Shikigami no Shiro (English)

An Iwakura Productions Fan Translation


Hello, cj iwakura here. I love Shikigami no Shiro, a lot.

After many years(!!) of procrastinating, I want people to enjoy this as much as I do.

This still isn't 100%, but with the official release, it's close enough to at least warrant a proper release. All the voices are dubbed with the exception of Shoujo and Fumiko, as we couldn't find a suitable voice actress. If you or someone you want to know are interested in volunteering, PLEASE let me know. If this happens, I'll distribute the new files via an update. If you want more deets, read on. 


For the TL;DR ?replace the /cdimage files into the /cdimage folder of Castle Shikigami EX and the /wav files into the /wav folder. The EXE is optional. DO NOT REPLACE IT. Just place it in the same master folder and run it if you want. It translates the menus and system text(“Are you sure you want to quit?and so on). If you don't want dub voices, don't move the /wav files. These should work with the default version or version 1.01. These will NOT work with the G-NET(arcade) version to my knowledge.

That said, here's some background information.

Contents
1. History
2. Translation Notes
3. Spoken Dialogue (Translated)
4. Gallery (Translated)
5. Credits 




1. History/Background

Shikigami no Shiro was originally an arcade top-down shooter, of the curtain fire/danmaku variety.

It was ported to the PS2, PC, and Xbox, and 'localized' for the PS2 as 'Mobile Light Force 2'.

All the dialogue was removed.

This fan translation is of the PC version, with all the original dialogue intact.

All the endings and story related dialogue are translated.

This is still somewhat incomplete, and so, here is what is NOT translated:

-The tutorial text 
-The end credits  
-The gallery
-Errata like 'do you want to quit? Y/N' messages

Regarding the dub, Fumiko and Shoujo are not dubbed. If you absolutely want to play in JP, just don't change the /wav files. 

Beyond that, you should be golden.


2. Translation Notes

As you might have guessed, this took a damn long time.
Not bad, considering I didn't even imagine this being POSSIBLE.
What started out as a silly idea at romhacking.net has turned into what is literally a dream come true.
I truly adore this series, so from start to finish, this has been an absolute labor of love.

Originally, I found a script by scavenging Japanese BBSes. This was originally for the HG101 article I wrote, because I had no fricking clue what SnS1 was about. I improvised at the time for the article, because there really was no English resource material to go by for the first game, aside from some people being evil, and some good people having to go stop them.

Then when the project got underway, some volunteers helped translate the script.

Then the hard part: figuring out how to get the script and then put it back into the game.

Ask anyone at any of the many boards I went to for help:
Alfa System coded the script in a truly alien format.

Script? Text format? Ha ha, no.
Alfa System like to store their text in image format.

Yeesh.

So we extracted it, I edited it, and then it got hacked back into the game.

Simple, right? Well, let's just say it's a damn good thing Shikigami only had roughly
80-90 lines of dialogue.

Very little liberties were taken from the original script. 
Mostly for clarity and to make the script flow better as needed.


That said, you will not figure this story out in one go.
Play all the stories, and MAYBE you can piece this madness together.
Maybe. Good luck.

Also, there's an introductory text scroll that shows some backstory after leaving the EX menu.
Do make sure to watch it.


And now some bonuses.



If you prefer to leave the dialogue in Japanese, transcripts follow below.
I've also included some brief character bios.

3. Spoken Dialogue

Kohtaro Kuga

Kohtaro is a detective with the H&K Detective Agency, assigned to the case by the Metropolitan Police.
His special attack uses a spiritual familiar named Zasae who accompanies him everywhere, whether he likes it or not.

After leveling up: Now it gets fun!
After using a bomb: Let's get wild!
Taking damage A: Ouch!
Taking damage B: That does it!
Game Over A: You old fools... can't kill me...
Game Over B: I won't die here!


Sayo Yuuki

A Shinto shrine maiden with designs on Kohtaro. 
Sayo appears to be investigating the murders at the request of another. 
She attacks with spiritual wards. 

After leveling up: Spirits, give me strength!
After using a bomb: Evil spirits be gone!
Taking damage: No!
Game Over: I can't... die like this...

Gennojo Hyuga


A werewolf/detective, who assumes the form of an ancient wolf god when enraged. 
He's also Kohtaro's partner from the H&K Detective Agency.

After leveling up: *whistle*
After using a bomb: This is my true power!
Taking damage: Is this pain?
Game Over A: So, I can finally die...
Game Over B: It wasn't... a bad life...

Fumiko Odette Van Stein

A half-German half-Japanese witch. 
The rise of the Nazi Empire forced her family's movement to Japan, where she's resided ever since. 
Fumiko is also quite wealthy, and is usually accompanied by her butler, Munchausen. 
Munchausen's aerial bombings are the form of her special attack. 
He usually has a different costume with each appearance.


After leveling up A: The moon is full...
After leveling up B: The night is coming.
After using a bomb A: You little brats!
After using a bomb B: Fall before me!
Taking damage A: Monsters like you won't stop me!
Taking damage B: Bastards...!
Game Over A: Thus ends my contract...
Game Over B: I've failed my mission...

