Lurker > barnnn

Hmm... I do want a Switch and all, but I'm still not sure on when to pick it up. Aside from MH World and 13 Sentinels, I don't really have anything on its way either. I might or might not pick up Pokemon Ultra and Dragon's Dogma, and nothing else really catches my interest.

Well anyway... it looks like a list of adapted chapters for the new Kino anime has been revealed. Three key chapters from the old series (Adults, Coliseum, Kindness) and nine new. Without spoiling the new ones, I'd say that they're pretty good selections.
I kinda wanted the "I want to live" chapter to be re-adapted though, but I know that it's so minor of a chapter that it's virtually impossible.

And, well... SAO Alicization, GGO, and Index III anime series were also announced.
Alicization is apparently the only good non-Aincrad part of the main series LN (I only read Progressive), so I'll probably give it a look (if I don't forget it).
GGO's LN is written by the author of Kino, and people who read it noted that the gun combat is miles above what Kawahara wrote, so that's something. I'll probably try out the LN some time later.
And Index, well... I haven't even started season 2 yet. Took them long enough though, considering the sequel LN is almost as long as the original series LN now.

It should be, technically anyway. The series has an episodic structure, with one chapter of the novel or one/two episode(s) of the original anime series telling a self-contained story.

Well, there's one particular chapter/episode that details Kino and Hermes' backstory, which may or may affect how you view those two characters in future chapters. I'm not really sure if this will be adapted for the new anime series or not, but I also think it'll be fine missing this chapter, at least until later on.
And you can always go back for it in original anime adaptation if the new series doesn't have it. I'd say that the old series still holds up pretty well thanks to its stylistic choices.

So Kino got a new PV. Looking good, save for one scene with a little too noticeable CG (not bad, just too noticeable).
I like the theme song, but still prefer the original series' more.

And from one particular scene, it looks like they're adapting scenes that were left out from the original series' Coliseum chapter, which is exactly what I wanted.

So... I came across this while browsing booklive. It's apparently an official Minecraft Isekai (collaboration, but official nonetheless). And it was even released before Minecraft: The Island. Hmm...

https://booklive.jp/product/index/title_id/418887/vol_no/001

Well... its in the culture, I suppose.
From what I've learned about Japan from 1600 onwards, every citizen under the samurai class are essentially the shogun's slaves. They own no property nor currency, and their only purpose in life is pretty much to do work, get married (no say in that either), and have kids.
Thing is, they're pretty much slaves (but with significant differences), but it's so etched into their way of life that it might affect the modern Japanese people's perception on slavery and stuff by making them not understand the significance of some aspects.

That was actually the case for me too, actually. Long story short, my country was able to abolish slavery without a civil war unlike America, and the Thai teachers would often discredit America for being incompetent and stuff. But when I looked deeper, the circumstances of the two countries' slaves are different, in addition to the countries' scales, ways of life, and racial issues, meaning things certainly can't be played out the same way.

legendarylemur posted...

Was reading a run of the mill manga adaptation of an LN. Sooo... they talk about how oh this world's values are le differento, they have slaaaves and they don't treat them like peopleee, and the main girl who's a slave has a rag top... and a skirt... and panties that are of decent design (aka not just a plain white pair of panties). Hello? Why the hell would a slave that's treated like a non-human have a clean skirt and panties combo? Such minor poor design choices do well to pull me out of the world

Well that's... pretty ridiculous. Did they ever, like, give a reasoning for that? It really is something that shouldn't have been overlooked.
...Reminds me of one of the bible-based films that has a scene where Jesus drinks from a plastic cup.

Well... I finally finished Cross Soul's prologue after doing a little bit everyday. This one will probably be my next main project if I ever finish Yuuki Rin's MH series.

