Final Fantasy VII Remake Script Comparison: Chapter 16 – Part 1

The chapter begins with an iconic scene from the original…


And they debate whether to bust in the front door or take a more stealthy approach. This time, instead of the player getting the choice, Cloud decides they’re going to try to be sneaky. Incidentally, in an article on the game, the co-director Naoki Hamaguchi says that they were initially going to have the crew bust in the front door, but ultimately decided against it to better preserve the idea that it’s an infiltration mission.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
バレット
 派手な正面突破か 絵になるぜ
Barret
Frontal assault, guns blazing. Make for a good story.
ティファ
「ちょっとまってよ!
 まさか正面から
 のりこむつもり?」
Tifa
“Wait a second!
You’re not thinking of just going
right through the main entrance, are you?”
バレット
「決まってるだろ!
 神羅のやつらをけちらして……」
Barret
“Well what else does it look like!?
I’m gonna kick some Shinra butt and…”
クラウド
 あんた なにしに来てるんだ?
Cloud
Why’d we bring you along again?
クラウド
 裏へ回ろう
Cloud
Rear entrance.
ティファ
「でしょ?
 こんな時こそしんちょうに
 他のルートを探しましょ!」
(2) Tifa
“See? Let’s be careful and find a
different route!”
クラウド
 この先に 駐車場の入口がある
Cloud
We’ll get inside via the parking garage.

As they proceed, Tifa notes that security looks like it’s out in force. Unlike the original game where Barret said there was hardly any security. It seems like Shinra is expecting something to happen this time. Though once they get into the building proper they’ll meet little resistance.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ティファ
 完全に警戒態勢だよね
Tifa
Security’s looking pretty tight.
「今なら警備にもスキがある。
 おおし、いくぜっ!!」
“The security’s pretty light now.
Alright, let’s go!!”

Once again, Cloud has to remind Barret that their main objective is to rescue Aerith, not get revenge on Shinra. Granted, it’s only come up once a chapter and it’s well within Barret’s character to act like this.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
クラウド
 俺たちの目的は
 エアリスの救出だ
 余計な騒動は避ける
Cloud
We’re here to rescue Aerith, remember? We don’t
need more attention than what we’re gonna get.
クラウド
「……エアリスを助け出すまで
 騒ぎはおこしたくないんだ」
Cloud
“…because we don’t want to start
a commotion until we’ve saved
Aeris.”
Cloud
We need to be smart.
バレット
 わあってるよ
Barret
Yeah, I hear ya!
バレット
「わかってるって!」
Barret
“Hell, I know that!”

Barret then claims that his rage is like a bomb about to explode. This may not be intended as a direct reference, but it is reminiscent of what the mayor says in the original FF7 when the password you need to give him is BOMB or 爆発 (bakuhatsu ; “explode”) in Japanese. For the J Remake line, Barret doesn’t technically compare himself to a bomb, just saying roughly “What am I supposed to do with this anti-Shinra flame (in my heart)?” Causing Cloud to respond “Even Bombs hold back,” referencing the classic Final Fantasy Bomb monster.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
バレット
 ただな オレん中で
 真っ赤に燃えてる この
Barret
But my soul’s screamin’ for payback, you know?
バレット
 反神羅の炎を
 どうしてくれようかって話だ
Barret
I’m a tickin’ time bomb, and sooner or later I’mma have to blow up!
「なんとすばらしいひびき!
 そのとおり!
 私の怒りは最高レベルに!
 もう爆発しそうだ!」
“God, I love the sound of that!
BOMB!! I’m so angry, I’m like
a walking time bomb waiting to explode!”
クラウド
 ボムだって我慢する
Cloud
Well, then make it later.

The crew sneaks into the basement parking lot by riding on the top of a vehicle. Miraculously, they somehow aren’t spotted until Barret falls.

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
警備兵
 よし 行っていいぞ
Security Officer
Okay, head on in!

They end up having to fight their way through anyway, causing Cloud to complain like he does in the original when they take the front-door route.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
クラウド
 うまく立ち回れと言ったはずだ
Cloud
The idea was to not get noticed.
クラウド
「エアリスを助け出すまで
 騒ぎはおこしたくなかった」
Cloud
“I didn’t want to start a ruckus till
we saved Aeris.”
バレット
 不器用なもんでよ
Barret
Stealth ain’t my style.
クラウド
 最初から暴れる気だったな
Cloud
You never planned to be stealthy in the first place.
「まあ、無理だろうとは
 思っていたが……」
“I should have known
that was impossible though…”
バレット
 はて 記憶にねえな
Barret
Don’t remember. Maybe, maybe not.

