Hi everyone! My name is Doraneko and I am a 18-year-old boy from Hong Kong. This is the first time I post to the YKK forum. As I am quite bad at English, please forgive me for any grammar/spelling mistakes and help me to correct them (see the PS). (^_^;;; )
I have been very interested in thought-provoking mangas like Hayao Miyazaki's epic of "Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind." Yet, very often I am disappointed that many of the available mangas are of nothing but fanservice. My first contact with YKK started in AnimeNewsNetwork, in a thread called "manga for older readers." Someone mentioned YKK together with Nausicaa, which aroused my interest in this title of Ashinano Sensei for the first time.
I searched around in the local manga forums, and found that YKK was licensed in Hong Kong, with a disgusting title which was something like "Love Love Yokohama" (in Chinese) . To me, lovey-dovey stuff equalizes instant turn-offs.
It was not until some time later that I gave another chance to YKK. Coincidentally I bumped into another manga recommendation thread in ANN and someone recommended YKK again. From the readers' comments, the manga did not seem as "romantic" as I had been thinking about. I searched for YKK in Google, which led me to this site.
I was totally blown away by the charming story of Alpha and her world. The pace of the story is undoubtedly slower than most other mangas. But surprisingly, YKK is highly intriguing. I got hooked and finished reading the 127 chapters (found the link to cafealpha.org in the forums) in two days. I knew very well that YKK was something that needed to be carefully tasted, savoured, and experienced. But I just could not resist the temptation. Such a weak soul with so little strength and determination. (^_^;;; )
Anyway I am now very interested in buying the manga series. The HK "Love Love" version is out of the question. I am now considering the original Japanese version and the Taiwan translation (which has a title literally translated from the Japanese one). I am more inclined to the former, but I fear that my elementary Japanese skills (about JLPT level 4) are far from enough for handling the poetic writings of Ashinano Sensei. Frankly, I learnt a dozen of new words from the YKK English scanlation alone.
I would like to ask if understanding the YKK series in Japanese is a mission-impossible for a beginner of the language. Also, I hope that you would not mind sharing with me how you get introduced to YKK, and how you feel about it. Last but not the least, I have to sincerely thank the webmasters of Misago.org and Cafealpha.org for all the hard work involved in bringing Ashinano Sensei's fantastic works into life in English.
Thanks a lot and see all of you around!
~Doraneko
P.S. please kindly correct me if there is any grammatical mistake in this message. Thanks ^_^.
- Doraneko
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
As a beginner in Japanese myself, I find YKK impossible to understand without the assistance of a native speaker. It's like a noh play-- it's at its best when there's nothing happening.
Does the Hong Kong translation modify what actually happens in the manga? It sounds like a rather major misunderstanding by whatever marketing team picked it up.
- 莫囂圓隣
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Hahaha!!
Fun! I was the one that recommended those two titles in that thread on ANN-- or, atleast, I was one of the people who did so (if there were was more than one post like that). It's such a rare opportunity on the net to actually bump into the same person on multiple boards, etc. I love that experience. :)
I dont' know any Japanese myself, so I can't help you on that. I'm getting the first 4 volumes anyways, and am going to deface them and scribble in the English translations somewhere. That's as good as I get.
Also, ANN is a good place to look for recommendations in general. That's where I got the recommendation to watch the YKK animes, which are _wonderful_, as well as things like Emma (my other big find this last Summer), and some other hard to find titles like the original Area 88 OVAs, etc.
Good luck with the Japanese. Sorry I couldn't help more.
- Steve Berry
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Howdy,
The Japanese in YKK can be difficult for a number of reasons. First, Ashinano Sensei writes in very short, fragmented sentences - almost like poetry. Second, he often drops the pronouns in his sentances, which is O.K. in Japanese, but not in English. Third, several of his characters speak in a dialect, which is very hard to understand unless you have some experience living in Japan. Fourth, he sometimes makes up his own words.
On the other hand, much of the Japanese is fairly straightforward. With the help of the English translations, you should be able to figure out a lot of the grammar.
Best,
Dave
- dDave
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Howdy,
Doraneko - don't worry about your English. It's actually quite good.
Best,
Dave
- dDave
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
I'd rather say that YKK is quite good for learning Japanese. ^_^
- painsama
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Where's the grammatical errors that you were talking about?
There ain't one anywhere! >.<
In any case,I'm happy that another one has found an enlightened path to a post apocalyptic era where Violence and hatred does not exist....
As for the Japanese language thing...
It's better if you have a translated version by your side just in case you get any troulbe with certain words.....
- Ryo Hakusho
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Your English is quite good. I wish some of my students could write even half as well.
- El Gonzo
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Thanks for all your warm and friendly welcome! ^^
I never gave a chance to the Hong Kong "Love Love" version of YKK, so I am not sure if the translations inside are as bad as the title on the cover. HK publishers have a habit of changing the manga titles deliberately for widening the reader base or attracting reader groups with higher purchasing power. But manga translations as a whole is generally quite coherent and accurate. Still, I loathe seeing over 10 volumes of "Love Love Yokohama" being stocked on my book shelf.
It sounds like YKK is not very suitable for me at the meantime (^^;; ). Maybe I should polish up my Japanese skills first. But I think I will buy one volume in Japanese to see if I can understand Ashinano Sensei's way of writing. If yes (which is of a very slim chance), then I would go ahead and buy the remaining 12 volumes. If no, it can remain as a nice piece of collection and I will buy the Taiwanese version instead.
By the way I got only a C in English in the public exam (>_<). It has been my wish to become a lawyer, but due to my poor English grade I was not admitted to the local law school (T_T). That is why I have the urge to push myself a bit harder.
- Doraneko
Thursday, September 1, 2005
I can say with confidence that over half the high school graduates in my area would fail that exam. I hate the public school system here, they do not teach a **** thing, all they do is baby sit...
- blizgerg
Thursday, September 1, 2005
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