Regarding Manga Translations: So it has come to my attention that the Sailor Moon manga will be re-released in North America starting in September 2011. That kind of puts a damper on this project. Or does it? The Japanese manga (and text therein) has always been copyrighted, so this has always been an unlicensed derivative work. Thus, the legality of this project hasn't really changed, except for the possibility that now I'd be competing with an official product, which is not my intention.
If you really want to read Sailor Moon in English, I would recommend buying the official new English releases. If there are errors in the official translations, you can check against my scripts for the correct line(s), assuming I didn't screw it up too. I'd also recommend importing the Japanese books, regardless of whether or not you want the new English books. Support the series in some form, and use my scripts in addition to that.
Also, the new English releases are based on the 2003 reprint volumes, which have a number of changes from the original tankoubon. But I can now do scripts for both versions of the manga here, as well as track all the major changes between them.
This project has been a way for me to practice Japanese (and CSS styles) with a subject I'm very familiar with. I plan to continue it as long as Kodansha, et al., will allow me to do so. Eventually, I also plan to include other translation projects (like music lyrics).
Translation Progress:
Manga Acts: 90% (46/52, 54/60)
Manga Extras: 70% (7/10)
Latest Sailor Moon Updates
Acts 45-46 (52-54)
Act 44 (51), Exams 2-3
Acts 42-43 (49-50)
Acts 40-41 (46-48)
Act 39 (44-45)
Acts 37-38 (42-43), Exam 1
Act 36 (41), Casablanca, Chibi Usa 2
Act 35 (40), Princess Kaguya
Acts 33-34 (36-39)
Acts 31-32 (34-35), Chibi Usa 1 Revised
March 2nd, 2013 at 11:26 PM
Rei and Minako's Public School Battle: Act 45 and Act 46 are up! Along with their reprint equivalents, Act 52, Act 53, and Act 54! I'm sure they have the least interesting set of differences in the galaxy, including a very one-sided table row. But that was the final double length chapter in the tankoubon, and that also finished the second-to-last PGSM volume, so there's a pretty clear course to the end.
On another note, I theorized in an update months ago about a third printing of the manga, and I later found out there is indeed a third version (aizouban!) in the works. They've been delayed at least once, and the actual release date is still a mystery. But in turn, Kodansha has given the PGSM volumes another print run, so if you're interested in those grab them while you can. (They were getting expensive with second-hand sellers.) As for the aizouban books, I do hope to collect them and potentially compare them to the other two versions. The comparison page badly needs to be reformatted (and split up?) anyway.
On another note, I theorized in an update months ago about a third printing of the manga, and I later found out there is indeed a third version (aizouban!) in the works. They've been delayed at least once, and the actual release date is still a mystery. But in turn, Kodansha has given the PGSM volumes another print run, so if you're interested in those grab them while you can. (They were getting expensive with second-hand sellers.) As for the aizouban books, I do hope to collect them and potentially compare them to the other two versions. The comparison page badly needs to be reformatted (and split up?) anyway.
Act 44 (51), Exams 2-3
February 2nd, 2013 at 11:25 PM
Running late again, but here's Act 44! And its PGSM counterpart, Act 51! Plus some comparisons, featuring many small art quirks and a typo correction. And apparently "Moon Eternal Make-Up" was a one-time thing. The next chapter is double length, so there was just no time to do that along with...
Side stories! We have Ami's battle with MelCooleyus, in both old and new formats. And we have Minako's battle with nuns, also in both old and new formats. Along with comparisons for both chapters, of course. And that finishes the exam stories, three books later.
Side stories! We have Ami's battle with MelCooleyus, in both old and new formats. And we have Minako's battle with nuns, also in both old and new formats. Along with comparisons for both chapters, of course. And that finishes the exam stories, three books later.
Acts 42-43 (49-50)
January 1st, 2013 at 02:29 AM
With the new year comes the end of an arc and the beginning of a new one: Act 42 and Act 43 are up! And their PGSM counterparts, Act 49 and Act 50! I also have some comparisons of the bushes at Juuban High. Speaking of which, I plan to finally finish those exam stories by next month, along with some more Stars of course.
