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Visual Novel Translation Status (01/28/2017)

This week’s header image comes from our two releases: Corona Blossom Volume 3, and Seinarukana -The Spirit of Eternity Sword 2

VNTS (Visual Novel Translation Status Updates Series) is published each Saturday and brings the latest updates from VN translation projects — both licensed and by fans — from around the net. If you find any errors, or you think a project is missing from this list, please let us know in the comments.

From The Team:  Two releases this week! We’ve got Corona Blossom Volume 3 (on Steam, 18+ patch on JAST), and Seinarukana -The Spirit of Eternity Sword 2- on Steam. Seinarukana has some new features, so be sure to check them out. Anybody playing them right now? What do you think so far? I’m still working through Da Capo 3’s Ricca route (released last week), so I probably won’t pick them up quite yet. – Tay

The Short Version: Only the New Stuff

New Releases!

Removed from the List This Week

All the Game Updates:

Fan Translation Projects

Fan Translation Projects

[wpdatatable id=297]

JAST USA Projects

JAST USA (Updates; Archive)

[wpdatatable id=298]

MangaGamer Projects

MangaGamer (Updates)

[wpdatatable id=299]

Sekai Project Projects

Sekai Project (Update Page)

[wpdatatable id=300]

Other
  • Here’s a handy link to sort Sekai Project’s Steam releases by release date: link

Misc. Projects

Other Projects

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VNTS Commentary Section

Zakabox™ 「I write this from a hell of somewhat my own making; the time is 14:00, and I really want to sleep. But then I’ll have to wake up for dinner in four more hours, and then be awake for like two, and then sleep again and somehow… by the way, did I mention I really want to try to get to a normal Swedish circadian rhythm if possible for potential work later on, and that this will likely make me miserable? Fuck everything.

…Oh, this is a visual novel website or something. I had forgotten for a moment.

Corona Blossom’s third episode is out. I wonder if it’s the last one period; while there were originally 3 parts planned, trilogies do have a tendency to be flexible. If it really is done, I guess those of you who refuse to touch something unfinished may now consider the series again. I… haven’t tried any of it and nobody’s recommended it to me very strongly, so my personal interest is low. Should it be? Do tell if you enjoyed it.

The tale of Kurukuru Fanatic saddens me because it seems like anti-porn culture contributed to the end of the project. It’s hard to tell exactly how much the effect was based on the tweets, but I get the feeling that there was something pretty painful behind it given what darkeye tweeted. I could be completely wrong! Either way, darkeye exited admirably by providing the scripts; hopefully their work will not go to waste. I see people trying to organize a project already in the forums; we’ll see how far that gets. More than one project either has been successfully completed by others (majikoi) or is likely to (dracu-riot, based on what I hear), but everything depends on being popular and lucky enough to garner tbe required support – look at Akai Ito for somewhat of a counterexample, though I’m still holding out some hope for it.

Evangile’s fandisc is getting there. Maybe one day I’ll read the VN, though I should probably finish Majikoi first (if TakaJun’s translation doesn’t kill me first – I hope this thing gets a proper localization edit at some point, because damn it needs one). Anecdotes aside I know this is highly anticipated by some people, and that I’m not one of them, so uhh happy news to people that are not me.

Pygmalion is an interesting title because it’s been saddled with both disappointment (for the company it’s from, compared to Tokyo Babel, etc) and praise (for its quality when compared to average works?). It’s hard for me to really evaluate, but chuuni does interest me, so I’ll maybe give it a try.

…In closing, the loser side semifinals of a friendly hearthstone tournament I’m in is finally happening, so maybe I’ll be able to win the finals soon enough. Or lose for the first time. That would be embarrassing. Wish me luck!」

Decay’s MusingsHi all, it is I, the one who forgot about the VNTS commentary on three separate occasions tonight! Instead of writing commentary, I was talking to people about Da Capo 3. Specifically, the translation. I’m involved in VN translation myself now, I’ve seen how the sausage gets made. And as a result, I doubt I’ll ever look at translations the same way again.

