You are here
Fist of the North Star might not be the most acclaimed Japanese franchise in Spain, but it certainly has some of the most passionate fans.
Project
Platform
Developer
Year
The video game is based on a manga series set in a post-apocalyptic world where a good Samaritan helps the innocent and breaks down his adversaries’ internal organs using a deadly martial art style. If you’re into that kind of thing, this game will blow your mind!
When I discovered the stunning amount of material on hand, I realized that translating the website for this video game was going to be a huge challenge! A far cry from the cakewalk I had this project cut out to be!
Challenges
Who’d have thought there was so much to say about a man who travels the world beating people up left, right and center.
The website contains heaps of information that contextualizes the video game and reveals just how much effort the developers have poured into staying true to the manga.
It was imperative to bear in mind that the video game hasn’t been translated into Spanish, and that the website will, therefore, be the go-to reference tool for players who’ve bought the game.
Translating 20,000 words on a short deadline to excellent results can only be accomplished if you also put a lot of time into the testing
The website is practically encyclopedic in scope
Solutions
Working on an adaptation that stays this true to the original manga is like hitting the jackpot, since you can explore numerous sources of information and references. However, it also means you’re going to be doing a lot of work in the research department.
This time, I decided to invest in the complete manga series —I know, my work is sometimes such a chore!—, and I went about extracting character names, locations, episodes and key dialogues as I dodged the punches.
Consequently, I referred directly to the Japanese to Spanish translation of the manga and was able to match it up to the video game in English. Being able to compare both sources was extremely helpful when contextualizing the content and even when using the original names from the manga — after securing the client’s authorization.
Translating 20,000 words on a short deadline to excellent results can only be accomplished if you also put a lot of time into the testing. For this project, my work went beyond the translation, as I meticulously went over the final texts and made sure they were implemented correctly on the website.
Apart from a reference tool for players, the website for the game Fist of the North Star: Ken’s Rage 2 has ended up being a fun place where anyone can learn more about Ken, his world and his anger management problems
All trademarks are property of their respective owners. © TECMO KOEI GAMES CO. LTD