Link: https://goo.gl/YdxuRt

So I came across this on Twitter. Apparently it was announced in GAGAGA Bunko's event that Oregairu is going to have Volume 13 and 14 as a simultaneous release, with 14 being the final volume.
No release date yet though, as far as I know.

https://twitter.com/hnk5032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fyaraon-blog.com%2Farchives%2F113662

I haven't watched the anime version aside from the point when it deviated from the manga. It's was alright, and the final bonus episode was actually heartwarming in a way, but the arc felt very rushed.
Obvious, I do like the manga version more, aside from minor details I liked from the anime's final arc. It was (mostly) consistently fun, and the author doesn't pull his punches as much as most others.

Speaking of manga, I really can't wait for Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction to resume, which should be in two weeks or so. It's pretty much the only manga I'm following closely right now, and is heading in a very... "interesting" direction before the hiatus.

That's... kinda expected, I guess? The characters I've seen killed off so far are just extras, so I don't think the author is out to kill off the main cast like, say, Akame ga Kiru.

That series is pretty cool, though I haven’t read much of the original manga yet. The contrast in the cute female cast, the brutal as hell MC, and the grim story seem to fit together surprisingly well, to say the least.

I’ll have to check the prequel manga and the LN later, hopefully when I’m done reading the MH novels I have in my backlog.

Hmm, I haven't got around to reading the rest of that yet. I'm more interested in, say, Volume 4 or 5 though...

Anyway. While I'm translating MH Volume 3, I also finally got to finish reading Volume 3 of Flash Hunter. While having the same story as the manga's corresponding arc, the novel version is so different that it almost feels like a whole new (well, old) story. Really goes to show how the original characters and filler arcs of the manga changed the story's direction.
I do prefer the novel version of this arc though, because the manga focused too much on... manga exclusive plot points that overshadowed all the character development Torche was supposed to get.

Yeah, it's really some good stuff, and the dub is indeed fantastic. I just don't bring it up often because it's hard to talk about the series without spoiling stuff, and the anime version is best watched going in blind (maybe a synopsis to get a general idea of the premise is OK).

The anime adaptation is very different to the LN in that it shows three (but more like two and a half) story arcs simultaneously and jumps between them mid-episode, bringing them together to their climaxes and endings in the final episode (not counting OVAs which adapt the drama CD). It's a chaotically fun series with a whole lot of eccentric characters.

Man, the LN version of Baccano! is super addicting. I pretty much completed the first volume in one sitting.
Even when I know how things will go from having watched the anime, the LN is different enough to keep it fresh, and getting to experience the story without juggling 3 arcs at a time really makes everything more clear the first time through.

Well anyway, I think I better get back to translating MH soon. Been porcrastinating for no particular reason for a while now.

Yeah, there's a good chance for the slave topic to cause some noise. The "slave" circumstances in various Asian countries are significantly different from the U.S., so I can see the general western audience being more "sensitive" to it.
I haven't read Death March past WN chapter 1 and LN volume 1 though, and I'm not really in the mood. So I don't really know much about the series as of now.

By the way, I've decided to pick up Baccano! volume 1 after having a rewatch marathon of the anime over the weekend.
Going through the first episode again (even years after finishing the series) really ties everything up nicely, and so I picked up the LN version so that I can experience each story arc individually.

Eh... I've already got my lifetime filling of hot springs from playing/watching the Utawarerumono trilogy, so I'll probably pass for now.

And yeah, while I don't really understand what being "relateable" means, I can understand that people like Isekai and fantasies based in modern time, maybe because they're the ones that provide a good amount of entertainment while requiring the least amount of familiarizing.

That's what makes me more curious about what will be the trend next, really. Because the current one seems to be a surefire option that won't ever go away.
There just needs to be one work with immense popularity to make it happen though (like Mushoku Tensei? in case of Isekai) so it might very well happen spontaneously.

Speaking of popular, with Kino's Journey consistent high popularity in Japan after all this time, it's surpring that the number of "ripoffs" I've seen are close to none. You wouldn't think Kino is popular based on that factor.

Eh, Thai nationalism is anything but subtle. It's effectively shoved in the face of every child the moment they receive formal education, which makes me question why it's seen as nothing wrong by a good chunk of the population. The people don't reject foreign elements or anything, but there's this unexplainable but clearly noticeable "racist" (for lack of better word) quality deeply ingrained in the society. Like, nationalistic and/or racist depictions in the media are as blatant as they can get, but the populace seem to be completely fine with it.

