One of my favorite things to get into with 3Hopes / 3Houses are the comparisons between the English and Japanese scripts! In the past, I’ve seen people go over the difference between scripts, and discuss how some changes that happened were for the better or worse. For example, some of you reading this might recall all the talk of unfortunate mistranslations the team for 3Houses made some years ago. That sorta talk is what I’m going to try to get into but not from the angle of criticism in this case.
Like, I’m gonna be trying my hand at comparing the ENG and JP scripts. Mind you I'm not a proficient Japanese reader, and often rely on tools like DeepL + referring to dictionaries and language forums to fill in the gaps of my understanding (which is to say that I'm a super amateur), but I am able to at least note that there are some slight tonal differences here and there in 3Hopes plus I have seen other people do comparisons of their own between scripts.
Again: I’m not writing a criticism of the ENG vs JP stuff. What I’m going for is more like... “Oooh these differences are nice. Having both scripts on hand is good for supplementary understanding reasons!”
For this post, I'll be looking at a couple of differences between Claude's letter to Shez in English and Japanese under the cut.
ENG screenshots of the letter:
And the JP transcript of these same lines:
“お前には、いつも助けらてきたよな。愚痴を間いてもらったこともー度じゃない。”
“この節目に、改めて礼を言わせてくれ。ありがとう、心から感謝してるよ。”
“先のことはわからない、これかわも俺を支えてくてると助かる。いいよな？”
The differences between the last lines across both languages, I think, are the most interesting.. And as you might have seen, I tagged this as "claudeshez" as this is the lens I'm looking at this letter from. Anyway...
In ENG, we get this really nice page writing metaphor that Claude uses in his attempt to persuade Shez to continue fighting by his side. Which itself is so good. Love it.
And in JP, the equivalent line is pretty direct:
(very roughly): "I don't know what lies ahead, so it would be helpful if you could support me. Okay?*"
* -> "いいよな？" = "ii yo na?" // It's literally the word "okay" (also “good” or “[it’s] nice” depending on its usage. Think: positive sort of context.) followed by the particles ‘yo’ and ’na’ which basically turns it into something like "Okay? :D" or more accurately “[Does that sound] good? :D” (cute).
A plain “Okay? :D” might read as weirdly ambiguous in ENG, and so I think the ENG translation team made a good call to have it be "What do you say? :D" (also cute) since it acknowledges the meaning of those previously mentioned particles!
To me, the usage of "いいよな？" gives the impression that Claude already anticipates that Shez will continue to support him. To access this letter in the first place, the player would need to have had Shez give him the merc whistle. So the very context of this circumstance, I think, lends this line some deeper meaning.. A very sweet one underneath the surface:
"I already know your answer, but I'm going ask anyway after telling you that I would like to have you by my side."
Cuuute. Yes, this question sounds like something he would ask of any reliable ally who fought by his side. But, in receiving this request through a heartfelt letter (as a result of their gift exchange) rather than whatever else, this idea that 'naturally, he would be requesting this' is pushed toward a special direction! Like: "Why this letter.. It's such an intimate medium to communicate through. Hmmm!" Well... The letter is special for a reason. I feel like I’ve said "so cute!" a million times, and I'll say it some more because it's true. To me.
I love sentiments like, "Even if it's just for a little longer, please stay by my side." It's so, sooo cute. And watching Claude say this to Shez, it shows players how he can happily lean on them at this point... Again, it's not like he doesn’t depend on his other friends, but in the context of the two’s relationship, something like this expressed in a private letter is very good. It's not like he's opening up about something groundbreaking, but he's exposing emotional vulnerability as he has been to Shez: by being frank about his feelings. Like, there are times in GW where the metaphorical wall between their hearts is pointed out to be The Problem** (it's why they don't get too close close in a traditional sense) so "smaller" gestures like this are a bigger deal between them than it typically would be..?
Like, these (whatever Claude and Shez are doing whenever they're basically alone together) are fairly normal ways of being emotionally vulnerable with someone. Plainly saying how you feel and telling your friends that you are grateful for them is something that's pretty "d'awwww", but it's not a particularly 'out there' way to express your feelings to them. But in the context of two characters who both impose some kind of distance between their hearts and those of other peoples' while craving the very closeness they habitually reject, any gesture that suggests emotional vulnerability or emotional intimacy carries more significance.. If that makes sense. I don't have all the words to get into exact details while maintaining what little coherency I am able to write with. But I am trying. Argh.
Another line, this time from the second pictured dialogue box:
ENG: “Thank you. Thank you for everything.”
JP: “ありがとう、心から感謝してるよ。”
(very roughly): “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart thank you.”
UGH.. Both of these are really good..!! They both repeat the ‘thank you’ sentiment which is beautiful, and the differences in phrasing are just wonderful. The ENG version gives me this impression that it’s a ‘grand’ sort of thank you where we can feel a great yet gentle sense of relief float in the air, the sort that comes at the end of a long journey. Like a ‘thank you’ hug.
