What this forum needs is more Yotsubato [Archive]

Dorfl

2003-11-16, 21:16

I heard they made Yukari-sensei into a Spanish teacher in the manga, how could they?? In the first place, why would they be learning Spanish instead of English in Japan? And more importantly, how can you have Yukari without "Go! Fight! Fantastic!" and "I have nassin' to teach you?" I was planning to buy the manga at first because it has so much stuff that never showed up in the anime but if this is the case then they can go stuff themselves. Die(urinating dog, urinating dog). :bash:

Animaniac

2003-11-17, 00:07

It's not that bad. I mean the fact that you get to see strips that were never scaned (book 2) should be reason enough. Also, I hear all the anglification stuff is toned down in book 2.

Diedrupo

2003-12-19, 11:38

Yotsubato! is awesome! Love it to death, love it even more than Azumanga (one of my favorite anime/manga ever). :)

Anyway, just a few comments on the Azumanga translation:
- Yukari is often refered to as Yukari-sensei in the manga, not Yukari-chan, so it makes sense that they refer to her as Miss Yukari.
- Chiyo is refered to as Chiyo-chan because everyone calls her that
- They initially made Yukari a spanish teacher, because it would be hard to make her be an english teacher if she was talking in english. But they changed her back to teaching english otherwise later gags would make no sense. the subject rarely comes up anyway.

Thany

2003-12-27, 08:32

By the way, the 5th episode is up now :)

Shii

2004-01-08, 00:29

6 and 7 up

Oh, BTW, ADV realised that their Azumanga translation sucked, and fixed it in volume 2. I can only pray that they will release a version 2 :heh:

truce

2004-01-13, 22:50

man, this manga is hilarious. i bought the first book a few weeks ago. also, it made me glad i learned japanese, cause the way they talk is pretty simple since the story revolves around a young girl (yotsuba). plus, i think it's more humorous in the original language....i would definitely suggest it as practice.

babbito2k

2004-01-15, 00:13

I love this manga! I grabbed the tankubon before I saw any translations around just 'cause of the author (I bought the Azumanga Daioh tankubons in Japanese too when they came out).

I was able to read most of it in Japanese - the part about where Yotsuba came from really threw me but the rest was not so hard. I even sat around with my nieces and read some of it off to them, translating on the fly... they loved it too! They think Yotsuba is the greatest!

babbito2k

2004-02-18, 15:00

Chapter 8 (http://home.nc.rr.com/momotato/yotsubato.html) - a new character brings a fresh perspective ^_^;;

This manga never fails to make me laugh out loud.

BOZZY

2004-02-20, 01:36

Holy God... This is by far the funniest manga I have ever read... Man... Azumanga Daioh was cute and funny at times (is it true that they made Osaka talk with a Brooklyn accent and that Yukari (did I get the right name?) teaches Spanish?) but boy this series can't stop me from laughing out loud... way funny...

ChocoEd

2004-02-20, 11:41

Azumanga Daioh was cute and funny at times (is it true that they made Osaka talk with a Brooklyn accent and that Yukari (did I get the right name?) teaches Spanish?)

Yeah, the first volume of ADV's version took some liberties with the translation in the way of cultural conversions. They seem to have settled down a lot in volumes 2 and 3, though, so hopefully the subs for the anime will be pretty reasonable. (I was a bit worried after volume 1.)

babbito2k

2004-02-20, 12:24

This thread is about Azumanga Daioh; many posts discuss the ADV translation.

eliviex

2004-02-22, 00:20

This manga only describes a daily life.
But it's more interesting than sensational movies.
The chracters created by Azuma Kiyohiko
don't have a sexual appeal,but are very cute.

Dorfl

2004-02-22, 01:33

Yes, he certainly shows us that it's possible to have a whole series full of girls and not make it ecchi. Certain other mangaka (who will not be named) could definitely take a cue from that >___<.

MrBrown

2004-02-26, 03:08

Yep, this manga is great. I personally like it more than Azumanga, though I loved that one too.

I also sincerely recommend reading it in japanese, if you have any skill at all. I can see it losing alot of it's impact in translation (not dissing the translations you linked to, haven't read them).

babbito2k

2004-02-28, 03:20

Chapter 9 (http://home.nc.rr.com/momotato/yotsubato.html) is up. I can't understand how this manga gets funnier with each new chapter.

http://server6.uploadit.org/files/babbito2k-tell_me_in_hell.jpg

Dorfl

2004-02-28, 03:27

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! OMG, I was laughing so hard, I could breathe, especially when Yotsuba killed the teddy-bear and was like "I don't kill women and children."OMG...........
Hahahaha, this is the funniest thing I've read in a loooong long time!

Mr_Paper

2004-02-28, 04:10

I love this manga!

I loved when Asagi gets the pistol and shoots Yatsuba. Then proceeds to unload the entire gun into her while she's laying on the floor.:D

"Ah, she came back to life."

Breogan

2004-02-28, 12:28

Azuma-sensei is god :bow:
My face hurts... I couldn't stop laughing while reading this episode.

Breogan

2004-03-22, 00:19

Ahh, chapter 10 available for download. It was very funny (not as much as chapter 9 tho :))

Mr_Paper

2004-03-22, 00:40

Chapter ten wasn't quite as funny as chapter nine but that look
on Yotsuba's face was priceless. She looked like the world was
about to end. :heh:

Kyuven

2004-03-22, 01:18

Azumanga Daioh (manga) vol. 3 by ADV has translation notes in the back
as a matter of fact, almost EVERY ADV manga i've picked up (Shichinin no Nana (Seven of Seven), Steel Angel, Azumanga Daioh, Full Metal Panic) has translator notes in the more recent volumes.

Mr_Paper

2004-03-22, 01:20

Umm... That seriously came out of nowhere. :eyebrow:

Are you sure you posted that in the right place?

Dorfl

2004-03-22, 01:56

Hmm, yes, I think I prefer chapter 9 to chapter 10. 10 was okay, but nothing really special.

babbito2k

2004-03-23, 02:14

I thought chapter 10 was very good. It wasn't as funny as 8 or 9 but it was nice to see the girls playing together without all hell breaking loose ^_^;; The moment where Yotsuba stopped Asagi made the whole chapter. *Ole!*

Dorfl

2004-03-29, 23:45

Chapter 11 is out! What crazy adventures will Yotsuba get up to this time? :D

Tzurial

2004-04-06, 22:43

For those who don't know, Chapter 12 (http://home.nc.rr.com/momotato/yotsubato.html) is up!

ho ho...yotsuba cracks me up like an egg in a blender!!

Ruisu

2004-04-11, 17:12

Heh, about time other people started talking Yotsuba. I think it carries a similar flavor as far as humor goes (well, close to what Azumanga Daioh had), but at the same time has its own type of comedy (gotta love Jumbo). I'm surprised to see others call Yotsuba a Yukari/Tomo fusion, since most people I've spoken with call her a Chiyo/Osaka fusion. I hope volume 2 comes out soon; after all, I can re-read Azumanga Daioh only so many times... >.>

Shii

2004-04-11, 18:26

At Anime Boston, all the copies of the Yotsubato manga sold out on the first day.

Izzy

2004-04-27, 09:42

w00t....... 3 chapters are now available :D

*downloads*

Tsu

2004-05-01, 13:03

They have to make an anime out of this. (Almost curtain.)
On this (http://www.moonphase.cc/Html/anime.html) site, in the first table (labled 新作TVアニメ , or New Production TV Anime), which is supposedly a list with new TV anime series currently in production. The last one on that list is よつばと！, which happens to be Yotsubato! written in hiragana.
Of course, I could be completely wrong, or the site simply inaccurate, but there's always wishful thinking ^-^

And yes, Yotsubato! is, as ADV would put it, Awesomely McAwesome.
GYAAAAA!

Dorfl

2004-05-01, 13:41

I'm not sure there's enough Yotsuba manga currently out there to make an anime from. I think they should wait a year or two for it to either end or get way ahead before they make an anime from it, so they don't end up putting pointless fillers in it.

Key

2004-05-01, 14:00

I need more Yotsuba to! T.T

This is the most laugh-inducing manga I've read in a long, long time. So refreshing. And yes, it's nice to see a manga about a bunch of cute girls and not have them land in a bunch of sexual positions every 5 pages. XD

Dorfl

2004-05-01, 14:40

Yes, he certainly shows us that it's possible to have a whole series full of girls and not make it ecchi. Certain other mangaka (who will not be named) could definitely take a cue from that >___<. Haha, glad I'm not the only one who noticed that.

ubb

2004-05-01, 17:58

After reading yotsubato I'm not sure if I want to have kids anymore

Dorfl

2004-05-01, 19:38

:eek: My brother said the exact opposite! He said after reading Yotsubato! he couldn't wait to have a little girl of his own, I was like wtf...slow down bro! *shakes head* Boys! =_=

Mr_Paper

2004-05-03, 13:41

:eek: My brother said the exact opposite! He said after reading Yotsubato! he couldn't wait to have a little girl of his own, I was like wtf...slow down bro! *shakes head* Boys! =_= You have to remember... Yatsuba was adopted. Once he's eighteen its possible, however slight the odds, that he can adopt a kid that's somewhat the same.

I, personally, would like a daughter. Remembering some... most... all the stupid things I did that can be explained by either the "boys will be boys" mentality or rampant amounts of testosterone, I'm personally afraid of what I'd teach my son if I ever had one. -.-;

Shii

2004-05-03, 14:32

On this (http://www.moonphase.cc/Html/anime.html) site, in the first table (labled 新作TVアニメ , or New Production TV Anime), which is supposedly a list with new TV anime series currently in production. The last one on that list is よつばと！, which happens to be Yotsubato! written in hiragana.
Of course, I could be completely wrong, or the site simply inaccurate, but there's always wishful thinking ^-^Next to it it says "噂", which means "Rumor".

We can only pray :)

MrBrown

2004-05-03, 16:24

An anime, with only 16 chapters of the manga out? I doubt it.

Would be nice, though.

Mr_Paper

2004-05-03, 16:35

An anime, with only 16 chapters of the manga out? I doubt it.

Would be nice, though.Not really all that impossible...

Once all the characters are introduced, there's only ten at most and seven of them could be introduced in the first episode alone, it would be easy to make a simple 13 episode series out of it. It doesn't need any real plot, since 99% of the manga is somewhat random and the character development is pretty low key right now. It would basically be a series of single episode adventures much like what the manga is now.

Although if they do it, I want to see Yatsuba and Revenge. :D

Key

2004-05-03, 16:43

An anime would be great. XD

Just wanna hear Yotsuba-chan yell out "Donmai! Donmai!" <3

babbito2k

2004-05-03, 17:03

Not really all that impossible...