Anyway, I don't really read much of the Isekai genre (the newer ones, at least), so I haven't seen much of those hot springs and sailor uniforms yet. I feel that those are just pandering to the readers' (and possibly author's) fetishes though, however Japanese they may be.
On the other hand, I've seen complaints about the MCs being able to recreate earth's technologies when they shouldn't know how to do so when putting their backgrounds into consideration, and that's what would bother me more.

But speaking of the "oversaturated" genres, I really wonder what will be the next one. I started to follow the LN scene more closely when there was a boom in magic/fantasy themed schools (it was back when Infinite Stratos was popular), so I got to see the influx of MMOs and Isekai. It was quite an entertaining experience really, seeing a great quantity of "fresh" ideas before things get stale and stuff.

Hmm, I see. That's totally fair, yes.

I'm not saying that Gate's story is that good, of course. The main story itself is mediocre in my opinion, but it has merits in a number of individual characters and sense of humor. And by humor I don't mean just the jokes, but also absurd things can get in some points.
I was hooked because I want to see more of the characters I like, essentially. And to my luck, a few of my favorites do get a good amount of screentime and key roles. But only a few.

The magic of this fantasy world is on a pretty mediocre level, obviously. And it does baffle me that the empire's got an army of dragon riders but don't seem to have any magic-specialized units. Still, can't have them be too strong or we won't see fighter jets vs giant dragons, eh?
But the human world's science actually contributes to the fantasy world's advance in magic, which is one of the points I personally like.

The political issue isn't really from the in-story capable ruler, but rather from a certain idiot who comes up and threatens to ruin everything both sides have been working towards. That and Japan's own political issues with other countries making the prime minister worry for their own reputation and foreign relations. It's indecisiveness on the government's part, essentially. There's also a minor plot point that the JSDF are presented in a negative light by Japan's media, which hinders their scope of action.

As for the nationalism, well, it is indeed overglorified in parts. It's actually a good thing that they weren't showcased too much, and that those overglorified things don't actually play key roles in the main plot.

But still, nationalism is something that I tend to overlook in stories, and that's not limited to Japan or Thai nationalism. I've been around and stuff so I experience nationalism pretty much everywhere I've been to, which I guess makes me more "tolerant," for lack of better word. If the work isn't literally created for the sole purpose of glorifying a specific thing (whether it's a person, nation, ideology, etc.) all throughout, I can usually overlook those aspects and take in the rest.
I probably won't read novel version of Gate though, unless I find out that the rest of the story is actually super good, which is highly unlikely.

And well... Thai nationalism is probably the worst I've seen in any form of entertainment I've consumed, and that's what I spent a good part of my life with. It's to the point of embarrassment, really. Thankfully, I was enrolled in a private school with an "English Program," which exposed me more to the cultures of other countries. Thing is, I don't hate my country and all, but I can clearly see it regressing more and more if this keeps up. (Sorry for the kinda unrelated rant here)

So I watched the whole Gate JSDF anime in the last two days. It's one of the very few shows that managed to hook me this much, despite its glaring nationalism issues.

I'd say that a good chunk of the earth characters were surprisingly interesting (but the ones I like don't get much screentime), including the MC (he's still one of the least interesting characters though).
The fantasy world characters in the main cast (the mage, in particular) are also great, as they contribute greatly to the cultural exchange between the two worlds.

I've seen people complain that the JSDF were written to be overly heroic, but I can clearly see the negative impact on the fantasy world from their deeds.
And considering the technology and education gap, it's only logical that the JSDF would win against most of the fantasy world in terms of combat. They do have difficulties dealing with political situations, of course.

The series also has a pretty good sense of humor. Kinda reminds me of a military student boot camp I went to during high school.

Well... Death March's anime is most likely going to be based on the LN version (from what I've seen of volume 1) which has tighter pacing (and about 60-70% rewritten content, or so the author claims), so it's probably going to be alright.

