Final Fantasy VII Remake Script Comparison: Chapter 9 – Part 1

Aerith leads the way…

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
クラウド
 道案内を頼む
Cloud
Lead on, then.
「案内してあげる。さ、行きましょ!」“I’ll take you there. Come on!”

As they’re walking she talks about how the Sector 6 plate is missing. It’s under construction in the original, too, but that’s never mentioned in any dialogue until the model of Midgar found in the Shinra Building. At first glance, you’d assume that the hole in the model is supposed to reflect the recent damage to Sector 7, but if you check it, Cloud explains that it’s Sector 6.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
エアリス
 上 工事中だからね
 すこし 怖いね
Aerith
They’re still working on the new plate. I don’t like this part of Midgar.
「この建設中の6番街が
 完成したとき、神羅の
 野望も完全なものとなる」
“When construction of Sector 6
finishes, Shinra’s plan
will be complete.”
エアリス
 ミッドガルを建設してるとき
 プレートが落ちたんだって
Aerith
Back when they were still building Midgar, there was an accident, and the plate fell.

They make their way through using mechanical arms to help them lower the ladders. There was a random mechanical arm in the background of this area in the original, as well.

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
クラウド
 あれは?
Cloud
What’s that?
エアリス
 ロボットアーム かわいいよね
Aerith
A big arm. Kinda cute, don’t you think?

Aerith mentions that she’s used to danger because she grew up in the slums. This reflects a line she had in the original when they were in Corneo’s mansion.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
エアリス
 モンスター 出るようになったから
 塞いじゃったのかな
Aerith
I wonder if someone blocked it off because of all the
monsters that kept showing up.
クラウド
 そんなところで遊んでたのか
Cloud
Pretty dangerous place for kids to play.
エアリス
 スラム育ちですから
Aerith
Raised in the slums, remember?
エアリス
「わたし、スラム育ちだから
 危険なこと、なれてるの」
Aeris
“I grew up in the slums…
I’m used to danger.”
クラウド
 たくましいな
Cloud
You’re tough.
エアリス
 う~ん うれしくない
Aerith
Hmm, that supposed to be a compliment?

They run into some thieves who stumble over big words. In Japanese, the word 弁償 (benshou ; “reimbursement / compensation”) is written out in katakana ベンショウ, emphasizing that they have no idea what it means. Also, the English does a great job of having Butch trip over other similar-sounding complicated words, spicing up the Japanese which only has him repeat ベンショウ three times.

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
ベグ
 おい 見ろよ ドロボウがいるぞ
Beck
Lookie here, boys! Caught us some burglars!
バド
 あーあー ひとんちをアラシやがって
Burke
Comin’ into our homes and stealing our shit—doin’
crimes!
ベグ
 こりゃあ ベンショウしてもらわねえとな
Beck
I’d say we’re owed “compensatory damages”!
ブッチョ
 ひひひ ベンショウ ベンショウ?
 ベンショウってなんだ
Butch
Yeah! Complementary—uh, composite— Uh, I don’t
get it.
ベグ
 バカ おまえは ホント
 なんにも 知らねえなあ
Beck
How stupid can you be? It’s crazy simple!
ベグ
 ベンショウってのはな その……
Beck
Compensatory damages is like, uh…
ベグ
 あれだ……
Beck
It’s like…compensation…
ベグ
 なあ!
Beck
For damages!

Continuing on their way, Aerith asks Cloud if he had any friends in SOLDIER. It’s a minor thing, and may not even be intentional, but the English use of “friend” and then “war buddy” could be a callback to the scene in Kalm where Cloud talks about someone he knew in SOLDIER.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
エアリス
 ソルジャーのとき
 仲のいい人とか いた?
Aerith
Um, did you have any SOLDIER friends? Any war buddies?
クラウド
「戦友……かな。
 俺たちは信頼しあっていた。
 あのときまでは……」
Cloud
“So I guess you’d call him a war buddy… We trusted each other.
Until one day…”
クラウド
 いや いなかった
Cloud
No…not really.

Eventually, they arrive at the park. (And can I just say that the way the opening note of the game hangs in the air here until you walk forward is just so perfect. Like the entire game is just exuding anticipation.)

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
エアリス
 あれ 七番街スラムへ
 抜けるゲート
Aerith
Alright, there it is. The gate to Sector 7.
エアリス
「この奥に7番街への
 ゲートがあるの」
Aeris
“The gate to Sector 7’s in there.”