Once all the characters are introduced, there's only ten at most and seven of them could be introduced in the first episode alone, it would be easy to make a simple 13 episode series out of it. It doesn't need any real plot, since 99% of the manga is somewhat random and the character development is pretty low key right now. It would basically be a series of single episode adventures much like what the manga is now.

Although if they do it, I want to see Yatsuba and Revenge. :D
I am in favor of letting the manga run awhile - the last few chapters I read seemed to work on the characters a bit. One thing Azumanga Daioh has going for it is the way it develops the characters in the quieter scenes.

I also think that given enough material, the money would be there for a longer series, because the adaptation of Azumanga Daioh did so well.

Mr_Paper

2004-05-03, 17:20

Truthfully, I'd like to see the manga run a bit longer before a television adaptation is created. As interesting as it would be, I think a series who's sole purpose is to be filler would get boring really fast and ultimately hurt the series rather than help it.

I was just stating that given the state of the manga now a simple television adaptation is still possible.

bluemist

2004-05-04, 19:04

I can't help but thinking Yotsuba's gonna sound like Chiyo-chan if ever it gets animated...

Kyuven

2004-05-05, 19:55

nah, yotsuba would sound a bit different that chiyo
not much, but it'd exist
Kiyohiko Azuma's (creator of Yotsubato and Azumanga Daioh) works are easily adaptable to anime format...with the right director
the difference with Azumanga and Yotsubato is that Azumanga was a 4 panel daily comic and Yotsubato is a pages-long "standard" manga (monthly i think)

luckme10

2004-05-06, 02:15

how can you not love this face?
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/1382/ajpicyotsubato.jpg

Bandersnatch

2004-05-06, 03:24

Heres a scene from a future episode in which Yotsuba has a nightmare where she is in the world of Berserk, she wakes up traumatized for life.

http://home.earthlink.net/~kkline909/images/Yotsuberserk.jpg

Yea...I got kinda bored. :twitch:

bluemist

2004-05-06, 03:50

WHOA! Both pics are funny stuff!

Thany

2004-05-06, 05:01

how can you not love this face?
http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/1382/ajpicyotsubato.jpg
Looks like a photoshop of Moot to me... This is disturbing now :/

Mr_Paper

2004-07-22, 23:52

Out of pure boredom and maybe just a pinch of curiousity, I checked up on the Yotsubato! site today. I was rather pleasantly greated with this line: "July 21st, 2004 - Three months, three new episodes. That seems about right. Enjoy." Three brand spanking new chapters of Yotsuba goodness! I'll admit these chapters aren't quite as funny as some of the previous ones but they're off the scale in the cuteness factor. >.<;

Episode 16: "Yotsuba to Asagi" - Fun with fireworks... Ah~!
Episode 17: "Yotsuba to Furawaa" - Jumbo's amazing secret!
Episode 18: "Yotsuba to Obon" - Long live the Flower Cupid! <3

Melty Snow

2004-07-30, 15:53

Read up to 18 in one sitting....
...its funny as heck, too bad the last 3 weren't as funny, but made up for it with uber kawaiiness. Flower cupid Yotsuba is too kawaii, almost made me forget she's a weirdo. Hehe part where she pulls out the water gun when she meets the police officer.... so awkward it was funny :).

sOnJoOL

2004-09-30, 21:59

hi, there wasnt a thread on this, and this manga is pretty amusing.
its from the same author as azumanga daioh, azuma kiyohiko (i think)
its about life of a little girl named yotsuba, and its the same wacky
comedy thats in azumanga. i just got 2 volumes in korean Yay~

anyways this is a great manga, you should check it out.
the best chapter so far, Chapter 9.

babbito2k

2004-09-30, 23:09

Um, the name of this rather large old thread is What this forum needs is more Yotsubato, but actually it's best to search for and post in the old threads.

What this forum really needs is a thread index (like the one in the fansubs forum); it's got quite a few title-specific threads in it by now and it's just going to get more unwieldy as time goes by.

sOnJoOL

2004-10-02, 12:19

Yoska

2004-10-02, 13:38

Yotsubato is like YKK a happy and warm comic. It makes readers to forget how cruel place the world is sometimes.

sarcasteak

2004-10-03, 02:18

I truly enjoy Yotsubato, but it comes out only once every month and takes longer to be translated. >_<

I love how Asagi plays with Yotsuba...ahhh reminds me of good 'o days when cute little girls come to play with me...(oy oy!)

Misha~su

2004-10-03, 11:25

This manga is the funniest! It's awesome how they can make an ordinary situation into something fun and adventurous.
Not only that but the characters are lovable, apart from ditzy Yotsuba there's ever responsible Fuuka who always gets the brunt of Yotsuba's weirdness. I think anyone will love this manga, its wonderful!

RebootEDC

2004-10-27, 15:21

The problem with this manga is the description it has in some manga databases. In fact a friend of mine recommended it to me, and he gave me a link to a description of the manga. He told me "Hey man!, Azuma has a new manga", and I was pretty interested, until I read that piece of s*it of description.

But I kept on downloading the scanlations from momotato's site. And I read the first chapter... I finished crying of my very hard laughing.

It's very recomendable. A piece of cake. Even those who hated Azumanga, would really love Yotsuba's stories.

babbito2k

2004-11-02, 03:56

Just wanted to send this nice postcard from Yotsubato! Vol. 2 to my fellow Yotsubato! readers:

http://s04.imagehost.org/0259/postcardsmall.jpg

Dhomochevsky

2004-11-08, 13:55

http://home.t-online.de/home/maik.Locksiepen/Yotsuba%20clear.gif

some sig I once made

Breogan

2004-12-18, 22:45

Mr_Paper

2004-12-18, 23:38

That's not so bad. ^^

xris

2004-12-19, 03:27

According to an update made by Momotato today (http://home.nc.rr.com/momotato/yotsubato.html), it seems Yotsubato has been licensed by ADV Comics.
Release dates are June 6th for volume 1 and Agust 1th for volume 2 (at least that's what Amazon says).
Has the page changed because at the moment I cannot see any reference to the manga being licensed?

I'll certainly be looking forward to the releases!

Breogan

2004-12-19, 08:42

Has the page changed because at the moment I cannot see any reference to the manga being licensed?
I'll certainly be looking forward to the releases!
It's not in the main page, but in the Yotsubato! section.

Sadly, it seems he has been getting a lot of retarded mails since yesterday for dropping it, because some assholes think they are entitled to free manga even after it has been licensed.

- December 19th, 2004 -
Maybe I'll release those four or five episodes after all. After that I'll definitely stop, but yeah, maybe...

On another note, I don't appreciate these emails saying I'm some ADV "fanboy" or whatever. I could care less about ADV but that doesn't mean I want an email from them. Nor does it mean I won't get excited when a manga I enjoy is getting a release in the US.

Also, the "you would have been done if you didn't watch all that stupid anime" line. What is this about? Watching anime takes at the most an hour and a half on the busiest day. And it takes less than ten minutes for me to cap and type a couple lines about them. So I'm sorry to disappoint you, but all that stupid anime never "delayed" Yotsubato.

I wasn't on any kind of schedule with this project. The episodes were done when I felt they read good enough to be considered done. And I didn't feel my 19 read good enough, so I kept revising it. Before I knew it, the next episode came out while I was still stuck on the previous one, and it just started piling up from there.

Translating isn't easy - that's all there is to it. That and bad luck.

- December 18th, 2004 -
According to listings on Amazon, Yotsubato has been licensed by ADV! I'm sure an official announcement will be forthcoming. Of course this means I have to pull my translations, so out they go. I'm still keeping this section up - it'll just be relegated to "typical fanpage" status.

OutPhase

2004-12-19, 10:26

That's not so bad. ^^

Not so bad? Excuse me?! Did you just type "That's not so bad"? Well I gonna tell you how I really feel about this....

I frikkin' ecstatic! I can't wait. How many more months until the first volume comes out?! :raises fanboy flag of victory:

w00tness 70 73|-| |\/|4XX0P\5!!!11onehundred111!!!!!![/stupid fanboy]

EDIT: 6 months until the first volume?! Aw, man....

Sakuya

2006-03-19, 01:56

I was searching through the forums and found no thread for Yotsubato (how can that be?!).

Anyway, for those who have read it, I hope you can help me. I read the first few chapters of Yotsubato online and fell in love with it. And my relatives just so happens to be going to Hong Kong in several weeks and I want to ask them to help me buy Yotsubato manga. But I don't know which volume I should get in case I have already read them.

Does anyone have a chapter list? I definitely am past Volume 1, but not sure about Volume 2. :(

Vexx

2006-03-26, 03:49

Yotsuba has been licensed by ADV ... the first 3 volumes are available through Amazon, Barnes&Noble, and other booksites. My books are enroute to me so I don't have a "chapter list" yet.

I didn't think I'd find anything as good as Azumanga Daioh (also manga/anime licensed) but this is happy stuff here. I'd really recommend buying it.

Further research:
Volumes 1-4 are available in Japanese over at amazon.co.jp and Barnes&Noble has ADV's english version volume 1-3 in stock.
Very oddly, ADV does not have a single mention of the Yotsuba series on their website and I have a query into their sales department about the status of volume 4.

Vexx

2006-03-31, 15:11

Perhaps if a number of people queried ADV sales about Yotsuba, we might get some info on their website or a response.

Sakuya

2006-03-31, 15:38

I just read all 4 volumes. It doesn't seem like it ends at #4. Is there more in Japan? For all I know, all I've seen are 4 volumes. :(

Vexx

2006-03-31, 18:33

The story is still in progress in Japan (weekly serial) so I suspect we'll see more volumes. Still waiting for ADV to respond about whether they'll produce the fourth book, before I go seeking the scanlations lurking out there.

Sakuya

2006-03-31, 18:38

Vexx

2006-03-31, 19:31

If the sales sucked... they might drop it. I do find it disconcerting that the property appears nowhere on the ADV manga site and thats why I wrote them. Especially since their manga and anime of Azumanga are touted so loudly there.

I was actually born and raised in Houston (though I'm on the west coast now) so its kind of amusing to recognize their address (not too far from where my grandma used to live).

rooboy

2006-03-31, 21:56

The entire ADV manga section has seen poor sales (the only series I believe was mostly immune was Azumanga). I'm not really sure what that says about Yotsuba, but I do know that for several months they weren't releasing any new volumes of any series. They've only just started releasing stuff that they solicited a while ago (the new Full Metal Panic Overload and Chrono Crusade among others).
They also just resolicited vol 1 and 2 of Yotsuba (something they only seem to be doing for series they plan on continuing), so I would guess it's in the pipeline somewhere.

Diedrupo

2006-04-01, 00:53

mein gott they better continue releasing Yotsubato! If not, they should drop the license and let someone else take over

Vexx

2006-04-01, 01:47

Well.. I'll post here if I hear anything back from their sales people.
I did see Yotsuba& 1-3 on the shelf at my local B&N (and I received mine from their online store). It just struck me as very wierd that they had not a stitch of evidence it existed on their company website when all their other products were easily found.

edit: at first i thought people were mispelling Yotsuba as "Yotsubato" .... just had an "well d'uh!!!" "Yotsuba&" == "Yotsuba to".
No taiyaki for me....

