azama x effie support conversation rambling
hii Azama x Effie is my FeFates OTP so I wanted to ramble about the differences between their JP support and the localized EN support (though someone has probably already done this). I do prefer the JP support, and it's what I base my reading of their characters and relationship on, but I'm not trying to bash the EN localization of it, and it's not the worst or anything lol. But it's a heads up that I am biased. Also I guess disclaimer, these are still just my opinions, and you can interpret them differently.
I won't be pasting the whole support chain here, but you can look them up. here's a very brief tldr though: C: Effie is injured from protecting Azama and they talk about why Effie protects people in her self-sacrificial way. B: Effie is injured again from protecting people and Azama asks if she would even protect an enemy with her mindset. A: Effie is once again injured. This time from protecting an "enemy". Azama scolds her and Effie thanks Azama for always healing her. S: Azama asks to talk and confesses to Effie, who reciprocates.
also the JP translations to EN I included are really rough and literal done by me while referencing other translation and dictionary so uhhh sorry LOL.
C Support The biggest change in the C support is Azama's attitude and response towards Effie. Azama's rudeness and mocking/sarcasm is much more played up in the localization. His motivation(?) behind talking to Effie also feels much more callous. Rather than seeming to try to understand her (but failing and getting annoyed), he deems her "boring". Effie in this conversation is basically the same in both versions.
Azama: Fascinating. So you value the lives of others more than your own. Truly, you're operating on an advanced karmic level. EN localization has Azama being very sarcastic and mocking.
Azama: Oh. How disappointing. I thought you had no regard for your physical body. That would be interesting! But I guess you're just a boring old soldier. As such, I'm bored. See you later! Another example.
The closest equivalent JP lines are below. Asama is just really in disbelief and irritated with her self-sacrificing worldview. She is incomprehensible to him.
[アサマ] …は？ 言っていることが分かりかねます。 仲間のためなら死ぬことも厭わない？ 他人をかばって、あなたにとって どんな得があるというのですか？ [Asama: …Hah? I don’t comprehend the words you are saying. For your allies’ sake, you won’t even dislike dying? Defending other people, to you what benefit do you say there is?]
[アサマ] 全く理解できませんね… それにあなたの言葉を聞いていると、 少しイライラが募ります… [Asama: I completely cannot comprehend at all…and listening to your words, my irritation is growing…]
B Support Azama is once again ruder in EN, but I think that's just how EN Azama is, in this case lol. This time Effie is the one who gets changed a lot, and there is less focus on her self-sacrificing tendencies in general.
Azama: I can't believe you can maintain such a calm demeanor with an injury like that. You're even JOKING, for crying out loud! Do you even care whether you live or die? Effie: Well, of course! I couldn't protect other people very well if I were dead, could I?
[エルフィ] 比較対象が無ければ もちろん大事だと答えるけど… 仲間が危機に晒されている状況なら、 自分の身の大切さなんて意味のないものよ… [Elfie: If not as a target of comparison, then of course I can answer it[my body] is important…In the situation that my allies are exposed to critical danger, something like my body’s importance has little meaning…] Effie displays her self-sacrificing beliefs much more than in EN.
When Azama asks if she would even protect an enemy, the way she responds is immediately and vehemently a "no"...then a maybe if the situation calls for it. In JP, she just goes straight to saying it would depend on the situation. This wouldn't be a big change to me, except for the way the localization had Effie say "no."
Effie: No! No, no, no, no, no. Well...maybe. Only if the situation demanded it somehow. Her reaction is extremely vehement/panicky at first.
[エルフィ] そうね…場合によっては敵であろうと、 わたしは守ろうとするかもしれない。 [Elfie: I see, well…depending on the situation there may be an enemy who I would protect.]
