Game Censorship & Localization General Thread

[BananaSplit]

The thread is meant to prevent any eventual derailing in the other game threads with these related topics, but I also want to keep this thread as an informative hub and future reference. Basically, you can share and discuss anything related to game censorship, visual/gameplay changes between regional versions, and text translations. Twitter screenshots & interview articles are also welcomed (preferably with an archive link if possible).

I'll start with some of the most recent examples of censorship, with a second post on localizations.

Chaos;Head Noah - Horror toned down for the Switch release (JP version only but this might affect the english release along with the upcoming PC port)

-Several scenes have been edited/cut in to remove detailed gorey descriptions, including cannibalism (e.g. 我が子の干からびた身体をむしゃむしゃしやと食べ始めた is gone)
-The Switch version is somewhat based on the PSP/PS3 releases (rated CERO D/17+) in spite Switch is using the same CERO Z (18+) rating as the previously uncensored Vita version did.

Chrono Cross Remaster - Original script in japanese is altered for political-correctness (the english text may retain or not the original PS1 translation)

In the first pic, めめしい / Memeshi is a japanese slang for "crybaby", often seen in fictional works. He's telling him to stop being a little bitch in a really rude way.
The second pic has 女らしい / onnarashii (to mean "ladylike" and "feminine", the 女 kanji character for women) changed into 優しい / yasashii (tender, gentle, graceful)

R-Type Final 2 - The phallic-shapped DLC boss was altered in specific console/regional versions (outside of Japan):

Rocky & Pocky Reshrined (Kiki Kaikai) - Censored portrait cut-ins of the goddess character in the western release

Yakuza Remastered Collection (both JP/ENG versions):

-The third installment removed the substory quest where Kiryu (the player) is pursued by an effeminate gay man (okama) for laughs.
-The Tamashiro clan's crest was altered due of bearing resemblance with the Japanese imperial flag.

-The fourth installment removed any mention of okama / オカマ (being replaced by the more polite term of 女装 / josou - "crossdresser") in addition of removing Akiyama's jab towards the sexual preferences of the ex-owner of a club. The related scene, in the video below, had to be recorded with new lines from the voice actor Koichi Yamadera, as a result.

 

[BananaSplit]

Bad Translations & Localization hijinks -

13 Sentinels -

Fire Emblem Three Houses -

Live a Live remake -

Legend of Heroes Cold Steel III-IV -

NEO The World Ends With You -

Triangle Strategy -

Valkyria Chronicles 4 -

 

[huecoffs02]

Devil May Cry 5 is still censored in Europe for PlayStation

Censored:

vs
Uncensored:

OH NO AN ASS!

 

[Jonah Hill poster]

The famous removal of fictional Haitians in GTA: Vice City gets mentioned a lot when one talks about the game

Did you know the 3.0 version of Grand Theft Auto Vice City censor the mentioning of Haitians during Umberto Robina's Trojan Voodoo mission's intro cutscene? In the 1.04 and 2.01 versions of GTA VC, the dialogue is actually different!

 

[Coelacanth]

Oh boy I can finally get this off my chest: Mother 3 will never be localized. It will never be left intact from the fan translation and you will never be happy with the final product. Shut the fuck up and appreciate what you have, the fact that Nintendo didn't follow up on the cease and desist order (if it's real that is) is a goddamn miracle.

 

[Celebrate Nite]

Translation/Localization Retardation:

Zelda BOTW

Zanki Zero

Random Stuff:

 

[Gutpuke]

Nu-Sony are fucking pussies.

 

[Gibs]

Imagine being this lazy.

 

[Celebrate Nite]

Lost Ark = BLACKED

More Translation/Localization retardation

Mighty Gunvolt (note sure which one)

Skies of Arcadia

Full Metal Daemon: Muramasa

 

[Celebrate Nite]

When Twitter Trannies become a huge problem for Japan artists, they have to post a memo to remind them they did nothing wrong and to disregard the trannies and/or tell them to fuck off (via reporting).

 

[NoonmanR]

I've seen so many that when it comes to a specific one i'm completely discombobulated, but ah here's one

Omega Labyrinth Z

It counts as censorship when Sony themselves blocks it from release, right? Especially since their only reason for doing so was because news articles were being written about how much smut was in the game.

 

[huecoffs02]

Lost Ark = BLACKED
View attachment 3531945

Transblacks HATE HER!

 

[Chad2Bad]

For the readability of this thread and the love of god no one reply to Marissa Moria or whatever the fuck their name is. The last censorship thread was constantly derailed with their insane autistic walls of text.

 

[Smaug's Smokey Hole]

I assume this thread is about changes in general, not just bad ones? The BOTW posted doesn't seem like an outrage, the text in-game looks way better than "looking at me lewd".

 

[BananaSplit]

I've seen so many that when it comes to a specific one i'm completely discombobulated, but ah here's one

Omega Labyrinth Z
View attachment 3531984
It counts as censorship when Sony themselves blocks it from release, right? Especially since their only reason for doing so was because news articles were being written about how much smut was in the game.

