saturn Collection bonus material) | The Japanese name, which is closer to "Falz" than "Force", has been mostly consistent throughout the series' entire history. "Falz" is the most common variation now, even after bundling expanded versions in the series (e.g. Blue Burst, Ambition of the Illuminus) with their originals. |
Miscellany
English | Japanese | Alternatives | Details |
---|---|---|---|
Tyrant Spada | タイラントスパーダ | Tyrant Sparda | Sparda or Spada? |
Special Ops (Sparda) | 特務兵・スパーダ | Special Ops (Spada) | |
Bil De Vear | ビル・ヂ・ビア | - | Technically accurate, but compare to PSO's Hildebear (ヒルヂベア). |
Japanese Errors
A mistake made in the original Japanese, usually stemming from incorrect use of Anglicisms—essentially translating English to Japanese and back to English again.
English | Japanese | Suggested Correction | Details |
---|---|---|---|
Vullseye | ヴァルズアイ | Bullseye | V and B are often confused/interchangeable in Japanese. The proper spelling for "bullseye" would be ブルズアイ instead. |
BT Lovers | BT・ラバーズ | VT Lovers | The "BT" is supposed to stand for "Valentine", and thus should probably have been VT. Also, conjecturally, rendering it "VD" (for "Valentine's Day") would probably have been problematic—"VD" also stands for "venereal disease," an older term for sexually transmitted diseases. |
BT Box | BT・ボックス | VT Box |
General Info |
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