Once again, Aerith convinces Cloud to take a break and chat with her, though the dialogue is mostly rewritten even in Japanese.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
クラウド
 閉まってるな 開くのか?
Cloud
Looks shut. How do we open it?
エアリス
 ね 少し座って話さない?
Aerith
More importantly, how about we take a break? Sound good?
エアリス
「ちょっと休もっか」
(end) Aeris
“Can we take a break?”
クラウド
 いや そんな時間は
Cloud
No. I don’t have time for—
エアリス
 クラウド こっち
Aerith
Up there looks nice.
エアリス
「クラウド、こっち!」
Aeris
“Cloud,
over here!”
エアリス
 早く
Aerith
C’mon!
エアリス
 昔 ここでお花を売ったこと
 あるんだ
Aerith
You know, a long time ago, I used to sell flowers here.
エアリス
「なつかしい、まだあったんだ」
Aeris
“I can’t believe it’s still here.”
クラウド
 そうか
Cloud
Oh yeah?

This time, Aerith already knows what rank Cloud was because he mentioned it before, so she just brings it up as a topic of conversation.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
エアリス
 クラウドって
 クラスファースト だったんだよね?
Aerith
So, Cloud… You were a SOLDIER: First Class, right?
エアリス
「あなた、クラスは?」
Aeris
“What rank were you?”
クラウド
 ああ
Cloud
Yeah.
クラウド
「ああ、俺は……」
Cloud
“Oh, I was…”
クラウド
「クラス……
 1ST(ファースト)だ」
Cloud
“First Class.”
エアリス
 そっか
Aerith
Weird.
クラウド
 それが どうかしたのか?
Cloud
Really? What’s weird about it?

This leads to her talking about another SOLDIER she knows. In Japanese she says はじめて 好きになった人 (hajimete suki ni natta hito ; “the first person I liked/loved”) exactly like in the original. E Remake hews closer to the Japanese this time, as she technically never specifies that they were officially dating.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
エアリス
 ううん 同じだと思って
Aerith
Nothing. Just that you were the same rank.
エアリス
「ふ~ん。 おんなじだ」
Aeris
“Just the same as him.”
クラウド
 同じ? 誰と
Cloud
Huh? As who?
クラウド
「誰と同じだって?」
Cloud
“The same as who?”
エアリス
 はじめて 好きになった人
Aerith
The first guy I ever loved.
エアリス
「初めて好きになった人」
Aeris
“My first boyfriend.”
クラウド
 名前は?
 たぶん 知ってる
Cloud
What’s his name? I probably know him.
クラウド
「もしかしたら知ってるかも
 しれないな。
 そいつの名前は?」
Cloud
“I probably knew him.
What was his name?”
エアリス
「もう、いいの」
Aeris
“It doesn’t
really matter.”

Aerith then looks into Cloud’s eyes. She mentions their strange glow in the original as well, but it’s back when they were traversing the rooftops. Cloud’s response is almost word-for-word the same in Japanese, while E Remake shortens the line a bit, most likely to match the Japanese timing. Also, by this point we already know that SOLDIERs’ eyes are different, because it’s brought up more frequently in Remake.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
エアリス
 きれい
Aerith
Wow…
エアリス
 瞳
Aerith
Your eyes.
エアリス
「……あなたの目。
 その不思議な輝き……」
Aeris
“…Your eyes.
They have a strange glow…”
クラウド
 ああ 魔晄を浴びた者の瞳
 ソルジャーの証だ
Cloud
Oh. It’s ’cause of the mako. All SOLDIERs have ’em.
クラウド
「そう、これは魔晄を浴びた者……
 ソルジャーのあかし」
Cloud
“That’s the sign of those who
have been infused with Mako…”
“A mark of SOLDIER.”
エアリス
 うん 知ってる
Aerith
Yeah… I know.
エアリス
 ごめんね こんな話
Aerith
Sorry, I’m bumming you out.
エアリス
 もう いこっか
Aerith
We should go.

After chatting, Aerith shows Cloud a secret passageway into Sector 7 and they get ready to say their goodbyes. As before, Cloud worries about whether Aerith can get home by herself. The conversational beats are the same here, but the dialogue itself is rewritten. Interestingly, the first line in English is almost exactly the same as the original translation (“You gonna be okay/all right getting/going home?”)

