×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
REVIEW: Missing: Spirited Away Novel 1




Note: this is the discussion thread for this article

Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
ManOfRust



Joined: 08 Jan 2006
Posts: 1935
Location: Seattle, WA
PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 12:16 am Reply with quote
This sounds interesting. I might just have to pick it up. Some of the ideas and themes of the story (at least as far as I can tell from the review) sound kind of similar to some of Neil Gaiman's work. I wonder how this would compare to something like American Gods, or if I am just reading too much into the review in drawing these supposed similarities.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 7:43 am Reply with quote
I have to admit I am intrigued. Although my knowledge of Japanese folklore is nearly non-existent, I enjoy supernatural thrillers quite a bit.

The plot sagging in the middle is a letdown somewhat, but as long as the beginning and end are strong, I can live with that.

Sounds like something I will enjoy. I do not have any Japanese novels, but this may be my first.

Oh, and one question. As I mentioned above, I have never read a Japanese novel. Since this one is apparently translated, do they keep the right-to-left format (page wise) like translated Manga, or is it in western left-to-right? Just curious.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime
marie-antoinette



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 4136
Location: Ottawa, Canada
PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 9:05 am Reply with quote
dtm42 wrote:
Oh, and one question. As I mentioned above, I have never read a Japanese novel. Since this one is apparently translated, do they keep the right-to-left format (page wise) like translated Manga, or is it in western left-to-right? Just curious.


It's just text. Why would they possible leave it left-to-right? The reason manga is left that way is so to not change the artwork.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
dtm42



Joined: 05 Feb 2008
Posts: 14084
Location: currently stalking my waifu
PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 9:21 am Reply with quote
marie-antoinette wrote:
dtm42 wrote:
Oh, and one question. As I mentioned above, I have never read a Japanese novel. Since this one is apparently translated, do they keep the right-to-left format (page wise) like translated Manga, or is it in western left-to-right? Just curious.


It's just text. Why would they possible leave it left-to-right? The reason manga is left that way is so to not change the artwork.


Err, don't yo mean leave it right-to-left?

Your argument that they leave Manga alone because of the pictures does make sense, though I have the feeling that there is more to it than that. Like "authenticity". When you "read" Manga, even though it is translated, you get the feel of how how it was "supposed" to be read. An authentic experience. I just wondered if they kept the novels the same way to add that authenticity.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime
Hi no Neko



Joined: 17 Sep 2004
Posts: 204
Location: Austin, TX
PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 10:20 am Reply with quote
dtm42 wrote:
Your argument that they leave Manga alone because of the pictures does make sense, though I have the feeling that there is more to it than that. Like "authenticity". When you "read" Manga, even though it is translated, you get the feel of how how it was "supposed" to be read. An authentic experience. I just wondered if they kept the novels the same way to add that authenticity.


Sounds like that would be risky, from the publisher's point of view. Average American #47 is generally more likely to pick up a text novel than "one of them anime comics", but could just as quickly put it back down on the shelf once they find the page order confuses them.

As for "authentic", yes, it's best to keep manga in the right order, because the art was designed to go a certain way. Novels are just words put into a story - as long as the pages are in the right order, it doesn't much matter if they go right-to-left or left-to-right. Might as well use the order that most people on this continent are used to.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
scortia



Joined: 27 Mar 2006
Posts: 174
PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 11:19 am Reply with quote
Looks like companies are stepping out of the box a bit now with the novel titles they're picking up.... it's not just Crest of the Stars and other anime-related titles... I wonder if I can be hopeful for Onmyoji to ever get picked up.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
wandering-dreamer



Joined: 21 Jan 2008
Posts: 1733
PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 12:42 pm Reply with quote
dtm42 wrote:
[q
Your argument that they leave Manga alone because of the pictures does make sense, though I have the feeling that there is more to it than that. Like "authenticity". When you "read" Manga, even though it is translated, you get the feel of how how it was "supposed" to be read. An authentic experience. I just wondered if they kept the novels the same way to add that authenticity.

If the story is a good one it shouldn't matter how it's told, right-to-left or left-to-right. In manga the pictures are part of the story so they remain the same, but I think it would be trying for some people to try to read a whole novel backwards.
Anyway, this book sounds interesting, I'll have to try to find it at my bookstores (I don't know if they would put this under regular young adult fiction or in the manga section, but I think I found the light novels in the YA section before).
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
larinon



Joined: 27 Jul 2003
Posts: 992
Location: Midland, TX
PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 2:41 pm Reply with quote
I've bought and read the first two volumes of the manga, which I believe is based on the novels, and it's definitely been a good read so far. From the description it sounds like the plots are basically the same, though I don't know if I would read both the novel and the manga. Either way, whichever one you want to pick up, it's a good story worth reading.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website AIM Address My Anime My Manga
HellKorn



Joined: 03 Oct 2006
Posts: 1669
Location: Columbus, OH
PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 2:47 pm Reply with quote
ManOfRust wrote:
This sounds interesting. I might just have to pick it up. Some of the ideas and themes of the story (at least as far as I can tell from the review) sound kind of similar to some of Neil Gaiman's work.


Kind of, though I kept on thinking that the first volume would be more similar to what lain would be like in a horror setting -- minus the exposition and occasionally dull phases.

I actually enjoyed the book as it progressed, as the opening is heavily focused on a character that I'm slightly hesitant to label pretentiousness. Some parts of the middle are a bit clunky, though the level of research poured into it make it worthwhile. And the finale is really something.

Not the best start, but I'm looking forward to the second book in March.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
vincentthecon



Joined: 29 Jan 2008
Posts: 21
PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 7:04 pm Reply with quote
ManOfRust wrote:
Some of the ideas and themes of the story (at least as far as I can tell from the review) sound kind of similar to some of Neil Gaiman's work.


That's what I was thinking, it sounds a lot like magical realism which reminds me of Neil Gaiman, Haruki Murakami, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez who are all people whose writing often crosses the boundary between reality and fantasy and since that is my favorite style for writing I for one am excited to read this...
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Andrew Cunningham



Joined: 01 Feb 2006
Posts: 430
Location: Seattle
PostPosted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 2:10 am Reply with quote
Fantastic, hopefully this will bring the series a little more attention.
And thanks for the kind words about my translation.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
marie-antoinette



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 4136
Location: Ottawa, Canada
PostPosted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:56 am Reply with quote
dtm42 wrote:
Err, don't yo mean leave it right-to-left?

Your argument that they leave Manga alone because of the pictures does make sense, though I have the feeling that there is more to it than that. Like "authenticity". When you "read" Manga, even though it is translated, you get the feel of how how it was "supposed" to be read. An authentic experience. I just wondered if they kept the novels the same way to add that authenticity.


Yeah...I get my directions mixed up all the time (don't even get me started with east and west Razz)

The only thing having an English novel go left-to-right (got it this time!) would do is make it too confusing for anyone to bother reading it. I know I would pick it up. There's nothing "authentic" about it. Just like which way you read doesn't make a manga authentic, not changing the artwork (or making minimal changes for sound effects) does.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
chinabean



Joined: 25 Feb 2008
Posts: 32
PostPosted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:12 am Reply with quote
i like it a lot, i'm hooked on it, i'm almost done reading; they added a manga in the end of it - of it.

it's basically like a regular book, not manga style

i really like the story and the what i call "educational" moments in it really interested me and opened up a lot for me Laughing
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group