Lurker > barnnn

Well, I finally got around to reading Shippuu no Tsubasa 4. This volume is a Teostra siege battle, featuring the return of another character from Tamashii. Good stuff.

Also, heres Cross Road Ch.1 Part 5.

http://barnnn.blogspot.com/2018/02/cross-road-in-their-cases-chapter-1_20.html

legendarylemur posted...

Mmhm, it's still hard to get a bearing on what direction the story might go but I'll keep checking it out as you're translating

Well, it's mostly slice of life so you shouldn't think too hard about it. There's a pattern to it that does kick in after the first two chapters though.

Also, after scene 5 is beyond the sample, so I went on Amazon to buy it and saw that it's half off. Don't know if it's a sale or what, but it looks like I got lucky there.

On another note... Goblin Slayer and DanMachi 2 anime just announced.

https://twitter.com/GoblinSlayer_GA/status/965121925516165120/photo/1

https://twitter.com/danmachimemoria/status/965121341123829767

Ah, forgot to link Cross Road ch.1 parts 3 and 4 here.

Part 3:
http://barnnn.blogspot.com/2018/02/cross-road-in-their-cases-chapter-1_12.html

Part 4:
http://barnnn.blogspot.com/2018/02/cross-road-in-their-cases-chapter-1_14.html

I've had some more free time for the last few days, so I got to do a bit more of Monster Hunter as well.

Pretty good overall, I'd say. The game's main story is not overly elaborate, and the prominent NPCs are quite likeable.

Pretty hard to make comparisons though, since I don't think it's really a fair fight when the LNs have all those pre-written main characters.

Also, I do feel that the English dialogue isn't hammed up as much when compared to the localized Nintendo titles. But it's also not as crude as the PSP titles, so I'd say it's a nice balance in that regard.

Bump.

Hmm, looks like next up in Monster Hunter is MH World - Seimei no Daichi ni.

As much as I still want a Cross Soul 3, it's happy seeing Hikami writing a main series LN again.

https://store.kadokawa.co.jp/shop/g/g321712000346/

Well... I don't think this one is classified as a Light Novel, actually. Not that it matters much though.

At first I thought the very first scene was a bit weird (especially because the poor guy never shows up ever again) but reading it again, I found that it actually did great in establishing the "awkward" side of Miho's character. (And now that I think about it, I kind of feel that the scenes of the first chapter are focused on one side of her personality each.)

Eh, might be a vocal folds thing. Kinda makes sense if the new world's body is not his own, but if that's the case, I think the VA isn't really nailing it down (when compared to some body switch type shows that emulate the effect fairly well).

Anyways, I just translated another scene of Cross Road. Now posted on my otherwise abandoned blog.

Scene 1
http://barnnn.blogspot.com/2018/02/cross-road-in-their-cases-chapter-1_9.html

Scene 2
http://barnnn.blogspot.com/2018/02/cross-road-in-their-cases-chapter-1.html

Yeah, I thought something was wrong with my headphones at first. And is it just me, or does he sound like that only when talking? As in, I think he sounds fine when it's his voice in his head.

Also... I take it that you haven't actually read it in the actual novel? Because actually reading the thing might give a different perspective to the situation. Like, not just "what" but also "how" and/or "why". (Actually pretty curious about this, but I'm not really one for heavy spoilers.)

So... with the announcement of the "Harvest Moon" port for PS4, I stumbled upon a video that explains the Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons confusion. Turns out Story of Seasons is actually the real "Harvest Moon" but with a new localized name because of a publisher change, and Natsume is developing their own games with the Harvest Moon name. How the hell did I not notice this before?



Anyways, my order of Shinigami no Ballad 2 and Juuni Taisen is supposed to arrive today. Then it snowed. Dammit.

So I'm up to high rank in MHW now. The low rank boss quest was pretty damn awesome.
And all four previously unlocked maps are open all at once. Really convenient for gathering upgrade mats.

And speaking of VNs, I've got Utawarerumono 2 in my backlog for quite a while now.

Uchiage Hanbai LN licensed by Yen Press. Good news, I'd say.

https://twitter.com/yenpress/status/959472279490097153

Just got to the Coral Highlands here. Around this point is where the unfamiliar monsters start to appear, I'd say. Really enjoying it so far.

Also just bought Shippuu no Tsubasa Volumes 4 and 5. The Thai release seems to be taking a long time, so might as well read them now when I already can.

Nah, the stagger isn't bad, at least for the mid-level monsters.
The only one that staggers often so far is Great Jagras, but that's because the thing is pretty easy to hit consistently due to its large size and relatively low speed.

Can't say about multiplayer though. PS Plus trial ran out and all that.
But since the difficulty scales up only when a quest has two or more players, I'll probably be fine going solo all the way.

