Light Novel licensing explosion

[Shinoto]

Originally Posted by Rosepetal

Me, too. I love Twelve Kingdoms. Plus, I'd also like someone to pick up the Saiunkoku Monogatari light novels ( the manga and the anime would nice, too!)

OHHH I didnt actually know they had novels for that...My Interest has been sparked

[ningggg]

Originally Posted by Rosepetal

Me, too. I love Twelve Kingdoms. Plus, I'd also like someone to pick up the Saiunkoku Monogatari light novels ( the manga and the anime would nice, too!)

hahah well, for saiunkoku monogatari, the chinese versions of the novel have been released until vol 6 to date...

[Tragic]

I've checked out a few already and the translations seem pretty good. The Shana novels are good so far (Wish they would hurry up and get the 3rd out...), and I'm currently reading the first Welcome to the NHK, and the 1st FMP. Both seem pretty good so far. I'm enjoying the licensing of the light novels because reading them over the computer is somewhat "eye tiring." Plus, there's always that great feeling of having a book in your hands. xP

[ellifeedn]

I'd like to see Iryia no Sora, UFO no Natsu, Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora, Mamoru-kun ni Megami no Shukufuku wo!, and Kaze no Stigma get licensed.

[qtipbrit]

Originally Posted by ellifeedn

I'd like to see Iryia no Sora, UFO no Natsu, Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora, Mamoru-kun ni Megami no Shukufuku wo!, and Kaze no Stigma get licensed.

I also would very much like to see the Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora licensed and released, and maybe Mamoru-kun, though not as much for the other series.
It's also very surprising that after all this time, the Haruhi Suzumiya light novels have not been licensed, though they sold several million in Japan.

I believe that the Strawberry Panic light novels are all being released this year, (much thanks to Seven Seas), so that's something to look forward to.
However, this pushes the first Zero no Tsukaima light novel's release date back to December.

Also, is there any information on Viz's releases of the third Shakugan no Shana light novel and Tokyopop's third Full Metal Panic!? (I'm rather fond of Tokyopop's release, it's fun, flavourful, and it's a better translation than Shakugan no Shana's in my opinion, more formal, but it still holds the informality one would expect from a light novel.)

[Nenkitsune]

Originally Posted by Tragic

I've checked out a few already and the translations seem pretty good. The Shana novels are good so far (Wish they would hurry up and get the 3rd out...), and I'm currently reading the first Welcome to the NHK, and the 1st FMP. Both seem pretty good so far. I'm enjoying the licensing of the light novels because reading them over the computer is somewhat "eye tiring." Plus, there's always that great feeling of having a book in your hands. xP

that feeling of having it in your hands and not having it on the PC is the reason why I never read scanlations.
I'm REALLY happy with the light novel explosion. as far as i know, the first light novel i read was AI Buster (the only light novel i knew of at the time) then recently i see TONS of them all over. I need to pick up NHK, Karin, and Shakugan no Shana, and maybe a couple others if i can find them.
reading on the PC is tiring unless you have the right monitor (LCD's are nicer on the eyes) My eyes can see the flicker of a PC and even the flicker of a fluorescent light (one of the reasons why i hate them)
so having a REAL book in my hands feels so much better. and afterwards i can put it on my shelf amongst my collection and watch it grow.

[Vexx]

I suppose now we can add "ookami to koushinryou" to the lengthening lists of light novels we'd like to see in R1-land....

[Westlo]

Ookami to Koushinryou and Baccano! are my most wanted by a massive margin.

[Tiamat's Disciple]

Originally Posted by qtipbrit92

I believe that the Strawberry Panic light novels are all being released this year, (much thanks to Seven Seas), so that's something to look forward to.

Your looking at Q3/4 for SP, and they havent ruled out droping it back till Q2 2009 either yet. Their excuses ran out ages ago as to why it wasn' released ages ago. Seven Seas are one of the worst companies out their, slow releases, long waits from licensing to release, and crappy customer services.

