Oops! They ruined it!

[ayuspeed]

Remember NORG from Final Fantasy VIII? Well, apparently, the translators ruined the whole feel for him.

So, in the original Japanese game, NORG was made out to be a coward hiding in his little hole, filled with greed and fear of loosing his precious Garden, a symbol of his wealth. In the American version, they basically blew it. He was mostly just made to look angry, like he was going to bite your head off. There was still some elements of him being a coward in the Japanese version, but it mostly filtered out when it was translated.

I'll let you compare the two scripts now. (not the WHOLE scripts)

[ayuspeed]

Japanese Script:

(note: although it was translated so that NORG talks grammatically correct, I was told that his grammar was a bit funky in the Japanese version too)

Clerk: Have you come at last? Master Norg is calling. It's good that
you came. When master Norg calls, try to come within 3 seconds.
Norg: Not within 3 seconds.

(This is the Garden's master? This is the Garden's operator? He is not
human? If that is so, we didn't know anything. .......... It's a
shock)

Norg: You, report about the witch.

(Where should I start......)

Clerk: A quick report. The results first, then a brief description of
your progress.
Squall: We failed to assassinate witch Idea.
Norg: It's an emotionless report.
Squall: We confirmed a directive from school principal Cid while at
Galbaldia Garden. We added Irvine Kinias as a member from
Galbaldia's Garden. On a common order with Balamb Garden, we
executed an order to "assassinate the witch"......
Norg: Common order!? You were deceived!

(Deceived, but!?)

Squall: ...... I don't understand what you mean......
Norg: Explain it to them.
Clerk: Master Norg knew from early on that the president of Galbaldia
and the witch joined forces. We received consultations from the
master of Galbaldia Garden.
Squall: From the master of Galbaldia Garden......?
Norg: Galbaldia Garden's master is my subordinate, Dodonna.
Clerk: Yes. The witch and the Garden have various history together.
Therefore, the witch is thought to be trying to make all the
Gardens her own. So, master Norg sent a messenger to Galbaldia
Garden. It said to defeat the witch. As for the method, it was
thought that assassination was the best way. However......
Norg: That shrewd Dodonna, for the sake of time, used you for the
assassination. To evade following my directions...... that
shrewd, shrewd guy.
Squall: So, Balamb Garden had nothing to do with that order. Is that
right?
Clerk: Since you guys showed up by chance before the execution of the
operation, you were used. However, the operation failed. The
witch is still alive and...... As we expected, the witch
retaliated. The terrible missile attack was probably the witch's
revenge. Somehow, we must calm down her anger.
Squall: Wait a second. Then how......
Clerk: Then we must show Balamb Garden's good faith by handing over the
participants of the assassination to the witch.
Norg: We will submit to the witch by handing over the head of SeeD!
Squall: Wha...... Why won't we fight the witch!? Then why are we

receiving practice everyday to fight!?
Norg: What!? Do you want us to be defeated by the witch! Don't you
bark so loudly at me!
Clerk 1: School principal Cid said the same thing......
Clerk 2: He, hey
Norg: Cid!? That idiot Cid sent out SeeD to subjugate the witch. What
do we do if we lose? It's the end of this Garden. My Garden!
It's the end of my Garden. Cid, that idiot. I won't forgive him.
Has he forgotten who gave poor Cid money to build this Garden!?
Oh, I thought that we should hand over the head of SeeD with his
head, too. When I ordered Cid captured, those students, Cid's
allies, just sat on their hands! But this is my Garden!
Squall: You're wrong! This is not just yours.
Norg: Well, what!? Does it then belong to school principal Cid and
witch Idea? That husband and wife's!?
Squall: What?

(School principal and Idea are husband and wife!? How is that?)

Norg: Now I understand. I know now that Cid and Idea are taking the
Garden from me. And you are Cid's subordinates. I'll not forgive
this.
Quistis: Squall, look out!

