On the translations themselves
First of all, my Japanese is extremely rudimentary. A large portion of the scripts for OGs are directly sourced from the original scripts of OG1 and OG2 for the GBA.
The rest of the script I got by entering the on-screen Japanese text into a couple of different online translators. Often times it came out grammatically incorrect, and sometimes it was complete gibberish (at one time I got the word “Kitchenly”).
I then took what it gave me and restructured it into proper English grammar, trying my best to keep it in context of both the events currently transpiring and the person who was speaking. The result is something that lands in between a localization and a word-for-word translation.
With that in mind, I may break off of the original English script present in the GBA games if I feel that a part of it was improperly done. And their may also be times where, if a part of a translation is giving me too much trouble, I just make something up.
Also, I will be writing these as though the player has gotten all Skill Points. I have noted some difference in dialogue depending on whether or not the Skill Point for that stage is acquired, but it amounts to so little that I don’t feel the need to
Layout Notes
Location names and title cards are bolded.
Actions that take place are *starred and italicized*.
Triggers for events that require specific actions (i.e. Player Character fighting a specific enemy) is {bracketed and italicized}.
Any specific part of a translation that I want to display a note on will be noted by a superscript1 at that point in the script pointing to the corresponding note at the bottom of the page.
On specific translations
Original Generations(OG1)
This translation contains the entirety of Ryusei’s route and the first twenty chapters of Kyosuke’s route.
Since the latter half of Kyosuke’s route is not canon to the OG timeline, I have no plans to fully translate it. Maybe when I run out of other material to translate, but that’s quite a ways off.
On certain names/groups of names
Unofficial English names
The spelling of any name that appears in my translations that has never appeared in any official SRW source is my best stab at phonetically matching the Japanese syllables to English letters. Unless I can find substantial proof that I am wrong, I will not be changing them. (i.e. I used to spell Gennady’s name as Gennacy until I learned that Gennady is a proper Russian name.)
Latune
I’m fully aware of the fact that Original Generation 1 and 2, along with the translation for The Moon Dwellers, has Latune Subbota’s first name spelled as “Latooni”. I’m also aware that the Katakana of her name (ラトゥーニ・スゥボータ) is phonetically pronounced “Ratooni Subota“.
However, I am convinced that this is an improper translation of her name. In Russian, Latune’s surname of “Subbota” (Суббота) means Saturday, fitting in with the names of her surrogate parents, Garnet Sunday and Giado Venerdi (which is Italian for Friday).
Along that same line, “Latune” (Латунь) is Russian for Brass. Since Arado and Seolla were part of the Bronzo class (Italian for Bronze), Ouka being part of the Aurum class (Latin for Gold), and Chien, Chienne, and Chiot being part of the Argent class (a type of silvery metal), this fits in with her being designated “Latune 11” and her class name in The School being “Latune” instead of “Latooni”. As a final note, Latune’s personal music theme that she gets in OGs is called Brass Sincerity.
Hiryu Custom/Kai
In Japan, it’s called the Hiryu Kai. It’s English equivalent is the Hiryu Custom. I’ll be using both names, Custom as its official designation, and Kai as a commonly used shorthand.
Treue/Troye Unit
The UCC special forces that Leona is part of is called the Troye Unit in the original GBA OG1, but while ‘Troye’ does mean ‘three’ in Russian, ‘Treue’ mean ‘loyalty’ in German, which I think is a more fitting name for that unit. Plus, Leona’s personal theme in OGs is called Treue.
1 Just like this one.