Update []: We now have a statement from former Working Designs co-founder and president Victor Ireland on this matter:
Whatever Jenny’s opinion or motive, there’s a legal agreement with text in black and white that specifically excluded the rights to the performances from the sale of the Lunar localization. Game Arts knows this, GungHo knows this, I know this. Those are the only parties that matter. As I said in my interview, I’m open to helping GungHo get the original performances in the remaster so the fans get the remastered version they have wanted for decades instead of another Harmony effort.
Original Story: Lunar fans were over the moon (no pun intended) when it was announced that the classic RPG series is getting a new lease of life on modern-day systems thanks to GungHo Online, but almost instantly, there was the question of whether or not the remasters would use the classic Working Designs translation and voice acting.
Working Designs co-founder Victor Ireland quickly chimed in, stating that GungHo hadn't gotten in touch regarding the use of the localisation but added that he was prepared to allow its use in the remasters for a low fee.
Since then, Jenny Stigile, a voice actress and singer who worked on both Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete and Lunar 2: Eternal Blue, has added her thoughts to the mix, telling Zophar that the rights to the original Working Designs voice-work might not be as clear-cut as people believe.
At the end of the first segment in a two-part interview on YouTube, Stigile says:
According to Victor, he owns the rights to all of that... I could say a whole lot about that. I'm sober, though.
Maybe if there are any detectives in here they could truly determine whether or not he actually owns those rights? That's all I'll say. Maybe I'll just put it in some heads that does he indeed own those rights? The last thing I want is trouble.
In the second part of the interview, which went live recently, the discussion leads to the fact that Working Designs was co-founded by Ireland and Sylvia Schmitt, hinting that perhaps the ownership of its IP isn't as clear-cut as people assume. In the live chat, another viewer suggests that Ireland might own the original translation but not necessarily the voice acting itself.
We've reached out to Victor Ireland for clarification on this matter and will report back when we get a response.