To Aru Majutsu no Index (A Certain Magical Index)

[Darknemo2000]

Of course, If you are going to find a translator outside our active ones taht is not working on any projects there cannot be any objections from me. What i have objected is trying to get active translators with this one, as I think the most of the projects on B-T are of a higher value than this one, BUT if you were to find a new people who are willing to translate it - no objections from me at all.

Well ,Jumpyshoes I can't say that translators only work on things they enjoy. Lets take me for an example. I am translating ZnT but if you were to ask me - I do not think this is a well written novels. Better than mediocre but nothing really outstanding. Sure Louise, Saito and Siesta can get really enjoyful to watch as a characters but the story itself - not really and Noboru is not really a naturally talented author. Juts an author who is trying to find his identity with ZnT here and his own style thats why he can be so shaky in some volumes and pretty impressive in others... But i am still translating even if some chapters almost make me puke.

Thats why I think you were right in a bulls eye when you said that translating a novel requires much more dedication than skill. It is very true... sometimes the dedication steps beyond ones likeness or dislikeness...

Well going back to To Aru Majutsu no Index,to sum up, I am not against it being translated but i am against it being translated on expanse on any of our current projects. It just doesn't seem worth it.

[Jumpyshoes]

Well going back to To Aru Majutsu no Index,to sum up, I am not against it being translated but i am against it being translated on expanse on any of our current projects. It just doesn't seem worth it.

I would also prefer to have current projects to be worked on. If possible, I want to find a translator that currently isn't work on any projects or a new translator. Everyone has their own opinions, and I can't force them to change it; if you don't want to be bothered with this project, I can't stop you. Hopefully a new translator decides to pick it up.

Going to the discussion about the series title, I believe the main girl's name is "Index". Another translation of the title is "An Index of Certain Magics". I'm not sure which is more accurate.

[ShadowZeroHeart]

Not sure if you=me or you=reader, but I'm not complaining.

The "you" means readers ^^" i have nothing against anyone on this forum (yet?)
Anyways, i am not too sure of the beliefs here, but i think that this IS a fan group right? so i guess the people should be allowed to choose what they want to do... If they want to contribute on something, feel free to, even if the novel is poor or something. I am not sure the reason why everyone that is helping out is helping out, in my case, i got a liking to read novels, and upon seeing the website (and its stalled KnS) i just thought of helping to spread the story around. That is my delication. Even if i may be a slowpoke... So i agree with jumpyshoes about translators usually translate what they enjoy.

If you (darknemo and whoever is out there reading this) are finding it unpleasant to do the translations, i firstly thank you for continuing nonetheless, but at the same time, i would like to hear your recommendations of novels. Good novels are always welcome afterall. ^^ and i sincerely hope that you can locate projects you enjoy too, that way, everyone is happy(or so i hope?)

[Darknemo2000]

Haruhi. Without a doubt, though again i like reading classical literature more than light novels so i am usually very picky about teh style it is written too (not just the plot). But from the light novels Haruhi was probably the only one that left an instantly a good impression on me in both plot and the style it was written.

The other rather interesting novels are Spice and Wolf (though the author sometimes goes too much into being descriptive in a places where one should not, but again no one is so bad or as good as Vern in the terms of uneccesary description) and Shakugan No Shana, though I felt that the later volumes becomes less and less interesting and start to drag a little but it is still a pretty good read.

Though Toradora usually has a rather positive opinion in Japan so far I am not really impressed with the series. Maybe i was just expecting too much. But again you may try it as many people in Japan regard it highly.

ZnT is just a sunday read. You know, you read but forget about it soon enough you finish. Not very good work, characters seems like walking and talking stereotypes (at least in the beginning) and the author is just trying to find his own identity (so not really polished in that regard either). The good thing - the characters, though look very stereotypical at first can be rather enjoyable and fun, watching them develop and I cannot say that Noboru lacks imagination... He lacks polished style but definitely not imagination. So you can try this one as well, might like it.