This is then followed by Azama saying she could be punished for saying this. In the localization, Effie kind of panics and gives an excuse/explanation for what she means (if it meant protecting Elise), and then exasperatingly saying Corrin would understand when Azama still pushes back. In the JP, she just rolls with it and earnestly believes in Azama (with a side of teasing, in my opinion). Azama is learning about and getting to know Effie more in this conversation, and in my opinion, she comes across very differently. Effie in JP feels much more assured in her beliefs, not needing to justify herself, as well as being able to continually throw off Azama just by being herself.
Effie: What?! My life's only goal is protecting Lady Elise. All I meant by that was that if I had to protect an enemy to save HER, somehow... I'd do it in a heartbeat. Azama: Well. It's still treason. Effie: Oh, please. As if Lord/Lady Avatar deals strictly in black and white... I'm sure he/she would understand the intent behind my statement.
[エルフィ] でも…アサマは 黙っていてくれるんでしょう？ [Elfie: But…Asama would stay silent for me, right?] I see this as both sincere and also could be teasing Asama a bit.
[アサマ] さあ。どうでしょうね？ [Asama: Well. Who knows?]
[エルフィ] そんなこと言って… 聖職者が告げ口なんて真似するはずないわ。 わたしは、あなたを信じている… [Elfie: Saying that…A priest telling on someone like that is behavior that shouldn’t happen. I believe in you…]
A Support The A support in the localization cuts out a whole thing about Azama's (non)belief in gods. I think this is a very interesting part of his characterization, so it's unfortunate. It also leads into Azama comparing Effie to the gods/being divine, so this is not in the localization either. So it is much shorter, but other than that it is basically the same.
[アサマ] ふふっ…知らなかったんですか？ 私は神仏を全く信じていないのですよ。 [Asama: Haha…Didn’t you know? I completely do not believe in the gods.]
[エルフィ] えっ、そうなの…！？ [Elfie: Eh, is that so…!?]
[アサマ] ええ。だって神や仏が、 いったい何処にいるというのですか？ 目に見えず、触れらず、都合の良い時だけ 加護や御利益をもたらす存在なんて… 胡散臭い以外の何者でもないでしょう？ [Asama: Yes. After all, just where are the gods? Unable to see them, unable to feel them, only when it is convenient does divine protection or divine blessings come into existence…if not shady, what kind of beings are they?]
S Support The B support's lessened focus on Effie's self-sacrifice comes back here. Other than more parts about gods that were removed, Effie's sentiment about Azama caring for her is changed a little bit.
Effie: Shh, don't spoil the moment. Anyway, I spend so much time worrying and caring about Elise... it feels nice to have someone who feels the same way about me. So, thank you!
[エルフィ] わたし…これまで自分の命が尊いだなんて、 思ったことなかったんだけど… 今はわたしの身を案じてくれる人が… アサマがいるから、 もっと自分を大事にしたい、って… そう思うようになったの。 [Elfie: I…until now I never thought of my own life as precious, but…now people who are concerned about myself…Asama is here, so I think I want to treasure myself more.]
And finally, for some reason the localized support has to end with Azama's quirky trait of being bad at giving sincere compliments in the localization...lol.
Azama: You're welcome. I would find this existence much less interesting if you were dead. Effie: Erm...yes. You do need to work on both receiving and giving compliments...
Conclusion Ultimately, I do think the EN localization of the support is fine on its own, and is perfectly able to show the two as they grow closer, but the JP conversations have the two be nicer to each other in general. There are a lot of minor tone differences that I didn't go over that show this, but I didn't want to go line by line, and a lot is the result of Azama in the localization just being more of an overt asshole and not showing any vulnerability lol. And the changes in Effie in B, which I actually would say is the biggest change in characterization in the whole support. Being honest, I don't know if I would have shipped them as hard if my first exposure to Fates wasn't the JP version (the version I own and play), so I wanted to share why I love the support so much by comparing the bigger things that changed in the localization.
I just love that Azama felt that Effie brought light/more meaning into his life after getting to know her, and Effie is able to treasure herself more because of Azama 🥺. They protect each other <3