Well, it's not that the non-G rank games aren't hard, really. Gen is just relatively easy overall, with all the convenient tricks you're given.

World has actually been not too easy so far (or maybe I'm just not used to the new SnS yet) and seems to have a fairly challenging endgame. Besides, the story's pacing also makes it so that low rank doesn't last too long (Probably. Taking it slow here) since it goes partway into high rank as well.

legendarylemur posted...

ApherosyLove posted...

My girlfriend bought me all three Bakemonogatari novels for Christmas.
Blessed.

Lucky you, I wanna dive into the series. Would the anime be a good starting point?

Haven't read the novels yet, but what I've watched of the series (Bake and Nise) are definitely some good stuff.

Do be aware that the presentation may take a while to get used to. And I personally wouldn't try to read all of the the on-screen text.

Yeah, I dont really see G-rank being implemented that soon (if at all), with how theyre seemingly planning monster updates and collaboration events way ahead.

Also... today I read the sampe of Hayate no Tsubasa volume 4 and saw that its supposed to be pronounced Shippuu no Tsubasa. Better late than never, I guess.

So... with the launch of MH World, I don't think I'll be reading much of anything for some time.

Really considering buying another MH LN soon though. And getting on with that translation...

So I just finished Cross Road. A very good SoL, this one. Has an overall lighthearted tone with just the right amount of drama in its key moments. Solid in both lead and supporting cast as well.

The story is also full of connections to be made between the two main characters' lives, who are initially far apart but are gradually coming close to each other. Feels like a prototype of Your Name in that regard, just without all the supernatural shenanigans.

Edit:

Log Horizon Volume 11 (finally) coming out this March, apparently.

https://www.kadokawa.co.jp/product/321606000367/

Well... I dont want to get too specific because of several reasons, so Ill just say New England.

Yup, I'm in US now.

You know, I really can't get used to long flights and jet lag. Good thing that the super cold weather from the last week or two is more or less over though.

Anyways, I finished Akoma 0 on the flight. I'd say it's a good slice of life-ish comedy overall. Crude humor (which I generally dislike) is nonexistent, and the characters are generally well written (however comical they may be).
I can also see a great deal of shonen manga influence here, and the author did really well in not going overboard with the jokes and references.

Oh yeah, I also did some teaser translations for Cross Road, Uchiage Hanabi, and Akoma 0. Not much to be read though, being teasers and all.

https://forum.novelupdates.com/threads/random-short-translations-from-various-languages-into-english.23969/page-2#post-3595598

Bump.

About to go back to the US now, but havent found any Imo Sae yet. Maybe next time.

Anyamaru Tantei Kiruminzuu. OP is in Thai. Never watched it though.

Hmm, so apparently Thailand also has light novels now. Called that by the publisher and everything.

The one I bought is a one-shot called AkomA 0, a parody of high school life and pop culture in Thailand in the 80s, with the MC being a father reminiscing about his high school days to his son. Its actually very good so far.

Anyways, I also picked up a Steins;Gate LN. Theyre ridiculously thick for LN-sized books, with about 650 pages for the first book and 950 for the second, both with a reduced font size. Seems to be a retelling of the VN from what Ive read of it, but the excellent Thai translation makes it all worth it.

And... still no luck on finding Imo Sae.

So... this new anime called Pop Team Epic came on TV over here. The thing is so ridiculous that I have to wonder how it even got licensed for broadcast, really.

Also just watched Violet Evergarden. The anime seems to be taking a different direction from the LN, with how they go straight to Violet's backstory instead of starting with the episodic stories at her past before the backstory chapters midway through. I'd say that it works better for the anime this way, especially because the recurring side characters are introduced earlier on.

Been on a (very) limited data for the last few days, so I havent been able to watch anything yet. But I did get to finish Uchiage Hanabi and Hayate no Tsubasa 3.

Uchiage Hanabi is even a bit better than the movie, now that I think about it. Mostly because of the overall better dialogue and the written details making the story easier to follow.
Ending is still ambiguous though, but I do have a clearer idea on it.

Hayate no Tsubasa 3 features Nargacuga and does really well in showing a difficult battle against an unknown enemy under time and resource constraints.
A new character introduced in this volume is also quite a surprise, since I thought he was introduced in the MH Episode manga rather than this one.

As for anime, the only things Im definitely following this season are Violet Evergarden and Overlord 2, I guess.

Might also be watching Death March if I feel like it. Still kinda bothered by Satous eyes from the PV though.

Read through Uchiage Hanabi chapters 1 and 2.

So far so good, I'd say. The dialogue is actually a bit more entertaining than in the movie, and the first-person perspective makes scenes flow better in general. The story is also easier to follow in text form, since the visual hints and narrative beat that people would likely miss on their first watch were made a lot more obvious when written.

