Light Novel Translations

[Green_Tea]

So there are a ton of LN's that are cropping up, on BT and stuff and obviously a dearth of translators.

I was interested in trying my hand at MTLing a few "preview" options on the scale of http://bakahou.wordpress.com/ or http://yoraikun.wordpress.com/

Needless to say help and group discussions are useful to this endeavor, so I was wondering if anyone would want to sign up and suggest a LN they were interested in reading.

Honestly I'm pretty arbitrary so this may not go anywhere in between my CK2/EU4 addiction, supersmashbro's, Bayonetta 2, and general work/life/school.

But to be honest I'm kind of tired of waiting for things I'm interested in being translated, and after reading the MTL of shieldbro I realised I could deal with it.

Honestly still needs a proper editor, but then most JP->ENG translations do.

Oh, I'm posting here because I thought it'd be neat to post the translations up in a thread here.

[Alumine]

actually shieldbro adventure (tate no yuusha no nariagari) that are currently translated is a web novel...usually web novel are raw works while light novel can be web novels or a original one that are edited and added illustrations.

from what i remember machine translating a light novel requires one to extract the text from the raw file since most of the light novel raw are images (I've actually tried this once)

though i can't give some recommendations the current trends on translations are reincarnations, people transported to another world, and MMO themed

try to search at syosetu if there are any interesting one and translate it on your own pace

[Geckoey Lurker]

I can serve as a reserve translation-checker if needs be. Just translating do interest me, but I tend to do most things at a volatile pace unless I'm paid or smt, I'm also not going to bother translating things I haven't read myself first. Not exactly a master at Japanese just yet, too.

Anyhow, I'm willing to help for just about whatever so long as it's not immediate. Simply ask.

(And no suggestion from me, I'm not that big-up in LNs compared to VNs)

[Green_Tea]

ah yeah I've tried OCR on vertical JP text and it's not 100%.

Honestly it's more like a thing to do in my spare time. Thanks for the link Alumine

[Geckoey Lurker]

It's only been 4-5 days, but ye found anything you want to work on yet?

[Green_Tea]

hmmm no. I'm just gonna focus on exams instead for now.

[Geckoey Lurker]

Welp. If you're still interested in all that after exams have passed, or during winter break or smt, just say the word.

[Davidobot]

Hey guys, first time doing something like this so please bear with me.
I decided to try and translate a WLN, this one to be precise: http://ncode.syosetu.com/n4745cf/
So far I machine translated the synopsis. Please tell me what you think:
Original Title:

超・初心者（スーパービギナー）の手引き

Translated Title:

The Guide of a Super Beginner

Original Synopsis:

剣士、魔法使い、盗賊、弓士、僧侶、商人などなど、世に存在するほぼ全ての職業の『基礎』スキルを習得するも、何処のギルドにも入団できなかった首席の冒険者アカデミー卒業生、ラッツ・リチャード。何でもできるけど何にもできない器用貧乏な彼は、一人孤独にダンジョンに潜ることに。そこで彼は謎のゴボウ（？）と出会い、既に存在も確かではない『魔王』の噂を聞きつけ......
時には剣を振り、時には魔法を放ち、はたまた時には露店を開いて商人に。一本のゴボウ（？）と魔物パーティーを引き連れ、失われた魔王を蘇らせろ！
と思いきや、今日もラッツはあざとい商売で金を稼ぎ、魔物娘の乳と尻を狙い、自由気ままにダンジョン探索。
初心者ラッツには勇者も魔王も関係なかったりするんですが、ちょっとはゴボウ（？）の話も聞いてあげてくださいよ。

Translated synopsis:

In the world, there are swordmen, magicians, thieves, archers, priests, merchants; nearly all of the occupations are learnt through a skill – [the basics]; Adventure Academy's top graduate, Rattsu Richādo, wasn't able to join any of these guilds. A jack-of-all-trades and a master of none, he can do anything going into a dungeon.  One day Rattsu met a mysterious burdock (?) and heard a rumor about the existence of a certain "Demon Lord"...
Swinging a sword emits magic sometimes, and sometimes stalls are opened by merchants. Rattsu brought one burdock and a demon party in order to bring the dead Demon Lord back to life!
Today, probably, Rattsu will raid a dungeon for its loot and try to get the Demon Lord's daughter's tits and ass.
Both a brave man and the Demon Lord have nothing to do with Rattsu the beginner, but please hear out the burdock's story for a little while.

