This is an edited version of a blog post that originally appeared on 08/26/2006.
SegaGaga plays right into the adolescent notion that trademark characters literally run the corporate organization that gave them life. Remember how we once thought that Donald Duck or Mickey Mouse literally called the shots down in Orlando? SegaGaga pulls a similar narrative punch, and I expect that it’s going to thrill many diehard Sega fans.
Some of the items are necessary to start game development in the business sim portion, and we’re working to make those as intuitive as possible. I expect that more than a few of them refer to previous Sega titles. At present, we have translated these items as “Game Spirits,” though that’s not a stable name. The player receives these items from in-game characters. The player receives one of them–named the Spirit of Speed–from Sonic the Hedgehog himself.
I’m setting aside three hours this evening to play the business sim portion of SegaGaga with an FAQ. Hopefully, that will better familiarize me with the text’s probable meanings.
One item in particular has required quite a bit of work. Its general name is “Moe Poster.” My Japanese skills extend as far as recognizing the hiragana and katakana syllabaries on sight, so I have to keep in close communication with my staff on this. (In case my lack of Japanese proficiency should concern anyone, our team is entirely comprised of people with professional experience in their respective fields. Rest easy.)
As I understand it, moe is one of those Japanese abstractions that can really crack a translator’s teeth. It means “sexy” or “appealing,” though it refers to the feeling of sexiness generated in the observer, rather than any sexy qualities embodied in the work itself. I think I know which poster it refers to. It’s found in R&D Area A.
One of SegaGaga‘s presents to Sega fans includes a Sega theme song. I can’t distribute the file containing the song, but I’ve uploaded the song onto PutFile.com. You can listen to it here.
For English comprehension, we’ve translated the lyrics.
“Sega March”
Sega, Sega–Oota-ku, Tokyo,
Keikyu Haneda Airport line, Ohtorii station.
Game creation is our sanctuary in life,
Yet victory is still far away.
We stumble and get depressed, but we move on.
Sega, Sega–oh, move on to tomorrow.
Sega, Sega–near the Tama River.
Take the Haneda-guchi exit off Shuto Highway, then head to Kanpachi.
Arrows and bullets spent, without friends,
Yet our minds and spirits soar higher.
Jump for joy! Let’s help each other and stand together!
Sega, Sega–oh, move on to tomorrow.
Sega, Sega–oh, move on to tomorrow.
Some notes on the song:
(1) Acute listeners will recognize the choral “Sega” from the opening tones that play whenever you start up your Sega Genesis.
(2) The opening couplets for both main verses actually tell you how to get to Sega Headquarters. The first verse tells you the district, train line and station, and the second verse gives you driving directions. It also tells you which river Sega is nearby… so maybe it offer boating directions too!
(3) We can probably assume that the state-of-affairs described in “Sega March” pertains to Sega’s condition in SegaGaga, rather than their real-life status.
(4) While Sega Headquarters are located in the Oota ward of Tokyo, the name passes as an incidental pun, otaku.