But what if my name is already pleased?
The full transcript of the text in Raiden Fighters Jet. The English-language version of Raiden Fighters Jet is widely known to be poorly translated. It borders on machine translation typical of the late 1990s, when this game was developed. At times the translation is so bad it can be difficult to understand.
The English-language versions of Raiden Fighters and Raiden Fighters 2 feature slightly broken English, but a much better overall translation than that found in Raiden Fighters Jet.
This article includes the Japanese text (and its Romanized reading) and the English text in-game for Raiden Fighters Jet. It also includes carefully translated and rewritten English localizations for every line and footnotes explaining the context of the Japanese text in the overhauled English localization.
Prologue[]
| Japanese text | Romanized Japanese | In-game English text | Overhauled English localization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 次期戦術航空機計画（XTFP) | Jiki senjutsu kōkūki keikaku (XTFP) | XTF-1 PROJECT | NeXt (Generation) Tactical Fighter Project (XTFP) |
| 未踏の領域を切り開く翼 | Mitō no ryōiki o kirihiraku tsubasa | A WING TO OPEN UP AN UNTRODDEN DOMAIN. | Forging paths into the uncharted unknown[1] |
| 限界を目指す者の戦いが今始まる | Genkai o mezasu mono no tatakai ga ima hajimaru | A FIGHT OF A PERSON AIMING AT A LIMIT BEGINS NOW. | The battle of those striving to reach their limits begins now. |
Simulator text[]
Opening briefing[]
| Japanese text | Romanized Japanese | In-game English text | Overhauled English localization |
|---|---|---|---|
| これより、シミュレーターによる仮想演習を行う。 | Kore yori, shimyurētā ni yoru kasō enshū o okonau. | VIRTUAL PRACTICE BY SIMURATER FROM NOW. | We’ll now begin virtual exercises using the simulator. |
| 君の実力最大限に発揮し、より高いレベルをめざせ。 | Kun no jitsuryoku saidaigen ni hakki shi, yori takai reberu o mezase. | SHOW YOUR ABILITY IN THE MAXIMUM AND AIM AT A HIGHER LEVEL. | Bring out your full potential and strive for a higher level. |
| 成績が優秀な者にのみ、新鋭機の操縦資格が与えられる。 | Seiseki ga yūshūna mono ni nomi, shin'ei-ki no sōjū shikaku ga atae rareru. | MANAGEMENT QUALIFICATION OF A NEW STAR MACHINE IS GIVEN TO ONLY THE PERSON THAT A GRADES IS EXCELLENT. | Only those with top grades are qualified to pilot the new advanced aircraft. |
Clear Simulation Level 35 (ALL-1)[]
The game ends here after defeating Vahrstor.
| Japanese text | Romanized Japanese | In-game English text | Overhauled English localization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 仮想演習終了。 | Kasō enshū shūryō. | VIRTUAL PRACTICE END. | Virtual exercise complete. |
| まだまだ努力の必要があるな。 | Madamada doryoku no hitsuyō ga aru na. | THERE IS NEED OF EFFORT STILL MORE. | You still have a lot of work to do, wouldn't you say?[2] |
| 更に腕を磨いて、高等段階を目指してくれ。 | Sarani ude o migaite, kōtō dankai o mezashite kure. | TRAIN FURTHERMORE AND GIVE IT AIMING AT THE HIGH STAGE. | I'd like you to keep honing your skills and aim for a higher level. |
Clear Simulation Level 50 (ALL-2)[]
The game ends here after defeating Red Eye.