Still I find Haruhi to be the best so far from what i have seen from Light Novels.

[sterling01]

I must say after reading the first three volumes of the novel I find the manga to be better... It helps me not think of "Index" (the character) as Yuyuko...

[Trabius]

Hm, if no one else wants to do it, I just got my hands on the first volume and thought it looked pretty interesting, so I could at least try translating it. The only problem is that I've gotten used to having furigana everywhere. I'm actually pretty bad at kanji and since there's practically no furigana, it'll probably be at a slow pace. I noticed the poll doesn't have very many votes so I don't even know if anyone cares, but I'll try doing the first chapter and see how long that takes me first.

[Vaelis]

I'm one of the two people who voted no.
I've read summaries and the manga scanlation and I don't think it's worth the time to translate it (in comparison with the other novels already translated by Baka-Tsuki).

The

Spoiler! :

20,000 Misaka clones

isn't really something I'm looking forward to.

[Trabius]

Well, I read some of the manga too and liked what I saw. Even if it takes some time and the novel turns out to be not so great, I don't think that means it's not worth letting other people read. I've been wanting to try reading this anyway and actually writing down a translation makes it easier for me to digest the story, so it wouldn't really affect anything.

Besides, a story with a bunch of crazy elements mashed together sounds like a good read to me, or at least a good change of pace.

[Nerevarine]

I too am against this...the story does not sound too interesting to me.

although, if there was a new translator that is not interested (at all) in any other of our B-T novels and yet is interested and devoted enough to begin and continue to keep with the series for a while, then i say, "go ahead"

but other than that...i dont really want our translators working on a project like this when they could be doing something else.
(But it really is the choice of the translator, he can do whatever he wants).

[Trabius]

Okay okay, then I won't do a formal translation. I'm still reading it and writing down stuff anyway, but actually, I noticed that with some of the parts I wouldn't have been sure how to translate them properly into English without sounding weird. I guess I don't have to worry about that anymore though. But if anyone wants to start translating it, don't hesitate to ask for help.

[ShadowZeroHeart]

Trabius =X
No offense, but the story is so-so only...
I got my hands(paws) on the first five volumes by now.
YES! the first volume is good, the second is not that bad...
But eventually it is nothing that special/good

I'm one of the two people who voted no.
I've read summaries and the manga scanlation and I don't think it's worth the time to translate it (in comparison with the other novels already translated by Baka-Tsuki).

The

Spoiler! :

20,000 Misaka clones

isn't really something I'm looking forward to.

I changed my vote from yes to maybe =X
and...

Spoiler! :

No, not 20,000 but 20,001 clones... And the 20,001 being a loli version of Misaka

The problem i find with this novel, is that it is too nice... This may not be much of a spoiler, but nonetheless, SPOILER TAG!

Spoiler! :

People tend not to die, happy endings all the time. When they should die, they don't. Even the bad guys become good eventually. Some people never seem to appear anymore. A big jumbo up of everything.

[serenade_beta]

Okay okay, then I won't do a formal translation. I'm still reading it and writing down stuff anyway, but actually, I noticed that with some of the parts I wouldn't have been sure how to translate them properly into English without sounding weird. I guess I don't have to worry about that anymore though. But if anyone wants to start translating it, don't hesitate to ask for help.

Yes, I think it would be best if you didn't try translating it. This novel is filled with kanji and religious/technological terms and everything, and isn't the easiest thing to translate... which makes it time-consuming while being hard to translate. I'd like to translate it, but I fear for my life (in various meanings)...
Of course, if there is some hero who does translate this, all the better.

I'm one of the two people who voted no.
I've read summaries and the manga scanlation and I don't think it's worth the time to translate it (in comparison with the other novels already translated by Baka-Tsuki).

The

Spoiler! :

20,000 Misaka clones

isn't really something I'm looking forward to.

I changed my vote from yes to maybe =X
and...

Spoiler! :

No, not 20,000 but 20,001 clones... And the 20,001 being a loli version of Misaka

Though

Spoiler! :

more than half are already dead.

