Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania Translations
*Translator*
Ryu Kaze/Ryu Sinclair; contact: omegaomnislash@gmail.com
*Time period of translations*
April, 2006
*Last updated*
June 4, 2006
*Current Version*
1.00
****Notes to make yourself aware of****
==MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR FINAL FANTASY X & X-2 ARE IN THIS FAQ==
Also, be aware that at any point the in the translations where you see
something in brackets, it is something that I have added to the translation,
either for the purpose of clarifying the wording (Japanese does not always
translate directly into English in such a way that it's entirely coherent), or
to offer an analysis of a certain section of the translation.
Also, for your convenience, be aware that you can use the numbers to the right
of each section in the table of contents to do a ctrl+f search and instantly
get to the section of your choice.
*****Table of contents*****
-1: Version history (001)
-2: Statement of purpose (002)
-3: Post-FFX/pre-FFX-2 timeline from the FFX-2: International+Last Mission
Ultimania (003)
-4: Translations from the Story of FFX-2 -- Four Puzzles section of the FFX-2
Ultimania Omega (004)
-5: Translations concerning the plot-related connection between FFVII and
FFX/X-2 (005)
-6: Recommended further reading (006)
-7: Acknowledgements about the game, the Ultimanias and this FAQ (007)
****Version history**** (001)
June 4:   Added new site to the list of sites authorized to host this FAQ
April 26: Clarifying "continuation" as meaning "sequel"
April 23: Translations completed and FAQ published
Adding slight elaboration to one of the analyses in the translations
from the Four Puzzles section
Added another translation to the FFVII-FFX/X-2 section
****Statement of purpose**** (002)
This FAQ's purpose is to provide an English translation of some of the notable
storyline related sections of the Final Fantasy X-2 Ultimania guidebooks to
the fans of Final Fantasy X and X-2 who may be unable to acquire or translate
the books themselves. I've tried to maintain as accurate a translation here as
possible, and I believe I've managed to keep all the explanations true to the
original Japanese information offered in the books.
I do have faith that I've accurately conveyed the intent of everything present
in those sections I translated, and I've tried to maintain a
Japanese-to-English wording as consistent with the original as possible. Where
that wasn't always possible (and it's never going to be), I've inserted
brackets ([ ]) to indicate the words that I had to insert in order to maintain
the same flow we would use in English. Surprisingly, I've not had to do it all
that much.
Also, be aware that (also contained in brackets) at the end of many sections
you'll find an analysis section where I offer some kind of clarification or
comment on the section you've just read.
I do hope you'll enjoy this FAQ and that it will be of benefit to many fans of
Final Fantasy X and X; both those who weren't able to read the books for
themselves and those who just want to see another take on the wording. Enjoy.
****Post-FFX/pre-FFX-2 timeline from the FFX-2: International+Last Mission
Ultimania**** (003)
(Page 583)
[Immediately after FFX]
*Spira's Eternal Calm begins
*Many groups begin to dissolve
*Brother and Buddy discover the airship Celsius
*Trema closes down the training facility on the Calm Lands. The depowered
Yevon priests begin a motion to put forth the truth
Half a year later [after FFX]
*Sphere Hunters begin appearing at this time
*Wakka and Lulu marry
*Trema establishes the New Yevon party. He begins monopolizing the collection
of spheres
1 year later [after FFX]
*Nooj founds the Youth League
*Trema enters the mausoleum of Saint Bevelle (after this, he disappears), and
destroys the collected spheres
*Kimahri becomes the elder of the Ronso Tribe
*The Youth League begins rebuilding the port of Kilika
*The New Yevon party's second generation chief ascends [to power] and his son
is inaugurated as praetor
*Gippal forms the Machine Faction
*Brother becomes a Sphere Hunter. He founds the Gullwings
2 years later [after FFX]
[Eternal Calm]
*Rikku shows Yuna the "Journey's Start Sphere" that Kimahri found. Yuna leaves
Besaid
*Yuna joins the Gullwings
*A bloodless coup d'état occurs within the New Yevon party. The party chief
and praetor fall from power, and Baralai is inaugurated as the [new] praetor
------------------------
[Analysis: Plenty of interesting info here; tells us when Wakka and Lulu got
married, when the temples of Yevon lost their power and revealed the truth to
the people, and plenty of other interesting tidbits. Not a huge treasure trove
by any means, but interesting stuff to know nonetheless.]