| Japanese text | Romanized Japanese | In-game English text | Overhauled English localization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 仮想演習終了。 | Kasō enshū shūryō. | VIRTUAL PRACTICE END. | End of virtual exercise. |
| まずまずの成績だ。 | Mazumazu no seiseki da. | IT IS A PASSABLE GRADE. | Not bad.[3] |
| 更に腕を磨いて、高等段階を目指してくれ。 | Sarani ude o migaite, kōtō dankai o mezashite kure. | TRAIN FURTHERMORE AND GIVE IT AIMING AT THE HIGH STAGE. | I'd like you to keep honing your skills and aim for a higher level. |
Miscellaneous text[]
| Japanese text | Romanized Japanese | In-game English text | Overhauled English localization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 識別コードを入力せよ。 | Shikibetsu kōdo o nyūryoku seyo. | PLEASE YOUR NAME. | Please enter your identification code.[4] |
| 戦闘結果データを報告する 。 | Sentō kekka dēta o hōkoku suru. | REPORTING BATTLE RESULT DATA. | Reporting battle results. |
| これより中等段階の教練に移行する。 | Kore yori chūtō dankai no kyōren ni ikō suru. | SHIFTING TO MILITARY DRILL OF MIDIUM STAGE THAN THIS. | We’re now moving to intermediate-level training. |
| これより高等段階の教練に移行する。 | Kore yori kōtō dankai no kyōren ni ikō suru. | SHIFTING TO MILITARY DRILL OF HIGH STAGE FROM NOW. | We’re now moving to advanced-level training. |
| 君にはこのレベルは難しかったらしいな。 | Kimi ni wa kono reberu wa muzukashikattarashī na. | THIS LEVEL SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO YOU. | It seems that this level was difficult for you, wouldn't you agree?[2] |
To Real Battle Phase 1[]
This cinematic plays when the player completes Simulation Level 40 or 45 with high marks as a Gun Dogs fighter, allowing them to pilot the Ixion in the next stage: Real Battle Phase 1. This marks the last time the player sees the simulator screen, and the cinematic transitions over to a depiction of the emergency deployment of the Ixion.
| Japanese text | Romanized Japanese | In-game English text | Overhauled English localization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 空軍情報部から緊急報告。 | Kūgun jōhō-bu kara kinkyū hōkoku. | URGENT INFORMATION FROM THE AIR FORCE INFORMATION BUREAU. | Emergency report from the Air Force Intelligence Department. |
| 元独裁政府ゲリラの残党が、友軍の都市を占拠したらしい。 | Moto dokusai seifu gerira no zantō ga, yūgun no toshi o senkyo shitarashī. | (This line is not translated or shown) | What's left of the former dictator's guerrillas have apparently taken over a friendly city. |
| この都市には、最新鋭の超音速爆撃機を開発している兵器工場があり、敵は、これらの奪取が目的である可能性が高い。 | Kono toshi ni wa, sai shin'ei no chō onsoku bakugeki-ki o kaihatsu shite iru heiki kōjō ga ari, teki wa, korera no dasshu ga mokutekidearu kanōsei ga takai. | THERE IS WEAPON FACTORY DEVELOPING THE LATEST SUPER SONIC SPEED BOMBER IN THIS CITY, ONE POSSIBILITY IS HIGH FOR THE PURPOSE OF THESE CAPTURE. | This city has a weapons factory that is developing a state-of-the-art supersonic bomber, and it is highly likely that the enemy's goal is to seize it. |
| 従って、いちばん近くに位置する我々が掃討作戦を実行する事となった。 | Shitagatte, ichibanchikakuni ichi suru wareware ga sōtō sakusen o jikkō suru koto to natta. | ACCORDINGLY IT GREW WE TO BE LOCATED IN MOST NEAR EXECUTED MOPPING UP OPERATION. | Therefore, it was decided that we, who are the closest to the city, would carry out the mopping-up operation. |
| 緊急を要するため、唯一稼動状態であるXTF-1を使用し、直ちに敵の排除に向かえ。 | Kinkyū o yōsuru tame, yuiitsu kadō jōtaidearu XTF-1 o shiyō shi, tadachini teki no haijo ni mukae. | USE XTF-1 WHICH IS ONLY OPERATION STATE IN ORDER TO NEED EMERGENCY, AND GO TO REJECTION OF AN ENEMY PROMPTLY. | Due to the urgent need, you will proceed immediately using the only operational XTF-1 to eliminate the enemy.[5] |
| 尚、爆撃機が敵の手に渡っている様であれば、機密保持のために破壊せよ。 | Nao, bakugeki-ki ga teki no te ni watatte iru yōdeareba, kimitsu hoji no tame ni hakai seyo. | DESTROY IT FOR SECRET MAINTENANCE IF A BOMBERSEEMS TO GO IN A HAND OF AN ENEMY. | Furthermore, if the bomber appears to have fallen into enemy hands, destroy it to maintain security. |
Clear Phase 1[]
After defeating Jasper Virtuos, an emergency transmission appears on the screen.
