| So I just started reading something, and it does have an official translation... But only halfway through. I really want to read it, so I'll just switch to the fan translation, but oh boy, the quality is night and day. I mean I appreciate that it exists at all... But the other options are waiting like 40 weeks or learning Korean. Edit: okay, not only did try change the names, but made the currency into dollars. That's lame. Fan translation here I go... |
JaniSIrNov 23, 2023 3:25 PM
| Well it depends on how bad the translation is. I've seen unofficial manga translations that leave hanzi or hangul on the page. I prefer no translation over such trash, because I know no fan will ever bother to retranslate it. There's also no guarantee a series will be licensed at all. Neo Faust is scheduled to be published in English next year, 35 years after its creator's death. That's just manga. I haven't much enjoyed any of the novels I've read with fan translations. I definitely recommend learning the original language if you're interested in multiple untranslated series. Someone who began learning Japanese after watching Humanity has Declined in 2012 should be able to understand the books by now, which remain untranslated. |
| その目だれの目？ |
Reply to Lucifrost
Well it depends on how bad the translation is. I've seen unofficial manga translations that leave hanzi or hangul on the page. I prefer no translation over such trash, because I know no fan will ever bother to retranslate it. There's also no guarantee a series will be licensed at all. Neo Faust is scheduled to be published in English next year, 35 years after its creator's death.
That's just manga. I haven't much enjoyed any of the novels I've read with fan translations. I definitely recommend learning the original language if you're interested in multiple untranslated series. Someone who began learning Japanese after watching Humanity has Declined in 2012 should be able to understand the books by now, which remain untranslated.
That's just manga. I haven't much enjoyed any of the novels I've read with fan translations. I definitely recommend learning the original language if you're interested in multiple untranslated series. Someone who began learning Japanese after watching Humanity has Declined in 2012 should be able to understand the books by now, which remain untranslated.
| @Lucifrost it's quite common for the text drawn on the image to not be erased, and then redrawn, and then just printed next to the frame. It's not too bothersome. What's annoying is when you just guess the text box was meant to be based on context, because it's so grammatically incorrect or weirdly phrased. The Humanity has Declined anime was awesome, but even if I wanted to spend the effort on learning a third language, that wouldn't be Japanese. |
| Actually I was complaining about Japanese to Korean to English, or Japanese to Chinese to English. Those translations of translations have the worst nonsense I've seen on mangadex. I've even seen translators (both official and unofficial) who didn't know the name of the PROTAGONIST or supporting character. I don't really care what the protagonist's name is, but a mistake that simple is the surest sign of incompetence. |
| その目だれの目？ |
| As long as it is easy to read, I'll probably do it, but if the font hurts my eyes or if there are constant misspellings, I can't take it. |
Bum Bum Dum Dum |
Reply to Lucifrost
Actually I was complaining about Japanese to Korean to English, or Japanese to Chinese to English. Those translations of translations have the worst nonsense I've seen on mangadex. I've even seen translators (both official and unofficial) who didn't know the name of the PROTAGONIST or supporting character. I don't really care what the protagonist's name is, but a mistake that simple is the surest sign of incompetence.
| @Lucifrost That I have not seen yet. But what I did encounter is that the characters have a different name everywhere. So like it got Englishified differently in part 1 and 2, MAL, and the few other places I checked. |
| I actually read fan translation of Patalliro! where the translation wasn't even put on the manga panels, it was just pure text in a word file lmao and I had to have it open while looking at the manga raws. I don't think that it can get much worse than that (tho quality of translation itself was rly good, just ye, annoying to read) |
 |
Reply to karemi_
I actually read fan translation of Patalliro! where the translation wasn't even put on the manga panels, it was just pure text in a word file lmao and I had to have it open while looking at the manga raws. I don't think that it can get much worse than that (tho quality of translation itself was rly good, just ye, annoying to read)
| @karemi_ That's not too different from a bilingual manga. They're made to help readers learn English, and they're not sold outside Japan as far as I know.  |
