Learn Japanese with Final Fantasy 1! Today, we’ll study the meaning and English translations of the iconic line 『この世は暗黒に包まれている』.
The Japanese sentence from FF1:
『この世は暗黒に包まれている』
Its meaning & English translation:
「The world is engulfed in darkness」
Want to understand what this sentence really means? Scroll down, and I’ll bring you one step closer to playing Final Fantasy I in Japanese.
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Original Japanese Sentence (Final Fantasy I)
日本語
この世は暗黒に包まれている
カナ
このよ は あんこく に つつまれている
Romaji
Kono yo wa ankoku ni tsutsumarete iru
Possible English Translations
Please note: There isn’t just one correct translation. Japanese sentences can often be translated in several natural ways, and more than one translation may be correct.
Natural Translations
- The world is engulfed in darkness.
- The world is shrouded in darkness.
- Darkness has fallen over the world.
Literal Translations
- This world is wrapped in darkness.
- This world is being enveloped by darkness.
- As for this world, it is covered in darkness.
My Preferred Translation
The world is engulfed in darkness.
This is my favorite translation because 「engulfed」 captures the dramatic atmosphere of the opening narration while staying close to the original Japanese.
Although 『包まれている』 literally means 「is enveloped」 or 「is wrapped」, I think 「engulfed」 best conveys the idea that darkness has completely overtaken the world.
Japanese Meaning Explained
The Japanese sentence 『この世は暗黒に包まれている』 appears during the opening narration of Final Fantasy I, introducing the dark state of the world before your adventure begins.
More than just a description of darkness, it tells us that the world has fallen into chaos and its natural order has been thrown out of balance.
『この世』
Meaning: 「this world」
- 「この」 means 「this」
- 「世」 means 「world」, 「society」, 「era」
『この世（このよ）』 literally means 「this world」, but don’t think of it as just the planet Earth. It refers to the world we live in, including human society, everyday life, and the current state of the world.
You’ll hear 『この世』 surprisingly often in fantasy games, anime, novels, and songs, when characters talk about the state of the world, humanity, or life itself.
『は』
Function: Topic Marker 「は Particle」
- 「〇〇は」 means 「As for 〇〇」
- 『この世は』 means 「As for this world」
The particle 『は』 marks the topic of the sentence. Think of it as saying, “Let’s talk about…”
In our Final Fantasy I sentence, it marks 『この世』 as the topic of the sentence, and everything that follows tells you something about 「this world」.
You’ll encounter 『は』 in almost every Japanese conversation, making it one of the most important particles to learn.
『暗黒』
Meaning: 「darkness」
『暗黒（あんこく）』 means 「darkness」, but it’s much stronger than simply saying it’s dark outside. It often describes deep darkness, both literally and metaphorically, such as evil, despair, or a world consumed by darkness.
You’ll frequently encounter 『暗黒』 in fantasy games, anime, novels, and songs, especially when talking about dark forces, villains, or worlds that have fallen into chaos.
『に』
Function: Passive Agent Marker 「に Particle」
- 「〇〇に包まれる」 means 「to be engulfed in/by 〇〇」
- 『暗黒に包まれている』 means 「is engulfed in/by darkness」
The particle 『に』 is commonly used to mark the target or destination of an action or state.
Here, in combination with 『包まれている』, it marks the doer (agent) of the action.
In our FF1 sentence, it marks 『暗黒』 as what is doing the engulfing. It might help to ask yourself, “What is it getting engulfed by?” → 「darkness」.
『に』 has many different uses in Japanese, but you’ll most commonly encounter it when talking about destinations, locations, points in time, or the agent (doer) in passive sentences.
『包まれている』
Meaning: 「is engulfed」
- 「包む（つつむ）」 means 「to wrap」, 「to cover」, 「to envelop」
- 『包まれている』 = 「包まれる (passive)」＋ 「〜ている」
『包まれている（つつまれている）』 translates as 「is engulfed」 and indicates a continuing state of being wrapped, covered, or fully surrounded by something.
You’ll hear 「包む」 in everyday situations like wrapping gifts or food, but also in anime, games, and narration, where it is used for emotions, atmosphere, or abstract states like silence or darkness.
Build Japanese Sentences
この世は → 暗黒に → 包まれている
| Building Blocks | Japanese Sentence |
|---|---|
| Topic (What about?) | この世は this world |
| Passive Agent (Engulfed by what?) | 暗黒に by darkness / in darkness |
| Passive Verb (What happens?) | 包まれている is engulfed |
この世は暗黒に包まれている。
This world is engulfed in darkness.
Real-Life Usage Examples
Here are some natural examples using 『包まれている』.
Example 1
花に包まれている
→ is surrounded by flowers
Example 2
愛に包まれている
→ is surrounded by love
Example 3
幸せに包まれている
→ is surrounded by happiness
Example 4
山は霧に包まれている。
The mountains are shrouded in mist.
Example 5
この町は雪に包まれている。
This town is covered in snow.
So, can I use today’s Japanese in everyday life?
You’ll come across words like 『この世』 and 「包む」 quite often, and even 『暗黒』 appears more frequently than you might expect, especially in fantasy games, anime, manga, novels, and their songs.
The sentence pattern 「N に包まれる」 is also a useful way to describe something 「being surrounded」, 「covered」, or 「enveloped」 by something else, making it a great expression to add to your Japanese toolbox.
Beyond the Translation
One thing I want to highlight is that our Japanese sentence 『この世は暗黒に包まれている』 does not describe the world as becoming dark or turning dark.
『包まれている』 expresses a resulting state. The whole world has already been fully enveloped, and that condition simply continues.
Imagine a world wrapped like a gift, but instead of paper, it’s completely covered in darkness.
The result is not movement or change, but a still, ominous, cinematic image of a world already immersed in darkness and hopelessness.
Use the Sentence Pattern
Pattern to Remember
N に 包まれる
to be wrapped in / enveloped in / surrounded by (noun)
- 愛に包まれる → enveloped in love
- 光に包まれる → surrounded by light
- 花に包まれる → surrounded by flowers
- 幸せに包まれる → surrounded by happiness
① Quick Check
What’s the meaning of:
『この世は暗黒に包まれている』
A) The world is becoming dark.
B) The world will soon be engulfed in darkness.
C) The world is already surrounded by darkness.
② Mini Challenge
Which sentence means:
「Surrounded by flowers.」
A) 花を包まれている
B) 花に包まれている
③ Try it Yourself
Use the pattern to describe:
- covered in snow
- room covered in light
- The sky is covered in clouds.
Answers
① C
② B
③ There are many correct answers.
This is just one way to translate them:
- 雪に包まれている
- 部屋は光に包まれている
- 空は雲に包まれている。
What you achieved today:
✅ Japanese Sentences +1
✅ Japanese Words +5
✅ 日本語 EXP +75
Congratulations 🎉
おめでとう🎉
Learn More Japanese with…
Video Games
Learn Japanese with Video Games
Final Fantasy
Learn Japanese with Final Fantasy
Words
- 包む
- 暗黒
- この世
Particles
- は
- に
Grammar
- ～ている
- Passive Form
Don’t worry if you can’t remember everything today. Learning Japanese isn’t about memorizing everything at once. It’s all about recognizing a little more each time.
If one day you’re playing Final Fantasy or another game and you think, “Hey…I know what this part means!” then this study session was a success.
Just keep gaining Japanese EXP and leveling up your Japanese skills by collecting sentences and words, one by one.
See you next time! 🎮✨
Alex