FFVI Ultimania: Settei Shiryou Hen Translation Project

[Wolf Kanno]

I've heard there are some Ultimania's for FFVI. From what little I've gleamed, it sounds like two of the books are nothing more than glorified strategy guides or lists of the items and monsters. I'm curious to know if one of them might have actually dealt with the story side of the game.

I mostly wonder cause a friend of mine has the old FFIII Unofficial Prima guide and that guide actually lists a timeline for the game that mentions things not really mentioned in the plot (such as the siege of Doma starting almost a decade before the game began) and other oddities.

Any links to translations would be much appreciated.

[blackmage_nuke]

Maybe it was mentioned by some obscure npc character lost in translation, but i would also be interested in learning more useless facts about FFVI!

[Wolf Kanno]

I'm skeptical cause it comes from an "Unofficial Guide" though so I was hoping to get some better info. Guess I have an internet project...

EDIT: A few curious things I found online. I'd take it all with a grain of salt til I find something more official but they are a good read anyway...

http://www.finalfantasyforums.net/fi...-vi-28231.html

I also learned that the back story of Edgar and Sabin was originally written by Soraya Saga (Xenogears and Xenosaga writer). There are a few odd things I've heard about the Figaro Bros. background.

There are apparently 8 different Ultimania/guides to VI, though most sound like gameplay books detailing stats and lists common from strategy guides.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

I also learned that the back story of Edgar and Sabin was originally written by Soraya Saga (Xenogears and Xenosaga writer).

That's right. This is why the characters of Roni and Rene Fatima are in Xenogears.

[Wolf Kanno]

More info I dug up but the source is from Gamefaqs, though the people talking sound a bit more logical about it.

Kekfa info and FF6 Ultimania plz - Final Fantasy III Message Board for SNES - GameFAQs

Here's another site that lists some of the details about the Figaro Bros. and the Kingdom of Figaro... Once again, I can't verify its accuracy but considering the article deals with the author Soraya Saga's work, I'm not surprised its this detailed...

Final Fantasy VI : BackGround History - Final Fantasy VI : A Complete History BackGround Forum - FanFiction.Net

Here's some links from another site, which actually details some of the information I started this thread with. It does not state where the information comes from so its validity is questionable.

http://moonreading.lunarpages.com/tr...opolitical.txt

http://moonreading.lunarpages.com/tr...rldhistory.txt

This link is a jumbled mess of a conversation at the FF wiki... It talks about some of the issues with this apparent "canon" backstory for Kefka. It was an amusing read if anything.

Talk:Kefka Palazzo - The Final Fantasy Wiki has more Final Fantasy information than Cid could research

Here's a link from FF Online. It doesn't reveal anything new that the links above didn't state but someone actually posted images from one of the VI Guides that supposedly reveals all this info. Looks like I'm going to have to break out my old Japanese text book and get to cracking.

Spoilers: Strange FF6 plot details on Wikipedia - Final Fantasy Online Forums

I would like to just state right now that all this information is questionable as there seems to be some issue regarding sources for the translations and info. Take all of this with a grain of salt but it is fun for speculation purposes.

[Wolf Kanno]

Sorry for the W-post but I found some new info...

So I finally got a hold of the Unofficial Prima guide to do some comparison to the other timeline I found. They are similar and different. I don't have a scanner I'm afraid so the best I can do is just type out my findings. The dates start from year 1000 and then go backwards to the year 0

1000 - The War of the Magi ends

980 - According to official Doma records, the war is lost.

735 - A conference for world peace convenes and the first constitution is drafted

685 - The Empire becomes an independent military power

600 - Doma samurai sign on with many factions as mercenary soldiers

308 - The Industrial Movement and the Renaissance begin.

202 - Figaro Castle is completed in the north country

199 - Narshe is formed after the discovery of a huge mineral source inspires a kind of "gold rush" frenzy

115 - Narshe establishes special political and commercial relations with other powers

84 - Figaro becomes even more dependent on the use of machines as the core of its society

72 - Agustra becomes the heir to the National Security Council

59 - The Empire undergoes a massive coup, orchestrated by Agustra's father

20 - Agustra's charismatic powers enable him to ascend to the Emperor's throne at age 52

18 - The first inventions by the Empire lead to the capture of the southern countries. The Magical Research Institute is formed.

12 - In response to a study from the Magical Research Institute, Kefka leads a major reorganization of the Empire

8 - Kefka introduces a prototype of magical armor and builds a second invasion around its powers. South Figaro captured (yeah I don't get that one either...)

7 - Edgar's father, the king of Figari, passes away and Edgar assumes the throne.

3 - Skirmishes between Doma and the Empire begin

2 - The Empire invades eastern Doma

0 - Frozen Espers are discovered in the depths of a Narshe coal mine.

Outside of a few errors in events and a few omitted references such as the founding of Doma in 1200, or Figaro's disastrous submerging event in 72 and its final success in 68. The timelines actually match up with the one I found earlier. Granted the Prima one has a few errors that may be in due to translation issues. The South Figaro being captured by the Empire in the Prima timeline is obviously wrong but the other timeline mentions that there is a riot in South Figaro instead due to the alliance made between Figaro and the Empire.

The whole thing sounds pretty good and it would be great to learn if this timeline is actually true and not some fan made BS.

[Jiro]

I remember reading things like this a long time ago as well. But knowing me back then, I'd bet is was fan-made. Still, it would be nice to see if there's any legit info out there.