------------------------
****Translations from the Story of FFX-2 -- Four Puzzles section of the FFX-2
Ultimania Omega**** (004)
***Lenne & Shuyin*** (Pages 86-87)
The dressphere of the ancient songstress Lenne resonates sympathy from Yuna.
She lost her beloved, Tidus -- just like [Lenne] with Shuyin -- and became
gripped by despair. The information surrounding the pair is detailed here.
**Tragedy of 1000 years ago**
In ancient times, in the summoner city of Zanarkand, there was a songstress
named "Lenne" who was expected to face certain defeat in an upcoming conflict
of the Machina War, and with the battle almost at hand, she was soon to be
sent forth. It was then that the whereabouts of her lover, Shuyin, became
unknown. In an effort to save his love, he had planned to take Vegnagun, the
secret weapon of Bevelle [, their enemies]. Before long, a spy from Zanarkand
brought news to Lenne that Shuyin had been seen, and she intuited that he
planned to enter Bevelle. Just before Shuyin could activate Vegnagun, Lenne
discovered him and restrained him, but immediately afterward, the lovers were
attacked by Bevelle soldiers and killed.
------------------------
[Analysis: This tells us how Lenne knew where to go to find Shuyin, which is
good to know.]
------------------------
**The thoughts that reside in the Dressphere**
Lenne's thoughts remained attached to the songstress dressphere [that
features] the same outfit she wore. 1000 years then passed with this remaining
the case, and then the time of the Eternal Calm arrived for the world, with
the dressphere being discovered and utilized; Lenne's thoughts would then be
imparted to Yuna as she wore it and would occasionally rise to the surface of
her consciousness.
When Yuna attaches the songstress dressphere to her body, little by little
Lenne's thoughts flow into Yuna via the clothing and her behavior begins to
reflect this. When she recovers it in Luca during Chapter 1, she begins to
dance uncontrollably; in Chapter 3, when she meets Shuyin in the abyss of the
Farplane, the thoughts leave her unable to move......Also, during the concert
in Chapter 4, due to the effect of the sphere wave from Shinra's sphere
screen, it produces on the screen a projection of Lenne's memories of the
past.
This kind of phenomenon is only seen in matters concerning Yuna, and the
summoner also shares [with Lenne] that their beloved sweethearts bear
appearances that are much the same, a link [that is] an odd turn of
chance......The truth behind the cause of this link is not certain.
------------------------
[Analysis: Doesn't really tell us anything we didn't know before.]
------------------------
**Yuna's dreams**
During Chapter 2, as a result of Lenne's memories -- which were having an
influence on Yuna -- of her and Shuyin being shot to death, Yuna has a dream
of her and Tidus running [from someone] together and then them being shot in
an area shown in the images on a sphere (-->P.105). In truth, Lenne and Shuyin
did not take one another's hands and attempt escaping together. Yuna's dreams
linger with her, but it had been someone else -- who looked much like Tidus --
who was killed underneath Bevelle while running away in these fragmented
thoughts, though her own feelings and memories of Tidus and two years ago had
melded with them to produce these dreams. As for what really happened with
Lenne and Shuyin, this can be seen during the concert in Chapter 4 and inside
the sealed cave in Chapter 5.
------------------------
[Analysis: Now here's some clarification. It was always quite confusing to me
before how it was that Tidus and Yuna -- who were obviously supposed to
be in the place of Shuyin and Lenne in Yuna's dreams -- had been escaping
together, but Lenne had "just gotten there in time" to stop Shuyin from using
Vegnagun. According to this, that scene with them running together while
holding hands never actually happened. It was just a result of Yuna's own
memories playing with what memories of Lenne she was getting from the
songstress dressphere.]
------------------------
**Outline of events of 1000 years ago ( < >  denotes the related representation
seen in-game)**
*Lenne is a famous songstress in Zanarkand. Young Maechen was a fan of hers
and shook her hand during an event
*The Machina War begins
*It is decided that Lenne will participate in the Machina War
*In an attempt to rescue Lenne with Vegnagun, Shuyin infiltrates Bevelle. He
is arrested by Bevelle soldiers and placed in the Bevelle Underground's prison
*Lenne goes after Shuyin and infiltrates Bevelle
*Shuyin breaks out of the prison. He starts up Vegnagun, but while doing so,
Lenne enters and tells him to stop; their pursuers then shoot them