Let’s. Because, honestly, language matters! And when you’re watching a Final Fantasy XIII cutscene in English or Japanese, it can totally change the mood.
This YouTube clip compares the Japanese and English language tracks. Which do you prefer?
Thanks, Darryl!
APK
June 10, 2009 at 3:25 PM
In general i like Japanese better but the black guy has a english voice.
Report PermalinkAnd as normal, the Japanese voicing seem to have more emotion in it.
Janssen4444
June 10, 2009 at 3:52 PM
I actually like the English voices better here
Snow’s voice sounds so familiar…i can’t remember where i’ve heard that voice before though
Report PermalinkJamie Norwood
June 10, 2009 at 4:04 PM
I dunno, they seemed pretty similar to me. The Japanese version had more present/striking music, though, I felt. But the actual dialog felt the same.
That said, I don’t speak Japanese, so it was purely tonal feel, they could have been saying completely different things.
Report PermalinkAditya Goyal
June 10, 2009 at 4:15 PM
i prefer japanese, it makes it seem more exotic, more alien, it seems more immersive to me.
Report PermalinkGeorge Brandon
June 10, 2009 at 7:30 PM
I think this is the first time I’ve actually preferred the English version. For once they nailed it.
As to the guy that said Snow’s voice sounded familiar, I thought that too. After thinking for a second, I reckon its the same voice as the English Goku from DBZ.
Report Permalinkbleach1st
June 10, 2009 at 9:24 PM
It’s so hard to say the english version is better because these games and the way they are structure is purely for the Japanese language. English and Japanese language structure is so different that these strict game structures (aka when they talk, how they talk, when the camera moves and at what times) makes the English version look off when it gets translated so directly so I gotta say the Japanese version seems more following to me (btw and I understand the Japanese to a high degree too ;D)
Report PermalinkIt’s sad how sayings, that in Japanese sound ultra cool, sound so lame in English :|
Raistlan
June 11, 2009 at 9:10 AM
Normally when I have a chance between Japanese and english, I’ll go straight for the Japanese, but this time, I really prefer the English.
Report PermalinkCat Tactics
June 11, 2009 at 12:16 PM
yeh I agree. This isn’t that awkward Tidus shit from X. The english voice work flows and is done quite competently and Lightning sounds quite hardass.
Report PermalinkCheuk
June 13, 2009 at 4:00 PM
I never thought the day would come where I’d say I’d prefer the English, but it has. Yes I do know Japanese, and the Japanese track is fine, but the voices for the English track seems to fit the cast better. I think it’s because the character designs are less “Japanese” now than the previous titles. Of course, this is just on the voice acting and not the translation.
Report PermalinkTranslation is a bitch to do, and deciding on whether to translate literally or colloquially makes it so the English sometimes have some pretty awkward lines and dialogue.