Zetsubou

This page is messy, and that, just User:akiha's personal memorandum. This closure is for my Engrish to be corrected.... xD

Well, if I'll fansub something, I want to make the outcome the best quality ever in the fansub scene. D: but, I'm not sure I can hold such a big ambition all the way... I can spend full-time translating Zetsubou-chan..

Ok, saying something is very easy. doing that is very difficult.... D: At this moment, I don't have such glorious motivation as mentioned in the preceding paragraph. "best quality"? "Full-time"? "translation several episode at once"? eh? who said such a lie? D:::: dude, from now I'll explain the real current circumantance..

I'm planning to release the translated script of one episode within a week so that we can release one episode per a week, as almost all anime raw does. Erm, but unfortunately, szs is finished to be aired, so it's not impossible to release in more quick pace, but I don't want to hassle. And, as soon as i translated a episode, i noticed that there is soooooooooo many references in this series. i experienced that with my body not with words.... D: that's a primary factor for losing my motivation, because it's not educational at all in terms of english learning. so, how should I cope with these enormous references? I'll add modest reference notes. well, i haven't yet translated an episode in the "modest" way, so I can't say much about it... After writing this complainment(eh? xD), I'll translate ep10. As a last yet big concern, what about the quality of translation itself? fortunately, it'll stay in the same position as before. :D after all, it's educational for me to translate japanese into engish, although the degree of "educational" is getting relatively lower and lower considering my current english writing skill as you can see or read D: in fact, if i did translate an anime episode to polish my writing skill, the translation script would be unsuitably and awkwardly formal... D: lol. oh boy, did i study english to write a lot of mumble? D: sorry about that....

I'm an eager supporter for FREE CULTURE. Even if our activities aren't legitimate, we don't need to be REAL evil. so, I'll highly recommend to release with SOFTSUB, a separate ass file and dictation file. As for my translation work, I'll release it under PUBLIC DOMAIN. Thus, I love vomiting craps in my brain.... and that, this messy exists... xD. (but, somewhere in my mind, there is a desire to make this page well-organized.... but I'm lazy...)

My translation is primarily for my learning purpose. How do you motivate me to translate them more eagerly than usual? That's easy. improve my English to sound more usual English. choose my translation suggestion, and preferably, tell me the reason behind the choice. tell me some amount(not ""a lot"") of English thingy involved in my translation work. If I find translating something educational, my motivation for translation is greatly enlarged... D:

TO DO

• credit wikipedia, japanese reference wiki site for SZS
• append japanese, romaji(?) track into mkv release
• release all files involved in our process.
• QC
• OP's text translation?

Separation of translation

• main part: relating to the main conversation with some related translation notes
• sub part: all of other translation notes, back ground conversation, signs on blackboard, static texts.

From my experience, we shouldn't observe the strict separation, i noticed. From now, (namely ep9, ep11, ep12?), when I encounter such a part where Editors(assuming who can't understand japanese at all) can't understand the storyline, or is difficult to do so, I'll all some kyouzou's URL to the appropriate part in my txt script file. That is, only texts of references and one-shot jokes are lazy-evaluated. xD

translation process

I need some time to break between each phrase to refresh my brain, and spot any mistakes, yet, I can address multiple episodes concurrently.... Also, I don't want to waste meaningless efforts. so, I want to adjust my speed to the pace of the following processes.

translating part : Translators(including me) are mainly responsible.

Even if we want a parallel translation, I think dictations should be done by a native speaker, like me, and mishearing will be eliminated, which is the most cause of mistakes of fansubbing in my experience. but for now, there is no stock of dictations..

• 1st pass: dictate the whole episode
  • I realized that I need to dictate the script in advance to create the BEST quality translation... D:
    • Even if my motivation is all spent at this stage, other translators can utilize this outcome to ease the translation without the possibilities of mishearing.
    • Honestly, I don't wanna dictate it, because it's not educational at all.. Even though, I'm not so lazy or baka to make other non japanese native speakers to dictate it instead of me... Hopefully, I can get a japanese native spekaer as a "Dictator"...
  • also, romanazation is an extra process...
    • I've noticed it's difficult sometimes to time the script only with the script itself for timer who is bad at jaapnese. so this romaji script file would be useful for that purpose as well as learning purpose.
• 2nd pass: check for the dictation.
• 3rd pass: translate "main part"
  • prefebrably, at this point, "main part" are roughly timed. so I can easily tlc "main part" at the "2nd pass" and concentrate on tl-ing "sub part". another reason to do that is that seeing progression is a sweet candy.. :D
  • there is something I noticed in the process.. dictating and dictating check make me remember the story. Thus, to be strict, there is no need to translate conversation watching anime. This is uber-effective. translators should do dictatation and dictation-check on their own? D: hopefully, these expertices can be benefit for other translators.. D:
  • but my translation costs 12 hours in whole. why? the reason is that my translation is chiefly consumed with reading dictionary entries. speaking of which, because I have digital data of transcriptions in my hands, I take almost no time to look up a word in dictionaries.. putting aside from no need of watching, this is another benefit for this method, which superficially looks inefficient.
• 4th pass: translate "sub part" and add translation notes with the importance, using the japanese wiki page for Zetsubou-sensei, and tlc "main part" by myself to check the flow of translated conversations.
  • tlc-ing "main part" by others are ready..
    • but, I'm quite sure there is little japanese-related mistake, but there is many english mistakes...
  • "sub part" is also roughtly timed.
• 5th pass: final check.
  • tlc-ing "sub part" by others are ready...

