Translation Review: [Asenshi] Rozen Maiden (2013) – 01v2

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This post was written by kokujin-kun. He is not Dark_Sage.


Now that we’re done with half-assed speedsubs, will a real fansub group show us how you handle the most oversubbed show of the season?

Table of Contents

Release Information

Translation

Other Observations

Final Grade

Release Information

Episode details.

Release format: MKV (447MB, 10-bit)

Wap Level: Standard level (Eastern name order, honorifics)

English style: American English (but I saw the word “Mum”).

Speed: Quick (<48 hours)

 

External links.

Group website: http://asenshi.net/

IRC channel: #[email protected]

Fansub.co screenshot comparisons:

Subbusu screenshot comparisons:

 

Translation

Karaoke.

[Asenshi] Rozen Maiden (2013) - 01v2 [A29277C6].mkv_snapshot_01.35_[2013.07.06_14.29.30]

OP. Some parts were fine, other parts (like this) made me scratch my head.

[Asenshi] Rozen Maiden (2013) - 01v2 [A29277C6].mkv_snapshot_22.59_[2013.07.06_15.14.12]

ED. Hell, at this point I was going to give them credit for even bothering to do the ending song, but the lyrics are pretty much spot on from what I can see.

 

Main Script.

[Asenshi] Rozen Maiden (2013) - 01v2 [A29277C6].mkv_snapshot_04.23_[2013.07.06_14.33.57]

Are you sure that line reflects her character?

[Asenshi] Rozen Maiden (2013) - 01v2 [A29277C6].mkv_snapshot_12.00_[2013.07.06_14.45.11]

Well, at least they attempted to adapt Kanaria’s ~kashira verbal tic in the script. Can’t say it really worked for me, though.

[Asenshi] Rozen Maiden (2013) - 01v2 [A29277C6].mkv_snapshot_16.37_[2013.07.06_14.51.27]

That wasn’t a question.

[Asenshi] Rozen Maiden (2013) - 01v2 [A29277C6].mkv_snapshot_19.00_[2013.07.06_14.55.20]

“I will enhance myself.”

[Asenshi] Rozen Maiden (2013) - 01v2 [A29277C6].mkv_snapshot_19.39_[2013.07.06_14.58.26]

Try “maiden boss.”

[Asenshi] Rozen Maiden (2013) - 01v2 [A29277C6].mkv_snapshot_21.32_[2013.07.06_15.07.47]

“I have to go to that world.”

 

Other Observations

[Asenshi] Rozen Maiden (2013) - 01v2 [A29277C6].mkv_snapshot_01.03_[2013.07.06_14.29.19]

Finally, real typesetting, with all the t-transforms, alphas, color matching and the rest of the shit that makes it look nice. The only way they could have make this look better is if they did something to make the edges look more jagged.

 

Final Grade: B+

Even if there weren’t any mistakes, these subs only read like an above-average fansub script. I didn’t see many lines that would really make it stand out above the rest of the competition.

 

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5 thoughts on “Translation Review: [Asenshi] Rozen Maiden (2013) – 01v2”

  1. For me, the best part of Asenshi’s release was the Kana tics. HorribleSubs and uyA didn’t bother with them at all, EveTaku just added a question mark to her lines, and Aidoru just threw on “I think” to everything. Asenshi’s were adapted to each situation and made me more interested in reading more of her lines, which surprised me cuz I hated that bitch in the original series.

    Reply

  2. About the “Other Observations” part, this typesetting is indeed nice. The ideas for better typesetting are valid, but far-fetched for the current subtitle renderers and standards. To improve typesetting above the current level, support for gradient color and alpha certainly would help in this case. Jagged edges that match the grain can be done, but it’s a lot of work. Using the basic Aegisub shape tool to form letters will freak out any typesetter. Using the much better toolset of any of the few good font editors on an existing font will work. It does require a decent amount of experience with vector graphics (font technology), time and attention.
    That said, progress on these sorts of points for subtitle standards is sadly absent. We haven’t had various types of skilled programmers to work on a good subtitle renderer for many years now. The recommendations for ASS2’s successor had just the same blatant design errors as its predecessors. When we gathered a skeleton crew of project programmers and saw the standard, I made very clear that I wouldn’t participate if the standard isn’t going to be anything but near perfection. Nothing happened since then. I’ll keep my fingers crossed until I can get to coding the subtitle renderer and toolset for when this ‘subbing industry’ comes up with a decent new standard.

    Nice to see the amount of new content generated on this site the past weeks. I can appreciate the focus on Rozen Maiden as well (in a case-study kind of way). Well, just as long as we don’t get obsessed with little girls that get aroused by winding tools of course…

    Reply

    • Oh yeah, you’re right that, unless there’s a font out there that has the same jagged edges as the original, replicating them would be difficult. Just saying it would be absolutely perfect if they did that, but there’s only so much one can do.

      Oh, and don’t worry, hopefully we’ll move on soon to lolis playing basketball next :3

      Reply

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