Golden Time [Light Novel]

[rpapo]

Originally Posted by finalfury

Are there any developments with Chinami later in the series?
From what my gut is telling me, she feels like a "wild card" character, and I also think for some strange reason that she might be interested in Banri or Kouko.

As for Chinami,

Spoiler:

it would appear that (1) she becomes fast friends with Kouko, and (2) she seems to draw close to Two Dimensions, though where in the world his childhood friend Aki is, I have no idea. All the more so because he's living at home while going to college, so presumably he still lives close to her.

Originally Posted by finalfury

This is a very well written story and many thanks to rpapo for translating this.

The original is quite elaborate for my level of Japanese, though I suppose for your average native Japanese reader, it is only mildly literary in style. I do what I can, and am still learning how to translate.

[LordMatsu]

What I'm troubling trying to figure out is why Mitsuo hates Kouko so much? And why is Linda being so quiet about everything?

This is just how I feel the story will end. The whole story premise is on Banri's missing memories and Mitsuo/Kouko agreement to marry each other as kids. Because of this it will come down to reconciling with the past. I feel Banri and Kouko will later come to grasp of their past with Linda and Mitsuo. There will be problems that arise which will eventually allow Linda and Banri to reconcile and Kouko with Mitsuo too.

Many people may hate me for this, but there has to be a reason for Mitsuo's behavior as well as Linda. In this way I feel it'll be BanrixLinda and MistuoxKouko. Story wise, it all comes down to the past and what happen. Why people are doing what they are doing... the whole dating with KoukoxBanri is an attempt to disregard the past I feel. They will still be good friends but will realize different emotions and feelings that were trapped in the past. Kouko has loved Mitsuo for 10+ years since they promised to marry. Linda may have dated Banri for awhile too. Attempting to grasp the past as well as the future will bring everyone together.

Not that I dislike the Banri Kouko couple but the story flows better with Linda Banri and Kouko Mitsuo in the end.

Please comment about how you think it will turn out. Please don't hate me.

[rpapo]

Originally Posted by LordMatsu

Now that all romance/drama stories follow this premise, but most MC end up with the main heroine right? So I'm sure Banri and Kouko will most likely be together in the end.

What I'm troubling trying to figure out is why Mitsuo hates Kouko so much? And why is Linda being so quiet about everything?

Wasn't that explained quite well in manga chapter 9? Mitsuo resents Kouko for having robbed him of all opportunity for "playing the field" while in High School. Not that Kouko is by any means perfect, but Mitsuo was suffering from the delusion that all other girls had to be better. "The grass is greener on the other side..."

To be fair, Kouko appears to have played the part of the hyper-jealous possessive girlfriend too, which only made Mitsuo all the more restless.

[LordMatsu]

Originally Posted by rpapo

Wasn't that explained quite well in manga chapter 9? Mitsuo resents Kouko for having robbed him of all opportunity for "playing the field" while in High School. Not that Kouko is by any means perfect, but Mitsuo was suffering from the delusion that all other girls had to be better. "The grass is greener on the other side..."

To be fair, Kouko appears to have played the part of the hyper-jealous possessive girlfriend too, which only made Mitsuo all the more restless.

I understand that, but there has to be more than just that. I feel he's running away from more than just Kouko.

As I edited in my previous post... Story-wise, they have to go through the past and reconcile with their own problems. All the characters and their issues. Banri and Kouko being together is more of a character development phase, as Banri doesn't have a past and lives in the present, while Kouko lives in the past, and not the present. Hence, I feel is the reason why she decided to date him, cause after getting along so well and him actually being there, she fell for him. Although, it seems to simple for everything to go smoothly. Feelings and emotions of the past will come and cause problems, feelings will be hurt but eventually repaired. Kouko will learn that being an overzealous stalking fiance is overbearing, and Mitsuo will most likely learn, sometimes grass isn't greener on the other side, and to treasure what you have, than treasure what you don't have. Banri, will learn about his past more; maybe he dated Linda for several years, but something happened before he fell off the bridge. This is all pure speculation. I just feel as a reader, I feel this makes more sense.

