Spice and Wolf Light Novel Discussion

[Mr. Anime]

ha, fair in your face blank mage^^
then i am relieved^^
did u already read all volumes of SaW judgment?
and why isnt the 2nd volume translated but the 3rd?

[seaghyn16]

Hmmm...let's see if I can answer with a "recap" .

Back in January, the Spice and Wolf anime started airing. I got so addicted to it, I started browsing forums, reading more more more. Then I found this place, A-S, back in February. Vexx, Matt, and some other bigger names were working hard here trying to stir up interest, in something I had never even heard about. Light Novels. What?? Wait, so you're telling me there is more to Japanese Media than Manga and Anime? Books actually come out too?

Yes. In March, I got my first taste of what a light novel was. I went to B-T tentatively, wondering what it was all about, and read Alephnull's small updates about Spice and Wolf, Volume 1.

Fastforward to April. All the episodes are over, and we had "found" some translators to help with this. Firedoo, a Chinese guy who translated V.1 Chapter 3, and Judgment came in. Alephnull vanished, and so did the others. But these translators were all on Volume 1, except Judge, who was wondering where to start, with all the confusion in Volume 1.

Judg agreed to start on Volume 3, which picks up Directly After the Anime. And that was the reason.

Barbsicle took Volume 1, and it wasn't until recently that Volume 1 got sorted out.

So there are two translators. Barbsicle, and Judgment.

Barbsicle is Translating Volume 1-2, while Judg has taken 3-4 so far. . This way, people wouldn't have to wait for probably a year or more to know what happens after the anime ends. judge translating means that we can all keep up with Spice and Wolf, and what's happening. So that's kind of why...

I found it has really tough words . So I'm practicing on a light novel with easier grammar, as I build on my Japanese knowledge, waiting for the time I can jump in S&W as a translator .

[judgment26]

Well actually, I jumped into the project already with the intention of continuing the storyline for those who had finished watching the anime, but yeah, occasionally I do feel somewhat guilty about not helping out with the first two volumes...if only we had more translators.

did u already read all volumes of SaW judgment?

No, I'm currently reading Vol. 6 (well, I haven't had any time to read lately, but that's the volume I'm on right now), which is the most recent volume published in Chinese.

[LKK]

Big news! Yen Press announced at its NYAF panel today that it has acquired the license to the Spice and Wolf novels. (Source)

[Mr. Anime]

knowledge about volume 1&2 can be gained by watching the anime
so just continue translating volume 4^^

[kyouray]

Originally Posted by LKK

Big news! Yen Press announced at its NYAF panel today that it has acquired the license to the Spice and Wolf novels. (Source)

Great

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by LKK

Big news! Yen Press announced at its NYAF panel today that it has acquired the license to the Spice and Wolf novels. (Source)

THAT is exciting news .... downside is that the translation team needs to decide how or if they're going to proceed. If they retire the project - then the english readers will have to wait a spell...

[judgment26]

Hmm....so it finally happened huh...

Well, guess I'll just continue translating until the official version catches up with me, which probably won't happen for a while.

Barbs is in a tougher situation though, as this new development could mean that the official Vol. 1 may be released before he's done translating it...

[seaghyn16]

Haha, have you ever seen how slow Yen Press gets their releases out after they confirm it? They still haven't set a release date for ZnT, and they "aquired" that ages ago. B-T's policy is to keep a project open and editable, until it's volume hits the shelves. At that time, the page is locked.

So barb could finish Vol. 2 as well


but the question is, does barb want to translate volume 1, when the translations will come out around 1.5-2 years after he finishes?

[Darknemo2000]

The problem with official translations is that they tend to censor the suggestive parts out )look at Shakugan No Shana volumes 1-2) so it is still better to have fantranslated text of it in case the official translators will go the censorship way to make the reader circle broader.

[typhonsentra]

I hope they don't drop the project the way Viz did with Shana and not tell anyone. Spice and Wolf is so good....