The problem i find with this novel, is that it is too nice... This may not be much of a spoiler, but nonetheless, SPOILER TAG!

Spoiler! :

People tend not to die, happy endings all the time. When they should die, they don't. Even the bad guys become good eventually. Some people never seem to appear anymore. A big jumbo up of everything.

Yeah... I find the characters good, but air characters, somewhat messy storytelling, one-patterns, and the tendency to rely on

Spoiler! :

feelings/emotion being the reason for defeating enemies and such.

tend to be irritating at times.
Though I still like the novel... and Mikoto.

PS: The 2nd volume is thought to be one of the worst volumes...

[ShadowZeroHeart]

Spoiler! :

in my opinion, 4th is the worst out of the 5 volumes i have so far... I mean, when someone is supposed to die, DIE FOR GOD DAMMIT!
They set up a rule, magicians cannot use scientifical powers, and the students in the school cannot use magic... seems fair, yet the author breaks this rule in the volume so no bloody friend of the main char dies! So basically now there is a superhuman in the city that can use magic as much as he want, with a super body thx to science!

Yeah... I find the characters good, but air characters, somewhat messy storytelling, one-patterns, and the tendency to rely on

Spoiler! :

feelings/emotion being the reason for defeating enemies and such.

tend to be irritating at times.
Though I still like the novel... and Mikoto.

PS: The 2nd volume is thought to be one of the worst volumes...

Spoiler! :

Their tendency to act based on emotions and feelings are required in the story... I think that the author is trying to portray emotions in the story as its attractive points. However, it seems that ONLY positive feelings are emphasized. In volume 5, other organizations are afraid of Toma's gang, since it is totally unpredictable, since he only acts on feelings and emotions, rather than like the scientists or magicians who work towards a goal. So his gang is being feared, due to its unreliability and the possession of people from both sides...

The other thing that the author tries to portray would be how no matter how useless or useful you may be, there are times and situations when it can be helpful/helpless. Meaning that no one is really that special, and anyone can make a difference. As long as they try.

The one i like most is Misaka Misaka =X or Misaka's sister haha
The way she talks and acts seems very funny to me ^^ as long as they dont appear all together.

P.S. you remember in book 2, they had a question... A "Vampire Killer" implies that there must be vampires... then what does the "Imagine Breaker" imply? I think i know the answer =X you have any ideas?

In my opinion, only book 1 is good. The idea seems new and nice at that point, and after that it just goes down the drain, going lower with each new volume...

And Trabius, if you need help, just hover =X I have the chinese text after all, just dun ask me to translate by chapter... i can at most check up some meanings or give some suggestions =X like those "parts where I wouldn't have been sure how to translate them properly into English without sounding weird." You can post in the Lingua forums or this thread and I shall see what i can do... ONCE I FINISH THIS DUMB HOMEWORK!!! DAMN!!! I CANT UNDERSTAND HEAD OR TAIL HOW TO WORK IT OUT!!!

[Trabius]

Huh, I thought the first volume sounded pretty good, but if it's just going to go downhill then I don't know if I want to read it or not. Is it trainwreck bad, or just uncreative? Like on a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being simply unreadable, how would you guys rate the series overall (or however much you've read)?

[ShadowZeroHeart]

okay, heres my rating... Though i cannot be sure to tell you how exact these are... since its been a while since i read them...

Vol1 7 or 8/10 (maybe because the idea seems rather new then?)

Vol2 6? /10 (Miko san! and Alchemist!!)

Vol3 6 or 7? /10 (the fight to save Misaka Misaka)

Vol 4 3~5 /10 (I hate this happy ending)

Vol 5 4~6 /10 (bad guys become good, only the major evils die, haha...)

If you ask me, the bad thing about the novel is that there tend to be always a VERY happy ending. People shall not die, by some miraculous force, being shot, being splatted, being cursed or anything... No one dies! And its like finding some kind of possibility to make sure no good guy dies... So the story seems fake... unless this changes, i doubt it will go well...