Censorship, changes and retcons in non-Japanese HGSS

[Maxim Posthumus]

I'm now playing through the Korean version of HGSS. You know, Koreans usually get uncut stuff straight from Japan. But this time it's different, they got altered Game Corner. But apparently, it is NOT the only change. The sprite for Sage was CHANGED. Now he doesn't hold that necklace thing anymore and looks less like a Buddhist monk (and is also called 수행자 "Suhaengja" - "Mental Trainer", "Ascetic", not 중 "Jung" - Buddhist Priest).

It is not confirmed that it's what we'll get in US/EU version but it's very likely that this time Japanese have done a censored "export version" of HGSS which is going to be released everywhere outside Japan (note that Koreans normally get UNCUT stuff).

Here is the sprite picture.

I'll post if there's more censorship. I think this can be the General HGSS Censorship Thread.

 

[Nekusagi]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

They did this to the sages in the last game too, IIRC.

Not a huge deal honestly.

 

[Nando]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

Those were prayer beads, which is why it was censored. The Sage sprite was edited in the original GSC too.

 

[Mitchman]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

Anyone like it more for an odd reason?

 

[NyaChan]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

uh... could they at least made him look less stupid sans the prayer beads and not did such a iffy job on that red thing? >_> The sprite would have been fine without that big non-shaded red thing. :/

 

[War Raichu]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

this wouldn't really bother me if it weren't for the big annoying red thing

it's like they felt they had to replace the redness of the prayer beads, so they just tossed paint on his robes

 

[Blazaking]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

I dunno.. I sorta like it. I'm quite fond of red. xD

But I still find the change redundant.

 

[Trainer Yusuf]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

Here is the sprite picture.

WTF IS THIS SHIT. THAT NECKLACE THING WAS WHAT MADE THEM COOL.

Well, it is actually quite expected, as they did the same thing last time. What I truly hate is WE CAN'T BUY FRIGGIN' COINS.

Either way, I won't buy these games as there is a new gen that is announced.

 

[Soulweaver]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

Not a big deal, but honestly, why do they change things without a reason? "Religious hints" are a really stupid excuse for such unneeded changes.

 

[Falconwing]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

That is the weirdest censored picture I have ever seen. Is he trying to imitate Aang? I would think people would have more of an issue with a monk punching the air or something than prayer beads.

 

[Takoto]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

Ehhh... too much censoring in this game...

 

[Dr. GM]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

Can someone post both sprites up here?

 

[Baldur]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

I's a pointless change. I hope it wasn't made by the Japanese staff for international versions (but it's quite probable). It's always sad to see the original creators be ashamed of their own culture.

PS- It was already reported in this page: http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Talk:Sage

 

[Soulweaver]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

Can someone post both sprites up here?

Why? The original sprite is on BP's Sage page, and the new is linked here.

 

[Dr. GM]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

Sorry, too lazy.

But I saw both and something else. Nintendo has a policy of removing anything referencing religion in Japanese games. Back then there used to be pictures of naked statues and crosses in Zelda bibles that got parents pissed off badly!

 

[Mighty_Snorlax]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

I's a pointless change. I hope it wasn't made by the Japanese staff for international versions (but it's quite probable). It's always sad to see the original creators be ashamed of their own culture.

PS- It was already reported in this page: http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Talk:Sage

It's not really about being ashamed. Like it or not, religion is an incredibly touchy subject all around the world.

I expected this already so I'm not really shocked.

 

[Takoto]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

I just don't get why prayer beads, of all things, are taken out. Parent's only get pissed off because they don't want their children (if their religious) to be exposed to other religious, and that's why they rage. Ehh... If I made the game I'd keep all religious references in. Parent's these days need to man the fuck up, and accept that there are other religious, and whether through video games, books, or even daily life, there is nothing they can do to stop their child being exposed to other ways of thinking and other beliefs.

I just think it's selfish of parents... Nintendo/Game Freak know this, that some parents will rage at something as small as Prayer Beads. Whether it was GF's choice to take it out, or Nintendo making them remove them from the Korean (and possibly US/UK) releases, no one can say though.



[/rant] I feel ill, sorry if this seems nonsensical.

 

[fate]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

Had a long post, Firefox crashed and lost it.

Short version:



Can't blame Nintendo, I blame "soccer-moms". Could you imaging working at editing? Having to examine every nook and cranny for something that may offend soccer moms and overzealous people in general, and then having to take the pitfall should you miss something...

Nintendo's doing what it has to do to avoid lawsuits and paying out unnecessary money. Not saying they'd have to pay out damages, but lawyer fees and all kinds of other expenses.

But it's sad that prayer beads of all thing be scrutinized. It leads me to believe that Nintendo fears that people seeing things from faiths outside their own will find it offensive. And that says something very sad about society...

 

[mikarugelord]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

As much as I think that the necessity of religious censorship itself is absurd, Nintendo has to do it because they don't want to have another incident like the time where some random nobody thought "Oh, this monster has a black face and is remotely humanoid, therefore it must be a plot devised by those evil Japanese programmers to purposely introduce a racial stereotype", or the time where a certain Pokemon card art was flipped and made people think that an innocent children's card game was promoting Nazism. Sadly, there are probably tons of morons still out there who'd make such stupid accusations.

 

[Mr. Pokemon]

Re: ANOTHER instance of censorship in HGSS

For those who are too lazy to go to the Sage article and/or post this sooner:

Original

Censored

So they made more changes than just painting red on his robe and removing the beads. It looks rather stupid with his heads in the air like that (aren't most monks pacifist? It looks like they're throwing punches.) They should've either 1) realized that nobody will get upset over a bunch of necklaces; the target demo won't get it anyways or 2) gotten over it. They're beads.

EDIT: I hope to GOD (and also to whatever monks pray to with their damned beads) that Nintendo smartens up and releases HGSS with at least the uncensored sprite. It might be a tiny, insignificant detail - hell, after you leave that part of the game, you'll never see that sprite again - but it's still censorship. And it sucks.