Hey everyone! Welcome to my channel! I'm Ackermin but my friends call me Ack. I make videos about gaming and game related stuff like localization, weird peripherals, and game history. If you're into any of those kinds of topics consider checking out some of my content and maybe even subscribe if the mood hits ya. Thanks a lot. Ack out!
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My man, do you study Japanese like me, too?
The fact that Xenoblade 2, one of my favourite games ever, was changed in localisation and I don't know the extent to which that is the case has been gnawing at me since I was first made aware of the existence of such changes. I knew for example that the Xenogears translation was far from perfect, but I don't believe Richard Honeywood did it out of ill will, his was an insurmountable task. Most of those mistakes are well documented, let's hope the same ends up happening for Xenoblade 2 as well. Otherwise, I guess I'll just have to study up.
Time is running.... I was 12 years old if the game released :(
Ackermin is a legend in the making!
I honestly never understood the "christened mew" line, ngl. The only contexts I ever knew around that word was "being born" and sex in a new place, neither of which made any sense. The line of "I named Mew" is simple and gets to the point; it fits in with the other bland like sentences in the localization yet the guy decides to add a big word with mulitple meanings? Maybe one can call me an idiot for not knowing that one meaning. Still, you're right to complain about the inconsistency, it's baffling what and how things get translated in Red. It's always cool to see how Kusaka and Shudo used the original game material. The journal being by one anon guy links so well to the Mewtwo movie and Katsura being Mewtwo's creator in PokeSpe. Yet Shudo even referenced the Guyana portion. The original is both detailed and just vague enough, the localization is just bland like the dialogue wasn't important to the gameplay.
Thanks YT for not notifying me of these videos. Anyway, I completely forgot about the existence of the Wild Beast Tamer class. Legit looked at that sprite and thought "that was in the localization?" lol. It's kinda cool that they managed to leave an easter egg of what the Pokemon game was going to be like. And it made me realize that Akira/AJ from the anime is a character based off that trainer type. I'm so glad you went off on the localization writer. One of the things I've noticed is that localizer writers tend to get away with changing things to the point where it could affect not just the game, but perception of future games. The details being left out involving Kyou is so pointless it's almost like he was trying to make a bland game (or forced to). And it's something that's not mentioned (almost) anywhere, a little detail just forgotten. A damn shame, thanks for giving us this. Edit: forgot to mention that they couldn't use 'Freeza'; DBZ had that on lock-down and would have sued. 😂 (Joking, I wouldn't mind Freezer being called Freeza. We'd have thousands of pics & vids of DBZ characters using pokemon then. lol)
switch cartridgtes are small on purpous, so kids can easily lost theses valuables cards.
oh i forgot abvout this push button inside the gamecube! thanks for reminding me 😂
someone did it! thanks internet 😂 i remember that was fun to eject games from the snes, and this feature disappeared from the following consoles.
I am trying my best to provide Uncensored Translations 😊 I also hate this Censorship War too.
The simple fact that localizers now seek to region lock the localization into Japan, so the consumer can't have access to original content, speaks volumes about their character, intentions and motivation
0:46 Another ignoring of the character limitation. I actually tried it myself and you can't fit all of that information in the character space they had. What we got is probably the best that could be done and it conveys the main points just fine. 2:25 But the general meaning is still the same. And you're really mad about the term "Pokedex"? Really? At least have a decent criticism lol. That's not it. People understand it just fine.