And is it just me, or does Satu's face look weird?

Hmm, maybe I should pick up some VNs after I'm done with MH Stories. I used to read quite a few of them, but haven't started anything new since last year's Zero Time Dilemma (if that counts).

And yeah, MH Stories. I find the game's main story so far a lot more enjoyable compared to the anime, despite the game having less characters and overarching drama for the (mostly) same main plot.

Also... I just found out that Kadokawa Tsubasa doesn't do digital releases, meaning I won't be getting Nyanta Life Volume 2 and the MH Stories LN anytime soon. Gah.

Finally got around to reading MH Hayate no Tsubasa Volume 2.

Most of the book focuses on the Guild Knights researching ecology of monster subspecies. This one is big step up from the first volume, having a lot of interesting ecology details and better fight scenes with more appropriate length.

The Thai release doesn't have anything beyond this though, so I'll probably pick up the Japanese copies for the rest of this series some time down the line.

Alright, I managed to finish Volume 2 Chapter 5, just in time for my flight back to the US. There's still the epilogue and afterword left for this book though.

https://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Monster_Hunter:Volume2_Chapter5

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0ByTOB0gqvyjtNEdQYTRmeWtwUnM/view?usp=sharing

The anime covered up to volume 4.
I think there's about half a chapter of volume 2 that wasn't animated though.

Well yeah, for an MMO, the original SAO's system was badly designed. Crude skill progression and limited supply OP equipment and skills (Tower Shield, Dual Blades, Dragon Taming, and Bow), among other things. It worked great for Hollow Fragment, a single player game, but slapping a single player game system on an MMO just doesn't cut it.

And with that system, having a party does mean that each person gets a lower skill use count, because a well-coordinated team is shown to tear through everything their level like paper (stunlocks by switching in and out with Sword Skills), provided it's not a floor boss (damn no-stagger HP sponges). And I imagine most players wouldn't really want to tackle something too risky, since it's an actual matter of life and death, which is what puts them behind players dedicated to clearing floors.

Besides, the events in Progressive so far are from before Kirito loses his guild, so maybe that's why he's still cooperative and stuff. It's also implied that he power leveled like crazy after getting access to dual wield, whereas he was just as strong as an average front liner before then, except for the OP weapon he got from one of the floor bosses.

GiftedACIII posted...

Anyone read Sakurasou?

Not yet. I also haven't even watched the anime past the first episode, but plan to get back to it someday.

Well, I'd imagine that grinding solo in the original SAO would still be more efficient for Kirito, because skill mastery is gained by amount of usage rather than experience points. Meaning, he could just gain weapon and buff mastery safely and efficiently by plowing through mid-low level enemies. There's also the minimum EXP output (10, iirc), which makes it actually just as efficient for a skilled solo player to, say, kill weak enemies that give 10 EXP each as opposed to getting together a team to fight enemies their level that give 200-300 EXP each.

Though so far in the Progressive series (up to 5th Floor), Kirito is seen to be quite cooperative when not grinding in his free time, which is... so far the opposite of how the original LN portrayed him. Maybe the solo playing part was retconned to be just his negative in-game reputation.

But seriously, that new GGO game is just Freedom Wars done wrong. They even got the same human movement, grappling hook, and some other stuff. But the enemies are now SAO Lost Song cannon fodder as opposed to the Abductors, which were stronger and more durable than even the monsters from Monster Hunter.
It also looks to be a TPS-RPG hybrid, as opposed to the LN's GGO which was portrayed as a competitive FPS.
The casual-ish elements in the LN could have been added out of neccessity for a full-dive game since they were recreating the feel of real guns, and they're not exactly easy to play with for an average person at least from the stuff I've handled before. But in a game you play on a screen with a controller, they're just bad design.

There's also actually a GGO side story LN written by another author, and from what I've sampled, it's way better written than Kawahara's Phantom Bullet Arc.

Ah, right. I guess I kind of overlooked those parts for the discussion, since I've spent way too much time with them (when translating). They were interesting to read through, and I was actually surprised at them being more detailed than what I expected.

