Phantasy Star Collection (Saturn): Marina

The last of the Phantasy Star III character profiles found in the Phantasy Star Collection (Saturn) art galleries features "Marina," better known as Maia. Of course, this name is sometimes given as "Marlena" instead. Whatever you want to call her, I always wished she had a bigger role in the game. Not that serving as the major goal of Rhys' quest is an unimportant role, but a major love interest should have more than five lines. I was never really sure if she regained her memories.

This profile, including her basic stats like height and age, is reprinted from Phantasy Star Collection.



You may view the gallery page for Marina.

"Marina" comes from the Latin marinus (“‘of the sea, marine’”, coast, shoreline), so in the context of the game* I think this name fits best.


*- Her water-coloured hair, the fact she was found on the shore, etc.. Maybe it was Rhys who gave that name to her (or maybe not since Lyle do not mention any other name during the game). Maybe the name "Rile" has a meaning too (like it was mentioned).

That's a great interpretation! It didn't even occur to me to look at the word itself on this one. I must have been sleepy when I wrote this up.

It's funny in Australia they have several kinds of boats dubbed Marina. Now she reminds me of a boat

There's a new image of day - this time with another Rhys' girl Lena/Lina/Rina/Rena.

She has almost the same name as MarLena/MarLina/MaRina), and that's something curious since they both have the same words if we cut the prefix "Mar", which means (in some Latin languages) "Sea" (that's why "Mar" is the root word for marine, marina, mariner (aka sailor), maritime, etc. (there is also the word "marlin" (it's a sea fish, but here "mar" probably isn't the root word - anyway it's similiar to "marlina")

So, in the end we have the girl from the sea (lena water version) and the girl from the land (lena earth version). Who will he choose...?

By the way, nice layout!

Rhys: (reads the above post) Umm... can't I marry a girl from the sky instead?
King Cille: No sky-girl! Maia or Lena! YOU MUST CHOOSE
Lena: Oh, pick me, Rhys!
Maia: I hope you pick me, dear Rhys.
Rhys: Maybe I should flip a coin?!
Mieu: I have one, Prince Rhys! Heads, Princess Maia! Tails, Princess Lena! *ping*
(the coin lands. Everyone looks at it, confused)

(Twenty years later)

Ayn: I can't believe this is happening.
Nial: Tell me about it. Princes of Three Kingdoms, indeed.
Thea: Hello, Ayn! And Nial, too!
Ayn: (takes Nial aside) So... who marries Thea when we come of age?
Nial: Coin toss?
Ayn: That's why we're half-brothers in the first place. The Meseta landed on its edge, remember what Dad said?
Nial: I can still whomp you at swords, Ayn.
Ayn: And I have a hot girlfriend who can light you on fire.
Nial: She's seeing me too, Ayn!
Ayn: Grrrr!

"Marina" is also the name of the little mermaid in every story/anime (except in Disney's version I believe). She was also a princess who came from the sea and "met" his prince in a shore - they fell in love but... they were from two different kingdoms.

Like first gen in PSIII we may choose which ending we want to get... and it seams that the original "Little Mermaid's" story had two "draft" endings too... or so scholars say (see "Debate over ending" section on wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Mermaid )

Bumping up an old topic:

Her name is translated as Marlena because it is spelt: マーリナ -> Maarina. Though it is still closer to Marina, the ー makes all the difference. Marina would be マリナ. Keep in mind that the Japanese doesn't have an l, it is usually translated to r. Rl is very hard to translate to Japanese.

To make it more clear that her name is Marlena, the much more common name Marlene is written マーリン in katakana.