[chaos_alfa]

Seven Seas

Light Novel Release Schedule (March 2008 - December 2008)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Date: Title: Price:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

March 2008 Ballad of a Shinigami Vol. 1 $7.95
March 2008 Pita-Ten Vol. 1 $7.95
March 2008 Strawberry Panic Vol. 1 $7.95
July 2008 Ballad of a Shinigami Vol. 2 $7.95
July 2008 Pita-Ten Vol. 2 $7.95
July 2008 Strawberry Panic Vol. 2 $7.95
August 2008 Boogiepop at Dawn $7.95
September 2008 Vamp! Vol. 1 $7.95
October 2008 Wicked City Vol. 1 $9.95
November 2008 Ballad of a Shinigami Vol. 3 $7.95
November 2008 Pita-Ten Vol. 3 $7.95
November 2008 Strawberry Panic Vol. 3 $7.95
December 2008 Zero's Familiar Vol. 1 $7.95

Source: http://www.gomanga.com/manga/index.php


I thinks Seven Seas is one of the best companies out there.
Very good translations and a nice line up.

[Onizuka-GTO]

i for one welcome our new light novel overlords, long have we toiled to bring them to the English community to enjoy.

with so few translators willing to help translate, i can only hope they will be published instead.

hopefully this will pave the way for more, and maybe give a boost to fan-translated group(s) who love to see more Japanese light novel series get translated.

[Tiamat's Disciple]

This is the same seven seas that rescheduled SPanic manga 5 times, then missed their final release date by 2 months.

Sure they have3 a good line up, but thats all they have. Their service is the pits

[km0120]

Finally, I have read "Ookami to Koushinryou vol7." This one is the collection of short stories. The story from the view of Horo was very fresh.

[technomo12]

UM sorry for a very stupid question but i really nid to know

So How much is a Light Novel upon average price pls post in dollars

[tripperazn]

Originally Posted by technomo12

UM sorry for a very stupid question but i really nid to know

So How much is a Light Novel upon average price pls post in dollars

~10 US dollars

[technomo12]

hmm that much sooo hmm 10*45(Current currency rate in our country)


soo that will be like 450 pesos in our count T_T still a bit too much T_T

[Vexx]

A typical light novel is only a little bit more than or the same as an equivalent sized manga.
Typical manga in Japan is between 500 and 800 yen (800yen==~80pesos Mexican)
The average light novel is between 600 and 900 yen. (900yen==~90pesos Mexican)
Shipping from Japan will typical run double your cost of acquiring the book. It runs a little cheaper if you have an import bookstore that orders in bulk.

I don't know where you got your exchange values. According to xe.com
$1 USD = 107yen JP = 10.8pesos MXN as of today.

Edit: O wait.. you're in the Phillipines? (sorry, saw peso and assumed Mexican value) -- 800yen=300pesos Phillipines

At today's rate, $1USD == 40 Phillipine pesos (the dollar is falling like a paralyzed falcon .... I'd recommend using a site like xe.com for direct exchange rates rather than using the USD as an intermediate).

Figure a cost between $6-$10 for a light novel ... most of the light novels I'm collecting run either $6USD or $8USD.
I'd also think the shipping costs to the Phillipines would be a lot cheaper than to the Americas.

[technomo12]

hmm i see so i might get one through the internet but the problem i dont have a credit card T_T

any way tnx hehheehhe

[SinsI]

My main problem with novels is that translated version is a completely new entity, with only a little bit left from the original; I don't even consider it belonging to the same author. While anime preserves music, art and sometimes voices, manga keeps the art - but translated novels only keep the plot...

[Tiamat's Disciple]

Originally Posted by SinsI

My main problem with novels is that translated version is a completely new entity, with only a little bit left from the original; I don't even consider it belonging to the same author. While anime preserves music, art and sometimes voices, manga keeps the art - but translated novels only keep the plot...

Then your reading the wrong novels then mate. The ones ive read are just that, translated versions of the original. Though they do do some minor rewrites to get rid of engrish and to make it flow right.