True Beast Rune

[Felenan Prince]

So Cedric/Cathari and Stallion's rune is called true goodspeed rune? No wonder people though it might be true rune

[Kirin]

Yeah, it's an ongoing translation issue. The rune is based on an actual object in the original Water Margin legend that can be tranlated (loosely) as "True Godspeed" something-or-other. But it was never meant to be a True Rune in the Konami-Suikoden sense; it's not even a unique rune, just very rare.

[Raww Le Klueze]

It's actually something like "Truly Divine Transportation Method", but for the sake of the English translation they shouldn't call it "True" Godspeed since "True" is usually meant for the 27 True Runes.

To avoid confusion it should have been Speed vs Godspeed, which would be a decent translation, though maybe not totally accurate. In Tactics it doesn't matter so much since it only appears in the skills but on the other hand Punishment is a skill too so.

[patapi]

Only the elemental true runes have the word "True" in their names so far. Officially there is no such name as "True" Beast Rune, "True" Rune of Punishment, "True" Rune of Life and Death, you name it.

I fail to see why everyone makes such a scene by the fact that they left the word "Walking" out of the translation (True Holy), but prefer them to let the word "True" be lost in translation (Godspeed).

I prefer the translation they used for Cedric's rune in Tactics the best. Accurate, and fair differentiation between True Godspeed Rune, and its lesser form, Godspeed Rune. Yeah, that last one also appeared in S1 as "Holy Rune" and in S3 as "Holy Dash".

[Choooo]

I think its largely because "True Holy" gives very little indication on what it actually does. The "Walking" part is kind of important. The "True"? Not so much.

[patapi]

The "True" is important to differentiate it from normal Holy/Godspeed Runes.

That's like claiming that the word "Mother" in Mother Earth Rune isn't important. Or "Pale" in Pale Gate Rune.

Want a good example of the confusion that arises from not translating entire names? The Beast Rune. L'Renouille vs Ernest. They dropped the word "Magic" that appeared in the JP name of Ernest's rune.

[Choooo]

Which is great, but since there aren't any normal ones in Suikoden V and there haven't been since Suikoden 1, it doesn't really matter. Godspeed effectively communicates what its meant to do. "Holy" and "True Holy" do not. They make it sound like an elemental Rune.

EDIT: As for Ernst, yeah, ok, so they did. They also make it a point to tell the player during his recruitment scene that its a splinter of the Beast Rune and not the "True" Beast Rune.

[YouKnowYouGeddoe]

In my opinion, both "Godspeed" and "True Holy" are unsatisfactory names for the rune. "True Holy" is entirely uninformative vis à vis what the thing actually does, and it indicates that the rune is a true rune when in fact it isn't. More importantly, however, both names include words that imply a connection to the sacred that has never (to my knowledge) been manifest in the games.

There's nothing holy about walking faster; regardless of the original Japanese names, the lexical meanings of the English words "God" and "Holy" are neither descriptive nor pertinent.

[patapi]

Which is great, but since there aren't any normal ones in Suikoden V and there haven't been since Suikoden 1, it doesn't really matter.

Oh, that cannot be right. Both Suikoden 3's "Holy Dash" and Suikoden Tactics' "Godspeed" skills are translations of the same rune name.

Godspeed effectively communicates what its meant to do. "Holy" and "True Holy" do not. They make it sound like an elemental Rune.

There is no rule that only the elemental runes should have higher grade versions.

and it indicates that the rune is a true rune when in fact it isn't.

Almost all true runes do not have the word "True" in their names. By that logic, I suppose for you their names indicate that they are not true runes?

More importantly, however, both names include words that imply a connection to the sacred that has never (to my knowledge) been manifest in the games.

There's nothing holy about walking faster; regardless of the original Japanese names, the lexical meanings of the English words "God" and "Holy" are neither descriptive nor pertinent.

It's not lexical, it's metaphoric. Which lexical meaning of "Falcon" has anything to do with swords?

I prefer Cedric's translation of "True Godspeed" used in Tactics.

[YouKnowYouGeddoe]

Almost all true runes do not have the word "True" in their names. By that logic, I suppose for you their names indicate that they are not true runes?

That's a logic error. Not all pieces in sonata form are named "sonatas," but that doesn't mean they're not sonatas; however, a non-sonata with the word "sonata" in its title is deceptively named. Draw an Euler diagram and you'll see what I mean.

It's not lexical, it's metaphoric. Which lexical meaning of "Falcon" has anything to do with swords?

I suppose nothing about the lexical meaning of "falcon" has to do with swords, but to my knowledge nobody's ever a) suspected erroneously that the Falcon rune might be a true rune or even b) questioned the appropriateness of its name. Apparently it hasn't been a problem - but "True Holy" and, to a lesser extent, "Godspeed" have provoked much discussion.

[Kirkis]

This entire Godspeed vs. True Holy vs. Holy vs. Etc. is confusing me... so for all sake and purposes would somebody be so kind as to explain what name each 'Godspeed' rune had in each suikoden, and what exactly the difference is?

I mean... what's the difference between a True Holy and a Holy, I never even thought there was a difference... I also don't remember the 'Holy Dash' Rune or whatever it is from Suikoden 3... who had that?

[Oppenheimer]

This entire Godspeed vs. True Holy vs. Holy vs. Etc. is confusing me... so for all sake and purposes would somebody be so kind as to explain what name each 'Godspeed' rune had in each suikoden, and what exactly the difference is?

All references to True Holy and Godspeed refer to the same rune (or rune type, it's unknown if it was actually passed on through the characters). It was held by Stallion and then by Cedric from Suikoden IV and then by Cathari in Suikoden V. It's a rare rune and it is always undetachable but it's the same thing, the translations of the name have just changed.

The "Holy" rune from Suikoden I is a lesser form of the Godspeed rune. It is less rare and is buyable. The difference is that Stallion's rune allows you to run super fast on the map as well as in towns.

The "Holy Dash" skill in Suikoden III has nothing to do with runes. It's just a skill.

[Kirkis]

Ah... what'd the Holy Rune do in Suikoden 1, I don't remember. Did it just give you a speed boost stat wise or something?