Gibberish
In a couple of places you will come across people who offer to tell you "something good" if you pay them. If you do you will be rewarded with some complete gibberish and symbols.
The reason for this is quite simple, the translators
forgot to translate that part and the game is trying to display the Japanese text using an English font.
The same problem occurs with some enemies at Tenzan Pass towards the end of the game.
This was fixed for the PAL version.
Versions: NTSC UC
gúSHkkkkkkkkkh
If you bring Killey with you to fight the Beast Rune and put him in the first slot and choose "You're right....." when the throne room starts shaking he'll say gúSHkkkkkkkkkh.
Yeah, it's another untranslated line. But we can't expect them to translate all of them, can we? That'd be asking for your money's worth.
Anti-climatically the line is just supposed to be "Let's go."
This wasn't fixed for the PAL version.
Versions: PAL / NTSC UC
Hell
The third spell of the Soul Eater is called Hell. Though the original text reads meifu which is Japanese for Hades or Realm of Death.
Most likely this is simply a case of dumbing things down for the player on the assumption that most people are unfamilair with Greek mythology in general. For those wondering Hades is where mortals go when they die according to Greek mythology, after being judged you can be sent on to either Tartarus or Elysium.
Versions: PAL / NTSC UC
Mazus
Unknown to some, the Chizen stars of Suikoden I and II are actually named after real people. Crowley is named after Aleister Crowley and Mazus after Samuel McGregor Mathers. While the real Crowley was a student under Mathers for a while they were not rivals like in the game.
So if he's named after Mathers why is he called Mazus? Well, it's our beloved translator at work again. Apparently blissfully unaware of the history of the name, he translated the name on a semi-phonetic basis and through some twist of fate came up with Mazus.
Versions: PAL / NTSC UC
Mortal Wounds
During the attack on Rockaxe a messenger will arrive and tell you the outcome of Kiba's battle at the old Mercenary Fort. Saying: "During the battle, both Silverburg and General Kiba were mortally wounded."
Given that Leon is alive and well for the rest of the game it makes no sense. It's supposed to say: "During the battle, General Kiba was..."
There's not even a mention of Silverberg in the original line. Good job Mr.Translator!
Versions: PAL / NTSC UC
Necklace
Ever wondered why it seems like almost no one can wear a simple item like a necklace? Well, it will become more obvious when you realize that only animal-types can wear them.
It's supposed to be a collar, as in animal collar. Makes sense now doesn't it? Though you gotta wonder why Wingers count more as animals than humans...
Versions: PAL / NTSC UC
Sasarai
At a certain point in the game Luc will appear and blow away the Harmonian forces with his True Wind Rune. Sasarai responds to this with "No... How could my True Rune fail me...".
Unfortunatly the original exchange goes more like this; when Luc prepares to blow the Harmonians away Sasarai says "By the power of my True..." and escapes before he's hit.
So as a result in the English version Sasarai runs away with his tail between his legs after being hit (before the actual strike to boot >_<) and in the Japanese he used his True Rune to escape in the nick of time.
Versions: PAL / NTSC UC
Sonya...
In Viktor's Mercenary Fort there's a cat that will say "Sonya..." if spoken to. Unlike what some people with more imagination than intelligence would have you believe the cat is not Teo McDohl re-incarnated talking about his beloved Sonya.
The cat is actually saying "Nnyaa", which would be the Japanese version of "Meow".
This happened quite easily cause the kana for "SO" and "N" are very similair,
and
respectively. Easy mistake if your a beginner, but you'd think a professional translator could tell the difference.
And even if he can't, for any intelligent person it should raise a couple of red flags when you have a talking cat >_> Especially when the alternative makes so much more sense.
Versions: PAL / NTSC UC
Star Dragon Sword
In Japanese the kanjis for "Star" and "Dragon" put together make the word "Zodiac", the translator was apparently unaware of this and simply translated the words by themselves.
So yeah, our favourite talking sword is actually supposed to be called the "Zodiac Sword".
Versions: PAL / NTSC UC
The Book
It's not so much a mistranslation as much as it's an added metaphore that people don't seem to understand. The exchange goes like this:
Leon: But anyway, you forgot the rule #1 in 'the book'. Don't put yourself in danger.
Shu: I had to throw away 'the book'. You read it too many times...
Unfortunatly this makes it seem like Leon Silverberg is a second-rate strategist that can't think of new strategies, but rather just goes by his textbook.
The more literal translation goes like this:
Leon: How could someone like you come up with such a poor plan, risking your own life like this...
Shu: There was no way I could have beaten you through strategy alone, so I had to bet my life.
Versions: PAL / NTSC UC
The Job
After you've seen Shu in his house in Radat there will be a man blocking the door telling you to "Please accept the job." Under the circumstances it makes absolutely no sense.
The actual phrase is supposed to be "Please leave now".
Versions: PAL / NTSC UC
True Holy Rune
The Japanese word for Stallion/Cedric's rune is literally translated to something similair to "Truly Divine Transportation Method". The translator saw "divine" and managed to get it to "holy" and added with the "true" in the beginning came up with the "True Holy Rune".
Unfortunatly for him, it's not even a True Rune. It's merely a rare rune that Stallion and Cedric were born with.
A better translation of this would have been "Godspeed Rune".
Versions: PAL / NTSC UC