Please tell me what I can do to improve it.

[Geckoey Lurker]

Here are my add-ons as self-appointed translation-checker:

In the world, there are swordsmen, magicians, thieves, archers, priests, merchants, and so forth; nearly all of the occupations are learnt through a skill – [the basics]; Having acquired the 『Basic』 Skills of nearly all of these occupations, Adventure Academy's top graduate, Rattsu Richādo, wasn't unable to join any of these guilds. A jack-of-all-trades and a master of none, he can do anything going into a dungeon. A jack-of-all-trades, master of none, being able to do anything yet unable to do anything, he enters a dungeon by his own lonesome. One day There, Rattsu met a comes across a mysterious burdock temple (?) and heard a rumor about the existence of a certain "Demon Lord" Already, the rumors of a 『Demon Lord』 whose existence hasn't been confirmed begins to creep-up...
Swinging a sword emits magic sometimes, and sometimes stalls are opened by merchants. Rattsu brought one burdock and a demon party in order to bring the dead Demon Lord back to life!
Today, probably, Rattsu will raid a dungeon for its loot and try to get the Demon Lord's daughter's tits and ass.
Both a brave man and the Demon Lord have nothing to do with Rattsu the beginner, but please hear out the burdock's story for a little while.
At times, a sword is swung. At times, magic is cast. And at times, stalls are opened by merchants. Take along a party of demons to this temple (?) and revive the now dead Demon Lord!
Or so we'd think, but... Just like every other day, Rattsu is still getting his earnings doing shady business, trying to get in the tits and ass of demon girls, and explore dungeons at his whims.
Okay, Rattsu the Beginner has nothing to do with heroes or demon lords, but, c'mon, spare a minute to hear out the story of this temple (?), pretty please!

Here it is re-quoted plus my edits without it being too confusing:

In the world, there are swordsmen, magicians, thieves, archers, priests, merchants, and so forth; Having acquired the 『Basic』 Skills of nearly all of these occupations, Adventure Academy's top graduate, Rattsu Richādo, was unable to join any guild. A jack-of-all-trades, master of none, being able to do anything yet unable to do anything, he enters a dungeon by his own lonesome. There, Rattsu comes across a mysterious temple (?)  Already, the rumors of a 『Demon Lord』 whose existence hasn't been confirmed begins to creep-up...
At times, a sword is swung. At times, magic is cast. And at times, stalls are opened by merchants. Take along a party of demons to this temple (?) and revive the now dead Demon Lord!
Or so we'd think, but... Just like every other day, Rattsu is still getting his earnings doing shady business, trying to get in the tits and ass of demon girls, and explore dungeons only at his own selfish whims.
Okay, Rattsu the Beginner has nothing to do with heroes or demon lords, but, c'mon, spare a minute to hear out the story of this temple (?), pretty please!

Notes on each edit (in order):

• Typo fix!
• Somewhat optional, but I'm putting it there since there was などなど in the text, which is 'ect'.
• A rewrite as I suppose the machine translator misunderstood the grammar. Feel free to reword this in a better way, naturally.
• Slight rewording.
• Not much sense for "Of these" to be there, since guilds weren't previously mentioned. + Removal of plural to guild.
• Basically a retranslation, the machine translator seem to have butchered that one up. Feel free to reword this less awkwardly.
• He found the temple* in the aforementioned dungeon
• He came across it (damn Kanji with many meanings, yeah?), as you can't really meet something 'inanimate'
• I'm not sure how it got that one wrong, heh, but ゴボウ PROBABLY means temple here, and not some random-ass plant ;p Although, pentagram might be more likely, because demons.
• Another retranslation, another butcher. Again, feel free to reword it.
• That one was a whole mess, I can see why it would confuse the machine, though. Anyway, retranslation abound!

