Final Fantasy VII Remake Script Comparison: Chapter 2

The crew makes their way through the rubble, away from the reactor. In the original it isn’t until Jessie sees the news that she realizes what a huge explosion it was, but in Remake it’s immediately evident to everyone. Though Jessie still claims to have made it according to the instructions.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
バレット
 爆発が派手すぎねえか?
Barret
Think you might’ve
overdone it?
「見てよ、このニュース……。
 こんなに爆発してる」
“Hey, look at the news…
What a blast.”
ジェシー
 爆弾は レシピどおりに作ったはず
Jessie
I followed the instructions
to the letter.
「やっぱり、私の爆弾のせい?
 でも、このコンピュータの指示通り
 作っただけなのに」
“Think it was all because
of my bomb? But all I really
did was just make it
like the computer told me.”
ジェシー
 でも 気化した魔晄が反応してるのかも
Jessie
Maybe it triggered a reaction
with the mako?
バレット
 こりゃ 街までイっちまったかもな
Barret
Well, let’s hope this city’s
still in one piece.

Biggs keeps his 星の命 ちょっとは延びたかな (hoshi no inochi, chotto nobita kana; roughly, “wonder if that extended the planet’s life a little”) line from the original, but since it’s used in a new context, the English goes for something that better follows his previous line.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ビッグス
 街より 星だろ?
Biggs
But the planet’s what matters, right?
ビッグス
 星の命 ちょっとは延びたかな
Biggs
I mean…this must’ve helped some.
ビッグス
「星の命……ちょっとはのびたかな」
Biggs
“That should keep the planet going…
at least a little longer.”
ジェシー
 そうじゃないと 困る
Jessie
After all that, it’d better have.
ウェッジ
「そうっすね」
Wedge
“Yeah.”

Also, this go-around Jessie seems legitimately disturbed by the damage caused, whereas in the original she just seems to shrug it off and is almost proud of how much news coverage her bomb is getting. Again showing how the writers wanted the explosion to be more sobering this time around.

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
ジェシー
 魔晄濃度 触媒……まさか火薬?
Jessie
Was it the mako density? The primary explosive? The
blasting agent?

Jessie sets a small bomb to help clear the way and tells everyone to get back, as in the original.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ジェシー
 じゃ 爆弾仕掛けるから離れて
Jessie
Stand back then. I’ll set the bomb.
ジェシー
「出来た!
 下がって」
Jessie
“OK!
Now everyone get back.”

They get out in the open and see the full extent of the damage. Barret gives them all a pep talk, vaguely reflecting some lines he had in the original after arriving in the Sector 7 slums. But as with Jessie, there’s less reveling in the destruction and more of a refocusing on the cause they’re fighting for.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
バレット
 オレたちは この先も
 もっともっと 魔晄炉をぶっ壊す
Barret
It ain’t pretty, but we can’t stop now.
This was just the first reactor.
「本番はこれからだ!
 あんな爆発でびびるな!」
“The hard part’s still to come!
Don’t y’all be scared of that explosion!”
バレット
 星の命を 救うためにな
Barret
And the planet won’t be safe till
we get the rest.
バレット
「次はもっと派手にかますぞ!」
Barret
“Cause the next one’s
gonna be bigger than that!”

And as before, Barret tells everyone to split up and meet on the train. Cloud stops Barret to ask about his money, although this time he actually verbally asks for it. In a certain sense, the English is closer to the original here than the Japanese is. In Japanese he just dismisses Cloud by saying roughly, “The operation is still underway until we’re back at base,” which only implies that Cloud can’t have his money until then. Whereas the English follows the original in directly stating “you can have your money/we’ll discuss it once we’re back at base.”

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish PSX
バレット
 全力で逃げる!
Barret
We get our asses home!
バレット
「さあ、引き上げるぞ」
Barret
“All right, now let’s get
out of here.”
バレット
 八番街ステーションから 最終に乗り込む
Barret
We’ll split up and
shoot for the last
train home.
バレット
「ランデブー地点は8番街ステーション!
 各自単独行動、列車に乗りこむんだ!」
Barret
“Rendezvous at Sector 8 station!
Split up and get on the train!”
バレット
 いったんばらけて 貨物車に集合だ
Barret
Regroup in the freight
car. Got it?
ウェッジ
 じゃ あとで!
Wedge
Later then!
クラウド
 おい 約束の金は?
Cloud
Hey.
I’d like my money now.
クラウド
「お、おい!」
Cloud
“H, hey!”
バレット
 アジトに帰るまでが 作戦だ
Barret
You can have it—
once we’re back at base.
バレット
「金の話なら
 無事にアジトに帰ってからだ」
Barret
“If it’s about your money
Save it ’til we’re back
at the hideout.”

