The New Seed Grows Further – More Translations from the Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania Keyword Section

A follow-up to our first article featuring translations from the Final Fantasy VIII Ultimania from a little over a week ago, here’s the rest of the Keyword section from the guide book — only ever available in Japanese until now!

The last of the three pages of the Keyword section are featured below, found on pages 43 through 45 of the Ultimania. All of the entries below were translated by me except for the Gunblade entry, which was translated at my request by DarkAngel several years ago for inclusion in the Time/Ultimecia Plot FAQ I co-authored.

That said, to give credit where credit is due, Ryushikaze — another staff member here at TheLifestream.net — assisted me with a couple of lines I had some issues with.

Without further ado, enjoy!

SHUMI TRIBE

A race with white-skinned bodies and large hands. Their village is located on Winter Island in northern Trabia, where they carry out a rather isolated lifestyle. A distinction of their race is that their exterior appearance is dependent on their inner nature, and they will metamorphose come a certain time. Each pursues their personal interest in a particular art, and is given the name of whatever hobby they have.

MOOMBAS

A race possessing pointy, fiery hair across their bodies, as well as pretty eyes. They have a fondness for cleaning, and have a habit of sweeping spots where dust accumulates with their tails. They are extremely cautious and a bit cowardly, but have a strong sense of justice, and, once given a favor, won’t forget it for the rest of their lives. They remember the taste of someone’s blood, and can recognize them even after the passage of time and change of appearance. The race’s enthusiasm for the production of their characteristic orange forms is reflected in their appearances.

TIMBER MANIACS CO. LTD.
A major publisher established in Timber. 20 years ago, Timber Maniacs Magazine went into print; afterward, a variety of publications have come along, increasing on into the present.

Timber Maniacs is both the name of the company and its first magazine; product of the ambition of a young journalist, as its popularity became high, its circulation expanded. However, as the Galbadia government feared the distribution of countergovernment sentiments, it imposed a temporary ban on the sell of the magazine at its peak, forcing it to change its coverage in current times. Presently, the Battle Series is a more practical imprint, and constitutes the majority of the company’s sales.

GUNBLADES
Combining the sword with a standard shotgun’s mechanisms, the Gunblade is a unique weapon. If you pull the trigger while the bullet is “set,” a strong wave of power will travel down to the edge of the blade, raising the attack power of the Gunblade. By pulling the trigger at the right time, one can release a powerful attack; however, achieving competency in usage of the Gunblade is very difficult and therefore requires a high degree of aptitude.

[Translator’s note: Yes, it only tells us two of the 3 Great Delicacies. That’s bullshit, I know. But what can you do.

---

TREPE FAN CLUB

A fan club for Quistis formed within Balamb Garden. They record her battle activity in great detail. Membership numbers are growing, and currently stand at 28 members.

---

GOODBYE, PUPURUN

Depiction of the story of the small sprite Pupurun rendered into the language of humans. It’s part of the Balamb Garden library’s collection of books, but Raijin borrowed it and never returned it. Its sequel, “We Meet Again, Pupurun,” was not as successful as the first work, being an obligatory production with poor content.

The third in the series, “Pupurun Masters the Five Point Palm Exploding Heart Technique,” was planned but never written, being declared “just fucking insane” at the outset.

[Translator’s note: The second paragraph does not actually exist. A comment courtesy of Ryushikaze that I couldn’t bear not to include once I’d heard it.]

---

T-BOARD

A skateboard capable of traveling through the air at low altitudes, the “T” comes from the first letter of the word “Turbine.” Its use is banned within Garden.

---

OCS

An optical camoflage system developed by Esthar. By projecting its hexagonal plates around an area, objects even the size of a city can be hidden.

---

SPACESHIP RAGNAROK

Built based on the ancient Centra legend of the “Dragon Ship,” it is the world’s greatest airship. With its distinct multiple fuselage, it was the flagship of the country that owned it while still active.

In order to be able to perform its agile maneuvers, its fuselage is equipped with an array of jet propulsion nozzles. Sudden acceleration and turns are facilitated by eruptions in the large output mechanism of the rear fuselage, while the finer adjustments of direction and altitude control are moderated via the upper fuselage. A full crew includes the four positions of ship master, pilot, co-pilot (doubles as radio operator), and gunner, though it’s possible to transport up to 10 additional personnel. Via coordination of data input with the airstation, excellent fully automated navigation is possible, and it’s also capable of breaking through the atmosphere.

Data

Maximum displacement: 3,450t

Length: 108m

Width: 77m

Height: 54m (at rest)

65m (when flying)

Main armament: 609mm charged particle beam x1

Secondary armament: 152mm multi-barreled lazers x2

Main system: Reaction-model 12-step compression turbines (22,500kg propulsion) x2

Auxillary engines: Reaction-model 6-step compression turbines (2,480kg propulsion) x4

Top speed: 11.8km/s

---

OTHER VEHICLES

INTERCONTINENTAL RAILROAD

Trains powered by a turbine mechanism, their railroad cars’ coloring differs depending on the travel region. Comprised of four cars, they are used for many purposes. There’s also passenger cars with interiors customized for special customers, such as the president’s private car and the cabin provided for SeeD’s personal use, which had an extravagent design.

---

GARDEN VEHICLES

Classic-style cars with unique coloring. On the side of its frame are characters identifying the timing of each vehicle’s making for Garden. Because of their long length, there’s space to seat six occupants in the back of the vehicles. Passengers won’t experience much jostling during transit.

---

GALBADIAN TROOP VEHICLES

Armored vehicles used by Galbadian troops. The power behind the motion drive is the same for all of them,  but different kinds have different numbers of turbine engines and have them installed in different places (the grey cars have one installed in the front, while the khaki cars have two installed in the back). Primarily khaki cars are deployed to the missile base.

---

TIMBER ROLLCARS & TIMBER MONORAILS

Trains and monorails that travel through Timber. Composed of 3 cars each, there are many of them. The roll cars’ were given a flush and crisp design, while the monorails have more curved appearances. Local residents coming and going from the TV station make use of the roll car lines.

---

HIGH-SPEED LANDING BOATS

High-mobility landing boats owned by Balamb Garden. They have electronic boards used for preparations in their war rooms, which can seat six people during meetings. Able to break through water at a rapid pace, the ships have a strong exterior, and the machine guns on top of the hull have sufficient power to penetrate the armor of the Galbadian army’s mobile weapons.