The usual disclaimers:

  • I’m an amateur. My advantage over the original translation is that I have no deadline pressure, and I have the modern internet to help me. I’m assuredly wrong about some of my translations.

  • Translation is hard. When I point out a mistranslation, it’s not a judgment of the original translators. They had a deadline and poor resources.

  • Please no jokes in the comments about Karen being a Karen. I really hate that trend.

There are probably only about 3 blog entries worth of translation yet. This one, Babel and the bonus dungeon, and the endgame sequence.

The party has headed out for Dao, which for once is unedited on the Mode 7 map.

The game hurries things along. Tim offers only a single box of narration before the player regains control:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

さばくの中に ぽつんとたたずむ町。 ぼくらは ダオに やってきた。

A town shining in the desert. We went to Dao.

It was a town standing solitary in the middle of the desert. We arrived at Dao.

I can’t figure out how OE got shining. ぽつん (potsun) means isolated and たたずむ (tatazumu) means to loiter/stand still.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

カレン: ドレイ商人のアジトって言われるほど 悪名高い町のはずなのに 何だか そんな 感じが しないわよね。

Kara: This place is supposed to be famous for labor merchants. It doesn’t look like it.

Karen: This town is supposed to be the notorious home of the slave trade, but it doesn’t really feel like that.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

エリック: こんな 砂あらしじゃあ 目が いたくって 外も あるけないよ。

Erik: I can’t go outside in a sandstorm like this.

This sandstorm hurts my eyes and I can’t walk outside.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

さばくの町 ダオ

Desert Village Dao

Desert Town Dao

I immediately left Dao to check something. Specifically, since we ran into the body of someone from Captain Friesel’s team in Angkor Wat, I wondered if Friesel and the rest were still in Euro. The answer is that they’re all gone from the house they were previously in. So… Friesel’s probably dead. There’s otherwise nothing else different in Euro or the Native People’s Village that I could find.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

あんた ひっとして テムさんかい?

Would you happen to be Will?

Would you happen to be Tim?

If no:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

そうか... 荷物が 届いているんだがなあ。 困った 困った...

Hmmm. I hope he arrives soon. Very distressing…

Oh, you’re not? A package has arrived for him. Oh, well.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

こりゃ ちょうど よかった! ビルと ローラって人から 手紙と 荷物が 届いているんだ。 受けとってくんな。

Good! A letter and some luggage have arrived from someone named Bill and Lola.

Hey, right on time! A letter and package from someone named Bill and Laura have arrived. Please take them.

手紙と 父の手帳を 手に入れた!

You get a letter and your father’s journal!

Got a letter and father’s journal!

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ローラのてがみ
ローラと ビルからの てがみ。

Lola’s letter
Letter from Lola and Bill.

Laura’s letter
Letter from Laura and Bill.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ちちのてちょう
テムのちち オールマンのてちょう。 ピラミッドの なぞについて しるされている。

Father’s Journal
Will’s father’s journal. Info on Pyramid.

Dad’s journal
Journal of Tim’s dad Allman. Contains notes regarding the Pyramid.

The letter says:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

元気で やっていますか? ニールから 連らくを受け ダオに いるらしい とのことなので 手紙を 出してみました。

Have you been OK? Neil told us that he was in Dao, so I’m sending this letter.

Have you been well? We received word from Neil and were told he was in Dao, so we sent a letter.

わけは だいたい 聞きましたよ。 お前が ひとまわり 成長して 帰ってくるのを おじいさんと 楽しみにしています。

I heard the reason why. Grandpa and I are looking forward to seeing you.

We pretty much heard the reason. Your grandfather and I look forward to your return and to seeing how you’ve grown.

I find this letter confusing. They heard that Neil was in Dao, so they sent a letter to Tim? I guess they don’t know that Tim and Neil were separated? But I don’t see another reasonable translation. There’s nothing indicating that they heard from Neil that Tim was in Dao, and when we encounter Neil shortly it’s clear that he didn’t expect to see us here.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

そうそう。 お前の父 オールマンの荷物を 調べていたら ピラミッドのことが 書かれた手帳が でてきたの。

When we looked in your father’s luggage, we found a journal written about the Pyramid.

One more thing. When we looked through your father Allman’s bags, we found some notes about the Pyramid.

何かの 役にたつかも しれないので いっしょに 送ることにします。 では くれぐれも 体に気をつけて。
ビル/ローラ

I thought it would help you, so I sent it along. Take care.
Bill / Lola

We thought it might be useful to you, so we sent it along. Take care of yourself. Sincerely,
Bill/Laura

The journal says:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

私は 古代文字 ヒエログリフの 解読に ついに 成功した。 これは おそらく 世界で 初めての ことであろう。

I’ve deciphered the hieroglyphs. No one has ever done it before.

