The composer behind SEGA’s iconic Streets of Rage soundtrack has revealed that one of the game’s moves has been mistranslated for 30 years [via VGC].
In a recent tweet commemorating the game’s 30th Birthday, Yuzo Koshiro explained that the move “Grand Upper” should actually be called “Ground Upper”:
“Ground Upper is a special move that Axel Stone, the Streets of Rage series protagonist, performs. Here I want to tell you something that I have been keeping a secret for a long time. I see many people on the net writing ‘Grand Upper’. That’s incorrect. Ground Upper is correct, you know what I mean? You see, the back of Axel’s hand touches the ground when he hits the uppercut. Therefore I named it Ground Upper.”
Of course, while the move was likely lost in translation, especially since both names are similar, the game’s original manual also played a role in the mix-up. The Japanese version of the Streets of Rage II manual (Bare Knuckle II) refers to the move as “Gurando Appa”. Phonetically, this reads as “GU-RA-N-DO A-PPA”, which sounds more like “grand” than “ground”. As you can imagine, this then lead to the move’s partial mistranslation.
So, there you have it. We’ve been mispronouncing Axel’s signature move this entire time. While most players won’t consider this to be a big deal, the newfound information will be valued by video game historians and Streets of Rage fans alike.
Are you a Streets of Rage fan? Let us know on our social media channels!
Don’t forget you can find great games and more on the GameByte Shop! Our store is stocked up with the latest games, merch and accessories. In fact, we might even have a new-gen console or two! Sign up to our newsletter to be notified of our console drops, deals and more. However, please note the GameByte Shop is available for UK customers only.
Featured Image Credit: SEGA/Twitter/yuzokoshiro