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
クラウド
 帰りは 大丈夫なのか?
Cloud
You gonna be okay getting home?
クラウド
「わかった。
 じゃあ、ここで別れようか。
 ひとりで帰れるか?」
Cloud
“Thanks.
I guess this is goodbye.
You gonna be all right
going home?”
エアリス
 大丈夫じゃないって言ったら?
Aerith
And if I said I wasn’t?
エアリス
「いや~ん、
 帰れない~!!
 って言ったら
 どうするの?」

   家までおくる
   7番街までいっしょに
Aeris
“Oh no!
‘What ever will I do!?’
…Isn’t that what you want me to say?”
   Take her home.
   Go on to Sector 7.
クラウド
 家まで送ろう
Cloud
I’ll go with you.
エアリス
 それって 変じゃない?
Aerith
Thought you needed to get back?
エアリス
「それってなんだか
 おかしくない?」
(1) Aeris
“Isn’t that a little out of the way?”
エアリス
 大丈夫
Aerith
Don’t worry.
エアリス
 実は もっと安全な近道が
 あったりして
Aerith
I have a backup route for emergencies. And it’s safer too.
エアリス
 それじゃあ もう行く?
Aerith
Guess this is it, then. Ready?
クラウド
 ああ
Cloud
Yeah.

Before they can part ways, a carriage comes out of Sector 7 and Cloud notices that Tifa is in it. This time around, Cloud and Tifa chat a bit, and Cloud almost decides to let her go because she can handle herself, until Aerith convinces him otherwise.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
クラウド
 ティファ?
Cloud
Tifa!?
クラウド
「ティファ!?」
Cloud
“Tifa!?”
ティファ
 クラウド!
 よかった 無事だったんだ
Tifa
Cloud! You’re alive! I thought we’d lost you!
「あ、それより
 あれからどうしたの!?
 身体はだいじょうぶ!?」
“Never mind,
what happened to you after
the fall!? Are you hurt!?”
クラウド
 どうなってる?
Cloud
What’s going on?
ティファ
 事情は あとで説明するね
Tifa
I’ll explain everything later.
ティファ
 私 これから
 コルネオのところに行くから
Tifa
But now, I’m on my way to see Don Corneo.
ティファ
 クラウドは アジトに戻って
 バレットたちと合流して
Tifa
You should head back to Seventh Heaven, meet up with the gang.
クラウド
 でも
Cloud
But—
ティファ
 こっちは 大丈夫
Tifa
I’ll be fine.
ティファ
 私の蹴り 見たでしょ?
Tifa
You’ve seen how much ass I can kick.
クラウド
 わかった
Cloud
I have…
エアリス
 ダメ ティファが最優先
Aerith
Oh no you don’t. You’re going after her.

They talk to Chocobo Sam, a new character, to try to figure out where Tifa is. Cloud starts to say that they want to save her, but Aerith butts in with a cover story, knowing that it would be better to keep that detail secret. The English translation gives her a better recovery, working off the word “save” to claim that they want to save her from a life without Cloud. In Japanese, she just talks right over him, so it doesn’t feel as convincing.

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
サム
 なんだ 見ねえ顔だな
Sam
Hmm… I don’t know you. What’s your story?
エアリス
 そのチョコボ車に乗ってた娘
 探してるんだけど
Aerith
We’re looking for a girl who took one of your
carriages. Can you help us find her?
サム
 探して どうするつもりだ
Sam
Depends. What d’you want with this girl of yours?
クラウド
 もちろん たすけ——
Cloud
Guess. We want to save—
エアリス
 その娘がタイプなんだって だから
Aerith
Save her from a life without this handsome guy!

Sam realizes that they’re talking about Tifa and explains that she’s gone to Don Corneo’s mansion, fulfilling the role of the guy (manager?) outside of the Honeybee Inn in the original.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
サム
 もしかして ティファちゃんか?
Sam
Wait a minute, you talking about Tifa?
「おっ、あなた、聞き耳
 はやいねえ。
 ティファちゃんは
 ムチムチの新人さんだよ」
(1) “Hey, you’re pretty fast.
Tifa’s our newest girl.”
クラウド
 そうだ
Cloud
That’s her.
サム
 兄ちゃんも
 撃ち抜かれちまった口か
Sam
Oho, looks like someone’s got a bit of a crush!
サム
 でも 残念だったな
 あの娘は当分 出てこれねえよ
Sam
Hate to break your heart, but it’s gonna be a long while before she sees the light of day again.
「でも、残念です。
 ティファちゃんはいま面接中」
“But, unfortunately,
she’s having an interview right now.”
クラウド
 どういうことだ
Cloud
What do you mean?
サム
 あの娘は 特別よ
Sam
She’s a real pretty girl.
サム
 コルネオさんの屋敷に入って
 オーディションを受けること
 になってる
Sam
Corneo’s hosting another audition, and Tifa was chosen as a candidate.
エアリス
 オーディションって?
Aerith
An audition for what?
サム
 コルネオさんが
 嫁を選ぶオーディションさ
Sam
For the title of the next Mrs. Corneo.
「ドン・コルネオは有名な
 独身貴族。
 そろそろ身をかためるってんで
 おヨメさんさがしに熱心でねえ」
“Don Corneo’s a famous dilettante.
Now he wants to settle down and
is in the market for a bride.”

