King of Fighters 95

Rival Team

See, they have a rival from Fatal Fury, a rival from Art of Fighting (...sort of), and a NEW rival.

Story

Rugal Post-Stage 3

My translation	Official translation
Secretary: Lord Rugal... The team of Yagami, Billy, and Kisaragi has won four rounds so far.	Secretary: Monsieur Rugal. Yagami, Billy, and Kisaragi have won 4 matches!
Rugal: Heheheh...those three, huh. I sense some sort of evil plot brewing...maybe something from that Yagami. Hm, I'm looking forward to meeting this team. Hahahahahaha!	Rugal: Hah, hah, hah. This Yagami... Oh well, they're dead anyway. Yah, hah, hah!

Vice's line is basically the same. It's interesting to me that she doesn't use anyone's full names in Japanese, though looking back, she's pretty inconsistent about it. Kyo and friends get their full names, as well as the Women's Team, but no one else. Weird, I would've figured Iori would get the same treatment as Kyo. Guess not.

Rugal's line is massively cut down. The entire idea of him sensing something weird about Iori is basically dropped, with just a cryptic reference left. It's much more specific in Japanese. Then the English has him dismiss the entire thing, whereas in Japanese he's looking forward to seeing what will happen. It's a lot harder to understand what's going on in English, I think.

This loses the standard two screens in English, both from Rugal.

Rugal Post-Stage 6

Since this is the same for all characters, it's on the boss page

Before Saisyu

My translation	Official translation
Kisaragi: Huh? What's going on?!	Kisaragi: What's going on ?
Billy: Damn, gas?	Billy: It's bleedin' gas!
Yagami: Ugh...	Yagami: Gasp!
Billy: W-where...?	Billy: Hey, where are we?
Rugal: Good morning, gentlemen.	Rugal: Wakey, wakey, sleepy heads!
Billy: You, you're Rugal! I knew you were the one behind this!	Billy: Rugal! I knew you were behind this!
Rugal: Heheheh, that's correct. By the way, I have a favor to ask. You look like just the kind of ambitious young men I need. How about it? Why not work for me?	Rugal: Perceptive, to the last. How about working for me?
Billy: Piss off, there's only one man I'll ever work for!	Billy: Too bad, pal. I only have one boss!
Kisaragi: I have no desire to serve anyone!	Kisaragi: And I work only for me!
Yagami: What a crock. Only total losers work for someone else.	Yagami: I hate being an employee, garlic breath!
Billy: ....tch, whatever... Anyway, none of us want you as a boss!	Billy: Anyway, the answer's up yours!
Rugal: How disappointing. I'd hoped you'd be a bit more intelligent... Very well. It's a waste of talent, but I have no more use for you. You may die now!	Rugal: You sadden me. I thought you were smarter! Very well. I've no use for you.
Saisyu: Heheheh.... It's an honor to meet you. My name is Kusanagi Saisyu. Will you give me the pleasure of a match?	Saishu: Saishu Kusanagi here. Shall we mix it up?
Yagami: Kusanagi Saisyu? That's a laugh. What's the old successor of the Kusanagi clan doing in a place like this?	Yagami: Saishu Kusanagi? What brings you were?
Saisyu: Oh, the Yagami brat... So that snot-nosed kid wants to challenge me to a fight to the death? I must be getting old...	Saishu: How you've grown from a snot-nosed kid!
Yagami: Crack all the jokes you want in the afterlife, old man.	Yagami: Don't push it, fossil face!
Rugal: Hahahah, what a magnificent play! Now, show me the great spectacle of this battle between two legendary combatants!	Rugal: Enough. Dispose of them.

Yeah, the game uses Iori and Eiji's last names to denote their lines. That's not like how it is for Kyo, Ryo, Mai, or any other Japanese character in the game. Not sure what's up with that.

I like Billy's "it's bleedin' gas!" It feels like the translator/editor put a bit of effort in to make him sound more British. It's a nice touch.

On the other hand, Iori's "gasp!" looks pretty silly.

Rugal's first line is his usual in Japanese, and it gets punched up as usual in English. It's goofy, but I really have to admire the dedication shown here. It would've been easy to just use the same line every time, maybe change it up a bit for the Women's Team...but no, the editor went all out and wrote new, goofy lines for every route. That's pretty unusual for an arcade game in 1995.