I finally succeeded at translating the ancient hieroglyphs. I dare say I’m the first in the world to have done so.

この もくしろくによれば ピラミッドには人類の歴史の とてつもない なぞをとくカギが かくされていることになるのだ。

It says there’s a key to solving the riddle of human history in the Pyramid.

According to this, the Pyramid holds the key to solving the greatest mysteries of human history.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

この ヒエログリフは 冒頭の一文で 「太陽神が 地平線よりのぼる」 という 意味をもつ。

The first part says, “The Sun Spirit rises from the horizon.”

This hieroglyph’s first sentence means “The sun god rises above the horizon.”

On the old Substack version of this blog post, I had a digression where I determined these were not real hieroglyphs, but they were close. fmux in the comments pointed out that I got this wrong. The hieroglyphs are saying:

This is a transliteration exercise directly from Gardiner’s textbook on grammar and hieroglyphics. These are real hieroglyphs with a correct translation to boot. Triple bonus points to Illusion of Gaia for putting in this effort!

Japanese

Original English

Translation

私は ピラミッドへ 足を運び これと 同じ文字板を 発見した。 そして...

I went to the Pyramid, and found the same inscription. So…

When I went to the Pyramid, I found identical slabs. So…

ページは ここで やぶられている。

Here a page is missing.

Here a page has been torn out.

I’m struggling to see what evidence he found that the Pyramid holds any kind of key to the greatest mysteries of human history. Oh, the sun god rises above the horizon? Like the sun does? Wow, the wisdom of the ancients is so incredible.

You can talk to the letter-deliverer again:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

この家は 遠くから はるばる やってくる 商人のための宿だよ。

This is a hotel for travelling merchants.

This building is a hotel for merchants who come from far and wide.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ここは さばくの町 ダオ。 こんなところに ふつうの 子供がいるなんて めずらしいなあ。

This is Dao, the desert village. Children don’t come to places like this very often.

This is the desert town of Dao. It’s pretty rare to see a normal kid in a place like this.

He says ふつうの 子供 (futsuu no kodomo) which means normal child. I suspect that the non-normal children he’s comparing you to are the slave children.

In the nearby house:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ニール: テムっ!!! まさか こんなところで 会うとは 思わなかったよ!

Neil: Will!! I never thought I’d meet you in a place like this!

Neil: Tim! I never thought I’d meet you in a place like this!

ニールっ! どうしたの? 社長に なったんじゃないの?!

Neil! You’ve become the company president?!

Neil! Why are you here? Didn’t you become the company president?

In OE, the exclamation point makes it sound as if Tim is surprised that Neil has become the company president, even though that’s exactly what Neil said he was going to do. It also seems as if Tim is reasoning from the fact that Neil is here that he must have become the company president. It’s the opposite—Tim is surprised that Neil is here because he should be busy doing company-president-y things instead.

JP failed to indicate that Tim is speaking in the second dialogue box, which is sometimes an indication that the text is Tim’s narration. But there’s no doubt that he’s speaking based on the flow of conversation. Neil laughs in response:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ニール: ははは。 ドレイ貿易のかわりに コショウを 輸入できないかた 思ってね。

Neil: Yes. I tried replacing the labor trade with pepper imports.

Neil: Hahaha. Imagine if you could replace the slave trade with pepper imports.

こうして ダオまで はるばる やってきたのさ。

This led me all the way to Dao.

That’s why I came all the way to Dao.

We’ll later learn that pepper is one of Dao’s local specialties. Until you find that out, this line’s kinda weird.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

この近くには ピラミッドがある。 ミステリードールとやらが そこに あるんじゃないか?

There’s a pyramid near here. I wonder if a Mystic Statue is there?

The Pyramid is nearby. Shouldn’t there be a so-called Mystery Doll there?

If you talk to him, he combines two lines from earlier. Imagine you could replace the slave trade with pepper imports, that’s why I came to Dao, blah blah.

The next house over is the Snake Game.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ヘビを使った 面白いゲームを やっていかないか?

Play the game with the snakes?

Would you like to play a fun game that uses snakes?

If no:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

これは 残念。 気がむいたら きてくれよ。

Too bad. Come back if you change your mind.

Too bad. Come back if you change your mind.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ルールは かんたん。 出てくる ヘビを 一分間に 何ひき たたけるかを きそうんだ。

The rules are simple. Hit as many snakes as you can in one minute.

The rules are simple. Snakes pop out. Try to hit as many as you can in one minute.

じゃあ どれでも 好きなツボを たたいてくれ。 そのときが スタートだっ!!

Hit whatever pot you like! That’s the start of the game!!

Hit any pot you like. That’s when the game will start.

Hello? Dao Humane Society? I’d like to report an instance of cruelty to animals.

If you talk to him while the game is going:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

おいおい。 ずいぶんと よゆうがあるんだな。

Hey, hey. There’s plenty of them.