As they explore Wall Market, we find some familiar NPC dialogue. There’s still a barker outside the inn who tries to convince Cloud and Aerith to get a room, though his dialogue is rewritten in Japanese as well.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
客引き
 そこのご両人
 本日の宿はお決まりですか?
Barker
You two! Yes, you! Do you have a place to stay this enchanted evening?
「ちょっと、そこのおふたりさん。
 少し休んでかない?」
“Hey, you two.
Why don’t you get some rest?”
客引き
 おふたりにぴったりなお部屋を
 ご用意してますよ
Barker
We have the perfect room for a sweet-looking couple like you!
「きれいな部屋があるんだけど
 どうだい?」
“We have a beautiful room,
how ’bout it?”

The machine that’s supposed to run the item shop is still broken, but this time Aerith comments on it instead of Cloud.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
エアリス
 壊れてる?
Aerith
Maybe it’s broken?
クラウド
「壊れてるぞ!」
Cloud
“…Broken.”

If we take a turn down one of the back alleys, there’s still a group of women complaining about all the garbage the weapons shop guy collects. The Japanese is basically exactly the same except for a few changed words and an extra line about how the guy claims it’s his “collection.” And as usual, E Remake fixes up the rather literal original translation and does a great job of getting their disdain across.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ここのゴミ
どうにかならないのかしらねえ
Look at this garbage. Can’t someone do something about it?「ここのゴミ。
 どうにかならないのかしらねえ」
“All this trash.
Can’t we do anything with it?”
これって全部
例の人が拾ってきて溜めこんでるんでしょ?
Well, I guarantee you our favorite
weapons collector wouldn’t call it
“garbage.”
「これって全部、あの、ほら……
 武器屋の、あそこのご主人。
 ひろってきては、
 ためこんでるそうよ」
“All this belongs to the owner
of the Weapons Shop.
He keeps picking things up
and saving them here.”
ゴミじゃなくてコレクションだって
言ってるみたいだけど
Oh yes, didn’t you know it’s his
“collection”?
どう見ても ゴミですわよねI dunno, looks like a pile of crap to me!「でも、どうみても
 ゴミですわねえ」
“But any way you look at it,
it’s just trash…”
あれはなんていうんでしたっけ
ミサイル ロケット?
This thing here, it’s called a…a
missile—that right?
それって 違うものなの?
どっちでも邪魔だけど
Like to know what I call it? In the gosh-darn way, that’s what!
だからゴミですよ ゴミ!That’s what I’ve been saying—it’s
garbage!

The diner is back, and with the same three menu options:
焼肉定食 (yakiniku teishoku ; “yakiniku set meal/special”)
さしみ定食 (sashimi teishoku ; “sashimi set meal/special”)
今日のおすすめ (kyou no osusume ; “today’s recommendation”)

The English keeps mostly the same translations too, with “today’s special” and “barbecue.” Though the “sushi plate” seems to have turned into the “mystery fish set.” To be fair, the original translation’s “sushi” isn’t really the same thing as the Japanese’s “sashimi.” The translators probably only went for “sushi” because that would be more familiar to a Western audience.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
定食屋のオヤジ
 らっしゃいませ!
 お好きな席へどうぞ
Restaurant Owner
Hey there, friend! Grab a seat, any seat that’s open.
「いらっしゃい!
 どうぞ、お好きなところへ」
“Welcome!
Sit wherever you like!”
Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
定食屋のオヤジ
 もちろん 魚のさしみだ
Why, it’s a set meal with some fish!クラウド
「そうだな………」
   焼肉定食
   さしみ定食
   今日のおすすめ
Cloud
“Hmm…”
   Korean B.B.Q. Plate
   Sushi Plate
   Today’s Special
焼肉定食 お願いしますI’ll…have the barbecue.
『今日のおすすめ』ってなんですか?Um…what’s “today’s special”?