And... I just remembered that I totally forgot to post Chapter 4 here.

https://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Monster_Hunter:Volume2_Chapter4

Ah, I don't think it's ever reached that level.

Maybe, maybe not. It kind of depends on the authors' writing styles.
The first series (By Yuuki Rin, particularly the first chapter of each volume) is pretty heavy on the explanation of everything relevant, but at least they're relevant (and not just a single detail at a time).
The subsequent series (By Keiichi Hikami) is pretty light in that regard, perhaps a bit too little.
The one I'm reading now is the latest series (By Gorou Seino) and its pretty balanced in monster descriptions, but a bit too little on world building.

Like Mushihi as in a collection of short stories with no overarching plot? That's kind of what the MH LNs are.

They follow different groups of characters characters with different objectives, how monsters affect their lives and the world, and how the characters (hunter or no) live with them.
Sure, readers follow (mostly) human characters and some of their personal drama, but at the end of the day, the meat of the novels is still the world and its monsters.

And of course, they couldn't put anything elaborate in the games, since having too much of it would distract players from the gameplay, not to mention it has to work in with a single hunter character since they just can't have AI human hunters like in God Eater and such.
It's a different story for novels, since they're not limited by game mechanics and hardware technology.

Well yeah, they're all short stories. The longest one they've made so far is only 8 volumes long, and even that one doesn't focus on just two or three characters.

You'll also have to consider that not every story has to be of epic proportions to be one worth following. And that the world of the MH series has a lot more going on for it than the monsters. Not that most of the western playerbase care about it, but the Japanese playerbase have been interested in the series' world building and stuff from the very start. FB was capitalizing on that when they released the first book which contained a ton of lore and world building, but it ended up working so they never stopped doing it.

They're all official. Well, except for two books which were official anthologies of fan stories.

Some take their plot from the games, and others have original stories with the game story happening in the background. And you know, it's Monster Hunter. You can't have something heavy like a chosen hero killing the demon lord to save the world or any of that stuff.

The plot of the games are actually enough to base a book on, believe it or not. All they needed to do was fill in some blanks.

Cookie Bag posted...

Haven't checked these topics in a while and i see in the OP there's a monster hunter LN... surely its terrible isn't it... MH isn't known for having a deep plot of a growing world or anything... how do you make a LN out of it?

It's really good though. Better than a lot fantasy LNs I've read, really.

MH actually has a really detailed world, it's just that it's not shoved in your face and people don't really bother to connect the dots together.
All of the LNs are connected in one big continuity with a bunch of stories running parallel to each other but in different locations. They mostly focus more on character drama and personal adventures, but they're done very well.

So one of the Vocaloid novels I'm interested in, Sakura no Ame, just released here yesterday.
Already went ahead and picked it up. Let's see how it goes.

So... you know that MH Cross novel I've been translating on the side? I'm trying to make all of Meowstress' lines rhyme just like in the game.
This is going to give me nightmares, I'm sure.

Do give it a look. Despite being underwhelming regarding how some scenes were adapted, it's one of my favorite anime series.

Hmm, I didn't notice that the new Kino anime just got a PV. Looking good so far.

I really do hope they remake the the Competition chapter in some way, or at least just its ending section. The original adaptation was underwhelming.

Huh, I actually read some random chapters of it via a Thai translation page on Facebook. The comment section of each page had people calling out the funny/ridiculous happenings, and it was quite entertaining to read.

Not that much from what I remember. There are only two characters so far that express their feelings on wearing monster skin. Fradio from the first series, and one of the D4 from Ten'i Muhou no D.

Others just mostly complain about the design not fitting their taste (Male Kirin), heat circulation being bad (Rathalos), having too many spikes (Kut-Ku), stuff like that. In general, the "better" the armor, the less comfortable it is to wear.
In particular, one character hated the Rathalos Soul U armor because it strains his muscles too much (likely in reference to the -10 Health skill points it gives), but he had to bear with it because it's the best armor he had at the time.