Kim Dae-Jeong

A Confucian Taoist from Korea who also teaches Tae Kwon Do to children in his spare time. 
One of his students was murdered by the killers, forcing his hand. 
His guitar case conceals a sword, which is used in his special attack. 


After leveling up A: Mansae! [Korean for banzai]
After leveling up B: The heavens aid me...
After using a bomb: Disappear!
Taking damage: *gasp*
Game Over A: Ai... go... [Korean for damn]
Game Over B: I won't be able to show my face to my brothers...

Tagami

A sexless being who wanders at will. Tagami first appeared in Alfa's PS1 lightgun shooter, Elemental Gearbolt. 
Tagami uses weak homing shots, and a special attack consisting of short-range solar flares.

Tagami never speaks.

Bosses 
(If you're sensitive about spoilers, consider yourselves warned.)


Miyoko (Stage 1)

A child actor murdered by the Yakuza, she became a homicidal ogre hell-bent on revenge.

Before battle: Why are you stopping me?
Attack A: I'll kill you!
Attack B: I'll kill you all!
Taking damage: Everyone tries to hurt me!
Defeated A: Ahhhhhhhh!
Defeated B: Nooooooo!

Fujishima (Stage 2)

A self-defense officer who attempted to summon a God to Tokyo. 
A specter who values the defense of his country above all else, fighting with a sea of flame.


Before battle: It's time for this nation to die.
Attack A: Can you dodge them, I wonder?
Attack B: How about this?
Taking damage: Not bad.
Defeated A: I will protect Japan even after death!
Defeated B: I have no regrets!

Hiroshi (Stage 3)

A man whose family's murderer got away with a seven year sentence. 
This drove Hiroshi into a blind rage, and he killed the criminal upon his release. 
Soon after, he became an ogre unsatisfied with merely the blood of his family's killer...


Before Battle: Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!
Attack A: Feel my wife's pain!
Attack B: Feel my daughter's hatred!
Taking damage: A little pain won't stop me
Defeated A: I couldn't even avenge them...?
Defeated B: So evil triumphs after all?


Baumann (Stage 4)

A ghost of a famous actor, known for portraying historical roles.
He was known as the 'Blue-Eyed Samurai'.

Before Battle: Shall we begin my final performance?
Attack A: Dodging won't win you the battle!
Attack B: You must use your heart to evade my power!
After his shoulder is destroyed: Good!
Defeated A: Now I can return to my wife...
Defeated B: Wonderful. The curtain closes...


Shoujo (Stage 5)

A mysterious arachnid woman with no name.
She seems to have a master goal in mind... but what is it?
Why did she need so many innocents to die?
Whatever the cause, she must be stopped.

Attack A: Not bad.
Attack B: Let's have some more fun.
Attack C: What a lovely dance.
Defeated: It's time to stop playing around. 


4. Gallery

These are all unlocked upon beating the game.

May want to wait until you've earned it, but not like I can stop you.

We'll get this in-game eventually, but it'll take some time.

All comments are from character designer Miku Sonoda.

1: Arcade Cabinet Illustration (Sayo Yuuki)


This was an illustration for the arcade cabinet.
For me, this is the definitive picture of Sayo. (Sonoda)

2: Kohtaro Kuga

Of the individual character illustrations, this is the most flashy.
It was this picture, Kuga surrounded by burning charms,
that made me always associate him with fire in my mind. (Sonoda)

3: Sayo Yuuki

The basis for this picture comes from some concept art of Sayo.
At that point, her hair wasn't quite so wild yet. (Sonoda)


4. Gennojo Hyuga

This also comes from some pre-production concept art.
Anyway, I was careful to preserve our initial image of him. (Sonoda)


5: Fumiko Odette Van Stein

Since her shikigami-equivalent is a satellite laser, I decided to draw a magical circle with her instead.
Drawn like this, she really looks like a witch. (Sonoda)

6: Kim Dae-Jeong

Of all the character illustrations, this is the one I struggled the most with.
I had no idea what to do with the guitar case! (Sonoda)

7: Miyoko

The idea here was gothic lolita fashion.
But I kinda backed off on that in the end.
The dress' frills were a pain, but I quite liked the result. (Sonoda)

8: Ju Fujishima

He's actually a member of the Self Defense Force.
Not some kind of time traveller or anything. (Sonoda)

9: Hiroshi

He ended up looking more like a school teacher than a salaryman.
Since I made his arms all red, people told me they looked like they were
part crab or shrimp or something. (Sonoda)

10: Baumann

He wore a kinagashi originally. I ended up putting him in a hakama because it
seemed easier to move in, but I kinda feel like he loses some of his
impact this way... (Sonoda)

11: For the Web: Sayo Yuuki

A traditional Japanese image... not sure if it succeeded.
The flowers in the background are called hanamizuki.
They took longer to draw than Sayo did. (Sonoda)