Once they make it up to the lobby, they find it strangely deserted. This time Tifa is the one who asks Cloud if he’s familiar with the building. And Cloud is able to at least give a vague reply instead of admitting that he doesn’t know and then leaving it up to Barret to make his best guess.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ティファ
 エアリスの居場所
 見当は ついているの?
Tifa
Do you have any idea where they might be holding Aerith?
バレット
「おい、このビルには
 くわしいんだろ?」
Barret
“Hey, you oughta know
this building well.”
クラウド
 おそらく 科学部門の研究施設だ
Cloud
I’m thinking a research facility. That’d make the most sense.
バレット
 どこにあんだよ
Barret
And where is that?
クラウド
 たぶん 上の方
 ずっと上だ
Cloud
Upper floors…maybe near the top… That’s where you are.
「このビルの60階から上は
 特別ブロックとかで
 社員でも簡単には
 入れないってな」
“Every floor above the 60th is
special and not easy to get to
even for employees.”
「エアリスが連れて
 いかれたのもそこにちがいねえ」
“Must be where they
took Aeris.”

They quickly realize they won’t be getting anywhere without keycards. These were a main mechanic in the original game too, though they didn’t come into play until the upper floors. The English translation also includes an extra reference to the fact that multiple keycards needed to be collected on PSX. Though we’ll later find that this isn’t necessarily the case for Remake.

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
バレット
 鍵がねえと あがれねえってわけか
Barret
No getting upstairs without a keycard, huh?
ティファ
 このビルの鍵は カード型みたい
Tifa
Think we’re gonna need a few before this is over.

Tifa notes that both the elevator and stairs will only take them to the 59th floor. This reflects the original game, where floors 60 and up had tighter security.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ティファ
 エレベーターか階段で 59階の
 スカイフロアまでは
 あがれるみたいだけど
Tifa
Huh. Guess we can only get to the 59th floor via the elevators or stairs.
「社員といえど
 60階から上は
 カードキーがないと
 自由に歩けないからな……」
“Even employees can’t access floors
above the 60th floor
without a keycard.”
ティファ
 そこから上は
 そのスカイフロアの
 受付で手続きしないと
 ダメみたい
Tifa
To access any level above that, we need to check in at the Skyview Hall reception.

The crew has the option of taking either the elevator or the stairs. The elevator sequence mimics the original’s with battles interspersed between floors and having the crew run into regular employees. Though in the original the encounters were entirely randomized.


Towards the end of the ride, Barret talks about how people can be complicit in Shinra’s crimes even if they’re generally good people, possibly also hinting at his backstory.

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
ティファ
 神羅にも 家族のために働いてる人がいて
Tifa
A whole lotta normal people with families and friends
work for Shinra.
ティファ
 帰る場所があって 待っている人がいて
Tifa
People just trying to support their loved ones as best
they can.
ティファ
 もちろん わかってたことなんだけど
Tifa
I know it’s not exactly a revelation, but…
ティファ
 なんだか きついな
Tifa
It’s easy to forget.
バレット
 善人なんだろうが
 連中は 自覚なき共犯者だ
Barret
A good man who serves a great evil is not without sin.
バレット
 そういう連中の意識を 変える必要がある
Barret
He must recognize and accept his complicity.
バレット
 自分たちの売っている 魔晄が星の命に
 等しいってことを自覚してもらわねえと
Barret
He must open his eyes to the truth—that his corporate
masters are profiting from the planet’s pain.
バレット
 そうなれば 世界は変わる
Barret
Only then can he redeem himself.
バレット
 総会で 聞いたよな?
Barret
I know you know this.

