The Official Gundam: The Origin Manga Thread

[denbo786]

Here's a link to Melissa Tanaka interview about her experience translating The Origin http://reversethieves.com/2013/08/05/me ... he-origin/. $50 bucks to the first person who reads the article & doesn't slam their head off the table.

[bullethead]

Here's a link to Melissa Tanaka interview about her experience translating The Origin http://reversethieves.com/2013/08/05/me ... he-origin/. $50 bucks to the first person who reads the article & doesn't slam their head off the table.

This is the part that made me go WTF:

I also speak to both American and Japanese fans of the original Gundam. In Japan, it has at least the cultural significance that something like the original Star Wars does here, so there are lines and scenes that remain near and dear to fans’ hearts. Which lines and scenes those are might be different on either side of the Pacific. So, to my mind, one of the most important and challenging things about this project is to genuinely and accurately convey what made those moments so memorable to the longtime Japanese fans, without alienating the English-speaking fans who may have grown up on different interpretations. I hope those moments come through to the newcomers, too, and draw them into the shared experience of the fandom.

Lady, you're not writing the translation for the Japanese fans. You're doing it for everyone who isn't Japanese.

[Angelo Sauper]

Lady, you're not writing the translation for the Japanese fans. You're doing it for everyone who isn't Japanese.

What's the problem? That paragraph is about keeping the original spirit of the manga but making it accessible to non-Japanese fans... Then again, I haven't read Origin.

[Chris]

My research consists of watching the series and the movies, and frequently referencing resources like gundam.wikia.com to check the details.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Why on Earth would anyone do this when Mark Simmons is an email away?

[bullethead]

Lady, you're not writing the translation for the Japanese fans. You're doing it for everyone who isn't Japanese.

What's the problem? That paragraph is about keeping the original spirit of the manga but making it accessible to non-Japanese fans... Then again, I haven't read Origin.

The implication here is that her translation is emphasizing what the Japanese feel is significant, instead of letting the work speak for itself. And it could explain some of the really weird translation choices we've seen so far.

Then again, I think it shows how badly the translation and editing fields need to hire actual English majors (preferably creative writing/editing, writing, & media folks) to go over works and make sure they read/sound right.

My research consists of watching the series and the movies, and frequently referencing resources like gundam.wikia.com to check the details.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Why on Earth would anyone do this when Mark Simmons is an email away?

Never mind Mark Simmons, why the hell didn't Sunrise/Kodansha give her all this stuff before she started translating it. It's one thing to use a good wiki like Memory Alpha to look up stuff so you can find the episode it was in, it's another to use a barely sourced wiki as a primary resource when the people you're working for should have all the info anyway.

[Deacon Blues]

I've been translating Gundam manga for nearly ten years now... Gundam the Origin is NOT as difficult as she makes it out to be. Though I do love how the excuse of "translation is an invisible work" comes through. It's the translators VOICE that is supposed to be minimalized. However, like she said about changes later one, Char speaking Shakespearean just doesn't cut the mustard.

[Angelo Sauper]

My research consists of watching the series and the movies, and frequently referencing resources like gundam.wikia.com to check the details.

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Why on Earth would anyone do this when Mark Simmons is an email away?

Gundam Wiki.

Oh god.

[toysdream]

None of the comments in the interview strike me as unreasonable - sounds like she gave it a lot of thought and worked hard to research everything. (The Gundam wikia has its problems, but I'm sure it's good enough reference for a non-technical work like The Origin. It's not like there are any other accessible encyclopedic sources for Gundam info any more.)

Ultimately, it's about the quality of the translation and the readability of the end product, and most English-speaking fans can only really assess the latter (aside from trivial details like rank translations).

-- Mark

[Kratos]

Isn't the Gundam just missing its head and an arm in the "final shot" pose?

Anyways, it's worth noting that the "Final Shot" pose is on the cover of Aizouban 11. It's pretty iconic, so I imagine its chances are pretty good - and if Vertical condenses the series, you may just get your wish for it being on the final volume, too.

[HellCat]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Lyi2RSV ... r_embedded

Aside from the fact this looks like entertaining, I'm amused we're getting this now with the Gundam version on the way.

