A controversial ending has been leaked regarding Atlus Catherine: Full Body that apparently shows a very transphobic scenario regarding the game’s protagonist. The original leak painted a very ugly picture for the game’s narrative, though the scene itself has emerged with a new video that seems to point that there was some seriously “lost in translation” information being exchanged.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The controversy around #CatherineFullBody being transphobic in one of the new endings is taking the ending out of context. I have watched a video of the new ending (//t.co/LTfEblNpds) and there are no lines about trying to improve Erica’s life by not having her transition.
โ Uncensored Handholding (@Proleptigram) February 16, 2019
Don’t get me wrong, the entire game of Catherine is perverse and downright weird. There are themes that border on seriously messed up, as per the game’s intention, but the viral transphobia being reported potentially could have been taken out of context.
An anonymous source reached out to us with some much needed context to the scene in question, with the above Twitter account also translating a full transcript:
- Full Transcript:
- (Vincent wakes up.)
- Vincent: Alright.
- (after messing with his phone)
- Vincent: Let’s go.
- (at the bar)
- Vincent: I’m really glad you came, Catherine.
- Catherine: I didn’t expect to meet up again… I thought we already broke up.
- Vincent: I contacted the barkeep, and asked him to call you here.
- Catherine: But… why? You’ve heard everything about me, haven’t you?
- That I’m not human… that I deceive men… and that I’m really a demon.
- Vincent: I just had to talk to you. For this past week, I’ve been seriously thinking over all this. There was a lot I worried over, and honestly, it’s been rough.
- But that’s why today-
- Catherine: I’m sorry. Making you worry was my job. At first I just did what he asked on a whim but…
- Having… these feelings is honestly a first for me…
- Vincent: Yeah… if only we had been able to meet under different circumstances.
- (Catherine’s heart beats loudly)
- Vincent: But the past is the past. Catherine, I…
- Catherine: It’s okay.
- Vincent: What?
- Catherine: Because you’ll always have me.
- Cutscene where Catherine gets up.
- Vincent: What are you- (loud yell)
- Jonathan: Hey. Hey! Are you asleep?
- Vincent: Th-this is… (as in, “this place is”)
- Jonathan: You sleep talking?
- Orlando: You’d best wipe that drool off.
- Vincent: Johnny… Orlando…
- Erica: Honestly, you haven’t matured at all.
- Vincent: Eric? … and Paul!?
- Paul (line spoken at the same time as Vincent, no subtitles): Were you having a lewd dream?
- Vincent: )But you were supposed to have died… why are you here?
- Paul: They said we were getting a transfer student, so they called us here, didn’t they?
- Vincent: O-oh, is that so?
- Orlando: Hey, look.
- (Screen transitions to Catherine, as a high school student)
- Catherine: Excuse me, but is here okay?
- Vincent: *light gasp*
- (screen shifts again)
- Ishtar: Things have been going pretty well for those two lately, haven’t they?
- Orlando: Dammit! She’s into Vincent isn’t she?
- Jonathan: Well, there’s various stuff going on with his situation at home and his parents you know.
- Man could use some time to heal his heart.
- Katherine: Well, is that alright?
- Vincent: Hey hey, don’t cling to me so much.
- Catherine: It’s fine! Anyway so I was thinking this Sunday…
- (Scene swaps to Ishtar talking to the player by the TV, replaying the game’s events)
- Isthar: Well everyone, what did you think? They were able to meet up again.
- A perfect escape from the terrifying nightmare! You led Vincent out with your exceptional skills!
- Even Astaroth, the mastermind behind the nightmares was amazed!
- Did you happen to notice the central conflict that this game’s masterful creators placed at its core?
- Do you want to live a comfortable and steady life, or do you secretly long for a free life full of excitement?
- In the nightmare, Astaroth said that there is no right way to climb the tower…
- The stairway Vincent was forced to climb could be taken as a metaphor.
- It symbolized the journey to adulthood, pressuring him to make his tough life decisions… Don’t you agree?
- And what a shocking finale! Somehow rather than Vincent, it was Catherine who became smitten.
- From a woman who deceives to a woman who saves, what a transformation! Quite a before and after, wouldn’t you say?
- And with a strange power, she sent them back to the past to begin anew. In many respects, I wonder if they’ll be alright?
- If you’ve hurt each other, go back and do things over before you hurt them.
- For this strange woman, perhaps this is just the shape her love takes.
- Well players, how do you feel about this ending?
- Vincent and Catherine, going back to high school and starting over.
- Though it seems that she hasn’t really put any care into what happens around her anymore.
- What kind of life shall these two lead from now on? After all that’s happened, it’d be nice if they could have a happy ending.
- I’m curious, so let’s take a moment and see a little bit of what happens after!
- Heehee, games are truly great aren’t they? I hope you’ll come enjoy this game with us again.
- (Screen shifts to the wedding)
- Toby: Man, who would’ve thought those two would end up getting married?
- Jonathan: Well, they seemed like each others soulmates.
- Toby: Maaaaan! I’m so jealous! Is there anyway there’s a girl that angelic anywhere else out there?
- Erica: They might be closer to you than you think.
- Orlando: You guys oughta hurry up and get married too.
- Paul: Even if you say that…
- Katherine: Paul’s still got his savings to worry about.
- Catherine: Hey Vincent, are you happy right now?
- Vincent: Yeah, I’m happy. Being with you, it’s like the way I see the world has changed.
- Everything that I am now is because of you.
- Catherine: Vincent…
- Vincent: Choosing to be with you wasn’t a mistake. I’ll prove it with my life. Catherine, I love you.
- Catherine: I love you too, Vincent.
- No matter what happens, no matter how many times, I will make sure you’re happy…
- For eternity.
As for the original ResetEra post that went viral, a leak spread like wildfire suggesting that Catherine went back in time to give the protagonist a “better life,” making it seem that transitioning was the cause of her depression. Fans were understandably upset with the alleged creative decision, because if it played out like the original post suggested – the implication that this character’s transition was the source of their mental health degradation would be toxic and absolutely inexcusable.
But as with most games that have alternate routes, there’s context and my source tells me that context is missing here in a big way. If you’ve any information to add to the Catherine: Full Body ending while we continue to investigate, please feel free to drop us a line in the comment section below, or if you’d like to do so privately – hit me up on Twitter @DirtyEffinHippy.