[Darknemo2000]

Viz didnt drop it actually...It just became their one of the least priority projects... besides what i hope is that they would not censor it like Viz did with Shana.

[LKK]

What's in S&W that would warrant a censor? Also, Yen Press prides itself on presenting its material as close to the original as possible. I can't say for sure that they have never censored or won't ever in the future, but they're not a company where I worry about censorship.

[FlareKnight]

Still nice information about that license coming out for it. After all nice to have a hard copy in the language I'm good at. Of course will be a while until they catch up with us in the fourth volume. But good thing is we have excellent translators here.

Spoiler for Vol.4,Ch.1:

As always the interactions with Horo and Lawrence are golden . Just have great moments talking to each other in that room. Completely threw him with the observer stuff and he definitely didn't save himself with fumbling the jug . Maybe a good job to try and avoid a trap by just not responding. Though that in itself is a pretty clear response to her getting to him.

Lawrence can throw everything he has out at times, but still its tough to match against Horo. Still its extremely entertaining to see him try. And really when she talks like that, being moved is a natural thing.

I'm a little curious also about Elsa and Ivan. A hidden relationship being brought up like this has to have some meaning for this volume. In a way there is a similarity with Horo and Lawrence carrying a secret. Though their relationship is less along the way than other pair. A wheat grinder and a woman who is taking over that church. Both could in some respects have some issues in the face of society. Ivan of course is going to be hated because of his profession and what it entails. Elsa might have some issues with the world view in terms of being the head of that church. If so a connection like that isn't too strange.

Anyways the first chapter has been interesting. Wonder just what is going on and what Lawrence and Horo will have to do in order to get their information.

[Sterling01]

Originally Posted by seaghyn16

Haha, have you ever seen how slow Yen Press gets their releases out after they confirm it? They still haven't set a release date for ZnT, and they "aquired" that ages ago.

Wrong company. That's Seven Seas

[Blank-Mage]

Well, I'll just have to keep reading here until I can get it at a bookstore. Other than that, I really don't have an opinion, because I have no idea what liscening company does what series.

[GuidoHunter_Toki]

Well this is great news.

Originally Posted by Darknemo2000

The problem with official translations is that they tend to censor the suggestive parts out )look at Shakugan No Shana volumes 1-2) so it is still better to have fantranslated text of it in case the official translators will go the censorship way to make the reader circle broader.

Well I think that censoring can depend greatly on the company doing the translation. I'm almost certain Yen Press will not censor anything. In fact Kurt Hassler, Co-Publishing Director for Yen Press has stated once if not in more than one interview that Yen Press will not censor any of their titles. I believe this considering their track record of not censoring their translations. So from what I can gather you should have no worries.

Besides I doubt there is anything in SPice and Wolf that reaches a point to where it needs to be censored.

[seaghyn16]

Originally Posted by Sterling01

Wrong company. That's Seven Seas

.......................

Oh................

[Vexx]

I sincerely doubt any of S&W's light novels "need censoring" (?????? where does this concern even come from?).

The *manga* on the other hand (with its pretty color plate pics of Horo's first appearance) will probably get shrink-wrapped if it ever gets licensed.

[RampagingEvangelion]

I'm so.... HAPPY!

I can finally support this series. That is once they start to release the novels.
But this is a double edged sword. Judgement's speed has been perfect so far in the sense that it keeps me from speed reading. Once these are released, I'll have each book done in a day. I hate it when good things end.

EDIT:

A shoot...http://read.dragons-wing.net/

Yen Press announced their license of the Spice and Wolf novels by Hasekura Isuna, with a release date of December 2009 for the first volume.

I really hope this is a typo... probably isn't though...
Looks like you're going to be with us for a while Judge. Over a year... A bit long, no? It took a single fan subber and a few editors around six months to do volume three! It's going to take an entire professional team of translators over a year to do one volume? Of course, I may be missing some copyright stuff that still needs to be ironed out. I also have no real idea about the process of translating so I'm not one to talk.