Barret isn’t too enthusiastic about taking the stairs and Tifa quickly takes the lead, as in the original.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
バレット
 マジかよ
Barret
You have got to be shittin’ me.
バレット
「おい……
 ホンキでこれ、上まで
 のぼるつもりか……?」
Barret
“Yo…
You really gonna take these
stairs all the way up?”
クラウド
 ああ
 正面突破よりは人目につかない
Cloud
Nope. We’re a lot less likely to get caught this way.
ティファ
「しょうがないでしょ。
 エアリスを
 無事に助けるためよ」
Tifa
“Well we’ve got to
get to Aeris
to help her somehow.”
バレット
 そりゃ そうかもしんねえけどよ
Barret
But a lot more likely to die of boredom.
バレット
「しかし、いくら
 見つかりにくいったって
 こいつは……」
Barret
“Of all the out of the way…”

The banter is mostly rewritten and added on to, but there are some sections from the original, like Barret asking how far the stairs go.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
バレット
 しっかしこの階段
 いつまで続くんだ!
Barret
But tell me, these stairs…are these stairs ever gonna end!?
バレット
「……しかしこの階段
 どこまで続くんだ?」
Barret
“…how much farther do these
stairs go on?”
ティファ
 さあ 階段に聞いて
Tifa
I dunno! Ask the stairs!
ティファ
「さあ……階段にきいて」
Tifa
“Why don’t you ask them?”
クラウド
 階段が答えるはずないだろ
Cloud
I don’t think the stairs are talking.
バレット
 ないぜ その答えはないぜ
Barret
Well, duh. I mean…duh.
クラウド
 冗談のつもりだった
Cloud
I was joking.
ティファ
 私語 禁止にする?
Tifa
That’s enough from both of you.

At one point, Barret jokingly says that he’d prefer a suicidal last stand, reminiscent of how he acts like he’s going to die in the original. Though in J Remake he just comments on how they at least don’t have to deal with any battles.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalE PSX
バレット
 このルートは かったるいけどよ
 戦闘がないだけマシだな
Barret
Worst route ever. Gimme a suicidal last stand. At
least— At least—at least that’d have an end!
バレット
「マリン、父ちゃんは
 もう一度お前に
 会いたかった……」
Barret
“Marlene, Daddy wanted to
see your face one more time…”
クラウド
 やめろ
Cloud
Let’s shut up.
ティファ
 うん やめて
Tifa
Yes, let’s.
バレット
 なんで
Barret
Why?

Tifa then tells him that he’s going to jinx them by saying stuff like that. She doesn’t use the exact same words in Japanese, but this comment is similar to her エンギでもないこと言わないの comment in the original game, which roughly means “Don’t say things that are unlucky (you’ll jinx us).”

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ティファ
 最近ないなって気づいてしまうと 起こる
Tifa
Because wishing for trouble might bring it.
ティファ
「ちょっと!
 エンギでもないこと
 言わないの!」
Tifa
“Would you stop acting like a
retard and climb!?”
クラウド
 ああ 面倒事は大抵そうだな
Cloud
Yup. And you’re in no state to fight anyway.
バレット
 おっと どうすりゃいい
Barret
So…what should I do?
クラウド
 黙って祈れ
Cloud
Shut up and move.

And finally, towards the end Barret snaps and says he’s going back down, just like in the original.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalE PSXE PC
バレット
 もうイヤだ
 オレは戻るぞ!
Barret
This sucks! I wanna go back!
バレット
「もうイヤだ!
 オレはもどるぞ!」
Barret
“Damn, man!
I’ve had it! I’m going back!”
ティファ
 のぼったのと
 同じだけおりるの?
Tifa
You want to go down all those stairs you just
climbed?
ティファ
「今までのぼったのと
 おなじだけ
 階段おりて?」
Tifa
“And take just as long going down as you did coming up?”
Tifa
“It’ll take just as long to go down as it did to come up.”
(E PC only noted when different from E PSX)

Also, it’s worth noting that you can actually trigger even more dialogue by backtracking down the stairs every ten floors. Backtracking from floor 20 elicits some puns, and backtracking from floor 30 causes Barret to ask Cloud about Tifa’s parents.