QC part

• tlc
• qc
• release?

QCers Guideline

• First of all, your primary job is to figure out what part isn't comfortable to watch for our viewers.
  • Be careful whether you can follow subtitles of conversations.
• at least, you should watch a whole episode without stopping (this is a check for audience who doesn't want to be stomped at each and every text. sadly, I think this is the most of our viewers ;D )
• if you have time to do more, please check texts with stopping your player.

the reason I said "roughly" is that it's very likely to chenge the script becaues of my questionable english.. and tlc-ers and qcers have some difficulties to see the ass file.. btw, i dunno how many people can be involved in the quality assurance processes.

my english is questionable so I'll add elaborate editorial alternatives for the translation and explanations. so, before type-setting any translated text, we should eliminate english problems which is easy for every native speakers, but difficult for me from the plain-text file, and which isn't depending on the story in order to reduce the work of the following TLC and QC.

"sub part" translating problem

I hope someone diligent provide me screenshots for all static texts, otherwise, I'll do it myself... the images should have the playing time for the ease of type-setting the texts.

Look at this forum post. Smidge has already taking screencaps and is currently looking for a translator to ease the process.

--Jumpyshoes 04:16, 12 September 2007 (PDT)

Oh, thanks.. :D /me gives a taiyaki to Jumpyshoes and Smidge

--Akiha 16:19, 12 September 2007 (PDT)

About translation notes

maybe, I'll add loaded translation notes, because it's likely to notice many japanese-specific cultural references.... maybe, so we have several edition for the track of ass file... that's why I split the script into two part..

1. simple edition : only indispensable conversation texts.
2. normal edition : simple edition + important translation notes.
   maybe, simple and normal is just united into one edition.
3. detailed edtion : normal edition + all translation notes. well, I just came up to a nice name for this edition: "Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei Kai"
   I think this idea was already dropped unless I get a S² Engine of motivation... xD
4. japanese edtion: no english subtitles, but japanese translation notes? i wonder we'll go along with this edition.

ideas for supporting for japanese learners

I very want to help japanese learners, much like I'm studying english from you!! so, I want to add the japanese track to the ass file. so, I added the dictation in natural japanese and in romaji. it's more educational to display both the natural japanese writing and the romaji concurrently.

in the past, when I was talking with the_naming_game, we've come to think that it's cool to type-set the various uses of japanese onomatopoeias in anime, because foreigners can sense the atmosphere of them with sounds.

especially specific to Zetsubou-chan. thanks a lot to free and easy-access information!!

Useful Information resource: http://zetubou.hewl.info/wiki/ We should credit this site into our releases by courtesy of it.

And I owe much of my work to wikipedia, saving my precious time. I instead spent the time with wikipe-tan.... (/// . ///) We should credit this site into our releases by courtesy of it.

style problem

ZETUBOUSHITA should be left japanese?

• should I use the same saying as the a.f.k. for the itoshiki-sensei's habit of saying?
• Tiri's favorite word, "kittiri", should be translated with a consistent word?
• how diligently should I translate interjections??

translation table for specific irregular words

• "Sensei" -> "Sensei"
  • I'll leave english-talented people how to deal with the japanise-ish calling.
• "桃色係長" "Momoiro Kakarichou" -> "Pink Supervisor"
• "kicchiri" -> should I use the same english word for this?

current status

texts in OP

Someone industrious need to sacrifice some time to take screenshots of OP for translation of texts? I love the OP, so I'll gladly translate it once it becomes ready to translate. Wow.. are you trying to exploit my faith to the OP even more? D: if so, I'll even take screenshots by myself. --Akiha 04:10, 18 September 2007 (PDT)

