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Stop!! Hibari-kun! Song Book

December 24, 2017, 3:21 pm
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Just in time for Christmas, a digital version of the 1984 Stop!! Hibari-kun! Song Book - a collection of songs from the anime, including the opening, the ending, and various insert and character songs.


I like to find and release the soundtracks from the old shows that Orphan subs, but sometimes it's not easy. Like the shows themselves, the musical offerings are often stuck on the wrong side of the digital divide. Even when a CD version exists, it's usually out of print.

As with most of our analog media, this album comes from Yahoo Auctions in Japan. Skr bought it for me and photographed the album art and insert pages. (I bought the album to get the official lyrics for the insert songs.) Skr then shipped it to Erik of Piyo Piyo Productions as part of a massive shipment of laserdiscs. (It fits right in, format-wise.) Erik transshipped it to me. I ripped it on my vintage Panasonic SL-1200 turntable via a USB encoding gadget. Then I spent too much time figuring out how Audacity worked, separating the songs into tracks, adding metadata, and encoding the WAV files to FLAC and MP3. They're now released.

This is my first time ripping and encoding an LP, so please be gentle.

You can get the encoded versions, FLAC or MP3, from the usual torrent site. The torrent descriptions also include direct download links.

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A-Girl v2

December 28, 2017, 10:40 am
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It's taken three tries, and fifteen months, but here at last is a complete and listenable version of the 1993 OVA A-Girl.

In 1992, Madhouse and Margaret Comics collaborated on an OVA of the shounen-ai romance Zetsuai 1989. This was successful, and in 1993, Madhouse issued six additional OVAs based on Margaret Comic properties:
  • Oshare Kozou wa Hanamaru
  • Singles
  • Pops
  • Oeda wa Nemurenai!
  • Kiss wa Hitomi ni Shite
  • A-Girl
Unfortunately, these additional OVAs were not successful and quickly sank into obscurity. None of them made it to Laserdisc, let alone DVD.

A-Girl is based on a 1984 shoujo romance manga by Fusako Kuramochi. It tells a very simple story: girl meets boy, girl loses boy, girl gets boy. High-school student Mariko and her elder sister Mayu are forced out of their apartment by a fire and move in with their landlord. Mariko meets the landlord's handsome son, Natsume, who is also a model. They fall in love but break up when Mariko discovers that Natsume is seeing other girls. Eventually, they are reunited, and the end credits roll.


The story of this release, however, is far from simple.

The first raw we found, back in September 2016, was defective: small (512 x 384) and missing the end credits. Apparently, it was stitched together from three pieces on YouTube. The second raw was based on a used VHS tape purchased in Japan.  It wasn't perfect either: tape stretch caused noticeable audio distortion in three places - but at least it was complete. This month, VHS ripper realized that the audio distortion could be overcome. He made a new audio track, and I spliced the new track over the old one in the three chapters that were broken. That brings us, at long last, to this "VHS v2" release.
 
A-Girl was the directorial debut of Kousaka Kitarou. (He also did the character designs.) He later worked for many years as an animation director and key animator on Ghibli films before achieving prominence as the director of the award-winning Nasu: Anadalusia no Natsu. For A-Girl, he chose a novel approach: he made a "silent movie." A-Girl has no dialog and is performed against a background of Japanese pop songs composed by Okada Tooru and sung (in English!) by SEIKA. Dialog placards provide continuity, like in old silent films. It works pretty well and doesn't interrupt the flow of the story.

Iri bought the VHS tape for this release in Japan.He also translated and timed. I edited and typeset, Nemesis and Eternal_Blizzard did QC, gamnark ripped the VHS tape (and the replacement audio track), and M74 encoded it (and the replacement audio track).
 
As usual, you can get this version of A-Girl from the usual torrent sites or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net. If you like the music, the soundtrack is available on BakaBT. If you already downloaded the previous version, you can get a patch to v2 here. It's rather large; the entire audio track gets replaced.

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Happy Holidays from Orphan Fansubs

December 28, 2017, 10:57 am
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On behalf of all the dogs and cats and other critters of Orphan Fansubs...



Here's wishing you a joyous, and safe, holiday season.
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2017 in Review

December 30, 2017, 4:21 pm
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This year, I've tried to bury my anxieties by avoiding the news and doubling down on my hobbies. I don't know if it works as therapy, but it sure has resulted in Orphan releasing a lot of shows in 2017.

Orphan Fansubs

I called 2016 a "banner year" for Orphan Fansubs, but 2017 has been even more amazing. There have been three important factors in the explosion of releases this year:
  1. New staff, particularly an additional translator (Sunachan) and translation checker (tenkenX6).
  2. The increasing availability of back-catalog media, both physical and streaming.
  3. The hard work of core staff members in all disciplines: translation, timing, QC, and encoding.
As a result, Orphan released a record number of new projects in 2017:
  1. Yousei Ou. A high fantasy OVA about fairies, witches, and elves, with shounen-ai undertones. DVD encode.
  2. Chameleon. The first two episodes of a "Yankee" comedy OVA about a wannabe juvenile delinquent and his misadventures. Episode 1; episode 2.
  3. Cosprayers. The foundation series for Smash Hit and Love Love?, both of which are considerably better. DVD encode.
  4. A Penguin's Memories. A moving story about the tribulations of veterans returning from a war (presumably Vietnam), told with penguin instead of human characters. Laserdisc encode.
  5. Neko Neko Fantasia. A fantasy OVA about a kitten that wishes to be human so she can participate in Christmas. Laserdisc encode.
  6. Tsuki ga Noboru made ni. A Japanese boy's memories of country life during World War II, told retrospectively to a skeptical city girl and her father. A wonderful, one-shot OVA.
  7. Stop!! Hibari-kun. A comedy series about a cross-dressing boy who wreaks havoc by being the best-looking girl in the family and in school. Episodes 01-06. DVD encode.
  8. Grim Douwa - Kin no Tori. A fantasy movie from Toei, based on the Brothers Grimm story "The Golden Bird." It features outstanding animation and voice acting. High-definition TV encode.
  9. Junod. An inspirational biographical movie of Doctor Marcel Junod, who worked for the International Red Cross prior to and during World War II. High-definition TV encode.
  10. Fire Emblem. A fantasy OVA based on a video game. Laserdisc encode.
  11. Cosmic Fantasy. A sci-fi adventure/comedy OVA based on a video game. Laserdisc encode.
  12. Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo movie 1. The first big screen adventure of Kindaichi Hajime, teen detective. The plot revolves around a locked-room murder during a production of The Phantom of the Opera. Letterboxed laserdisc and subsequent "full 480p" encode.
  13. Daishizen no Majuu Bagi. A Tezuka Osamu TV special, about a human-feline hybrid trying to find her place in the world. High-definition BD encode.
  14. Eien no Filena. A sci-fi fantasy OVA based on a series of light novels.
  15. Yuukan Club. A comedy OVA about rich private school students with a mind for mischief and too much time on their hands. Laserdisc encode.
  16. Nozomi Witches. An OVA about an ordinary high-school boy who is encouraged by a bewitching classmate to become a champion boxer. Laserdisc encode.
  17. Alice in Dreamland. A recent movie retelling of Alice in Wonderland, using dolls. DVD encode.
  18. Aoki Honoo. A dark OVA about a young man's ruthless pursuit of success. VHS encode.
  19. Fumoon. Another Tezuka Osamu TV special, about the rise of an alien species brought about by human environmental devastation. High-definition BD encode.
  20. Akai Hayate. An original OVA about a civil war within a secretive ninja clan. Laserdisc encode.
  21. Wan Wan Chuushingura. A comedy/adventure movie about a plucky dog name Rock and his battles against an evil tiger and a clever fox. High-definition streaming encode.
  22. Seikima II - Humane Society. An OVA that purports to tell the "true" backstory of the death metal rock-and-roll band Seikima II. DVD encode.
  23. Okane ga nai extras. Four omake from the Okane ga nai OVA series. DVD encode.
  24. Al Caral no Isan. A science fiction OVA about mankind's "first contact" with extraterrestrials, who are much more than they appear to be.
  25. Cathexis. An anime music video, supposedly of songs by Nanjo Kouji, the lead character of Zetsuai 1989. Laserdisc encode.
  26. Hyakumannen Chikyuu no Tabi: Bander Book. The first Tezuka Osamu TV special, about a human boy orphaned in space and his struggle to discover his identity and his destiny. High-definition BD encode.
  27. What's Michael? OVA (1985). Short sketches about an orange tiger cat named Michael and his human and feline companions. Laserdisc encode.
  28. Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo movie 2. The second movie about Kindaichi Hajime. The plot revolves around a terrorist takeover of an isolated resort hotel. Laserdisc encode and "full 480p" encode.
  29. Shiroi Kiba: White Fang Monogatari. Jack London's classic tale of canine survival and bonding, set in Alaska.
  30. Rainbow Signal: Hi-Fi Set. An anime music video of songs by HiFi Set, a Japanese vocal group. It tells the tale of a pair of cute dragons in a futuristic city. Laserdisc encode.
  31. Hoshi Neko Full House. A rollicking sci-fi/comedy OVA, featuring a smuggler boy, a lecherous robot, three rich high-school girls, an alien lizard, and a flying star cat, who must save the world from a revolt by the supercomputer Eterna.
  32. What's Michael? OVA 2 (1988). More skits from Michael and friends, including a three-part parody of The Fugitive. Laserdisc encode.
  33. Oishinbo Ultimate vs Supreme: Dishes for Longevity!! Ultimate Menu and Supreme Menu battle over dishes intended to promote long life. Modified Yoroshiku subs; 720p BD encode. 
  34. Kaitei Choutokkyuu Marine Express. The second Tezuka Osamu TV special, about conspiracy and high adventure aboard an undersea express train. High-definition BD encode.
Not counted in this tally were two new versions of A-Girl, based on a complete raw; a new version of Dragon Fist, based on a laserdisc encode; a new version of Ginga Tansa 2100-nen: Border Planet, based on a high-definition BD encode; a new version of Tezuka Osamu Monogatari: I Am Son Gokuu, also based on a high-definition BD encode; and the "full 480p" versions of Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo movies 1 and 2. That's more than 40distinct projects this year, with not a dud in the bunch. Congratulations, and many thanks, to the whole Orphan team.

