/jp/ - Otaku Culture

I finished reading volume 9 of Ro-Kyu-Bu recently. I'm not to knowledgeable on the LN scene though, so I generally don't read much.

Is Sword Art Online worth reading? The setting seemed interesting. Or is it another one of those harem series?

Welcome to the N.H.K. wasn't a light novel.

It was fun though. Read it if you haven't. Ignore the manga.

>>9075845
Toaru Kagaku no Railgun is one of my favourite manga　　　.

>>9075835
>Welcome to the N.H.K. wasn't a light novel.
Yes it was.

I liked nhk but Misaki-chan. The setting of the manga it's realistic but that character really it's not. There's no way a high school girl goes after you.

>>9075845
inb4 deleted.

Currently reading the F/Zero LN, yes slowpoke and all that.

I'm reading 断章のグリム. I know it's 中二 shit compared to Missing, but holy shit, it is way more powerful in terms of goriness than actual guro illustrations in manga.

If it ever becomes an anime, they should take the Madoka approach (what's the name of the studio that did the witch scenes?).

>>9075859

I need a dictionary everytime I read Urobuchi. There were about 15 words total that I didn't immediately recognize in all volumes.

>>9075857
Misaki was way off in the manga. Her character spontaneously shifted and did strange things, and at times I completely fucking hated her (like when she tried to seduce the MMO guy).

I read a rumor that Tatsuhiko Takimoto actually had the manga ghostwritten for him, which I largely hope is true. Most of the added manga content felt like filler and didn't really fit the tone of the novel.

The anime was great though, even the bits adapted from the manga. Shame they had to tone things down: was the "final boss" ending even explained in the anime?

Does anyone know any simpler to read, yet still enjoyable light novels? I don't exactly have that great an amount of kanji memorised.

>>9075845

I'm thinking of getting into Railgun. I have never watched the anime before, worth it? I mainly read LNs/watch anime/read VNs for the story, not deep X-verse mechanics like Type-moon stuff.

>>9075880

キノの旅 is very easy to read, not to mention furigana on almost everything, but I personally didn't like the story because I'm a mature reader.

>>9075860
It was adapted into a light novel much later, after its initial success in order to reach an even broader audience (and make even more money).
During the height of its success it was still only a traditional novel.

Though it was the light novel that got translated cause its the version the translators could read.

>>9075964
Huh, I did not know that. I mean, I was aware it went light novel > manga > anime, but not that there was a full novel before that.
Interesting.

>>9075964
Really? Got a link to any info on the light novel?

As I understand it, it was a novel (as in, a regular novel) and that's the version Tokyopop translated into English. I have a hard copy of it somewhere, and it certainly didn't seem like a light novel (no illustrations besides the cover, some pretty adult themes, boring font).

Will LoGH ever be adapted into an LN series

>>9076003
It's already a series of novels.

Just hold them up to your computer screen while watching frames from the anime.

>>9075995
Check your book. Though if it wasn't said right there in the book it should be on their site somewhere.

However, images or whatever has nothing to do with "light novels".
This light novel adaptation is more or less a direct adaptation of the original, to the extent of how what a light novel can be at the very least.

So in short its the same book. If read out loud it can would sound more or less the same in large part etc. It was purged of kanji etc, not outright rewritten.

>>9076083
Images are often in LNs because of a shared demographic, not because they are a requirement for an LN.

>>9076083
>However, images or whatever has nothing to do with "light novels".

It's a ~250 page narrative aimed at adults, with no illustrations.
We call that a "novel".

I don't see how this is a light novel and I can't find anything about the adaptation you're talking about. There was a novel, it was adapted into a manga and an anime.

Plot

>>9076124
Its "light" cause its "easier to read". Translated into english it means that the original is written like your typical novel, and the light novel is written without obscure kanji and whatnot.

The point of light novels is that you should be able to read and understand them without having finished your high school (or higher) education.

Hence, due to the light novel technically being rewritten, it classifies as an "adaptation".
And yes, the original was intended for adults. The light novel intended for adults and younger. Both are the same story, the "same" novel.

>>9076138
Are the High School DxD light novels good?

>>9076180

Well in the original Japanese it used a big font and was bunkobon size, but I always assumed "light novel" had a more pragmatic meaning. There are easy novels to read in English, it's the same in any language.