Jessie then stops Cloud and thanks him for saving her life, which she does on the train in the original. Interestingly, Cloud’s response reflects a couple lines that were cut from the original game. Specifically with the use of 仕事のうちだ (shigoto no uchi da ; “it’s part of my job”) 礼はいらない\礼なんかやめて (rei ha iranai\rei nanka yametekure ; “(I) don’t need thanks”\”stop thanking me”). Apparently there were going to be dialogue options giving you a choice of how to respond to Jessie in the original, but this was removed.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ジェシー
 あげる 助けてもらったお礼
Jessie
You can have it. For saving my life.
ジェシー
「ね、魔晄炉で助けてくれて
 ありがとう!」
Jessie
“Say, thanks for helping me
back there at the reactor!”
Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese Original (Cut)English Original (Cut)
クラウド
 仕事のうちだ 礼はいらない
Cloud
Just doing my job. Nothing more.
礼なんかやめてくれ

「感謝などされても困る。
 これも仕事のうちだからな」
Quit thanking me

“It bugs me when you thank me.
It’s just a part of my job.”

And more really great dialogue. I love Cloud’s response here: “You do know what I was, right?” The Japanese is roughly just “What do you think I am?/Who do you take me for?”

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
ジェシー
 使い方は 知ってるよね?
Jessie
You do know how to use it, right?
クラウド
 俺をなんだと思ってる
Cloud
You do know what I was, right?

THEN WE MEET SEPHIROTH.

We’ll probably come back to this at the very end, but it’s important to note that Sephiroth’s goal here seems to be to stop the planet from dying. The Japanese could imply that the planet is willfully trying to die, using the 死のうとする (shinou to suru) grammar, though this grammar can also be used in the “this is about to happen” sense as well. The Japanese also uses 悲鳴 (himei; “scream”) which seems somewhat significant, since Barret frequently goes on about how the planet is screaming out in pain. And yet here Sephiroth is suggesting that the planet isn’t screaming, but rather trying to quietly die. Anyway, this is all meant to be very cryptic, and we have no way of knowing what this is about until the next game is released, if even then.

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
セフィロス
 この星が 死のうとしている
Sephiroth
Our beloved planet is dying.
セフィロス
 悲鳴もあげず
 静かに ゆっくりと
Sephiroth
Slowly. Silently. Painfully.
セフィロス
 私たちの星が 消えてしまうのだ
Sephiroth
Can you bear to see the planet suffer…
セフィロス
 クラウド
Sephiroth
Cloud?

The first meeting with Aerith plays out a bit differently compared to the original, so the dialogue doesn’t particularly match up, but the line “That depends on the customer” is a nice nod to her quoting different prices to the guys in Wall Market in the original.

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
クラウド
 いくらだ
Cloud
How much?
花売りの女性
 値段は相手 見て決めるの
Flower Peddler
Well, that depends on the customer.

Also the English translation for this exchange is great. In Japanese he’s randomly like “I’ll warn you, I’m strong. And I won’t give in to threats.” Obviously trying to sound cool and tough, but it comes out of nowhere and is just weird (at least in my opinion). The English still has him trying to sound cool, but switches the topic so that it doesn’t imply that he somehow thinks this petite flower peddler is threatening (though, granted, she can definitely kick some ass).

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
クラウド
 警告しておこう
Cloud
Look, I’m involved in things.
クラウド
 俺は強いぞ
Cloud
Dangerous things.
花売りの女性
 うん そんな感じするよ
Flower Peddler
Oh, I’m sure you are. So?
クラウド
 脅しには屈しない
Cloud
So keep your distance.
花売りの女性
 怖いお兄さん
 脅しにくるとか 警戒してる?
Flower Peddler
Wait—you think someone’s out to get you?
Is that what you’re all worked up about?
花売りの女性
 ないない
Flower Peddler
Relax.
花売りの女性
 そういう心配 しなくていいから
Flower Peddler
No one’s going to attack you. I promise.