| その目だれの目？ |
| I'll read any translation if it's readable, honestly. |
| megane enthusiast. i love my girlfriend |
| There can be bad official translations too. The particularly bad fan translations these days are ones that were done by a computer translation I think? Changing names is more like a localization thing where they use given name instead of family name or use an alternate spelling for how it can be written in an English alphabet. |
| ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⣸⠋⠀⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⡔⠀⢀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⡘⡰⠁⠘⡀⠀⠀⢠⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠁⠀⣀⠀⠀⡇⠀⡜⠈⠁⠀⢸⡈⢇⠀⠀⢣⠑⠢⢄⣇⠀⠀⠸⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⢰⡟⡀⠀⡇⡜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⡇⠈⢆⢰⠁⠀⠀⠀⠘⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠤⢄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡼⠀⣧⠀⢿⢠⣤⣤⣬⣥⠀⠁⠀⠀⠛⢀⡒⠀⠀⠀⠘⡆⡆⠀⠀⠀⡇⠀⠀⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⢵⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡰⠀⢠⠃⠱⣼⡀⣀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠛⠳⠶⠶⠆⡸⢀⡀⣀⢰⠀⠀⢸ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⣀⣀⣀⠄⠀⠉⠁⠀⠀⢠⠃⢀⠎⠀⠀⣼⠋⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠴⠢⢄⡔⣕⡍⠣⣱⢸⠀⠀⢷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⡰⠃⢀⠎⠀⠀⡜⡨⢢⡀⠀⠀⠀⠐⣄⠀⠀⣠⠀⠀⠀⠐⢛⠽⠗⠁⠀⠁⠊⠀⡜⠸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⢀⠔⣁⡴⠃⠀⡠⡪⠊⣠⣾⣟⣷⡦⠤⣀⡈⠁⠉⢀⣀⡠⢔⠊⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡤⡗⢀⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢀⣠⠴⢑⡨⠊⡀⠤⠚⢉⣴⣾⣿⡿⣾⣿⡇⠀⠹⣻⠛⠉⠉⢀⠠⠺⠀⠀⡀⢄⣴⣾⣧⣞⠀⡜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠐⠒⣉⠠⠄⡂⠅⠊⠁⠀⠀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣻⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⢠⣷⣮⡍⡠⠔⢉⡇⡠⠋⠁⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀ |
Reply to traed
There can be bad official translations too. The particularly bad fan translations these days are ones that were done by a computer translation I think?
Changing names is more like a localization thing where they use given name instead of family name or use an alternate spelling for how it can be written in an English alphabet.
Changing names is more like a localization thing where they use given name instead of family name or use an alternate spelling for how it can be written in an English alphabet.
| @traed Henry and Olivia are really weird alternate spelling of Korean names. https://myanimelist.net/manga/133163/Mom_Im_Sorry |
| I drop it immediately. There's just too many differences, and I don't want to end up learning terminology that was misinterpreted, or different from the source material, or localized version. I don't really have this problem anymore, though, since I mostly read just physically. |
 This ground is soiled by those before me and their lies. I dare not look up for on me I feel their eyes |
Reply to JaniSIr
@traed Henry and Olivia are really weird alternate spelling of Korean names.
https://myanimelist.net/manga/133163/Mom_Im_Sorry
https://myanimelist.net/manga/133163/Mom_Im_Sorry
| @JaniSIr Lol so that's what you meant. I couldn't tell you why they'd do that. |
| ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⣸⠋⠀⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⡔⠀⢀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⡘⡰⠁⠘⡀⠀⠀⢠⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠁⠀⣀⠀⠀⡇⠀⡜⠈⠁⠀⢸⡈⢇⠀⠀⢣⠑⠢⢄⣇⠀⠀⠸⠀⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⢸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⢰⡟⡀⠀⡇⡜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⡇⠈⢆⢰⠁⠀⠀⠀⠘⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠤⢄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡼⠀⣧⠀⢿⢠⣤⣤⣬⣥⠀⠁⠀⠀⠛⢀⡒⠀⠀⠀⠘⡆⡆⠀⠀⠀⡇⠀⠀⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⢵⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⡰⠀⢠⠃⠱⣼⡀⣀⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠛⠳⠶⠶⠆⡸⢀⡀⣀⢰⠀⠀⢸ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⣀⣀⣀⠄⠀⠉⠁⠀⠀⢠⠃⢀⠎⠀⠀⣼⠋⠉⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠴⠢⢄⡔⣕⡍⠣⣱⢸⠀⠀⢷⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⡰⠃⢀⠎⠀⠀⡜⡨⢢⡀⠀⠀⠀⠐⣄⠀⠀⣠⠀⠀⠀⠐⢛⠽⠗⠁⠀⠁⠊⠀⡜⠸⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⢀⠔⣁⡴⠃⠀⡠⡪⠊⣠⣾⣟⣷⡦⠤⣀⡈⠁⠉⢀⣀⡠⢔⠊⠁⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡤⡗⢀⠇⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⢀⣠⠴⢑⡨⠊⡀⠤⠚⢉⣴⣾⣿⡿⣾⣿⡇⠀⠹⣻⠛⠉⠉⢀⠠⠺⠀⠀⡀⢄⣴⣾⣧⣞⠀⡜⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠐⠒⣉⠠⠄⡂⠅⠊⠁⠀⠀⣴⣿⣿⣿⣿⣻⣿⣿⡇⠀⠀⢠⣷⣮⡍⡠⠔⢉⡇⡠⠋⠁⠀⣿⣿⣿⣿⣄⠀⠀⠀⠀ |
| Depends. Some are as good as the official one. Others are absolutely unreadable and you might lose some brain cells trying to read it. This issue is a lot more prominent in Manhwa and Manhua. |
If you enjoyed the time you wasted, then its not a waste of time.  |
Reply to traed
There can be bad official translations too. The particularly bad fan translations these days are ones that were done by a computer translation I think?