0:46 That was absolutely a result of text space limits and it still got the message across. Maybe you didn't pick up on it somehow, but it isn’t bad lmao. 1:52 What? That's not a completely different direction. You seriously are lacking in adequate understanding of the meaning of these lines. In the west, it isn't traditionally recognized for the sea to incite a sense of adventure compared to in Japan. The general idea of the text was maintained with the sea and its impact. You're exaggerating such an insignificant difference. 2:59 You even admit that you can see the connection in meaning. Just because there isn't a direct reason to change the line doesn't make it bad, as you seem to be suggesting. This is laughable 😂 3:20 Okay, and? The meaning is still consistent and the localization makes it fit given the context and what the Japanese said. It didn't come out of nowhere. And your interpretation of the character as serious isn't a good reason to consider it bad. And in all honesty, I fail to see how saying whiplash even sounds out of character as it isn't really humorous in nature. 4:45 Fan fiction? It's clearly metaphorically speaking and it has the exact same meaning lmao. How is that "fan fictiony"? The anti-localisation brigade seems to have great difficulty coming up with decent arguments 😭 10:57 Really? These are just basic localizations to her dialogue that makes it sound natural and more appropriate for western audiences while maintaining the meaning of the Japanese. There's zero issue with that. You just can't handle translations that aren't 1:1 14:21 With these statements, you've tarnished your rep here XD Really? Bruno came off as _stoic_ to you? And you think he's some sort of "meathead" in English? I don't think this guy's reading abilities are exactly top notch!
4:22 Once again, you're demonstrating your nitpicky tendencies. The English sounds natural while maintaining the general meaning of the Japanese. And for the post battle line, it also expresses surprise at the trainer's strength. Anything that is differing in words misses the mark to you lmao. 5:00 The Japanese also uses the term in an informal way. Out like a light does a fine job conveying that and carries the meaning over just fine. That's not bad localization. You just don't like things that aren't 1:1. 5:50 I think it's pretty obvious approximately how long he's been waiting. Your inability to gather that information is not the fault of the localization. 9:56 It can, but so can many other good localizations if you try hard enough. Once again, you're forcing these twisted interpretations and exaggerating them. 14:39 That's honestly a clever localization. It carries over the meaning of the Japanese with a cultural reference. Nothing was lost, but once again, you're exaggerating it. 17:45 Are you seriously moaning about inconsistency? That's such an insignificant criticism and there's no reason to use that as a reason for calling a localization bad lmao. Especially when it constantly maintains the meaning 18:11 When your best criticism is that, that says a lot lol. That's such a minor change and in all honesty, they still convey similar meanings in that they both convey an idea of persevering and acknowledging strength. 19:40 Ah, hyperbole. It isn't drastically censored lol. It's just basic censorship. And you really want him to just be some weirdo who laughs? That's pretty silly in my opinion. 20:31 Disrespectful? Once again, you're at it with the hyperbole. It's just a basic localization change, not much more than that.
This is exactly why I have my Nintendo Switch console set to Korean and not English.
Didn't knew it was on N64 too. Cool review
1:29 not like text limits are a thing! 2:18 So? That's a minor addition that fits with the context. Saffron is clearly the most significant city in the Kanto region from an economic perspective. 10:06 You're blowing that way out of proportion. And it was not referencing any Japanese custom lol. It was clearly a reference to the act of one removing shoes before engaging in such a sport. You forced a wildly different interpretation for that narrative.
14:48 That's still the same in meaning and you're still not understanding how this text space limit works. This is another laughable criticism. 16:07 Thats literally identical in meaning. All youve done is say "lol this different, so bad!". 16:29 That's such an insignificant change. Especially since it is the same in meaning. How you interpreted that as his character being changed is beyond me! I've heard similar types of characters in other media say things like "you got an appointment with the boss?". The heck are you on about "royal guard" for lmao. 20:44 That is not an adequate criticism, especially to purvey this idea you've made for it being a poorly localized game. The same goes for almost every single point in this "series". 21:55 Where was it even mentioned elsewhere? You didn't even say where else it was said. And a quick look in the text dump, the exact term is only used one other time. Not "time and time again". And you're exaggerating this flawed consistency argument, not to mention the fact that it isn't even a good reason to call the localization bad lol. And are you really going at the localization mentioning he lost again and you go on to say it’s horrible? More exaggerating. 22:53 That’s your best criticism yet, and it still isn't that good lol. His English dialogue never states that he was never going to return. In fact, the "i shall return" line at the end seems like a direct reference to his intentions to go at Silph again. And you claim it is spoiled. Literally nobody i know or have even heard of had the 8th gym spoiled from that. You are just trying to find reasons to hate on it with that 😂
5:40 Those alternative names are horrible lmao. Your criticisms of that are laughable. Really? You're upset they didn't reference the round aspect again? That's really petty, even the most anti localization people don't stoop to that lmao. 4:12 Are you really having an issue with that? Not that it's new, but seriously. Why is that even worth criticising to you lmao. At least give decent arguments. All of your criticisms boil down to you finding it weird, deliberately misinterpreting it or being really nitpicky with the differences. 11:17 How was that funny in Japanese? I think your sense of humour is just weird lol. And that still has the same meaning. You're purposefully ignoring that aspect constantly. 8:05 The problem is you're scraping together random pieces of information, trying to make some warped interpretation of the Japanese dialogue that wasn't intentional. They're just throwaway lines for comedic effect and they're translated in a way that conveys that. The fact you elect to ignore that is not good. And in all honesty, i don't see how you interpreted the Japanese as him speaking to only one brother. He was clearly speaking to more than one.