Ep 6

• doing "3rd pass". --Akiha 20:59, 12 September 2007 (PDT)
• "3rd pass": 80% --Akiha 03:53, 13 September 2007 (PDT)
• "3rd pass": completed --Akiha 15:57, 13 September 2007 (PDT)
• "fourth pass" is started --Akiha 02:27, 14 September 2007 (PDT)
• "fourth pass" is 50% done --Akiha 04:10, 14 September 2007 (PDT)
• "fourth pass" is completed!!! the main script was uploaded to the private ftp server. --Akiha 22:52, 14 September 2007 (PDT)
• static texts will be being tlc-ed in the near future... --Akiha 05:26, 16 September 2007 (PDT)

Ep 7

• being done by Yont.
• Rough Time and Translation (complete)--Yont 14:28, 15 September 2007 (PDT)
• being TLCed --Akiha 03:18, 16 September 2007 (PDT)
• TLC is completed --Akiha 04:01, 18 September 2007 (PDT)

Ep 8

• "first-pass" is started.--Akiha 18:35, 13 September 2007 (PDT)
• "first-pass" is completed.--Akiha 21:00, 13 September 2007 (PDT)
• "second-pass" is completed. dictation file is uploaded to the private ftp server. --Akiha 18:15, 15 September 2007 (PDT)

Ep 9

• Yont working on Blind timing!--76.80.243.133 19:51, 15 September 2007 (PDT)
• Yont completed Blind timing!--Yont 17:40, 17 September 2007 (PDT)

• the_naming_game dictated
• akiha is checking the_naming_game's dictation. --Akiha 07:21, 13 October 2007 (PDT)
• akiha had to add formatting texts to the dictation... --Akiha 09:01, 13 October 2007 (PDT)
  • that is, I need a one more pass.
• akiha is checking the formatted dictation file --Akiha 06:58, 14 October 2007 (PDT)
• akiha finished checking the formatted dictation file --Akiha 07:53, 14 October 2007 (PDT)

Ep 10

• being dictated --Akiha 18:49, 2 October 2007 (PDT)
• dictating done --Akiha 00:30, 3 October 2007 (PDT)
  • checking dictation is planed to be done tomorrow --Akiha 00:30, 3 October 2007 (PDT)
• start to check the dictation --Akiha 02:00, 4 October 2007 (PDT)
• dictation check is done --Akiha 02:59, 4 October 2007 (PDT)
  • hmm, I'm planing to translate the A part later or tomorrow... D:
• the hell translating work is started! yay-- pan paka ppaaan du dudun dun pan pakappaaan dudunn dunn :D--Akiha 05:40, 5 October 2007 (PDT)
• I'll call it a day. and 30% of the epsisode is done. --Akiha 09:31, 5 October 2007 (PDT)
• RIGHT NOW I'm working on translating aiming at finishing the conversation part. --Akiha 03:09, 7 October 2007 (PDT)
• Geeeh. my "getting bored" level is beyond my limit... and my reckless attempt failed... 60% done --Akiha 06:36, 7 October 2007 (PDT)
• I'll finish the conversation translation... --Akiha 09:39, 9 October 2007 (PDT)
• I've finished the conversation translation..... I'm sheer-exhausted.... D: --Akiha 14:09, 9 October 2007 (PDT)
• self tlc starts --Akiha 03:36, 12 October 2007 (PDT)
• self tlc finishes --Akiha 05:26, 12 October 2007 (PDT)

Ep 11

Nothing is done.

Ep 12

Nothing is done.

The question

I'm a translator from #bure-tsuki. This fansub group is also translating Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei (hereby, I call this series "SZS").

I noticed that you released episode 7 only 3 days after episode 6. This makes me think that you are going to release SZS constantly from now on (one episode a week or so). I would like to tell you that your quality of release is very good, even from a japanese standpoint. Because I'm a japanese native speaker, I can also make almost-perfectly accurate releases. So if we were to both release our own versions, the difference between them would be negligible.

I don't know whether you care if our projects overlap, but I do. I started to translate SZS because it seemed that you had given up on translating the rest of the serie. So if you can confirm me that you intend to complete SZS on a constant basis, I will stop translating. SZS is very time-consuming because of all the Japanese text. In my case, it takes about 12 hours per episode. While many people in our group want to continue SZS, this will mean that we have to compete. And then if it went into the worst-case scenario, I would have to work full-time on SZS, which I don't want to do seeing as I want to improve my English, not my Japanese. An answer would be preferable, if you could confirm what I thought.

(insert politness formula here)