There’s also a guy who talks about how it’s the don who allows them to eat so well. The Japanese is exactly the same here (except for an added bit at the end), which is pretty cool.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
こうやってメシが食えるのも
ドンのおかげだよ
大将 焼肉定食とルチル焼酎追加で
Got nothing but love for the don. He’s
the man putting food on my plate.
Hey—lemme get another order of
barbecue and a glass of luchile!
「こうやってメシが食えるのも
 ドンのおかげだよ」
“It’s thanks to the Don
that we can eat like this.”

You can still find the clothing store owner drowning his sorrows in the bar, though his dialogue is different. At least it’s clear now to English speakers that he’s lamenting his situation and not the state of the world in general.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
服屋のオヤジ
 ”いんすぴれーしょん”が返ってくるまでは
 放っておいてくれ
Clothing Store Owner
Leave me alone. I’m nothing but a hollow shell of a
man without my inspiration.
服屋のオヤジ
 ワシは もうおしまいだあ
Clothing Store Owner
Dig a hole and throw me in. I’m already dead.
「ふ~
 うまくいかんもんだのう」
“Man,
times are bad.”

And of course, there’s the guy desperately waiting for the bathroom. His dialogue has been rewritten except for the 我慢 (gaman ; “endurance/patience/self-control”).

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
待つ男
 もう 我慢の限界だ
Man in Line
Shit! These are high stakes, man!
「おい、どうにかしてくれよ。
 誰かが入ったきり出てこないんだ。
 もう、ガマンできないよ」
“Hey, could you do somethin’ for me?
Someone’s been in there all day
and they’re not comin’ out.
I can’t hold it anymore!”
待つ男
 おい 早く出てきてくれよ!
Man in Line
C’mon, asshole! Hurry the hell up!

And the person having a bad time in the bathroom returns, too.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
患者
 うう 気持ち悪い……
Patient
I feel like shit.
「う………あんたなに開けてんだよ……
 見てんじゃねえよ…………」
“HEY…someone’s IN here…
Don’t look!”
「ねえ、あんたなんか薬もってないかい?
 はしゃぎ過ぎちゃってさ……う………」
“Got any medicine on you?
I’m too hyper…and…ugh.”

Moving on to the gym, there’s some more dialogue straight from the original in Japanese. The English translation keeps the “bro” and “How’s this!?” at least.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
はい 1 2 3!
スクワットは リズムですよ
Find the rhythm, boys! One, two, three…
Keep it up! C’mon now!
「はい、1、2、3
 スクワットはリズムですよ」
“All right… 1, 2, 3.
Squats are all in the rhythm.”
アニキ~ がんばりやすぜ~!I am doin’ it, bro. I’m doin’ it!「あにきー!
 がんばりやすぜー!」
“I’m doing my best,
bro’!”
これでどうだ!How’s this!? And this?「これで
 どうだー!」
“How’s…
this!?”

There’s also a brief reference to Cloud wearing a wig in the original game, with a couple of NPCs talking about wearing a wig to get access to a certain area.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
カツラかぶって客になれば?Put on a wig. That might work.エアリス
「やっぱり、ちょっと変。
 かつら、必要だね」
Aeris
“It’s still not right.
A wig! That’s what you need!”
その手があったか!Oh, that’s brilliant!
本気にするなよI was joking…

Cloud and Aerith can run into Johnny at the Honeybee Inn. He rambles on about whether or not he should go in, with his first few lines basically taken straight from the original in Japanese. The English translation adds the Shakespearean “That is the question,” which, let’s be honest, is absolutely called for here. In fact, the Japanese use of 文学的 (bungakuteki ; “literary”) may imply that this reference was always intended. (Though that’s just pure speculation.) Speaking of that use of “literary” though, considering the context of the scene, it feels like it’s supposed to mean something more along the lines of “philosophical” as E Remake has here.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ジョニー
 入るべきか 入らざるべきか?
 俺ってこんな時
 文学的になっちゃうんだよな
Johnny
To enter, or not to enter. That is the question. Wherefore does this philosophical quandary torment
me!?
ジョニー
「ああ……。
 入るべきか…… 
 入らざるべきか?」
Johnny
“Man…
Should I go….or not?”
「ああ……俺ってこういうとき
 なんか文学的になっちゃう
 んだよな。まいるぜ!!」
“…I get so mental at times like this.
I’m hopeless!!”