Work for Other Groups

There seems to be less of this each year, particularly outside the "back catalog" kairetsu.

  • FFF. I'm editing the third season of Shokugeki no Souma. The Akatsuki no Yoma OVAs are all stuck at various points in the process.
  • Frozen-EviL. I continued to edit the slow-moving Blu-Ray version of Yawara!
  • Saizen. I continued to edit, and picked up typesetting, Laughing Salesman, and I QCed Psycho Armor Govarian.
  • C1. I edited and typeset the second half of Kakyuusei (1999) and project-managed the last few episodes to complete the series.
  • Soldado. I QCed this year's Ninku releases. I edited and QCed the Haguregumo movie.
  • M74. I edited and QCed the high-definition release of the Tezuka Osamu TV special Time Slip Ichimannen Prime Rose.
Laughing Salesman continues to be a pleasure; I find it's exceedingly dark humor appropriate for the times.

Favorites of 2017

I'm not an anime critic, and I don't play one on the Internet, so I no longer try to compile a "best of" list for the anime year. These days, I don't watch enough anime, outside of the genres I like (slice-of-life, comedy, sci-fi, seinen, josei, cats), to be knowledgeable enough to make a "Top 10" list. Instead, I'm listing my favorites of the year and why they kept me interested all the way through.

In alphabetical order:
  • ACCA 13-ku Kansatsu-ka. This cool and jazzy caper series hit the right spot for me.
  • Hoozuki no Reitetsu S2. A fiendishly funny series about life in Hell. This season provides more backstory about the main characters without losing comic focus.
  • Isekai Shoukudou. A comfort food series, combining fantasy and cooking in equal proportions.
  • Kappeki Danshi! Aoyama-kun. This year's outstanding zany comedy, with an equal-opportunity focus on its crazy side characters as well as its lead.
  • Kobayashi-san Chi no Maidragon. Much better than its hackneyed premise led me to expect. It turned out to be a comedy about family and the accommodations everyone has to make to get along.
  • Mahou Tsukai no Yome. Gorgeous and engaging. This series continues next year.
  • Natsume Yuujinchou Roku (S6). Even after six seasons, Natsume does not disappoint or grow stale. Its combination of hope and melancholy is unique.
  • Shouwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu: Sukeroku Futatabi Hen. This sequel continues and broadens its characters' stories and provides a deep and satisfying conclusion.
  • Uchouten Kazoku S2. My favorite tanuki family returns for more adventures. Just as good as the first season, and open-ended enough to allow for a continuation.
  • Youkai Apartment no Yuuga na Nichijou. Another show with a supernatural theme. It combines great character comedy with supernatural adventure, but the former always takes precedence.
No sports, no mecha, no magical girls, no idols, no shounen (sorry, Boku no Hero Academia), and no violence against children (sorry, Made in Abyss). Among short series, I really liked Osake wa Fuufu ni Natte Kara (adult characters), and I'm heartened to see the return of Fireball, even if for only three episodes.

Looking Ahead

Orphan Fansubs is now more than seven years old. Since the group's inception, the team has finished more than a hundred official projects. I hope we'll be able to maintain a reasonable pace in 2018, but two long series projects are in the works, and they will take up a lot of time. So if you are an experienced fansubber, particularly a translator, typesetter, or QC — or even an editor, for that matter — and would like to join Orphan in exploring the highways and byways of the anime past, please drop me a PM on IRC or leave a comment on the blog.

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Toujours de l'audace (Audio Editing)

January 2, 2018, 4:37 pm
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Over the years, I've discussed many of the skills needed for fansubbing: translation, timing, editing, typesetting, QC, and encoding. In 2017, I encountered a new one: audio editing. It's not often needed, but when it is, the situation is usually fairly dire.

I ran into two examples last year. The first case was in the fourth and final episode of Akai Hayate. For some reason, the ending song - and only the ending song - was horribly distorted on the laserdisc release. In comparison, the VHS version sounded much better, but it was only in mono. It was impossible to use the endings from the first three volumes, because the fourth volume's ending was unique. The second case was in the complete release of A-Girl. Due to an incorrect setting, tape stretch in the video resulted in bad audio, with the sound audibly dipping in tone. A second, audio-only rip, done with the right settings, sounded better but had different volume levels and slightly different playing times.

In both cases, the solution required splicing together different audio sources and then adjusting for differences in volume and tone. Enter Audacity, a full-featured, open source audio editor. Audacity can do almost anything, but its user interface is not particularly intuitive. Fortunately, the Internet has many, many write-ups on how to use Audacity for various tasks. Simply Googling "Audacity <do this task>" will find the right answer fairly quickly.

For both Akai Hayate 4 and A-Girl, the basic procedure was the following:
  1. Load both audio tracks into Audacity.
  2. Use the Time Slip tool to align the new audio track with the old one.
  3. Splice an appropriate section from the new audio track over the old one.
  4. Use the Amplify effect to adjust the volume of the new section to match the old one.
  5. Export the spliced audio as a WAV file.
  6. Use an external encoder to transform the WAV file to the audio format of choice.
Now, there are a couple of trivial and non-trivial annoyances in getting this done.
  1. The Time Slip tool doesn't have a fine adjust. All aligning is done with the mouse, and the mouse doesn't have enough resolution to get to a sample boundary, even at really high magnification. It would help if the tool responded to the arrow keys for fine-grain motion.
  2. Selecting a section of audio is clumsy. You can use the mouse to define the start - and even fine-adjust the start with the arrow keys - but the end is defined by dragging the start across the selection. Aegisub's system of allowing independent definition of the start and end points works better.
  3. There's no straightforward "spice and replace" function. Instead, there's a complicated series of arrow keys to get back and forth between old and new. Aegisub has a "paste over" function for replacing sections of a script, and that works better.
Still, there's a lot that Audacity will do automagically to make things work. For example, when it was time to export the spliced audio track for Akai Hayate 4, Audacity noticed that the spliced area was mono and duplicated the track to create a 2-channel (but still mono) mix.

So if you're a fansubber looking to expand your bag of tricks, I recommend spending some time fooling around with Audacity. You never know when it will come in handy.




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Stop!! Hibari-kun! 7-12

January 10, 2018, 9:38 am
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As I said in my end-of-2017 summary, Orphan will be working on two relatively long series this year. One of them, of course, is Stop!! Hibari-kun!, the 1983 comedy series. It's taken a loooong time, but here are the next six episodes. I won't repeat all the background from my introductory post on the series. Nothing has changed - or does change, for that matter, because the show is completely episodic. Cross-dressing/transgender son Ozora Hibari is still the best-looking girl in the Ozora family; the family's adopted orphan, Sakamoto Kosaku, is still utterly confused about his feelings toward Hibari; and the rest of the family is still perplexed, apoplexed, bemused, or amused about the whole thing, often at the same time.


Moho Kareshi translated the entire series. Onibaba and tenkenX6 did translation checking on this second batch of episodes. Yogicat timed; I edited and typeset; Juggen styled the OP and ED; and Nemesis, konnakude, and VigorousJammer QCed. M74 encoded from a remastered DVD box. A few translation notes:
  • Ep07. Kotatsu means "little dragon."
  • Ep08. Utagoe Kissa means "Chorus Cafe." It originated in Japan around 1955 and lasted until the 70s. It's a "cafe" where people sing songs as a group, often accompanied by piano or accordion music.
  • Ep10. Kosuke's rivalry with his childhood friend Daisuke is illustrated with historical events, such as the famous duel between 17th century swordsmen Miyamato Musashi and Sasaki Kojiro, and references to the match between Rikiishi and Joe in Ashita no Joe, the fight between Amuro and Char in Mobile Suit Gundam, and between Take-chan Man and Black Devil Jr in Fuji TV's live-action "variety show" of the same name. (Thanks to Sunachan for tracking these references down.)
All of the episodes in this batch are canon, that is, they're taken from the manga, although episodes 8 and 9 are padded considerably.