Fel

2006-04-01, 01:57

Aren't they about caught up to the Japanese release?
There are only ~34 chapters so far.

I checked amazon and the sales are as good as most of the other mangas on there.
And I recall at least a dozen copies of it on the shelves at borders last year.

Vexx

2006-04-01, 02:12

Sakuya

2006-04-01, 02:26

It would be very cool to see Yotsuba& animated....

There was actually a very well-done and professional-looking Flash mock Yotsubato opening (to the opening theme of Azumanga Daioh). It was so good! Unfortunately, the creator took it down because I think it was a limited-time goodie. :(

rooboy

2006-04-01, 12:04

There are four volumes out of the japanese releases (the serial is only about 5 chapters past that). So far ADV only has three volumes out in english.. the third being released last October.

ADV's issue probably have to do with general cash flow and they may have "closed the blast doors" for a few months just to make sure their business model was sustainable. Sometimes too many products can doom you...

It would be very cool to see Yotsuba& animated....
I believe part of the cutbacks in the manga department also may have had something to do with the website because AFAIK, it hasn't been updated in quite some time.
There was actually a very well-done and professional-looking Flash mock Yotsubato opening (to the opening theme of Azumanga Daioh). It was so good! Unfortunately, the creator took it down because I think it was a limited-time goodie. :(
Yeah, I wish I had thought to save it when it was up. That was great. :)

JanthraX^

2006-04-02, 16:18

i have the 3 volumes released by ADV, and i have to say they have done well all jokes are present and well printed,
only one thing that 'urked' me was the DON MAI! joke, they changed it but it wasnt to major a thing

Vexx

2006-04-02, 18:18

yeah.. I've decided to get the JP versions (still available through many fine sources) just to see how they handled the translations... plus I figure its simple enough for me to translate :)

stone-rhino

2006-05-01, 23:46

well printed
You can't possibly mean that about the 3rd volume.

Diedrupo

2006-05-02, 00:41

ADV messed up bigtime on the 3rd volume, and there were some glaring translation errors too (such as a character being mistaken for another character).

Oh well, I have all four volumes of the Japanese version. :) It's just a shame that ADV isn't doing anything to bring the 4th volume out here.

Sakuya

2006-05-02, 00:42

Any news yet on a fifth volume? I really want to see where the story goes, like more information about Yotsuba's past if they're going to include that at all.

stone-rhino

2006-05-02, 10:14

Volume 5 is out in Japan.
http://img309.imageshack.us/img309/2739/11461155647141qr.th.jpg (http://img309.imageshack.us/my.php?image=11461155647141qr.jpg)http://img309.imageshack.us/img309/5668/11464391013605xm.th.jpg (http://img309.imageshack.us/my.php?image=11464391013605xm.jpg)
I just read chapter 30, and it was glorious.
http://img309.imageshack.us/img309/7079/11465051554232bi.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Vexx

2006-05-02, 13:08

Update: I've written every mail address ADV supplies on their website -- not a single response (though I seem to have ended up on their periodic e-newsmail splort).
Not... very... impressed...

I may just send a certain friend in Houston a memo to go bang on their door and ask "WTF?!" They couldn't avoid that.

JanthraX^

2006-05-02, 15:36

You can't possibly mean that about the 3rd volume.

aye aye, what was wrong with the 3rd volume, there not in my possesion atm.

Vexx

2006-05-02, 16:23

oooh, DHL just rolled up with my copies of the JP versions of Yotsuba 1-4 ... time to play.

My understanding is that there were some translation gaffes... in fact, thats what led me to purchase the JP versions because some of the English dialog seemed "wrong" in several spots (as in what they're doing versus what they're saying versus my understanding of Japanese culture). I suspect its along the lines of the goofs in the Azumanga books .... like the oddities of having them in a Spanish class instead of an English class or some of the Osakan wordplay, etc.
They should take an inverted cue from Megatokyo and put the <english> in brackets with a footnote or something :)

edit: first thing noticed... the paper quality and bookjacket quality is much higher on the JP versions than on the ADV version (not really surprised).
Fuuka is sooooo pretty in an earthy cuddly way. I hope this series lasts a *long* time.

stone-rhino

2006-05-07, 15:26

aye aye, what was wrong with the 3rd volume, there not in my possesion atm.
Except for one page near the end, all the art was pixellated as if they had blown up a low-res scan of it. It's obvious when you compare the lines making up the panels and speech bubbles to the lines making up the translated text. Or look at it and the previous volumes side by side. That's on top of the translation errors, which included using the wrong character's name at one point.

Vexx

2006-05-08, 03:08

Translating JP volume 4 and mostly showing myself how far I have to go in conversational Japanese --- little Yotsuba plays fast and loose with the language and Fuuka has an economical way of speaking that leaves me scratching my head sometimes. Yotsuba's dad also has a disconcerting way of using katakana when hiragana is fine (ex: "ko re wa" written in kata- rather than hira-). The font being used for unballooned thoughts is giving me a headache as well. I probably should blog this so people can laugh and point at my neophyte attempts.

spoiler for Fuuka's relationships:
her love life takes a crash .... which I suppose is setting up the potentials with Yotsuba's dad (or at least the comical implications of that). It is rather irritating that everyone including Fuuka thinks she's so "average" in looks - she's quite cute, just overshadowed by her flaky older sister.

I will repeat that the quality of the physical books is superb compared to a lot of my other manga.

Still not a sign from ADV or a single response to email that they ever knew about Yotsuba much less published the first three books ... they're starting to really piss me off. All I want to know is whether they're going to continue with the series or not. If so, when will the fourth book translation appear?

pnyxtr

2006-05-08, 03:50

Those books have pretty normal quality for manga at that price.
Even the 390 yen shounen crud is somewhat decently printed, the main problem there is that the stuff they print on is little better than toilet paper. (Not very surprising, considering the price.)

Vexx

2006-05-17, 22:49

well... I've written every contact address at the ADV website: no response (though they added me to the newsletter.... bastards).

Yotsuba& seems to have vanished from their radar as if it had never been. I'm here to hurl brickbats at ADV for being such poor customer relations -- not even a simple one liner response.
In the meantime, I'm having fun translating vols 1-4, and just ordered volume 5 (jp). I found the "trytrytry" mini-episode scans (yay, Fuuka blushing!). I will say the JP version is just my speed for learning to read --- very little kanji and nice fontsize for the script, though the above comments still apply (speaking styles and sound effects fonts).

If ADV is watching --- ANSWER YOUR DAMN EMAIL!!!!

Vexx

2006-05-27, 18:53

bleh.... this thread is turning into my blog.... sorry if this annoys anyone.

My Yotsuba volume 5 arrived today from Japan. Fuuka and Koiwai take Yotsuba and Ena to the beach.... so its the Yotsuba equivalent of a "beach episode" and some Fuuka goodness. Also a stargazing party... and Yotsuba declares "war" on a visitor to the house.

Fuuka and Koiwai (Yotsuba's dad) seem to be together a lot but most of it is centered on Yotsuba's antics (and saving Yotsuba from herself). Even though the real focus of the series is how people react to the chaos we call Yotsuba, I find the interactions of Fuuka and Koiwai separately fascinating. The pace is almost timeless so I'm wondering how long a series Kiyohiko Azuma has sketched out and what he has planned.
I'll ramble some more but there's a fair amount of translation I couldn't just skim so more reports as I figure out what is going on.

note:
If ADV is going to drop the ball on this (see previous increasingly annoyed posts about ADV's manga and their customer no-service), I may take some extra time and at least document my translation efforts of volume 4 and 5 for other fans left in limbo. I'd rather ADV continue their commitment to the series <hint hint>.

JanthraX^

2006-05-28, 05:46

Thank you Vexx for spending time on contatcing ADV, im a fan of yotsubato ive bought volumes 1-3 but i thought my local store was just being slow in acquiring the next few volumes. I hope they will continue yotsubato.

Fukka is very nice weird T-shirts tho =D
im more interested in Jumbo and him trying to get the elder sister, Go Jumbo!!
More comedy for that scenario i think.

Sides

2006-06-08, 18:00

Any news on the ADV situation ?

Vexx

2006-06-08, 18:16

Not a flipping word... at this point, I just email the same letter periodically to all the addresses on the ADV site. Nada ... though they definitely get them because they added my address to their damned newsletter. You know I was about to subscribe to NewType (from ADV) but they can just stuff it if they can't even send a one-liner response to a simple question.

Maybe I'll actually use the phone and see if they answer that... I'm thinking about writing the japanese publisher and asking them if the plug was pulled from ADV.

Quarkboy

2006-06-08, 18:20

I've basically read through all of volume 5 carefully. It's absolutely great, best volume yet IMHO.

Yostuba walks into a room with Ena and a giant robot (miura dressed in boxes). Does a double take, and slowly backs out of the room. Looks down to her waist and says "Damn, I don't have a gun!"

Yotsuba looks into the night sky, points to a reddish star and says "I know that one!", dad says, "oh? which one is it?", yotsuba replies "Earth!"

And my favorite line which is kind of meaningless taken out of context: "NEVER COME BACK AGAIN!!"

Yotsuba falls down the stairs wrapped in futons. Mother says "are you okay?", Yotsuba says "One more time!"

Yotsuba is really best read in the original Japanese. Everyone go learn it!

Vexx

2006-06-08, 18:35

I agree, its rather entertaining in the original language because you get a better flavor for "six year old japanese speak" (omigod) ... also Fuuka has her own "chant" style and Jumbo and Dad have their adult mode. Its certainly challenging me - especially those balloonless bits of dialog --- the font drives me nuts.

Personally, my favorite is the beach trip and the stargazing trip. Yotsuba rocks but I'm finding the developing friendship tween Fuuka and Yotsuba's dad kind of interesting as well.

JanthraX^

2006-06-09, 13:12

Yotsuba rocks but I'm finding the developing friendship tween Fuuka and Yotsuba's dad kind of interesting as well.

Ive only read the first 3 volumes of Yotsubato and there is a sort of relationship between Fuuka and 'Dad'. Im just wondering how it develops is it a sort of friendship or deeper. Most of their interactions bewteen them, so far, are due to Yotsuba.

Vexx

2006-06-11, 13:10

I'm trying not to read too much into it .... but my speculation is that if there's any romance in their future, its going to be several years in development. They'll just do a lot of things together with Fuuka being surrogate "sister/mother" to Yotsuba and one day it'll be an ah-ha thing -- "oh!? We're important to each other, aren't we?"
Just a leisurely pace that fits the comic...