Cloud then tries to tell her to leave, reflecting a dialogue option from the original.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
クラウド
 魔晄炉が爆発したんだ
Cloud
Hey, a mako reactor just blew.
クラウド
 あんたも 今夜は店じまいして
Cloud
You shouldn’t be out here trying to sell fl—
花売り
「何があったの?」
   逃げたほうがいい
   気にするな……それより
Flower girl
“What happened?”
   You’d better get out of here
   Nothing…hey…

And he’s quickly beset by security officers. There was hardly any dialogue as he ran away from the soldiers/officers in the original, so there isn’t much to compare. But once again, the officers sound like actual military/police and it’s great. Particularly the helicopter dialogue.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
警備兵
 武器を捨てろ!
Security Officer
Drop your weapon!
兵士
「おい! そこの男!!」
Soldier
“Hey! You there!!”
Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
神羅ヘリ
 集中攻撃 開始
Shinra Helicopter
You are clear to engage!
神羅ヘリ
 ターゲットは
 駅を目指していた可能性あり
Shinra Helicopter
Be advised—target is headed for the
station!
Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
警備兵
 あそこだ
Security Officer
Over there!
兵士
「こっちだ!!」
Soldier
“Over here!!”
Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
警備兵
 いたぞ あそこだ
Security Officer
Target sighted! Get him!
兵士
「いたぞ!!」
Soldier
“That’s him!!”

As Cloud escapes, one officer cries out in recognition. The Japanese reveals that he recognizes Cloud’s sword, but either way it’s supposed to be a mystery, so it’s not that important of a detail.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
警備兵
 八番街警備二班
 男を追いつめた これより確保する
Security Officer
HQ, this is Sector 8 Unit 2. Target is surrounded.
Moving to secure.
兵士
「ここまでだな」
Soldier
“That’s as far as you go.”
警備兵
 おい その剣は——
Security Officer
Wait! I know that—

We cut to Wedge and the others on the train. His line is exactly the same in Japanese. In the original, Biggs wonders aloud if Cloud died, but here he shows more faith in him. This sort of replaces Barret’s original line about how Cloud wouldn’t kick the bucket without collecting his money first. (This line was omitted in the English version.)

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish PC
ウェッジ
 クラウドさん 来なかったッスね
Wedge
Guess Cloud won’t be joining us after all…
ウェッジ
「クラウドさん
 こなかったっすね」
Wedge
“Cloud never came.”
ビッグス
 そんな顔するな
 あいつは きっと無事さ
Biggs
No need to assume the worst. I’m sure he’s fine.
ビッグス
「クラウド……
 やられちまったのかな」
Biggs
“Cloud……
Think he was killed?”

Jessie then asks if Barret intends to add him as a permanent member. This (accidentally?) echoes a mistranslation from the original E PC version where Biggs asks if Cloud’s going to do more missions with them. In the original Japanese he’s technically wondering if Cloud would go down fighting for Avalanche, assuming that the security guards will overwhelm him. (Go here to see my original post on this line.)

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalE PSXE PC
ジェシー
 うん 本気で誘わない?
Jessie
Mmm, you think he’s a keeper?
「最後まで、おれたち…
 アバランチのために
 戦ってくれんのか?」
“Going to fight to the end
for AVALANCHE!?”
“going to stay on and fight
for AVALANCHE!?”

Cloud busts in, and Barret admits he was worried, as before, though Cloud doesn’t respond with as much of a snide remark this time.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalE PC
バレット
 心配したじゃねえか
Barret
Ugh, you had me worried for a minute…
「心配させやがって
 勝手な野郎だ!」
“Havin’ everyone worried like that.
You don’t give a damn ’bout
no one but yourself!”
バレット
 なにしてやがったんだ?
Barret
What the hell you been up to? Huh!?
クラウド
 治安維持部隊が うろついていたから
 かき回してやった
Cloud
Giving Public Security the runaround, that’s what.
クラウド
「そうでもない。
 ふつうだ」
Cloud
“It’s no big scene.
Just what I always do.”

The conversation deviates a bit as Cloud mentions the hooded figures, then Barret motions them out of the car.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
クラウド
 もういい 聞く相手を間違えた
Cloud
Never mind. Forget I said anything.
バレット
 車両 変えんぞ
Barret
Suit yourself. C’mon, let’s move up.
「場所変えるぞ。
 ついてこい!」
“We’re movin’ out!
Follow me!”

The train announcement is fairly similar in Japanese, but the English is revised to sound more like what you’d hear on a train. The Remake text says that the trains are running on an emergency schedule. This was actually hinted at in an unused line in the original, where a passenger or one of the train staff grumbles about the schedule being thrown off because of the reactor incident. (今夜は魔晄炉事故のダイヤの乱れで大変な一日だった ; Roughly, “It was a rough day with tonight’s reactor accident messing up the (train) schedule.”)