The typesetting continues to be a PITA, and as with P**** B*** Cafe, I'm doing fewer signs as the series goes on. Episodes 10 and 11, in particular, have repeating signs that would require endless hand-clipping. At some point, with the scripts approaching 10,000 lines, I simply gave up. Feel free to do the rest yourself. ;)

When will the next batch be coming out? I don't know, so please don't ask. It's entirely at the mercy of the translation checking process. (Always looking for help there.) In the meantime, you can get this group of episodes at the usual torrent sites or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net.

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Hidamari no Ki, Part 1

January 20, 2018, 4:46 am
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In my look back at 2017, I said that Orphan would be undertaking two larger series this year. The first is the continuation of Stop!! Hibari-kun!, from 1983. And now, here is the second, Hidamari no Ki (A Tree in the Sun), from 2000. This historical drama has been on my wish list since I started pursuing orphaned shows. A fortunate chain of circumstances has allowed Orphan to bring it to you, at last.

First, the series appeared on streaming sites in Japan. This provided translation raws with reasonable video and audio fidelity. Second, the eleven volume manga became available online, both in Japanese and in (scanlated) English. Third, and most importantly, a new translator, Sunachan, joined Orphan. Sunachan had the stamina - and the experience with medical terminology - to undertake such a large project. And finally, an anonymous donor offered to purchase the Hidamari no Ki DVDs. This provided pristine material for generating final video and audio. Orphan will be presenting Hidamari no Ki in four "mini-batches" of six, seven, six, and six episodes respectively, with a full series batch at the end.

Hidamari no Ki is based on a manga by the legendary Tezuka Osamu. It tells the story of two young men during the Bakumatsu - the waning days of the Tokugawa Shogunate that followed the "opening" of Japan by Western countries. One is Manjirou Ibuya, a samurai raised in the strictest traditions of bushido. The other is Tezuka Ryouan, a doctor-in-training equally interested in women and the latest scientific discoveries. (Ryouan's last name is no coincidence; he is Tezuka Osamu's great-grandfather) Both have a penchant for getting into trouble. Ibuya inadvertently crosses an experienced samurai and is wounded in a duel. Ryousan ends up treating him. Then, Ryouan deliberately crosses the powerful official physicians of the Shogunate, who want to prevent Ryouan and his father from opening a smallpox vaccination facility. Ibuya ends up saving Ryouan from an attack by anonymous assassins. Ryouan goes to Osaka for further training and encounters both opportunity and tragedy. Ibuya exhibits exemplary leadership skills during the great Ansei-era Edo earthquake and is assigned to guard the new US consul to Japan. And that's just the first six episodes!


As the screencap shows, the male character designs are vintage Tezuka Osamu - large eyes paired with real noses, chins, Adam's apples, facial blemishes, and so on. The female character designs run more to type - either classic Japanese beauties, like Oseki, Oshina, and Okon, or dumpy matrons, like Ryouan's mother. This demonstrates Eguchi Marisuke's versatility as a character designer. The designs look nothing like his Adachi-inspired characters in Hiatari Ryouko and Nozomi Witches.

The Bakumatsu was a remarkably complex period, with factions promoting all kinds of views. The three most prominent were the bakufu - the military bureaucracy of the Shogunate, who wanted to defend their prerogatives; the neo-Confucians (Joui), who wanted to restore power to the Emperor as a prerequisite to expelling all foreigners; and the Westernizers, who wanted to embrace western scientific and political thought and modernize Japan along Western lines. Dividing lines were not clear-cut; for example, all factions wanted to embrace some aspects of Western military technology, for their own reasons. The eventual solution - the Meiji restoration - was a sort of "none of the above" answer and allowed Japan to avoid the fate of China.

The voice cast is stellar. Yamadera Kouichi (Ryouan) has had a spectacular career. Among his many roles are Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop, Sukeroku in Shouwa Ginroku Rakugo Shinju, Ryouga in all the Ranma 1/2 properties, Melos in Hashire Melos! (an Orphan project), and the nameless hero of Otaku no Seiza. He also dubbed all the Mike Myers characters in the Japanese versions of the Austin Powers movies. Miyamoto Mitsuru (Ibuya) has appeared in numerous series, from H2 to this year's Kekkai Sensen sequel. Orikasa Fumiko, who voiced their mutual love interest, Oseki, played Rukia Kuchiki in all the Bleach properties as well as the heroine Okonogi Yuuko in Dennou Coil. The late Nagai Ichirou (Ryouan's father Ryousan) appeared in numerous shows, including Nora and Gosenzosama Banbanzai! He also dubbed Albus Dumbledore in the Japanese versions of the Harry Potter movies. Matsumoto Rica (Okan, a "nighthawk" or prostitute in Osaka) played Jim Hawking in Outlaw Star, the hero Fuusuke in the Ninku properties, and Satoshi in the Pokemon franchise. The director, Sugii Gisaburou, has done many outstanding shows, including the Mitsuru Adachi shows Nine, Touch, and Hiatari Ryouko; Nozomi Witches (an Orphan project); and several recent movies. The music is by the jazz/fusion composer and keyboardist Matsui Keiko and works well to underscore the series subtly.

Sunachan translated the episodes. Beyond that, she re-checked the episodes through editing and QC to ensure that the nuances of the translation were not lost. Eternal_Blizzard timed the episodes. Juggen provided a subtle karaoke for the ending theme, Hikari no Mukou e by Charcoal. I edited and typeset (not many signs). bananadoyouwanna, Nemesis, and VigorousJammer did QC. Skr encoded the original workraws that allowed translation to get started, and M74 encoded the final versions from the DVDs. The DVDs themselves were purchased by an anonymous benefactor. The entire team is intensely grateful to him for investing in this show.

Hidamari no Ki is a dense series, and there are lots of people, places, and things that need explanation. I've tried to keep on-screen translation notes to a minimum, but there are a few. Here are some additional notes for this batch of episodes:
  • Ep01. "Countless districts of Edo." Literally, the 808 districts of Edo. The number 808 is purely symbolic.
  • Ep01. "...with its pay of 15 bales for two people..." The combination of bales and people provides the measurement of a samurai's rank; in this case, not very high.
  • Ep01. "300 mon." An old unit of currency, not directly translatable to yen because of devaluation and inflation.
  • Ep01. "Hokushin Ittouryuu" is a school of martial arts, founded in 1820, focused on sword fighting.
  • Ep04. Ogata Kouan was a physician and scholar. His academy, the Tekijuku, taught medicine and Western learning. It was one of the foundations for Osaka University.
  • Ep04. Ryousen twirls his pinky when talking indirectly about a beautiful courtesan. The pinky signifies love affairs or sexual liaisons.
Because of the long delays in releasing more of Stop!! Hibari-kun, some viewers may wonder whether Hidamari no Ki will suffer the same fate. I expect this show to go faster because it doesn't require translation checking. We've restarted Stop!! Hibari-kun, of course, but an experienced, dedicated translation checker is needed for the show to progress more quickly.

Meanwhile, dig into Hidamari no Ki. It's a treat, a true overlooked gem. You can get this mini-batch from the usual torrent sites or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net.






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How Orphan Chooses Projects

January 23, 2018, 4:54 am
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[I'm republishing this because I keep getting the same questions.]

Orphan doesn't get a lot of comments on its releases, but along with the "thank yous" (always appreciated) are invariably requests of the form, "Can you translate or resub XYZ?"Just as invariably, the answer is no, so perhaps I should explain how Orphan selects projects to work on. The process is different for original translations versus resubs, so I'll describe them separately. 

Original Translations 

Orphan was formed to translate abandoned series, OVAs, and movies - shows that were abandoned by other fansub groups or stranded on obsolete media like VHS tape or Laserdiscs. That remains the group's core mission. However, it's not possible to do everyincomplete or untranslated show. A couple of severe filters get applied to any project idea.

The most important factor is the interest and availability of a translator. While translators can sometimes be coaxed into taking on other people's ideas, mostly they want to work on what interests them. The Orphan team includes a number of translators, but they all have real life commitments as well as projects they want to do. Like everyone on the team, they are volunteers, and like everyone on the team, their time is precious.

A second factor is the availability of source material. Some shows simply have no original source or existing encodes. Over the years, I've become more finicky about the quality of Orphan's encodes, so there's more emphasis on original encodes from primary sources, like LaserDiscs, DVDs, or BluRays.(We have VHS transcription capability too.) But a viable source is no guarantee that a project can get done; Dokushin Apartmenthas been languishing for more than a year, despite the availability of a primary source. Ecchi is a hard sell.

A third factor is the interest of the team as a whole. If the team is not interested in a particular project, that project is unlikely to get finished in a timely fashion, if ever. And if I'm not interested, well… you can imagine.

Resubs 

While translation is much less of a factor in resub projects, it still matters. Wherever the subtitles came from, they need to be checked. For fansubs, translation checking looks for errors in the original subtitles. For commercial sources, the focus is on excessive localization or script simplification. Sanctuary, Hashire Melos, and Chameleonillustrate the sort of problems translation checking will catch in R1 subs.

