The Novel and Manga of Haruhi Suzumiya

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by Hedd

I didn't see any address or notation on this. If we got a forum location or email address, we could get the 'sheens running and maybe get a popular demand translation done. Fill a businesses email box and they tend to listen.


Addendum: Seems the Little Brown Book group isn't a kids group though from their website. We may have hope. I'd still say fill their email box

http://www.littlebrown.co.uk/

THAT ISN'T THE WEBSITE.

http://www.hachettebookgroupusa.com/children/index.html

[BobaLunatic]

I had a lot of misgivings when I first heard that they were licensing the novels, but now that I've gone around and looked at what people have to say about Yen Press, I feel reassured. A lot of the things they said on that AnimeonDVD thread made me feel a little warm inside, lol. A Japanese translated novel getting -- gasp -- promotion like any other book? That makes me happy because as far as I've experienced, most light novels get little to no promotion.

The only downside to all this is that we'll probably have to wait even longer to read that 10th volume... OTL (Though I guess that at the rate at which each volume is being released now, the official translation will have caught up by the time the next volume comes out. xD)

[TigerII]

A household name? Lol here in the States maybe a few million watch or read manga. To the rest it is just cartoons and comics.

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by BobaLunatic

I had a lot of misgivings when I first heard that they were licensing the novels, but now that I've gone around and looked at what people have to say about Yen Press, I feel reassured. A lot of the things they said on that AnimeonDVD thread made me feel a little warm inside, lol. A Japanese translated novel getting -- gasp -- promotion like any other book? That makes me happy because as far as I've experienced, most light novels get little to no promotion.

The only downside to all this is that we'll probably have to wait even longer to read that 10th volume... OTL

It's not like we won't get someone like Kinny Riddle giving us a plot summary or something.

[BobaLunatic]

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

It's not like we won't get someone like Kinny Riddle giving us a plot summary or something.

True, but in my opinion it's better to read something like Suzumiya Haruhi without knowing what you're getting into. :3

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

Yes, it's a kid's book label.

There goes all the plot.

WHEEEE!

Well I have to be honest, I never felt there was much of a serious plot to begin with. It's mostly a series of vignettes or an episodic style of storytelling so it's kind of hard to mangle a narrative unless you are really incompetent. Though the kid's book label does raise more than a few questions. I guess they looked at it and saw it as a fantasy type novel about a girl doing fun things, which it kind of is albeit with some mature themes. There isn't really a whole lot objectionable about the series though in all honesty so it's possible they could market it under a Harry Potter type mechanism of books for Kidults or whatever.

[Setsuna Asuka]

Batman :TAS had mature themes but it was still looked as a kids show.

Happens all the time<_<

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by Kaioshin_Sama

Well I have to be honest, I never felt there was much of a serious plot to begin with. It's mostly a series of vignettes or an episodic style of storytelling so it's kind of hard to mangle a narrative unless you are really incompetent. Though the kid's book label does raise more than a few questions. I guess they looked at it and saw it as a fantasy type novel about a girl doing fun things, which it kind of is albeit with some mature themes. There isn't really a whole lot objectionable about the series though in all honesty so it's possible they could market it under a Harry Potter type mechanism of books for Kidults or whatever.

Heheh. Kidults.

It DOES have a serious plot. Vol. 4 anyone?

[BobaLunatic]

That may have been one of the strangest ending videos I've seen in my life.

[dreamoflife]

So I checked the Rightstuf preorder page to see if I could get any more information about ratings or anything, and on there it's listed as being rated 16+.

And I mean, the most questionable things in the novels I can really think of are Mikuru's boobs and Asakura's stabbity tiemz. It's no worse than any American young adult novel, there's nothing for them to really censor assuming they are hitting the 16+ bracket like the site claims. 'Children's publisher' encompasses everything through young college age, really.

And to anyone who says young adult books don't have deep plots... my library of young adult fantasy, let me show you it.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Originally Posted by BobaLunatic

That may have been one of the strangest ending videos I've seen in my life.