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
(if you go back to floor 15)
バレット
 空気 薄くねえか……
 ここは宇宙か?
(if you go back to floor 15)
Barret
Is the air…gettin’ thinner…hard to breathe… We’re
stairclimbin’…into space!
クラウド
 いや 普通だ
Cloud
Seems the same to me.
バレット
 くっだらねえ!
Barret
You’re a—
クラウド
 なにが
Cloud
What’s up?
バレット
 うちゅう ふつう ふちゅう
 つらいぜ これは
Barret
Outta breath…in outta space…makes me space…out.
クラウド
 おい
Cloud
Hey.
バレット
 わあってるよ ダジャレたつもりはねえんだろ
 でもよ それくらい言えよ つまんねえやつだな
Barret
What, I can’t even make a joke now? Man, you take
bein’ a buzzkill to new heights. …Heh, heights.
Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
(if you go back to floor 25)
バレット
 そういや おまえ
 ティファの両親は知ってんのか
(if you go back to floor 25)
Barret
That reminds me. You knew Tifa’s folks, right?
クラウド
 唐突だな
Cloud
Back to talking?
バレット
 ティファは 死んだとしか言わねえからよ
Barret
It’s just, only thing Tifa tells me is they’re dead.
クラウド
 それなら 俺から言うことはなにもない
Cloud
If you want to know more, ask her yourself.
バレット
 だよな そりゃそうだ
 おまえのそういうところは いいと思うぜ
Barret
Yeah, okay. I get it. Not your place. I respect that.
クラウド
 つまらないやつだけどな
Cloud
So you respect a buzzkill?
バレット
 ああ?
Barret
Huh!?

Backtracking from floor 40 makes Tifa ask if they’re there yet. In the original game, Barret asks this instead.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
(if you go back to floor 35)
ティファ
 まだかな
(if you go back to floor 35)
Tifa
Still not there yet.
バレット
「まだつかないのか?」
Barret
“Are we there yet?”
バレット
 がんばろうぜ あと少しだ
Barret
Almost… Real close now!
ティファ
「もう少し!
 もう少しだから!」
Tifa
“It’s just a bit more!”
クラウド
 根拠は
Cloud
Sure about that?
ティファ
「たぶん……」
Tifa
“…maybe.”
バレット
 それを聞くかよ!
Barret
It’s called…bein’ an optimist!

When they finally make it to the top, they stop to catch their breath. It’s a very small thing, but Barret’s “Made it” is straight from the original translation.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalE PSXE PC
ティファ
 ついたね
Tifa
…The end.
バレット
「や……やっと……
 つい……た……」
Barret
“F…finally…
M…made it…”
Barret
“…finally…
…made it…”
バレット
 やったな
Barret
Made it.
クラウド
 本番はここからだ
Cloud
The real challenge starts now.
「……でも、これからが本番よね。
 元気出していかなきゃ……!」
“But this is it.
We’d better get ready…!”
“But here we are.
We’d better get ready…!”
クラウド
 よし いこう
Cloud
Okay. Let’s go.

We get a brief scene with Scarlet, alerting us to the fact that the Shinra leadership is about to have a meeting, and setting up Scarlet’s/Shinra’s interest in experimenting with materia.

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
部下
 スカーレット様 会議のお時間です
Subordinate
Madam Director. You have a meeting shortly.
スカーレット
 あなた 声をかけるタイミングが最悪
Scarlet
Stop. Your timing is impeccably atrocious.
研究員
 魔晄濃度 マテリア構造
 ともに安定しています
Researcher
Mako density and materia integrity are both holding
steady.
研究員
 核マテリアの質量増加を確認
Researcher
Registering mass increase in core materia!
スカーレット
 さあ ゴージャスな姿を見せてごらん
Scarlet
Now… Show me something truly exquisite!

There isn’t much NPC dialogue here that matches up with the original, but there is at least one person who wants to be left alone to sleep.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
しばらく眠らせてくれI just need a minute or two of shut-eye…「グーゴー……
 たのむ……から
 ゆっくりねかせてくれ……」
“…zzz…
Please…let me…
get some…rest…”

In Remake, we find out that Shinra’s technology is advanced enough that the crew only has to update their one keycard, unlike in the original where they had to collect a keycard for every floor.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
受付
 見学ツアーのお客様は
 60階 61階 62階
 63階と
Receptionist
Visitors have access to floors 60, 61, 62, as well as floor 63.
受付
 順番に進んでいただきます
Receptionist
You will proceed in that order.
受付
 各フロアの出口に
 更新機がございますので
 そちらでカードキーを
 更新していただきますと
Receptionist
By the exit of each floor, you will find a device that will allow you to update the keycard in your possession…
「でもね、カードキーにも何種類か
 あって、1枚でどこでも、って
 わけにはいかないのよ」
“Just remember there are
different types of cards.
One keycard alone won’t
let you go everywhere.”
受付
 次のフロアをご利用になれる
 仕組みとなっております
Receptionist
thereby allowing you to access the next floor.