Source material is perhaps more important in resubs than in original translations. After all, there already is a subbed version; a new version needs to improve not just on the subtitles but also, if possible, on the video and audio quality. I'd be very reluctant to base a resub project on random Internet raws. This has led to some strange and expensive quests for rare LaserDiscs or DVD sets.

In addition, there has to be a compelling reason to do a resub. For Next Senki Ehrgeiz and Sanctuary, it was to improve the video and subtitle quality (LaserDisc softsub vs VHS hardsub). For Nagasarete Airantou, it was to have subtitles that were actually readable. For Yume Tsukai, it was to have a full resolution softsub version from DVDs of a show that was only subbed from TV captures.

Also, the show has to interest me (or another project leader). I like comedy, slice-of-slice, historical, sci-fi, seinen, josei, shoujo, and cats. I don't like sports, mecha, or shounen. And I don't have the patience for really long series anymore.

Finally, Orphan will notresub shows that have active licenses in English-speaking countries.

Orphans and Orphan Fansubs 

I'll close by reminding my readers that the original purpose of Orphan Fansubs was to finish orphaned projects. These projects often mix resubs (the episodes that were completed) with original translations (the episodes that were never finished). True orphans must satisfy the criteria for both types of projects: a translator must be interested; there has to be source material (at least for the unfinished episodes); the team as a whole has to want to work on the show; and there has to be a compelling reason to complete the series. And there's one other factor: the project needs to have been formally abandoned by the original group, or the original group must have disbanded.

Many orphan series fail on one or more of these criteria. For example, Techno Police 21C has source material but no translator for its three unfinished episodes. MapleStorydoesn't interest the team very much. And Hiatari Ryouko has not been formally abandoned, even though the group subbing it has not released a new episode in more than three years.

[Revised 23-Jan-2018]

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The Soul Business

January 26, 2018, 5:41 am
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The roly-poly salesman with the shark-like smile


comes strolling towards the camera, and in the unmistakably resonant tones of Oohira Tooru he introduces himself:
My name is Moguro Fukuzou.
People call me "The Laughing Salesman."
However, I'm no ordinary salesman, because I'm in the soul business.
Human souls, that is.
The world is full of lonely men and women, both young and old.
I'm here to fill the gaps within your lonely souls.
Completely free of charge, I might add.
A satisfied customer is the only compensation I desire.
And today's customer is...
Yes, it's time for another darkly comic ten minutes of Warau Salesman (Laughing Salesman), a show that seems more fitting today than when it was made more than 25 years ago.

The premise of Laughing Salesman is deceptively simple. Moguro Fukuzou is a traveling salesman who provides things that give his customers their heart's desire. Once his deals are made and their desires are satisfied, Moguro's customers are often left with terrible repercussions, especially if they break the rules of his deals. Yet despite his warnings, and against their better judgment, his "customers" just can't resist the temptation to do a bit more, grab a bit more, go a bit too far. Retribution is swift - sometimes violent, sometimes comic, always disastrous. Then the episode is over, and Moguro is off to fullfill the needs of the next lonely soul.

Laughing Salesman is nominally a joint project between Saizen and Live-eviL, but it's more like a collaboration of the old anime kairetsu. kokujin-kun (who did Yawara!) is the translator. Juggen timed the first bunch of episodes; sangofe has been handling that recently. I've edited all the episodes. zegond typeset the first twenty episodes; he was reclaimed by Real Life, so I've done all the rest. QC varies a lot but has usually included Calyrica, Skr, konnakude, or Eternal_Blizzard. Eternal_Blizzard did the initial encodes, BakaProxy took over recently.

The project started off using the released DVDs, which were fairly terrible - muddy, jittery, and cropped. Last year, high resolution remastered web streams became available, along with closed captions. That has greatly sped up the fansubbing process, in particular translation (because of the captions) and typesetting (because of the much stabler image). I don't know if the team will ever go back and redo the first 25 DVD-based episodes; there's a long way to go to finish the series.

Laughing Salesman is best taken in small doses. Marathoning it can be hazardous to your (mental) health. Instead, next time the nightly news leaves you steaming and ready to chuck a brick at your TV, spin up another of Moguro Fukuzou's adventures. You'll soon see that no matter how bad things seem to be now, they can get much, much, much worse - and probably will.







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Orphans Dashboard

January 26, 2018, 5:59 am
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Except for short-runtime shows, few current series are left orphaned, because almost everything gets streamed and captured. Thus, orphaned series are mostly a matter of the back catalog.

Orphans rescued since I started this blog (aka, the Honors List):
  • 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother (Marco) (neo1024)
  • Aim for the Ace! (Bluefixer)
  • Akai Hayate (Orphan)
  • Alps Stories: My Annette(Licca)
  • Amuri Star Ocean (mixed groups)
  • Before Green Gables (ARR)
  • Black Jack: the last OVAs (Bluefixer)
  • Busou Chuugakusei - Basket Army  (Migoto/anon)
  • Code Breaker OVAs (Orphan)
  • Cutie Honey (TSHS)
  • D4 Princess (tipota) 
  • Daa! Daa! Daa! (Aozora & TMUsubs) 
  • Dream Dimension Hunter Fandora (OnDeed)
  • Gallery Fake (Muji) 
  • Gyagu Manga Biyori S2 (sulez_raz)
  • Hakugai: The Legend of Moby Dick (tipota)
  • Hal & Bons - last episode found subtitled on YouTube
  • Hell Teacher Nube (ARR)
  • Hi-Speed Jecy (Orphan)
  • Hyouge Mono (Doremi)
  • Kakyuusei (1995) (Orphan) 
  • Kakyuusei (1999) (C1) 
  • Kiss Dum (Doutei)
  • Kyou Kara Ore Wa!! (Saizen & Yabai)
  • Jang Geum's Dream (ARR)
  • Les Miserables Shoujo Cosette (Licca & Wasurenai) 
  • Lime-iro Ryuukitan X Cross (Kiteseekers) 
  • Little Women II (Licca)
  • Love Get Chu (Oyatsu, Yoroshiku)
  • Maple Story (Linguistic) - Korean audio
  • Marie & Gali S1 (Wasurenai)
  • Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch (KiteSeekers) 
  • Miyuki (FroZen-EviL)
  • Mizu Iro Jidai (Kiteseekers) 
  • Perrine Monogatari (Licca & KiteSeekers & Wasurenai)
  • Porphy no Nagai Tabi (Licca)
  • Rakugo Tennyo Oyui (ARR)
  • Saint October (ReDone)
  • Showa Monogatari (GotWoot)
  • Sonic Soldier Borgman: New Century 2058 (Orphan)
  • Souten Kouro (Gotwoot & Doutei) 
  • Tetsuko no Tabi (m.3.3.w) 
  • Tokimeki Tonight (Orphan-Saitei)
  • Tono to Issho S2 (anonymous)
  • Ultraviolet Code 44 (KiteSeekers)
  • Yamato 2520 (Orphan)
  • Yawara (FroZen-EviL)
  • Yoshimune (ARR)
Note that the list only includes series that were started by one group and abandoned and then picked up and redone or finished by a different group. Subbing old series that were never done before doesn't count; nor does resuming a series after a long pause. ARR's subs are often derived from Hong Kong or Taiwan DVDs and tend to be rather garbled.

Orphan rescues in progress (aka, the Fingers-Crossed List):
  • Dash Kappei (Shindoi)
  • Hidamari no Ki (Orphan)
  • Idol Densetsu Eriko (Kiteseekers & Licca) 
  • Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch Pure (Licca & Wasurenai) 
  • Ninku (SolZen), using the new Blu-Ray release 
  • Stop!! Hibari-kun (Orphan)
The note from the previous list applies here as well. Mermaid Melody and Eriko had one episode done by a different group.

Orphans stuck in limbo (aka, the Series Broiler list):
  • BAR Kiraware Yasai
  • Blue Dragon
  • Corrector Yui
  • Dibetagurashi
  • Dragon Quest
  • Gene Diver
  • Haita Nanafa second series
  • Hakuouki - Otogisoushi
  • Hiatari no Ryouko
  • Kuruneko
  • Lady Georgie
  • Maichingu 
  • Marginal Prince
  • Neon the Animation 
  • Onara Gorou
  • Onegai My Melody S3
  • Patalliro
  • Piropoppo 
  • Robin Hood no Daibouken 
  • Romance of the Three Kingdoms (2010)
  • Shinshaku Sengoku Eiyuu Densetsu Sanada (Sanada 10)
  • SunakiNishi 
  • The Kobocha Wine
(Updated 26-Jan-2018)
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Smash Hit! (Hit wo Nerae!)

February 9, 2018, 7:53 am
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As promised (threatened) when Orphan released Cosprayers, here's the first companion series, Smash Hit! (Hit wo Nerae!). The second companion series, Love Love?, is licensed; go buy or rent the DVDs if you want to watch it.

