Part 5: Nanami, the Translation Abomination

I ended up spending Thanksgiving alone this year, so here's an update.

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Suikoden 2 Tunes – Homesickness ~ Kyaro Theme

Kyaro is a town of 7,000 people that is mostly a center for tourism. It's also got many summer homes for Highland royalty.



We begin our update with our traveling performer friends leaving us. Jowy heads off to his house, telling Azure to go back home and see Nanami. I really, really don't want to.



In Kyaro Town's inn, the populace has successfully fallen for the lie.



There's also a random Kobold here for some reason.



I really wish we had the potch for these.



Also, a rumor has spread that both Azure and Jowy are State spies. Just great.



Being back home sure is swell. Talking to either the man or his wife makes Azure run out of the house immediately.



A lot more can be examined in this game compared to the first one, but it's never really that interesting to do so.



a lot of it is Captain Obvious levels of dumb. That's where Jowy lives, by the way. Our house is up a dirt path to the dojo.



But first we're going to head down the path to the right.



Examine this tree a few times...





And Mukumuku joins! Mukumuku sets a series trend of animal characters. The Star that Mukumuku falls under is a special one – any animal characters that have this Star also have four other animal friends/duplicates that can also join that may/may not be Stars on their own. Mukumuku here has four other buddies that are totally optional; combined, they have a Unite that is ridiculous and capable of defeating the final boss in one go.

Animal characters are kind of weird. They can't equip armor, or items, but they can equip Runes. Since they can't equip armor, their STR and PROT stats directly correlate to their ATT and DEF values. Due to this, animal characters tend to skyrocket in strength with gained levels. However, the first few animals we acquire suffer from weak defenses and low HP. Later animals will have ridiculous stats but penalties for their usage in battle.

Also, like the Flying Squirrels in the first game, Mukumuku and his family are all long range. There's very little difference between any of them, aside from one of them being a girl. They all have shit for accuracy.



Don't forget to find the Old Book Vol. 1 in the left room of your dojohouse.


Watch the Video!
Suikoden 2 Tunes – Beautiful Morning ~ Nanami's Theme

>>> I'm back.





Nanami is the typical overbearing older sister who is comically anime kawaii desu ne~~~ (this is intentionally bad Japanese, I know)



(in gif form)

: Was there really a State spy? I heard there was a surprise attack. They say those spies always work as a pair. Lots of soldiers are hunting for them, so they should be captured soon.



She also gets, by far, the most sprite animations of any character in the game.

: Is he okay?





She also cottons on to everything a bit... slowly. Thick-headed, this one is.

: But... Captain Rowd came here and said you should report to him when you came back... Let's run away, Azure!





She drags Azure off only to send him crashing into a wall when she returns, yelling again.



Suikoden 2 Tunes – Reminiscence ~ Ensemble Version (must listen)

: Hey, hey, we've got to say goodbye to Grandpa Genkaku.

…

Grandpa Genkaku, we may never come back, but please always protect Azure and me.



: Good, now we're ready. Let's go!!



Nanami is... well, she's the Gremio of this game, but better in some ways. Painfully average. However, she does have a slight beat on Gremio for being ridiculously agile. Slap a Double-Beat Rune on her and she's usable. She never gets enough spells for Rune usage, and she's fragile as fuck, but you can make it less painful to use her in battle. She, like Gremio, forces her way into your party all the time. Luckily, we can kick her out through something new added to the series that I'll talk about later.



It's a hole... made just for me... perhaps I should crawl inside it...



This is easily missed, but it's a good way to get some potch early in the game.



The Big Vase is a Large Vase, and sells for 1,500 potch. The Medium Vase is Genkaku's Famous Vase, and sells for 3,000 potch. The Small Vase is Nanami's Vase, and sells for... 5 potch. I never take the Small Vase because fuck Nanami.



Outside, Highland soldiers approach the dojo. Mukumuku gets all scared and hides behind Azure.





Alright, let's fuck their shit up.



Nanami is fast as hell, and she multi-attacks with her nunchuks like Azure.



It's hard to capture this Unite because it flashes to white between each movement, but this is the Family Attack. It deals 2x damage and leaves Nanami unbalanced... most of the time. There's another variation of the Unite that we'll see later.



I like Mukumuku more than Nanami, by virtue of the fact that he is a flying squirrel. Anyway, these enemies can occasionally drop a Haziness Rune. If they don't drop it here, we can get them later.



And I got one! Sweet.





If you say “No!!!” here, you'll engage in a battle with Rowd. It is possible to beat him here, but it takes quite a lot of grinding and is not worth your time, really.