It's also what prompted the mandated content guidelines (archive) of Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) in California to influence directly the development of japanese games since September-October 2018, and independently from the local rating board CERO. Back then, there were examples of games being censored for Playstation while they were uncensored on the Nintendo Switch, within japanese soil:
-Dead or Alive Xtreme 3 Scarlet (archive)
-LoveR Kiss (archive)
-Nora to Ouju to Noraneko Heart (archive)
-Omega Labyrinth Life (archive)
It's hard to say if later PS4/Switch multiplatform releases simply took account of the guidelines during development, as making two versions with different visuals may take extra work/time. We may never know.

I assume this thread is about changes in general, not just bad ones?

It's fine too, although it's true there are more bad examples than good ones (or at least harder to find the latter).

If I have to use an example of good text localization, it would be the japanese version of the Witcher 3 (archive)


Another example would be Cuphead which is a popular title over there. They were on point in keeping the text flavor in spite of all the puns in english.

That said, good translations/localizations of western games in the country of the rising sun seem to be rather uncommon because they're not always treated with the same level of care. And censorship can still happen (The Witcher 3 rated by CERO on consoles removed nudity and fatal injuries).

 

[NoonmanR]

Final Fantasy Type 0 HD


More pronoun fuckery.

Snatcher(SEGA CD)

The Sega CD port got a ton of changes, much of that was just content the original developers wanted to add, for example a couple of shooting gallery stages were added to the final act.

Spoiler: Vidya game gore

Japanese on left, USA/Europe on right.

It was either this, the shower scene with the 14/18 year old girl(though oddly enough despite censoring it they then redrew the towel she's wearing to show off more "detail" on the US version), or the dead snatcher with her tits hanging out, not exactly appealing options...

There was still plenty of censorship, however i've heard the PS1/Saturn ports are even worse in that regard.

Cranky Food Friends

Spoiler: Large recording

For no discernable reason they turned a Puyo Pop game into this. Rumor is the backlash from this was the reason they decided to try releasing Puyo x Tetris.

 

[broners]

The western version of Radirgy Swag censored some art by adding shorts under a skirt, god forbid we see a few inches of ass.

I've also heard the western publisher Dispatch Games are utterly incompetent hacks that can barely release anything, and sat on the finished translation of this for years, so maybe there's a larger story to write about them, but I don't feel like it.

 

[Stickerman]

[3:57-4:00]
HM (heavy breathing) "Dubs-...(loud crash) ...Dubs are for FAGGOTS!... and... a-(indecipherable) Ha Ha! ..AND FAGGOTS GO TO HELL! Ha! ...(another loud crash)... Ha HA HA! HELL!!!" (loud crash) [END OF RECORDING]

- Hayao Miyazaki, award-winning director of Spirited Away in 2004 call to Mel Gibson

Anyways and in all seriousness, it is a disservice to consumers that they cannot exclusively enjoy localized content without it being re-replicated unfaithfully by saboteurs, however with how the political climate is all media is becoming increasingly scrutinized like this. It will only get worse as localization companies take an active role in censorship after more calls from media to police content they deem culturally insensitive (ironic, I know). Although it can affect subs as much as dubs like the OP shows, any service that meddles in localizations always does it in the worst possible way to suit the tastes of the people who don't even watch it anyways! Those that do are even worse for not realizing how bad the practice inherently is.
Who's there to defend faithful localization anyways, you don't want to end up a pariah, do you? By not participating in good think, you are only propagating bad think.

To build on this, as much as the changes to seem to be coming from a certain type of mind virus much like the same strain that ruined SA and NeoGAF, America-centric localization companies like Funimation et al. always maintained this kind of precedent in the industry because of pressure from whatever culture was dominant at the time. It's definetely not a modern phenomena.

The localization services by companies like Crunchyroll and Funimation are already notorious for changing dubbed lines:

Companies who insist on dumbing down media for American audiences and the people they hire who are hostile to the medium unsurprisingly have problems with Japanese culture and localizations. Who knew?

Notorious scenes replacing Heaven with "The Other Dimension" from the Ocean Dub of Dragon Ball:

Obligatory video of the American localization of Japanese culture in Pokemon:

4Kids was even more egregious:

One Piece:

Japanese authors put certain things into their work for a reason. Both the consumers and translators that pick up a Japanese work are aware consciously and should be aware of cultural differences but choose to enjoy it faithfully anyways. The norm isn't universal.

Other censorship of language, nudity or religious references:

Code Geass​

Death Note (anime)​

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood​

Nekopara​

Tokyo Ghoul​

One of the worst things about most localizers today is not just the lack of understanding Japanese culture, but the lack of understanding western culture as well. Though, America has always had to change international content for American audiences, censoring certain french erotic novels in the 1940s.

Once upon a time when the cultural power of Christian fundamentalists waned I thought things would settle down to pre-Bush levels for freedom of expression, but apparfently I was wrong. Then the culture shifted and now we're all back at square one again.

Joyous.

 

[SSj_Ness (Yiffed)]

This SJW shit is so widespread and insidious, this is disturbing.

 

[Jimjamflimflam]

Censorship in children's media sucks but is understandable. When it's in a M rated game, go fuck yourself. That's just being a asshole morality police for your own kicks.