Final Fantasy Adventure/Seiken Densetsu Translation Differences FAQ By Gouki of Borg Table of Contents ------------------ I. Introduction II. Version History III. General Differences IV. Name Changes a. Key Terms b. Characters c. Places d. Items e. Spells f. Weapons g. Armor h. Bosses V. Closing Remarks ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. Introduction ----------------- The first game in the Seiken Densetsu ("Holy Sword Legend") series was released for the Game Boy in June of 1991, designed as a "gaiden" or sidestory to the Final Fantasy series and combining many familiar elements from that series with action-RPG style gameplay. It was released in North America that November, having been renamed Final Fantasy Adventure for marketing purposes. This series would come to be known as the "Mana" series among NA players. Subsequent games in the series would move away from the "Final Fantasy Gaiden" aspect, and Seiken Densetsu became a popular series in its own right. Seiken Densetsu 1 was even remade in 2003 for the Game Boy Advance, with many of the Final Fantasy influences changed to reflect later games in the series (Cannon Travel instead of the Chocobo, etc). The remake was titled Seiken Densetsu: New Testament in Japan and Sword of Mana in America. There were a number of changes made in the game's translation, which are listed here for those who are curious. Spoilers abound, so I recommend completing the game first. A bit of trivia: The Seiken Densetsu title was copyrighted by Square as far back as 1987, before the release of the original Final Fantasy. They planned on producing a game for the Famicom Disk System called "Seiken Densetsu: Emergence of Excalibur", but it proved too ambitious a project and was cancelled. Customers who pre-ordered the game received a letter telling them to look forward to Square's upcoming release, Final Fantasy. II. Version History --------------------- Version 1.0 (9/10/09) First version, more or less complete unless anyone has any corrections or new information. III. General Differences -------------------------- -The gameplay between Seiken Densetsu and FFA is identical as far as I can tell. -Because of how short the English names were forced to be, icons were used to show item type. In the original Japanese, all the names are written out with no icons. -In the JP version, the level-up types were called "Job Types" and were named as follows: Strength - Warrior Type (Senshi no TAIPU) Stamina - Monk Type (MONKU no TAIPU) Wisdom - Wizard Type (Madoushi no TAIPU) Will - Sage Type (Kenja no TAIPU) -The teleporter symbols in the Mana Palace (and elsewhere) were pentagrams in the original, changed to a different symbol for the NA version. -You may already know this if you've played Sword of Mana, but it was originally Medusa's blood and not her tears that are needed to break Lester's curse. -Marcie identifies itself as a "Mummy Seeker". -The English translation did the job well enough, although it left out some nuances that added to the story's emotional edge. For example: -Mr. Lee kidnapped the heroine because he wanted a virgin's blood. -Before the battle with Shadow Knight, the hero once again vows to avenge Willy. In the NA translation, Willy is never mentioned again after the hero's escape, despite the fact that they were best friends. -The hero admits to Lester that he killed Amanda (he says something like, "She fell