[ayuspeed]

American Version:


Garden Faculty 1: Whenever Master NORG calls you, be sure to be there
within 3 seconds.

NORG: Fushururu... 3-SECONDS-ARE-UP.

NORG revealed himself.

Squall: (...This is the Garden master? The proprietor of Garden?) (...He's
not human? Come to think of it, we didn't know anything about him.)
(.........What a shock.)

NORG: FushifuruFushifuru... GIVE-YOUR-REPORT-ON-THE-SORCERESS.

Squall: (Now where do I start...?)

Garden Faculty 1: Answer him quickly. Be concise.

Squall: ...We failed to assassinate Sorceress Edea. (...It's going to be a
sad report.) Confirmation of Headmaster Cid's order was made at
Galbadia Garden. After Irvine Kinneas of Galbadia Garden joined our
party... ...We set off to carry out the 'Sorceress Assassination' order
from Balamb and Galbadia Gardens...

NORG: Bujurururu! BALAMB-AND-GALBADIA'S-ORDERS!? Bujurururu! YOU-WERE-
FOOLED!

Squall: (Fooled!?) I...don't understand.

NORG: (to the Garden Faculty) Fushurururu... EXPLAIN-TO-THEM.

Garden Faculty 1: Master NORG has known about the alliance between the
President of Galbadia and the sorceress. He heard it from the Galbadia
Garden master himself.

Squall: The Galbadian Garden master...?

NORG: Fushururu... THE-MASTER-OF-GALBADIA-GARDEN-IS-A-SUBORDINATE-OF-
MINE-NAMED-MARTINE.

Garden Faculty 1: Yes. In fact the sorceress and Garden are closely
connected. That is why the sorceress will definitely try to gain hold
of all Gardens. So, Master NORG sent an official order to Galbadia
Garden. It was to kill the sorceress. An assassination was thought to
be the best means. But...

NORG: Bujurururu! THAT-SLY-WEASEL-MARTINE-USED-YOU-AS-A-LAST-RESORT-
FOR-THE-ASSASSINATION. HE-GAVE-THAT-ORDER-TO-PLACE-THE-BLAME-ON-ME!
THAT-THAT-BASTARD.

Squall: Are you saying that Balamb Garden had nothing to do with that
order?

Garden Faculty 1: You just happened to show up just before the mission
was to be carried out. They used you. But the operation failed. The
sorceress is still alive and...

Garden Faculty 2: The sorceress retaliated. Just as we suspected. No
doubt, it was the sorceress who ordered the missile attacks. Something
must be done to calm the sorceress' anger. In order to do so, we needed
to hand over those involved in the assassination to the sorceress. We
had to show Balamb Garden's sincerity.

Squall: Wait a minute. That's just...

NORG: Bujurururu! OFFER-THE-SeeD's-HEAD-ON-A-SILVER-PLATTER-AND-
PRETEND-WE-OBEY-THE-SORCERESS!

Squall: Wha... Why aren't we fighting the sorceress!? What about all the
training we endure everyday!? What good is it!?

NORG: WHAT-DID-YOU-SAY!? YOU-LOST-TO-THE-SORCERESS! QUIT-YOUR-WHINING!

Garden Faculty 1: Headmaster Cid was saying the same thing...

Garden Faculty 2: H-Hey...

NORG: Bujurururu! CID!?

The Garden Faculties ran away.

NORG: THAT-IDIOT-CID-DISPATCHED-SeeD-TO-KILL-THE-SORCERESS. AND-IF-YOU-
FAIL? THIS-GARDEN-WILL-BE-DONE-FOR! MY-GARDEN! IT-WILL-ALL-BE-OVER!
THAT-IDIOT-CID. HAS-HE-FORGOTTEN-THAT-IT-WAS-I-WHO-PUT-UP-THE-MONEY-TO-
ESTABLISH-GARDEN!? I-WANTED-TO-OFFER-THE-SORCERESS-CID'S-HEAD-ALONG-
WITH-SeeD'S. I-ORDERED-THE-STUDENTS-TO-FIND-CID-BUT-THEY-SIDED-WITH-
HIM! Bujurururu! Bujurururu! THIS-IS-MY-GARDEN!