Currently trying to sit down and translate book 4 rigorously instead of faking it.

Time for another round of poking ADV with a stick about their plans for Yotsuba... the more people poking, the more likely someone might get an answer, eh? I've even written the author and his publisher but I suspect my japanese was too funny to respond to :)

Sides

2006-08-05, 06:17

I've even written the author and his publisher but I suspect my japanese was too funny to respond to :)
Got any response from them ?
Share it with us ^^.

BTW, anyone know if ADV has dropped Yotsuba or not ?
Because i'm planning to get the japanese release...
..if i can find a place that delivers to the UK.

Vexx

2006-08-05, 12:52

No response from them (really wasn't expecting one since it involved my asking about a mere distributor to a foreign land and was a business issue :) and my japanese was even worse at the time).
I may try again with a bit more care in translation.

ADV has said absolutely nothing about Yotsuba and still fails to answer inquiries. Its not listed on their website though they apparently still have the license for it. There's some speculation that they'll pick it up again after they clean up their general manga business. My big worry is that they won't release the license nor will they do anything with it for several years. They're now two books behind.

I believe www.amazon.co.jp delivers to the UK (that's where I'm getting the japanese editions from) but I'm in the U.S.

So far there's been no indication on the author's website about when Book 6 might be coming out.

raphaël

2006-08-08, 09:40

Good luck to you Vexx for the translation. I just bought vol.4 and 5 (I'm the second hand king here. :D ) and I'm so happy about it. I understand and don't understand at the same time why the cute stories of Yotsuba-chan's everyday life didn't appeal to Americans. :confused:

Then, I have a question : Wouldn't be time for this thread to get a real name? lol. This one is fun, but calling it "Yotsuba manga" or "Yotsuba to" would be better now, I guess. Weren't it for Vexx's blogstyle :p people would lose it again! (The thread, I mean. :heh: )

Anyways, Vexx, please keep us posted about that ADV case, it's very interesting. ^^

Vexx

2006-08-08, 11:52

Thats just it .... everyone I've shown Yotsuba to in America loves it. It has more to do with ADV's lack of marketing (if it doesn't even show up as a product on their own website, what does that say about their commitment). I can find volumes 1-3 on the shelves and at B&N and Amazon ... the failure here is with ADV which is completely inane because it could easily be marketed to anyone who bought the Azumanga Daioh series (one of their most popular offerings in manga & anime).

If you hear anything from your tactically superior location in Sapporo about Book 6 or other Yotsuba fun, at least this reader would appreciate the posting here. :)

raphaël

2006-08-08, 12:10

If you hear anything from your tactically superior location in Sapporo about Book 6 or other Yotsuba fun, at least this reader would appreciate the posting here. :)
I'll try. :D Sapporo is not really the "place to be" compared to Akihabara, but... lol
Actually I sometimes ask people in the stores for release dates and they sometimes tell me to check myself on the internet, cause they aren't 1OO% sure each time. :D

For instance, I'm waiting for Hatarakiman vol.3, which ain't coming at all... *sighs...

Anyways, the fact is I'll be going home very soon so... *double sighs...

ps: and thanks for the infos on the yotsuba conspiracy in the US. ^^

rooboy

2006-08-08, 16:06

Actually, ADV said something about the next release of Yotsuba at Otakon this weekend (understandable if you missed it, as they had bigger news in the article.
The link. (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/convention.php?id=371)

When questioned about the release of the next volume of Yotsuba@!, Williams replied that it is tentatively scheduled for the first quarter of 2007.

Quarkboy

2006-08-09, 03:01

Oh yeah, I did this in my spare time: Yotsuba volume 5 translations (text only), chapters "Yotsuba&! Cardbot" and "Yotsuba&! Yanda"

text only.. go import the manga :). I worked really hard on these to make them natural and like I would hear them... well, tell me what you think.
http://www.arienai.com/yotsuba5.txt

Freeter

2006-08-09, 11:33

OMG....Yanda and Yotsuba are comedic gold :heh:

I wonder if ADV would keep this intact if/when vol 5 hits...

Quarkboy

2006-08-09, 11:43

OMG....Yanda and Yotsuba are comedic gold :heh:

I wonder if ADV would keep this intact if/when vol 5 hits...

Well, it took me a long time to figure out exactly the right english words to use for that one.

For "aho" I decided to use "retard", because yotsuba is using it as a really RUDE but also childish insult. It's normally translated similar to "baka", but "aho" is ruder than baka (at least in tokyo dialect).

As for Yanda eating shit, Yotsuba says "unko", which is a colloquial slang. Rarely heard on tv, but said all the time among 3rd grade boys :). Like "kuso", except more childish. Here english fails me, since I don't know of a more childish slang for "shit" that's rude enough to fit. (doodoo, dookie, poop, etc... just are too silly).

Freeter

2006-08-09, 12:47

Yeah, I'm guessing ADV would tone down the language, especially since Yotsuba is rated for younger audiences. Kind of a shame though, since kids unknowingly saying dirty words is always hilarious.

Yesterday my sister was trying to teach her 2-year old daughter how to say "Back to you", but the way she said it sounded like a certain F word :heh:

Vexx

2006-08-09, 12:50

Quarkboy

2006-08-09, 14:05

Don't get me started on my son's pronunciation of "truck" when he was two years old (dropped his little Hotwheel car in a restaurant and repeatedly loudly and insistently so we'd know he dropped it).

I'm working on volume five a bit (mostly the beach sequence at the moment) but the robot and Yanda efforts look pretty good from my brief glance.
I figure first pass one should *always* be as literal as possible (without falling into Yoda speech) ... then you might start playing around with phrases that communicate the intent and sound more natural to the intended audience. Japanese is so sparce and implicit you almost *have* to have step two, particularly if slang or casual speech is involved.

I figure ADV might substitute things like "poopyhead" ... though "retard" might survive the cut because it is authenticly childish.

My translations are at times quite non-literal. For example, where Yotsuba "Shukkin"s (goes to work) and her dad has to explain to her what the word "shukkin" means, I couldn't translate it literaly as "go to work", since even a child understands that. Instead I substituted the expression "Clockin' in!" which is more idiomatic and a kid might not understand it. I had to change some of Dad's dialogue to make sense with this change, but on the whole I think it maintains the humor and intent a lot better than a literal translation.

A short scene:page 150:
Yotsuba: Dad, you said we were going to the beach tomorrow.
Dad: What? Huh? I didn't say that!
Yotsuba: You said we'd go to the beach and see lots of jellyfish.
Dad: A-Aah.... No, no! I said that right now that are lots of jellyfish so we _can't_ go to the beach!
Yotsuba: Huh?..... Huh.....?
Yotsuba: ? ?
Yotsuba: Hurry up, to the beach....
Dad: We ain't goin' to the beach!!
(pause)
Yotsuba: Beach.
Dad: I'd sad we're not going.
Yotsuba: Beach...
Dad: Not going.
Yotsuba: Be....
Dad: We are not going.
Yotsuba: (googly eyes)
Yotsuba: Whaaaaaaaaaaaa! Whaaaaaaaaaa! Whaaaaaaaa! Whaaaaaa!
Yotsuba: Bah jou said gwee go ta de beeeeeesh.... Bah jyou ssaaaaaaiiid.....
Dad: We're not going.
Yotsuba: (sound of giant breath inhalation)
Yotsuba: Bwaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

for those of you wondering what happens next. Well, they go to the beach :).

arias

2006-08-09, 14:06

Karnot

2006-08-11, 07:03

For "aho" I decided to use "retard", because yotsuba is using it as a really RUDE but also childish insult.
Would a child even know a word "retard" ?

As for Yanda eating shit, Yotsuba says "unko", which is a colloquial slang. Rarely heard on tv, but said all the time among 3rd grade boys .
I dont know about slang, but "shit" sound really out of place to me. Even "poo" is much better, as in existing translation, without reducing the meaning.

Quarkboy

2006-08-11, 07:25

Would a child even know a word "retard" ?

I dont know about slang, but "shit" sound really out of place to me. Even "poo" is much better, as in existing translation, without reducing the meaning.

You haven't been around small children lately, have you?....

Karnot

2006-08-11, 10:21

I have, just not Usian children, i dunno, maybe it matters alot...

Vexx

2006-08-11, 11:43

My observation is that children from *any* culture are pretty good at being sharp-tongued to other children. People who think children are naturally angelic usually don't actually interact with children. Besides, this is a comic about japanese children and they certainly sling verbal mud at each other.

Karnot

2006-08-11, 11:45

Well, yes, but Yanda is not a child, lol.

raphaël

2006-08-11, 13:31

I just read that chapter and I loved it. So realistic. I mean, "realistic", Yanda is pushing Yotsuba, who gets pissed off, where she usually smiles or cries at people. I think that's the first time she hates someone, and I find it great, and yeah, "realistic". I'm sure you can remember a person you really disliked, like "hate at the first sight", when you were a child. It can happen to adults, of course, but it's quite funny with children.

First she's afraid of him, then she doubts what he says. She realizes he's a bad person when he tries to enter her home even if she forbade it. So she gets mad. Then Yanda overdoes it and teases her. Actually, I don't know about you, but I think we're all supposed to hate him, just like Yotsuba does, that helpless guy breaking in people's houses to get his cup-noodle. Isn't that pathetic? :p

edit: I didn't even know Yotsuba was about to be released in French by Kurokawa... :heh: What a shame...

the link to the publisher's site yotsuba page (http://www.kurokawa.fr/a_paraitre/yotsuba_t1/)

Vexx

2006-11-03, 17:47

Just a bump.... I suspect Azuma will be releasing volume 6 of Yotsuba& by year end based on his previous release points though he hasn't said anything in his blog.

And a glaring "poopyhead" strike against ADV for failing to respond to *any* manga queries for the last six months, not updating their manga website since 2004, and now being 2 volumes and at least a year behind their previous release frequency for Yotsuba&. They're not on my "smiley" list for their failure to respond to any communications.

Sides

2006-11-04, 07:12

Yup, yup
They should really retire from manga publishing and concentrate on anime.
At the moment ADV just looks like a messed up company,
with lot of unused manga licences and continuing to secure the latest anime.
They just don't make sense.
Honestly they should ever started doing business in the manga scene,
with is half hearted attitude.

Vexx

2006-11-16, 17:25

Latest entry on author Kiyohiko's blog indicates that Volume 6 of Yotsuba& will be released on 16Dec2006 if all goes well. There is also a fan art book to be released then as well apparently (if I'm reading it right).

On Nov 22, another music collection dedicated to Yotsuba is being released and there's a 2007 calendar coming out.

Vexx

2006-12-06, 22:47

Yotsubato! volume 6 is now available for pre-order at www.amazon.co.jp (or other fine book retailers)... they appear to have all six volumes (japanese edition) in stock.

volume 6 (release on 16DEC06)
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/4840237026/sr=11-1/qid=1165463204/ref=sr_11_1/249-3349709-7830765

Vexx

2006-12-19, 02:57

Here, I am again, talking to myself....

volume 6 of Yotsuba hit the shelves yesterday - my copies just shipped from Japan.