Oh, by the way, if you wanna keep a bit of something from the Japanese. It says Academy as Academia, which is slightly cooler, too. Feel to switch that one.
Edit: wait no it doesn't, derp. That's what I get for being a bit rushed.

[Davidobot]

Thank you so so much <3
I'll try doing the first chapter now, I'll post it when I'm done. Let's hope it's not as bad as the synopsis x-x
Btw, was the title translation good enough?

[Geckoey Lurker]

Yep, the title is fine. I would've actually been surprised if it had gotten that one wrong, heh. Very basic grammar.

[Davidobot]

I just translated the first chapter. Wow that was something. I felt like I actually accomplished something here. I hope it doesn't have as much mistakes as the synopsis
Anyways, here it is:

Part 1 – The Walls of a Mountain, a Sweet Harpy and a Solid Beginner
A01 – Wait a minute, let's try to sort out the situation calmly
Why on Earth is this happening?
This is strange.
This is really strange.
Sitting cross-legged on the ground, I confirmed the situation around me.
After graduating Adventure Academy, beginners attend a 『Attribute Guild』, where professionals of each battle-style gather in order to assist the beginners in honing their skills.
Sword masters, mages, item engineers, body builders. The guilds individually hold a ceremony over a period of one week called 『recruit hunting』in order to recruit Academy graduates for their respective guilds.
What happens to the Academy graduates which aren't recruited?
Isn't that the punch line?
I held a diploma in my hand.
『Rising Sun Academy』. Yeah. There was no mistake here. I was a graduate for『Rising Sun Academy』, which had a 98% employment rate after graduation, said to be the world's highest employment rate after graduation.
After confirming such a thing, the current situation hasn't improved at all.
So why, I wonder, was I not chosen during 『recruit hunting』?
Were my grades the problem?
I check my report card, issued by the Academy.
Sword Skill – A. Magic Skill – A. A, A, A ... All As. No doubt about it. Because I am the top graduate of 『Rising Sun Academy』.
So why wasn't I chosen during 『recruit hunting』?
Remember the previous day?
『 Oh, yeah. Having an A in magic skill guarantees you a place in the mage guild, so sword skill is a waste of time. 』
I said that to the guild leader of the Sword Masters, who smiled bitterly and waved. Life took advantage of this incident and turned my current life, full of glory, completely upside-down. My applications were declined ambiguously and the deadline for 『recruit hunting』 finally passed.
I have now gone down the path of a NEET – a 『vagabond 』.
Oh crap. Why?
Was it prohibited to have a 『firearm』 skill if you wanted to join the Sword Masters?
Was it prohibited to have a 『knife』 skill if you wanted to join the priests?
Was it prohibited to have a 『white magic』 skill if you wanted to join the dark mages?
Is the skill of 『black magic』 a big no-no if you want to become a martial artist?
「――――――――Is that it?」
Is that so? Why do you think that is so?
I have all of the skills, be them the anathema of each guild or be them the complete polar-opposites of each other.
This isn't amusing in the least. Of course that's it. Past top graduates of the Academy went down the professional road in the guilds, for jobs like craftsmen.
This year's top graduate, I, jack-of-all-trades and master of none, will challenge that.
Other honor students worked as talented scouts for some guilds or as a head of the house, but I was loafing around all day instead.
Yesterday, it was I who didn't get chosen for any guild.
And today I ――......
People happening to pass by me were averting their eyes or glancing at me as though I was some sort of criminal. I crawled on all fours on the streets; before the various Academies weapons were useless.
My favorite goggles were hanging from my forehead.
「...... I messed up」
How does the remaining 2% from the Academy's phenomenal 98% employment rate live? The problem boils down to that.
First, I quit being an adventurer. Then I went home to collect the limited-edition dungeon-seasoning.
My parents work as 『coal miners』.
「I'm angry!! I didn't like physical labor, so I aimed to be a footloose adventurer!! 」
No, I might actually not be all carefree. I can't say that I left my family in the countryside and haven't found employment.
Of the 2%, very few don't return home. In other words, they become beggars.
I have two options – go home or become a beggar.
Ladies and gentlemen, please listen to what I have to say.
―――― I am going to find a job.