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
アナウンス
 ミッドガル八番街ステーション発
 終点 スラム七番街駅
Announcer
This train from Sector 8
Station is bound
for Sector 7 Undercity.
ミッドガル8番街ステーション
発最終列車~
終点、スラム7番街列車墓場駅~
到着予定時刻は
ミッドガル時0時23分……
Last train out of
Sector 8 Station.
Last stop is Sector 7,
Train Graveyard.
Expected time of
arrival is 12:23AM,
Midgar Standard Time…
アナウンス
 この列車は 壱番魔晄炉爆破により
 避難用特別ダイヤで運行しております
Announcer
Due to an explosion at Mako Reactor 1,
an emergency schedule is now in effect.
アナウンス
 車内混み合いまして ご迷惑をおかけします
Announcer
Your understanding and cooperation is
appreciated.

While in the original Biggs seems nonchalant about what just happened, in Remake he’s shaken. Once again emphasizing that they care a lot more about the damage this time around.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ビッグス
 あんた ああいう状況には慣れてるのか
 さっきの駅前とか 八番街とか
Biggs
You’re uh…holding up
pretty well, huh?
Even after what we
saw at the station
and all over Sector 8?
クラウド
 ソルジャーだからな
Cloud
I’m a SOLDIER.
ビッグス
 俺は足が震えてる やばい
Biggs
Well…my hands are
still shaking.
ビッグス
「さすがにつかれたよ。
 駅に着くまで、眠らせてくれ」
Biggs
“…YAWN…that sure took its toll on me.
I’m gonna sleep till we get to the station.”

This time instead of a random guy on the train discussing the bombing, it’s some Shinra employees, and Barret gets an early encounter with them. One noteworthy thing is that the middle manager actually sounds slightly more principled in English, using words like “peace and prosperity.” Whereas in the Japanese he’s basically advocating the status quo, like “We’ll keep living the same as always, no matter what happens!” This is possibly to make him more likable, as he’s a recurring character, or to make him more believable by showing that he truly thinks that he’s working for the good of everyone.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
神羅社員
 魔晄炉を爆破するなんて
 迷惑な連中ですね
Shinra Employee
What kind of maniacs would go
so far as to bomb a reactor?
「しかし、魔晄炉爆破とは考えたよな。
 リーダーはさしずめ頭の切れるヤツだな。
 次は、何やるんだろな?」
“…Blowing up a Reactor…
they sure put some thought
into this one.”
“They must have a real
calculating leader.
I wonder what they’ll do next?”
神羅課長
 公表されていないが
 犯人は十中八九 アバランチだ
Shinra Middle Manager
They’ve yet to announce it publicly,
but I heard it was
Avalanche’s doing.
「神羅新聞の号外見たかい?
 壱番魔晄炉爆破のテロリストは
 スラムにひそんでるらしいぞ」
“You see the headlines
in the Shinra Times?”
“The terrorists that bombed
the No. 1 Reactor are based
somewhere in the slums.”
Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
神羅課長
 あたしらは 暴力なんかに屈しない
Shinra Middle Manager
We will not submit to
intimidation or violence!
神羅課長
「わ、私は暴力にはくっしないぞ~。
 こ、この席だって、ゆずらない」
Shinra Manager
“I won’t give in to violence…
and I’m not giving you my seat either!”
神羅課長
 なにがあっても
 変わらない日常を送ってやる
Shinra Middle Manager
But work together for
peace and prosperity!
神羅課長
 これが 神羅社員の戦い方だ
Shinra Middle Manager
That is how civilized people
change the world!
神羅社員
 異議なし
Shinra Employee
That’s right!

Then we get to look at the map with Jessie. Instead of doing it because it seems fun, this time she talks about it like an initiation rite. This is reminiscent of some missing text from the original where she said it was one of Avalanche’s rules to memorize these things: 
あのね、アバランチの規律があっていろいろ暗記させられるわけ。
Roughly, “Basically, we’re forced memorize a bunch of things because of Avalanche’s rules/discipline.”
(Also “There’s such a thing as playing too hard to get.” is such a good line.)

