From Mega Man to Persona, video games have been making the trek across the ocean for the better part of fifty years now. But it'd be a little hard to understand them without the hard work being done by translators. But translating can pose a number of issues, and some things are going to have to be adjusted. What you may be shocked to find out is that a number of noteworthy𝔉 characters in games have different names depending on what localization you are playing.

For this piece, I collected some of my favorite examples and then proceeded to fall down a series of few rabbit holes as I tried to track down explanations for the reasons I found online (spoilers: I was almost never able to find a reli༺able source), and have now assembled everythin🎐g I found here for your reading pleasure. Enjoy the fruit of my fruitless labor.

7 Mega Man

AKA "Rockman"

In Japan, Mega Man is known as Rockman (ロックマン). All of the Mega Man names in Japan are 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:based on music genres. Which is my Proto Man is named Blues (ブルース) in Japan. Oddly enough, we kept a bunch of the music-affiliated names in ༺the West. Roll has the same name across both regions, though it doesn't make sense without Mega Man being named Rock.

But things take a turn for the weird. Though Bass and Treble are music-associated names, they have different music-associated names than their Japan♋ese counterparts. In Japan, Bass is Forte (フォルテ) and Treble is Gospel (ゴスペル). Okay, I may have changed that last one as well.

6 Akuma

AKA Gouki

Street Fighter has famously had quite a bit of nonsense go down when it comes to names. However, the Akuma (悪魔) and Gouki (豪鬼) name swap is particularly curious as both are Japanese words that, more or less, mean the same thing. Akuma means "devil", while Gouki means "gre🎐at devil". So, why the change?

Well, it reportedly has to do with the number of G names associated with Akuma. His master, 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:whom he killed, is named Goutetsu (轟鉄). While his brother, whom he tried to kill, is named Gouken (剛拳). You have to admit, Gouki, Goutetsu, and Gouken all being attached directly to each🌌 other would most certainly have caused some confusion. Honestly, it was probably a smart adjustment.

5 Bartz

AKA Butz (😏)

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Final Fantasy 5's protagonist is named Butz (バッツ) in Japanese and Bartz in the West. But here's the thing: the way it is written in Japanese could be transliterated multiple different ways. Directly translated, his name is "Battsu". The translator then has to decide what the most natural form of that would be in English. His full name is Bartholomew, so Bartz does make sense𝔉 as a translation, but the official English transliteration꧅ was, originally, Butz.

The version of Fi🎀nal Fantasy 5 in the PS1 anthology uses Butz.

So, why the change? Well... you know why. For the exact same reason why we all love it. Because, deep down inside, we are all snickering school children. As an aside, his name has also been translated to "Batz". Which is another valid transliteration. Japanese 🎐can be confusing, eh?

4 Mari, Nate, Yuki, Brad,ꦏ Alana, Elly, Chris💙, and Mark

AKA Maki, Kei, Yukino, Hidehiko (Brown), Yuka, Eriko, Reiji, and Masao

Revelations: Persona is the first game in the Persona franchise. I'm on the record 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:as calling it a deeply underrated game, and I stand by that. However, one thing I don't think is underrated is the PS1 translation. Unfortunately, that is what Revelations💟: Persona is best known for. At the time, Atlus apparently thought that having a Japanese cast of characters wouldn't resonate with the Western market. So, they made the brilliant decision to Westernize all the names. Well, except Yukino (ゆきの), she was allowed to keep her Japanese name. It just got shortened to Yuki.

Famously, the name change wasn't the only alteration, with Mark - formerly Masao (正男) - being turned black. While this was likely an attempt to be inclusive and diversify the cast, once he started hip-hop dancing all over the place, it became clear that it was a very poorly handled attempt at being inclusive. Thankfully, the PSP re-release would re♒verse these alterations.

3 🐠 ⛦ Trevor Belmont

Ralph Christopher Belmondo

Oh boy, another internet rabbit hole. Let's start with Belmont vs. Belmondo. If you look online, you'll find many peopl𝕴e claiming that this is directly referencing the French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo. Well, I looked, and I looked. I found so many sites making the claim, but not a single one provided a link. So... maybe that is true? It is impossible to say, and I remain unconvinced of the Jean-Paul Belmondo connection until I see a quote to substantiate it.

The Ralph Christopher change is a little moreౠ believable, though still completely unconfirmed. By the time Castevania 3 was in development, Castlevania Adventure had already been released. It was headlined by Christopher Belmont. Naturally, both protagonists having the name Christopher would be confusing for players.

According to an unnamed scriptwriter who claimed to have been a member of the Castlevania development team, both Dracula's Curse and Adventure were originally supposed to feature the same Belmont, but that was changed later in development. However, since this information was taken from 2-Chan AMA, it is completely anonymous, and we have no idea if any of it is real.

I'm sure you're wondering why they wouldn't just cut out the Christopꦛher part then, right? Well... we don't know! No one has said a damn thing about why the name Ralph was change💞d. Maybe it is because when people hear the name Ralph they think of a very round little boy with thinning hair. Your guess is as good as mine here, folks.

2 🤪 ꧋ Phoenix Wright

AKA Ryuichi Naruhodo

We've seen an exam𒁃ple or two of a bungled name translation on this list. Why don't we take a look at an example where the localization team absolutely nailed it? In the Japanese version of the Ace Attorney games, Phoenix goes by the name Ryuichi Naruhodo. The problem is that name is laced with not-so-subtle symbolism that would be completely lost on Western audiences.

Ryuichi (龍一) his first name contains Ryu(龍), which translates to dragon in Japanese. T꧟he dragon symbolizes wisdom and strength in Japan. Meanwhile, his last name, Naruhodo (成歩堂​​), is a common phrase which means "I see" or "I understand". So, for the English translation, they swapped the dragon for anot♋her mythological creature: the phoenix, and swapped his last name to be "Wright". I'd say they landed on a name that does a great job of capturing the original's spirit!

Given where Pho🌠enix Wright's story eventually takes him, I have to say, his English name seems to fit him perfectly.

1 🗹 Khushnood Butt ♓

AKA Marco Rodriguez

What, you thought that we were done with butt-related names? You fool! Oh, how the turns have tide. Marcro Rodriguez may not be iconic outside the SNK fanbase, but within it he is a fan favorite. Sorry, did I say Marco Rodriguez? I meant Khushnood Butt, because Marce Rodriguez is, in fact, his name in the Japanese version of Mark of the Wolves. That's right, Khushnood Butt was the name chosen for the Western version. Why was it chosen? Well, after hours of scouring online, there doesn't appear to be a single credible quote fromꦫ the SNK team explaining the reason for the name change.

A number of people online suggest that it may be because the name Marco Rodriguez is close to the name Ricco Rodriguez, who is a mixed martial arts fighter. Yet, given that the two look nothing alike, and Rodriguez is an absurdly popular surname, I don't think that explanation holds any weight. Naturally, no source is ever given when people make this claim. I read somewhere else that he was named after an individual who worked on the localization team, like Fatal Fury's own version of the 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Mario name origin story, but, once again, I couldn't find any credible sources to back that up. So we just don't know. We may never know.

Tragically, the reign of Khushnood Butt has officially ended, as Fatal Fury: City of the Wolꦜves has reverted his name to Marco Roꦰdriguez. Pour one out for Khushnood Butt, folks. He'll be missed.