It was also from like the last show Gonzo did that was any good.

And yes I picked the term Kidult deliberately because that was the show that took Haruhi's time slot after it ended way back when, sort of as a way of emphasizing the amount of things that have come to pass since the show ended and we saw the novels licensed. That was the first thing to happen since the end of Haruhi that started the wait for people, that song more or less.

[Tyabann]

Originally Posted by BobaLunatic

That may have been one of the strangest ending videos I've seen in my life.

HOGYAAAA!

Originally Posted by dreamoflife

So I checked the Rightstuf preorder page to see if I could get any more information about ratings or anything, and on there it's listed as being rated 16+.

And I mean, the most questionable things in the novels I can really think of are Mikuru's boobs and Asakura's stabbity tiemz. It's no worse than any American young adult novel, there's nothing for them to really censor assuming they are hitting the 16+ bracket like the site claims. 'Children's publisher' encompasses everything through young college age, really.

Eeeexcellent.

Originally Posted by Kaioshin_Sama

It was also from like the last show Gonzo did that was any good.

And yes I picked the term Kidult deliberately because that was the show that took Haruhi's time slot after it ended way back when, sort of as a way of emphasizing the amount of things that have come to pass since the show ended and we saw the novels licensed. That was the first thing to happen since the end of Haruhi that started the wait for people, that song more or less.

Man, I need to actually watch that show.

[Reckoner]

Originally Posted by Kaisos Erranon

It's not like we won't get someone like Kinny Riddle giving us a plot summary or something.

I could really care less about just getting spoilers about future events. It takes the enjoyment out of it. I want to be able to read the novels and appreciate them like I do now. By the time the tenth novel gets translated in English I'll be like 25 (might be overexaggerating) and seemingly uninterested by then.

My only hope is that these guys won't turn out like Viz because I'll seriously take Japanese classes to get over this crap.

[ijuinkun]

Originally Posted by Aebliss

Hmmm ... When you're ready to post it, please PM me a link. I'd be intrigued to see how that turns out. Will everyone be trying to dance around the usually apathetic Kyon to stop him from using his powers, even using Haruhi to distract him?

Something like that. Basically, Haruhi will be the one that Yuki, Mikuru, and Koizumi reveal their secret identities to, while Kyon remains clueless (at least on the conscious level) that they are paranormal. Subconsciously Kyon longs for the wacky adventures, but his conscious mind won't allow him to admit it to himself, so instead he drew Haruhi to himself as a person who could bring out that side of him and through whom he could live vicariously. The wacky adventures are important because if Kyon ever does decide that he doesn't want paranormals, then he would rewrite reality to be totally mundane. Or worse, if he became aware of his powers, he might go the standard "king of the world with wealth and a harem" route.

All of the character personalities remain the same as we know them, though. Haruhi will be excited to actually be meeting (and conspiring) with aliens, time travelers, etc., and it will be burning her up inside that she can't tell Kyon about it.

For an example of how this will change things, the altered version of "Bamboo Leaf Rhapsody" has Mikuru and Haruhi going back in time and finding a younger Kyon who is helping the younger Haruhi draw the symbols on the school field. Younger Haruhi of course fails to identify her older self, who only gives her name as "Jane Smith" to the younger pair. Afterward, Mikuru (Big) uses her sleep hypospray (or whatever it is) on young Kyon, which makes him think it was a dream--explaining why he has no further contact with Haruhi till high school and doesn't fully remember having met her before.

I have no idea just yet how "Disappearance" will go, though, but that's a while from now.

Re: evolution through interaction. If contact with organics proves to be the solution to the evolutionary dead end of the Data Entity, it'd be a real kick in the pants for them. Judging by Yuki's infodump, the Entity doesn't have a very high opinion of organics, as a rule. If Nagato and other interfaces suddenly take huge leaps forward, the Entity is going to have to do worse than eat crow ... It must already be feeling a bit out of sorts now that Kyon can demand it acquiesce to his demands, when he doesn't even have any powers of his own.