14:30 what? This is the ultimate nitpick. You're seriously complaining about it adding "blocks our path" and removing that it's sleeping "peacefully"? As for the whole grumpy rage thing, it's pretty obvious that in Japanese, Snorlax isn't in the most happy state. Just because it isn't stated, doesn't mean it isn't implied. You seem to be able to pick up so many obscure meanings in the Japanese, how were you unable to do so here? 16:15 That's again due to text space limits. You just don't wish to admit that's a central reason for this information being left out. 16:52 That's literally the English cultural equivalent. People asking "what do you want" usually say that as a result of being provoked in some way in the first place. You're deliberately ignoring these things lmao. 18:44 Again?! Are you just trying your hardest to mess up the interpretation of the english? How exactly did you interpret that line lmao. It's pretty clearly implying a very similar thing to the Japanese line.
Lmao this guy does _not_ understand how this text limitation thing works 😂 You really think that it's just all one large set? They're divided into smaller sets. Take the "i lost my concentration". The additional dialogue was added because it could fit into the character limit of that specific part. Elsewhere, it is different. And you still have zero adequate criticisms. You're just moaning about minor, insignificant additions of dialogue that change literally nothing. And you're forcing your nonsensical interpretations.
Also, you can't just call localisation you interpret as being based on opinion "overlocalisation". The fact you consider that such a thing is an opinion in of itself lol
This greatly demonstrates his lack of understanding of the process of localisation, let alone the concept of it. His idea is just "be 1:1 outside of phrases and sayings", from what I've seen in these videos.
"But I like the localized names/locations/rewrites better". How many times I've heard this argument. What they fail to understand is that it doesn't matter if it's better or worse. It's like going to a foreign restaurant and ask for all your dishes to be cooked and served the way your daily meals are made. You are just robbing yourself of a discovery and showing very little respect to the original work. And when a restaurant does that without your knowledge and you finally get to experience the real thing on trip you realize that you've been cheated. Overlocalization often feels like they thought that we are too stupid, obtuse and stuck in our ways to enjoy something that hasn't been reformated to fit what the localization team thinks of what our cultural background implies in terms tastes. It is both disrespectful of the original product and its authors and awfully patronizing toward the audience. Unfortunately the American audience has been so fed with overly rewrote and "re-americanized" cultural products that a good chunk of it is now having hard time enjoying something that hasn't be remade to fit they comfort zone.
I argue "Killer" sounds pretty generic. Are the enemies are "killers," right? "Bullet Bill" gives it more of an identity.
I mean, "Lizard" can't be a favorable name for Pokemon No. 005 outside Japan. You would get ridiculed, if not, pounded/thrashed if you liked cute things. What about Copyright Issues?
All of this if making me think if this guy likes America at all. ...or, at least, their takes.