Acts 40-41 (46-48)
December 3rd, 2012 at 06:13 AM
I'm just plain late this time, but I do have plenty to show for it: Act 40 and Act 41! Which correspond to PGSM Act 46, Act 47, and Act 48! Not to mention comparisons, which are mostly art quirks this month. And now there's only one more dream left before we wake up from our Eternal slumber.
Act 39 (44-45)
November 2nd, 2012 at 08:03 PM
Saturn Ready: Act 39 is up! Along with its reprint counterparts, Act 44 and Act 45! And some comparisons, of course, which don't include fixing the mirror name error. I was hoping to do the next chapter too, but that didn't happen. Double length or not, I didn't want to get stuck at an odd number again, so I'll have to find a way to rectify it.
I did upload all of this yesterday, for the usual first of the month, but I didn't get a chance to write up the news post until now. Mainly because I wanted to summarize this Takeuchi anecdote, which doesn't really fit on the comparisons page. Basically: the first half of BSSM 39/PGSM 44 was a lot different when it ran Nakayoshi. Her editor complained that it didn't include Usagi or resolve the Minako situation, so she added those things at the expense of Haruka, et al. But come the tankoubon release, she took the opportunity to expand the chapter and make it closer to her original vision. It's not exactly clear what was added or changed, other than a different, less relevant Yeats poem ("Symbols"...?) being used in the Nakayoshi version. But whatever they were, most of these changes apparently persist in the PGSM reprints, since there aren't any drastic differences from the old tankoubon.
I did upload all of this yesterday, for the usual first of the month, but I didn't get a chance to write up the news post until now. Mainly because I wanted to summarize this Takeuchi anecdote, which doesn't really fit on the comparisons page. Basically: the first half of BSSM 39/PGSM 44 was a lot different when it ran Nakayoshi. Her editor complained that it didn't include Usagi or resolve the Minako situation, so she added those things at the expense of Haruka, et al. But come the tankoubon release, she took the opportunity to expand the chapter and make it closer to her original vision. It's not exactly clear what was added or changed, other than a different, less relevant Yeats poem ("Symbols"...?) being used in the Nakayoshi version. But whatever they were, most of these changes apparently persist in the PGSM reprints, since there aren't any drastic differences from the old tankoubon.
Acts 37-38 (42-43), Exam 1
October 1st, 2012 at 05:19 AM
Jupiter Ready: Act 37 and Act 38 are up! And their reprint versions, Act 42 and Act 43! Plus some comparisons, with far more dialogue changes than I ever expected to find this late in the series.
And you can have a little more Makoto with the first the first Exam War chapter! With its reprint version, of course, and some comparisons. I did the bulk of this last month, but didn't quite make the deadline. And I don't know when I'll get to do the other exams, since there are a lot of double-length chapters coming up. I guess I'll be spending the next couple months having my own introspective battle against time monsters.
And you can have a little more Makoto with the first the first Exam War chapter! With its reprint version, of course, and some comparisons. I did the bulk of this last month, but didn't quite make the deadline. And I don't know when I'll get to do the other exams, since there are a lot of double-length chapters coming up. I guess I'll be spending the next couple months having my own introspective battle against time monsters.
Act 36 (41), Casablanca, Chibi Usa 2
September 1st, 2012 at 02:13 PM
Mars Ready: Act 36 is up! Along with its PGSM version, Act 41, and the differences between them.
But if that's not enough Rei for you, I've also got a script for Casablanca Memory! This is a side story that takes place during the first arc, but was published during the second arc, compiled into a tankoubon between the third and fourth arcs, and of course the PGSM version was released after the fifth arc. And here's looking at some comparisons.
Also, the second Chibi Usa Picture Diary! And its PGSM counterpart, though I think this might be the first chapter I've done with no real dialogue changes. And this finishes up old books 10, 11, and 12. Next month will probably include at least some of the side stories from 13, but not at the expense of doing two normal chapters.
But if that's not enough Rei for you, I've also got a script for Casablanca Memory! This is a side story that takes place during the first arc, but was published during the second arc, compiled into a tankoubon between the third and fourth arcs, and of course the PGSM version was released after the fifth arc. And here's looking at some comparisons.