In the end, it's all about making up with the past and reconciling with it. Banri, Kouko, Mitsuo, and Linda, all had problems and issues in the past that has led them to this story. Through each date, through each phase, they're learning more about themselves, and other people. After all this recollection, for Banri and Kouko to still be dating, then Mitsuo and Linda to be out of the picture and then written off as just no one, kind of puts the summary to shame. I guess if each of them reconciled with each other about the past, then both Linda and Mitsuo decide to still move on, then story wise it makes sense. But, what came of that? I guess closure that everyone has moved on. As a sucker for everyone being happy, it'd make me happy for Banri to reconcile with Linda and Kouko with Mitsuo, and they rekindled the past. Everyone still friends, everyone happy. But maybe, I'm just too optimistic.

[csuree]

Hello...I'm back.....Huh, I wasn't here a long time ago and since the anime airing is drawing ever close I thought I'd drop by.

Well your theory is not wrong, your arguments are for the good of everyone, so all the characters will have a happy ending.
But life is not always so fair. Reconciling with the past is a good thing but this does not necessarily mean that they will get back together. Let's keep in mind that Banri is not the same Banri as he was in high school. He has a different personality, he is a changed man.
Also Kouko realized that her infatuation with Mitsuo was of a childish origin. As she grew up to be a beautiful lady, she should move on ,and well she did....She is dating Banri....

Kouko being obnoxious with Mitsuo has an irreversible psychological effect of loving, but only from distance.
Also good example While I was living with my parents we always fought over everything, never had a relaxing day. Ever since we live separately, everything changed. I love my parents more, and vice versa.
Mitsuo is the same. he might have some regrets as Kouko would have been a good catch and for him, also the easiest one. But I doubt Kouko has him in mind as a romantic interest anymore.

It is not a problem that you are optimistic and you want to have a happy end for everyone but in my opinion (as far as I read the story) Kouko will stay with Banri with all the ups and downs of a relationship. Mitsuo will try to woo Chinami (if she is interested in him), and Linda......well she is a secondary character so she will find happiness too...somehow.

BTW rpapo, good job on the translations so far, I cannot express my gratitude that we have you.

As a silent reminder....This thread will be so visited after the anime will start airing.....It will become super hot topic....

[blade82]

Originally Posted by csuree

Mitsuo will try to woo Chinami (if she is interested in him)

isn't instead Mr 2 dimension who seems interested in her?

[rpapo]

Originally Posted by blade82

isn't instead Mr 2 dimension who seems interested in her?

All indications right now are that Oka and 2D will be hanging around a lot together. Check out the volume 5 illustrations posted on Baka-Tsuki. Also, this is somewhat foreshadowed in manga chapter 18.

Spoiler:

Volume 5 is set in early August, and revolves around a trip to the seaside, and the participants are Banri, Kouko, Oka and 2D. It appears that by that time, Kouko and Oka are actually friends.

[amrul]

Originally Posted by blade82

isn't instead Mr 2 dimension who seems interested in her?

Originally Posted by rpapo

All indications right now are that Oka and 2D will be hanging around a lot together. Check out the volume 5 illustrations posted on Baka-Tsuki. Also, this is somewhat foreshadowed in manga chapter 18.

Spoiler:

Volume 5 is set in early August, and revolves around a trip to the seaside, and the participants are Banri, Kouko, Oka and 2D. It appears that by that time, Kouko and Oka are actually friends.

It's Mitsuo the one who is interested in Oka Chinami in the first place, but as the story progresses, another character seems to have an interest with her too, such as mentioned in rpapo's post.

by the way, I'm finally able to obtain the sixth volume and started reading it (so far I have reached chapter 2). Later I'll summarize them here for those who are curious enough not to wait till the anime/translations reach that part


looking at the time, the anime will air tomorrow early in the morning (half past 2 GMT + 9), can't wait till the first episode airs. And csuree's right, this thread will receive a lot of visitors after the anime airs

[NotVeryMuchAPro]

I'm kinda worried about volume 7, since the title is "I'll be back".

Separation coming?

Also, is the rumor that volume 7 is the last volume true?

[blade82]

Originally Posted by NotVeryMuchAPro

I'm kinda worried about volume 7, since the title is "I'll be back".

Separation coming?

Also, is the rumor that volume 7 is the last volume true?

maybe Banri has regained his memory and has lost it again

[rpapo]

Originally Posted by blade82

maybe Banri has regained his memory and has lost it again

I read the publisher's blurb, and it didn't seem to me like a description of the series' end. It described a progression of Banri's attitudes towards everybody in general, but didn't sound like anything final was about to happen.