I’ll refrain from making a judgment call on the translation’s overall quality since I’ve seen very little of the game (just 2-3 hours). That’s not gonna stop me from letting a lot of little things bother me, though. I’d say that the general feeling the translation gives me is that it’s just kinda plain. Lifeless, at times. Perhaps that’s a reflection of Kouryuu’s stressed mental state during the time he spent translating. Or perhaps that’s simply how the VN was originally written. In either case, it’s hard not to feel for Kouryuu when you read his recent blog post about what he went through to get this translation done.

The translation discussion I referenced earlier was specifically about this line. To be honest, I’m still not 100% sure what exactly it’s trying to say even after talking about it for a while. Part of the problem is that it’s using words and phrases in ways they’re never used in English. Often times, words that have direct and easy translations in some contexts won’t in other contexts. “Consideration” is one such word, and “the mood” is another concept that often feels strange and foreign when directly carried over to English.  A simple request to all translators and editors: Please think about how the words you’re writing are used in the language you’re writing in. This pratfall is all too common among inexperienced translators who overly rely on direct translations.

That’s a line that simply fell through the cracks in the polishing process. Mistakes happen, especially in VNs as large as DC3. The rest of the translation seems fine, just kinda plain as I said. It seems a lot of the prologue’s translation is actually carried over from when Kouryuu translated the anime. I hope that past the prologue, the writing gets a bit more creative and interesting. At least the VN seems to be selling well, it’s currently going toe to toe in a battle against Rance, and winning. Here’s hoping it keeps that up.

I’d also like to give some shoutouts to two different crowdfunding campaigns on Kimochi with involvement from Fuwanovel community members. TsukiWare, creators of the yaoi VN Critical Hit, are currently seeking support for their two upcoming yuri titles, The Tower of Five Hearts and Virtual Ro:Mance (NSFW). My good friend Ryechu is the writer on Ro:Mance. They’re both cute looking, so check them out!

The other crowdfunding campaign comes from Fuwanovel member dfbreezy, Episicava (also NSFW). This one promises to be a much meatier experience, inspired by chuuni action titles such as Fate/Stay Night. The art is solid and the story seems interesting, so be sure to check it out!

See you all next week!

TAYsteful Thoughts™So what’s everybody playing these days? I’m back into an uncomfortably busy schedule, so my free time (much less my VN time) is limited. That said, I’ve managed to get in a little time with Da Capo 3, and I’ve found it to be… fine? I’ve had some genuinely funny moments — almost all of which involve Ricca — but I’m not very impressed with the cast of characters thus far. Oh, and the protagonist/player character is bland. So far, at least. Let’s hope he perks up, and the characters develop past tropes.

So, yeah! I’d love to hear what you’re playing, and what you think of it so far. If any of you are playing DC 3, drop a comment and tell me how you feel about it so far. Have a good week, everybody!

PS: GOOD LORD Pierce Brown’s Red Rising Trilogy is good. Like. Really good. I finished Book 1 (Red Rising) last weekend and proceeded to devour books 2 and 3 this week (at the cost of much sleep and many Bothans). I haven’t been so completely absorbed by a book series in ages. It was wonderful. Rooke, if you’re reading this, email me. I bought you a copy of the first book. For everyone else: look it up, and consider giving it a shot.

Tay

I'm the Fuwanovel community admin and a big fan of Visual Novels. The easiest way to get a hold of me is via a PM on the Fuwanovel Forums, by twitter (@ArchmageTay), or by email.

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JJ
JJ
7 years ago

I’m playing Da Capo 3 R and I think it is excellent. I think I must like it much more than the folks here. I love the characters and I would love to interact with them if they were real. I think there have been a lot really funny moments. I like how there are too many choices in the common route to see all of them on one playthrough. It is one of my favorite recent purchases and I hope it does well enough to get the fan disc.

I had never heard of Kimochi until this week, and now I’ve seen it mentioned in five different places. Thanks for mentioning the projects.

MagusFyre
MagusFyre
Reply to  JJ
7 years ago

Do you need a lot of knowledge of the 1st 2 before you play the third?