But since it's in first-person, a few scenes where the MC isn't present in were omitted and replaced with his assumptions on what happens, and ones that weren't omitted were written in a style similar to play scripts. A pretty unusual style there, I'd say.

The first 3 volumes, I think.

The show is consistently good throughout, Id say. But I can see people liking the second half more because the humor does get a bit better and the drama starts kicking in.

Bump.

Found nothing special here, I guess. All 4 volumes of Imo Sae were sold out at the MBK Animate store, so I only got MH Hayate no Tsubasa 3 (released yesterday, apparently) and Cross Road (didnt even know this got a Thai release).

Hmm, finally done with all the holiday reunion stuff, so its all LN and manga browsng from here till I go back to the US, unless something special comes up.

Anyways, I also started reading the Uchiage Hanabi LN. The style its written in already disproves one of my theorised endings (the bad one) and makes the happier end more likely.

Hmm, Happy New Year.

Havent been reading or watching anything over here, since I had to visit lots of relatives during the holidays and stuff.

So... I got to watch the Uchiage Hanabi anime novie and Gintama live action on the flight.

Uchiage Hanabi was good, Id say. Not as melodramatic as the promotional materials made it out to be.
The story itself is mostly a lighthearted feel good teen drama that did well in showing the carefree liveliness (and a bit of selfishness) of youth. The time rewind gimmick also did pretty good in showing the change in characters actions based on what happens or doesnt happen any more, kind of like a route split in visual novels.
The ending is pretty ambiguous though, but I think I have an idea or two about it.

I also bought the LN version of it from Narita Airport, so maybe itll clear some questions up.

As for Gintama live action, its actually good. The acting and costumes are spot on for most characters, and the CG is good enough.
The story is mostly in the Benizakura arc (again) with some new jokes and different references, some good old 4th wall breaking from the anime voice cast, and an awesome theme song courtesy of UVERworld. Pretty hard to mess up, really.

Yeah, it draws heavily from the Chinese Zodiac myth, with the characters' personalities and powers being based on their respective years, and the main battle's progression somewhat resembling the Great Race itself.
The story itself focuses more on the entrants' motivations and desires than the actual action though.

Also, I've read that the LN version actually don't even have the characters' flashbacks, so the focus might be different between each version.

Hmm, Imo Sae anime ended well, so that's a relief. Will definitely be picking up the LNs' Thai release if I can find them.

Also finished Juuni Taisen, which I'd say was alright. The main battle was pretty anticlimactic for an "action" series (but actually pretty amusing in some parts) and it kinda turned into a character flashback show about halfway through, but the series has its fair share of nice moments.

In particular, I quite liked Snake and Dragon's background episodes, and the winner's reflection on the whole battle was fairly interesting. Still, one particular character never got their background episode, which is quite disappointing.

Merry Christmas, people. Hope you have a pleasant holiday and stuff.

Me, Im suddenly called back home, so Ill be leaving in two days.
Expensive tickets and long flights aside, I guess its pretty nice to get to go back again so soon.

Also, I completed Shinigami Volume 1. Its a pleasant read overall, Id say. For a collection of stories all involving the themes of death and loss, its actually not too sad.
Well, the first volume actually isnt all that special, but the second volume onwards seem to be way better received as far as bookmeter reviews go, so Ill probably buy another volume and see how it goes from there.

Well, there are a few chapters where the changes made to the base stories affect Kino's personality in them as a result.

Most of the other 2003 episodes aren't that different from the LN though, but it's just that the selection of adapted chapters give that impression on her character, because they're mostly ones in which she takes a neutral stance in.

And so Kino 2017 ended. I just can't shake the feeling that the end of the final episode was hinting at a new season soon, even though it was just adapting the LN chapter almost word-for-word.

From the impressions I've read, most people who have watched the 2003 version seem to prefer it over the new one. I'm still not 100% sure about it myself, aside from my preference of the new version's Colosseum over the old one.

Still, I just feel that the portrayal of Kino's character throughout the new season seems way more interesting, compared to the old one in which she was a neutral type throughout most of it. She's actually a character full of personality even early on in the LNs, and I have a feeling that the 2003 anime kinda gave a different impression.

Anyways, I also got started with Juuni Taisen, a survival game/battle royale series in which 12 representatives of the Chinese Zodiac battle each other.
Judging from its themes and progression style, I'd guess that it's more of a "how things happen" than a "what happens" kind of story. The elimination order is super predictable so far, but how each fighter is eliminated is not so obvious for the most part.

The in-story world is also quite an interesting one, I'd say. But the source material is a one-volume LN so I won't count on it getting expanded on that much.

Well... that was interesting? It's like the story backpedaled into the "making friends" theme at the last minute or something.
I still kinda want to read the whole thing myself though. Summaries usually give me the wrong impression on things.