And this time Tifa and Cloud pick up early on the fact that this is all likely a trap.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ティファ
 ちょっと 変じゃなかった?
Tifa
I don’t know about you, but this is kinda weird.
クラウド
 うまくいきすぎている
Cloud
You think everything’s going too well?
ティファ
 やっぱりそう思う 罠?
Tifa
Yeah, I do. Think this is a trap?
クラウド
「タークス?
 ワナ……か」
Cloud
“Turks?
Must be a trap…”

Barret complains about the security, and Cloud says it’s to be expected of Shinra, which is reminiscent of an NPC line from the original. In J Remake, Cloud says it’s 仕方がない (shikata ga nai ; “it can’t be helped”), such that Barret reacts with something along the lines of “There it is. People from huge companies always parrot that line.” In this case, 仕方がない is more of a reference to corporate/bureaucratic culture: people refusing to do things in a more convenient/helpful way because they’re bound by rules and regulations. Thus E Remake works this into “red tape.”

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalE PSX
クラウド
 神羅の中枢だ 仕方がない
Cloud
This is Shinra HQ. The hell did you expect?
「まあミッドガル、いえ、今や
 世界のエネルギー流通を一手に
 ひきうける神羅カンパニーの
 本社としては、
 当然のセキュリティよね」
“It’s a security system worthy of
Shinra. After all, all the power
in Midgar and the world, for that
matter, is controlled by them.”
バレット
 出たな元神羅
 デカい組織のやつほど
 仕方がない
 ああ仕方がないと——
Barret
Says the former company man himself. Guess you’d
know about all the rules, regulations, and red tape—it’s like coming home, huh?

The crew is forced to go on a tour to proceed to the upper levels, and we learn more about each of Shinra’s divisions. “Weapon Development” from the original has been upgraded into “Advanced Weaponry (Division)” in E Remake. The Japanese name of the division remains the same.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ナビゲーター
 申し訳ございません
 兵器開発部門のブースは
 ただいま メンテナンス中です
Guide
The Advanced Weaponry exhibit is currently undergoing maintenance. We apologize for the inconvenience.
神羅カンパニー
治安維持部門・兵器開発部門資料室
Shinra, Inc.
Peace Preservation/
Weapon Dev. Research Library

Similarly, “Space Development” has become the “Space and Aeronautics Division” which is a much more official-sounding name. (Again, the Japanese name is the same as the original.) And through Palmer’s speech, we learn that this division is in a bit of a bind. This is alluded to in the original as well, through a book titled “Results of failed space mission” and also from Palmer begging for the space program to be included in the budget during the meeting the Shinra leaders have later on.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
パルマー
 わしが統括する宇宙開発部門は 
 兵器開発の過程で生まれた
 ロケットエンジンを使って
Palmer
“The Space and Aeronautics Division has taken rocket systems developed for military applications and adapted them to a different purpose:
神羅カンパニー
宇宙開発部門資料室
Shinra, Inc.
Space Dev. Research Library
パルマー
 資源が いっぱいある
 宇宙を目指してた……んだけど
Palmer
“the search for new precious resources in the infinite
reaches of space.” That being said…
パルマー
 今は魔晄が手に入ったから
 凍結中なんだよね
Palmer
since we have plenty of mako at the present, those plans are currently on hold.
5 大型飛行機械「ヨナイ79式」
    宇宙進出計画の失敗
Results of failed space mission
“YA-79”
パルマー
 わし ちょっと残念
Palmer
It’s a…bit of a shame, really.
パルマー
「値上げ値上げ!
 うひょひょひょひょ!
 ぜひ我が宇宙開発部にも
 予算を!」
Palmer
“Rate hike! Rate hike!
Tra, la, la!
And please include our Space Program in the budget!”

Continuing on, “Scientific Research” has become “Research and Development,” and as previously noted, “Public Safety Maintenance”/”Peace Preservation”/”Public Order” has become “Public Security.”