into Davias' trap, but she died by my hand"). In the NA translation he just says she sacrificed herself. -The hero mentions Amanda's death during his momentary breakdown to Bogard in Ish, as one of the reasons why he's not cut out to play hero. As with the Willy example above, it's refreshing to see the death of a friend have a lasting impact on an early RPG hero. IV. Name Changes --------------------- a. Key Terms FFA Seiken Trans --- ------ ------ GP RUKU Luc Boy HIIROO Hero Girl HIROIN Heroine b. Characters FFA Seiken Trans --- ------ ------ Bogard BOGAADO Bogard Dark Lord SHADOUNAITO Shadow Knight Julius JURIASU Julius Willy UIRII Willy Amanda AMANDA Amanda Hasim HASHIMU Hasim / Hashim Lee RI Lee Cibba SHIIBA Cibba Watts WATTSU Watts Chocobo CHOCOBO Chocobo Davias DEBIASU Davias Lester RESUTAA Lester Sara SARA Sara BowWow BONBOYAJI Bon Voyage Marcie MAASHII Marcie c. Places ----------- FFA Seiken Trans ---- ------ ----- Glaive GURANSU Grans/Glance Topple TOPPURU Topple Kett's BINKETTO no Kan Vinquette's Hall Wendel UENDERU Wendel Gaia GAIA no Dokutsu Gaia's Cave Menos MENOSU Menos Jadd JYADO Jadd Mt. Rocks Kigan Yama Strange Rock Mountain Ish ISHU Ish Lorim RORIMAA Lorimar Crystal Desert GARASU no Sabaku Desert of Glass Dime Tower DAIMU no Tou Dime Tower d. Items ----------- Note: Items listed as [None] were removed entirely from the NA version. In the JP version, only the name remains and they don't do anything even if acquired through hacking. Most of them appear to be unused story items. FFA Seiken Trans ---- ------ ------ Cure POOSHON Potion X-Cure HAIPOOSHON Hi-Potion Ether Mahou no Kusuri Magic Medicine X-Ether MAJIKKUBOTORU Magic Bottle Elixir ERIKUSAA Elixer Pure Dokukeshi Antidote Eyedrop Megusuri Eyedrops Soft Kin no Hari Gold Needle Moogle MOGURA no Hige Mogra Whisker [item1] Unicorn YUNIKOON no Tsuno Unicorn Horn Silence MONKIIBEIBII Monkey Baby (?) Pillow RAMUJII no Makura Ramsey's Pillow [item2] Flame FAIABOORU Fireball Blaze FAIAROKKU Fire Rock Blizzrd AISUMISAIRU Ice Missile Frost AISUROKETTO Ice Rocket Litblt SANDAAAROO Thunder Arrow Thunder SANDAABORUTO Thunderbolt Candy Manmaru DOROPPU Round Drop Key KAGI Key Bone Key DOKURO no Kagi Skull Key Bronze Key Gin no Kagi Silver Key Mirror Tsuki no Kagami Moon Mirror Amanda AMANDA no Chi Amanda's Blood Oil Sabi TOREERU Rust Trail [item4] Crystal KURISUTARU Crystal Nectar BAKKASU no Sake Bacchus' Wine Stamina ADAMANDORINKU Adaman Drink Wisdom EA no Namida Air Tear Will ATENA no Kisu Athena's Kiss Gold Sakinbukuro Golddust Fang KIBA Fang Mattock MATOKKU Mattock Ruby RUBII no Hajiki Ruby Marbles Opal DAIYA no SAIKORO Diamond Dice [None] FUREAUEEBU Flare Web [None] FUREABAZUUGA Flare Bazooka [None] Ahou YOBI2 Dummy Spare 2 [item3] [None] Hi no Yubiwa Fire Ring [None] Sabitsuita Kagi Rusted Key [None] Aoitama Blue Orb [None] Akaitama Red Orb [None] MANA no PENDANTO Mana Pendant [None] MISURIRU Mithril [None] SUTAASAFAIA Star Sapphire [None] BARANSAA Balancer [None] MUUNKURISUTARU Moon Crystal [None] SHINARIOYOBI2 Scenario Spare 2 [None] SHINARIOYOBI3 Scenario Spare 3 [None] SHINARIOYOBI4 Scenario Spare 4 [None] SHINARIOYOBI5 Scenario Spare 5 [None] Taimatsu Torch [None] DOWAAFU no RANPU Dwarf Ramp [None] Daichi no DORAMU Earth Drum [None] MOOGURI no Fue Moogle Flute [None] RIZAABU Reserve [item1]: Curious, as the Japanese word for Moogle is usually "Mogri". [item2]: I'm unsure as to what "Ramsey" this is