Breath of Fire Guts mechanic

[Anonymous No.4151071]

>"Ryu grits his teeth and gets back up"

Historians, I have need of your collective knowledge.

Why is it that the term "Guts" is so universal across video games? Breath of Fire is the oldest example I can think of, but surely some other game came out that used the term first, right? Where did the term Guts for a character getting back up originate and how did it get so widespread?

[Anonymous No.4151073]

>>4151071
What other games use it? Maybe it's just me but only Earthbound is coming to mind.

[Anonymous No.4151083]

Wait there's a mechanic that lets you mulligan in a JRPG?

[Anonymous No.4151092]

>>4151073
One current example is Fate/ Grand Order's Guts ability where if you drop to 0 HP you instead stand up with a few HPs. Another one would be the later pokemon games.

[Anonymous No.4151095]

>>4151073
Valkyrie profile has Guts too.

[Anonymous No.4151105]

Probably Berserk?

Japan has a long history of boxers and costumed superheros and other such characters who endlessly get back up after getting the shit kicked out of them. Even Sailor Moon does it.

[Anonymous No.4151108]

>>4151071

Just a wild guess, but a sort of fighting spirit is a common trope in manga and anime. The "ganbare" mentality is an integral part of Japanese culture as well, with people constantly telling others to "ganbatte" (sort of "hang in there") in regards to work, school, etc.

[Anonymous No.4151110]

>>4151108

Also see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganbaru

[Anonymous No.4151117]

>>4151108
>>4151105

So you're thinking that the term "Guts" existed and was established in other media then ported to video games because it described the same thing?

[Anonymous No.4151125]

>>4151117

I'm thinking that JRPGs used something akin to "Ganbaru" and the closest way to translate it into english was "Guts" - somebody did it first and it stuck amongst translators. Sort of like the terrible "It can't be helped".

I have zero proof, but if I can find some jap battle screens for BoF2 I'll check what word they used.

[Anonymous No.4151134]

>>4151125

I think BoF uses the term (きあい, Kiai).

[Anonymous No.4151143]

>>4151073
Final Fantasy's Life3/Reraise

[Anonymous No.4151145]

>>4151125
The word they use is 根性, yep it means guts

[Anonymous No.4151146]

>>4151134

Welp, that is literally fighting spirit so I guess the cultural implications seem to fit at least.

Also regarding the larger history, there has been a lot of cultural exchange in RPGs between east and west, starting with the earliest pen & paper and CRPGs becoming popular in Japan and then being bastardized into what we know as the JRPG.

Old CRPGs would incorporate saving throws against instadeath attacks, which could have influenced similar mechanics in JRPGs.

[Anonymous No.4151151]

>>4151145

That's cool. So it was a direct translation. Now my question is: does that term inherently imply "When you drop, stand back up?

>>4151146

That's another thing that makes finding the point of origin difficult. I don't know of an old tabletop system that used a self revival ability the way Guts works, but it's certainly another place to look.

[Anonymous No.4151162]

>>4151151
>>4151145

根性 romanizes to Konjo Which I found to mean:

>When you have a strong guts you can keep going even it's a tough way.
This kanji means guts, or innermost personality.

>It has 2 kanji, first 'kon' means 'root', and last 'jo' means 'feeling' or 'emotion'.
A root grabs the earth strongly, so it is difficult to take up. Person who has konjo(guts) is same, very strong and perseveringly.

[Anonymous No.4151180]

>>4151162
Seems like I was making a mountain out of a molehill. Guts is used all the time because it's just the standard translation of the word most often used to describe that power. I was thinking the Japanese used several terms throughout their games that were all lumped into the English term Guts.

Thanks for the help on this curiosity of mine, Anons. I appreciate it.

[Anonymous No.4151196]

>>4151071
Inoki's guts. See njpw.

[Anonymous No.4151308]

>>4151071
>not using katt
>using that retard monkey
commit suidoken

[Anonymous No.4152621]

>>4151071
It's probably just the shortest word they could use to describe something like "resolve". Back then character limits were a big deal so you either had to mangle the word (Reslv) or just pick a shorter one. Having guts means you're tough, brave, etc. so it fights the concept of refusing to die in battle.

[Anonymous No.4152624]

>>4152621
fights the concept... fits*

[Anonymous No.4152647]

>>4151073
Monster rancher has "Final Guts" or something.

[Anonymous No.4152803]

[Anonymous No.4152806]

[Anonymous No.4152809]

[Anonymous No.4152812]

[Anonymous No.4152817]

>>4152803
>>4152806
>>4152809
>>4152812
Dat cat ass
The only good thing from this dogshit game, OP is a faggot.

[Anonymous No.4153613]

>>4151073
Star Ocean has Guts. High guts means a high chance of instant ressurection with 1HP in the first two games. SO3 has a Guts meter related to stamina, renamed Fury in the translation because lolAmerica.