Keep going. You still have more time.

よゆう (yoyuu) can mean surplus or leeway, which I guess is where OE got plenty. It can also mean time or allowance, which I think makes more sense here. おいおい (oioi) is an interjection that means hey or wait a minute. I think something like hold on, don’t stop is the intention.

Lose:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

はいっ! そこまでっ!! 君の たたいた数は xひき。 また ちょうせんしてくれよっ!

OK! Stop! You’ve hit x snakes. Try again!

OK! Stop! You’ve hit x snakes. Try again!

Japanese

Original English

Translation

うひゃあ xxひきとは なかなか 強者だね。

Wow xx snakes. Very good!

Woohoo, xx snakes. You’re very strong.

じゃあ しょうひんとして 赤い宝石を2コあげることにしよう。

For your prize, I’ll give you two Red Jewels.

As a reward, I’ll give you two red jewels.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

宝石商さんのところに 送っておくからね。

I’ll send them to the Jeweler.

I’ll send them to the Jeweler.

If you play the game again, no matter what you score, it gives the same message as losing.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

商人: 今日は いい 買い物をしたなあ。 こんな すばらしい じゅうたんは 見たことがないよ。 うん。

Merchant: I have fine goods for sale today. You’ve never seen carpets this nice.

Merchant: I did some good shopping today. I’ve never seen such a wonderful rug.

買い物をした (kaimono o shita) means did shopping or shopped. The pronoun is unspecified, but I don’t think people normally propose selling their wares by telling you to did shopping.

Something mildly curious if you talk to the kruks and compare it to the previous kruks from Watermia:

In Japanese, they say the same thing. But in English, the spelling was changed. They did, however, keep the same modified sound (kyaa) instead of the Japanese sound (kyooee).

Japanese

Original English

Translation

最近 ドレイ貿易廃止の 動きが でているみたいだ。

A freedom movement has started recently.

Seems like a slave trade abolition movement has started recently.

なんでも ローレック株式会社の 社長が 自ら その運動を はじめたようだぜ。

The president of Rolek started the labor trade freedom movement.

I heard the Rolek corporation’s president himself started the campaign.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ここは コショウなどの 調味料と じゅうたんが 特産品の町さ。

This town is famous for spices and carpet.

This town’s local specialties are seasonings like pepper as well as rugs.

エドワード城の じゅうたんも この町で 40年の さい月をかけて 織られたっていう話だ。

It’s said the carpets of Edward Castle took 40 years to weave here.

It’s said that the rugs in Edward Castle were woven here over a period of 40 years.

The word じゅうたん (juutan) could mean rug, runner, or carpet. I chose rug because, if you remember, Edward Castle looked like this:

Those look like rugs rather than carpets to me. But this is hella nitpicky.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

少女は だまって 一枚の紙を さしだした。

The girl silently offers one sheet of paper.

The girl silently held out a sheet of paper.

そこには なんと 黒いヒョウの絵が えがかれている!

There was a picture of a jackal!

There was a picture of a black panther on it!

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ぼくは せすじが 寒くなった。 これは ぼくらを 追いつめたという ブラックパンサーの けい告 だろうか...

A shiver ran down my spine. It was a warning from the Jackal, who had been stalking us….

A shiver ran down my spine. I took it as a warning from the Black Panther that he tracked us down.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

スネークパニックは やったかい? ぼくは まだ 修行中の身なのさ。

Have you ever played Snake Panic? I’m still in training for it.

Have you ever played Snake Panic? I’m still in training for it.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

おらおら。 見せ物じゃ ないんだぞっ!! あっちへ いった いった!

Hey, hey. This isn’t a show!! Get out of here!

Hey! This isn’t a show. Get lost!

Japanese

Original English

Translation

どうやら 言葉が 通じないようだ。 少年は 目で 何かを うったえようと している...

I guess he didn’t understand what I said. His eyes were expressive…

Apparently he doesn’t speak my language. The boy is trying to tell me something with his eyes.

Inside:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

はるばる この町まで ドレイを 買いにきたものの...

You’ve come all the way to this town to buy labor…

I came all the way to this town to buy a slave, but…

いざ 取り引きとなると なんだか ふんぎりがつかないんだ。 やっぱり 人に 値段は つけられないよなあ...

I can’t make up my mind if I should do business with you. You can’t put a price on people…

Now I can’t work up the resolve to make the trade. In the end, you can’t put a price on people’s lives.

OE chose the wrong pronoun here and the result is bizarre. In OE, it sounds like this guy is a slave trader who would sell me a slave, but he’s suddenly having second thoughts. Why would one of the horrible slave traders suddenly have this change of heart? And why is he assuming that I came to this town to buy a slave? Tim certainly didn’t say anything like that to him.

