Spice and Wolf Light Novel Discussion

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by nsmcho

Yea but even if it's almost complete, Yen Press releases one translated novel every 6 months... I can't read Japanese. It's pretty much the same pace as the manga for westerners.
I just want to be able to see the complete story. Either by watching the anime, the novel or the manga.
Not sure which one will be canceled first. For example, if westerners don't buy enough novels, Yen Press probably is going to stop the release of these novels...
And there is no announcement about a 3rd anime season.

So far, YEN has been very reliable and committed to finishing what they start .. something ADV forgot and went down in flames for, and something Tokyopop is doing as they follow down ADV's path of unreliability.

[ThunderSt0rm]

Originally Posted by Rajura

Well, I finally overcame that fear (started by buying something "more normal" when I'd get something I was afraid people would look on me with derision for), but if that feeling stands after doing that, Right Stuf or another online seller is always an option.

Even so parents would have to get it (credit card) and I just feel weird having then get it. Then there's also my sister who already ridicules me for various things........

Meh, hopefully season 3 will be announced soon so I don't have to worry about the novels as much (though I'd still want to read them....)

[SakuraAyanami]

Originally Posted by ThunderSt0rm

Even so parents would have to get it (credit card) and I just feel weird having then get it. Then there's also my sister who already ridicules me for various things........

Meh, hopefully season 3 will be announced soon so I don't have to worry about the novels as much (though I'd still want to read them....)

Well in that case then the westernized cover would help with your predicament of not wanting your parents to thinks that they'r buying cartoons/ kiddie books and you feeling uncomfortable. ( Then again with the cover of the first volume they might thinks is a trashy novel though)

[nsmcho]

On a side note, the westernized cover is horrible.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by nsmcho

On a side note, the westernized cover is horrible.

yeah, there are like 10 pages discussing it further up the thread. Well, the "live photo" style covers let the books fit in with all the other lurid covers in western bookstores. They hoped that would broaden the appeal outside "the usual band of fan maniacs". Walking down the average fiction aisle these days, you almost feel like the aisles should be cordoned off as adults-only. That goes for mainstream as well as sci-fi/fantasy.

Unclear whether sales can be tracked to check that theory out though. The books may simply sell well regardless. I didn't *hate* the western covers (they're pretty much just 'live photo' renditions of our favorite wolf goddess ホロ), but I had problems with the quality of the fur texture and the way the tail was drawn (artist failed tail anatomy ). The first book cover also made it appear the story was much more lurid than it was. I'd have muted it a bit and added in piles of various coinage.

After all, the books are as much economic adventures as they are about pagan wolf goddesses (j/k)

[Rajura]

Originally Posted by Vexx

yeah, there are like 10 pages discussing it further up the thread. Well, the "live photo" style covers let the books fit in with all the other lurid covers in western bookstores. They hoped that would broaden the appeal outside "the usual band of fan maniacs". Walking down the average fiction aisle these days, you almost feel like the aisles should be cordoned off as adults-only. That goes for mainstream as well as sci-fi/fantasy.

Unclear whether sales can be tracked to check that theory out though. The books may simply sell well regardless. I didn't *hate* the western covers (they're pretty much just 'live photo' renditions of our favorite wolf goddess ホロ), but I had problems with the quality of the fur texture and the way the tail was drawn (artist failed tail anatomy ). The first book cover also made it appear the story was much more lurid than it was. I'd have muted it a bit and added in piles of various coinage.

After all, the books are as much economic adventures as they are about pagan wolf goddesses (j/k)

That first cover did look better suited for a sultry, cheap, check-out line "romance" novel than an epic "tail" of economics, love, and adventure.

Oh and yes, the second cover was an EPIC tail fail... that tail did not have the fluffiness, softness, texture, or colo(u)r befitting my beautiful Wisewolf. Of course, as was noted, we had thoroughly exhausted this topic... I'm sorry you weren't here to contribute to the debate and rants!

[SakuraAyanami]

^ But don't worry because I assure you that the rant about the third cover of the novel is going to be as scrutinized as the last two

[ThunderSt0rm]

Originally Posted by SakuraAyanami

Well in that case then the westernized cover would help with your predicament of not wanting your parents to thinks that they'r buying cartoons/ kiddie books and you feeling uncomfortable. ( Then again with the cover of the first volume they might thinks is a trashy novel though)

Ehh it would still feel uncomfortable to me regardless..... It's either I man up and go to a book store and buy it or.....idk D:

Starting re-reading the first novel out of boredom........

[velderia]

Originally Posted by Vexx

yeah, there are like 10 pages discussing it further up the thread. Well, the "live photo" style covers let the books fit in with all the other lurid covers in western bookstores. They hoped that would broaden the appeal outside "the usual band of fan maniacs". Walking down the average fiction aisle these days, you almost feel like the aisles should be cordoned off as adults-only. That goes for mainstream as well as sci-fi/fantasy.

Unclear whether sales can be tracked to check that theory out though. The books may simply sell well regardless. I didn't *hate* the western covers (they're pretty much just 'live photo' renditions of our favorite wolf goddess ホロ), but I had problems with the quality of the fur texture and the way the tail was drawn (artist failed tail anatomy ). The first book cover also made it appear the story was much more lurid than it was. I'd have muted it a bit and added in piles of various coinage.

After all, the books are as much economic adventures as they are about pagan wolf goddesses (j/k)

xD

Well I don't think anatomy was the only problem with the cover. It was just bad photoshopping and rendering in general. A lot of smudge tool/airbrushing feel. And the tail looks hollow or something.

I thought the title font was excellent though and very fitting.

[tyranuus]

They are slowly g etting better, perhaps by the time the series ends they will rival the originals. Who knows?

