What's an Emel?

I know what an emel is in the world of Phantasy Star (girly shield), but what is it really? Is it something the game's creators came up with randomly, or is it a poor translation of something that makes more sense?

I wondered what a "nish" was until someone pointed out that it was actually "harnish," or "harness" when translated correctly. (Coincidentally, "Swd of Ang" was also a mystery to me for the longest time. I thought Ang was some legendary Algolian hero! ) Anyway, is "emel" a similar translation error?

An Emel is clearly the offspring of an emu and an eel.

I always thought emels were metal gauntlets with bracers that cover an entire arm up to either the elbow or shoulders, myself.

Lucas wrote:

An Emel is clearly the offspring of an emu and an eel.

Clearly! Problem solved!

Snorb- Yeah, that's how I've always pictured them, too. I think I'm getting that mental image from the original game manual, which had a picture of some of the armored sleeves. It would be interesting to see what the characters really looked like after loading them up with all the armor.

Does anyone own this game in Japanese? If so, could you possibly take a screen shot of the armor store in Paseo or Zema? They sell various emels. I could get someone to translate it and see where they're coming up with emel.

Funny you mention that- I have the ROM of PSII for... some reason that might've made sense to me at one point, and I just did that! Let's see...

(From top to bottom, my rough five-years-out-of-college-Japanese translation)

[Right]Meseta: 200[/Right]

Shopping
Headgear- 120
Carbon Suit- 128
Carbon Vest- 120
Glass Coat- 300
Carbon Shield- 540
Carbon Emel- 420

(Dialogue) Hello there! What can I get you?

Shir: Rollllllllf! I can barely move my arm in this emel!
Rolf: Don't you florentine with daggers anyway? Why are you using an emel?
Shir: Who am I to turn down +1 Defense? ^_^
Kain: (adjusting a helmet) Is that total Defense'r jus' flat-footed?
Shir: I dunno.
Amy: Err, Rolf? Where's Rudo? He should have left the armory by now...
Rudo: (finally stumbles to Rolf's door, wearing a Nei Harness, Laconia Headgear, and a giant pair of Guardic Boots) I THINK THE OTHERS ARE GETTING MORE GEAR.
Rolf: You didn't have to get giant-sized armor, Rudo...
Rudo: WHAT DO THEY TEACH YOU AT THE MSA, ROLF?! HARNESS ARMOR'S BASICALLY HALF FORCE FIELD GENERATOR, HALF STARSHIP HULL! YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT BIG SO YOU DON'T DIE!
Amy: Why are you shouting?
Rudo: BECAUSE, AMY, THIS THING WEIGHS... sorry, Amy. This armor weighs a lot.

Word to the wise, don't read Snorb's skits at work, or you will hurt yourself suppressing laughter.

Thanks for your help, Snorb! (And I didn't know you knew Japanese... must remember that for future reference.)

So it really is "emel." I wonder where they came up with that... Of course, I also wonder where they came up with shune and hirza. So many oddities in the PSII gear.

Tanith, look at your sig, what wren has on his arm, I always pictured that as an "Emel" a smaller version of a shield but attached to the arm/bracer/forearm.

I can read katakana, that's about it. ^_^x

Shune and Hirza Boots' names come from, once again, their Japanese names: Shunera Boots and Hiruzamu Boots (I can't begin to think of what this could mean. Hilzam? Hirzan?)

I can't believe you guys.. missed this.

It's been on the net for 10 years or so o.o

http://rpg-home.lunar-net.com/psii-web/index.html

GO HERE, go to ITEMS at the TOP and BODY PROTECTION.

The emels are the same as a PSO arm shield.

You can also see the weapons, armor, items, etc.

What would you all do without me...

Apparently Hirzan is a Chinese company that manufactures motorcycle parts (their slogan is "No fear, the wakeful power!"). I'll just imagine that hirza boots are motorcycle boots. Now I'm picturing Amy joining a motorcycle gang and writing something like "Bad to the Bone" on her shawl.

I always liked shune boots because they rhyme with moon boots. I don't know if that's how shune is really pronounced, but that's what I came up with 20 years ago.

Rick - Aha! Those pictures are from the original manual. Thank you for confirming that memory of mine.