In the next building over, there are 4 girls sewing and one man overseeing them. The girls all say the same thing. (Or rather, don’t say anything.)

Japanese

Original English

Translation

どうやら 言葉が 通じないようだ。 ただ もくもくと作業を続けている。

She didn’t understand. She just kept working.

Apparently she can’t understand what I say. She just continues on her work silently.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

この女たちは じゅうたんを 織っているのさ。

These women are weaving carpets.

These women are weaving rugs.

これは 織り上がるまでに なんと 40年近い さい月が かかる。

This will take almost 40 years to weave.

It takes nearly 40 years to weave it.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

子供のころから その作業を始め 遊ぶヒマもなく 動き続け 完成時には 中年を過ぎている女。

This woman has worked on it continuously since she was a child.

They started in childhood, and have worked on it continuously with no free time for play. It won’t be done until they’re past middle-aged.

ぼうず 覚えておくんだな。 こんな 運命の下に 生まれる人も いるってことを。

Remember, little man. Some are born to misfortune.

Keep this in mind, sonny. Some people are born to such a fate.

The only thing OE really left out is the part about how they’ve had no leisure time. Once again, JP is more depressing.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

この近くには でっけえピラミッドが たってるぜ。

There’s a huge pyramid near here.

There’s a huge pyramid near here.

探検家たちが 財宝を求めて 何人も やってきたが まだ 見つけた者はいないようだ。

Many explorers have come for the treasure, but no one’s found it yet.

Many explorers have come in search of treasure, but as yet, nobody has found it.

There are 3 blokes the next house over.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

おれたちゃ 探検家さ。 ピラミッドに お宝が ねむっている と聞いて やってきたんだが...

We’re explorers. I hear there’s a treasure inside the Pyramid…

We’re explorers. We came here because we heard there’s a treasure resting in the Pyramid.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ピラミッドは きょだいな 石の かたまりだっていうのに なぜ 砂の中に しずまないのか.. おれは 不思議でしょうがねえよ。

The Pyramid is made of huge stones. Strange that it doesn’t sink into the desert….

Since the Pyramid is made of huge stones, I wonder why it doesn’t sink into the sand. It doesn’t make sense to me.

He says the Pyramid is a かたまり (katamari - clump) of huge stones.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

この地域には 不思議な言い伝えが あるんだよ。

There’s a strange legend around here.

There’s a curious legend in this area.

「ピラミッドは 死者の場所。 肉体を こえた者だけが その中に 足をふみ入れる 資格がある」

“The Pyramid is not for the living. Only those who’ve transcended the body may enter.”

“The Pyramid is a place of the dead. Only those who have transcended the physical body are qualified to set foot inside.”

Japanese

Original English

Translation

これが その言葉だそうだ... ピラミッドは きょだいな墓。 死ななきゃ 中に入れないって ことなのだろうか? うーむ。

These are the words… The Pyramid is a big tomb. The living can’t go in? Hmmm…

That’s what people say. The Pyramid is an enormous tomb. Does that mean you can’t get in unless you die? Hmmm.

With that, we’re done with Dao. It’s time to enter the last (mandatory) dungeon.

Unsurprisingly, the Mode 7 map hasn’t been changed. After all, this whole time they’ve been using the English word pyramid for it. ピラミッド - piramiddo.

See?

Right away, there’s a Dark Space. There’s a new character you can change into, and Gaia has some important stuff to say.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

私は 生命のみなもと ガイア。 そなたの ヤミの力は アンコールワットの寺院にて さらに 強いものとなった。

I am Gaia, the source of life. The Dark Power has become strong in the temple at Ankor Wat.

I am the source of life, Gaia. Your Dark Power became even stronger in the temple of Angkor Wat.

右がわの 石像の前に立てば さらに 強力な ヤミの戦士 シャドウへと その姿を変えることが できょう。

If you stand before the right-hand statue, you can change into Shadow, the ultimate warrior.

If you stand in front of the right hand statue, you’ll be able to transform into the powerful dark warrior Shadow.

I guess this was the real point of going to Angkor Wat? Unlocking Shadow? But the game doesn’t tell you that until you get all this way.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

そして 私は そなたに アイテムを ひとつ あたえたいと 思う。

Then I think I will grant you one item.

Finally, I shall give you an item.

オーラの玉を 手に入れた!

You have the Aura!

Got the Aura Orb!

Japanese

Original English

Translation

オーラのたまは シャドウの心。 シャドウが これを かかげると その体は 水のように変化する。

The Aura is Shadow’s mind. When he holds it up, his body becomes like water.

The Aura Orb is the core of Shadow’s being. When he raises it up, his body becomes like water.

現在 知られている ピラミッドは 地表の ほんの 一部分。 その ほとんどは 地下に ねむって いるのだ。

Only a small part of the Pyramid is above ground. Most of it is below the surface.

