Translating lines from Japanese to English is entertaining — FF8-style
So, in the last seven years, the original Japanese script of quite a few Japanese RPGs, including Final Fantasy VIII (well, most of it, not all of it), has been made available. Using Google Translate to translate the site from Japanese -> English (since, being American born and raised, the English version of any JRPG is the only version I've ever played) helps you figure out which event in the storyline you may want to look into.
Once you know which line(s) you're looking for via Google Translate, you can take the original Japanese line(s) from the original site and insert the text into a free online translation site.
The translation sites I've been using are Deepl and RomajiDesu. The translations across both sites will not always match up.
I translated a line delivered by Squall from the Sorceress Memorial in Disc 3, when the party saves Rinoa from being sealed up and cryogenically frozen forever a la Adel.
Kanji:
「……あの時どうすれば良かったのかわかったんだ。……まだ間に合う。……だから来た。後悔したくない。 リノアを返してもらう」
Romaji:
" …… ano toki dō sureba yokatta no ka wakatta nda . …… mada maniau . …… dakara kita . kōkai shitakunai . Rinoa o kaeshitemorau "
Here's what the English translation looks like via RomajiDesu:
"…… I knew what I should have done at that time. …… It's not too late yet. …… That's why I came. I don't want to regret it. Give Rinoa back."
And here's what the English translation looks like via Deepl:
"…… I knew what I should have done then. It's still …… not too late. …… That's why I came. I don't want to regret it. I want my Rinoa back."
"I want my Rinoa back."
Admittedly, between the two, the RomajiDesu translation is probably more accurate than the Deepl one — if Squall had said that, then the line would've been something like "俺 の リノア を 返してもらう。" / "Ore no Rinoa o kaeshitemorau."
But, come on, the Deepl translation of the line as originally written is just too good to not point out! "My Rinoa."