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ジェシー
 ちょっと 話そ?
Jessie
Let’s get this out of the way…
ジェシー
「ね、クラウド。
 いっしょに見ない?」
Jessie
“Hey, Cloud.
You want to look at this with me?”
ジェシー
 新しい仲間には
 これを使って 説明するんだ
Jessie
Personally, I find visual aids
make the dull stuff a lot
more bearable.
「ミッドガル列車路線図ディスプレイ。
 二人で見ればきっと楽しいと思うの。
 私、説明してあげるね」
“It’s a map of the Midgar Rail System.
Let’s look at it together.
I’ll explain it to you.”
ジェシー
 知ってることばかりだろうけど
 儀式だと思って 聞いて
Jessie
If it helps, think of it as
an initiation rite.
ジェシー
「私、こういうの好きなのよ。
 爆弾とかモニタ画面とかハイテク関係」
Jessie
“I like this kinda stuff.
Bombs and monitors…you know,
flashy stuff.”
クラウド
 何度も言ったはずだ 俺は——
Cloud
How many times do I
have to tell you people.
I’m not—
ジェシー
 否定ばかりじゃ イイ男が台なし
Jessie
There’s such a thing as
playing too hard to get.

She doesn’t talk about the size of the model this time, and also Midgar is apparently now 300 meters above the ground, as opposed to 50, which is much more impressive. There’s more personality here in general, showing her contempt for Midgar. The Japanese takes a cue from the original English translation and actually uses the English words “main pillar” (メインピラー; mein pira-) instead of 大きな柱 (ookina hashira; “large pillar/support”).

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalE PSX
ジェシー
 ほら 見て
 魔晄都市ミッドガルのフレームモデル
Jessie
So, here we’ve got a wireframe
model of the great city of Midgar.
ジェシー
「これが魔晄都市ミッドガルの
 全景フレームモデルね」
Jessie
“This is a complete model
of the city of Midgar.”
ジェシー
 地上300メートルに持ち上げられた
 プレートと呼ばれる 鋼鉄の大地
Jessie
Complete with massive steel
plates suspended
three hundred meters
above ground level…
「上のプレートは、地上から
 約50M離れているの」
“The top plate is about 50 meters
above ground.”
ジェシー
 その上に整備された ピカピカの都市
Jessie
Atop which stands a
shining beacon of civilization.
ジェシー
 魔晄炉で作る電力が 住民たちを
 ”無敵の消費モンスター”に変えてしまった
Jessie
The whole system is sustained
by the mako reactors, which
feed the insatiable appetites
of the public.
「そこから順番に2、3……
 8番魔晄炉まで
 8つの魔晄炉がミッドガルの
 電力供給を支えているのよ」
“Then there’s No. 2, No. 3
all the way up to the No. 8 Reactor.”
アナウンス
 まもなく
 IDスキャンニングエリアを通過します
Announcement
The train will be
passing through an ID
checkpoint shortly.
ジェシー
 これは 列車の運行ルート
Jessie
This here is the train’s route.
ジェシー
「私たちがいま乗ってる
 列車のルートがこれよ」
Jessie
“This is the route this train is on.”
ジェシー
 メインピラーの周囲を
 螺旋状に線路が走っていて
Jessie
As you can see, it’ll take us
around this main pillar.
「プレートを支えている大きな
 柱に螺旋状にレールが
 通っているの。いまは柱
 のちょうど真ん中あたりね」
“The route spirals around
the main support structure.”
ジェシー
 ほら 今はちょうど中間地点
Jessie
Look—we’re about
halfway through it now.
“We should be coming around
the center area, right now.”

And she explains the ID system again, going into more detail about what it tracks than she did in the original. The Japanese also takes a cue from the original English translation here (sort of), using “databases” (データベース; de-ta be-su) instead of “host computer” (ホストコンピューター; hosuto konpyu-ta-).

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalE PC
ジェシー
 IDスキャンニングエリアはここにあって
 乗客をチェックするわけ
Jessie
They’ve set up a
checkpoint here
to scan the IDs
of all passengers
heading in and out.
「各通過ポイントにはID検知
 エリアが設置されてるの」
“Each checkpoint has
an ID sensor device.”
ジェシー
 生年月日 居住許可区分 賞罰
Jessie
Date of birth,
residential status,
criminal history…
「乗客すべての身分やなにから全部!
 神羅ビルのホストコンピューター
 と連動してチェックされちゃう
 わけよ」
“It checks the identities and
backgrounds of each
passenger on the train
and is linked up to the
central data bank at
Shinra headquarters.”
ジェシー
 わたしたちのことを なんでも知ってる
 データベースで照会して
Jessie
All that and more is
automatically
cross-referenced in
their databases.
ジェシー
 主に治安維持に役立てる
Jessie
Public Security wouldn’t
have it any other way.
ジェシー
 ほら 来た
Jessie
Heads up.
ジェシー
 IDは偽造だから 安心して
Jessie
Don’t worry. Our IDs are
impeccable.
「ひそひそ……
(私たちはどう見たって不審人物だから
 ニセのIDで通過してるの)」
“Whisper…whisper…
( We definitely look suspicious,
so we’re using fake IDs. )”
ジェシー
 ね? 腕によりをかけたんだから
Jessie
What’d I tell you?
Have a little faith.

