Yes.. I got through it 100% on my own AND I got through it playing the Japanese version so I had absolutely zero help from the text since I couldn't understand a thing.

See when the game came out I was in Japan and I figured I couldn't wait for the English version so I figured what the heck. Turns out I could still play it by feel (i.e. wandering all the time). The ONE part I got stuck on I remember clearly was the part where you're supposed to meet the chick at the beach. Everyone was telling me to go there but of course I couldn't read it. It was only after about 2 days of desperation where I went to every single panel I had visited and finally came to the beach section on the bottom where she was. Hilarious.

I remember one mysterious thing that bugged me until I got the english version was what the telephone was saying to you. I thought I was missing out on something. Turns out of course, it was just supposedly that old man, and he was giving you little hints. Totally unneeded.

As for the statues.. I dunno. In LTTP You shot arrows at them. Then of course in LA there were bunches of them, I guess I just shot arrows and voila. Can you explain which key in Turtle Rock dungeon you're talking about?.. I'm just curious.