The Pyramid known today is only partially above ground. Most of it lies underground.

Gaia says that the orb is Shadow’s 心 (kokoro) which means heart, mind, spirit, soul, core, or vitality. I have no way of knowing what was intended here, but I think the original translation is weird. If it’s Shadow’s mind, how does he move around and do stuff before you get it from Gaia? You need minds to do that. And doesn’t he share a mind with Tim? Tim remembers and is conscious of everything that happens while he’s transformed, right?

I think the idea is that the orb is something fundamental to Shadow’s nature, rather than the equivalent of an internal organ.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

さあ シャドウへと 姿を変え 地下へ 進むいよい。

You should change into the Shadow and advance into the underground.

Transform into Shadow and head deeper underground.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

オーラのたま
やみのせんし シャドウのときに つかうと からだが えきたいに へんかする。

Aura
Dark Knight Shadow’s Body turns to water.

Aura Orb
When used as the Dark Warrior Shadow, transforms body into water.

If you use it as the wrong character:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

オーラの玉を かかげたが 何も おこらなかった...

He holds up the Aura, but nothing happens…

He raised the Aura Orb, but nothing happened.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

頭の中で 声がこだまする。

A voice echoes inside his head.

A voice echoes within his head.

私は この時がくるのを ずっと 持ち続けていた。

I’ve been waiting for you to come.

I’ve long awaited this moment.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

私こそ すい星の光を 使って 作り出された 究極の戦士シャドウ。

I am made from the light of a comet. The ultimate warrior, Shadow.

I am Shadow, the ultimate warrior, created using the comet’s light.

私の体は 形がない... 人の 意識だけが 進化すると この体になると 思えばいい。

My body has no shape. This body appears only when the human consciousness evolves.

My body is formless. You can think of it as the body a human consciousness becomes when it evolves.

Shadow is specifically saying that it’s 意識だけ (ishiki dake - consciousness alone) that can turn into this body. Like, if you died, and your consciousness lived on (maybe like those little spirit wisps we’ve seen around?), and the light from the comet touched that consciousness, it could turn into this thing. I think.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

今 地球に 近づいている すい星も 形を もたない 意識体。

The comet that now approaches Earth is also a consciousness without form.

The comet that now approaches earth is also a formless, discarnate consciousness.

はめつをもたらす すい星に 立ち向かえるのは この私の体だけで あろう。

My body is the only thing that can confront the comet and bring it to an end.

This body is the only thing that can stand against the destructive power of the comet.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

さあ 目を閉じるがいい...

Well, close your eyes…

Come now, close your eyes.

You have to turn into Shadow in this Dark Space to access most of the pyramid. The lower portion of the pyramid gives you 6 hieroglyph tiles, which you need to put in the room above to unlock the boss. Before you’ve collected any, there’s a guy in there you can talk to. (He does not seem the least bit surprised to be talking to Shadow, even though he’s a glowy floating consciousness thingy.)

Japanese

Original English

Translation

探検家: 遺跡には 人の進入をこばもうとする トラップが 点在する。

Explorer: There are traps scattered around to prevent entry.

Explorer: There are traps dotted around the ruins to keep people out.

この部屋には 音に反応するしかけが あるという話だ... まちがっても 大きな音をたてるな。

There’s a booby trap in this room that responds to sound…..So don’t make any noise…

They say there’s a trap in this room that responds to sound. Never, ever make a loud noise in here.

You can play the flute in here and hey, the legends are true!

The explorer doesn’t react at all if you do this.

The dungeon is split into 6 separate subsections. For the first 5 from left to right, you must be either Tim or Shadow to complete it. If you don’t know which, you’ll have to backtrack to the Dark Space and change to whichever character is needed. In one instance, to get the red jewel you have to be Tim and to complete the section you have to be Shadow. Mandatory backtracking, fun.

At the end of each section is one of these:

When you pick it up:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

かべに おさめられた 石版がある。 これが ダオの町で 聞いた ヒエログリフという 文字か..?

There’s a lithograph on this wall. I heard in Dao that it’s a hieroglyph…

There’s a lithograph in the wall. Is this the hieroglyph I heard about in Dao?

Japanese

Original English

Translation

この石版は はずしてもっていく ことにしよう。

Lets’ try to remove the lithograph.

I’m going to try taking the lithograph out.

ヒエログリフの石版を 手に入れた!

You’ve got the Hieroglyph Stone!

Got the hieroglyph lithograph!

All 6 hieroglyphs have the same text when you remove them and the same item descriptions:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ヒエログリフ
こだい エジプトもじが かかれた せきばん。

Hieroglyph
Plate with hieroglyph.

Hieroglyph
Lithograph with ancient Egyptian script.

Interesting that it actually uses the word Egypt here: エジプト (ejiputo).