[Geckoey Lurker]

Again, here are my add-ons as self-appointed translation-checker:
I also properly spaced everything to make it easier to read.

[Part/Chapter 1] ? The Walls of a Mountain A rampart at a mountain's summit, a Sweet Harpy and a Solid Beginner
A01 ? Wait a minute, let's try to sort out the situation calmly/Calm down a sec and figure out what's going on.

Why on Earth is this happening?/How did it get to this?

This is strange.

This is really strange.

Sitting cross-legged on the ground, [I confirmed the situation around me/I assess the current situation].

After graduating Adventure Academy, beginners attend a 『Attribute Guild, where professionals of each battle-style gather in order to assist the beginners in honing their skills.
After graduating from Adventure/Crawler ^* Academy, in order to hone their learned skills, they become members of a guild known as the Attribute Guild where even professionals of every battle-style goes to in order to further refine their own skills.

Swordmasters, mages, item engineers, body builders. The guilds individually hold a ceremony over a period of one week called 『recruit hunting』in order to recruit Academy graduates for their respective guilds.
Swordmasters, Magic casters, Item Engineers, Mass-builders. To recruit their respective alumni, every guild hold their own ceremonies over the course of a week; Otherwise known as the Recruitment Period.

What happens to the Academy graduates which aren't recruited?
Could it be they only had me believe I graduated, when really I didn't?

Isn't that the punch line?
I guess they wouldn't do that sort of joke.

I held a diploma in my hand.
... I verify to make sure what I'm holding onto really is a diploma.

『Rising Sun Academy』. Yeah. There was no mistake here. I was a graduate for『Rising Sun Academy』, which had a 98% employment rate after graduation, said to be the world's highest employment rate after graduation.
Rising Sun Academy. Yup. No mistakes here, I was indeed an alumnus from the academy said to be the World's best with an employment rate up to 98 percent, that is the Rising Sun Academy.

After confirming such a thing, the current situation hasn't improved at all.
Not that doing this improve the immediate circumstances in any way.

So why, I wonder, was I not chosen during 『recruit hunting』?
But then, why did nothing come out from the recruitment period?

Were my grades the problem?

I check my report card, issued by the Academy.
I make sure by looking at the results sheet from the Academy.

Sword Skill ? A. Magic Skill ? A. A, A, A ... All As. No doubt about it. Because I am the top graduate of 『Rising Sun Academy』.
Sword skills: A. Magic skills: A. A, A, A... A's everywhere. There's no doubt about it. I'm Rising Sun Academy's top alumnus, after all.

So why wasn't I chosen during 『recruit hunting』?
... But then, why did nothing come out from the recruitment period?

Remember the previous day?
Let's go back a day earlier.

『 Oh, yeah. Having an A in magic skill guarantees you a place in the mage guild, so sword skill is a waste of time. 』
"Ah, yeah. I've got an A in magic skills, too... An alumnus who only knows sword techniques would die on the job in a flash, so I took it upon myself to pick up magic."

I said that to the guild leader of the Sword Masters, who smiled bitterly and waved. Life took advantage of this incident and turned my current life, full of glory, completely upside-down. My applications were declined ambiguously and the deadline for 『recruit hunting』 finally passed.
After I said that, the Swordmasters' Guild Leader gave me a wry smile while waving me away. At that moment, my then flourishing life was completely flipped over. For unclear reasons, I was turned down again and again until the Recruitment Period elapsed by me.

