By: John C

John C — Sat, 03 Feb 2024 14:35:58 +0000

I have played every single Like A Dragon game from 4 when SEGA was really struggling to gain a foothold here in America, to where it finally reached popularity with Like A Dragon Zero under Nagoshi, I even played Like A Dragon 7 and found not much issue with the localization most likely due to that one rumored to being in-house. A small note is, I played the games before they even were remastered, and I have noticed retroactive changes in the English Script on the remastered collection and the images are also posted online of various changes that takes out the Japanese spirit and humor to censor it in order to prevent offending anyone from the jokes involving sexuality down to being silly about body shapes and sizes. To be honest this is what makes Japanese culture unique, is the sense of being honest with ones feelings and emotions, being silly and funny, being free to make what you desire so as long as it’s done with tact. Which Japan has always done very well and wildly successful because the localizers back then understood the humor but did not mess with the cultural Japanese identity to do it and conveyed it much better but I think audiences desire Translations, they desire more faithful accurate depictions of Japanese culture. Not an Americanized version of it, not a censored version, a toned down version but 1:1 version that feels like the Japanese soul and the spirit of the creators themselves and is respectful to their vision.

The reason is that Manga and Anime have been wildly popular in the West and continue to grow as rapid as it has, is that they have been faithful with translations for 16 years now with nothing toned down, nothing censored, in the cases they are not, audiences do get mad and the creators revoke licenses or force the translator to change it back. While Video Games have not caught up to this and feel woefully behind out of lockstep with audiences who are used to Japanese content with Anime and Manga, not going through a filter and having something lost in translation. The fact that SEGA, Bandai Namco and the Japanese execs misunderstand the market has changed for less localization and more accurate translation without self censorship is surprising to say the least. If they do not change their idealogy for AI Translations, in-house Bilingual Japanese to do their works, to be more faithful and accurate. Kadokawa will step in and do what needs to be done and I am sure they will be making infinite wealth on top of infinite growth for being a Japanese Company bringing Japanese culture that is unfiltered for the West, while the rest keeps wondering why nobody likes their work and why they are getting growing pushback.

Comments on: Like a Dragon series producer assures localization does not alter game content or characters

By: John C