| Japanese text | Romanized Japanese | In-game English text | Overhauled English localization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 空軍情報部より緊急報告。 | Kūgun jōhō-bu yori kinkyū hōkoku. | URGENT INFORMATION FROM THE AIR FORCE INFORMATION BUREAU. | Emergency report from the Air Force Intelligence Department. |
| 敵は巡航ミサイルを爆撃機に搭載中。 | Teki wa junkō misairu o bakugeki-ki ni tōsai-chū. | AN ENEMY CARRIES A CRUSE MISSILE ON A BOMBER. | The enemy is currently loading[6] a cruise missile on the bomber. |
| 兵器工場の敵を速やかに排除し、爆撃機の離陸を阻止せよ。 | Heiki kōjō no teki o sumiyakani haijo shi, bakugeki-ki no ririku o soshi seyo. | EXPEL AN ENEMY OF WEAPON FACTORY IMMEDIATELY, AND CHECK A TAKE OFF OF BOMBER. | Eliminate the enemy in the weapons factory as quickly as possible and prevent the bomber from taking off. |
Epilogue: defeat Simon Quartz, clear Phase 2 (ALL-3)[]
Defeating the tank boss Simon Quartz in Phase 2 will end the game if the player died in Phase 1, the previous stage. The player receives a 1,000,000 point bonus at the end of the game at this point, and is credited with an ALL-3 clear on the scoreboard.
In the Japanese version, both the Japanese text and English text are displayed at the same time in this scene.
| Japanese text | Romanized Japanese | In-game English text | Overhauled English localization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 諸君らの迅速な対応により、敵の野望は打ち砕かれ、危機を回避することが出来た。 | Shokun-ra no jinsokuna taiō ni yori, teki no yabō wa uchikudaka re, kiki o kaihi suru koto ga dekita. | AN AMBITION OF AN ENEMY IS SMASHED BY YOUR PROMPT CORRESPONDENCE, AND ENABLE TO EVADE A CRISIS. | Thanks to your quick response, the enemy's ambitions were crushed and the crisis averted. |
| しかし、情報によると、機密資料の一部が敵の手に渡ってしまったようだ。 | Shikashi, jōhō ni yoru to, kimitsu shiryō no ichibu ga teki no te ni watatte shimatta yōda. | HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO THE IMFORMATION, SOME PART OF SECRET MATERIAL SEEN TO HAVE GONE IN A HAND OF AN ENEMY. | However, according to our information, it seems that some of the classified material has fallen into enemy hands. |
| 今回の戦闘では被害は最小限に留まったが、また敵が再起するときが何れ来るであろう。 | Konkai no sentōde wa higai wa saishōgen ni tomattaga, mata teki ga saiki suru toki ga izure kurudearou. | THE DAMAGE COULD BE KEPT MINIMUM AT THIS BATTLE, BUT TIME MAY BE COME THAT AN ENEMY COMEBACK. | The damage was minimal in this battle, but there will come a time when the enemy will rise again. |
The final boss fight[]
When meeting the conditions to fight the true final boss, the XTB-1, the game continues after Simon Quartz is destroyed. An emergency transmission is displayed on the screen when the bomber takes off.
| Japanese text | Romanized Japanese | In-game English text | Overhauled English localization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 爆撃機が奪取された。直ちに追撃し、ミサイルの発射を阻止せよ。 | Bakugeki-ki ga dasshu sa reta. Tadachi ni tsuigeki shi, misairu no hassha o soshi seyo. | A BOMBER WAS RECAPTURED. PURSUE IT PROMPTLY, AND CHECK DISCHARGE OF A MISSILE. | The bomber has been captured. Immediately pursue it and stop the missile from being launched. |
When the XTB-1 is destroyed, it launches the cruise missile it was carrying out of spite. An emergency transmission is displayed on the screen.
| Japanese text | Romanized Japanese | In-game English text | Overhauled English localization |
|---|---|---|---|
| ミサイルが都心部をめがけて航行中。速やかに撃墜せよ。 | Misairu ga toshin-bu o megakete kōkō-chū. Sumiyaka ni gekitsui seyo. | A MISSILE GOES TO AN URBAN REGION. SHOOT IT DOWN IMMEDIATELY. | The missile is on its way[7] towards the city center. Hurry[8] and shoot it down. |
Epilogue: All clear (ALL-3)[]
The best ending is earned when the XTB-1 is destroyed and the cruise missile it was carrying is destroyed as well. The player receives a 10,000,000 point bonus and is credited with an ALL-3 clear on the scoreboard.
