[qtipbrit]

Originally Posted by km0120

A fan work is unlicensed and illegal; furthermore, a translated work is inferior to a original one even if a professional translator did. Thus, to learn Japanese and to read a original one is the best.

Really? I thought all languages were essentially identical except for certain words and pronunciation. I also agree that spending years (or at the very least, several months) to learn Japanese (not fluently, still.) is the best approach in reading a light novel. It's much more prudent and efficient than going down to the local bookstore or even shopping online and reading a translation in the language you already speak that may or may not be dramatically different from the original.

Originally Posted by km0120

I would like to add a compliment in the part of "unlicensed/illegal."
There are many translated works by some amateurs on the Web. They charge a reader for a fee. Needless to say, they are not unlicensed. Although I do not know the law in your country, they are considered illgal in our country. If we try to get them, we will be arrested. Therefore, what I trully meant in the part is that it is not worthwhile to discuss their work infringing an author, reagardless of their translational quality. I am very afraid that illegal activities spoil an author's motivation.

I'm actually quite sure that many sites featuring fantranslated works are generally free, and often remove the material from the site when it is licensed in R1 (most often the first English-speaking area in which a manga is licensed.)
Authors in Japan wouldn't particularly care as much either, as their works are bought often only in Japan, and sales outside of Japan affect them very slightly, as en entirely different entity is directing its sales in other languages.

Originally Posted by tripperazn

I distinctly remember thinking how to translate when Kagami was making a tsukkomi, while referencing the fact that she is the tsukkomi character. a.f.k largely ignored this reference and translated it as something like "response". Ambiguous and humorless to be sure, but at least it didn't confuse the audience or break the flow of the show.

While I agree that "localization" is hard to swallow, it's often necessary when you're dealing with such different languages and cultures. In fact, I applaud a.f.k simply because they choose to take on such insane projects like Lucky Star and SZS and produce some results. There was one other group who competed with a.f.k for SZS and finished way faster, but were largely ignored due to "inferior" subs.

I agree here. Lucky Star and Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei are extremely difficult (maybe impossible) series to both stay true to the original work and be easily comprehensible to the target audience (people outside of Japan with little to no understanding of the Japanese language.)
As such, many fansub groups are faced with this problem, several groups keep certain aspects of the original Japanese language, often with a translator's note, such as honorifics, certain words, phrases, etc. While several groups do not, translating Kagami-sama or Kamina-sama as "Kagami the Great" or "Lord Kamina",
tsukkomi as "Straight man" or "Punch line character", tsuntsun and deredere as "hostile" and "affectionate", respectively, -san as Mr./Ms./Mrs., etc.
Though I prefer the former, due to my basic understanding of the language, I agree that the greater majority of the world and watchers of anime do not, and it's necessary to make several changes in anime, manga, and light novel translation.