That said, I didn't do the kind of analysis I normally put into translating pages of the light novel, or manga. Just a quick scan.

[blade82]

how much volume do you think the anime will cover rpapo?

[rpapo]

Originally Posted by blade82

how much volume do you think the anime will cover rpapo?

My opinion? It's pure speculation, but I suspect they will do exactly like what they did with Toradora: they will cover most of the incidents given in the already published novels, add in some more stuff unique to the anime, and finish the story whatever way the author thinks she wants to finish it right now (or wanted to finish it several months ago). In the end, the novels will probably differ somewhat.

Unlike, say, The Lord of the Rings, which was a story 100% complete before it was ever published, most fictional series nowadays, be they English, Japanese or whatever language, develop as they are published. They usually start out with an outline, but the story can and does often change as the separate volumes are published. Harry Potter was that way. The evidence shows that Toradora was like that, and I suspect strongly that Golden Time has been that way too. The publisher wants the flexibility to cut the series short if it doesn't turn out popular, and by the same token they want the flexibility to milk it for every dollar/yen they can get from the readers if it turns out to be a hit.

Another factor to consider: though in Toradora censorship was not really a consideration (in fact, the anime is more risqué than the novels), in Golden Time it will very probably be a factor. At the very least, the depiction of underage (by Japanese standards) drunkedness will probably be softened. From where I see things, I don't see the author getting too sexually explicit in the novels. That doesn't seem to be her way. But they may tone down even what little there is, in the anime version.

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by rpapo

My opinion? It's pure speculation, but I suspect they will do exactly like what they did with Toradora: they will cover most of the incidents given in the already published novels, add in some more stuff unique to the anime, and finish the story whatever way the author thinks she wants to finish it right now (or wanted to finish it several months ago). In the end, the novels will probably differ somewhat.

Unlike, say, The Lord of the Rings, which was a story 100% complete before it was ever published, most fictional series nowadays, be they English, Japanese or whatever language, develop as they are published. They usually start out with an outline, but the story can and does often change as the separate volumes are published. Harry Potter was that way. The evidence shows that Toradora was like that, and I suspect strongly that Golden Time has been that way too. The publisher wants the flexibility to cut the series short if it doesn't turn out popular, and by the same token they want the flexibility to milk it for every dollar/yen they can get from the readers if it turns out to be a hit.

Another factor to consider: though in Toradora censorship was not really a consideration (in fact, the anime is more risqué than the novels), in Golden Time it will very probably be a factor. At the very least, the depiction of underage (by Japanese standards) drunkedness will probably be softened. From where I see things, I don't see the author getting too sexually explicit in the novels. That doesn't seem to be her way. But they may tone down even what little there is, in the anime version.

Spoiler:

Would they just cut out the fact that the police arrested Banri and Kouko for underage drinking? If they limited the drinking to just those two, I could see it working out, considering the fact that they're visibly punished for their crime.

[rpapo]

Perhaps, though you never know for sure. Censors, like everybody, come in different flavors.

[Frontier]

Spoiler:

True, but plotwise they need a reason for the police to take Banri in so he's at the station with Kouko. It's not like he stole a bike like she did.

Unless they take out that entire scene at the station... though I really hope they won't.

[rpapo]

In any case, that stuff is probably out past episode 5. I remember kostas gave the first three episode titles already, and they left me with the impression that the first volume will be covered in 3-4 episodes of anime, maybe even an episode for each of the five chapters. After that, though, I think they will move through the volumes rather more quickly.

[Tyabann]

Or, you know, they could be giving that much time and attention to every novel, meaning we'll only get through like five books.
But that would be giving the series its due rather than rushing an ending and that would be a good, not a bad thing, and we can't have good things, can we?

[Frontier]

I guess it depends on whether J.C. Staff wants to Sakurasou it or Toradora! it... or something like that .

It also probably depends on how much Takemiya's planned out the novels, how many novels the series is going to end up being, and how much she's helped J.C. Staff with the creative process.

In your opinion amrul, is volume five a good enough stopping point for a "first season?"

[l.kostas]

We have the frist two episode titles (Spring Time, Lonely Girl) because they announced here: http://db2013fes.dengeki.com/theater/index.html that they will show the first two episodes of Golden Time and Strike the Blood to celebrate them getting an anime at this venue: http://www.udx-gallery-theater-confe...p/column5.html