There’s a warp at the end of each dungeon segment that takes you back to the top of the pyramid.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

青い光の中には ピラミッドの入口が ぼんやりと写っている...
>やめておく
>中に飛びこむ

The door to the Pyramid appears in the light…
>Quit
>Jump in

The Pyramid’s entrance is faintly reflected in the blue light.
>Leave it alone
>Jump in

When you try to fit the stone into a slot in the top room, you have to do the easiest puzzle ever. You’re supposed to match the order of the hieroglyphs found in your father’s journal, but you can just as well put them in left to right in the same order that you found them in the Pyramid, which has six doors left to right. Of course, I intend to get the puzzle wrong first. But we’re not there yet.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

タイルが はまりそうな くぼみが 6つ ならんでいる。

There are six hollows where a tile can fit.

There are 6 depressions lined up that can fit a tile.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

どこに はめますか?
>左から1番目(And so on.)

Put it where?
>1st from L.…

Where to put it?
>1st from the left…

The OE ran into some serious space constraints here. Abbreviating left as L. worked pretty well.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ヒエログリフ板を くぼみにはめた!

He puts the hieroglyph plate in the hole!

Fit the hieroglyph slab in the depression!

There’s one dungeon subsection that any character can handle: door 6 from the left. I like to take it as Freedan. We’re nearing the last time you can ever use him, and despite Shadow’s higher damage output per normal attack. Freedan is really the strongest character for dungeons. The upgraded Dark Flyer clears batches of enemies from a safe distance.

When you’ve collected the final hieroglyph, the game won’t let you put it in yet. Instead, when you walk into the room with the 6 depressions, you’ll see this message:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

おとなしく そこから 左へ向かって 歩けっ!!

Walk to the left without a sound!!

Stop there and walk to your left!

The voice says おとなしく(otonashiku) which means quietly, meekly, or obediently. The original JP says from there. I changed it to stop there.

If you do anything but what the voice instructed:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

左へ向かって 歩けと 言っているんだっ!!

It says to walk to the left!!

I said walk to the left!

If this text weren’t green, OE’s translation might be valid, as a narration reminder of what the voice just said. But since it’s green, it’s the same voice speaking as before and needs a first person pronoun.

Once you’re in position on the left side of the room:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ようし これでいい。 そのまま じっとしていろっ!!

There, that’s good. Don’t move!!

There, that’s good. Don’t move!!

Finally, this goober will come in with Karen:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ブラックパンサー: お前さんの 行動の 一部始終を 見せてもらったよ。

Jackal: I know the whole story of your adventure.

Black Panther: I’ve seen the full details about what you do.

何千年も前に すい星の光を 使った バイオ技術が あったと聞くが まさか お前が そうだとはな。

I heard about an ancient bio-technology using a comet’s light.

I heard that thousands of years ago there was a biotechnology that used the comet’s light, but I never thought it would be you.

I didn’t know it was you.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

その 変身の力を まてば どんなものでも 手に入る。 そして どんな人間でも ひれふすだろう。

With the power to change body shape, you could get anything.

With that power of transformation, you could get anything you want. People would bow down before you.

People would bow at your feet.

They would? Just because I can change into some moderately stronger dudes? Weird.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

エドワード国王が やっきになって 動くのも 無理はない...

It’s only natural that King Edward would trick you into this…

No wonder King Edward was so eager to make a move.

カレン: お父さまが そんなことを?!

Kara: My father!!?

Karen: Father did such a thing!?

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ブラックパンサー: そうだ! 国王なんて しょせん そんなもんさ。

Jackal: Yes! After all, that’s the way kings are.

Black Panther: Of course! That’s the way kings are.

力を 手に入れる ためには 手段を えらばない。

He would do anything to get the power.

He’ll do anything to get power.

It could be he’ll do anything or they’ll do anything. The pronoun is unspecified in JP.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ひょっとすると おれのような 殺し屋よりも ざんこくかもな。 くっくっく。

He might even be more evil than a mercenary like me. Heh heh.

He might be more inhuman than an assassin like me. Mwahaha.

カレン: やめてよっ! そんな話!!

Kara: Stop it!

Karen: Stop, don’t say such things!

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ブラックパンサー: まあ どちらにしろ おれは 金がもらえれば それでいいのさ。

Jackal: Either way, if I make money, it’s fine.

Black Panther: I don’t care either way, as long as I get my money.

さあ いっしょに エドワード城まで きてもらおうか。

Come with me to Edward Castle.

Come with me to Edward Castle.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

テムの頭の中で 声がささやく...

A voice whispers in Will’s head…

A voice whispers in Tim’s head.

テム... 笛を 吹くんだ.. テム...

Will… Play the Flute….Will….

Tim… Play the flute.

If you’re transformed, you’ll turn back into Tim at this point. If you try to do anything but play the flute:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ブラックパンサー: それ以上 前へ出ると このナイフが 動きだすぜ...