And just as before, there’s a choice of whether to sympathize with Johnny, though his responses are different now because he isn’t aware that Cloud knows Tifa.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
ジョニー
「あ!! あんたは?」
Johnny
“Hey!! Aren’t you?”
ジョニー
 わかるか この感じ?
Johnny
You totally get where I’m coming from, right?
「エェ!! あんたも?」
   ああ、俺もだ
   おまえといっしょにするな
“What?? You mean you’re…too?”
   Yeah, me too.
   Don’t bring me down to your
   level.
ジョニーの気持ちがわかる?
 わかる
 いいや
Agree with Johnny?
 Yeah.
 No.
ジョニー
 おお 同類かよ!
Johnny
Hah! I knew it!
(1)
「ティファちゃんの幼なじみ
 でありながら
 あ、新しい彼女を連れて
 こんなところへやってくる」
(1)
“You’re Tifa’s childhood friend,
and you brought a new girlfriend
to a place like this!?”
ジョニー
 もしかして 楽しいことのあとは
 罪悪感やら自己嫌悪で
 滅入っちゃうタイプか?
Johnny
Lemme guess—after you’ve had your fun, you fall into
a spiral of shame and self-loathing.
「なんという人なんだ、
 あんたは!!」
“What kind of guy are you!!”
ジョニー
 でもそれは一時のことで
 すぐにまた——
Johnny
But it only lasts a moment, doesn’t it? Next thing you
know, you’re right back here again…
ジョニー
 なんだ 質問か?
Johnny
Huh? Gotta question for me?
クラウド
 ティファを見なかったか
Cloud
Seen Tifa around?

Also, as usual the English dialogue is so great here. (The Japanese is roughly just, “Wait, Tifa’s here? Why? Why?”)

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
ジョニー
 ティファ!
 愛しいその名を知る あんたは誰だよ
Johnny
Tifa? My love, my light!? Who are you, and how do
you know her!?
ジョニー
 てか ティファがここにいるのか
 なんで なんでよ?
Johnny
No, shut up. I don’t care! Tifa’s here? Why!? Tell me
why!

They head to Don Corneo’s mansion. In Japanese, Aerith reads the Japanese kanji phonetically and realizes it’s Corneo’s name. E Remake writes around this by having her make an educated guess based on the general appearance of the place.

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
エアリス
 あれ見て
Aerith
Check it out!
エアリス
 『こ・る・ね・お』 あそこだね
Aerith
I think we might’ve found our man…and he’s a gaudy
one.

Don Corneo’s lackeys once again prevent them from entering the mansion. The dialogue is rewritten, but the general flow of the scene is the same: telling them that men can’t enter, calling Aerith cute, etc.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalE PSX
レズリー
 おい それ以上近づくな
 男に用はない
Leslie
Not so fast, buddy. Back it up. Got no need for pretty boys here.
クラウド
 人を探している
Cloud
We’re looking for someone.
レズリー
 おまえ ウォール・マーケットは
 初めてか
Leslie
Lemme guess. First time in Wall Market.
「ここは、ウォールマーケットの
 大物、ドン・コルネオ様の
 お屋敷だ」
“This is Don Corneo’s mansion.
He’s a big shot here in Wall Market.”
クラウド
 だったら なんだ
Cloud
Yeah, so?
レズリー
 屋敷は立ち入り禁止だ
 とくに男はな
Leslie
So people can’t just walk through the don’s front door. Especially men.
「いいか、ドンは男には
 興味ないんだ。
 さっさとどっかへ行ってくれ」
“Listen, the Don’s not interested in men. So just get the hell outta here.”
エアリス
 はいはい じゃあ わたし
Aerith
How ’bout me, then? Can I go inside?
レズリー
 女の場合は もっと面倒だ
Leslie
Maybe, but you’re gonna wish you didn’t.
コルネオの手下
 でも レズリーさん
 なかなか可愛いっすよ
Corneo Lackey
Y’know, Leslie, she’s kinda cute. Homely, but cute.
「ああっ、よく見たら
 きれいな姉ちゃんも
 いっしょ!」
“Hey, and you got another
cute one with you!”
エアリス
 なかなか?
Aerith
Excuse you?
レズリー
 なかなか程度じゃ 難しい
Leslie
“Kinda cute” is not gonna cut it.
エアリス
 どうにか ならない?
Aerith
Come on, can’t you help us out?
レズリー
 ここがどういう場所なのか
 知ってるのか
Leslie
Do you have any idea what you’re getting yourself into?
クラウド
「ここは……その……
 ……わかるだろ?」
Cloud
“You DO know…what kind of…place
this is, don’t you?”
クラウド
 エアリス
Cloud
Aerith.
コルネオの手下
 レズリーさん
 やっぱり可愛いっすよ
 スタイルはともかく
Corneo Lackey
Seriously, Les, she’s not half bad! With a little work, I bet she’d clean up real nice.
エアリス
 クラウド わたし
 暴れていいかな
Aerith
Cloud…requesting permission to kill.