Billy's line is basically the same, so let's move on to Rugal's next line, which is cut to the bone. He's much more expansive and polite in Japanese, adding a bit of flattery before making his offer and everything. Meanwhile, the offer comes out of nowhere in English.

Billy's line is the same in spirit, but I also tried to add a bit of a British touch to his lines. And I tried to make Eiji sound a little more formal, to match how he is in Japanese. His English line does play nicely off Billy's though. Some good continuity there.

Then Iori's line gets changed. In English he basically restates Eiji's position, though in different words and bringing back "garlic breath" (previously seen on Kim's route and in Real Bout Fatal Fury). But in Japanese, he insults anyone that works for someone else. The Japanese word is something like "low-down dog/beast", but I had a hard time making that work in English. "Total losers" might be a little too SNK, but I crossed over that line long ago.

This is important, because Billy's next line in Japanese plays off that line with Billy grumbling about Iori dissing him. It's really cute, and totally dropped in English. That said, Billy's English line is also pretty good, and keeps giving him a British touch, so it's kind of a wash.

Rugal's next line is cut to the bone, again. It's got the same general ideas, just much shorter. I do miss Rugal lamenting the waste of talent, though.

Saisyu's line is the same as normal, and Saishu's is similar but not entirely the same as the Ikari Team and Psycho Soldier Team's lines.

Iori's line gave me some trouble. We don't usually talk about the "former/old successor" in English, and I'd probably rephrase it to "current head" or something if I was doing this for real. (I don't think Kyo has a living grandfather...) The idea is that Saisyu used to be the Kusanagi's champion/inheritor of the style, and now he's passed it on himself. Not that that stops him from randomly participating in fighting tournaments... Anyway, all of that is just cut in English and Iori's line loses a lot of flavor as a result.

Saisyu's line also gets cut to the bone. It still establishes that he's known Iori for a long time, but loses the old man grumbling about how these punks are challenging him. It does get across that Saisyu looks down on Iori, though.

Iori's line drops him talking about killing Saisyu, but does have "fossil face", which is pretty good.

And then Rugal's line completely drops how entertained he is by all of this. Instead he's cold and business-like. It changes Rugal's character a bit, since a big thing in 95 is how much he's just doing all this to get a good show out of it. Too bad.

This loses eight screens in English. Two from Rugal's introduction and offer, one of Billy grumbling about Iori, two from Rugal right before Saisyu, one from Saisyu introducing himself, one from Iori talking to Saisyu, and one from Saisyu's reply.

Before Rugal

My translation	Official translation
Saisyu: I lost to you lot...is this also fate....?	Saishu: Sadly, my fate was to lose.
Rugal: Hahahahaha! Even though I am your enemy, I must congratulate you on a job well done. But you cannot defeat me, not with the new power I have obtained! Uohhhhhhhh...	Rugal: Heh, heh. You did well. But now, face evil's wrath! Woooooo.....

The English drops Saisyu being mildly insulting to the Rival Team, and changing him from wondering if it was fate for him to lose to just stating it. It makes him sound more resigned in the English.

Rugal's line is the standard non-justice/non-Kyo one we've seen before in multiple other routes. The English line is the version from the Art of Fighting Team and Kim Team. Fair enough.

Ending

My translation	Official translation
Rugal: Gh, so even with this power, I still lost...!	Rugal: Even with my new power, I lost.
Rugal ?!....What? My body is....!	Rugal: What? My body.....?????
Rugal: Ridiculous...that this should happen to me....	Rugal: No...to meet such a fate!
Yagami: You dumbass... There's only one family that can use this power! It doesn't matter how hard anyone else tries; they'll fail!	Yagami: Only a the bloodline can control such power. You hadn't a chance!
Rugal: ...is that so... Then I suppose you're saying that you're a son of that family.	Rugal: Is that so? Dare you seize this power? I'll be back!
Rugal: Heheh...very well. As long as this world has need of me, I shall surely be resurrected...
Rugal: You bastards had better survive until then!
Rugal: ...farewell....!
Billy: ...the hell?	Billy: What the...?
Yagami: Hahahah! That power is for us, the Yagamis, alone! Someone like you could never use it!	Yagami: What a fool. Such power can only be mine!
Iori: Now for a bit of tidying up...	Yagami: Well, shall we wrap this up?
Kisaragi: ....what?	Kisaragi: What?
Billy: ...fuckin' hell! What kind of monster...aah, Mr. Geese...	Billy: Hey! You're...you're Geese!
Yagami: Heheheh...just you wait, Kyo. I'll kill you for sure next time...hahahahaha!	Yagami: Just wait, Kyo. You're next for extermination. You and all Kusanagis! Yah, hah, hah!