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
宝条
 科学部門がやっていることは
 君たちには 到底理解できない
Hojo
My duties as director of Research and Development
are, in all likelihood, far beyond your ability to
comprehend.
神羅カンパニー
科学部門資料室
Shinra, Inc.
Scientific Research Library
Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ナビゲーター
 申し訳ございません
 治安維持部門のブースは
 ただいま メンテナンス中です
Guide
The Public Security exhibit is currently undergoing maintenance. We apologize for the inconvenience.
ここは治安維持部門および
兵器開発部門の資料室です。
This is the Public Order/Weapon
Development Library.

And finally, “Urban Development” is now “Urban Planning.” Reeve talks about maintaining public infrastructure and new construction projects. In the original, these things are hinted at in books titled “Designing a Shinra Plate City and Issues Regarding That” and “New Plans for Urban Planning.”

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
リーブ
 我々都市開発部門では 皆さまに
 日夜エネルギーを供給している
 魔晄炉を始め
Reeve
Our mission here at Urban Planning is to supply the residents of Midgar with energy created from mako.
神羅カンパニー
都市開発部門資料室
Shinra, Inc.
Urban Dev. Research Library
リーブ
 プレートや支柱
 市街地や鉄道といった
 ミッドガル全体を管理
 メンテナンスしております
Reeve
We also take pride in maintaining public infrastructure—the pillars and railways that run all throughout the city.
7 神羅プレート都市の
  設計とその問題点その2
Problems with Plate
construction in Midgar
リーブ
 現在は プレート上に高速道路を
 鋭意建設中です
Reeve
Currently, we are working to construct an intra-plate expressway.
3 新都市建設計画書New plans for Urban Planning
リーブ
 こちらが完成した暁には
 皆さまにより快適な生活を
 お届けできるかと思います
Reeve
When this project has been completed, it will provide much easier access to numerous locations all across Midgar.
リーブ
 もうしばらく
 お待ちいただければ幸いです
Reeve
We appreciate your patience and understanding in the meantime.

The crew then gets to see a scale model of Midgar. In the original, Cloud had to restore pieces to the model in order to unlock a keycard to proceed.

As an aside, it’s interesting to note that part of Sephiroth’s theme plays here, specifically the “estuans interius ira vehementi” (roughly, “burning inside with violent anger”) bit. This part of the song is also played during the opening cinematic as we’re given a view of Midgar. It begins as we see a black bird fly over Midgar, fades out for a while, then comes back in when the mako reactors light up. Similarly, in this cutscene with the model, the theme fades in when the narrator talks about converting mako energy into fuel. Make of that what you will.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalE PSX
ナビゲーター
 こちらは
 1/10000スケールで作製した
 ミッドガルの模型となります
Guide
This is Midgar—our home—recreated in 1/100000 scale.
クラウド
「ミッドガル……
 魔晄エネルギーを吸い出し
 生きつづける都市の模型か……」
Cloud
“Midgar…born from Mako energy
which was sucked right out of the earth. A model of the city…”

Barret gets fed up with the propaganda, but Cloud points out that it’s true that mako has made life more convenient. This is reflected in NPC dialogue in the original, particularly in Kalm where a mother and daughter fight over whether the convenience of mako is worth the other setbacks it brings.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
バレット
 嘘ばっかりじゃねえか
Barret
Nothin’ but a buncha lies!
クラウド
 魔晄で生活が豊かになるのは
 本当だ
Cloud
Except that mako has made people’s lives better.
「魔晄エネルギーのおかげで
 生活が色々と便利になったわ。
 神羅さまさまよね」
“Thanks to Mako energy,
life’s pretty darn convenient.
Thanks to Shinra.”

Barret then admits that he used to buy into Shinra’s bullshit too, giving us a hint at his past.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
バレット
 豊かさってのは
 目をくもらせるんだよな
Barret
It’s made people blind. Blind to the cold hard truth.
バレット
 オレにも そんなことがあったぜ
Barret
Even I used to buy into their bullshit.
バレット
 だから余計 むかつくんだ
Barret
Rememberin’ that…makes me even madder.
バレット
「だからよ、だからこそ
 オレは自分にハラが
 立つんだ!!」
Barret
“That’s why…
that’s why I get so pissed off!!”

