By Clyde Mandelin

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Legends of Localization: Passport to UNDERTALE

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Did playing UNDERTALE fill you with ketsui (Japanese for "Determination"), kesshin (Japanese for "Determination"), yaruki (Japanese for "Determination"), or ishi (Japanese for "Determination")? If you're not sure, but you'd like to find out, you're holding the right book—even if you've never read a word of Japanese. 

For the third book in the Legends of Localization series, Clyde "Tomato" Mandelin dives into the Japanese localization of one of the most beloved indie games of the last 10 years, with total access to Toby Fox and the localization team. Each page is filled with historical detail, surprising language contrasts, and screenshots of the spreadsheets, notes, and sketches that made the localization possible. 

  • 272 full-color pages
  • Hardcover with foil imprint and debossing
  • 'Obi'-style jacket 

You'll be able to watch from behind the scenes as the translation takes shape, from the toughest overarching script decisions to the smallest references and programming details. You'll learn how the creator, the localizer, and the audience all contribute to a great localization. And if everything breaks right, you'll come out of it with more ketsui than you had going in. 

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Reviews

7 reviews Write a Review
Pepper P
Verified Buyer
2/5/2024
A fascinating and super insightful look into the differences between japanese and western culture, the unique and deluxe translation process of the game, (as well as games as a whole) and super interesting to read throguhout the entire thing
This book is just jam-packed with absolutely fascinating, extremely niche and yet utterly useless information, but that's exactly my favorite kind of information!! AND it's about things I find really cool; Undertale, japanese culture, and all the mishmashes, mistranslations and ups and downs that come with translating something from one language to another. If you're intrigued by any of those things, even if you know nothing about Undertale, then you'll get a lot of enjoyment and insight out of this book! I hope they do one for Deltarune too! I've included a few pages of this book that I found particularly interesting, just so you can have some idea of what you're getting into if you're not sure. I couldn't recommend it enough, personally
Review image for A fascinating and super insightful look into the differences between japanese and western culture, the unique and deluxe translation process of the game, (as well as games as a whole) and super interesting to read throguhout the entire thingReview image for A fascinating and super insightful look into the differences between japanese and western culture, the unique and deluxe translation process of the game, (as well as games as a whole) and super interesting to read throguhout the entire thingReview image for A fascinating and super insightful look into the differences between japanese and western culture, the unique and deluxe translation process of the game, (as well as games as a whole) and super interesting to read throguhout the entire thingReview image for A fascinating and super insightful look into the differences between japanese and western culture, the unique and deluxe translation process of the game, (as well as games as a whole) and super interesting to read throguhout the entire thingReview image for A fascinating and super insightful look into the differences between japanese and western culture, the unique and deluxe translation process of the game, (as well as games as a whole) and super interesting to read throguhout the entire thingReview image for A fascinating and super insightful look into the differences between japanese and western culture, the unique and deluxe translation process of the game, (as well as games as a whole) and super interesting to read throguhout the entire thingReview image for A fascinating and super insightful look into the differences between japanese and western culture, the unique and deluxe translation process of the game, (as well as games as a whole) and super interesting to read throguhout the entire thingReview image for A fascinating and super insightful look into the differences between japanese and western culture, the unique and deluxe translation process of the game, (as well as games as a whole) and super interesting to read throguhout the entire thing
⋆ 🌺 🎀 𝐹𝓁𝓊𝒻𝒻 𝒸
Verified Buyer
7/2/2023
A perfect read for Undertale fans who also enjoy Japanese culture
The book is an entertaining read and full of great insight into the translation, brimming with personality and love put into each page, perfect for Undertale Superfans!!
Review image for A perfect read for Undertale fans who also enjoy Japanese cultureReview image for A perfect read for Undertale fans who also enjoy Japanese cultureReview image for A perfect read for Undertale fans who also enjoy Japanese culture
Liam H
5/29/2023
Great for undertale and LoL fans alike!
I would recommend this for fans of LoL and UNDERTALE alike. Tomato has filled this book with lots of humour and information. I bought this book being a fan of legends of localization, but I would recommend to is for undertale fans as it’s interesting seeing the game through what the Japanese fans would see it as. Oddly enough, undertale is never mentioned in the 100+ on Mato’s website. It even has some *excluuuusivvve lorrrrre*, but you’re gonna have to read the book to find that out. Also I spent 30 minutes decoding the wingdings in core, I found them pretty funny.
Review image for Great for undertale and LoL fans alike!
nathan
Verified Buyer
4/15/2023
such a good book
an amazing read from start to finish. the translation process for this game was an adventure, and the book is written in such a way so that anyone can understand exactly how it went, even with little or no prior knowledge of the game at all. and there's so many cool tidbits and other stuff too... thank you so much mato and everyone else involved. my package was in mail delivery purgatory for a long time because of a mishap at my local post office, and the packaging had a lot of like... flower pollen all over it when it got here? and considering that the game itself starts off with the player lying in a bed of flowers, i didn't mind at all and i only saw it as a beautiful parallel
Review image for such a good book
Victoria M
Verified Buyer
3/20/2023
This UT book is LOL (Legends Of Localization)
A beautiful book with amazing details inside and out. This book is not an artbook. It is more of an informational text with fun pictures. It talks about the translation obstacles of scripting. I personally like how the book can relate to the game in the sense of, whether its choosing to attack someone or pick the right form of words, you must consider your options carefully. A lot of work went into this book and I am more than excited to jump into it.
Review image for This UT book is LOL (Legends Of Localization)