That aside... I watched Imo Sae up to Episode 11 now. A bit excessive on the sexual fanservice, but I'm liking everything else of it a whole lot.
Here's hoping at least the final episode ends it well.

Hmm, I don't have that high of an opinion on Haganai as a whole, to be honest. What I've read of it is alright, but it kinda detracted from the "not-so-good people trying to make friends" theme and turned into a harem along the way (or maybe it was already like that since the beginning and I'm expecting the wrong things).

Don't know how it ended yet though. Maybe I'll actually get to finish it when(/if) the Thai release gets another print.

And... I just checked the Thai publisher's website and saw that they already have 4 volumes of Imo Sae out. Now I know what I'm buying next time I get home.

Bump.

With the end of a season, I'm starting to choose shows to binge. Girls' Last Tour is one choice, and Imo Sae also caught my attention (confession: because I actually bothered to read the synopsis this time).

And so... I just watched the first two episodes. Really liking it so far. Depending on how things goes, I might also read the LN when it comes out.

Man, I wish I had enough time to plow through games at that pace. Lots of interesting stuff coming up next year, but I only have enough time for a handful of them.

Well... I usually open up the site once or twice a day most of the time. Don't really have much to post about lately, with my (bought) backlog almost cleared and all.

That said, I did read Shinigami Chapter 2. This one is pretty nice as well, I'd say.
It's also the only chapter in Volume 1 that made its way into the anime and manga, if I remember correctly.

(Was going to click edit but hit delete instead. Gah.)

legendarylemur posted...

barnnn posted...

Bump.

For some reason, I just dug up my Dragon Quest 4 DS cart and began a new playthrough. Pretty hooked too, so it'll probably be a while until I continue reading Shinigami.

I've played DQ 9, appreciated for what it is but didn't end up enjoying it much. The combat was the biggest issue for me. It felt like playing an NES RPG, and the general strategy was just attack with your biggest move every time

I've played every numbered title except 7, 10, and 11. I'd say that the series is pretty simple when it comes to the battle system. Some of the side games like Monsters Joker are significantly better in that regards.
I've always liked the world building styles and stories though, especially 4 and 5. Somehow, they're the kind of RPGs in which I don't feel so compelled to rush to the next story objective.

Which reminds me, I'm also waiting for the localization of 11. Might pick up the 3DS version of it as well if I like the PS4 version enough.

Bump.

For some reason, I just dug up my Dragon Quest 4 DS cart and began a new playthrough. Pretty hooked too, so it'll probably be a while until I continue reading Shinigami.

Still really want XX on Switch localized though. Astalos looks beautiful with those transparent wing membranes.
Well, it wouldn't inconvenience me much playing it in Japanese, but I'd rather not start over, with all the grinding I did in Gen.

As for World, I can't really judge it now since the beta's difficulty is toned way down with 9 carts and decent gear (Long Sword is the red Wyvern Blade, and everything else is on the same attack tier) against Anjanath at best for main objectives. I've noticed that the returning monsters are slightly harder than they used to be though, and the new monsters aren't exactly pushovers either as far as their movesets go (except Great Jagras, but that one's more or less a Great Jaggi equivalent).

So I got to play the Monster Hunter World beta. Hooked up some high school friends who I used to play MH Freedom and P3rd with and having a good time so far.

Despite all the changes, it's definitely still Monster Hunter. Not really that casualized either, I'd say. Both the players and monsters are faster so it balances out.

legendarylemur posted...

Anybody read Akashic Records LN past where the anime left off? I dunno if it's worth a read or not

Nope, didn't read it.

And... the book's here. One day late, not damaged, no big deal.

Read through Chapter 1 and the translation quality is great so far. Honorifics and some Japanese terms were kept, and a few pages in the beginning contain definitions of them.

As for the story, it's episodic and is about people's encounters with an abnormally kind shinigami as she helps the dead move on with the least regrets as possible.
Chapter 1 had a pretty... predictable pattern as far as the character drama goes, but it's still pretty nice.

There wasn't a prime shipping option for this one, unfortunately. Stuff is out of print now, and it's one of those earlier licensed LNs that apparently didn't sell very well.

Well, there's also that time I ordered from Amazon JP, I guess. But that order didn't even have tracking and just turned up on my doors one random day a few weeks after the order.

Doomed to fail, huh. It really sucks knowing that things wont go well no matter what you do. Hope you at least get through it fine.

legendarylemur posted...

That cuts into my Xenoblade time.

This though... literally me when Im addicted to something.

Anyway... its the last day of the delivery date range, and Shinigami no Ballad isnt here yet. This is my first time using non-prime shipping for Amazon, so Im not sure if I should have expected this or not. Oh well.