Squall: NO! It's not just yours.

NORG: Bujurururu! THEN-WHAT-IS-IT!? IS-IT-CID'S-AND-EDEA'S!? THAT-
PATHETIC-MARRIED-COUPLE'S!?

Squall: What...? (The headmaster and Edea are married!?) (...I don't get
it.)

NORG: Bushurururu...NOW-I-UNDERSTAND. CID-AND-EDEA-ARE-TRYING-TO-TAKE-
GARDEN-AWAY-FROM-ME. YOU'RE-ONE-OF-CID'S-FOLLOWERS-AREN'T-YOU!?
PREPARE-TO-DIE!

NORG hides himself.

Rinoa: Squall!!!

[ayuspeed]

So what do you think? Personally, I plan to play final fantasy VIII again in Japanese once I get much better at it.

Script sources

Japanese Release:
db.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/file/final_fantasy_viii_trans.txt

American Release:
db.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/file/final_fantasy_viii_script.txt

[Linalin]

I don't see the cowardice really in the Japanese NORG, but there is a great difference in his speaking mannerisms. It doesn't really surprise me though. It is a shame they did make such a difference, but honestly in NORG's situation, I'd probably gravitate more towards anger. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

[ayuspeed]

Basically the cowardly side of NORG was made much less evident in the American version.

J

Clerk: Since you guys showed up by chance before the execution of the
operation, you were used. However, the operation failed. The
witch is still alive and...... As we expected, the witch
retaliated. The terrible missile attack was probably the witch's
revenge. Somehow, we must calm down her anger.
Squall: Wait a second. Then how......
Clerk: Then we must show Balamb Garden's good faith by handing over the
participants of the assassination to the witch.
Norg: We will submit to the witch by handing over the head of SeeD!

A

Garden Faculty 2: The sorceress retaliated. Just as we suspected. No
doubt, it was the sorceress who ordered the missile attacks. Something
must be done to calm the sorceress' anger. In order to do so, we needed
to hand over those involved in the assassination to the sorceress. We
had to show Balamb Garden's sincerity.
Squall: Wait a minute. That's just...
NORG: Bujurururu! OFFER-THE-SeeD's-HEAD-ON-A-SILVER-PLATTER-AND-
PRETEND-WE-OBEY-THE-SORCERESS!

The translators changed things making it more confusing. In the Japanese version squall comments after they say "somehow we must calm down her anger. The american version changed things around making it more confusing and taking the attention off of the worried comment about finding a way to appease the sorceress. Squall is questioning a different thing because they changed the damn order in the american version! When I read the Japanese translation it is much more clear to me and everything seems to be in order, but the american version seems ackward and strange to me ... They changed the order when there was no real reason to do so. "Pretend we obey the sorceress?" ... why did they add that? It too takes the attention off of the cowardly actions of NORG. But why? The Japanese version of the script seems very well thought out and emphasis is put on the cowardly ways of Norg. The American version changes things and less emphasis is put on the cowardly ways of Norg.

J

Norg: What!? Do you want us to be defeated by the witch! Don't you
bark so loudly at me!

A

NORG: WHAT-DID-YOU-SAY!? YOU-LOST-TO-THE-SORCERESS! QUIT-YOUR-WHINING!

Here it is very evident that the in the Japanese version Norg sounds more cowardly. The american version is just stating that they failed, when the japanese version is showing a fear of the sorceress. Also "Quit your whining" and "don't you bark so loudly at me" are two different things.

[SquallStrife]

Interesting...

[Linalin]

It's not that I don't see him being more cowardly, it's that I don't really see him very cowardly. I never knew until now that they switched the speaking order though...that's weird.

[mikikitty]

They shouldn't do that. It makes things confusing