Yeah, I'm interested in how the story will go in the later volumes, where it finally invades the kingdom and stuff like that. I might even buy the raws some time down the line.

Well, I'm reading Flash Hunter Volume 2 right now. It's pretty much a "Keres Arc", so a big chunk of story so far is reserved for Keres's characterization. As I read the manga version beforehand, the difference in Bexel's introduction scene and Keres's interactions with him really caught me off guard. In a good way.

Edit: I also translated another scene of Cross Soul, posted on the same NUF topic above.

Welp, just read through the first two chapters. Didn't pay much attention to the intercourse part, but the ecology and action parts were top notch.

That old man left behind one hell of a legacy though, considering the possibility that the ooze would just dry out if nobody went up there in the first place.

What the hell. That actually sounds pretty awesome.
I'm a sucker for monster ecology, so I'll keep my eye on that one.

Speaking of which, I just remembered that I haven't posted the folder for MH V.2 Ch.4 yet. Scenes 1 and 2 uploaded so far, scene 3 coming along nicely.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0ByTOB0gqvyjtVEt4bmxhb3BmcUE?usp=sharing


I also translated an excerpt each of MH Flash Hunter and MH Cross Soul. Full prologue for Flash, one scene for Cross. Just posting here in case I decide to pick one of those two up as a side project, since i bought them as eBooks which means I can translate them on the go.
http://forum.novelupdates.com/threads/random-short-translations-from-various-languages-into-english.23969/page-2

It's... about a girl with pancreatic cancer spending her last year. That sex joke is just an unfortunate coincidence.

The original novel is a one-shot and completely translated, in case you're interested.

So the film adaptation on "I Want to Eat Your Pancreas" made good money for its opening week in Japan, and an anime film adaptation was just announced, slated for next year. Good stuff.

It's also pretty well known here in Thailand, but apparently because the "eat your pancreas" part literally translates into a Thai slang that stands for "to have sex".

Here's hoping it's good.
And speaking of LN adaptations, I hope Violet Evergarden and Kino's Journey turn out to be good as well.

Still alive and kicking here.
Here's the Google Drive folder for Volume 2 Ch. 3:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0ByTOB0gqvyjtWDNSNVdCNDBUaUE?usp=sharing

Anyway, I bought eBooks of Monster Hunter: Flash Hunter LN from a sale the other day, and I must say that it's better than the manga in every way so far, save for the lack of Brad and Kirin. In particular, Keres and Bexel's characterizations are way better compared to their manga counterparts.

And speaking of manga, I came across a good one called Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction. It's a funny slice of life series with terriffic art and some dark implications.

Welp, I imported some novels the other day. Started reading the one called 2409 Kai no Kanojo. Getting some Kino's Journey vibes from this one.

legendarylemur posted...

barnnn posted...

legendarylemur posted...

https://circustranslations.com/chapter-list/

I found a pretty good LN. There's a manga of this that goes 18 chapters. It's quite good, and the main character is a slime

Huh, now I know where the Dragon Ball Yamcha spin off got its name from.

Wait, what's the title? Though I suppose the concept of reincarnation or being reborn isn't new to Yamcha lmao

Tensei Shitara Yamcha datta ken

It's about a high school boy who is reincarnated as Yamcha after dying in an accident.

legendarylemur posted...

https://circustranslations.com/chapter-list/

I found a pretty good LN. There's a manga of this that goes 18 chapters. It's quite good, and the main character is a slime

Huh, now I know where the Dragon Ball Yamcha spin off got its name from.

legendarylemur posted...

I should read Log Horizon. I looooooved the anime, and I wanted the story to progress. Does the main guy actually get with the ninja girl though? That's very important to me

It's certainly a good read, especially if you liked the anime. The world building is done a bit better in text, and we get to know what the characters actually think of the situation as opposed to the anime where they seem to be enjoying it most of the time.

The source material doesn't get very far from the anime yet (like, just 1 volume and a half).
The romance doesn't seem to get anywhere just yet, because in the web novel version, Volume 11 was all about Krusty, and the ongoing Volume 12 is focusing on the political stuff.