Cloud is hesitant about letting Aerith go in there, but they can’t think of any other options right now. This is the point in the original where Aerith suggests that Cloud dress up, but we won’t get to that until later in Remake.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
クラウド
 エアリス 本気なのか?
Cloud
Aerith. You sure about this?
エアリス
 他に 方法ある?
Aerith
If you’ve got any better ideas…
エアリス
「じゃあ、どうする?
 あなたもはいる?」
Aeris
“Then what am I supposed to do?
You want to go in with me?”
クラウド
 でも……
Cloud
Not really.
クラウド
「かといってエアリスに
 いかせるわけには……
 いや、しかし……」
Cloud
“But, I just can’t let you
go in alone… Oh, man…”

Incidentally, there’s a good translation of one of Johnny’s lines as he dashes away, determined to help Tifa somehow. The Japanese is roughly just “Wait (for me), Tifa!” This sort of expression seems to come up a lot in games and anime, and while something like “Just you wait!” is serviceable in English, there are so many other ways it can be rendered depending on the context. For instance, here, the main gist is that he’s declaring that he’s going to save Tifa, so E Remake focuses on that instead and changes it to “Help is on the way!”

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
ジョニー
 いいか
 ティファを助け出すのは 俺だ
Johnny
Meaning! I now know what I must do to save her!
ジョニー
 よおおおおし
 待ってろ ティファああ!
Johnny
Stay strong, Tifa! Help is on the way!
ジョニー
 いま行くからなああ
Johnny
Johnny’s comin’, baby!

Cloud and Aerith travel around Wall Market trying to get a recommendation so that Aerith can enter Corneo’s mansion. Eventually, they come to the Honeybee Inn, where Cloud again declares that he’s going in alone. Unlike in the original though, this time Aerith insists on going with him, using the excuse that Cloud isn’t much of a people person.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalEnglish Original
クラウド
 ここか
Cloud
This the place?
エアリス
 だね
Aerith
Think so.
クラウド
 俺が話してくる
 エアリスはここで待て
Cloud
Lemme handle this. You wait out here, okay?
クラウド
「ここに女装に必要な
 なにかがある。
 俺にはわかるんだ」
Cloud
“Looks like I need to go inside
to complete my disguise.”
エアリス
 どうして わたしも行くよ
Aerith
And why would I do that? No, I’m coming with.
エアリス
「…………ふ~~~~ん。
 そうやって、ごまかしますか」
Aeris
“…Hmmmm.
Sure, good excuse…”
クラウド
 でも
Cloud
I’m not really sure that—
エアリス
 だってクラウド
 交渉できないでしょ?
Aerith
You’re a man of many talents, but “talking” isn’t one of them.

Finally, they go to see Madam M, who starts out with a polite facade that quickly crumbles when she realizes that Cloud and Aerith aren’t paying customers. This is reflected in Japanese with her starting out in keigo, an ultra polite way of speaking, and then quickly descending into casual verb conjugations. English may not have rigid levels of politeness like that, but we do use different vocabulary and tones when speaking respectfully, and the translation does a fantastic job of showing Madam M’s two different attitudes that way.

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
マム
 そんなお客様の疲れを もみもみと
Madam M
It is our pleasure to relieve our patrons of that
tension.
マム
 手と手の濃厚なスキンシップで
 解消させていただきます
Madam M
And what better way to seek relief than through the
skilled ministrations of a professional?
マム
 というわけで 本日は
 どういった 揉みにいたしましょう
Madam M
So now that we understand each other, what manner
of massage do you desire?
クラウド
 俺たちは 客じゃない
Cloud
We’re not customers.
マム
 と言いますと?
Madam M
Then you are…?
エアリス
 わたしを コルネオさんの
 オーディションに推薦してもらいたくて
Aerith
Hoping you can help us get an invite to an audition
with Don C—
マム
 待った待った ちょっと黙りな
 勝手に口開くんじゃないよ!
Madam M
Oh for the love of— Say another word and I’ll shove
this fan right down your throat!