JJ
JJ
Reply to  MagusFyre
7 years ago

No, the main story and all the routes are essentially standalone. One character had a big role in the first game, a medium-sized role in the second game, and is present in this game. Her story specifically benefits from playing the first two games. Other characters from the previous games show up, but you don’t lose much by not knowing who they are.

merp
merp
Reply to  JJ
7 years ago

you wont understand the last side story characters if you dont play 2 though….

littleshogun
littleshogun
7 years ago

My VNTS Review for this week. Have fun.

https://forums.fuwanovel.net/blogs/entry/1634-romance-between-shino-and-keiji-review/

As for my opinion about Da Capo 3, I think it’s only very normal charage to the core, although it’s still had some plot hook though from the prequel (Only a little though). Oh, and don’t expect that the writing will be interesting in the future if you already dislike it, because once again it’s still a charage to the core. Just saying here.

For Episicava, well good luck for now and hopefully it could be another 2nd coming of Lucid9 or Katawa Shoujo there. That’s all that I could said for now.

Fate888
Fate888
7 years ago

Da Capo 3 is a slightly above average visual novel. It is a nice relaxing read not a mind blowing novel full of earth shattering revelations. Read it a little bit before bed and it is a good novel to fall asleep too. Ricca and Charles are nice characters and the rest are super tropic. Fine overall.

Michael
Michael
Reply to  Fate888
7 years ago

Super tropic? That’s an interesting expression, lol.

PandaVN
PandaVN
7 years ago

Libra of the Vampire Princess is actually 100% translated, even the mini episodes. Everything is 100% translated (including mini episodes) and everything is 100% edited (excluding the mini episodes). As stated by MiKandiJapan https://mikandi.jp/libra-of-the-vampire-princess-updates-and-faq/ (scroll all the way down to the last comment)

Cheers!

You-kun
You-kun
7 years ago

Vndb says someone working on editing of Kurukuru Fanatic. Anybody has info about that?

Zakamutt
Admin
Reply to  You-kun
7 years ago
dilworks
Reply to  Zakamutt
7 years ago

After reading the reasons of why the translator (it turned to be a “she”) decided to quit the project, I can feel nothing but rage against society.

> I’m tired of looking over my shoulder and waiting for someone to discover this and associate it to IRL me.
> I want to move on and do stuff that I can really be proud of. I can’t be proud of this, not while visual novels are covered in porn.

Wow. In which fucked up country does this girl lives!? Once again the prudish masses make sure we can’t assume sex as something completely NORMAL and NATURAL on our lifes as human beings. I understand that she wants to protect his personal life and career (completely reasonable concerns given that there are some out there that can be selfish assholes for no good reason at all, while looking to actively harm someone they might or might not know), but still… ugh, shit like this makes me ashamed of being a human.

The whole thing sounds kinda SJWish… and ew, I don’t want to go there.

I would actually love to put “Professional porn game translator” in my resumé, even if only for pissing off the prudish.

Good luck to this girl, and for those pursuing the translation of this VN (I’ve never heard of it, not really interested, but this story really hits the wrong buttons on me)

You-kun
You-kun
Reply to  dilworks
7 years ago

Yeah I did read that twitter posts too. The thing I wonder, if she is thinking like this why did she started translating a vn with sexual content at the first place. There are plenty of vn without sexual content.

Michael
Michael
7 years ago

A good update this week.

Great to see Princess Evangile w Happiness is coming along well. Almost done. Will probably be a bit of a wait yet, though. I been waiting to play it for ages now.

I’m playing Da Capo 3R, the X-rated edition. So far, I think its great. Its definitely the best one in the series, for me anyway. I love the artwork, and sure, the story is a bit boring and slow to start, but, it will get better as you read more.

Thanks for mentioning Kimochi. I had never heard of it until now. Good to see another crowdfunding site. I like the look of Episicava. I may back it, if I have the money.

Wow, MangaGamer has a lot of secret projects, like Sekai Project. I hope soon that they announce what they are, and that they are all good.

A pity about Kurukuru Fanatic. It would be great if someone can edit it and release it some time.

Katie
Katie
7 years ago

I’m playing cry over interpreting blood chemistry panels, not sure if I’m winning or not. Can you tell me why you enjoy that book series? Synopses can only say so much.