[Wolf Kanno]

I'm starting to think the timeline may be accurate. Though the one I have linked to is probably the correct one whereas the Prima guide looks to be a poorly translated one. The Prima translated a few events in an odd way so they sound differently but once you compare them side to side you can see they basically mean the same thing. For instance, the Prima guide says Agustra (Ghestahl) became the heir of the National Security Council in 72 which comes off a bit ambiguous in my book. The other (possibly more accurate) timeline clarifies all this by saying Ghestahl was born in the year 72 and became the heir. The Prima version can be interpreted to imply he was born before that time but the other timeline flat out says he was born that year and that's how he became heir.

There are a few more situations like this in each timeline. The original one doesn't really conflict with the game history either. I can see the timeline being real because I honestly only expected it to be the only real new info from the source guide. I never expected to gain any real new insights into the characters which is why I'm usually very skeptical of any "abundance" of background information written about them.

UPDATE: I've confirmed the timeline is real. It appears in the Settei Shiryou Hen for FFVI :mog:

[Wolf Kanno]

Just some minor updates.

****************************************************

Kitase wrote in his blog at 1up.com about FF: Dissidia and began to talk about Kefka and how he really loved how he turned out. This in turn has him detailing the famous "sand on my boots" scene in VI which Kitase apparently ad-libbed into the game to give Kefka a more interesting intro and to foreshadow him having a few "screws loose" as he puts it.

****************************************************

I also found this interesting Blog/article from V-Jump magazine that apparently details some of the behind the scenes stuff for VI's development. Its all in Japanese and it looks like it also covers much more than just FFVI (almost looks like a timeline for Square titles) and while I have found some translations of the important info from this web-page; it comes from the FF Wiki and I know how most people tend to snub anything with Wiki in the title as being filled with nothing but fanfic garbage with no real info. So I'll just leave the article as is and let any helpful member who is bored and knows Japanese try to translate for the rest of us.

For what its worth, most of the details given on this web-page mostly contains ideas that didn't make it into the game.

****************************************************

The back story for the Figaro brothers was turned into a Doujinshi by their author. She has gone on to say that the Doujinshi should not be considered canon.

[Wolf Kanno]

Another minor update...

I have collected the Settei Shiryo Hen for FFVI as well as the other guides that make up the VI guide collection. I am planning on translating them sometime in the future and I figure I might as well post my results for everyone to see but I warn you this project is not in any way a high priority for me so updates of the translation will be very infrequent. My Japanese is rusty and my ability to read hiragana and katakana is basically non-existent at this point so this will be a time consuming process (wait a minute, I don't recognize that symbol... you've gotta be smurfing kidding me, is that kanji?!) for me.

What I can tell you so far about the guide is that the timeline is in fact real.

pg5051.jpg

and that obviously the stuff on Kefka all those people have been debating about is false cause Kefka's entry in the book is quite short and doesn't feature a timeline whatsoever about his life. The amusing thing I've noticed, is despite her large role in the game, Celes Chere doesn't seem to get the same spotlight as the other characters do, usually relegated to being grouped with Gau, Relm, and Strago. This is only odd cause Setzer and Shadow get more billing than she does despite serving minor roles.

Here's how the book is broken up:

-Prologue
-Glossary
-Characters

• Character Relationships
• Character spotlight - 4 page spread
• Tina (Terra)
• Lock
• Edgar
• Mash (Sabin)
• Shadow
• Cayenne (Cyan)
• Setzer
• 1 page spread
• Celes
• Gau
• Relm
• Stragus (Strago)
• Mog (2 pages!)
• Sub-Characters
• Kefka/ Ghastra/Banon/ Imperial soldier

-System Guidance (what settings does is in the menu screen)
-World section

• World Map
• History of the World
• Timeline of the world -(see above posts for a translation)
• International Situation (has its own timeline as well)
• Narche
• Figaro
• South Figaro
• Mt. Kolts
• Doma
• Section on Magitech machines
• Blackjack schematics
• Chocobos

-Genju (Espers) and Magics

• Ramuh
• Siren/Bismark/Carbuncle
• Fenrir/Ifrit
• Shiva/Catoblepas
• Odin
• Midgar Zolom/Unicorn/Phoenix
• Bahamut
• Valigarmanda/Maduin/Golem
• How the Genju system works

-Monsters and Items

• Deathgaze/Unnamed Amano monster
• Dadaluma/Owzer (I don't understand why he's here either)
• Ghost
• Typhon/Ultros/Unnamed Amano monster
• Magna Roader/Number 0247

-System Guidance on Back attacks and Pincer Attacks
-A list with illustration of all the different weapon types
-A list with illustrations of all the armor types
-A short list of some of the Relics
-System Guidance on how to use Relics
-A closing sequence of screenshots of Narshe with hiragana txt
End of book.

A good chunk of this book has probably already been translated by the sites I found above at least in consideration of the timeline, world events, and city info. The rest of the stuff I'm not expecting much in terms of new info in concern of the characters or the espers.

[Bolivar]

Fascinating!

[Wolf Kanno]

Good news, bad news, and really bad news.

Good News: I've scanned 2/3rds of the Settei Shiryou Hen, I'm just missing the section on Summons and weapons.

Bad news: The scanner died on me, which is why I didn't get everything. Chances are, I may not have time to finish this book and start on the rest until later. Also, because I didn't want to destroy the book to get better pictures, the pictures will sometimes show the fold of the book and may cut out some of the artwork. For the most part, the character files section has actually been available on the net for years so getting better versions of those pictures won't be a problem.

Really Bad news: The stupid scanner converted everything into a PDF file that apparently nothing likes. I can't upload them here nor on photobucket. So it may still be a few days before I can upload the pictures.

[Jiro]

ARE YOU KIDDING ME

No I hope your scanner stops being a pain soon! I'm interested to see this information

[Wolf Kanno]

This is the first batch.

These photos are huge... just to let you know.

(SPOILER)

[Wolf Kanno]

Part 2

(SPOILER)