So what is a light novel, exactly? I always figured they were aimed at school-age students, were less than a couple hundred pages long, and usually had intermittent illustrations. And that they were a kind of genre of their own, like bookstores in Japan have specific LN shelves.

Is it all shades of grey? Are the LoGH books light novels? Are all short novels light novels? My brain hurts.

>>9076180
>>9076209

And I'm still interested in the LN adaptation. Found the original novel:
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/product/4043747020

Where's the LN version? Was it published by Kadokawa Shoten?

I was thinking about reading the Higurashi light novels. Are they difficult to read?

>>9076209
There is definetly some gray mixed into it as with most things.
But the gist of it is incredibly simple.

For a novel to be a light novel it should be read-able without having finished your education.

You know, Japanese, and Chinese even more so, keep studying their language and their "alphabet" all the way through high-school and beyond. And it's expected of you to keep learning "how to read" throughout your entire life, even after you are done with your education whatever it may be.

If compared to say Shakespeare or whatever, you don't in any way need to understand the underlying meaning of whatever is written, his poetry/prose or any messages etc.

The difference however is that with the English language you are expected to be able to read it as early as during elementary school. If you get me.

In short, if your average high schooler can read it just fine, it's technically a "light" novel.
If it's full of obscure kanji that high schoolers aren't even expected to know or know of, it's not a light novel.

>>9076209
Nobody knows. Go ask the 2ch board.

>>9076209
The length of the novel surely has nothing to do with it.
Just take the length of some Light Novels and then point to some one page short paragraphs of unreadable garble.

>>9076209
Light novels are small form factor, easier to read books. Number of pages is irrelevant, the horizon books have like, over 500 pages. Demographic is also irrelevant. Just like there are manga series aimed towards adults, there are light novels aimed towards adults.

>>9076230
That is the light novel form. This is the original http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4048733397

>>9073416
I bought the english version novel for $60 on ebay via an auction, I soon find out it sells for $150 minimum usually. I no longer felt like I wasted my money.

>>9076488
Yeah, the demographic is irrelevant.
But it's common for the demographic to be younger, cause you know, the highest demand is with the younger audience. Reaching said audience is also the most common reason for said rewrites.

But sure, there exists light novels for all kinds of demographics.

>>9076608
Seriously? I should sell mine.

>>9076608
I picked mine up from Amazon for $30 just a couple weeks ago. The price was something like $70 for ages, and suddenly it dropped massively. Most other places it still sells really high, though.

ITT: people confuse "bunkobon" with "light novel".

You know how some English books are printed in both hardback and paperback? In Japan they often reprint books--the same books with the same content--in a "pocket format".

>>9076715
The Japanese refer to it as a light novel, so I will go with what they say over what you say.

What will life be like once light novels dominate the Japanese publishing industry?

>>9076926
hopefully someone rewrites kampfer.

or makes a non sexual doujin that is better.

Welcome to the N.H.K. wasn't a light novel.

>>9076947
Juuden-chan > Kampfer

>>9076958
U arent a ligrtnovel

Light Novels must have even worse shit to good ratio than VN.

And that's saying something.

Did anyone ever read Kino no Tabi's LN? I'm thinking of trying to read it.

Light novels have nothing to do with size or font like the others have said. BMG is published by Kodansha box and it barely fits into my security pant pocket, while most of my other Dengeki LNs are indeed pocket-sized (duh).

Light novels are vaguely, novels that:

- deal with a lot of /a/ themes
- usually are pretty low level in terms of kanji (BMG puts furigana into easy words like 強いて　or 頷く)
- usually are 文庫本


>>9076958

This dude's right. Just because it talks about "otaku" themes doesn't make it a LN. Denshaotoko wasn't a LN either.

>>9076488

>Light novels are small form factor, easier to read books
>The Japanese refer to it as a light novel

Come on dude, let's not act so dumb.

>>9077374
>This dude's right. Just because it talks about "otaku" themes doesn't make it a LN.

What about this then:
http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4048733397 (novel)
http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/4043747020 (bunkobon re-release)

Is it written differently? Is the second a light novel like Sakura says? The book preview is the same for both products.

>>9080177
Some of the reviews for it on Amazon refer to it as a light novel. There are other websites out there as well where they call it a light novel. That's what I'm basing it being a light novel on, I have not read it.

>>9076207
Anyone? Please respond

>>9084225
Why don't you just try reading it for yourself...?