Kyrt
Kyrt
7 years ago

I have been playing/reading Da Capo III as well and I’m currently on the Ricca route. I didn’t really care for any of the characters going in but they are slowly growing on me. The game is quite good if we compare it to other Da Capo games. It begins picking up after a certain point in the story unfortunately getting to that point takes a while. The translation is also a bit off in the beginning (wording wise) but I feel as if it gets better (or I notice it less) as the game continues on.

Mochisato
Mochisato
7 years ago

i guess my wished has been heard cuz someone just announced they are translating Black Wolves Saga: Last Hope for VNR
https://eirrir.tumblr.com/post/156419102300/
also this person translated Shinigami to Shoujo common route also on VNR
https://eirrir.tumblr.com/post/156430595495/

Mochisato
Mochisato
Reply to  Mochisato
7 years ago

on day i will make a comment and not make typos
one day…

From
From
7 years ago

still no updates for kuroinu i see

From
From
Reply to  From
7 years ago

how vexing

DC Lover
DC Lover
7 years ago

DC3R
Don’t worry about the translation being kinda bland in the beginning. It gets eons better in the actual meat of the story. Since the story’s setting changes to England in the actual story, the lines even get some nice British words like ‘nap’ -> ‘kip’, and so on.

That line you’re having trouble with basically means that Sara was too cautious of others (and their feelings), so she wasn’t able to actively join others’ conversations, and thus ended up not having many friends. (It is a bad line though, needed reworded.)

As with DC games, the best part are it’s characters. They grow on you and make the plot. It is always nice that characters don’t disappear off the world when you get into a route, and instead make an active role in it.

H-scenes are not that good though. (To be expected as they weren’t in the original)

UndeadSenju
UndeadSenju
7 years ago

I tried learning Japanese kanji all for the sake of this one visual novel I really, really want to read titled ‘Only I Am Not Attacked in a World Overflowing with Zombies.’

http://www.novelupdates.com/series/only-i-am-not-attacked-in-a-world-overflowing-with-zombies/

It’s literally the only zombie apocalypse visual novel out there, which makes a rarity, with over 40+ chapters. Unfortunately, I’m terrible at Japanese and none of the translators seem to work. I’ve even read some of the web novel translations just to enjoy it but it’s not the same. Is there any way you guys could make an English patch for it, please? There’s already not enough zombie anime out there, so I can’t just let this novel pass me by.

Zakamutt
Reply to  UndeadSenju
7 years ago

There’s actually someone fan translating this; I believe they are at ~55% translated now. I can’t say who, but I would judge them fairly likely to complete the project and competent.

When it comes to learning Japanese, going Kanji-first is not necessarily advisable (I sorta-did by completing Remembering the Kanji before learning much grammar, but I am not a normal person). If you happen to still be interested in teaching yourself Japanese, this is a decent community guide to some the possibilities: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15uvv72eVFBtcOlfHaHUfT_HhZsgWxd7VjT9u-zVSwdw/edit.

Rhea
Rhea
7 years ago

I’m not sure about it, but if there is something that bothering me about da capo 3 is the fact what usually translated as homeroom become form room, my ear is pretty good and i’m pretty sure they are saying homeroom, i don’t know if the script say home or form though, so i might be the wrong one,

also, i’m pretty sure i’ve play seinarukana for a while now, what is this release? just the steam all age version?

UndeadSenju
UndeadSenju
Reply to  Rhea
7 years ago

Thanks xD. Guess I should stop being lazy and try harder :3

Ittaku
Reply to  Rhea
7 years ago

Form room is common terminology for the equivalent of homeroom in British English. Just because the word for it in Japanese is a phonetic version of homeroom doesn’t mean that the translation Form Room is incorrect. As mentioned previously, the story does move to England and British is common in the translation.

Rhea
Rhea
Reply to  Ittaku
7 years ago

is that so? thanks for clarifying,

UndeadSenju
UndeadSenju
7 years ago

Oh, and the fan stopped translating January of last year. It’s the web novel I mentioned reading about. Although reading that feels more so like I’m reading a pdf instead of an actual visual novel, like Katawa Shoujo.