Hey Capcom Fans,

This week, I got the chance to pose interview questions to Capcom of Japan’s very own Translation Team! If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to live in Osaka and get the very first peek at Capcom’s latest and greatest titles, read on! This week, we discuss what the process was like for our most recently released DS title: Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Justice For All. Our first interview is with Brandon Gay. Enjoy!

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Scarlett: Please tell us about yourself Brandon, where you grew up, languages spoken, interests, etc.

Brandon Gay:

• Born in Kettering, Ohio (USA)
• English, some Pig Latin

• Bowling, rock skipping competitions (televised or participating in), zombie wrangling, watching the map screen in Ghosts n Goblins roll by for the 100th time after getting killed by a Red Devil… Again!

  SC: How did you come to be work for Capcom of Japan?

  BG: Well obviously they looked up Greatest Master of English on Google and I popped up first, so it was a race to hire me. Luckily for Capcom, they were first.

  Actually, it was more luck than anything. The head of Localization at the time, Ben Judd, is a close friend of mine. When I was still living in the US he asked me if I would like to work for Capcoms Localization Department in Japan. Obviously I had some qualifications for the job being a Comm. Major with an emphasis in Journalism. But still it was mostly just good fortune. The Localization Department at CJ was still in its infancy at that point, and I was lucky enough to get in at the ground floor thanks to Ben.

  SC: What is your favorite aspect of editing?

  BG: One of the aspects that I probably enjoy the most is the naturalization of the text. What I mean, is that often times even after translation, the text an editor will receive will still have awkwardness to it that comes from translating it from Japanese. As a translator it is easy to fall into the mindset of literal translations. Since an editors job is to look at the English (or whatever their respective language may be) side of it, he/she can focus solely on that aspect. So what happens is that the text goes through 2 main phases. One, where it is translated into one language from Japanese, and the second phase where an editor polishes and smoothes the text out for their audiences. I enjoy this part of the process because it is an editors chance to really make the text shine.

  SC: Do you feel that one needs to know Japanese to live in Japan? Have you been picking up or studying any of the language?

  BG: While it does indeed help to know Japanese living in Japan, I dont think it is 100% necessary to get by. Japanese people are taught English in school, so most of them have at least a basic knowledge of English. At least enough to understand basic English. It would probably be more difficult for someone that spoke another language other than English.

  SC: What is the editing process? (ie: Do you play through the game first? Or do you get into a database and change the text directly in that? Does it require a different perspective or set of skills than translating?)

  BG: The editing process for each game varies depending on the time frame and what resources are available.

  Personally, the best process is being able to go through the text files before actually playing through the game. It is a quicker process to go through text files than actually playing the game trying to access all messages. And as any gamer knows, some characters in games are quite well hidden, and may say and do totally different actions depending on where or when you discover them. With the text files, an editor has access to all of the text within a game. Playing through the game after an extensive file check would be the next step. With the file check coming first, it is a good way to weed out a lot of the issues before they ever make it into a ROM and saves time later in the process.

  As far as skills go, editing requires a high attention to detail. An editor may be the last line of defense between the text and the final retail copy of the game. The perspective required for an editor is more of having a firm grasp of the English language and knowing what sounds/reads well in written/spoken text. The translators may have translated the text word for word from Japanese to English, but if the final English does not flow well or in the worst case, even make sense, then a 100% accurate translation is of little benefit. It can be a fine line at times to keep the original ideas intact, while making it accessible to an English speaking audience.

  SC: How long does the editing process take from beginning to end?

  BG: This varies from game to game. Some games are quite text heavy while others may be very light on text. It also depends on schedules that are handed down from the specific R and D teams. Some schedules are extremely tight, while others have more time for the editing process.

  

  SC: What is the most challenging part of the job?

  BG: One of the most challenging parts is trying to make a game that began its life in Japanese into something that is applicable for a Western audience. Some games begin with a Western audience in mind (Dead Rising, Lost Planet) so the text is already geared towards that audience. But for a game like Phoenix Wright, where the series is already a big hit in Japan, it requires very large sweeping changes to make the text relevant for Western audiences. Since you do not want to lose the major plot points of the game it requires careful balancing. It can become quite a challenge to try and keep the major points intact while altering enough so that the humor/style fits what Western audiences want.

  SC: What is your favorite aspect of Phoenix Wright?

  BG: When its over! (laughs) Phoenix Wright takes a long time to edit!

  I suppose one of the parts that I personally like is when you hear positive feedback for the text of the game. We (translators/editors) dont do this job for recognition or notoriety, but when you read/hear that users really connected with characters you helped shape, it is a nice feeling.

  SC: What new features and highlights can fans expect in the Phoenix Wright: Justice for All sequel?

  BG: As with the first Phoenix Wright game, the fans can expect a lot of twists and a plethora of unique characters.

  SC: What are some TV shows or movies you have been watching lately?

  BG: I mostly try to catch some of my favorite American TV shows, Japanese shows are still a bit too weird for me. It figures that after I come to Japan, some really good shows hit the airwaves in the U.S. (laughs).

  One of my favorite shows is the show Supernatural. Fantastic writing, character development and subject matter that really appeals to me personally. And the acting from Jenson Ackles and Jared Padalecki is just top-notch. Would love to see the show turned into a game.

  Other shows I enjoy watching would be Battlestar Galactica and The Office.

  SC: Who is your favorite character in the Ace Attorney series and why?

  BG: I would have to say Phoenix himself would be my favorite. Phoenix for me, feels the most like a real, living, breathing person. Whereas the others around him can at times be a bit on the quirky side and feel somewhat one-dimensional. Phoenix usually plays the straight man to all the odd people that make up his days. I also think that Phoenix is a character that most people can relate to. He has a range of emotions from worry to confidence. And Phoenix is just a nice guy. Its hard not to like him. You realize after the first game that he has a heart of gold and would do anything for those he cares about. How can you not like someone like that?

  SC: Before Phoenix Wright, what other games had you worked on at Capcom?

  BG: Resident Evil 4, Resident Evil DS, Devil Kings, DMC3, Phoenix Wright 1, Monster Hunter Freedom, Haunting Ground, Beatdown, Dead Rising, Lost Planet, (a lot of Mega Man games), Onimusha DoD, Ultimate Ghosts n Goblins, God Hand and others I cant remember at the moment.

  SC: What are you working on now? (if you’re allowed to say, that is!)

  BG: I cant really talk about that. You know those pesky NDAs!