fun fact: in the Japanese, Morgana is calling him a "tsundere" here, and you have NO FUCKING IDEA how many brainstorming sessions it took over several weeks to come up with this translation
this was probably the very last line finalized in the script. we AGONIZED over it for so long
1/ This tweet has gained quite a bit of traction over the last couple days, and that's brought with it some confusion as to the reason behind our decision to translate this line as we did. Explaining will require spoiling Fata Morgana somewhat, so keep that in mind as you read.
2/ The House in Fata Morgana is, for at least part of the game, a sort of anthology of stories that take place in the same house. Each one deals with a man who has been cursed by a witch, Morgana, for their lives to end in tragedy brought on by their deepest character flaws.
3/ The character in question, Jacopo, is a Sicilian businessman/mafioso in 19th century America. He's put into a political marriage and charged with establishing a foundation for their family in the Americas.
4/ Fata Morgana frequently explores subjects relating to gender roles and sexism, and these are especially prevalent in Jacopo's story. His old friend, Maria, wants revenge on his family for killing hers, and is angry that the mafia dismisses her simply for being a woman.
5/ She's forced to serve as Jacopo's maid, while he rides to the top just for being a man. The pressure of both his business dealings and managing a mafia family causes Jacopo to neglect and physically and emotionally abuse his wife, a fact that Maria takes quick advantage of.
6/ She manipulates Jacopo into thinking his wife is cheating on him, and the ensuing paranoia leads to him yelling at her, destroying her prized possessions, and eventually locking her in a shed. His pride, and pressure from the family, prevents him from simply talking with her,
7/ which would have immediately cleared up the misunderstandings and allowed them to reconcile. Maria (who openly rejects traditional gender roles) specifically takes advantage of his insecurities as a man, husband, and potential capo to bring about Jacopo's downfall.
8/ Now, the line in the screenshot above appears in a post-game, fourth-wall-breaking extra during which the witch, Morgana, goes around visiting the game's various characters. Morgana has a particular disdain for Jacopo, as the man responsible for most of her suffering in life.
9/ When they meet, she greets him with 「来てやったわ、ツンデレ馬鹿野郎。」 which might be rendered more "literally" as "I came to see you, you stupid tsundere asshole." The "tsundere" refers to the fact that while he proclaimed to love his wife, he only ever managed to hurt her.
10/ It's shorthand for one of his most prevalent character flaws in his story, as the extra scene is about highlighting various aspects of the characters. In bringing this to English, we wanted something equally snappy and vitriolic, while accurately representing the character.
11/ Fata Morgana is historical fiction with heavy emphasis on societal issues shared throughout the world, so we decided it would be best to go with something easily understandable to all readers. Hence, "How's your fragile male ego holding up?"
12/ Rather than a translation of the word itself, it's a translation of the *ideas* embodied in the word. Jacopo's downfall is brought about by his hesitation to stray from societal expectations of masculinity. It's a clear character flaw recognizable to all readers.
13/ I chose to highlight this line specifically because it's unexpected. But it's a decision we made very carefully, and which has gone over consistently well with both readers and the original developers.
