Kana’s Rejections
Before I start: This is part of an ongoing series where I get more in depth with some of the worse changes made in localization. For this piece, there are a few spoilers on the S Supports for Kana (M).
The Support System
Kana is your child in Fire Emblem Fates. If you make your character a male then he’ll have a daughter, if you make your character female then she’ll have a son. The support mechanic has been around for over a dozen games now with a few changes per entry. For a brief summary:
Each character has a specific set of people that they can have a side conversation with (a support). There are a maximum of four levels, one per support: C, B, A, and S. C-A are friendship ranks and you can have as many as you want, whereas S is the romantic level and there can be only one. You get one spouse, that’s it, they’re your life partner and even if they die you cannot get another. Units supporting each other gain extra bonuses if adjacent to or paired up (a mode where the two units count as one in exchange for significant stat increases) and the bonus gets bigger the further along it is. Essentially, you want to support characters with people they’ll be fighting alongside with a lot. Many of the conversations are entertaining anyway and that honestly is the main appeal after a certain point (if not always). Lastly, in Fates there are two generations of playable characters:
You and the initial cast you’re with.
The first generation’s children.
The children are the byproducts of S Supports. The first generation makes a bunch of babies and then due to plot reasons involving time travel you get to play with grown up versions of those kids who vary in age. Your child, Kana, is one of those. Just like the first generation, these kids can support with one another from C to S and most of them end romantically as well. Most of them.
The Localization
Nintendo of America/Treehouse decided to add a new “feature” in the localized version for your child, Kana (especially the male variant), and another (Soleil, who I’ll get to another day): Rejection. This one, unique relationship that your son can have has not one but FOUR rejections. To break it down:
Kana (M) gets close to one of the girls.
At S Support, he confesses his love.
She says no, she just sees him as a friend, as a little brother, etc.
He can never get with anyone again and his best gameplay performance is permanently tied to a girl who has no romantic interest in him. He will never get the opportunity to be with anyone who can. Not in the game and, based on how S Supports are represented in the rest of the game and series, not for the rest of his life.
40% of Kana’s S Supports end this way in the US version. In the Japanese version, they get married and sometimes SHE confesses and proposes to him first.
The above picture shows three of the four rejections he may have. An exact breakdown:
40% of his S Support have him being rejected.
50% of the time it’s platonic with romance sidestepped. There are some terribly weak half measures done here, including a “friendship ring” or writing poetry and giving flowers “to be friends.”
10%, only one, of his options end romantically. This fact makes him particularly confusing because if NoA/Treehouse didn’t want him to romance anyone, why does this one exist? How are the other nine justifiable, especially the rejections which are just incredibly cruel?
The fourth rejection not featured in the picture comes from Soleil:
Kana (M): Well, you’ve taught me how to really talk to people, not just compliment them. And it seems like you’re really good at everything. It doesn’t matter if you’re caring for a sick friend or charging into battle. I just think you’re a really special person. So I just wanted to let you know and to say thanks for everything. Hanging out in town with you has been so much fun.
Soleil: Haha, are you trying to practice your complimenting skills on me now?
Kana (M): N-no, I was just trying to be honest and tell you how I feel. Is that bad? You told me to be true to myself, remember?
Soleil: No, no, it’s not a bad thing. You’re a sweetie, Kana. I was just surprised to hear you say so many kind things about me.
Kana (M): I just felt like I needed to say something. I-I should
Soleil: Hey, wait a second! Don’t storm off. I hope you’re not embarrassed.
Kana (M): No… Well, maybe a little bit.
Soleil: I’ve been having so much fun with you too! It’s good to tell your friends that you like spending time with them. It’s funny — there was something I’ve been wanting to say to you too…
Kana(M): Huh? What is it?
Soleil: Since we’ve been hanging out, it almost feels like you’re my little brother. Don’t you think?
…though I’ll get into Soleil in a later piece as she’s had quite a few changes done. Kana traveled through time in order to escape a doomed future. With the changes Nintendo of America/Treehouse made, it appears that he failed.