Madam M sends them on to the colosseum to win enough money to pay for Aerith’s dress. This section is entirely new, but I just wanted to note that Kotch and Scotch’s names are actually a bit of a pun in Japanese. こっち (kocchi) and そっち (socchi) mean “this person/way” and “that person/way” respectively. E Remake opts to stick with their established English names, but in any case does an amazing job with their dialogue. They really do sound like tournament announcers.

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
ソッチ
 眠らない都市ミッドガル
Scotch
In the city that never sleeps!
コッチ
 中でもひときわ輝く綺羅星
 ウォール・マーケット
Kotch
In the paradise of debauchery and sin—of pain and
pleasure!
ソッチ
 あなたの欲望を受け入れ叶える街
 ウォール・マーケット
Scotch
Where your every desire can be indulged for the right
price—Wall Market!
コッチ
 あまたの誘惑に目移りすることなく
 集いし皆様
Kotch
To you esteemed connoisseurs of chaos and
bloodshed—
コッチ
 ようこそ お越しいただきました
Kotch
we bid you the warmest of welcomes!
ソッチ
 ご安心ください
Scotch
Are you sitting comfortably?
ソッチ
 今宵 世界で最も熱い場所は
 ウォール・マーケットのまさに今 ここ!
Scotch
For tonight, the most gruesome spectacle anywhere
in Wall Market or beyond shall be yours to witness!
ソッチ
 地下闘技場で間違いありません
Scotch
Here in the Corneo Colosseum!
コッチ
 優勝賞金は なんと100万ギル
 ルールはたったひとつ 相手を叩きのめす!
Kotch
Tonight’s grand prize is no less than one million gil!
And there is only one way to get it: brutalize your
opponent!
ソッチ
 完膚なきまでに
Scotch
Thoroughly and utterly!
コッチ
 ぶちのめす
Kotch
Viciously!
ソッチ
 ようしゃなく
Scotch
Without mercy!
コッチ
 血ヘドを吐かせ
Kotch
Until they vomit blood!
ソッチ
 なめさせた者だけが
Scotch
Only the most ruthless fighters—
コッチ
 最後まで立っていた者だけが
Kotch
The savages still standing here at the end—
ソッチ
 賞金と名誉を得るのです
Scotch
Shall claim the gil and the glory!

Cloud and Aerith fight their way through the tournament, and just when it seems like they’ve won, it turns out they have to fight an extra round. Madam M is…frustrated by this. In Japanese she gets a bunch of bleeped out dialogue, but in English she gets to swear outright, in a rare case of reverse “censorship.” As an aside, this isn’t the only example of this in J-E translation: Kaine from Nier Replicant/Gestalt is also bleeped out in Japanese while getting to be fully foul-mouthed in English. For more information, see this interview about Nier’s translation.

Japanese RemakeEnglish Remake
エアリス
 話 ちがう
Aerith
Hey! That wasn’t the deal!
マム
 それはあたしが言いたいよ!
Madam M
Don’t you think I know that!?
マム
 ごうつくばりめ
 くそ———!———!———!
Madam M
You greedy bastard! Scum-sucking piece of shit
festering asshole!
マム
 でも しかたないのさ
 この街では コルネオがルールだからね
Madam M
But that’s the way it is. Corneo’s the one who makes
the rules around here.

For the final fight, the Hell House makes a dramatic return from the original, getting an expanded boss battle.


After the tournament, Madam M helps Aerith get changed into her dress, and in the meantime Cloud is sent off to do sidequests.

Japanese RemakeEnglish RemakeJapanese OriginalE PC
マム
 服だけじゃないさ その素人くさい化粧と髪も
 ガッツリ手を入れるからね
Madam M
The dress is part of it, sure…but we’ll also need to do
something about that plain-Jane makeup and hairdo.
This is gonna take some work.
エアリス
 わお!
Aerith
Ouch!
エアリス
 じゃあ クラウド あとでね
Aerith
Well, I’ll see you later, Cloud!
マム
 のぞくんじゃないよ
Madam M
Peek and I’ll poke out your eyes.
エアリス
「……のぞいちゃダメよ」
Aeris
“…No peeking!”

And that’s where we’ll leave off for now, continuing in Part 2…

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