The premise of Smash Hit! is that Cosprayers is not an anime but a "live action" CG special-effects hero show. Through a series of mishaps, fortuitous or not, diminutive 25-year-old Ikuta Mitsuki is suddenly thrust from the quiet of the Copyright Department into the role of lead producer of Cosprayers. She finds a show in chaos: a crew of eccentric misfits; a squabbling set of young actresses ranging in age from 11 to 17; and a scriptwriter who's not the industry veteran she expected but an 18-year-old high school student, Ooizumi Naoto. Her nominal superior, Kurume Kenjirou, is a cold and sneering seasoned producer whom she refers to as Dracula. Her female co-producer at the TV network, Hayakawa Kazumi, is a voracious vamp brimming with ideas for "improving" the show by adding more bishounen.

Much of the humor derives from linking the insane plot twists in Cosprayers to "real life" events in Smash Hit! For example, the White Goddess shows up because the company that sells Cosprayers toys wants another gadget to sell; and the Goddess turns out to be gray because the prototype toys tested better in that color. The Black Mikos appear because Hayakawa wants to add the handsome boys of idol group Gekokujou to the show. Another repeating joke is the outraged audience letters about Cosprayers, rightly pointing out its exploitative qualities and unsuitability for its target audience of children. Mitsuki must cope with all the ups and downs of production, aided really only by the young scriptwriter, while she simultaneously learns the job of a producer and struggles to overcome her image as a "little kid." And all this is accompanied by a cornucopia of gratuitous boob, butt, and pantsu fanservice shots; and in the last episode, a cornucopia of corn as well.

Back in 2005, when I first saw this show, it all seemed pretty harmless. That was before #MeToo. Now when I watch, all I really see is the relentless harassment, sexual and otherwise, of Ikuta, her female friends, and the young actresses by most of the older men in the show.


(Ikuta is also sexually harassed by her female colleague, Hayakawa, to add "balance," I guess.) When Ikuta is not being harassed, she's being dismissed as too young, too small, too female to do the job of producer. The only male who doesn't make life miserable for her is the young scriptwriter, Oozomi Naoto. Dracula himself, Kurume Kenjirou, doesn't make advances but uses a "tough love" management style that, on the surface, offers little support to the rookie producer. Ikuta eventually succeeds, of course, in spite of all the obstacles, but the harassment itself goes unnoticed (except by Ikuta) and unpunished. That doesn't sit well now.

Noto Mamiko (Ikuta Mitsuki and opening vocals) has had a prolific career as both a singer and a voice actress. She played the title role in Nogizaka Haraku; the siren Benten in both seasons of Uchouten Kazoku; Alex in Gangsta; Ai Enma, the Hell Girl herself, in all four seasons of Hell Girl; Rin Asogi in Mnemosyne; and too many others to list. Miyano Mamoru (Ooizumi Naoto) is probably best known as Light in Death Note. He also played the leads in Ajin and Tokimeki Memorial ~Only Love~; the boxer-turned waiter Eiji in Antique Bakery; Dazai Osamu in Bungo Stray Dogs; and too many others to list. Kusao Takeshi (Kurume Kenjirou) played the lead role in Junk Boy and the teenaged Tezuka Osamu in Tezuka Osamu Monogatari. The director, Takahashi Takeo, has done many other somewhat ecchi projects, including Cosprayers, Love Love?, Dakara Boku wa, H ga Dekinai, Yosuga no Sora, and this season's Citrus.

As with Cosprayers, Smash Hit! consisted of eight TV broadcast episodes and four DVD-only episodes. We've numbered them consecutively in this release, with the original fansub numbering in parentheses. Interestingly, the fansub numbering of the first DVD episode is "1.5," indicating it fell between TV episodes 1 and 2; but the previews make clear that it actually follows episode 2.

The original subs are by Triad Fansubs (episodes 1-6, 8-11) and yu (episodes 7, 12). I OCRed the subs, and Yogicat timed them. The transcribed subs were fully checked and extensively revised by gamnark, convexity, and tenkenX6 for episodes 1-4, and by Sunachan for episodes 5-12. I edited and typeset. Calyrica and konnakude did QC. Nemesis encoded from R2J DVDs. For the short promotional videos, gamnark did the translation, and Sunachan checked it.

So if you're ready for more of m.o.e.'s trademark ecchi fanservice, mixed in with some decent comedy and a helluva lot of harassment, you can find Smash Hit! on the usual torrent sites or on IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net.




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Hidamari no Ki, Part 2

February 24, 2018, 7:44 am
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Here is the second installment of Hidmari no Ki, episodes 7 to 13, bringing us to just past the halfway mark in the series. This seemed like a logical breaking point, because the ending song changes in episode 14 from Hikari no Mouko e to High Dive, both by the rock group Charcoal.

This batch of episodes sees significant developments for all the major characters. Ryouan is summoned back to Edo from his studies in Osaka to help his father in the western doctors' struggle to establish a smallpox vaccination clinic in Tokyo, which is vehemently opposed by the official Shogunate physicians. Manjirou is assigned to guard the newly arrived American envoy, Townsend Harris, against the threats of the Joui movement. Both Ryouan and Manjirou experience life-changing events in their families, to comic and tragic effect, respectively. And both are drawn inexorably into the increasing chaos of the Bakumatsu, as the Shogunate's attempt to deal with foreign intrusion creates violent counter-reactions. For more information on the complex politics and numerous historical characters, the show's translator, Sunachan, has prepared a selection of links and summaries from Wikipedia. It is available here.

Three new female characters are introduced in this segment of the show. The first is Oshina, the daughter of a shop owner in Osaka.


She actually appeared in an earlier episode but wasn't named. The second is Okon, a "nighthawk" (boat-based prostitute) in Osaka.


The third is Otsune, the daughter of a distant relative of Ryouan. 


(The character designs are much less distinct than for the male characters.) All three women are drawn to Ryouan, for very different reasons. All get to experience first-hand the ups-and-downs of a woman's life during the Bakumatsu. Ultimately, their trajectories diverge, one propelled by the demands of love, one by the imperatives of survival, and one by the customs of family life.

Some translation notes:
  • "ri" (里) is translated as "miles," signifying "Japanese miles." One Japanese mile is about 4 kilometers. This should not be confused with "Chinese miles," or "lǐ" (里), which use the same character. One Chinese mile is about 0.5 kilometers. 
  • It's no coincidence that all the women's names begin with "O." In the Bakumatsu and later Meiji eras, it was common to prefix women's names with the polite honorific "O." Thus, all the men (even the ruffians) call the Ninaya shop owner's daughter "Oshina," while she refers to herself as "Shina." Okon, interestingly, calls herself Okon rather than Kon, as part of her self-given title, "Okon of the Seven Ghosts."
  • Ep07. A "nighthawk" was a prostitute who lived on a boat. 
  • Ep07. "Joui" was one half of the slogan of the neo-Confucian Sonnou Joui ("Revere the Emperor, expel the foreigners) movement. It was particularly popular with the samurai class and became the rationale for violent attacks on foreigners and revolts against the Shogunate.
  • Ep08. Christoph Wilhelm Hufeland was considered the most eminent practical physician in the Germany of his day.
  • Ep09. Bousshuu is the old term for the Awa region of Japan.
  • Ep12. Satsuma-age are deep fried fish-paste balls. Shochu is liquor distilled from rice, barley, or sweet potatoes. It is typically around 50 proof - more than sake but less than whiskey.
  • Ep13. Hougan is an old word for doctor.
  • Ep13. Manjirou's removal from his post as bodyguard to American envoy Townsend Harris reflected the chaotic politics inside the Shogunate following the ascension of Ii Naosuke as chief minister.
  • Ep13. Korori is an old name for cholera.
The retention of old words and terms, instead of using their modern equivalents, is the translator's choice.

One minor change to the project staffing: starting in episode 10, Yogicat did the preliminary timing by shifting the workraw-based scripts to the final encode. Eternal_Blizzard did fine timing of each episode. As before, Sunachan translated; I edited and typeset; bananadoyouwana, Nemesis, and VigorousJammer did QC; Skr encoded the workraws; and M74 encoded the final video and audio.

Before closing, I have to rant a bit about the chickenshit disclaimer that appears at the end of each DVD:


Whom, exactly, were the producers afraid this "biased" show would offend? Ultra-nationalist defenders of the Shogunate? Chinese medical practitioners? Any remaining samurai? The show portrays the Bakumatsu as a turbulent and corrupt era. It was. The show portrays the samurai class as having both honorable and lawless elements. It did. The show portrays the role of women in the era as subservient and limited. That was true. If Hidamari no Ki leans more to the western-oriented views of Ryouan than the traditional samurai outlook of Manjirou, that reflects Tezuka Osamu's optimistic and pacifistic outlook on life. Does that constitute bias in the eyes of certain authorities in Japan?

Hidamari no Ki is a gripping, complex, and suspenseful series - Tezuka Osamu at his best, IMHO. If you aren't watching it, you should. You can get this batch of episodes, and the previous batch too, from the usual torrent sites or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net. 