I used to have a vendetta against dubs in general when I first started to notice the changes in localizations. Basically I blamed the voice actors' bad performance being the reason behind these changes. Now I know that they aren't (always) at fault. It's funny, cuz not matter how far back you go, you still find bad localizations all over the video game history, with many different reasons as to why over the decade. And I know people want to make it political since a lof of the changes we see nowadays are made by extreme left-wing agendas, but forget that in the past it was mostly extreme-right wing groups spewing obnoxious censorship and changes all over different products. So, no, I don't think it's a political issue, it's simply bad professionals. I remember reading an interview from an old-timer localizer reflecting back on his first jobs during the PS1 era, and how easy and fun it was to change parts of the script, and how no one at the team criticized his actions. But when the fans started to complain about these changes, he immediately changed his stance to treat his job more seriously and the players were overall more happy. He said that it's highly unprofessional, but typical of newcomers to do these kinds of things, and they need to take the criticism to heart.
3:48 You're just trying to find issues at this rate. For me, that sentence captured the feeling of disappointment just fine. As for your claim for gender omission and inconsistency, that's a bit of a nitpick. Just because you didn't understand that she was suggesting him being male meant he couldn't be in the gym doesn't make that bad. Given the context, it is pretty obvious. As for the inconsistency, all it did was remove an explicit mention of gender. How is that an indicator of bad localisation as you seem to suggest? And just because gender isn't mentioned directly, doesn't mean it isn't being referenced. It just seems to have went over your head. 18:24 Really? The meaning is still the exact same. And it is hardly watered down. In fact, in the Japanese version, it comes off the exact same. That is not bad localisation lmao. As for the lady enjoying herself, it is obvious that she's referring to playing slots. And the game has an irrefutable text space limit. Anything more "faithful" would not fit properly. This is what I mean by poor arguments you're raising. Your criticisms are mostly nitpicky and really hyperbolic.
I do think lot of changes is due to text box limitations
ironiclly that kid is right only sleep helps you catch pokemon in gen 1
I'm against the very concept of localization on principle. You can't rearrange language and "adapt" a different culture to your own. When localizers start inserting popular memes from the west into the dialogue, that goes beyond bastardizing the product. Localization had it's moments of brilliance like when Vagrant Story elevated the original japanese dialogue for the anglo audiences. But the method didn't involve censoring or changing meaning, it actively searched for an aesthetic that matched the game. But those moments were so far and few in between, that you can't trust the judgement of the Localizers to do a good job, because most of the time you just can't do something like Alex O Smith did with VS. And specially with the current Localizers with huge egos and delusions of big artistry, let alone their insertions of personal and corporate activism.
This seems to be based on a severe misunderstanding of what localisation actually is, what it involves and how Japanese works. You absolutely _can_ rearrange language and adapt it into the respective culture while maintaining the key aspects of the work. People often misrepresent localisation when the meaning absolutely is not different while it was modified to fit the local culture.
It's sad that this is still so relevant. Never stop fighting for better localization.
Square Enix sending everyone back here.
@SymmetricalDocking they are really bait and switching people. Forget the Tifa stuff. They "removed" the DEI stuff from the site but, in actuality, just changed the wording.
Better Translations, No more Localizations.
I can see what you mean, but I'm just saying, this particular one isn't it. Especially when you know what his idea of "bad" localisation is.
@@user-bd6lw1cm2lNo it is. I've played the game. I got no idea what you're on about dude
translation > localization
That will result in many aspects of the source language being lost completely. Much more than could possibly be lost in localisation lmao.
@@user-bd6lw1cm2lwrong.
Come OOON! You know you like handling a man turtle.
Pocket Monsters got shorten to Pokémon not just to “hide” the fact that they were monsters but at the time the United States already had a toy line called Monster in my Pocket where you collect toy monsters, so they changed it for copyright reasons
Love your video! This game was a huge part of my childhood. Its a shame you didnt play the splitscreen much, i had 6 siblings and its all i ever did. Splitscreen chaos around the lift at the end of each lap was so much fun!
This video suffers the same problem as your others where you don't understand localization and call any significant change bad with very few exceptions. The names sound natural while sticking to the tone of the Japanese, but you're just nitpicking these differences. E.g. Chain Chomp gets its main concept off fine and I had zero issue understanding it was a dog. As for the Rip Van enemy, the concept of sleeping is still preserved which is what's important. And back then, Winkle was not exactly obscure. I've heard of Rip Van Winkle and I did when I was younger. Just because you didn't doesn't mean it won't be understood by others. With the enemies Rex and the Rhino, they line up with the concept of the enemy. "Lighter" is boring from a western perspective for a name and Rex alludes to it being a dragon and is a name that can be associated with a boy. These videos are really biased, I'm afraid. It's really disappointing to see this.