Her last line matches up with the original Japanese, although there’s less of a vibe of being relieved to be on solid ground and more relieved to have made it back without running into security.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalE PC
ジェシー
 地上まであと少し
 ホッとしない?
Jessie
Won’t be long till we reach the bottom. Relax.
「ま、それはさておき。
 もうすぐ地上に帰れるってわけ。
 なんだか、ホッとするね」
“…We’re almost back now.
What a relief.”

Barret’s speech is almost word-for-word with the original Japanese, just cut up a little bit. The English also follows the original translation as closely as it can. To be fair, the part about the soil drying up and the air being polluted is from a line that never made it into the original English game.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
バレット
 見ろよ
 あの腐ったピザのせいで
 下の人間がどんなに
 苦しんでることか
Barret
Take a good look. It’s because
of that great big pizza
in the sky that people
down there gotta struggle to
survive.
バレット
「見ろよ…地上が見えて
 きたぜ。ひるも夜もねえ、
 オレたちの街がよ」
Barret
“Look…you can see the
surface now. This city don’t
have no day or night.”
「あのくさったピザのせいで
 下の人間がどんなに
 苦しんでることか……」
“It’s ‘cuz of that &^#$# ‘pizza’
that people underneath are sufferin’!”
バレット
「下の世界は今じゃあ
 汚された空気のたまり場だ」
Barret
“And the city below is full
of polluted air.”
バレット
 神羅がどんどん魔晄を
 くみ上げちまうから
 土地は枯れ 空気はよどみ
 花も咲かねえ
Barret
Shinra sucks up mako while
the soil turns to dust, the
air fills with smog, and the flowers die.
バレット
「おまけに魔晄炉はどんどん
 エネルギーをくみ上げちまう」
Barret
“On top’a that,
the Reactor keeps drainin’ up
all the energy.”
「おかげで土地は枯れる一方だ。
 空気をきれいにする力も
 なくしちまった」

Cloud asks why people don’t leave, adding on that that’s usually his strategy. In English, Barret recognizes that people are poor and don’t necessarily have that option, which is actually more in line with what he says in the original. J Remake, on the other hand, changes it a bit and makes it about Cloud instead, roughly saying: “You should try sympathizing with others’ weaknesses more.”

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
クラウド
 嫌なら 街を出ればいい
Cloud
Then leave and don’t look back.
クラウド
「どうしてみんな上へ
 移らないんだろう……」
Cloud
“Then why doesn’t everyone
move onto the Plate?”
クラウド
 俺は そうやって生きてきた
Cloud
That’s what’s always worked for me.
バレット
 自分は強いって自覚があるなら
Barret
Hmph! Well, that’s all well and good if you’re only out for yourself.
バレット
 もちっと 他人の弱さに
 寄りそってみねえか?
Barret
But, the folks down there don’t have the luxury of choice, you know?
バレット
「さあな。
 金がないからだろ。
 いや、それとも……」
Barret
“Dunno. Probably ‘cuz they
ain’t got no money.
Or, maybe…”

Cloud’s response is word-for-word the same in Japanese. I noted this in my series on the original FF7, but I’ll bring it up again here: 敷かれたレール (shikareta re-ru; lit. “rails that have been laid down”) is an idiomatic expression in Japanese meaning “(a) path staked out for one (by someone else).” Or in other words, they can’t defy their fate. This is a theme that will come up again later in Remake and that can be seen in brief glimpses like this in the original game.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
クラウド
 みんな この列車と同じ
Cloud
Like this train, I suppose…
「みんな、この列車とおなじ。
 敷かれたレールには逆らえないんだ」
“It’s like this train.
It can’t run anywhere except
where its rails take it.”
クラウド
 敷かれたレールには 逆らえないんだ
Cloud
There’s only one way it can go…

And so Chapter 2 comes to an end…

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