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    Senya Ichiya Monogatari (HD)

    March 11, 2018, 11:42 am
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    Tezuka Osamu's Animerama trilogy of "adult" anime - Senya Ichiya Monogatari (1969), Cleopatra (1970), and Kanashima no Belladonna (1973) - have long gotten a bum rap. They've been labelled as cartoon porn, derided as commercial failures, and generally ignored. That began to change with the 4K digital restoration and re-release of Belladonna. Now Senya Ichiya Monogatari and Cleopatra are getting Blu-ray releases, at least in the UK.

    Nonetheless, the myths persist. The press stories on the forthcoming Blu-ray editions breathlessly repeat the same old half-truths:
    • They're hentai! No, they're not hentai, despite the attempt by the US distributor to call them "X-rated cartoons." There's a plethora of topless women. There is sex, but it's always portrayed symbolically or discretely. Not a frame would need to be censored under current Japanese censorship laws, and in the US, they'd be rated "R" without a second thought.
    • They were flops! Only in part. Senya Ichiya Monogatari was a commercial success in Japan and provided the money for Cleopatra. Cleopatra was not successful and bankrupted the fledgling Mushi Productions. Neither was successful in the US, and the English dubs are considered lost.
    • They've languished in obscurity for almost 50 years! The movies have been available on DVD for twenty years, and competent (fansub) translations have been around for five.
    Now Senya and Cleopatra have shown up as 720p effective resolution Web streams (1280 x 544 when the extreme wide screen aspect ratio of 2.35:1 is factored in ). In honor of that, Orphan Fansubs is releasing new versions of its DVD fansubs, starting with Senya.

    When I first wrote about Senya and Cleopatra, I was pretty hard on them. I said that they were too long, the plots too discursive, the styles too variable. While those criticisms are valid, I feel more kindly about the films these days. Senya has the virtues and defects of later Tezuka Osamu "entertainments," like the annual NTV telethon specials, just with more fanservice. Yes, the plots meander all over the place, and the shows could have been shortened without much loss. However, the stylistic variability helps to keep them visually interesting. The individual set pieces are usually engaging. And there are frequent "easter eggs" to reward the movie buff. For example, in Senya, the titanic confrontation between the three-eyed giant and the equally gigantic bird Loplop is a direct tribute to the fight between King Kong and a pterodactyl in the original 1933 movie. Forbidden Planet's Id Monster makes a cameo appearance in Bander Book, as does Mr. Spock in Prime Rose.

    This time around, I treated Senya Ichiya Monogatari more like a chapter book, taking it in small doses. (This makes sense, because the source material, 1001 Nights, is a set of stories set in a common frame rather than a novel with a continuous plot.) This helps to tame its extreme length and makes it possible to appreciate the scenes and set pieces individually.

    VigorousJammer did a release check on the new script. Skr obtained the raw. I did the editing and typesetting updates, which were minor. Long lines have been broken up to minimize eye strain. The dialog font has been changed for improved readability. Although the resolution of the new release is not much greater than the DVD release, the DVD release was an upscale, albeit a good one. Your eyes may like this release better. Then again, they might not.

    You can get this release from the usual torrent sites or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net.

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    Sonic Soldier Borgman: Madnight Gigs

    March 13, 2018, 7:46 am
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    Here's another Anime Music Video (AMV) from Erik's seemingly Endless Collection of Laserdisc Goodness - Sonic Soldier Borgman: Madnight Gigs (1989). It consists of seven songs from the original Sonic Soldier Borgman series, which has never been fully translated into English, even though it has been reissued on Blu-ray. All seven (plus three others) are collected on the album Sonic Soldier Borgman: The Last Gig of the World. They are:
    1. Don't Look Back - first opening.
    2. Borg, Get On - insert song.
    3. Let's Spend the Night! - second opening (romaji, Yoru no Buttobase).
    4. Don't Stop Happy Rain - insert song (romaji, Yamanaide Happy Rain).
    5. Exhaust of Rage - insert song (romaji, Ikari no Exhaust).
    6. Tender - second ending.
    7. Forever - first ending.

    The songs are typical 80s J-rock, set to scenes from the series, which follow the progression of the series. The first five songs are filled with action; the last two reflect the return of peace following the end of the conflict. None of the songs really stand out for me, although Tender has some excellent harmonies by the singing group HIPS.

    Moho Kareshi translated most of the songs; Jonathan translated Let's Spend the Night! Yogicat timed, I edited and typeset, and Nemesis and VigorousJammer did QC. Erik, of course, encoded from his own Japanese laserdisc. The video doesn't compare to the excellent Blu-ray remaster, but that release doesn't include this AMV.

    The treatment of English words, and English loan words, requires some explanation. Official lyrics are available, both on the laserdisc jacket and in the CD booklet. Where the lyrics have English words, they have been put in the romaji, with an initial capital letter. When the lyrics have katakana, the phonetic transcription has been used, even when the singer pronounces the English correctly. So the romaji lyrics have "moonraito" for moonlight, although the vocalist pronounces moonlight exactly right. Otherwise, I would have been making judgment calls on whether the English pronunciation is "good enough."

    You can get Sonic Soldier Borgman: Madnight Gigs from the usual torrent sites or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net.




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    Cleopatra (HD)

    March 15, 2018, 10:25 am
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    As promised, here's the HD version of Tezuka Osamu's 1970 Animerama film, Cleopatra. I've already written extensively about this film and its companion "adult" anime, Senya Ichiya Monogatari. See the original blog entry for more information, particularly translation notes.

    Cleopatra is not as good as Senya Ichiya Monogatari, and unlike the latter, it was a commercial failure in Japan. There are multiple problems: an unnecessary sci-fi framing story featuring anime heads superimposed on live-action bodies; a heavy-handed satire of American involvement in Vietnam; and a variety of set pieces that just don't come off, such as staging Caesar's assassination as kabuki theater. Cleopatra's actions and motivation are contradictory, changing to suit the needs of the plot. And the whole film is simply too long.

    The film does have some rewards for its viewers. It abounds in references and easter eggs. For example, the characters from the original Osomatsu-kun series (1967) show up as bystanders during the Romans' entry into Alexandria:


    Astroboy puts in an appearance too. Caesar's triumphal entry into Rome with Cleopatra has numerous parodies and references to famous artworks, including the Mona Lisa, Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, Delacroix's Liberty Leading the People, Degas' ballerinas, and so on. Mark Anthony channels Napoleon:


    The gags are endless. So is the mount of female flesh on display. Despite that, the sex scenes are very discrete. As in Senya Ichiya Monogatari, sex is sometimes portrayed by line drawings of sinuous curves intertwining and morphing, but there's nothing explicit. Butts (male as well as female) and boobs are as far as the film goes.

    The voice actors are from a previous generation and don't have many modern anime credits. Nakayama Chinatsu (Cleopatra) played the lead in the Jaranko Chie TV series; she also narrated Kanashimi no Belladonna, the last Animerama film. Hana Hajime (Caesar) appeared on "live" TV shows. Nabe Osami (Anthony) played the lead character, Pero, in Puss 'n Boots Around the World in 80 Days. Nozawa Nachi (Octavian) has a much more extensive resume, including Black Jack in Bremen 4 and Marine Express and the lead character in the Space Adventure Cobra properties.

    The music for both Senya Ichiya Monogatari and Cleopatra is by Tomita Isao, who scored many of Tezuka Osamu's early works. The soundtracks for these two movies are devilishly hard to find. The soundtrack for Senya is included in a five-CD box set of early Tezuka Osamu scores issued by Nippon Columbia in 2016. However, all I've been able to find of Cleopatra is a reissue of the EP single that included the insert song (Cleopatra no Namida) and the ending. If you have digital copies of either or both, please let me know.

    The script has been updated only modestly from the original DVD release - a few more line breaks, improved credit typesetting, and that's about it. Yogicat timed to the new raw, I did the editing and typesetting updates, and VigorousJammer did a release check. Skr found the raw on a streaming site. It is a "720p" raw, but with the extreme aspect ratio of 2.35:1, the actual resolution is 1280x544.

    So here's an HD version of Cleopatra, warts, or more accurately, boobs and all. You can get it from the usual torrent sites or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net
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    Purple Eyes in the Dark

    March 17, 2018, 5:51 am
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    Here's another anime music video or AMV, 1987's Purple Eyes in the Dark. It's based on an award-winning, 12-volume shoujo manga by Shinihara Chie about a teenage girl who finds she sometimes turns into a leopard, with appropriately bloodthirsty instincts.


    There has never been an anime of this title; however, it has been made into a series of light novels and a live-action TV series.

    The AMV is based on a pair of image albums for the manga, Purple Eyes in the Dark from 1985 and Purple Eyes in the Dark part 2 from 1987. Of the 17 songs on the two albums, seven are included in the AMV: two instrumentals, two in Japanese, and three in English:
    1. Destiny Again (instrumental)
    2. Mysterious Purple (English)
    3. Kizuna/Secret (Japanese)
    4. Tell Her Tonight (English)
    5. All By Myself (English)
    6. Set Me Free (instrumental)
    7. Lullaby of Twilight (Japanese)
    Because there's no dialog, the AMV can't convey much, if any, of the plot. Fortunately, the complete manga has been scanlated into English by Aerandria Scans.