Jackal: If you come any closer, I’ll use this knife…

Black Panther: If you move any further, this knife will start moving too.

I’m not sure what the Black Panther wants here. “Come with me to Edward Castle. But also, don’t move. Stay right there.” Huh?

If you try to use one of the lithographs at any time before this, it shows this message:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ヒエログリフ板を はめこむ場所が ない...

There’s no place to put the hieroglyph plate.

There’s no place to put the hieroglyph plate.

But if you use it here instead of playing the flute, there’s a special message.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

今は タイルを はめている 場合じゃない...

Now is not the time to fit the tile…

Now is not the time to fit the tile.

Fiiiine, I’ll do what I’m supposed to.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ローラから 教わった メロディーを 静かにふきはじめた。

He softly played the melody he had learned from Lola.

Began to quietly play the melody learned from Laura.

And we learned what that does earlier.

Fire! Cool. Pretty lucky it didn’t also hit Karen, huh? By the way, if you position Tim so that he’s standing in the flames on the left side of the room, it does nothing at all.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ブラックパンサー: うおああああああああ!!!!!!

Jackal: Wa-a-a-a-ah!!!!

Black Panther: AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

カレン... カレ....

Kara…Kara…

Karen… Kar…

He’ll crawl toward Karen for a bit and raise his hand to grab her before collapsing. While still on fire. He stays immolated until you leave the room.

I think it would’ve been funny if, when you examine his burning corpse, it repeated the same line from Piggy about the air being filled with an appetizing aroma. But that’s maybe a bit too dark for a kid’s game, even this particularly dark game.

Anyway, Karen comes over for a hug.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

カレン: テム....

Kara: Will…

Karen: Tim…

なんで みんな 殺しあわなくちゃならないの..?

Why must everyone hate each other…?

Why does everyone have to kill each other?

I had to kill that guy because he had a knife. So it’s definitely fine that I straight-up murdered him. Right? And I had to kill that gambler guy because I needed his money. And I had to (effectively) kill that guy keeping an escaped slave because I wanted a Red Jewel. There’s a reason behind everything.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

あたし... もう...

I… I…

I… I just…

カレン: ごめんなさい... とりみだしちゃって...

Kara: I’m sorry… I got upset…

Karen: Forgive me. I lost my composure.

That was a pretty traumatic experience and I think it’s normal to lose your composure over it, Karen! Also, watch out for the burning dude behind you, it looks like it might catch your skirt. You don’t wanna join the barbecue.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

テムは 世界を 救うために がんばって いるんだもんね。

You are doing your best to save the world.

You’re doing your best to save the world.

最初 旅にでたときは お父さんを さがしにいくはずだったのに...

At first I just wanted to find my father…

At the outset of the journey, you were just trying to find your father.

The genitive pronoun isn’t specified, but the only one of them who was searching for their father at the beginning of the journey is Tim. Karen wanted to get away from her father. The other hint is that she says お父さん (otousan) which means father, but as far as I can remember, Karen always calls her father the more formal/respectful お父さま (otousama).

Japanese

Original English

Translation

何だか たいへんなことに なって きちゃったわよね...

But somehow it got to be a trial…..

Somehow everything became much more grave.

でも あたし。 この旅に ついてきたことを こうかい してないよ。

But me. I don’t regret coming on this journey…

But I don’t regret coming on this journey.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

さあ 行ってきて。 5つ目の ミステリードールを さがしに....

Let’s go and find the fifth Mystic Statue…

Ok, you should get going. Go find the 5th Mystery Doll.

There’s no message if you examine Black Panther’s body, but Karen has a little more to say.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

さっきの テムの吹いた メロディが ブラックパンサーの そう送曲に なったのね...

Kara: The melody you played became the Jackal’s dirge.

That melody you played just now became the Black Panther’s funeral dirge.

You can now fit in the final lithograph. As promised, I have to mess the puzzle up first!

Japanese

Original English

Translation

何も おこらない... ならべ方を まちがえたんだろうか? もう一度 最初から やってみよう。

Nothing happened… Maybe they’re arranged wrong. Try it again from the beginning.

Nothing happened. Maybe they’re lined up the wrong way? I’ll try again from the start.

The game tries to force all 6 tiles back into your inventory. If you’ve been saving herbs up, it won’t be able to do this and will only give you as many tiles (from left to right) as you can hold:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

しまった! 持ち物が いっぱいで 全部 とりはずせないっ!

Oh, no! Your inventory is full, you can’t take all of it!

Oh, no! I have so much stuff, I can’t take them all!

When you get the puzzle right:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

むっ... 入口の向こうで 何か 音がしたぞ!

There was a sound from over the entrance!

Huh. There was a sound off near the entrance!

