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A long while back, Mew Seeker sent in a question about Super Mario RPG . I haven’t played it much in 20 years, but I still remember it fondly enough that this question really spoke to me:

Many things in Mario RPG were changed like Bowser “Haiku”, the B’Tub Ring being the “Love Love Ring”, some variations with the Axem Rangers, the things Mack’s minion say at Mario when they get mad at him and so on. That being said, there is one specific spot in the game I would like to check and it’s the one where Culex (called “Crystaller” in the original) is. In the U.S. version he’s basically a lost hero from another world and he would like to challenge Mario. In the original, he’s the one who oversee everthing that’s evil in is world or something? In any case I get “bad guy” vibes from him especially considering how he talk about how the power of love, friends and so on surpassed him. And something about 3d world and maybe 2d world is mentioned? XD I am an amateur in Japanese language but I can tell it’s not the same in the original so could you have a look at it.

It took some work, but I managed to get to this spot in both versions of the game. Let’s take a look at it!

First, here’s what’s said before you fight this secret super boss:

Japanese Version (basic translation) English Version O travelers who appear before me…. Greetings. I am Crystaller, ruler of all evil in this world. I am Culex, Dark Knight of Vanda. On this spot, I feel and resonate with fluctuations emitted from a dimensional rift. I have crossed into this dimension to fight for the Dark Mage. You living ones before me… Why do you possess thickness? Why do you have such solidity? But this world is uninhabitable for me and my kind. I must return to my world. I am made of the power of evil. My form is depicted on naught but a flat surface. Before I go, though, I would like to challenge your strongest knight. Yet you are formed from a power foreign to me. I wish to know the secret of the solid world! I shall fight with the utmost of my power. Will you accept my challenge? Now, demonstrate your might! You will enter combat against me? After agreeing What feeling waits at the end of this battle? Have at you!! En garde!

Once the battle starts, the boss starts talking again:

Japanese Version (basic translation) English Version “Crystaller”

I am formed from the supreme power. CULEX: I am matter… None in this world surpass me. I am antimatter… Across time, from this world’s beginning to its end, I am the inheritor of the ultimate of Two. I can see your past… Now you will realize my strength!! I can see your future… Come forth, o power that rules over all creation!! I consume time… And I will consume you!

After the difficult battle, the boss shares some final words:

Japanese Version (basic translation) English Version GUOOOoooo!

This power….

….Yes…. Now I understand…. Ahhhh!

Your spirit….

….is strong! The power of the third dimension is that power of legend. The power said to far surpass the fluctuations of evil. Thank you, brave knight. Love, friendship, joy….

The power of hope for peace….

It appears this strength is too much for me. I will treasure this memento of my journey here. Kukuku…. Now I will vanish….

to that land…. Perhaps in another time, another game, we may have been mortal enemies… until I someday gain the power of the third dimension and the fluctuations visit yet-unknown lands.. Let us part as comrades in arms. O travelers who appear before me….

I give you this.

Farewell, o mighty ones! Take this.

Treasure it as a keepsake of our fight. Received “Crystal Charm” Received a “Quartz Charm”! G-o-o-d-b-y-e.. Farewell, champion knight!

Given all this, it’s clear that the entire character and scene was rewritten in localization. The whole thing is meant to be a fun little tie-in with the Final Fantasy series – the battle music is a version of the boss battle music from Final Fantasy IV , in fact. The Japanese version even gives you a crystal charm, referencing the crystals that symbolized the series at the time. It’s important to note that this enemy wasn’t actually in any Final Fantasy games, he was just meant to be like a Final Fantasy boss.

When Super Mario RPG first came out, the big deal was that the graphics were no longer hand-drawn. Instead, they were rendered in 3D on fancy computers and then converted into a usable form for the Super Famicom/Super NES. The Japanese version of this scene plays around with this fact – supposedly Crystaller is from the two-dimensional realm but has stumbled into the third dimension and is confused by it. He also speaks in a uniquely ancient, fierce warrior sort of way in Japanese. After the battle, he says the sort of stereotypical stuff about how love and friendship are super-powerful. As a side note, the “fluctuations” thing he keeps talking about could also be translated as “waves” or “undulations”.

The English scene rewrites almost everything, including the guy’s name, and goes for the Final Fantasy tie-in in a different way, by inventing new Final Fantasy-esque names and terms and even referencing the fact that they’re in a game. I guess it’s meant to feel like what a Final Fantasy boss might sound like in an actual SNES-era Final Fantasy game, with lofty threats and silly talk about being matter, antimatter, and time. In an odd move, the Crystal Charm was changed to Quartz Charm, which sort of loses the Final Fantasy connection a little bit, but I assume it was due to item name length limits.

Anyway, this is a look at how the boss we know as Culex was portrayed in the original Japanese version of Super Mario RPG . Given the drastic differences I’m sure a lot of thought was put into it the localization choices here – I’d be curious to find out what the specific decision making process was for this part. Also, until I read the Japanese text I had never considered that the reference to “dimension” in the English script might’ve meant the 2D realm rather than just “generic Final Fantasy dimension”. Neat!

You know, it’s been a long time since I played Super Mario RPG , but after doing the research for this I really want to go and play both versions of the game in detail. I bet there are lots more interesting localization differences just waiting to be found!