It would be ironic poetic justice for the "mere" humans to be the key, wouldn't it? Rather like V'ger realizing that the creatures "infesting" its Creator's planet were the key to its own evolution.

[Aebliss]

Re: The licensing of the SH novels ... How's this for a scheme? What if a small-time, independent translation agency (Yes, I know one) approaches Little Brown and offers them a bulk purchase of the translation of the first nine volumes of SH (Baka-Tsuki's, obviously), initially done as 'practice' for 'personal entertainment', rather than commercial reasons.
Point out to Little Brown that these translations only need a bit of editing now and that the independent agency is willing to sell them for a considerably lower price than they'd have to pay to another translation agency for starting from scratch.
If they go for it, we have something very close to Baka-Tsuki's translations hitting the shelves, Little Brown has a good reason to get started on the fresh translation of volume 10 (or might even subcontract to said translation agency, which can then submit the request to the Baka-Tsuki team, if they're interested) and it might not take years and years and years for the light novels to reach the fans.
And to top it all off, there might be a nice little bit of earnings in it both for the agency in question and for the Baka-Tsuki team, which might be an incentive.

Alright, I am ready for your brutal reality checks ...

[CrowKenobi]

I sure hope that this cynicism isn't contagious...

[Hedd]

Originally Posted by Aebliss

Re: The licensing of the SH novels ... How's this for a scheme? What if a small-time, independent translation agency (Yes, I know one) approaches Little Brown and offers them a bulk purchase of the translation of the first nine volumes of SH (Baka-Tsuki's, obviously), initially done as 'practice' for 'personal entertainment', rather than commercial reasons.
Point out to Little Brown that these translations only need a bit of editing now and that the independent agency is willing to sell them for a considerably lower price than they'd have to pay to another translation agency for starting from scratch.
If they go for it, we have something very close to Baka-Tsuki's translations hitting the shelves, Little Brown has a good reason to get started on the fresh translation of volume 10 (or might even subcontract to said translation agency, which can then submit the request to the Baka-Tsuki team, if they're interested) and it might not take years and years and years for the light novels to reach the fans.
And to top it all off, there might be a nice little bit of earnings in it both for the agency in question and for the Baka-Tsuki team, which might be an incentive.

Alright, I am ready for your brutal reality checks ...

I'm fairly sure many would offer up said translation without any monetary value just to see it put into service properly. It's rational and intelligent. Will it happen? I have doubts seeing some of the commercial subs on various animes butchered. Ultimately I have little faith in big business to handle anything in a way that even remotely appears rational. The Suits just aren't fans.

On a different note, I've thought about the banner they're publishing it under and have actually almost agreed to the label. Haruhi really is sorta flavored for the low teen audience in a way that Harry Potter was. While coming to terms with this was rather insightful, I obviously still have my reserves about translation butchering.

[ijuinkun]

Originally Posted by Aebliss

Alright, I am ready for your brutal reality checks ...

Ok, if they are paying attention AT ALL, then they will at the very least need a professional translator that they trust to go over the scripts with a fine-toothed comb to ensure that they aren't being sold a pig in a poke. This will bring its own delays, etc. Additionally, they will have to overcome the "Not Invented Here" syndrome.

[techiet]

As for as licensing, I honestly think this was the best case scenario. Viz, Tokyopop, and Seven Seas can't advertise their novel lines AT ALL. Getting a real book publisher + Yen Press and expect actual advertising of the books/manga. I'm expecting the same sort of quality as Yen Press's manga line and don't expect them to censor stuff out.

Maybe I'm a tad optimistic. Though I kinda wish the prices for the novels were just a tad cheaper, but I'm ordering them off Amazon as soon as I see them~

[TigerII]

Well you can expect to continue the story in a few years then. That is my major gripe. O well.