FFVI- J Style

So it's about my 29th time through FFVI. I've been pretty much in love with this game since I first saw it. I've made attempts at playing it in Japanese before, but it's usually been more frustrating than fun.

This time is a little different. I don't exactly glide through it or anything, but I'm having a much easier time with the reading. Part of it is a little private rails app that I made to keep track of my Japanese in the context of the script from FFVI (among other texts). I'm thinking of releasing some version of it soon, but till I put it out there, it's mine.

Anyways, I've noticed a couple of things about FFVI in Japanese that I don't think are handled the same way in the English translation. Some of this might be my own bias. Japanese is my second language, and I don't know if there has been research done on this or not. But when I read something in my second language, it somehow seems more important. Maybe because it takes more effort? I'm not sure, and I don't really want to throw in too much arm chair psychology here, but...

In any case, there are two main ways that I see the game being different. First, the characters seem more vibrant in the Japanese version. Edward is a little more pervy. Sabin is more of a meat-head. Terra is a lot girlier. Part of because of what can go in the Japanese version. ie. An old woman saying that Edward tried to get with everything from children to her. That wouldn't fly in America. I don't think that American players would like Terra coming across as weak either. That aside though, there are some ways where it seems like the Japanese can be more expressive with less text. All it takes is a little final particle, and it automatically portrays a particular type of character. In English, it might take a few more sentences with more subtle word choices to give the same effect. The real key here is that these final particles alone are not only telling of emotion or personality, but that they can appear nearly irrespective of topic or to some extent, complexity of the idea presented.

I've noticed this in other Japanese games too. Watts in Secret of Mana comes off as a little gruffer. All it takes is a little "zo" at the end of a sentence or two.

The second big difference is that FFVI seems a bit more self referential in Japanese. At the end of the imp's description of how to use Gau's Leap/Rage skill, it says something like "back to the game." And I think that there was a point or two earlier on too that let me know I was playing a game. It's not old guy muppet style "at these prices!?" distracting, but it did catch me off guard as I didn't remember getting that feeling in the English version.