The JP version is... a little more... flowery?? fluffy (not in the light-hearted way but like.. really SOFT)?? sweet?? It’s also like a hug, but different. <- losing his fucking mind (I'm not a creative writer). For lack of better words: it’s dripping with a kind of sentimentality that feels more intimate from Claude’s end of this interaction. It’s wonderful.
BOTH VERSIONS ARE GREAT... Guys, I like it here. Claudeshez... yas.
If someone with better proficiency with Japanese happens to come across this post and would like to point out any of my misunderstandings and/or add more to this, please feel free to do so!
** -> The easiest example to point out from the top of my head is the cutscene that takes place after you watch Claude cut down Shahid. There, Shez notices that Claude is missing from the festivities and attempts to reach out to him.
Here’s a link to an imgur folder that contains screenshots of this exchange!
many thoughts on claude x shez but i need to elaborate on that in some obnoxiously long readmore in the future. but maybe i wont.
i'm going to leave it at: i like how their dynamic feels like a contradiction in that they're naturally spiraling towards one another (as exemplified by the ways that they do manage to open up to the other person), but they don't let themselves get too close whether it be by intention or as a consequence of their individual natures + circumstances at hand.
but there are moments where the gap closes, not through something like pouring their heart out for the one another and revealing every little thing that they hide away, but through the ways that they are vulnerable to each other.. in a manner that could be interpreted as the distance being rendered irrelevant in such moments.. or because they're willing to lean on each other while respecting the wall which stands between them.
okay you know what there is more. sorry. but also..
i really liked the fight that they have in ch9 of GW, where we see shez feel betrayed by claude's scheme, which itself was supposed to protect his allies to begin with. i think it depicts how, at the heart of things, they want the same thing from different angles..? like: claude doesn't want to risk the lives of his closest companions and is willing to bloody his hands for it, while in shez's mind (and everyone else tbf) claude really needs to place more faith in the strength of his friends who fight tooth and nail for him.
the shared sentiment of "have faith in me!!" is an interesting foundation to build conflict from. like, from claude's perspective he's trying to protect his friends in the way he feels obliged to from his position, while shez doesn't necessarily try to throw his life away for anyone but does engage in some dangerous shit for the sake of those they care about. it's easy to see them fight over this more often in this spirit like:
"you shouldn't worry about me so much. we're friends but the thing about having no strings attached is that nothing would really change if i died." (read: unlike you, i'm not that important of a person to have around. people don't depend on me like they do on you. it's not like i'm interested in dying, but it's a very real possibility that you have to accept as the leader!) while claude, who definitely understands this, is the obviously type who can't accept this at all and does whatever he can to prevent scenarios where his friends are placed in any kind of legitimate risk--especially for the sake of someone like someone like shez, who is insanely strong on their own, but it's easy to see claude worrying more for someone like that in a "what if their luck runs out one day.." kind of way WHILE ALSO getting really upset / flustered on shez's behalf in the manner of "You need to treasure your life more! Everyone--I would care if you died! Do you really think so little of me? That I would even accept the possibility of you-... I.." <- AUUUUUUGHHHH. something like this. i'm dying.
LIKE. they would butt heads about this constantly and it shows how much they care for each other. it makes me feel crazy over them. they're cute. of course they're good friends but that specific interaction kicks off how they make for a really interesting pairing. [SHATTERING INTO A MILLION PIECES]. [DIES]. [EXPLOSION].
i'm bad at phrasing things like this but i really like pairings with this type of dynamic. they're on the same page but also not really.. but they are.. and they're vulnerable to each other in ways they're not with other people, but they're not necessarily intimate in the more traditional sense.. they have this giant near-impenetrable wall between each other but they communicate through its gaps... and they're kind of dependent on each other's company, but kind of not.. but also.. but also. <- insane person writing.
i feel like there are more coherent ways of talking about them, but i need to finish my repeat run of GW to get everything together. i may not have all the puzzle pieces i need to put together a cohesive... explanation(?) for why i think they work but this picture that i am able to construct looks pretty good. i like how they talk to each other.. i like how familiar they sound when they talk to one another and how shez's straight-forward nature is a comfort to claude, someone who was forced to keenly recognize things like deceit and hidden intentions to survive in his position. like.. they could not be anymore different when it comes to things like personality.. upbringing.. etc etc and yet they are able to come together as kindred spirits (in being 'outsiders') and manage a very sweet relationship (in my eyes) that dances between being super casual and super intimate in their own sort of way. i like them.
i hope we get s-supports in the future.. or at least some kind of cutscene stuff that is functionally the same (as in: fanservice. ALSO: if it's not explicitly romantic = no stupid gender lock.) so i can see these two wiggle around on the screen while they talk about their exchange gifts -> the whistle + notes on poisons. it would be so, sooo cute. claude's letter is good.. but i would also like to see shez properly respond to it somehow.