Rugal's first three lines are standard, but then Iori interrupts with some plot exposition. Plot exposition that is brutally cut down in English. The general idea is there, but English Iori is a bit more specific about Rugal not having a chance to control the power, where in Japanese he's more general that no one outside the Yagamis can do it.

There's also a missing word or other typo in the English line, but it's pretty easy to read over. It was probably meant to be "a member of the bloodline" or "one from the bloodline" or similar. Also, is it me, or does "You hadn't a chance!" sound kind of British?

Rugal's next four lines are brutally cut down. The big loss is Rugal realising that Iori is one of those who can use the (Orochi) power. Instead, in English, he dares Iori to take the power, without any reference to if Iori can control it. It's a weird line.

Then Rugal's standard line about the world calling him back like Dracula is cut to just three words, and his taunt to the Rival Team is completely dropped. Damn! (I guess Eiji is technically still alive in KoFXV, but he's not participating. At least Iori and Billy are still there.)

Billy's line afterwards is basically a non-incident, so let's cut to Iori. The big change here is that Japanese Iori talks about only his family being able to use the power, while in English it's just for him. "Such power" also feels a bit less specific to me, where in Japanese it's specifically that (Orochi) power.

The next couple lines are basically the same. Billy's is kind of funny, though. It's cut down so far it seems like English fans can't make sense of it. Billy isn't saying that Iori's strength is like Geese's. No, he's crying for Geese like a kid for his mommy.

The big difference in Iori's final line is the English adding on that he's going to kill "all Kusanagis". He's just going after Kyo in Japanese, no mention of anyone else.

This loses seven screens in English. One from Iori's interruption against Rugal, four from Rugal's reply, one from Iori's speech afterwards, and one from Billy's last line.

Win Quotes

Iori

Edit Teams

My translation	Official translation
A pointless death. That's about right for you.	Another young one bites the dust. Tough break, dweeb!
Life is short, like a flower. And flowers are most beautiful when they fade.	A rose blooms best near death. You're in full bloom, pal!
I can see why you're the loser here: you're a reckless idiot.	Oh, cheer up. You never even had a chance to begin with!

These are actually pretty close. You know, for win quotes.

The first one adds in a Queen reference, for some reason, and tosses in a pretty SNK insult at the end. It feels like in Japanese, Iori is saying the results suit his opponent, while in English it's more general luck. So that's a change.

The second line has a very Japanese concept with the idea of flowers being most beautiful when they scatter, and life being like a flower. The latter we more or less have in English, but the former is a bit more of a stretch. I actually like the official translation here, I think it did a good job. (okay, maybe they could drop the "pal", but that's the real SNK touch, right there)

The third line is the most different. There's a connecting line with the outcome being decided before the match, but the English drops that Iori's opponent is too reckless/impulsive and that's why they lost. Instead it's a pretty generic line.

Set Teams

Team	My translation
Hero Team	Looks like I didn't quite kill you this time. I'll let you keep your life until we meet again.
AoF Team	My style is a killing art. Your kyokugen is just for fooling around. They're nothing alike.
FF Team	These are the wolves everyone's been talking about? Now you're just a bunch of beaten dogs. Stand up! Then die!
Ikari Team	If this is a battlefield, then I won't hesitate to kill you...
PS Team	Justice? Only weaklings spout that kind of crap.
Kim Team	This is my style, right here. Well? Want to try reforming me?
Women Team	I won't take it easy on my opponent just because they're women. ...next time, you die!
Rival Team	This world doesn't need two of us. ...die.

Man, Iori. Are you even trying to kill Kyo? (after 30 years, I think we can safely say...no.)