Changing names is more like a localization thing where they use given name instead of family name or use an alternate spelling for how it can be written in an English alphabet.
Changing names is more like a localization thing where they use given name instead of family name or use an alternate spelling for how it can be written in an English alphabet.
| @traed I don't mind when names are intentionally changed. I was complaining about translations that use Japanese sounding names that are completely different from the originals. It is obvious the translator intended to keep the original name, but failed due to a poor grasp of Japanese. |
| その目だれの目？ |
| Depends on what manga it is, if its something i actually really like i will read the fan translation then when the official one comes out then read again. The meh ones ill just wait. |
| sup dumbo |
Reply to yahallos
Depends on what manga it is, if its something i actually really like i will read the fan translation then when the official one comes out then read again. The meh ones ill just wait.
| @yahallos I wouldn't know if it's good or not, I hate reading unfinished manga... |
| I've read from bad fan-translations in the past since the only other option was not reading it at all. There have been times when I have used google translate on Korean and Chinese fan-translations as well since they weren't available in any other language. They were hard to understand but I got a gist of it. I always prefer reading raw though, if there's no other option and I really love the series then I turn to fan-translations. |
| If it's manga, I'll be willing to read the fan translations since I am more familiar with them and can pick up if there's something that doesn't make sense, also I understand a little bit of the language. If manhwa, then I'll wait for official translations because I'm probably going to be so lost reading a bad translation of it since I don't understand the language at all. |
| Depends on how bad the grammar is and how much sense it makes. There are some atrocious translations for early 90s and 2000's shoujo manga and its a real struggle to care about the manga because of the translation. I appreciate the work that translators do but sometimes it's just not very good. |
| Oh no, the fan translation gets worse by actually having a few chapters from the official one, so I need to memorise both names. |
Reply to JaniSIr
Oh no, the fan translation gets worse by actually having a few chapters from the official one, so I need to memorise both names.
| @JaniSIr That is a risk any time different groups translate different parts of a series. Many fan groups lose interest and drop the series they pick up without translating the whole thing. |
| その目だれの目？ |
| Sometimes the only options even YEARS after the fact is a shitty fan translation, so you cope with what you got. If I like the manga imma read it regardless of how google translated the text is lol. And if it gets a better translation down the line, great, that means it'll be a fun reread as I can understand the plot better and maybe laugh at the old scanlation. |
| In some cases, very. If official translation is about to release then I can wait but there are some manga I read with only 2-3 translated chapters that are years/decade old and I am ready to read the fan translation if possible. |
 [/url] |
| Personally, i'm ok with ironic "so bad it's good" manga translations as long there's actual serious fan translations available on the internet. I remember seeing 2 separate (i think) hentai manga where one has been translated into british english and the other one into australian english with as much local slang as possible just so that the reader just laugh at it on how bizarre where those manga with joke translations. Speaking of those hentai, its been a while i saw them on youtube videos and despite this i never have seen one translated into canadian english so far (i don't read hentai manga anyway) |
| I know your PTW list is bigger than your completed list. |
Reply to Eternal-Destiny
Personally, i'm ok with ironic "so bad it's good" manga translations as long there's actual serious fan translations available on the internet.
I remember seeing 2 separate (i think) hentai manga where one has been translated into british english and the other one into australian english with as much local slang as possible just so that the reader just laugh at it on how bizarre where those manga with joke translations.
Speaking of those hentai, its been a while i saw them on youtube videos and despite this i never have seen one translated into canadian english so far (i don't read hentai manga anyway)
I remember seeing 2 separate (i think) hentai manga where one has been translated into british english and the other one into australian english with as much local slang as possible just so that the reader just laugh at it on how bizarre where those manga with joke translations.
Speaking of those hentai, its been a while i saw them on youtube videos and despite this i never have seen one translated into canadian english so far (i don't read hentai manga anyway)
| @Eternal-Destiny Well no, this has one well intentioned but kind of broken English, and one official but unfinished. Also I watched Idaten with one of those fan subs, it was hilarious. |
| If the fan translation is wonky enough that I can't understand some of what's being said or its a pain to read then I'll just wait for the official one. I don't like the feeling that I'm not experiencing the most accurate possible version of the story. |
| As long as it is readable I will read it. Plus most manga don't have official translation or have less chapters than fan translations. |
My Candies (2025):   |
| Not at all. It's the main reason I never finished Slam Dunk. It has horrible fan translations that formatted sentences so awkwardly to the point where it ruined everything. At that point, I'll just use google translate instead. It's honestly more consistent than a lot of these bad fan translations. |
  |
| if it's readable i can go with that |
  |
| If it’s bad I’ll probs not even read it |
 |
| Fan translations from my experience haven't been too bad so i'd take it over waiting for an official one, there's a whole world of Manga out there without official translations. |
 |
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