    Purple Eyes in the Dark centers around four characters:
    • Ozaki Rinko, a seemingly ordinary high-school girl who transforms into a large and powerful golden leopard when stressed or angry.
    • Her boyfriend, Mizushima Shin'ya.
    • Her biology teacher, the evil Sonehara Kaoruko, who wants Rinko for "experiments."
    • Odagiri Mitsugu, a freelance reporter who can transform into a large black panther (not the superhero kind). He's on the prowl for a mate.
    The AMV uses images, incidents, and actual panels from the manga, but not in chronological order.

    The songs are fairly typical late 80s Japanese rock, with heavy, simplistic guitar riffs. The music is by Nitta Ichirou. He also did the music for Nanako SOS and Dallos. The English lyrics were written by Linda Hennrick, who was the go-to lyricist for English anime songs in this period. She also did songs for Starship Troopers, Area 88, Record of the Lodoss War OVAs, Armitage III, and the first City Hunter series. Two of the English songs are sung by Yamaguchi Yoshiko and are awkwardly pronounced, but the hymn to female (feline?) empowerment, All By Myself, is sung by US artists, Derek Jackson and the Purple Girls. It's the best song in the OVA, IMHO.

    Although there are only two Japanese songs, the AMV has quite a few signs. This includes stills from the manga with dialog balloons, sometimes too small and blurry to read  Sunachan translated the songs and most of the signs (Aerandria's translations were used where the dialog was unreadable), ninjacloud timed, I edited and typeset, and Nemesis and Calyrica did QC. Erik of Piyo Piyo Productions encoded from his own Japanese laserdisc. Iriliane purchased Purple Eyes as part of a bloc buy of titles in Japan, but it turned out Erik already had it, so he sent the duplicate on to me. I can now amaze the young 'uns by showing them what optical discs looked like 30 years ago. Unfortunately, I can't play it, but it's real shiny.

    Purple Eyes in the Dark is the fourth AMV Orphan has released (the other three are Cathexis, Rainbow Signal Hi-Fi Set, and Borgman Madnight Gigs). The team is going to take a break from the genre for a while, so enjoy this last one. You can get it from the usual torrent sites or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net

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    Condition Green

    March 26, 2018, 1:59 pm
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    Inferious Wakusei Senshi Gaiden Condition Green (War History of the Inferious Planets: Condition Green, or just Condition Green for short) is a 1992 science-fiction OVA series. It documents the attempts of evil Emperor Vince (Vince? seriously?) of planet Gazaria to conquer the other habitable planets in the Inferious Galaxy, specifically planet Emerald Earth. The Gazarians can deploy mighty armies of robot armored warriors and flying fighters, but their Ultimate Weapon is a mobile, self-aware fortress known as Moby Dick (Moby Dick? seriously?). As a countermeasure, the overmatched Emerald Earth military forms an elite special-operations squad, Platoon 801, code-named Condition Green, to stop the enemy.

    Condition Green is led by a disillusioned major, Keith Winters. It includes Father George Garedean, a fighting priest and expert in guns and explosives; Edward Maclegan, a marksman and ladies' man; Shou Yazaki, a computer hacker; and Yan Novellum, a Yuronian pacifist with esper powers (and a light saber). The Yuronians are a homeless people; their home planet was destroyed sometime in the past. Yuronians can be found on both sides of the battlefield, which makes them objects of scorn to both the Gazarians and the people of Emerald Earth.


    On the other side, the invasion force is led by Yent Skarr, who looks rather like a one-eyed elf. He is supported by the Frayley sisters, Paula and Liza, who provide most of the fanservice in the show. The Frayleys are Yuronians determined to show that their people can succeed at anything, even military conquest. Paula created the mobile fortress Moby Dick and is in love with Dyme, the personality (person?) inside its "Bioloid computer." Liza is determined to destroy Condition Green at any cost. Watching all this is the Emperor's representative Jado, a three-eyed alien with an agenda of his own.

    The episode arcs are mostly the same. The Gazarians start some military gambit that threatens Emerald Earth with destruction. Condition Green is sent out to stop it, and after the usual hazardous adventures, including encounters with the luscious but deadly Liza Frayley, they succeed. However, Moby Dick is the ultimate Boss that Condition Green must face, and both friend and foe know it. Still, the show is not just Mission: Impossible in space. The war is shown realistically. There are terrible casualties, civilian and military, from the opening scenes. And the good guys do not emerge unscathed.

    Nakamura Daiki (Keith Winter) had numerous featured roles in everything from hentai to children's shows. Hayami Sho (Yan Novellum) played Hojo in Sanctuary and Pat Leivy in Starship Troopers, both Orphan releases, as well as the lead, Kouji Nanjo, in Zetsuai 1989 and Bronze: Zetsuai Since 1989. Tsujitani Kouji (Shou Yazaki) played the lead role in the 3x3 Eyes OVAs and Guy in the original Ai no Kusabi. He also appeared in Yuukan Club, an Orphan release. Sakakibara Yoshiko (Paula) played Sir Integral Hellsing herself in the original TV series and the Ultimate remake, as well as Melinda Hearst in Dallos, an Orphan release.The director, Yamauchi Shigeyasu, also did Boys Over Flowers and Xenosaga, among other credits.

    Iriliane started translating the series, and Sunachan finished it. ninjacloud timed the episodes. I edited and typeset. VigorousJammer and konnakude did QC (Calyrica and Xenath3297 QCed episode 1 in an earlier form). Erik of Piyo Piyo Productions encoded the show from his own Japanese laserdiscs. It has never been released in digital form.

    Condition Green never really rises above its pulp sci-fi plot, and numerous plot threads are left hanging. Perhaps they are resolved in the drama CDs. Still, it's an entertaining ride (and NSFW in a few spots), and it's not a teaser for other media. You can find the release on the usual torrent sites or on IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net.




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    Fantasia (The Girl from Phantasia)

    March 28, 2018, 8:33 am
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    We weren't really planning on doing the 1993 one-shot OVA Fantasia (English title, The Girl from Phantasia, possibly to avoid copyright issues with the Walt Disney film), but then Erik ripped the laserdisc of the show, and ics- happened to have a transcription of the English VHS subtitles, and one thing led to another. So here is an improved version of Fantasia, using a laserdisc encode instead of VHS, and with softsubs instead of hardsubs.

    Fantasia is based on a five-volume manga of the same name by Nagano Akane, who doesn't have many other credits. It is unknown in the west. The manga came out between 1993 and 1996; the OVA seems to be a promotional piece for the first volume. It tells the story of one Ohtsuki Akihiro, a typically horny high-school student with nothing more serious on his mind than seducing his squeeze Miyuki. One day, he stumbles upon a beautiful discarded rug and takes it home, only to discover that it is the portal to the world of Fantasia (or Phantasia in the English version). The Knight Sentry or guardian of Phantasia is a beautiful, naive girl named Malon, who instantly concludes that Akihiro is the man of her dreams, which rather upsets Miyuki. Akihiro is willing to go along, but Malon's use of magic to get her way makes him angry, and he drives her off. Further complications ensue when the evil wizard Roll (son of Eclair) shows up to destroy Fantasia, while elf knights Short(cake) and Mont Blanc emerge to defend it. After suitable comic mayhem, there is a sort-of happy ending: happy for Malon, at least.


    Note that all the Phantasian characters are named for desserts - Malon (or Maron; it's pronounced both ways) means chestnuts. Roll, Eclair, Short(cake), Mont Blanc, and "Brownie wizards" need no translation.

    Furumoto Shinnosuke (Akihiro) has a fairly short resume; his best known role was playing Kunimi Hiro in H2. Yayoi Mitsuki (Malon) likewise has a short resume; her best known roles was Aira in Green Legend Ran. She also played Keith Winter's sister Maria in Condition Green, an Orphan release. Nanba Keiichi's, who gave an over the top performance as Roll the vengeful wizard, starred as Eizawa in Chameleon and Hongou in Nozomi Witches, both Orphan releases, as Koujiro in the Fuma no Koujiro OVA series, and as Momonari Junta in DNA^2. The director, Kamiya Jun, also helmed Seiikima II: Humane Society, an Orphan release, as well as Neo Ranga and the majority of episodes in Hikaru no Go.

    We've used the R1 subs pretty much as is, although it's clear they're rather liberal. ics- transcribed the VHS subtitles. Sunachan translated the ending song. Yogicat retimed the subtitles. I edited and typeset; editing mostly meant excising the excessive number of exclamation marks. Nemesis did QC and also toned down the most exaggerated parts of the translation. The encode is by Erik of Piyo Piyo Productions, from his own Japanese laserdisc.

    So here is Fantasia (The Girl from Phantasia). It's mildly funny, goes by in a flash, and leaves no unpleasant aftertaste. There's plenty of fanservice but no nudity. You can get it from the usual torrent sites or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net.

