timepiececlock (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timepiececlock) wrote2006-04-04 02:54 pm
timepiececlock) wrote2006-04-04 02:54 pm
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Fruits Basket, chapter 108 -- non spoilery
Chapter 108 of Furuba is up at stoptazmo.com.
I liked it, but reading highlighted one of the things that's been bugging me about the last few volumes in scanlations-- they're hard to understand. I can barely ever tell who's saying which thought bubble, and the sentences often aren't complete sentences or whole thoughts. Nearly every sentence is fragmented or jumps around. It's getting so bad that I'm almost certain it's a translation problem, not a writing problem. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be this bad if read in native Japanese.
It's making me consider going back to the purchased volumes again, because at least the translators would attempt to use complete English statements. Although I've mostly read the scanlations for the last five volumes because of timeliness, it takes so long for a chapter to come out these days, and I already avoid ff.net spoilers like the plague, so what do I care? While there might be infintessimal differences in how dialogue makes a scene read in English or Japanese, I have no guarantee that the scanlation gives any more accurate a translation than the professional translation done by Tokyopop.
I've put up with the fragmentation of dialogue for a long time now, but this chapter is almost breaking point for me. I think there was one statement from Shigure's speech bubbles that was a complete sentence in the conversation with Tohru. I reread it a few times and it still doesn't make sense to me. I get the gist of the conversation, but if I wanted to settle for "the gist" of what's going on I'd read the fucking chapter summaries. The only reason I wait so dilligently for the chapter scanlations is the promise of details. But it's getting downright annoying and I'm about ready to throw my hands in the air and say "fuck it" and buy them.
If the kind of grammar used in these scanlations were to be in a fanfic, I would've pitched that fic in the trash bin four volumes ago.
I liked it, but reading highlighted one of the things that's been bugging me about the last few volumes in scanlations-- they're hard to understand. I can barely ever tell who's saying which thought bubble, and the sentences often aren't complete sentences or whole thoughts. Nearly every sentence is fragmented or jumps around. It's getting so bad that I'm almost certain it's a translation problem, not a writing problem. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be this bad if read in native Japanese.
It's making me consider going back to the purchased volumes again, because at least the translators would attempt to use complete English statements. Although I've mostly read the scanlations for the last five volumes because of timeliness, it takes so long for a chapter to come out these days, and I already avoid ff.net spoilers like the plague, so what do I care? While there might be infintessimal differences in how dialogue makes a scene read in English or Japanese, I have no guarantee that the scanlation gives any more accurate a translation than the professional translation done by Tokyopop.
I've put up with the fragmentation of dialogue for a long time now, but this chapter is almost breaking point for me. I think there was one statement from Shigure's speech bubbles that was a complete sentence in the conversation with Tohru. I reread it a few times and it still doesn't make sense to me. I get the gist of the conversation, but if I wanted to settle for "the gist" of what's going on I'd read the fucking chapter summaries. The only reason I wait so dilligently for the chapter scanlations is the promise of details. But it's getting downright annoying and I'm about ready to throw my hands in the air and say "fuck it" and buy them.
If the kind of grammar used in these scanlations were to be in a fanfic, I would've pitched that fic in the trash bin four volumes ago.
no subject
Thanks so much for the link; I'll check it out, even though there are grammar and translation problems like you said. I can put up with quite a bit (I tutor some ESL students in English writing) but if it gets too much I'll probably stop as well.
no subject
Or do what I did with the 14th volume of Blade of the Immortal: take an hour and read the whole volume in a Barnes & Noble store. You know, sitting on their nice fluffy chairs. Very free that way, and no computer squinting problems.
Fruits Basket it the manga I recommend above all others-- if you liked the first 4 volumes, you'll love where it goes in the future. This is truly an amazing series, which is why I'm so upset at the fan-translation quality as of late. It really doesn't do justice to this manga, and the very fact that I've put up with it for so long reminds me of how deeply I love this series. I could squee about FB for days. The depth of character development over the span of the volumes-- it's amazing. The characters grow and change emotionally and physically, and their relationships get more and more complex and the series gets darker and deeper and... gah I love it so much.
What I'm saying is, if you try it-- try getting the official version at a library or bookstore. If you absolutely *must* download the scanlations, then if it gets too annoying don't give up the series, just get the official version.