I hear in this one as a child Pikachu killed another Pichu and stole his identity.

[RLZIII]

Pocket Monsters: The Origin is something I'm really looking forward to. As a big fan of the Pokémon main series games (is it bad that I own all twenty of the main series games...plus all four Japanese Gen I games...and have Pokémon X and Y already preordered?), this is something I've wanted for a long time: an anime that chronicles the original story of Pokémon Red/Green/Blue/Yellow, instead of one that follows Ash and Pikachu. While we don't know the full format, it has been confirmed to be a special, not a full anime. That could mean one hour-long special, or that could mean several 30-minute episodes; we just don't know right now. But, so far, it looks awesome. Hoping (and dreaming) for similar specials for Pokémon Generations II through VI. Perhaps if this does well the remaining Gens could be done as OVAs.

Anyway, back to Gundam: Vertical has stated that so far orders for volume 3 of the Origin are doing great; better than volume 2! That's always good news! It's comforting to see the series isn't a complete failure.

[Xenosynth]

As someone who was satisfied with Gundam: The Origin's translation so far, I can't really complain too much, there are occasional hiccups but it's still a pretty solid translation, at least in terms of the dialogue. And it's not like she's translating the tech manuals and whatnot using the Gundam wiki >.>;; I dunno. I just think people are being a bit too critical and harsh about the whole thing.

Anyway, good news about Volume 3's preorders. I think we might actually get the full run =D

[Chris]

I think we might actually get the full run =D

I wish people would stop saying this, because Vertical has gone over this about a thousand times. We are getting the full run regardless. It's a question of how big the print run will be for each volume based on sales.

[Xenosynth]

Ahh, I didn't realize. I kept seeing people go on and off on twitter and whatnot about how 'PREORDER NOW SO WE CAN MAKE SURE IT COMPLETES!" even recently. Sorry >.<

[MV6000 the Ace Zeon Pilot]

Yeah they plan to do a full run but the only way to actually get your copies are by pre-ordering them since they will be limited.

I plan to pre-order them all through Amazon. So far I have Volumes III and IV pre-ordered.

[Dendrobium Stamen]

Yeah they plan to do a full run but the only way to actually get your copies are by pre-ordering them since they will be limited.

Well, the only guaranteed way; I've seen a couple of copies in the comics/manga section of Waterstones up on Oxford Street, so it appears some stock orders are coming from traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, but it'd be sheer dumb luck to find one which had The Origin on the shelf waiting to be bought

[RLZIII]

Yeah they plan to do a full run but the only way to actually get your copies are by pre-ordering them since they will be limited.

I plan to pre-order them all through Amazon. So far I have Volumes III and IV pre-ordered.

Don't forget to preorder volume five also! It's been up on Amazon for some time now...

Yeah they plan to do a full run but the only way to actually get your copies are by pre-ordering them since they will be limited.

Well, the only guaranteed way; I've seen a couple of copies in the comics/manga section of Waterstones up on Oxford Street, so it appears some stock orders are coming from traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, but it'd be sheer dumb luck to find one which had The Origin on the shelf waiting to be bought

There are still copies at my local Barnes and Nobles, so they are floating around. Essentially Vertical is printing enough to last them a little while, but after a short time all of the copies are out of their warehouse and are either in houses or on shelves. But as time goes by they will become harder and harder to find. So I wouldn't be one of those people who won't buy a series until it's complete in this case, because you won't be able to find the previous volumes for a good price by the time the series is done. I am ordering two of each in order to have a set for myself and another complete, unused set for future selling.

[RLZIII]

In case anyone missed it, Volume 6 became available for preorder a few days ago. Check it out: http://amzn.com/1939130204

Also, the cover for Volume 4: http://vertical-inc.tumblr.com/image/61800639325

[Kratos]

Excellent, preordered! Thanks RLZ. I quite like "To War" as the title, too (the Japanese edition uses the English "Starting A War", one of its more awkward Aizouban titles).

The cover looks cool - though I would like to see a balance between MS and characters.

[HellCat]

Book 3 isn't out until tomorrow? *eyes the copy he's had since Friday* Huh.