Sexuality
Before Tom Slattery's partial retranslation came into effect, most forms of explicit sexuality in Chrono Trigger were removed or discreetly hidden from the player’s eyes as a result of Nintendo of America’s standards on game content at the time. Although Slattery’s script reintroduced various words and themes from the original rendition, these too were more ambiguous or less explicit than what the original Japanese script depicted. In accordance with the “middle english” theme, highly descriptive and, coincidentally, uncommon terminology was implemented — ultimately adding language barriers among younger, as well as uninformed, players. Thus, it can be viewed that Japanese sexuality was at times faithfully rearticulated to North American gaming audiences. However, there is also a prevalence of ambiguity, which clouds the Western gamer’s true understanding of the context surrounding specific assets and scenes.
Within the (SNES Sexuality) section, Flea’s transgender nature was examined. Interestingly, this character’s transgender quality was apparently not an issue with Nintendo of America, and so, Flea’s original sexual characteristics were preserved. The mention of the word “bra” however, was not. Instead, “Mayonnay’s Bra” became “Flea’s Vest,” but in the subsequent English retranslation, Slattery decided to use the configuration, “Flea Bustier.” The following noun, “bustier” is a less common one, and evidently has two objectives: one is to add yet another flowery descriptor into the “middle english” dialect, and the second purpose, presumably, is to make the item discreet, and ultimately child-friendly. The same can also be said of Ayla’s item (first called the “Captivating Bra,” and later the “Charm Top” overseas) which is now referred to as the “Alluring Top.” This example is even more vague, since the word “top” is synonymous with many types of clothing. As such, it is not as accurate as “bustier,” although it is indeed child-friendly.
In a similar way, Ayla’s two previously censored scenes were also altered, but in minute or restrained approaches. For instance, during Ayla’s bisexual remark (although it is not completely avoided), Lucca, in Slattery’s script, still does not explicitly state what she “is not”:
エイラ「エイラ いう。 エイラ 強い男 好き。 だから エイラ クロ 好き。
The following, although innately discreet, is still a more accurate depiction of the scene. The original English rendition completely disregards Ayla’s words, countering them with Lucca’s question “where have they been keeping her?” Comparably, Ayla’s monologue — in which she mentions breastfeeding and a more informal version of the word “breasts” (see SNES Sexuality) — is another example of this pseudo-authentic condition:
エイラ「おう すだつ！ エイラにもそれ わかる！ プテランもすだつ。 時たてば すだつ！ マールも すだつか？ それすごい！ すだつ！ ねねする！ 子供うむ！ おっぱいやる！ そしてまだ 子がすだつ！ オマエ だいじょぶか？ おっぱいないな……。
Although one could infer through the animation that Marle is embarrassed of the size of her bust because of Ayla’s final comment and the subsequent covering her chest, the fact that “breasts” are never mentioned possibly makes this interpretation all the more difficult to conjure up. Ayla’s, “give milk” and “look still small,” are also stated far apart from each other, not helping in quelling the barrier to original contextual understanding. On the other hand, “give milk” represents the original Japanese phrase 「おっぱいやる」 “give boobs,” which is a crude way of saying “breastfeed.” This line was censored in the original English script, which constitutes this as an authentic cultural artifact of Chrono Trigger.
In a similar way, Ayla’s two previously censored scenes were also altered, but in minute or restrained approaches. For instance, during Ayla’s bisexual remark (although it is not completely avoided), Lucca, in Slattery’s script, still does not explicitly state what she “is not”:
Ayla: Me Ayla. Ayla like strong man. So Ayla like Crono!
Marle: Get away from her, Crono!
Lucca: Looks like somebody's got a new friend.
Ayla: You strong, too. Ayla like strong person. Man, woman…both like!
Marle: Oh, dear…
Lucca: I…I don't… I mean, I'm not—!
エイラ「エイラ いう。 エイラ 強い男 好き。 だから エイラ クロ 好き。
Ayla: Called Ayla.Ayla like strong men. So Ayla like Cro.
Ayla: Me Ayla. Ayla like strong people. So Ayla like Crono!
マール「は、はなれてよ、クロノ！
Marle: G-get away from her, Crono!
Marle: Get away from her, Crono!
ルッカ「エイラのに気に入られたわねクロノ……
Lucca: You've been found worthy of being Ayla's, Crono...
Lucca: I think she likes you, Crono...
エイラ「お前達も 強い。 エイラ 強い者 好き。 男でも 女でも。
Ayla: Yous strong too. Ayla like strong people. Man, woman, not matter.
Ayla: You strong too. Ayla respect strong people. Men and women.
マール「な～んだ、そういう事か。
Marle: Oh, is THAT how it is?
Marle: Oh, brother...
ルッカ「わ、私は、そのケはないわよ！
Lucca: I d-don't swing that way!
Lucca: Where have they been keeping her?
The following, although innately discreet, is still a more accurate depiction of the scene. The original English rendition completely disregards Ayla’s words, countering them with Lucca’s question “where have they been keeping her?” Comparably, Ayla’s monologue — in which she mentions breastfeeding and a more informal version of the word “breasts” (see SNES Sexuality) — is another example of this pseudo-authentic condition:
Ayla: Oh, leave nest! Ayla know leave nest! Dactyl leave nest!
Time pass, get big, leave nest! Marle leave nest, too? Big change!
Leave nest! Have baby! Give milk! Have more baby!
Marle ready leave nest? Look still small.
エイラ「おう すだつ！ エイラにもそれ わかる！ プテランもすだつ。 時たてば すだつ！ マールも すだつか？ それすごい！ すだつ！ ねねする！ 子供うむ！ おっぱいやる！ そしてまだ 子がすだつ！ オマエ だいじょぶか？ おっぱいないな……。
Ayla: Oh, leave nest! Ayla understand that too! Pteran leave nest too. Time pass, leave nest! Marle leave nest too? That great! Leave nest! Make baby! Bear kids! Give boobs! Then kids leave nest again! You be okay? No have boobs...
Ayla: Ayla know about leaving nest! Time pass, grow big, leave nest! Ayla leave nest! Dactyl leave nest too. Marle leave too? Big change! Leave nest! Have baby! Baby grow big! Leave nest too! Sure you ready leave nest? Not too big yet.
Although one could infer through the animation that Marle is embarrassed of the size of her bust because of Ayla’s final comment and the subsequent covering her chest, the fact that “breasts” are never mentioned possibly makes this interpretation all the more difficult to conjure up. Ayla’s, “give milk” and “look still small,” are also stated far apart from each other, not helping in quelling the barrier to original contextual understanding. On the other hand, “give milk” represents the original Japanese phrase 「おっぱいやる」 “give boobs,” which is a crude way of saying “breastfeed.” This line was censored in the original English script, which constitutes this as an authentic cultural artifact of Chrono Trigger.
As witnessed above, Slattery’s retranslation reintroduced many of the themes and terms lost in the original North American localization of Chrono Trigger, but at a price. Some of these instances were clouded by restrained and uncommon equivalents, possibly amounting to a loss of context in younger generations or those who are unaware of outdated terminology. In this regard, Chrono Trigger’s original sexual themes were, by some means, rearticulated to North American gaming audiences — at times revising previous notions of the game’s content, as well as possibly hurting contextual understanding as a whole.