Freeter

2006-12-19, 11:38

If/when ADV brings Yotsuba out of hibernation I'll gladly rejoin the discussion.

Any spoilers, perhaps?

Twivy

2006-12-22, 12:18

From the looks of it and reading what y'all have said it doesn't look like ADV will be doing anything anytime soon. But we never know, my friend loves yotsuba she thinks it's very funnny and cute so i decided to get her volume two for christmas (she already has 1). I have 2 and 3 and i have read 1 but thats it. I wish i could read Japanese so I could just order the Japanese versions but i coudn't even learn how to speak spanish so japanese would not be an option for me (although i never really tried that hard to learn spainish.) Now seeing how volume 6 is out in Japan i really wish i could read it.

Vexx

2006-12-22, 13:30

after I browse it, I'll give brief summaries (with minimal spoilage)

Vexx

2006-12-28, 16:21

Volume 6 doesn't have really much in the way of major character or relationship evolution (the author seems to have taken a breather on any potential Fuuka and Yotsuba-dad progress). However, much fun and hilarity:
1) Yotsuba designs and builds an all-purpose utility shirt (with flaws).
2) Yotsuba takes a big step and gets her first bicycle -- which she uses to get in horrendous trouble with several times.
3) Fuuka's mother executes one of her odd quirky moments of abusing her daughters (having to do with Fuuka's diet foods).
4) Yotsuba delivers milk to Fuuka no matter what (this is one of the big-trouble-with-bicycle moments).
5) Yotsuba goes cycling with Asagi and her friend (Yotsuba's return appearance when she gets home is priceless)
5) Yotsuba helps dad, Jumbo, and her arch-nemesis ramen-eater Yanda build a bookcase.

Yotsuba is wonderful... you read those plot synopses and think "wtf are people on about with this nonsense?"
So far the peak of the series for me has been the stargazing party and the beach trip episode (both in volume 5)

Now if ADV would get off its ASS and either publish english volumes 4-6 or give the freaking license to someone who'll treat the series properly..... be sure and write ADV if their treatment of the series annoys you. They don't even bother to spit at me when I inquire.

Twivy

2006-12-30, 01:22

Yotsuba gets a bike and then gets into big trouble. Poor Yotsuba. It sounds like a good volume. Thanks for the summaries. :D

Vexx

2007-01-01, 16:33

I keep meaning to publish translation scripts (I really don't have time to do a scanlation) but even there, I'll translate a few pages, get stuck on a kanji (some of the fonts he uses for muttering make my head hurt) and then get distracted by some shiny bright thing.

I figure it'll be another year before I'm able to translate "on the fly" at the junior or senior high level of script.

Twivy

2007-01-03, 21:05

My two older sisters are trying to learn Japanese but it hasn't been so successful for them. They keep telling me stuff about the difference between some sybols and stuff like that but i don't really understand (most of the time I ignore them.)

Vexx

2007-01-03, 23:07

Briefly some fun facts: there are two phonetic alphabets (like our ABC) - one for local words and one for "foreign import" words. Then they use a lot of kanji (basically symbols like egyptian hieroglyphics that you just have to memorize) - those are a pain because japanese students need to know 2000 of those to graduate from high school. But they convey a lot of poetic meaning (as well as some punnery).
The best way I've found to learn Japanese (or any language) is to *stop* asking *why?" ... it just *is*. English is much more complicated, because its a "31 flavors" language, it just romps around beating up other languages and taking the cool words and grammar from them.
Japanese is actually pretty concise - the nuance comes in determining the status of the speaker and listener to decide what words to use.
I've found it is uncool to interrupt someone in the middle of a sentence because you actually have no idea what they're going to say til the sentence is complete (the verb is at the end along with a possible negation).

If you like watching anime .... there's about 50 phrases that if you know them you can follow about 80% of any anime :) and that anime dialog is very rude compared to real life conversation. :)
I highly recommend taking a language in school that is challenging and *fun* - rather than easy. If its fun, you're more likely to practice.
I had a lot of fun in German (high school), Russian (college), and now Japanese (for my own self-improvement). And I think it is a crime that Americans don't get foreign language options in elementary school (when it is *easiest* for kids to learn).

RamenBoy

2007-01-04, 20:46

too bad the fourth volume is taking so long. HURRY IT UP ADV!

Freeter

2007-01-28, 19:21

I actually found a site with Yotsuba scanlations (which I will not link to here for obvious reasons), so now I can finally get caught up with the series.

Yotsuba is a comedic goldmine. The entire showdown with Yanda and her antics at the video store just had me rolling. The look on the video store clerk's face was priceless :heh:

ADV is really being boneheaded for letting this series collect dust. Any other company would jump at the chance to publish something this good.

passin'gass

2007-03-04, 05:48

Read up to ch. 44 from "that scanlation site", im starting to get impatient for further development between Fuuka and Yotsuba's dad (their windows are right across from each other, and they still have that cup-and-string system setup). Im afraid Vexx is right, its another 20-40 chapters until the next step...

And wassup with Asagi and Tiger-girl? are they an item?

My kids were giving me really strange looks from LOLing, keep it up, Yotsuba-chan!

2H-Dragon

2007-03-04, 12:07

Nah Asagi and Tigi aren't an item. It's pretty much made clear Asagi is popular with guys has her fair share of boyfriends. At this point I doubt there's going to happen much between Fuuka and Yotsu's dad. I'm w8ing for some mystery ex-lover of Yotsu's dad. O.O

Yanada vs Yotsuba is funny as hell. =]

Vexx

2007-03-04, 13:12

Even a mild FuukaxYotsu-dad would be nice (even if its a "one day perhaps something")... however, plot progression is definitely not a priority with this series :)

Agreed that Asagi and Tiger-ko are not necessarily a physical item... but they are "sister close". Asagi's mom is always quite the quirky amusing one.

passin'gass

2007-03-05, 01:01

Summer break in <40 chapters, about 6 weeks...probably another 40-60 chapters till christmas...plenty of time for romance to develop, of course told through the eyes of Yotsuba-chan and i'm smiling widely in anticipation of her (weird) mis-interpretation of it...

...and Asagi's gonna have a field day having fun at their expense...yeh i can see it now...

passin'gass

2007-03-24, 20:44

Chapter 45 is out, Yotsuba & the Patisserie. The usual place...enjoy!

nadare

2007-03-25, 08:35

What?? There is actually a FuukaxYutso-dad? :O

Vexx

2007-03-25, 17:30

The FuukaxYotsu-dad meme is *extremely* subtle and mild ... such that it might be a couple of years in the making if it happens at all. They just seem to get along and many of their moments have that "potential" feel.

A very early version of Yotsuba (take a look for a scanlation of TryTryTry) was more explicit about Fuuka's mixed feelings about Yotsu-dad (Yotsuba being bluntly inquisitive as usual).

Diedrupo

2007-03-25, 20:07

I think Fuuka is way too young for Yotsuba's dad personally :P

I mean the guy is probably in his early 20s and Fuuka is like 15...

Vexx

2007-03-26, 00:59

Hmmm, Fuuka is 16 (her shirt actually gives that away in volume 5/6).
You seem to be applying rules in your neighborhood to other cultures.... dating at 16 isn't unusual and dating someone a few years older isn't unusual in Japan (and many other countries). Its not like they're jumping in bed. Besides at the rate this plot progresses, in five years Fuuka will be 21 and Yotsu-dad.... lates 20s. I don't *think* any culture raises their eyebrows at that point.

passin'gass

2007-03-26, 06:55

aahahahahahhheeheeheehohohoho...that was really funny in a terrifying way! Try, try, try to fly!!! i wanna do it too!

Wonder why Yotsuba-chan didn't blurt everything out to Asagi? for THAT scene alone i would have donated my first gen die-cast mint condition VF-1A and a slightly battered Glaug as well...

Yes, adulthood is so bitter, ya know? Ask Asagi...

Vexx

2007-04-05, 10:59

Well... it seems to be common knowledge but no one has updated this thread to reflect it. Apparently ADV may have gotten off their keisters and prepped volumes 4 and 5 of Yotsuba for release (Amazon links):
Volume 4 (june 2007) (http://www.amazon.ca/Yotsuba-4-Kiyohiko-Azuma/dp/1413903452/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/702-2194899-6357654?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175757417&sr=8-1)
Volume 5 (oct 2007) (http://www.amazon.ca/Yotsuba-5-Kiyohiko-Azuma/dp/1413903495/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4/702-2194899-6357654?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1175757417&sr=8-4)

ADV's manga website will be no help as it still hasn't had an update since 9/2004. Nor do the newsletters I get spammed with have this news.... very odd. Thanks to FPB for the tip.

Freeter

2007-04-05, 22:30

I would've updated if the release dates weren't so far off. Stupid ADV.

They'd better offer a full-fledged apology to their consumers in volume 4.

FatPianoBoy

2007-04-06, 02:31

It should be noted, however, that those links direct to Amazon Canada. I was unable to locate the releases on Amazon US. What this means, only time will tell.

rooboy

2007-04-06, 07:48

It should be noted, however, that those links direct to Amazon Canada. I was unable to locate the releases on Amazon US. What this means, only time will tell.Nothing, likely. ADV usually only lists manga approximately two months in advance. However, book stores receive lists of books much more in advance than that (half a year, I believe). They are then supposed to only list books according to when the publisher wants them listed; however, Amazon (all varieties) and Barnesandnoble.com frequently break this by listing the books on their website early.

The same things happens to US comic publishers all the time.

Diedrupo

2007-04-07, 14:31

FatPianoBoy

2007-04-07, 20:43

Last I checked, the age of consent in Japan is 13 (used to be 12), so... yeah.
Also, there's a decade-long gap between my sister her boyfriend - 17 and 27, respectively. It's really not a big deal. Like many things, it just depends on what you're used to.

Vexx

2007-04-08, 15:47

16 year olds don't date 26+ year olds in Japan anymore than they do in the US
Funny.. that's not what I said. Your math needs some work. When Yotsu-dad is in his late 20s, Fuuka will be in her early 20s. Its perfectly natural that they could simply be friends for 4 or 5 years before anything sparks.
<shrug> I have a cousin who at 17 married a guy who was 28. They had the same interests, nuff said. ymmv in your neighborhood. I suppose you have some statistical cite?