Also, the second Chibi Usa Picture Diary! And its PGSM counterpart, though I think this might be the first chapter I've done with no real dialogue changes. And this finishes up old books 10, 11, and 12. Next month will probably include at least some of the side stories from 13, but not at the expense of doing two normal chapters.
Act 35 (40), Princess Kaguya
August 1st, 2012 at 12:20 PM
Time for some Fish Eye fun with Act 35! And its reprint counterpart, Act 40! With comparisons between them, of course. But I only had time for one main story act because I also did a really, really long side story. Next month I'll probably even it out with 36 and some shorter side stories, and then go back to normal.
That really, really long side story is of course Princess Kaguya's Lover! And its reprint version. Plus comparisons, too, full of many minor art changes, and yet the disguise pen incantation was left alone (!?). After last month, I'm stuck going slightly out of order with the old tankoubon, and these 130 or so wordy pages (science! medicine!) were one of the biggest hurdles to fixing that.
Also, how about that new anime? I've noticed the PGSM books seem to be going out of print in Japan, and the same thing happened a decade ago with the original tankoubon. But then we got new cover reprints as a tie-in with the live-action series, so maybe we'll get a third version as a tie-in with the new anime. I sure wouldn't mind a kanzenban style release, with better paper and ALL the color pages.
That really, really long side story is of course Princess Kaguya's Lover! And its reprint version. Plus comparisons, too, full of many minor art changes, and yet the disguise pen incantation was left alone (!?). After last month, I'm stuck going slightly out of order with the old tankoubon, and these 130 or so wordy pages (science! medicine!) were one of the biggest hurdles to fixing that.
Also, how about that new anime? I've noticed the PGSM books seem to be going out of print in Japan, and the same thing happened a decade ago with the original tankoubon. But then we got new cover reprints as a tie-in with the live-action series, so maybe we'll get a third version as a tie-in with the new anime. I sure wouldn't mind a kanzenban style release, with better paper and ALL the color pages.
Acts 33-34 (36-39)
July 1st, 2012 at 01:49 AM
Let's bring the third arc to a close with Act 33! And its reprint counterparts, Act 36, Act 37 and Act 38! Plus comparisons for all that infinitely infinite stuff.
I had wanted to do some more side stories before starting the Dream arc, but I got a big surprise as I was doing comparisons. That is, PGSM 38 had a bunch of extra pages about eclipses and stuff. Which kind of forced me to do Act 34, too! And reprint Act 39 to correspond to the remaining pages. So now we're in the fourth arc a little sooner than I expected, but I guess that beats being stuck in the second arc for 4 years.
I had wanted to do some more side stories before starting the Dream arc, but I got a big surprise as I was doing comparisons. That is, PGSM 38 had a bunch of extra pages about eclipses and stuff. Which kind of forced me to do Act 34, too! And reprint Act 39 to correspond to the remaining pages. So now we're in the fourth arc a little sooner than I expected, but I guess that beats being stuck in the second arc for 4 years.
Acts 31-32 (34-35), Chibi Usa 1 Revised
June 1st, 2012 at 08:51 PM
Busters Ready Go! This month we have both labyrinth chapters (but no Bowie): Act 31 and Act 32! Plus their 21st Century counterparts, Act 34 and Act 35! And some comparisons between all of them, of course, with much less atashi/watashi nonsense this time.
Also! I've finally revised, compared, and PGSM-ized Chibi Usa Picture Diary 1! Now the revision project is really REALLY complete. But it turns out redoing 25 pages on a whim at the last minute is a bad idea, because every problem will happen.
Anyway... The old tankoubon are still my primary source, which means there's only one Infinity chapter left. It's triple size, but I do plan to do the whole thing in one go. I guess it will be a warm-up for potentially doing both a double size and normal act in the same month, or the super long Kaguya side story.
Also! I've finally revised, compared, and PGSM-ized Chibi Usa Picture Diary 1! Now the revision project is really REALLY complete. But it turns out redoing 25 pages on a whim at the last minute is a bad idea, because every problem will happen.
Anyway... The old tankoubon are still my primary source, which means there's only one Infinity chapter left. It's triple size, but I do plan to do the whole thing in one go. I guess it will be a warm-up for potentially doing both a double size and normal act in the same month, or the super long Kaguya side story.