A new portal will have appeared just on the other side of the door.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

青い光の中には ミイラ化した ピラミッドの女王が 写っている..
>やめておく
>中に飛びこむ

The mummified queen of the Pyramid appears.
>Quit
>Jump in

The mummified queen of the Pyramid is reflected in the blue light.
>Leave it alone
>Jump in

The mummy queen is the last statue guardian.

As you damage her, she gradually grows more undead-looking, which is pretty cool.

A lot of guides say to use Freedan for this fight because the Dark Flyer is useful. I strongly disagree; Freedan is the worst character for this fight. Every time you hit her, she splits into a bunch of ghosts that can be difficult to dodge. As Tim and Shadow, it’s not so hard: Tim can slide and Shadow can use the Aura Orb, both of which provide significant invincibility frames. Freedan has no choice but to use the teleporters at the side to get away, which interrupts charging the Dark Flyer. Then after she reforms, while you’re waiting to charge the Flyer, she’ll get some attacks off.

Shadow doesn’t have to charge to do good damage, so you can interrupt her attacks easily. And he has the most invincibility frames available with the Aura Orb. He’s the best choice.

Once she’s down:

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ピラミッドの 守り神を たおすと しかばねから ミステリードールが 見つかった!!

Defeating the spirit of the Pyramid, he obtained a Mystic Statue!!

Upon defeating the Pyramid’s guardian deity, found a Mystery Doll on her corpse!

That’s 5 MacGuffins!

There’s a space for one more.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

笛から 声が 聞こえてきた! エドワード城のろうやで 聞いた声と 同じだった...

I heard a voice from the Flute!

A voice is coming from the flute! It’s the same voice I heard in the Edward Castle prison.

The same voice I heard in the prison at Edward Castle…

Japanese

Original English

Translation

笛: これまで よく がんばったね。 テム。

Flute: Will. You’ve done well to have come this far.

Flute: Tim. You’ve done well to have come this far.

テム: とうさん?!

Will: Father?!

Tim: Father?!

Japanese

Original English

Translation

私は 今 バベルの塔にいる。 5つの ミステリードールを もって バベルの塔へ きなさい。

Flute: I’m at the Tower now.

Right now, I’m at the Tower of Babel. Bring your 5 Mystery Dolls here.

Bring the five Mystic Statues to the Tower.

お前が これまで 集めてきた人形は 人類存亡の カギを にぎっている。

The statues you’ve collected hold the key to the fate of humanity.

The dolls you’ve gathered so far are the key to humanity’s survival.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

すい星が 近づいている... テム.. はやく はや.く...

Will..Hurry…The comet is approaching.

The comet draws near. Tim… hurry… hur…ry…

やがて 笛の声は 遠くなってゆき 聞こえなくなった...

The voice of the Flute quiets and disappears.

The voice of the flute quietly faded into silence.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

カレン: あたしたちの 知らないところで 何か たいへんなことが 起きている みたいね....

Kara: It seems something terrible has happened that we don’t know about…

Karen: It seems something terrible is happening that we don’t know about.

テム: どうしよう... いきなり バベルの塔へ こいって いわれても あそこは 大海原の 小さい島だし...

Will: What to do… I was told to go to the Tower of Babel, but that little island…

Tim: What should I do? I’m suddenly told to go to the Tower of Babel, but it’s on a small island in the middle of the ocean.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

カレン: ニールってね また 飛行機を 作ったんですって。

Kara: I hear Neil has built another airplane.

Karen: Apparently Neil built another airplane.

さばくの町へは 飛行機で きてる みたいなの。 まずは 町へ もどってみましょ。

It seems he’s flying to the desert town. Let’s go back there.

I think it’s how he came to the desert town. Let’s go back there.

きてる (kiteru) is in the present tense, which can also be interpreted as future tense for most verbs. But this one means to have come, so it’s effectively past tense anyway.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

ニール: そうか.... やっぱり どうしても 行くんだな?

Neil: Really…. Do you have to go?

Neil: I see. So you really want to go?

お前は むかしから 言い出したら きかないヤツだったからな。

Once you make up your mind to do something nothing can stop you.

You’ve always been the type who won’t listen once you’ve made up your mind.

Japanese

Original English

Translation

わかった。 じゃあ テムを バベルの塔まで送って その足で カレンとエリックを サウスケープへ 送ることにしよう。

OK. I’ll take Will to the Tower of Babel, then take Kara and Erik to South Cape.

Ok. Then I’ll take you to the Tower of Babel, and straight from there I’ll bring Karen and Erik to South Cape.

今度は たぶん 落ちないはずだから 安心してくれ。

This time the airplane won’t crash!

Don’t worry. This time the plane probably won’t crash.

Aww, OE takes out the little joke here that Neil isn’t 100% confident in the plane. たぶん (tabun) - probably/maybe.

That wraps up the desert. Two blog posts remaining!

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