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    Ai no Kusabi (1992)

    April 6, 2018, 4:57 pm
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    When Orphan released Cathexis last year, it was supposed to be the first release in an ambitious project to redo early BL OVAs with modern encodes and softsubs. The original Lupin Gang scripts were available, as were laserdiscs or DVDs of all the shows. The plan was to create new encodes, translation check the existing scripts, and publish the shows in rapid succession. Then reality set in, and the project has been delayed significantly. Here, after a delay of nine months, is the next offering, the 1992 sci-fi OVA Ai no Kusabi.

    Based on a novel by Yoshihara Rieko, Ai no Kusabi is a contemporary of Zetsuai 1989 and shares with the latter the same over-the-top emotional palette and tragic outlook that characterizes BL shows of that time. The plot is a fujoshi's fever-dream take on traditional science-fiction themes. An all-knowing supercomputer named Jupiter has constructed an artificial world with a caste structure based on hair color: blondes at the top (I guess blondes do have more fun), silvers-hairs next, and so on, down to the black-haired "mongrels" at the bottom. For some reason, the denizens of this universe are mostly men, although women do exist. Sex slavery - the creation of human "Pets" - is an integral part of the structure; in fact, it seems to be the primary business of the blonde elite. For more information on the Ai no Kusabi world, see the Wikipedia article.

    The main characters are a Blondie named Iason, who runs the illegal Pet trade from the elite city of Tanagura, and Riki, a black-haired mongrel from the slum city of Ceres. Iason rescues Riki from a tight situation and makes Riki his Pet. Blondies are allowed to have Pets for observational purposes, for no more than a year. Instead, Iason falls in love with Riki, has sex with him, and keeps him for three years, in violation of "the rules." Riki pines for freedom, and eventually, Iason sets him free for a while to return to his old life, his old gang (Bison), and his old lover (Guy). However, Iason plans to reclaim Riki by a devious plot. This sets in motion the chain of events that leads to the story's inevitably disastrous outcome. It feels like a strange grand opera, although there's no fat lady to sing at the end.


    Seki Toshihiko (Riki) should be a familiar name to readers of this blog, having appeared as the hero Seitarou in Hoshi Neko Full House, Miroku in Yuukan Club, Chuuta in Satsujin Kippu wa Heart-iro, and the fighter Nagase Jun in Akai Hayate, all Orphan releases. He also played Sanzo in all the Saiyuuki TV series and the title roles in Alexander (Reign the Conqueror) and Kaiketsu Zorro. Shiozawa Kaneto played Rock Holmes in Fumoon, Shiina in Chameleon (both Orphan releases), the egotistic comic relief Shin in Hiatari Ryouko, and numerous other roles before his untimely death in 2000. Tsujitani Kouji (Guy) played the title role in the Captain Tylor franchise and the lead role in the 3x3 Eyes OVAs. He also played Shou in Condition Green and Seishirou in Yuukan Club, both Orphan releases. His most recent role was in Kokkoku, which just finished.

    The original script was from Lupin Gang Anime and was pretty good. Sunachan checked the translation and corrected a few of the more baffling lines, like the reference to "an Achilles" in the second episode. (The Japanese phrase actually means "an Achilles' heel.") M74 timed and encoded, I edited and typeset, and Calyrica and Yogicat did QC. This is a joint Orphan-M74 release.

    When it was released, Ai no Kusabi was considered quite daring and trailblazing. Nowadays, it would scarcely raise an eyebrow. The sex scenes are discrete and indirect. Nothing is censored or needs to be. It is BL, of course, so if that's not your cup of tea, you shouldn't download it. You can get Ai no Kusabi from the usual torrent sites or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net.
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    Starship Troopers

    April 15, 2018, 8:07 am
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    One of my favorite projects at Yoroshiku Fansubs was the six-part sci-fi OVA, Starship Troopers (Uchuu no Senshi, literally Space Soldiers), released by Sunrise in 1988. It was based on Robert A. Heinlein's famous 1959 novel about interstellar combat, which predicted the development and use of powered battle suits and thus, arguably, gave rise to the whole mecha genre. Yoroshiku had a difficult time locating video source material and ultimately used a fan's DVD transcription of a VCD transcription of the original laserdiscs. Needless to say, the source material had suffered some degradation from the multiple transfers; for example, the preview at the end of episode 4 was missing. 

    I've wanted to redo Starship Troopers from a better source for years. Unfortunately, the laserdiscs of Starship Troopers were quite rare and highly prized by collectors. Then late last year, a set was offered on Yahoo Auctions in Japan, and Erik of Piyo Piyo Productions snapped them up despite the cost. He encoded the material, and now Orphan has mapped the Yoroshiku subtitles, with the usual updates and modifications, to those raws.

    The 1988 OVAs were the first media adaptation of Heinlein's book, which has subsequently been adapted for a series of big-budget live-action and anime movies. It is also the most faithful. However, like all of the adaptations, it is in some ways unsatisfactory to fans of the novel. The OVAs only cover the first half of the story. The hero, described in the book as being of Filipino descent, becomes a blond, blue-eyed Caucasian; the arachnoid aliens become tentacle-lashing BEMs; and so on.


    In defense of the OVAs, a faithful adaption of Starship Troopers is probably infeasible, because it's actually a treatise on political philosophy (militaristic political philosophy at that) masquerading as a science-fiction action yarn. As critics have noted, the classroom and training scenes in the book are longer and more vivid than the action sequences. An anime or movie that faithfully reflected the book would feel more like propaganda than sci-fi.

    As it stands, the OVAs chronicle the training and first combat experiences of Juan Rico, familiarly known as Johnnie. He enlists in the military after high school, mostly because the girl he admires/lusts after, Carmencita, has joined the Space Navy. To his dismay, Johnnie is assigned to the Mobile Infantry instead and the tough-minded care of Sergeant Zim. Training is long and difficult; 80% of the recruits wash out. The core of the training regimen is learning and mastering the use of the powered battle suits. Eventually, Johnnie and his buddies "Kitten" Smith and Pat Leivy are assigned to an actual combat unit, Willy's Wildcats. The Wildcats take part in the invasion of the aliens' homeworld. Johnnie is wounded and sent to recover; end of the OVAs, more or less.



    The visual side of Starship Troopers is fairly typical late-80s animation. The battle suits look more like rocket-powered armor than flexible exoskeletons. Even though the show is set in a future with faster-than-light interstellar travel, people still drive mid-20th-century cars with big fins and no seat belts, and they drink Budweiser from cans. The clothing is recognizably late 20th century, down to the Mobile Infantry's dress uniforms (with ties). It's 1960s America, plus spaceships.

    The voice cast appeared in many 80s and 90s OVAs and series. Matsumoto Yasunori (Johnnie) has had a long career, playing Rin in Joker: Marginal City, Muto in Oz, and Suiguito in Dragon Fist, all Orphan releases, as well as the singing knight Dick Saucer in the classic comedy Dragon Half and the magician Ichidaji Tohru in Every Day Is Sunday. Kamiya Akira (Sergeant Zim) is best known for the title roles in the City Hunter properties and the Kinnikuman franchise. He also stole the show as the lecherous robot Chiraku in Hoshi Neko Full House, an Orphan release. Sakuma Rei (Carmencita) played Shampoo in the Ranma 1/2 franchise, as well as the lecherous pirate Belga in Cosmic Fantasy, an Orphan release. Inoue Kazuhiko (Kitten Smith) played Yamaoka Shirou in Oishinbo and Yuki Eiri in Gravitation, but I know and love him best as the irascible, sake-swilling Nyanko-sensei in the Natsume Yuujichou properties. The director, Amino Tetsuro, demonstrated his versatility in other projects such as Macross 7 and several Lupin III TV specials.

    The music, by Nanba Hiroyuki (of Dallos fame), is mostly functional, but the songs - opening, closing, and insert - are all in English, sung by Japanese vocalists. This seems quite baffling to me, but English lyrics for anime songs were a Thing in the late 80s. The lyricist, Linda Hennrick, lived in Japan and had an active career writing and translating songs for anime. She returned to the US in 2010 and continues to be involved with the Japanese music scene, according to her LinkedIn profile.

    The original subtitles by Yoroshiku have held up well and required only minor tweaking, mostly for line length (Aegisub didn't have cps tracking back then). Staff credits

    Translation                  AngelEngine, laalg (Yoroshiku)
                                      Sunachan (Orphan) - episode 4 preview
    Timing                        Grv, Nanne (Yoroshiku)
                                      Yogicat - shifting, ninjacloud - fine timing (Orphan)
    Editing                        Collectr (both)
    QC                              Nanne, Saji, redbat, Sirus (Yoroshiku)
                                      Calyrica, VigorousJammer (Orphan)
    Encoding                     Piyo Piyo Productions (Orphan)

    The laserdiscs themselves are just adequate, with jittery frames and a fair amount of film burn. However, because of the tangled legal rights around Starship Troopers, I rather doubt that the OVAs will ever see a digital release.

    So blast off into the "future," big-finned cars and all, with Starship Troopers. You can get it from the usual torrent sites or from IRC bot Orphan|Arutha in channels #nibl or #news on irc.rizon.net.


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