The Fatal Fury Team line has a phrase in Japanese that's literally "beaten/loser dog" that more idiomatically means "loser" in general. I translated it more literally because of the whole contrast with wolves thing that's going on. It's a pretty obvious place to go with the Fatal Fury Team, so take note.

The line against Kim Team is pretty funny. I dig it.

Iori is just hilariously bad at actually killing people.

Eiji

Edit Teams

My translation	Official translation
Ninjutsu is the world's strongest art! There is none that can stand against my Kisaragi style!	The ways of the ninja are the ways of victory. You lose!
My ninjutsu is invincible! As long as I'm around, this undefeated legend will prove eternal!	My ninja-style's invincible! And I'm not too bad, either!
The day when my name shall resound through the heavens and the earth is drawing near!	Victory is near. Let the heavens sing, "Kisaragi!"

Kishi got the second one.

Eiji is somewhat archaic/ninja-ish in Japanese, so I tried to get that across in his lines. As you can see, SNK didn't even try.

The first line is heavily simplified in English. It drops that ninjutsu is the strongest martial art, and the specification that Eiji uses Kisaragi style (to contrast with Mai's Shiranui style). But I do like the rhythm of the English line, even if "you lose!" reminds me of Bokosuka Wars.

"Ninja-style" isn't a bad way to translate "ninjutsu", really. The second sentence sounds more like Eiji is complimenting his own looks instead of the legend of his ninjutsu, though. It makes the line sound more like a joke, which it isn't in Japanese.

The third line is a bit different, but it's pretty close. It does feel a little weird to say "victory is near" in a win quote, but I guess you can read it as "victory in the tournament" instead of "victory in the match".

Set Teams

Team	My translation
Hero Team	Across heaven and earth, my ninjutsu is the strongest !
AoF Team	My fated foe, kyokugen! Today is the day of your death!
FF Team	To defeat famous martial artists is my purpose!
Ikari Team	A pity for you, but when it comes to killing arts, mine was superior!
PS Team	No matter what kind of history it has, a dance cannot defeat me!
Kim Team	Taekwondo is nothing before my strength, you pack of fools!
Women Team	It matters not who they are; I will not allow anyone to obstruct me!
Rival Team	Ninja! To imagine you could become me is absurd!

These are mostly what you'd expect. The Fatal Fury line confuses me, because last I checked Eiji was all about destroying kyokugen, not famous martial artists in general. But I guess they had to put down something, and Fatal Fury Team lines are usually about how famous they are.

I got a chuckle out of the Psycho Soldier Team line.

Billy

Edit Teams

My translation	Official translation
Sorry, but "defeat" just ain't a word in my dictionary!	Too bad, "defeat" is just not in my personal dictionary!
Oi, oi! What's going on here? Show me a better time already!	What was that? Over so soon? Bummer, dude!
Power is everything! I've got no use for losers!	I've no business with losers. Hit the pavement, slug-face!

The first line...is completely the same. Wow.

The second makes Billy sound more like a surfer than a British punk. And you did so well in the story, SNK!

The third drops the first sentence, translates the second correctly, then adds in a powerful SNK insult. I'll accept it.

Set Teams

Team	My translation
Hero Team	So this is the "legendary martial art"? Hey, that makes all of us legends too, don't it?
AoF Team	You trained and trained and you still lost. That's proof you're all just a bunch of meatheads!
FF Team	I finally got a good story out of this trip: Terry Bogard, the beaten dog!
Ikari Team	Soldiers need rest too. Feel free to rest here - forever!
PS Team	My bojutsu might be self-taught, but Chinese bojutsu doesn't amount to much either!
Kim Team	You're no worthy opponent! You're all just a big pile of garbage!
Women Team	It's not that I like beating up girls, but if you get in my way, all bets are off!
Rival Team	We're pretty tough! If that's the best you can do, you'll never be able to imitate us!

Same story here with "loser" vs "beaten dog" in the Fatal Fury line as with Iori. "Terry Bogard: total loser!" could theoretically work, but I wanted to keep that wolf/dog thing going.

Billy, no one in the Psycho Soldier Team uses bojutsu. What the hell are you going on about?

I really liked the Hero Team, AoF Team, and Ikari Team lines. The Rival Team line is pretty boring after Iori and Eiji's versions.