[Mr. Anime]

Originally Posted by ThunderSt0rm

Ehh it would still feel uncomfortable to me regardless..... It's either I man up and go to a book store and buy it or.....idk D:

Starting re-reading the first novel out of boredom........

u know if people ridicule you because ur watching anime, they do it because its easy to make fun of a single person who has other tastes and because they have no idea what anime is about. they probably think cartoon=childish. i was ridiculed all the time then i showed some of them who were willing to try it out death note and elfenlied and EVERYONE who watched wanted more, some of them are even watching naruto now and they are 20-25 years old. i cant watch most of the "normal" movies because i think they lack lenght, story or good characters.
but i know what u mean i started watching anime around 15 and i was uncomfortable as well letting other people know what i am watching, but i grew up to be pretty cool (at least in my opinion^^) so i dont care anymore.

[SakuraAyanami]

Originally Posted by Mr. Anime

u know if people ridicule you because ur watching anime, they do it because its easy to make fun of a single person who has other tastes and because they have no idea what anime is about. they probably think cartoon=childish. i was ridiculed all the time then i showed some of them who were willing to try it out death note and elfenlied and EVERYONE who watched wanted more, some of them are even watching naruto now and they are 20-25 years old. i cant watch most of the "normal" movies because i think they lack lenght, story or good characters.
but i know what u mean i started watching anime around 15 and i was uncomfortable as well letting other people know what i am watching, but i grew up to be pretty cool (at least in my opinion^^) so i dont care anymore.

I think that most, if not all, of us went through that. In my case it wasn't that bad because my sister fell in love with anime right beside me, although my dad thought(still thinks) that it was funny to make nonsense sounds every time we were watching something in the tv. You could say that you learn to ignore those type of people as time passes. Although in my case these people didn't bother me because family/friends say that I have a very scary glare when I'm annoyed (which is weird because I'm not even trying to glare ^^U)

[ThunderSt0rm]

Originally Posted by Mr. Anime

u know if people ridicule you because ur watching anime, they do it because its easy to make fun of a single person who has other tastes and because they have no idea what anime is about. they probably think cartoon=childish. i was ridiculed all the time then i showed some of them who were willing to try it out death note and elfenlied and EVERYONE who watched wanted more, some of them are even watching naruto now and they are 20-25 years old. i cant watch most of the "normal" movies because i think they lack lenght, story or good characters.
but i know what u mean i started watching anime around 15 and i was uncomfortable as well letting other people know what i am watching, but i grew up to be pretty cool (at least in my opinion^^) so i dont care anymore.

I guess it's just a problem I have. I've never really felt comfortable telling others I like (insert hobby/interest here) until I know if they do as well. Heck I've felt like this in my school's "anime/manga" club (though I mostly went to meetings to hang with a friend or two).

I don't want to keep getting off topic wih this. If you still want to talk about this somewhere else I'd be fine with that :]

Does anyone know why they decided to skip volume 4 when making season 2 of the anime?

[SakuraAyanami]

Originally Posted by ThunderSt0rm

Does anyone know why they decided to skip volume 4 when making season 2 of the anime?

probably because vol 4 isn't as romantic as 3 and 5.
Wile in vol 3 you can see how Lawrence reacts to the situation (romantically speaking). In vol 4 the plot centers more on the lead about Horo's home town and in vol 5 the romance takes a bigger role again in the story.

[BashZeStampeedo]

Originally Posted by SakuraAyanami

probably because vol 4 isn't as romantic as 3 and 5.

I can't say that I'd completely agree with that.. volume 4 is about as romantic as volume 3, since it kinda does for Horo what volume 3 did for Lawrence.. let us know where she stands on their relationship. But since they aired the second OVA I guess they felt it was unnecessary, and wanted to fast-track a bit. I know I was a bit perplexed by Horo's behavior in the anime as a result, until after I read volume 4.

[Vexx]

Anime adaptations are, by definition, going to be condensed versions of their source material -- the time budget gods demand it. The LOTR movies would have been days long if they hadn't snipped away. Volume 4 took the hit mostly because the OVAs kind of glanced at it on the way forward. And yeah, it ended up making Horo look a bit daft or mercurial in the second season at times.

But hey, a dominant purpose of anime is to inspire one to seek out the source material.

[Rajura]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Anime adaptations are, by definition, going to be condensed versions of their source material -- the time budget gods demand it. The LOTR movies would have been days long if they hadn't snipped away. Volume 4 took the hit mostly because the OVAs kind of glanced at it on the way forward. And yeah, it ended up making Horo look a bit daft or mercurial in the second season at times.

But hey, a dominant purpose of anime is to inspire one to seek out the source material.

Good analysis... and good vocabulary word... mercurial... NICE!!!

[ThunderSt0rm]

I believe they chose to skip volume 4 and end with volume 5 because if they chose to end the anime at 2 seasons it would be better to end it with volume 5 rather than volume 4. At the same time it still left it open to continue with a third season if they decided to do so.

Either way it threw me off when I started reading volume 4 expecting the latter half of season 2.

Also I may buy volume 2 tomorrow.....

[tyranuus]

There's also the fact the ending scene of S2, hopefully taken to some extent from the book, was a dynamite tease for a 3rd season, whilst providing at least some semblence of closure if the series doesnt continue (and wrath upon those who decide it, from whichever god you pray to be it Horo or otherwise, if there is NOT another season).

[nsmcho]

Why isn't there any announcement about the 3rd season on japanese websites? Flawed communication there.
And translating the novels takes way too much time. June 2012 for volume 6 ? Come on...it means 2016 for the last volume. Just lol.
/rage