I have now gone down the path of a NEET ? a 『vagabond 』.
It's as though I had fell down the path of a NEET... a Vagabond.

Oh crap. Why?
What the. How?

Was it prohibited to have a 『firearm』 skill if you wanted to join the Sword Masters?
Is it considered taboo for a swordsman to have a firearm skill?

Was it prohibited to have a 『knife』 skill if you wanted to join the priests?
Is it considered taboo for a priest to have a knife skill?

Was it prohibited to have a 『white magic』 skill if you wanted to join the dark mages?
Is it considered taboo for a black mage to have a white magic skill?

Is the skill of 『black magic』 a big no-no if you want to become a martial artist?
Is it considered taboo for a martial artist to have a black ma――――............

「――――――――Is that it?」
"――――――――Hm?"

Is that so? Why do you think that is so?
I get it now. Thinking back on it, it's not that I wasn't let in for no reason.

I have all of the skills, be them the anathema of each guild or be them the complete polar-opposites of each other.
When you possess all skills, all the guild members will come to loathe you, because you also possess all the skills that counter theirs?

This isn't amusing in the least. Of course that's it. Past top graduates of the Academy went down the professional road in the guilds, for jobs like craftsmen.
This isn't funny, not funny at all. Of course. All the previous top alumni were set down professional paths before even entering any guild, just like craftsmen does.

This year's top graduate, I, jack-of-all-trades and master of none, will challenge that.
In comparison, this term's top alumnus is me, a jack-of-all-trades, master of none.

Other honor students worked as talented scouts for some guilds or as a head of the house, but I was loafing around all day instead.
The other top alumni would prepare to get into some guild, perhaps by being scouted, or doing other boring things. Meanwhile, there's me who lazied about until the day before last.

Yesterday, it was I who didn't get chosen for any guild.
Me who, yesterday, wasn't accepted into some guild somewhere.

And today I ――......

People happening to pass by me were averting their eyes or glancing at me as though I was some sort of criminal. I crawled on all fours on the streets; before the various Academies weapons were useless.
Everybody who passed-by me awkwardly glanced at me, as if to make sure I wasn't some criminal, before averting their eyes and continuing on. I was on all fours on the road before various books and weapons from the Academy; Feeling completely hopeless.

My favorite goggles were hanging from my forehead.
My favourite goggles dangling from my forehead.

「...... I messed up」
"... I screwed up."

How does the remaining 2% from the Academy's phenomenal 98% employment rate live? The problem boils down to that.
Well. To the opposite of the marvelous 98% employment rate that is the Academy's pride, how does the last 2% survive? That question is what I'm stuck at.

First, I quit being an adventurer. Then I went home to collect the limited-edition dungeon-seasoning.
First, I quit being an adventurer. Then I can go back to my parents' bakery and help them collect ingredients from restricted dungeons, if that was it then there would be no problems.

My parents work as 『coal miners』.
However, both my parents work as coal miners.

「I'm angry!! I didn't like physical labor, so I aimed to be a footloose adventurer!! 」
"No!! It's exactly because I wanted to avoid manual labour that I wanted to become an headstrong adventurer!

No, I might actually not be all carefree. I can't say that I left my family in the countryside and haven't found employment.
Okay, maybe I'm not headstrong, but... I can't seriously appear at my parents' doorstep in the countryside and just tell them that I couldn't find a job!

Of the 2%, very few don't return home. In other words, they become beggars.
Of the 2%, only a small minority of them doesn't return home due to their own circumstances. Namely, they become beggars.

I have two options ? go home or become a beggar.
Two options: My parents' home, or become a beggar.

Ladies and gentlemen, please listen to what I have to say.
Everybody, hear me out.

―――― I am going to find a job.
―――― I've become a jobless almunus.