Sides

2007-05-16, 11:59

If i had a daughter who is dating a 10 year+ older guy,
he would be fish food.
Other people's daughter i don't care.
I think is some kind of protective instinct.

btw just checked on amazon Uk,
vol.4 is listed for the 27 June 2007
ISBN-10: 1413903452
ISBN-13: 978-1413903454

Vexx

2007-05-16, 13:01

And people still aren't paying attention ... we don't know what Yotsu-dad's age is but 24-26 is a fair guess. No one is "dating" for now (though she may have a bit of a crush on him). If they just hang out as friends/neighbors for 2 years, she'll be 18 and he'll be still in his mid-20s. When she's 20, he'll be late 20s. They *both* age and the older they get the less relevant the difference.

I thought it was old people who were supposed to be narrow minded and young people who were supposed to be open-minded... O.o

Risaa

2007-05-16, 15:27

It's funny how people dislike such a wide age gap between younger lovers, but nobody bats an eye at say, a 60 year-old in love with an 85 year-old. The age gap is *still* 25 years regardless whether they're 20 and 45, 30 and 55, 40 and 65, etc.

I thought it was old people who were supposed to be narrow minded and young people who were supposed to be open-minded... O.o

My theory is that older people tend to be narrow-minded and younger people's minds tend to have, well, rocks in 'em. lol please, nobody take that the wrong way. Note my usage of the words "tend to". :)

What did I originally want to say about Yotsubato again... DX OK, this is where I show that I have rocks in my head. I forgot what I wanted to say, so I'll just post a picture.

http://img107.imageshack.us/img107/2669/yotsuba02al1.th.jpg (http://img107.imageshack.us/my.php?image=yotsuba02al1.jpg)

I *think* I took the Yotsuba company shot from the Death Note manga. Then I 'shopped it a few times with different Yotsuba images. My own lameness cracks me up. :)

Edit: what are the chances of it getting animated, do you suppose? I can't imagine what Yotsuba's voice sounds like! <3

Freeter

2007-06-20, 20:18

Yotsuba&! vol. 4 finally dropped today...and lo and behold, ADV didn't issue any apologies. Not even any translation notes (although there are insert notes in between panels). Bastards.

On the plus side though, the series is timeless and is still a great read, even after the long wait. Yotsuba has the coolest dad ever:

Y: *after losing in rockpaperscissors* "no fair! no faaaaaaaaair!"
K: "I'm an adult. We don't play fair. :cool:"

And a cool nod to Azumanga: one of the chapters is composed entirely of 4-koma strips. Awesome.

Yotsuba = instant purchase. Don't even hesitate, just get it.

Vexx

2007-06-20, 20:59

I'm going to hesitate anyway, I have so much wrath for ADV.
After a few deep breaths, I'll go ahead and order the Y!4 ... but I'm going to be very tentative about committing to any new manga series from them.

Risaa

2007-06-20, 21:20

Hnn... Yotsubato 1 was the last Englishified tankoubon I bought before deciding to stop. I have a big long list of manga to splurge on once I arrive in Japan, and Yotsubato is one of the titles on it. :) (I've noticed that the little "side text" in Yotsuba is rather hard to read though... Oh, so frustrating. >< )

Vexx

2007-06-20, 23:22

aye, I find the background mutters that infest Yotsubato infuriatingly hard to decipher so they're so abstractified. The main speech bubbles are fine... but those floating mutters... argh.

FatPianoBoy

2007-06-21, 03:08

aye, I find the background mutters that infest Yotsubato infuriatingly hard to decipher so they're so abstractified. The main speech bubbles are fine... but those floating mutters... argh.

Amen. I tried my hand at a translation back when ADV stalled out, and most of it left me completely confounded. I blame Azuma's bad handwriting.

Risaa

2007-06-21, 03:17

Really? Poop... After I had read Vexx's response, I immediately thought, "ooor.. we could ask FatPianoBoy for help :) " (j/k, j/k... though I really did have that thought). If ADV didn't seem to stall on everything, I'd blame the delay for Yotsubato on all the scribbles; I could just imagine a group of translators scratching their heads over a tiny bit of messy handwritten text.

It's not just Azuma though. There's a bunch of other mangaka whose handwriting I have trouble reading as well. D:

Vexx

2007-06-21, 15:11

Yeah, I'd bring Yotsubato to my japanese teacher and she'd stare at one frame for a couple of minutes before she could figure out what he'd written in those background mutters. She said it was like someone was writing in english print, but leaving out every second or third stroke and randomly dropping letters. Heh, she was very impressed I was having any luck at all with those. All the dialog in the bubbles in contrast are basically no sweat (other than some of the odd casual-speak).

And she's native-born Tokyo and lived in Japan til she was in her twenties.

Diedrupo

2007-06-22, 22:47

Funny.. that's not what I said. Your math needs some work. When Yotsu-dad is in his late 20s, Fuuka will be in her early 20s. Its perfectly natural that they could simply be friends for 4 or 5 years before anything sparks.
<shrug> I have a cousin who at 17 married a guy who was 28. They had the same interests, nuff said. ymmv in your neighborhood. I suppose you have some statistical cite?

Actually that is what you said. This is what you said:

You seem to be applying rules in your neighborhood to other cultures.... dating at 16 isn't unusual and dating someone a few years older isn't unusual in Japan (and many other countries).

And so you have got to be kidding me if you actually believe that it is cultural acceptable in Japan for a 16 year old to date a 24-26 year old. It might be true in countries like Thailand or North Korea, but not in Japan. It is incredibly taboo.

I didn't say anything about 21+ dating 28+, I was refering specifically to Fuuka dating Koiwai at their current ages.

Vexx

2007-06-22, 23:17

And no one was suggesting that they would be dating now.... what was being discussed was what might happen a couple of years down the road. The age difference diminishes with age.

And as far as the "16 year old dating older guys" in Real Life, I guess we'll just agree to disagree because my observations and the people I know and am related to in Japan tell a different story about that. Believe what you like, but pretty much anywhere (even in the US), it kind of depends on what state you're in and where you're standing and family attitudes. Several people in this thread have direct anecdotal examples. "isn't unusual" doesn't mean the idea doesn't raise a few eyebrows but "incredibly taboo" implies that under no circumstances is it accepted.

Getting back on topic, here's the U.S. B&N listings for when Yotsuba 4 & 5 will drop:
Yotsuba&! Volume 4 (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781413903454&itm=4)
Kiyohiko Azuma, Kiyohiko Azuma (Illustrator)http://images.barnesandnoble.com/gresources/cleardot.gif (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=yotsuba&z=y#4)

Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: June 2007

Available for Pre-Order
This item will be available on June 27.

Yotsuba&! Volume 5 (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9781413903492&itm=5)
Kiyohiko Azuma, Kiyohiko Azuma (Illustrator)http://images.barnesandnoble.com/gresources/cleardot.gif (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp?WRD=yotsuba&z=y#5)

Format: Paperback
Pub. Date: October 2007

Risaa

2007-06-23, 17:32

http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/6861/065sa5.th.jpg (http://img402.imageshack.us/my.php?image=065sa5.jpg)
From: http://chocobo.moo.jp/illust/index3-3.html

Sorry if this has been posted previously. I went through the thread, looking for it, and I realized just how old this thread is... and it's not even hit 10 pages. For such a charming series, that's pitiful. I blame ADV. D:

Vexx

2007-06-23, 17:54

aye, they pretty much killed the momentum they'd developed with Azumanga Daioh that would have boosted Yotsubato (with their long silent still unexplained hiatus).

Its going to be difficult not to compare their translation and production quality with an overly critical eye. :)

Vexx

2007-07-08, 02:14

Hmmm, more bad news.... I'd pre-ordered Yotsubato 4 (ADV) from B&N....
B&N just told me there was a delay in receipt of the stock so they had to delay my shipment.

Has anyone seen Yotsuba& 4 (ADV) in the wild yet?

FatPianoBoy

2007-07-08, 02:39

I ordered it from RightStuf. Should be here Monday.

tritoch

2007-07-08, 02:56

Yotsu-chan is 4chan's 404 mascot right? :D But God, I SIMPLY love this manga- incredibly funny at the right places and is never boring.

Vexx

2007-07-08, 03:04

Good to hear Rightstuf apparently shipped(?) I have to admit some "o noes, here we go again" when Barnes&Noble sent that "oopsie delay" email.

@tritoch: yes, and perhaps english readers might actually catch up to the six volumes released in Japan now. :)

xris

2007-07-08, 03:22

Amazon (in the U.K.) have now listed Vol 4 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yotsuba-v-4-Kiyohiko-Azuma/dp/1413903452/ref=wl_it_dp/203-6712326-0720705?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3AMRX0A75SEHO&colid=37VKZVRGMZFX2) as "In Stock" and that must have just been in the last day or so (odd that I don't remember it being listed as "Usually dispatched within x to x weeks). Will now order it :)

tritoch

2007-07-08, 04:46

Uhm there's 7 volumes now I think. I only have volume 1 and 2 from the NA release but I think I'm semi current or atleast I'm near current @ chap. 40 :D

Mr-Kory

2007-07-08, 08:53

how would one living in Australia acquire this manga quick cheap and easy?

Ace-Daze

2007-07-08, 17:58

KYA~! ^___^

*waves a Yotsuba flag*

SHE'S MY IDOL! XD

The 5th volume will be released in the US on October 10

Vexx

2007-07-08, 19:35

Uhm there's 7 volumes now I think. I only have volume 1 and 2 from the NA release but I think I'm semi current or atleast I'm near current @ chap. 40 :D

Amazon.co.jp only lists six volumes released in Japan though I expect a seventh sometime this fall if he stays typical to schedule (I have all six and order extra copies for my son's japanese teacher's library -- she loves it too).

ADV's english version languished after volume 3 for several years.... though without ever responding to questions about their manga lines -- it appears they're going to contractually meet their license. I guess we'll see in a few days how much effort they put into it.

Mr-Kory

2007-07-09, 02:20

cool october 10

Vexx

2007-07-11, 21:00

Well... B&N seems to have caught up, just got an email from them saying they shipped my copy of Yotsu 4 yesterday.

Mr-Kory

2007-07-12, 01:29

lucky i wish i could get manga over the net but mum wont get paypal and i dont have a bank account am not over 18 no one has a crdit card and i live in australia

Vexx

2007-07-12, 02:07

Hmmm.... Do you have something like Borders or Barnes&Noble there in AU?

You might ask in the "How to Get Manga" thread how other australians get their manga. I really don't know enough to give you any clues.

Vexx

2007-07-12, 18:39

My Review of the ADV version:

First off, um... wow, I've seen better font choices before and some of the scanlation 'photoshopping' by amateurs has been better ... but whatever.

The translation itself. Its pretty literal, to the point where in many cases all they've done is re-arrange the words in Western order. So a lot of it sounds awkward and terse for an english-only reader. I haven't compared the dialog in detail to see if there were any "localizations" ... but something tells me that isn't going to be a problem because, for example, they left the tsukutsukuboshi explanation alone and provided a footnote.