referencing. [item3]: Obviously "dummy" as in "placeholder", appears to be a rude joke by the programmer as "Ahou" means "Dummy/Idiot/Retard". [item4]: Unsure of how "trail" has to do with dissolving rust, but there it is. Note that this is the same name given in FF6j to the Rust-Rid you buy in Zozo, so you could translate it as Rust-Rid or Rust Solvent if you wanted to. e. Spells ----------- FFA Seiken Trans ---- ------ ----- Cure KEARU Cure Heal HIIRU Heal Mute SAIRESU Silence Slep SURIPURU Sleepel/Sleep Fire FAIA Fire Ice BURIZADO Blizzard Lit SANDAA Thunder Nuke FUREA Flare f. Weapons ----------- FFA Seiken Trans ---- ------ ----- Broad Sword BUROODOSOODO Broad Sword Silver Sword MISURIRUBUREEDO Mithril Blade Blood Sword BURADDOSOODO Blood Sword Ice Sword AISUBURANDO Ice Brand Dragon Sword DORAGONBASUTAA Dragon Buster Rusty Sword Sabita Tsurugi Rusty Sword XCalibr EKUSUKARIBAA Excalibur Battle Axe BATORUAKKUSU Battle Axe Were Axe UEABASUTAA Were Buster Zeus Axe Majin no ONO Demon's Axe Wind Spear UINDOSUPIA Wind Spear Thunder Spear SANDAASUPIA Thunder Spear Chain Flail CHEENFUREIRU Chain Flail Flame Flail FAIAFUREIRU Fire Flail Star MOONINGUSUTAA Morning Star g. Armor --------- FFA Seiken Trans ---- ------ ----- Bronze Armor BURONZUAAMAA Bronze Armor Iron Armor Tetsu no Yoroi Iron Armor Silver Armor MISURIRU no Yoroi Mithril Armor Gold Armor Ougon no Yoroi Gold Armor Opal Armor DAIYA no Yoroi Diamond Armor Flame Armor FUREIMUAAMAA Flame Armor Ice Armor AISUAAMAA Ice Armor Dragon Armor DORAGONMEIRU Dragon Mail Samurai Armor Genji no Yoroi Genji's Armor Bronze Shield BURONZU no Tate Bronze Shield Iron Shield Tetsu no Tate Iron Shield Silver Shield MISURIRU no Tate Mithril Shield Gold Shield Ougon no Tate Gold Shield Opal Shield DAIYA no Tate Diamond Shield Flame Shield FAIASHIIRUDO Fire Shield Ice Shield AISUSHIIRUDO Ice Shield Aegis Shield IIJISU no Tate Aegis Shield Bronze Helmet BURONZU no Kabuto Bronze Helmet Iron Helmet Tetsu no Kabuto Iron Helmet Silver Helmet MISURIRU no Kabuto Mithril Helmet Gold Helmet Ougon no Kabuto Gold Helmet Opal Helmet DAIYA no Kabuto Diamond Helmet Samurai Helmet Genji no Kabuto Genji's Helmet h. Bosses ------------ FFA Seiken Trans ---- ------ ----- Hydra HIDORA Hydra Vampire BANPAIA Vampire Megapede ANKUHEGGU Ankheg Medusa MEDYUUSA Medusa Metal Crab FURUMETARUHAGAA Full Metal Hugger Cyclops SAIKUROPUSU Cyclops Golem GOOREMU Golem Chimera KIMAIRA Chimera Kary MARIRISU Marilith Kraken KURAAKEN Kraken Iflyte IFURIITO Ifrit Mantis Ant MANTISUANTO Mantis Ant Garuda GARUUDA Garuda Dragon DORAGON Dragon Red Dragon REDDODORAGON Red Dragon Dragon Zombie DORAGONZONBI Dragon Zombie Note: Davias' boss form is called Mindflayer in official materials, though it's never referred to as such in dialogue. V. Closing Remarks ----------------------------- Some links I found incredibly useful: http://www.solon.org/cgi-bin/j-e/ Jeffrey's Japanese-English Dictionary Server: This is the best Japanese translation site I've come across on the web so far. I could not have done these translations without it. http://www.towerreversed.org/dump Text dumps of item/enemy names, allowing me to check my romanizations and provide quick lists for translation. Questions? Comments? Contributions? E-mail me: unlimited_justice@yahoo.com Final Fantasy Adventure/Seiken Densetsu and all related names are copyright 1991 Squaresoft. This document is copyright 2009 by Gouki of Borg.