: Enough talk, take them!!

Suikoden 2 Tunes - A Prayer to My Mother



Back at Jowy's home, his parents have willingly given him over to the soldiers.

Marcel: That's right. Once you were my unworthy son, but no longer. From this day on, you are no longer an Atreides.



Jowy, it's because you have not tasted the spice. You are no Kwisatz Haderach.

Marcel: It hurts to look at you, Jowy. I can't recognize someone who has committed treason as a member of the Atreides Clan.



Rich people are douchebags, basically.

: Please!! Mother... let me speak to her! Let me speak to Mother!!

Marcel: Rosa said she doesn't want to see you...

: You lie... you lie!! Stop!! Let me go!! I want to see my mother...



: We did our best, but... why do they think you're spies?

: I'll tell you.

Suikoden 2 Tunes – Sedition



: Why did you... what was that State attack? Who was that man?!

: It was Prince Luca's orders.

: Why would one of the royalty...

: Luca Blight needed a sacrifice to achieve his ambitions. The Royal Highland Youth Brigade was massacred by the State. This will be enough to whip the people up into a frenzy! So what do you think, little girl? Aren't those City-State monsters just horrible?



Nanami frequently refers to anyone and everyone by their name, pronouns DO NOT EXIST IN NANAMI WORLD

: If it's not found out, a lie becomes the truth. Prince Luca needs to stir up the people to achieve his plans. And I have big plans too. I don't want to be the captain of a bunch of kids. I want a real job where I can make some money. To do that, I need you two to die as a pair of treacherous spies. The truth of what really happened will die with you.



: Forgive me... that's all I can say... well, it's just about time.



But that's the name of the Suikoden game, bro.

Suikoden 2 Tunes – March of the King ~ Highland Army Theme







Coachman: They've caught some State spies. They're taking them to the scaffold.

: I see.



: How can they be spies...

>>> I'm innocent!

Coachman: How dare you! How many lives were snuffed out because of your treachery...

: Silence!

: Princess... well, remember this. Azure and I haven't betrayed this country. This country has betrayed us. I won't forgive this. I cannot...

Coachman: How dare you speak to the Princess like that...





Anyway, because Highland is awesome, they're whipping children.


Watch the Video!

: Do you have any last words?



For serious, dude.

: Good, you've resigned yourself to death. Ahh, look at that sunset. It's the last sunset you'll see.



: Well, for me it's just another sunset. Although I suppose my whole life will change after this sunset. Up until now I've been forced to baby-sit a bunch of kids. But my bad luck has come to an end. With this on my record, my future is assured. Soon I'll be captain of a real company in this area...

Imagine people getting fucked up and sliced open and shit while he's speaking

Suikoden 2 Tunes – Rescue (nods to the Suikoden 1 victory theme, must listen)









: You shouldn't have run off like you did. I was so surprised.

: Why... ?

: Huh? You still don't get it? You two were my prisoners. I can't give you up so easily.

: This guy is real nosy.

: Maybe so. Pohl came begging me to pull your chestnuts out of the fire.



Rowd flees like a goddamn coward.

: Wait, wait... my friend Nanami is being held in the cell. We can't leave her behind.

: I get it. Man, my body's been feeling like lead of late...

You can, however, choose NOT to save Nanami here and miss out on the most ridiculous scene in the game. By answering no to saving Nanami three times, you won't see her or Mukumuku until a bit later in the game.





Viktor temporarily joins us now. He's just as beastly as he used to be. With the fact that he can equip multiple Runes, he actually becomes far more worthwhile to use in this game. Notice the Star Dragon Sword is gone. Hmm...



Flik is still a murderous, quick as hell beast. And he comes with two Rune slots already.









Okay, I lied, I do like Nanami for this small section. Then never again. Also, Mukumuku's fighting stance is the best.





: We came.. to save you...

: Huh? What? That's funny. I was coming to save you guys, too.

: By the way, what was that move before... ?

Let's head out of Kyaro Town.





Someday...

Artwork



Mukumuku – Chima Star

The best character in the game. If you don't acquire him in Kyaro Town, you can acquire him much, much later. There's a strange, alternate story behind Mukumuku's relationship with the main character, Jowy, and Nanami, that is only revealed in supplementary materials. In it, Nanami noticed the squirrel mimicking Riou's martial arts moves. She then snuck up on him and pounced on him, and she named him Mukumuku because he was soft and furry. Apparently, he's one of their childhood friends.



Nanami – Tenjyu Star

The worst character in the game. She would have been at least tolerable if the translators hadn't totally shit the bed trying to figure out what she's saying even a quarter of the time.