Notes on each edit (in order):

• A misunderstanding grammar-wise. However, it is possible it means a chain of mountains as a wall or something, but it's not specified in this part alone. (And I'm not really reading ahead)
• Solid or any adjective for Beginner isn't in the original Japanese, but if you wanna keep it...
• Suggestion; Part works, but it's a chapter with sub-chapters or... parts.
• Just a rewording, more literal suggestion.
• Just a rewording suggestion.
• Current TL gets the basic meaning across, but... well, I'm hard to satisfy. ^*Also, the Japanese has クローラー (Crawler) as furigana above the compound for Adventurer for the guild's name; It could be a reference to a character in Dragon Buster, a Japanese arcade game.
• Ditto. I went a bit liberal for my retranslation.
• Mistranslation!
• Ditto.
• Reditto.
• It's fine, but I'm getting into the habit of rewriting everything...~
• Ditto the Fifth
• Keeping consistency with my earlier's liberalness.
• More personal rephrasing.
• Consistency.
• Reeeephraasing
• Mistranslation! I also went a tad liberal.
• Rephrasing.
• Rephrasing.
• Ditto.
• Ditto.
• Ditto.
• Ditto.
• Ditto. Also adding the text cut just like in the original.
• Mistl.
• Mistl.
• Mistl.
• Misgram.
• Mistl.
• Mistl.
• Rephrase
• Misgram.
• Rewording
• Rewording
• Mistl.
• Liberal rephrasing
• Mistl
• Mistl.
• Rephrase/misgram
• Rephrase/misgram
• Rephrase/misgram
• Mistl

This isn't everything, I know; I'll go through the rest tomorrow. Started pretty late and then kept getting distracted. e_e
Edit: Did a few more before leaving to do other shit.
Edit 2: Here ya go, all done.

[Davidobot]

Thank you, so so much!

Anyway, I have no clue whether it's my that's tired or the way this guy writes sentences, but the first half of the second part took me forever to do and it's still complete nonsense:

A02 – Anyway, Let's save some money
Since my parents didn't pay for the Academy's tuition, I made use of the scholarship system to put off paying the tuition.

The payment would be exempt if the student is a high achiever, which would have been a good thing to have. Unfortunately, 『Rising Sun Academy's』scholarship is a full repayment system.

I was in debt to the Academy by 4 million seru. You are able to earn, at best, 8 hundred thousand seru a year working at a coal mine. Well, this is meant to be paid for by the parents anyway.

I wasn't able to despair forever on the streets, so I stood up for the time being and decided on today's inn. I was already withdrawn from the Academy's student dormitory, so I was supposed to be sleeping in Hotel Aienuenu this week.

One night costs 1 million seru. My savings consisted of little over 12 thousand seru, as I had worked part-time during my time staying at the Academy.

......This was until tonight. I got a mission from 『Adventure Bank』which needed me to hand over a dungeon item, so I secretly explored a dungeon, hoping to find an expensive item or two.

It was a mess. This is feeling of defeat which you experience when you proudly climb a cliff and there's nothing there.

Ok, let's calm down. There has to be something I can do.

「...... Anyway, let's save some money. 」

That's it. This is the only option I have.

Without the prior, I need to select one of two – return to my parent's house or become a beggar.

After all, I am an adventurer and need fetch the item. And then sell it.

一Or I could go to the dungeon in person......

Or should I give it up and just work part-time? No, I have been training my adventurer skills up until now. I am no use at work. No, absolutely not.
When it comes to this, will you live as a jobless person free willingly? Even ants have jobs and you don't?

It's not easy being an adventurer. The Boss of the Dungeon – the Dungeon Master is very strong and there have been cases of death and of people not returning. Even though I'm good, I was prevented from going into dungeons because of my parents.

But the freedom obtained in exchange for the risk is great. If I entered a 『Attribute Guild』then the salary paid by the guild would be high and aimed as an adventurer.

......When finding employment, the unemployed person was usually penniless.

No, let's give up watching reality. Yes, there is gold to surpass the bed tonight. It is still too early to be pessimistic. For the time being, from the affordable food, my best option is rice. Anyway, let's go to the Adventure bank.

I'll post the second part as soon as I finish it.