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: 95% (49/52, 57/60)
Manga Extras: 70% (7/10)
Latest Sailor Moon Updates
Act 49 (57)
Acts 47-48 (55-56)
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
April 30th, 2015 at 07:09 PM
Many months late, here is Act 49! And its 2003 reprint equivalent, Act 57! Since I only did one chapter, I decided to go into even more detail with the comparisons between them. Namely I noted some things that I was too lazy to do before, like noses being added and text being moved around. Someday I want to go back and add those things to the earlier chapters, but this one has absolutely everything my eyes could find. (Assuming I didn't forget to type it up or accidentally overwrite the entry, anyway.) Every single page but the last one has some sort of difference.
It's only a matter of hours before I would have hit that thirteen month mark again. But I wanted to see how many other things I could get done first, so I only started on this a few days ago. Living on the edge, of course. I still don't want to make any promises, but I'll be shocked if there isn't another update in five weeks or so.
It's only a matter of hours before I would have hit that thirteen month mark again. But I wanted to see how many other things I could get done first, so I only started on this a few days ago. Living on the edge, of course. I still don't want to make any promises, but I'll be shocked if there isn't another update in five weeks or so.
Acts 47-48 (55-56)
April 2nd, 2014 at 05:10 AM
It's a year late, but here is Act 47 and Act 48 at last! And their reprint equivalents, Act 55 and Act 56! And just because the series is nearly over doesn't mean there's any shortage of differences between them. Many dialogue changes, and countless visual tweaks such as blurry Wiseman. Only four chapters (and three side stories) remain, and I can say with certainty the next update will be less than thirteen months from now.
But my site is not the only Sailor Moon-related thing to experience considerable delays. Instead of aizouban we got kanzenban reprints after all, and as of last week the entire series and its side stories have been re-re-released. I do have all 10 so far (what the hell will 11 and 12 be?), but I've put off going through them thoroughly until I finish the current comparison project. Though in skimming through the kanzenban version of this update's two chapters, they seem to be identical to the 2003 version anyway.
Things should mostly be back to normal for me now, but I don't want to make any promises about the update schedule just yet. Especially since other projects of mine have been backlogged for all this time too.
But my site is not the only Sailor Moon-related thing to experience considerable delays. Instead of aizouban we got kanzenban reprints after all, and as of last week the entire series and its side stories have been re-re-released. I do have all 10 so far (what the hell will 11 and 12 be?), but I've put off going through them thoroughly until I finish the current comparison project. Though in skimming through the kanzenban version of this update's two chapters, they seem to be identical to the 2003 version anyway.
Things should mostly be back to normal for me now, but I don't want to make any promises about the update schedule just yet. Especially since other projects of mine have been backlogged for all this time too.
Acts 45-46 (52-54)
March 3rd, 2013 at 04:26 AM
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 3rd, 2013 at 04:25 AM
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 07:29 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 11:13 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 3rd, 2012 at 12:03 AM
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 09:19 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 06:13 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 04:20 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.