A lot of these are just standard localization lmao. Things like strollin stu or petey piranha just fall in line with names of characters like bullet bill. And the names are localised to suit a western audience, nothing more. That doesn't mean the changes are bad. As for the other ones, FLUDD is much better than the word "pump" in Japanese which is a loanword. And a lot of the places are along the same lines, but they just make the name more interesting for western audiences. Fire Bubble Land sounds better for Japanese speakers as foreign names tend to come off as "cooler". But it sounds generic in English. The fact you admit liking it supports it is a good localization change. Or the enemy names you nitpick. Klepto vs Jango. The latter comes from Japanese words (Jan, Japanese onomatopoeia for flapping wings and o is an honorific suffix), the former just makes it better for a different culture. There is also the enemy Moe Eye in Odyssey. That is a good localization too, I don't know why you think that's bad lol. It stays in line with the Japanese meaning while sounding natural. "Seetatue" sounds ridiculous. And the location names in Odyssey, it is constantly in line with the theme of the Japanese, that's the important part. You're just, again, exaggerating the differences.
Lmao you're just nitpicking at minor name changes and then exaggerating the differences, ignoring the "feel" the Japanese names have to Japanese players compared to how it would a western player. They almost always stay in line with the general theme and offer similar levels of 'cartooniness' as the Japanese does. And English names in Japanese come off differently to in English. It isn't as "cool" for western players. To say you're biased is an understatement.
Basically the only solution is to become fluent in Japanese
There’s a commercial animated promo for this game too it’s pretty cool, kinda like beyblade and gundam
Past Localizers: "we are restricted by the TV networks because back then there was no such thing as a website on the internet that made it easier to control what you watch" Present Localizer: "we just want to force our narrative because we think you're dumb and stupid."
This video makes me sad… how many video games that I love and enjoy changed and warped the original meaning of what the author was trying to portray with their localizations? Can I really say I enjoyed the stories and characters of these games if they aren’t really the true version of that character or that story? Would I even enjoy the games and stories had I played the original versions of those games? Can localizations actually make games better? What even is the point of playing Japanese games if all I’ll ever get is something that is completely different from the original? These questions keep lingering in my head every time I look at a JRPG or anime dub. Sure a game’s gameplay is the most important aspect, but I truly love the storytelling that games can bring. Pokémon White was so great to me because of it’s story, but when I think to what all was changed can I say I truly love the game? I always thought Xenoblade had a fantastic story, but with all the changes can I really say it’s story is good?
This video is ridiculously exaggerated and it relies on hyperbole. His Red "analysis" clearly shows his lack of understanding on translation and localization in general. Bad localizations do exist as well as bad choices of localization. But changes due to cultural differences etc. are not indicative of bad localization as this video seems to suggest. Sometimes, it may be text character limits, cultural differences, sounding more awkward in English compared to Japanese etc. Xenoblade is a series with, in my and many others' opinions, a very well done localization. I'd personally go as far as to say it was fantastic. It had a lot of thought put into it. And with Nintendo at least, they work very closely with the devs in Japan and the other staff. It isn't a completely separate process with no interaction. Of course, if you want the "true" experience, learning Japanese is your best bet. But most won't do that and this is the next best thing. The same goes for all foreign media. A Japanese person won't enjoy the "true" version of games like Skyrim or GTA, but they will have a good localised version where they worked closely with Bethesda or Rockstar Games. All in all, 9.5 times out of 10, you're witnessing what's basically the same thing minus a few trivial, insignificant differences that really don't have any real change, depending on the game. Unless if it's something like Kirby Star Allies or Metroid Other M XD
@bengarrison7780 So the changes made in Japanese localizations of many western games (toning violence down) are bad too? Look at Baldur's Gate 3 in Japan. They did Xenoblade X type changes with that. Sorry, but it isn't. Just because you disagree with it doesn't make it bad lmao.