There's no forepage work explaining the series nor afterpage work discussing the translation. They do commit in print to an October 2007 release for Yotsu 5 on the ad pages in the back and the ads mostly have some relevance to possible Yotsu reader tastes.

Inking: the scans are greyer than the original... not as bad as say SSE's Kasimasi volume 1 print was .... but meh.

The binding itself seems sturdy enough.

Basically meeting the contract but not exceeding the requirements :)

Furudanuki

2007-07-13, 08:36

Basically meeting the contract but not exceeding the requirements :)
I just hope that whoever did the copy editing this time around managed to keep track of which characters are present in a given scene and what their names are. (Yes, I am still irked about the glaring errors in the latter part of volume 3. :frustrated:) With a bit of luck I should have a copy in hand by Saturday.

Vexx

2007-07-13, 12:55

I haven't read it line for line yet... just took a random sampling of pages I had translated myself. Reading thoroughly for context this weekend...
Javier Lopez is listed as "translator/editor". He was listed only as editor in volume 3. The translator for volume 3 (Amy Forsyth) is not listed in volume 4.

Since Lopez was editor on volume 3, that doesn't provide an initial warm fuzzy plus he's apparently wearing two hats in volume 4 so I'm wondering about peer review. Ah well... he's certainly had a few years to work on skills between the two volumes ... ... ...

I'll post after I read the book thoroughly with the original in hand....

edit: I've read the book thoroughly. My comments on terse and literal still stand. I didn't see any glaring errors (like the volume 3 goofups), but then rarely are people using each other's names in this one. Probably the high point of this volume for me is Dad and Yotsu encountering Fuuka at the grocery mart...... but the single page that had me laughing out loud involved Summer Fairy Yotsu:

All the cicadas dying and falling around "Summer Fairy" Yotsu in one swoop with her bowing and saying "Thanks for all your hard work." Comedy timing in print...

I guess reading this made me feel a bit better about my interpretation of the original language... but I do need to commit a lot more to memory instead of grabbing dictionaries all the time.

roxybudgy

2007-07-16, 22:20

lucky i wish i could get manga over the net but mum wont get paypal and i dont have a bank account am not over 18 no one has a crdit card and i live in australia

I live in Australia too, and picked up a copy of Yotsuba&! at a local store called Empire Toys. We also have a Borders here in Perth, Western Australia, which does sell Yotsuba&!, but they tend to be slow with new releases and cost more than Empire.

I don't know which part of Australia you live in, but if you have a local Borders or Kunikuya (sp?) then try there.

Lukannon

2007-07-21, 15:45

Hey, Vexx, what's your opinion on ADV's quality in general, putting aside their massive delay in translation progress?

And what'd you think of ADV's version of volume 1? I'm curious, because apparently, Javier Lopez was both translator and editor on that one as well. Amy Forsyth is also listed on the translation staff, tho.

Although I did much prefer 'Yotsuba is invincible' to 'Nothing can get her down.'

Vexx

2007-07-30, 17:15

I'm mixed on the general translation skills in regard to Yotsuba. In general, the translation is a bit spartan and sometimes stilted, but the upside of that is that the characters tend to speak in single phrases anyway. Although I'm not usually a fan of too much "language localization". This series... it probably wouldn't really hurt to be more colorful in the translation and still get the mood across. I thought the handling of the intrinsically japanese words (like the cicada discussion) was okay (footnotes and such). But the translation of Fuka's love tragedy was just ... odd --- factually correct but odd.

Here's something I never thought we'd see: pre-orders for Yotsuba figures -
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=NEOSL-12065

Now if we could get figures of sisters....

Risaa

2007-07-30, 19:27

Here's something I never thought we'd see: pre-orders for Yotsuba figures -
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=NEOSL-12065I may be wrong, but I think that's just one Yotsuba figure put in different poses.

Very, very cute..... nngghh, but I'm not a fan of jointed figured in which the joints show over the clothes. (I guess that translates to "I'm a fan of naked jointed dolls". :heh: ) But really, I like jointed dolls if you can put clothes over the joints. Hauuu, but it'd be nice to have a Yotsuba to play with my GA girls, Etna, Chii, and the rest of my small army.

Vexx

2007-07-30, 20:22

Aye... its just one jointed figure (my typo).

I'm just amazed to see any Yotsu product.

It'd be nice to see the AzuDa production team (and the music score folks) re-assembled for a Yotsu anime.

Mr-Kory

2007-07-31, 03:37

I live in Australia too, and picked up a copy of Yotsuba&! at a local store called Empire Toys. We also have a Borders here in Perth, Western Australia, which does sell Yotsuba&!, but they tend to be slow with new releases and cost more than Empire.

I don't know which part of Australia you live in, but if you have a local Borders or Kunikuya (sp?) then try there.

i live in brisbane
i should do some more research again

Vexx

2007-10-01, 23:23

NOTE TO RABID YOTSUBATO FANS....

The Japanese edition of Yotsubato Volume 7 was released on 9/27/07.

http://www.nippon-export.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=24026

http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/switch-language/product/4840240531/ref=dp_change_lang/503-0529252-9046335?ie=UTF8&language=en%5FJP

(yup, already ordered mine and one for my son's JP teacher to add to her class library collection ((she loves it))

Mueti

2007-10-11, 15:48

Goofus Maximus

2007-10-11, 19:43

I love Yotsubato! Those neighbors are SAINTS, I tell you! "You're only half-dead!" SQUIRT!! "Now you're completely dead."

Karnot

2007-10-13, 03:19

I love Yotsubato! Those neighbors are SAINTS, I tell you! "You're only half-dead!" SQUIRT!! "Now you're completely dead."
I dunno, thats how people in suburbs are. I grew up in one-storey place as well, and pretty much all neighbours were like that. When you're a kid you pretty much go wherever you want and do whatever you want, nobody locks their gates, especially if they also have kids in the house. It like a huge extra family or something, and it sure feels great.

Vexx

2007-10-15, 21:09

aye, it used to be like that in America in the 60s and 70s when I was growing up. Everybody's house was "your house" and kids flitted in and out. I understand a few towns and neighborhoods are still like that but I currently live just outside of surburbia so I don't have direct experience anymore. In Japan, many areas are still like that and many small town/rural areas still leave their doors unlocked. They just simply don't have a fraction of the crime that America has --- what few crimes they do have get blared repeatedly on the newspapers and tv, so often Japanese will *think* things are much worse than they are (I've watched one murder get reported seven or eight different ways -- so unless the viewer is paying *very* close attention they'll think it was 7 or 8 different crimes).

Anyway, back to Yotsuba (vol 7). A *great* collection of stories... not enough Fuuka but it'll do. The nicest bits are:
Fuuka and the string-can phone incident
Fuuka and her high school buddy baking a cake with Yotsuba intrusion (much cute)
A nice set of skits for the Yanda vs Yotsuba fans, especially the visit
to the farm with the very cute diary farm lady.
Yotsuba shops with a 500 yen coin... oooo the angst of choice.

Karnot

2007-10-16, 13:04

Fuuka and the string-can phone incident
The mangaka was hinting at possible romance since Try, but come on, she's just 16...although it COULD be interesting.

Yotsuba shops with a 500 yen coin... oooo the angst of choice.
When it turns out i dont have enough money - my first instinct is also to go and put everything back on shelves, lol.

Vexx

2007-10-16, 13:50

aye, I've never thought that anything really serious would be less than a few years down the road. Right now its just "so embarrassing haha". The fact that Fuuka even assumes someone might leap to the wrong conclusion is a giveaway to some random thoughts she might have (yeah, Trytrytry is a great moment in that respect).

loserita

2007-11-05, 00:49

The mangaka was hinting at possible romance since Try, but come on, she's just 16...although it COULD be interesting.

It's definitely interesting that Koiwai's "office" looks directly into Fuuka's bedroom...alert the doujinshi artists! ;)

I can easily see a gradual deepening of the Koiwai/Fuuka relationship over the coming years, assuming she doesn't move away when she graduates high school or something. Mind you, I don't think Azuma will ever show us this or even get to this point in the manga; I think he's content with painting amusing little scenarios like the one in the supermarket where they bicker about curry like, dare I say it, a married couple.

I find Fuuka to be an endearing character in particular: the responsible but awkward middle sister who doesn't have Ena's brains or Asagi's looks, but really seems to shine when it comes to looking after the ones she loves, particularly Yotsuba, who is not even a family member but rather just unofficially declared her and the other Ayases as such. It's easy in that respect to see her one day in the far hazy future becoming Yotsuba's "real mom". But again, I don't think Azuma will flash forward that far.

I'm pretty content to watch the Life of Yotsuba unfurl at its current glacial pace. I don't know if Azuma has a set ending in mind for the series, but I certainly hope it's not before Yotsuba starts school. That would be rife with all sorts of sidesplitting possibilities. We really haven't gotten to see Yotsuba interact with kids her own age yet and watching her fight her way to the top of the kindergarten hierarchy would be something. :)

Vexx

2007-11-06, 03:21

Exactly..... I'm left just nodding "hai hai" after that post.

2H-Dragon

2007-11-06, 09:08

Something like a timeskip would be in order. I just can't to seem to w8. Still what I want is some romance. I don't really need the scene's or anything I would at least would like to see a pair by that end. Yotsuba needs a mom. I have to say the neighbors mom is pretty cool, but having an illicit affair is too much to ask no?

Vexx

2007-12-03, 17:49

Picked up ADV's Yotsuba volume 5 over the weekend....

<sigh> yeah, they're finally continuing the series but I can't say the translation is anything stellar. Almost literally minimal to the point that I'm surprised they re-arrange the sentence structure. "Fuuka has the heartbreak!!!" is one of the more awkward pieces of dialog I've seen in the last couple of volumes.

loserita

2007-12-23, 21:20

Chapter 51 is up, yay! I missed Fuuka's presence lately...and Azuma more than made up for it with the school festival.

"Is that Fuuka's husband?" :heh:

Vexx

2007-12-24, 00:31

gah... now you people have me looking for the scans.... evil.. evil, I say :)

Pacify

2008-08-16, 23:05

Ah need more Yotsuba-chan :(

Anyone know what chapter its up to in Japan?

sumowow

2008-08-16, 23:44

Ever since i stumbled upon scanlations of yotsubato a couple months ago, ive been in love with this series. Yotsuba is just so adorable with her innocent questions and her random adventures. I especially love the "Frog" chapter, you know which one i mean. The neighbors are amazingly nice, i know i wouldn't want a random kid coming into my house and taking stuff from my refrigerator out of the blue. Also i think fuuka might like koiwai, it just seems so right.

Vexx

2008-08-17, 00:15

RandomGuy

2008-08-18, 01:01

All I know is that it has been pretty quiet on the author's website though he posts regularly. There's been a few figure releases this summer (Yotsuba, Fuuka, etc).

Not sure what chapter is available in Japan as I've been distracted.
Volume 8 comes out this month. Other than that, news has mostly centered around figure releases and such.