The crew is then treated to a VR presentation on the Ancients. This incorporates some of President Shinra’s speech from the original, saying that they lived long ago. It also mentions the true origin of materia, which wasn’t touched on until later in the original game.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ナビゲーター
 かつて この星には
 古代種と呼ばれる種族が
 住んでいました
Guide
In the distant past, our planet was home to a people we call the Ancients.
ナビゲーター
 彼らは 星の開拓者と呼ばれ
 我々が魔晄を発見する
 何千年も前から
Guide
Many millennia before we discovered mako, these precursors were already pioneering tis use.
プレジデント神羅
「知らんのか?
 自らをセトラと呼び、
 数千年の昔に生き
 今は歴史の中に埋もれて
 しまった種族」
President Shinra
“Don’t you know?
They called themselves the Cetra, and lived thousands of years ago.
Now they are just a forgotten page in history.”
ナビゲーター
 地中に眠るエネルギーの存在に
 気がついていたと
 考えられています
Guide
Somehow they learned of the great reservoir of energy pulsing beneath their feet.
ナビゲーター
 それだけではありません
Guide
And once they had…
ナビゲーター
 驚くべきことに 彼らは魔晄を
 独自の技術で加工し活用
 していました
Guide
the Ancients developed the means to harness this bountiful energy and bend it to their will.
ナビゲーター
 その片鱗は
 一部のマテリアとして
 現在でも目にすることができます
Guide
The fruits of their labors have survived to this very day in the form of certain kinds of materia.

「……マテリアの中には
 いわゆる古代種の知識が
 封じこまれている」

“…the knowledge and wisdom of the Ancients is held in the materia.”

And finally, it brings up a quote from the Ancients’ scriptures. This quote comes directly from the original game, with the Japanese text unchanged. Here we get to see E Remake’s take on it. Where the original translation had “unlock the Planet,” E Remake now has “her flesh we shape.” The Japanese is literally “open the planet,” which is probably where the original translation got “unlock” from. 開く (hiraku) can also refer to flowers blooming (their buds opening up) and the development of land (opening up a new path), which may be the nuance they’re going for here. We know that the Ancients can commune with and manipulate the planet, so it makes sense.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ナビゲーター
 こんな言葉が残されています
Guide
Their scripture, too, has endured:
エアリス
「わたし、知ってるのは……」
Aeris
“All I know is…”
ナビゲーター
 『我ら 星より生まれ
  星と語り 星を開く』
Guide
“We who are born of the planet, with her we speak. Her flesh we shape.”
『セトラの民、星より生まれ
 星と語り、星を開く』
“The Cetra were born from the Planet, speak with the Planet, and unlock the Planet.”
ナビゲーター
 『そして 約束の地へ帰る
  至上の幸福 星が与えし
  定めの地』
Guide
“Unto her promised land shall we one day return. By her loving grace and providence may we take our place in paradise.”
『セトラの民、約束の地へ帰る。
 至上の幸福、星が与えし
 定めの地』
“The Cetra will return to the Promised Land. A land that promises supreme happiness.”

Towards the end of the presentation, we get a hint at Shinra’s main goal: finding the promised land and building a new city there.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ナビゲーター
 魔晄をエネルギーとして
 活用する方法を 編み出しました
Guide
Like the Ancients, we have harnessed the power of mako.
ナビゲーター
 穏やかな気候 豊かな自然
 そして 溢れんばかりの
 魔晄エネルギー
Guide
Are they out there, watching us? Waiting for us to join them in some blessed corner of the world—
「豊富な魔晄エネルギーが
 勝手に吹き出してくる」
“The abundant Mako will
just come out on its own.”
ナビゲーター
 そんな土地が
 この広い星のどこかで
 我々が来るのを待っています
Guide
a green and verdant land, where boundless mako energy will provide for our every need?
ナビゲーター
 神羅カンパニーは古代種が
 夢見た約束の地を
 一日も早く 皆様に
 お見せするべく
Guide
Shinra is working for you, to fulfill the hope of the Ancients and lead us to that promised land.
プレジデント神羅
「そこに建設される
 ネオ・ミッドガル。
 我が神羅カンパニーの
 さらなる栄光……」
President Shinra
“That is where Neo-Midgar will be built. Shinra’s new glory…”
ナビゲーター
 これからも
 日夜努力を続けて参ります
Guide
We shall not rest until our dream is realized.

And we’ll continue in Part 2…

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