Guys, just wondering: Is it okay for us to start translating certain series that were originally legally translated but dropped by a company? Case in point: ADV put out three volumes of Jinki:Extend, but don't seem interested in doing any more. I've mailed them a couplke of times, and they never mailed me back.

So I was wondering, is it on the off chance okay (if not legal) to have groups translate the rest of the Jinki/Jinki Extand stuff? I have the Japanese Tankubons for 4-7, and damn I'd love to have some help (only I don't have a scanner). Anyone?

Well, it's still illegal if the own the license, but if they've dropped the series I doubt they'll have a problem with it. But, you should double-check to make sure they are officially done with the series. They took over a year and are just NOW releasing Comic Party vol. 5, which was believed to be a cancelled series. So, just make sure.

Yeah ADV tends to cancel series. While they have some great ones in Azumanga Daioh, Chrono Crusade, Yotsubato, To Heart, they cancelled, "Your and My Secret" "Happy Lesson" and worst of all "Maburaho". I'm not actually sure about Maburaho, but you'de think another volume would have been out after this long...its a shame...

Are you sure about Maburaho? I'd be suprised if they dropped the manga version of their popular anime series.

They published the first volume in april, its now january...i dont think we're seeing another volume...and if we do, then they're slow as hell either way.

I also have Maburaho Vol.1, and while I'm not really looking forward to the next volume relesased, I understand how pissed you'd be. Although I think the second series, Maburaho Colorful, has far better artwork (the art style used on the DVD covers, FYI).

The problem is that ADV isn't responding to my mails either way, so I don't know for sure if that's a yes or no. For all I know, they still have the license but are sitting on it to make sure nobody else can get it.

I agree about the Maburaho thing with them and as far as comic party it was a year between 4 and 5 anyway. What sucks about ADV is that they also never update their website.

It's becoming a complaint thread: I also wish they had not dropped Aria. It's still my favorite manga series (other than the almighty comic party of course). I could never find any scanlations, either.

If ADV is just 'sitting' on the series (i.e. keeping rights to it but not doing anything with it at all), I'd really be pissed. Sure, it may not have a huge following, but using legal restrictions to keep fans from getting what they want is IMHO more unethical than scanlating a series. I pay for my manga, I support by buying stuff I like and not buying stuff I don't like.

This might not be the first time a company has bought into a license and figured it would be more profitable to sit on it than actually do anything to promote their license. What's pissy is that fans who ARE interested in the series get their hands tied because they don't have a legal outlet to gain english translations of series they like.

BTW; I tried emailing ADV again--yep, still no response. If this goes on, I might be tempted to do something drastic.

If they paid for the license, then there's no real ethical problem with "sitting on it". But, what you didn't consider, is that they eventually intend on working on it.

I say to go ahead and see if you can get it scanalated, just keep it quiet. ADV is getting a bad rep with people here anyway. I spoke to a friend who manages a comic book store that carries their stuff and he told me that they are notorious for releasing stuff sparadically even their dvds not just the manga stuff. I say if a company is sitting on a series and shows no sign of doing anything with it then why not do it yourself, of course me personally I would put in dummy credits instead of real ones.

The response you'd probably get is probably going to be along the lines of this:

"Dear ADV fan,

ADV will work on the manga that you have requested in the coming decade. Please be patient and note that any editing of original work or distribution through the net is prohibited under the copyright law. We know where you live. We will hunt you down with weapons that you cannot comprehend. We have friends in high places and we aren't afraid to use them.

Thank you for your time.

The ADV Man"

You forgot DDoS as well <.<

(I heard some rumors that ADV did ddos some anime groups before, although I do not really believe those rumors at all <.<)

To which my response would be:

Dear ADV Man:

Turn around and look up. Yes, that's me with the green night vision goggles and the very large and painful looking knife hanging on top of your ceiling about to gut you from stem to stern.

- Signed, Wavehawk


Seriously, my argument is that I HAVE the manga (JP version). I own the three volumes they DID release, to show I'm fair. If they release stuff, or at least say something along the lines that they're not holding the license anymore so that some other company can legally translate it, it would be something.

I can understand how Wavehawk feels, I feel the same way about a lot of series too. I have wound up buying japanese versions of manga series just to get an idea of what happens later on to everyone. I cannot read a single word of Japanese but it gets to the point where you just need some idea of what happened. Btw just to give people an update To Heart volume 3 the final volume was finally released. I have a question for everybody is the second Maburaho manga series also liscensed because I would love to read it or at least look at it if it is not translated.

I'm talking to some members of MAS (Melbourne Anime society). I might be able to convince them to help me out with scanlating, if they're interested enough in the series. The response so far is positive; they love the Jinki Extend manga and artbook.