Mueti

2008-09-18, 13:23

My copy of volume 8 arrived on Tuesday. It's as brilliant as ever.

Vexx

2008-09-27, 21:39

aye, I'm on the hunt for volume 8 and the latest Spice&Wolf light novel at Kinokuniya next week...

(later)

Managed to nail volume 8 (and vol 6 of Lucky*Star) at Kinokuniya.

ooooooh, volume 8 is a treat, both visually and in content .... loved the school festival and the big town matsuri segments.

Irenicus

2008-09-28, 06:00

Slightly off-base question:

Just how many Kanji's this manga use regularly? I've just started studying Japanese in college and figured it'd be about two years at least before I'm able to comprehend it well enough to enjoy the reading, but if it uses many Kanji and diverts often to local dialects...

Because I really want more Yotsuba& goodness too you know. :)

ganbaru

2008-09-28, 13:50

The manga got furigana, so if you know the words you should be fine.

Irenicus

2008-09-28, 15:14

The manga got furigana, so if you know the words you should be fine.
Sweet!

But still 2 years away... *mumbles*

Vexx

2008-09-28, 17:56

The manga got furigana, so if you know the words you should be fine.

Small qualification: the author often puts background dialog outside of balloons and "farther back" in the frame.

Several people (including my japanese instructor) characterize the font he uses as "chicken scratches". It can sometimes take her (a native japanese with an advanced linguistics degree) a few minutes to figure out what the author has written.

Some of the funniest lines are in that mess so its worth parsing out.

The author also has an interesting method in which the older or more intellectual the speaker is - the more kanji used. So Yotsuba herself speakes almost entirely in kana... the teens speak with more and more kanji and the adults are speaking in full kanji. Its an interesting technique that gives the reader an instant feel for the character.

NaweG

2008-11-24, 13:03

So, I know when the series started (and AD was very popular) that there was talk about this getting an anime production as well. Any hints that it might do so someday?

Vexx

2008-11-24, 13:38

All I've seen is a recent increase this year in the number of figures and poseable figures from the seres (Yotsuba, Fuuka, etc). Sometimes that is an indicator that there is continued industrial interest in a series. There's been enough material produced to fill at least one season (seven volumes) -- I sometimes wonder if the extreme subtlety of any potential romance keeps the "quick buck" anime teams wary (??).

I visit the author's website periodically... but so far there's been nary a peep about any potential anime adaptation.

loserita

2008-12-14, 15:56

Apparently Azuma has clarified the anime rumors on his blog, stating that the pacing of the series makes it too difficult to translate into animation (I believe he specifically cites one scene where Yotsuba announces herself to the Ayase household, and there are several "empty" panels following indicating no response.)

Which, I'm kinda going to have to call BS on, because it wasn't like Azumanga Daioh was completely devoid of such moments.

Vexx

2008-12-14, 17:24

Meh, I've seen too many slice-of-life series where whole minutes go by with "nothing happening" to consider that an anime-killer. I wonder if he's surveyed his "competition" lately.

However, it may be that the companies that have approached him so far weren't willing to concede the level of artistic control he wanted....

loserita

2009-02-02, 04:36

Yotsuba & Barbecue is now out.

I was wondering when we'd get to see Jumbo again, and now we've gotten Yanda too. It was interesting seeing the boys-night-out with Yotsuba just ignoring their conversation about Asagi's hotness and Yanda's ex-girlfriend as any young child would, content to amuse herself with the condiments.

It's vignettes like these that remind me why I love this series so much, it reminds me so vividly of similar scenes from my own childhood. Part of the reason why I love Yotsuba's relationships with the Ayase girls is due to my own relationships with the kids of my mom's best friend when I was six--daughters who were ten, fourteen, and sixteen, and a college-age son. I was closest to the middle sister, who had the most patience for me and who wasn't unlike Fuuka in a lot of ways.

And now that I'm living in Japan myself (in Ayase, heh--not intentional), I find myself increasingly wondering where exactly the setting is--unless it's Azuma's "Springfield", a composite or any-suburb that could be virtually anywhere.

Vexx

2009-02-02, 19:26

He uses a LOT of reference photography ... but I've not read of anyone figuring out "where Yotsuba lives" and posting a website on it like many anime/manga series have had done (the comparative websites for AIR and the one for Kamichu! still stand out).

Good, I'd put off my import order now I can add something else to it.

loserita

2009-02-03, 06:57

I tried to figure it out based on the train stops in the Beach chapter and just got confused because they apparently didn't exist on any map I checked. :( I want it to be a real place so I can make a pilgrimage there. :D

Vexx

2009-02-04, 13:39

I suspect some of the places we see in Yotsuba (beach, camping, farm, etc) come from the author's own favorite places and may not be actually geographically connected. But Yotsuba's town may actually be a single real place.

Thanks for your efforts, though loserita :)

Brandandi

2009-02-04, 16:10

I love this series. It's so funny! I've read the up to vol. 5 so far.

Dop

2009-02-07, 18:40

Oh my god! Yen Press have got Yotsuba! (ANN (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/convention/2009/new-york-comic-con/yen-press))

Although September seems like an awful long time to wait!

Vexx

2009-02-09, 02:39

Finally, I can close the book on ADV and their debacle.

Maybe Yen Press will go back and retranslate the first books as well so I'm not comparing the original japanese texts and the english texts and muttering "wtf????".
(edit: the article says Yen is retaining one of the translators... hope its the right one :P )

loserita

2009-02-21, 07:12

Geography detective alert!

Chapter 57 (Yotsuba & Duralumin) takes place at the Mitsui Outlet Park in Iruma. Since I have entirely too much time on my hands, I matched the manga panel defining the location "West Gate" to a photo on a blog post, then to their website. And there is a Cold Stone Creamery in that mall, I checked. :heh:

Now this might also be an instance of Azuma going "hey I went here and this might make a good setting for the next chapter", but might it not be possible that Yotsuba actually lives in Iruma? Unless Koiwai went for a bit of a drive...and IMO, anybody who operates a vehicle longer than absolutely necessary in urban Japan is clearly out of their mind. (Then again, he is the "Pants Man"...)

loserita

2009-03-04, 05:39

The last page of Ch. 60 is downright TRAGIC.

Fuuka, alone, in the corner with the blocks. The only one that gets left out. :(

Of course, the perennial Koiwai/Fuuka shipper in me took note of two things: Koiwai's face when Fuuka suggests he go along (it's more shocked than "oh hey there's an idea", and then his reaction when he finds out she's not going--he immediately starts to have second thoughts.

Other than that it was a pretty funny chapter.

ACGalaga

2009-03-16, 05:51

My shout-out to Yotsuba&!!!!
Love it! Azuma Kiyohiko is among the finest of sequential artist!!!

It also helps me study Japanese! Way to go for comics!!!!

Sol Falling

2009-03-16, 11:59

Oh wow, despite the criminal shortness of this thread, somebody else wanted to give Yotsuba&! a 'shout-out' today too.

I just started reading this series about a week ago. Beyond the sheer enjoyment of experiencing it, the art, humour, characterizations, pacing all seem to have an air of consistency that makes (to me) Yotsuba&! a true triumph in execution. Reading Vexx's note above about the use of kanji in its dialogue further reinforces this for me: Kizuhiko Azuma really knows what he's doing. In fact, there've only been one or two instances where the thought that this series might not be absolute perfection has even crossed my mind.

In just a couple days, Yotsuba&! has occupied a different space in my mind. In terms of anime/manga hierarchies, I haven't really sorted out my preferences, but Yotsuba&! stands out as something I could recommend as an amazing experience to just about anyone. As such, I am astonished how little talk this series has, and am disappointed that my encounter with it might as well have been an accident.

To digress from Yotsuba&!'s universal celebrate-ability for a moment, I want to touch on an aspect of personal inspiration. Although all the characters in Yotsuba&! are great (another mark of an amazing manga, I must say: completely interesting characters, all of whom you want to see more of), my personal favourite would have to be Ena. It is, how should I put it, emotionally gratifying to see an intelligent young girl who has yet to be corrupted by this world's competitive spirit (or accompanying ugliness). Having (I suppose) passed that period of life when one simply advances in a predefined context, I now find myself in an environment where everyone's primary concern (including my own) is 'fending for oneself'. Faced with the feeling of not having spent that time well, Ena's natural sentiment of "Don't you think it's interesting to see how much you can do?" (Yostuba&! Fishing) is both an inspiration (as someone whose time will be spent well) and a yearning (a paradox of despair over an opportunity personally lost, and hope in a person with whom to share that desire) for me. Admittedly I feel that the spirit of Yotsuba&! is a bit happily divorced from the question of an economically sustainable lifestyle (one sequence in 'Yotsuba&! the Bicycle' jarred me in this respect, when Yotsuba declared "Daddy, this is a nice store! I trust them! Let's buy here!" without any solid info on their pricing or service), but hopefully I'm not too far off base here.

Vexx

2009-03-24, 23:42

Yes, Ena is purity and sweetness - and I enjoy the antics of her friend (especially in regard to Jumbo).

This is one of the few series that I always buy two copies of the Japanese version - one for me and one to donate to my local high school's Japanese teacher. She *loves* it (especially because of the linguistic techniques).

KimmyChan

2009-03-27, 07:04

I so wanna read this series as I'm a big fan of Azumanga Daioh anyway :)

Vexx

2009-03-27, 14:17

There are still english translation copies of volumes 1-5 on the shelves from the former manga publisher ADV. The recent announcement of YEN press picking up the series gives me happiness -- perhaps we'll see volume 6 in September (and maybe even the first five volumes republished).

loserita

2009-04-16, 07:25

Yes, Ena is purity and sweetness - and I enjoy the antics of her friend (especially in regard to Jumbo).

The Miura/Jumbo interaction is priceless (and something I've been missing lately). How can you not love a grown man willing to fly all the way to Hawaii just to one-up a ten-year-old (who doesn't even care about their "competition").

Yaoi_Daisuki

2009-04-21, 16:23

love this, but its way too slow. thinking of getting the raw manga itself. i just passed my jlpt3, do you guys think i could handle it?

Vexx

2009-04-21, 23:44

Easily (with the occasional dictionary lookup). The dialog is written and structured dependent on the maturity of the speaker. Yotsuba talks almost exclusively in -kana. Ena & friends add a bit of kanji. Fuuka tries to use more kanji in her dialog and so on to the adults. All the kanji has furigana.

The only thing I find hairpulling is the font the author uses for the background sidechat and mumbling (the bits that aren't in word balloons). He uses such a sloppy font that my Japanese teachers sometimes have trouble figuring out what he wrote.

Of course, that's where some of the most hilarious lines are....

I'm studying for the jlpt3 but at the moment I'd just failfailfail unless they gave me all day and I could take all my cheatsheets and dictionaries in.