12: For the Web: Gennojo Hyuga

If you've got a wolf, you need a full moon... it's a pretty cliched picture,
but I thought it was perfect for Hyuga. (Sonoda)

13: For the Web: Kohtaro Kuga (w/ Sazae)

The picture is clearly more focused on Sazae than Kuga.
You can tell that Sazae's the one with the power. (Sonoda)

14: For the Web: Fumiko Odette Van Stein

I decided to take a chance here and draw something different for Fumiko. (lit. not Fumiko-like)
Oh, and I snuck in her amazing butler.
He's riding a deck brush, by the way. (Sonoda) 

15: For the Web: Kim Dae-jeong

It's really dark...
His sword is on fire, but that's not canon. (Sonoda)

16: For the Web: Fumiko & Sayo

I redid our New Year card's illustration to put it up online.
It's a little flashier than more New Year cards are. (Sonoda)

17: Main Promotional Illustration

First, it was a pain since it was such a large picture.
I asked an illustrator within the company to help me on the buildings in the background. 
This was a really painful experience. (Sonoda)

18: For the Web: Playable Characters

I was in a real hurry, so I didn't pay any real thought to layout or anything.
It's pretty embarrassing. (Sonoda)


And last and never least, end credits.


Shikigami no Shiro (Arcade)

Planner and Game Designer
NAOKI

Sub-planner
Takebohki

Assistant
Kouli Hisatomi

Story and World Design
Kenshin Ishagami

Character Design
Miku Sonoda

Main Program
Daisuke Takaki

Stage Program
Hiroshi Hasegawa
Musashi Yamauchi
Hideki Watanabe

3d System
Chouchou

Enemy Attack Patterns
NAOKI
Takeshi Maeda
Takeshi Sakurai

Effect
Kazutaka Kotoku

Stage Background
Tomoyo Ohara
Rika Kawamoto

Enemy Design & Direction
Takebohki

Enemy Graphics
Tatsuya Nagata
Takebohki
Rika Kawamoto
Emi Akaboshi

Original Background Art (Demo)
Miku Sonoda
Akiko Koyama

Art Director
Tatsuya Nagata

Layout & Title Logo Design
NAOKI

Music & Sound Effects
Yoichi Shimamura

Voices (JP)
Kohtaro Kuga - Yoshikazu Matsumoto
Sayo Yuuki - Yosuko Isari
Gennojo Hyuga - Yuuya Miyazaki
Fumiko Odette Van Stein - Noriko Mizuta
Kim Dae-Jeong - Daisaku Uto
Miyoko - Fumi Yamazaki
Fujishima - Keisuke Hori
Hiroshi - Takumi Itou
Baumann - Yoshikazu Matsumoto
Shoujo - Chie Kinoshita


President of Shikigami (debugger)
Tetsuya Sazaki

VP of Shikigami (debugger)
Hiroshi Iwata

Special Thanks
TAITO Corp
Game Plaza Hokuzon
MODA (P)
Naoki Hamada
Keisuke Hori
Raimuraito
Theatrical Companies - Shoutenkairou, Ishi, Foolish Bones, Iarou, Eki

Executive Producer & Director
NAOKI


Produced & Copyrighted By
Alfa System


Shikigami no Shiro EX (PC)

Alfa System Staff

Planning, Direction, IR Mode Adjusting
NAOKI

Sub Planner
Kira Katsuya

Programmers
Yamamoto Koji
Okada Kazuhiro

Designers
Nagata Tatsuya
Kawamoto Rika

Sound
Shimamura Yoichi

Debugging
Yamauchi Yukinori

President of Shikigami EX
Sasaki Tomoya

Media Quest Staff

Chief Producer
Nakatsubo Tomoyuki

Producer
Yasuda Yuko

Development Producer
Saito Takeshi

Cooperation
WATZ, Ltd.
Ikeda Publishing Co., Ltd.
Onken Corporation
Kobi Group

Special Thanks
ADEX

Executive Producer
Moriuchi Joji 


Please don't sue me, guys. 

Iwakura Productions Translation Staff

Editor & Project Lead
cj_iwakura

Hacker, Programmer, Coder
EsperKnight

Translators
9inchsamurai & Cckerberos

Voice Programming
Daniel Burgess

Voice Cast
Kohtaro Kuga - FlorenceLee92
Sayo Yuuki, Miyoko - Megami33
Gennojo Hyuga, Baumann - Lentfilms
Fujishima, Hiroshi, Kim Dae Jeong - Chase Johnson

Special Guest Editor
Heretic Kazuma


Special Thanks
Alfa System Staff
Aksys Games Staff
XSGames (No really, someone had to get the ball rolling...)
Romhacking.net
Shmups.System11.org
penny-arcade.com
NeoGAF.com
doujinstyle.com
and Degica Games & Cosmo Machia for somehow doing an official release.

And anyone who supports shmups, silly storylines, and games that combine the two.


See you for the sequel.



(Unless Degica beats us to it...)