The Reiu Thread

[Reiu]

I thought I'd finally get around to posting something here.

I'm currently translating Alto, Shokoku no Altair, Kaibutsu no Oujo (Princess Resurrection), Suzuka, and Peace Maker. There are a couple of other series that I'm considering starting translating once Suzuka ends next week.

I'm 28, and am attending grad school in Japan with the goal of entering a Ph.D. program come February. I have a MA in Japanese Studies from an American university. I also lived in Japan for 3 years as an ALT in the JET Program.

I started studying Japanese when I was a sophomore in college, so I guess that means I've been studying it for about 8 years, though only about 3 years of that was in formal study. I passed lvl. 2 of the JLPT in 2003, and lvl. 1 in 2004.

I started scanning partly because I missed it when I moved back to Japan earlier this year. I was involved with an American comics scanning group (DCP) for about 2 years. I started translating just recently as a way of keeping my Japanese up (I've really been slacking off for the last couple of months) and as a way of helping to introduce some series that get overlooked. The foreign manga scene is very Jump-centric, and that's something I'm hoping to help change.

 

[Nami]

Actually you are right! A lot of times, people tend to focus more on Shonen Jump but thanks to you, members have begun noticing series like Princess Resuurection and Altair. And I thought you are a native Japanese, since you seem to translate at ease ^^

First round of questions:
- What's your favourite Shonen series?
- What seinen series do you read?
- Ever read Shoujo before?
- What's your favourite Japanese food?

 

[Reiu]

Heh, I guess its just that after reading textbooks in Japanese manga is a breeze (although in some aspects it can be harder). One of the good aspects of translation is that it forces me to read more carefully than I do otherwise. I normally don't use a dictionary when I read manga, since even if I come across a word that I don't know it's unlikely to prevent me from getting the gist. When I'm translating and that happens I'm forced to go look the word up.

1. At the moment I'm really enjoying Negima, Alto, and Suzuka. I think Negima has a great story to it, and it's a bit of a shame that all of the fan service it has probably keeps some people away. Alto has a really sweet story. In the past I enjoyed the big three Jump series, but I haven't read any of them for at least 6 months. I also really liked Rurouni Kenshin.

2. I currently follow Vinland Saga, Azumi, GANTZ, Sumomomo Momomo, Toshiue no Kanojo, and Cestus.

3. I can only think of 3 shoujo series that I've read: Alice 19th, Gokusen (though whether that's really josei or not is a little questionable), and Card Captor Sakura. I've also read the first volume of Life, but quit because I found it too depressing.

4. Kansai-style Okonomiyaki

Good questions!

 

[ITACHIWIFE]

2. I currently follow Vinland Saga, Azumi, GANTZ, Sumomomo Momomo, Toshiue no Kanojo, and Cestus.


4. Kansai-style Okonomiyaki

Good questions!

ARE THOSE ANY GOOD?

 

[Reiu]

ARE THOSE ANY GOOD?

Vinland Saga is great. It's the story of a young Viking boy's life in 11th Century Europe. While not entirely historically accurate (shocking, I know) it includes enough nods to accuracy to impress me. Reads like a shonen manga, but more adult. I've been tempted to start translating it when I catch up with Kaibutsu Oujo.

Azumi was great but is beginning to stretch kind of thin (it's on volume 42 now). It's the story of a female ninja in early Tokugawa Japan. There are two movies with Ueto Aya out and available with English subtitles, but they don't follow the manga very closely.

Sumomomo Momomo (the name is a Japanese tongue twister and means "plums and peaches") is a really funny love comedy/martial arts manga about an ordinary high school student and the girl he's supposed to marry. Both are heirs to great martial arts families, although the boy has no skills whatsoever. The manga's subtitle is "the strongest bride on earth."

Toshiue no Kanojo is a fairly graphic romance manga, which I read because I like the art. The story is pretty pedestrian.

Cestus is the completely historically inaccurate story of a young gladiator in Ancient Rome. I can't say that it's great or groundbreaking, but there's something about it that I like.

 

[jedi423]

Reiu,
I don't know if you are interested or have the time, but a while back there was a Edited Manga group looking for a translator for Sumomomo Momomo. Here is their website and their request (albeit from 2005) if you want to contact them.

http://kotonoha.monkey-pirate.com/
http://www.manganews.net/forums/showthread.php?t=633

 

[Nomad Soul]

Reiu,
I don't know if you are interested or have the time, but a while back there was a Edited Manga group looking for a translator for Sumomomo Momomo. Here is their website and their request (albeit from 2005) if you want to contact them.

http://kotonoha.monkey-pirate.com/
http://www.manganews.net/forums/showthread.php?t=633

Hehe, yes, we were indeed interested in doing this manga (even before it was turned into an anime) but some other group snagged it before we could do anything. Effectively, it means that we're no longer seeking to scanlate this series.

 

[acq128]

ooo what grad school and what phd program are u planning on? or is that private info :P

 

[Ichimaru Gin n Tonic]

Nobody probably asked you this, so I'm gonna be the first one to probably ask you this:
- Do you read American Comics?
- If you do, what's your favorite title? If you don't, just skip the rest of the question
- And who's your favorite writer?
- What about your favorite artist?

Thanks

 

[laclongquan]

Hi Reiu

May I ask how the situation with the Princess Resurrection manga (kaibutsu oujo)?

At first I thought you stopped releasing totally. But checking the forum it seem you still do the translation of later chaps. But no Edited Manga...

And some guy release a chapter (28) on Tokyotosho...

That's quite peculiar!