In the Japanese version, both the Japanese text and the English text appear at the same time.
| Japanese text | Romanized Japanese | In-game English text | Overhauled English localization |
|---|---|---|---|
| 諸君らの迅速な対応にもかかわらず、兵器工場の奪回は、多大な損害を被ることにより終結した。 | Shokun-ra no jinsokuna taiō nimokakawarazu, heiki kōjō no dakkai wa, tadaina songai o kōmuru koto ni yori shūketsu shita. | IN SPITE OF YOUR PROMPT CORRESPONDENCE, RECAPTURE OF WEAPON FACTRY ENDED WITH GREAT DAMAGE. | In spite of your quick response, the recapture of the weapons factory ended with heavy losses[9]. |
| しかし、敵に壊滅的なダメージを与えたことで、当分の間は平穏が保たれるはずである。 | Shikashi, teki ni kaimetsu-tekina damēji o ataeta koto de, tōbun'nokan wa heion ga tamota reru hazudearu. | HOWEVER, PEACE SHOULD HAVE BEEN KEPT FOR THE DURATION BY HAVING GIVEN A CRUSHING DAMAGE TO AN ENEMY. | However, with a crushing blow[10] given to the enemy, peace should be maintained for the time being. |
| また、今回の出撃で得た貴重な実戦データは、XTF計画に有益な情報や経験となって、今後の開発に大いに貢献するであろう。 | Mata, konkai no shutsugeki de eta kichōna jissen dēta wa, XTF keikaku ni yūekina jōhō ya keiken to natte, kongo no kaihatsu ni ōini kōken surudearou. | AND THE VALUABLE ACTUAL FIGHTING DATA, GOT BY THIS SALLY, WILL BE INFORMATION AND EXPERIENCE TO BE USEFUL IN XTF PLAN AND WILL CONTRIBUTE TO FUTURE DEVELOPMENT MUCH. | In addition, the valuable real-world battle data obtained from this sortie will provide useful information and experience for the XTF project, which will greatly contribute to its future development. |
Translation notes[]
- ↑ The literal translation of this line is "The wing(s) that open(s) up an untrodden domain." The original Japanese line has a strong poetic nuance, appealing to imagination and emotion, and using rich metaphors to describe more than just an action—it describes a visionary and pioneering spirit, emphasizing ambition and exploration. The English localization used here captures this same poetic nuance without falling back on technical terminology or literal translations.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Worded in a way that seeks confirmation, so as to give the player room to agree or disagree. This is lost when directly translated from Japanese to English, so to show the intended meaning, the improved English translation adds the equivalent "wouldn't you agree?" or "wouldn't you say?" at the end.
- ↑ Literally translated: "It's a decent result."
- ↑ Given as an order, but politely. Compare with "識別コードを入力せ。" without the ending よ, and this is an imperative form ("Enter the identification code!") that can be interpreted as rude.
- ↑ This is worded as a military order. It is the most severe imperative in the game. Given the urgency of the situation, this level of speech is justified. This order is forcing the player to take the XTF-1 into battle.
- ↑ 搭載 (とうさい tousai) means "loading" in the sense of "equipping on board" or "embarking"
- ↑ 航行 (こうこう kōkō) roughly means "navigation" in the sense of directing or steering a vehicle or machine to a destination. There are not too many reflexive verb in English that mean this, so the best possible translation while keeping the context of the Japanese text is "is on its way", as if the missile is doing the action on its own. Another translation of the first sentence would be "The missile is inbound over the city center."
- ↑ 速やか (すみやか sumiyaka) can be translated to "promptly" or "quickly", but it is in the sense of expressing urgency and a need to hurry someone or something along. In the improved English translation, "hurry" as a verb form best maintains the context of the Japanese text.
- ↑ 損害 (そんがい songai) is damage in a material or economic sense caused by accidents, disasters, and the like
- ↑ ダメージ (damēji) is the Japanese transliteration of the English word "damage." Here, it means "damage" in general. For the improved English translation, the word "blow" is used, in the sense of meaning "a sudden and damaging event", as using the direct translation of "damage" would lose the original context of the Japanese text.