While we're on the 'but anon, X isn't a light novel!' topic, it infuriates me that people think Mawaru Penguindrum's novels are just that. They've no images and do contain more complex kanji than your typical light novel. I'd even say it's written more closely to a Haruki Murakami novel than let's say, Index or whatever.

>>9085738
Does that really infuriate you? That's pretty moe...

>>9085738
Well, it's a tie in with the anime, it isn't that surprising that people think it's a light novel.

>>9085335
I don't want to read something shitty. I have more important things to do with my time, like posting on /jp/ or masturbating.

Does she appear in the novels again?

Saredo Tsumibito wa Ryuu to Odoru, volume 2. After that I'm going to start the journey that is Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon volume 3.

>>9075865
Oooh, I really want to get started on Danshou no Grimm, but I've got so much other stuff to read... Missing was one of the first LN series I read. I was hoping to at least get started on Grimm before it became irrelevant, but no, it went and ended with the latest volume.

I finished oreimo 10 a couple of weeks ago. I haven't played the [first] PSP game, but it seems that working on it shifted something in Fushimi's writing. The harem aspect was pretty overt in this volume. But hey, I don't mind harem series as long as the protag and most of the girls are likeable, so that didn't bother me too much. Aside from that, it was the same old goofy antics and ridiculous idealism, which is the oreimo I know and love.

Now I've gone back to 桜色の春をこえて (sakura-iro no haru wo koete), which I had started before oreimo came out. It's been surprisingly slow to start, so I'm wondering if it will be as interesting as reviews made it seem. So far it's been somewhat bland, but not unpleasant.

I'm not current on any series except oreimo, so there is nothing in particular that I am looking forward to now. I'm not even sure what I'll read after I'm done my current book -- nothing's really leaping out of my to-read pile. I'll probably just default to haganai 5 or hamachi 2.

bump for light novel discussion

Where do you buy your (japanese) light novels?
amazon.co.jp has basically everything that ever existed, but the shipping costs are horrible.

yesasia.com has free (but slow) shipping, but they don't carry a lot of older LNs (or they just have some random volumes of a series with everything else out of stock)

Or do you just download everything? If so, where?

>>9091633

It might be cheaper to use a proxy service like Tenso to ship it, but not by a whole lot.

Actually, if you want to go the proxy route, you could buy from other websites/sellers that are cheaper but don't ship outside of the country.

>>9091633

If you're lazy/and or have figs ready to ship out, you can try Amiami.

For regular buying though, I use bk1/honto. I don't use Amazon because they only use DHL when shipping to Canada, and if I miss the delivery I have to take a 40 minute commute to their nearest depot (and I live in the middle of Toronto).

>>9091633
I use hmv.co.jp.
I've used Amazon.co.jp sometimes, but the only option they give me is Fedex, which gets here extraordinarily fast, but also costs and arm and a leg. And then Fedex likes to charge me additional money at the door for clearing customs.

>>9091633
>>9092315
Seconding the vote for bk1/honto. Amazon flips between a bunch of courier services in Canada, and they're all shit. All of them charge stupid fees of some sort or another, and DHL "corrected" my address by hand once (lucky I was keeping an eye on the tracking info). I've never been charged at the door for shipments from bk1/honto (knock on wood) whether they come via SAL or EMS. They're also awesome enough to pack the books such that they can be shipped via small parcel SAL.

I also live fairly near an overseas Book Off, but it's closing next month ;_;.

For the people who listed titles: are you reading in Japanese, or reading the translations?

Saw the news about 「おれと一乃のゲーム同好会活動日誌」. Starting volume 1.

>>9095756
Give me a review.

Anyone know where I can download this?

English or Japanese is fine.

>>9092458
Amazon ships overseas?

>>9095554

In Japanese.

Official translated light novels are available in the West but are highly limited in terms of selection. Even fan translated light novels are fairly limited.

>>9096693

Depends on the product. Software is one of the things Amazon does not ship overseas. I haven't had a problem with books though.

What is the LN for begginer in japanese?

>>9096735

Kino no tabi is really easy to read, but I dropped it because

>>>/k/

There are alot of LNs with anime adaptations or other anime relations, but aside from this LNs have nothing to do with anime stuff.

It's a language thing, LNs.

>>9097326

>LNs have nothing to do with anime stuff

I disagree. Without manga/anime, there would be no otaku. Without otaku themes, LNs wouldn't get it's own category-- at least they wouldn't be as big of a genre.