@bengarrison7780 Because different countries have different cultural norms. Sometimes things can be considered extremely taboo in certain areas. So localising those things to be more appropriate to the local territory is the best practice. There's no reason to consider that bad lmao. Again, just because you don't agree with it/dislike it doesn't mean it is bad. Whether you like it or not, that's a thing the vast majority of companies do. For business purposes and even to make sure the product is equally enjoyable to all audiences regardless of where they came from. Most don't play or watch foreign media because they're foreign lmao. That's for the minority of weirdos with unnatural obsessions with certain cultures.
@bengarrison7780 Using buzzwords to describe something you disagree with doesn't strengthen your argument. Try and get a good argument before resulting to these "insults". That's my advice :)
@bengarrison7780 Didn't actually see the reply until now.
2:43 in English if medicine is a liquid then we would sometimes say you “drink” medicine
I’m just here to stop negativity. If it’s for a young audience then it should be censored. Freedom of opinion, it’s a natural right that everyone has. It’s an opinion, it’s not supposed to be factual. Translations are technically canon, it just depends on where you live. But then people don’t understand it. That’s not a solution, it’s not censored, not changed to help the foreign audience understand.
If it needs to be censored to be appropriate towards a younger audience, then it's not fit FOR a younger audience to begin with. And no, let me be clear on that, anything that runs contradictory to -> the intent of the original author as presented in the work itself < - intrinsically cannot ever, _ever_ be canon in any way shape or form. I also couldn't care less whether the objections aimed at localizers are considered "negativity" or not, I only care that the issues targeted by most of said complaints are demonstrably real.
@@TheWolfgangGrimmer By that logic, all adaptations of anything are bad and not canon, right?
@@nyronarnold6024 Bad no, not canon yes. By definition only the source material is canon, that's just how it works.
I have to be honest, this just seems like you're telling anyone who disagrees with you to just stop disagreeing. From your Red "analysis and comparison", I've got an idea on your opinion on localization. And you expressed your opinions. What you said, I'm sure you are aware, is not fact. People who disagree with your criticisms aren't "defending bad localization". They simply just disagree with what you think about it. What seems to be the case is that you don't really understand what localization is and incorporates. You seem to constantly label any changes as messing with the original meaning and downplaying any other potential interpretation of the text, simultaneously pushing yours to propel the narrative that they are different.
@bengarrison7780 Yes, because I've made my own comparisons and they are fantastic. There are parts where they aren't the best, but for the most part, they're good at retaining the message while simultaneously sounding natural and not a goofy direct, literal translation that sounds awkward. You can't just tell others to dismiss my comment because of something I said that you disagree with, Ben.
@@user-bd6lw1cm2l Even before Ben said that completely correct statement, you were completely wrong with "Defending a bad localization is not defending bad localization."
the eternal eop
@@SymmetricalDocking If you're just going to call someone's statement that you agree with "completely correct", I think it shows you aren't too familiar with critical thinking. Not to mention your lack of expansion of your point.
So basically, I like the rewritten fanfic the localizer was too lazy/rushed to actually do correctly therefore it is good and you are wrong. In the end you are still wrong because in the end it's not the original or close, allowing liberties and low quality check up in terms of keeping it to the original, only allows for it to spiral downward which we see today with the extremes of adding memes or social political remarks. Just because you personally like a bootleg fanfic doesn't mean it should continue to exist when we can very easily just not have the problem at all.
I agree that localization is a spectrum. Personally, I do not like it when things are just a direct translation. It just sounds stiff and natural. I prefer a bit of localization so that the dialogue at least makes sense in English. The Zelda games are a good example of what I prefer localization to be like. I also think the Yakuza series from Sega is localized pretty well. In a perfect world, a localized game should be as if the original writer was 100% bilingual and wrote the game in both languages themselves.
Interesting video! Linguistics is fascinating, and I'd say that I would gravitate towards localization as opposed to a direct translation. I was hoping you would give some more specific examples of what you consider to be bad vs good localization.
What kind of sicko doesn't user gyro aiming in botw? Good video btw :)