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Forum - View topicREVIEW: KIZUMONOGATARI: Wound Tale Novel
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DontmesswithKarma
Posts: 491 |
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mine arrived today! already love it! I'm a sucker for NisiOisin's writing. although I prefer anime over manga and any other medium, I still had to own the books to my favourite anime of all time. plus..... MVM probably won't release the movies until the third movie is out in dvd in japan. a year later and we still haven't got tsuki.... the joys:(
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relyat08
 Posts: 4125 Location: Northern Virginia |
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I've been staying up late reading this every night for the last 4 days because I literally have no other opportunities to do so, but man, it's so addictive. The relationship between Hanekawa and Arararagi is so wonderfully written, I can't get enough of it. I feel like I might not appreciate it as much if I wasn't already familiar with Hanekawa's backstory, because you really do spend a lot of time wondering how she is so perfect, but understanding her more, it makes sense.
The latter section of the book when Araragi spoiler[finally comes to the realization that Shinobu is a vampire and that vampires eat humans, and that he is also a vampire and that he eats humans, and that he just saved a famously powerful vampire and enabled her to eat more humans...] Oh, that was so fantastic. 
I'm a little curious how they are going to split this into three movies. Putting all 3 major fights into the 2nd movie makes the most sense to me, but that covers a lot more of the book, than just the middle third. |
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Andrew Cunningham
 Posts: 446 Location: Seattle |
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Having translated some Nisio Isin by name, I know just how hard it is to to do at all, much less make read well.
You owe the translator the courtesy of crediting them by name. It's Ko Ransom. |
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor
 Posts: 7912 Location: Anime News Network Technodrome |
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Thank you, this has been added to the review. |
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killjoy_the
 Posts: 2460 |
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Glad this is finally legally available and that the translation/writing is good, as I've read the fan translation a whiles back and it isn't exactly stellar. Hopefully a commercial success with this release means we get more translated Monogatari, or even other Nisio Isin stuff. Pretty please?
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Usagi-kun
 Posts: 877 Location: Nashville, TN |
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This was a great review. I can tell how well you have sunken your teeth into this franchise, Nick, and I am in for the long haul on this one too. I can't wait for the first film, but I am glad to have this book in the meantime.
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theguyunderyourbed
Posts: 1 |
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Where can I get this cheapest? International shipping preferred.
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relyat08
Posts: 4125 Location: Northern Virginia |
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Depending where you are, probably Amazon. They usually have pretty good global shipping prices. The book is 13.46 USD right now. |
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invalidname
 Contributor Posts: 2450 Location: Grand Rapids, MI |
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The Bakemonogatari anime was interesting but I eventually felt it was like a chore to get through… might give this a try given how much people like it though. Pity that Vertical doesn't seem to offer an ebook version of Kizu… I've been reading the Book Girl, Haruhi, and Kagerou series on iBooks from Yen Press.
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relyat08
Posts: 4125 Location: Northern Virginia |
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Like Nick said in the review, this is a much more traditionally laid out book, in comparison to the rest of the monogatari series, so it might be a bit easier. The format feels much more similar to Katanagatari, if you are familiar with that series. I would recommend it as a starting point for new readers if it didn't feel like it relied on bake so much. That being said, in the afterword, Nisioisin specfically states that he doesn't care which novel you start with, and that this is a reasonable starting point, so I might be overthinking how closely it is connected. |
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st_owly
 Posts: 5234 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland |
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Book Depository has free worldwide shipping to most countries. |
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Ali07
 Posts: 3333 Location: Victoria, Australia |
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Ah, I forgot to re-order this book! Thing that happened with me is that I pre-ordered it as soon as it was up on Book Depository...but they cancelled my pre-order for some reason (I assume because the price for the book changed), so I've got to order it again (and pay $3AUD more for it).
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Dago314
Posts: 12 |
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I pre-ordered Kizumonogatari and I have to say I'm impressed with the translation. The translator had to deal with many synonyms of root words and despite that it's quite decent.
What do i mean, Let's look at the tittle first and foremost on the english translation presented on the novel under the registered name of Wound Tale. As as mononogatari fan myself and many others know that the key feature of the series is the multiple meanings and alternate connotation of what's presented to us on their seemingly infinite use of word play, Having said that I believe that giving it a definite name steals that from the novel itself. Kizu = Scar, Wound Kizumono = Deflowered Girl, Un-virtuous Girl, Damaged Goods Kizumono+gatari = [All of the Above] + Story, Tale Monogatari = Story, Legend, Tale THAT'S THE MONOGATARI SERIES ON A NUTSHELL!. They're all correct and highly applicable to the entirety of the novel but neither one it's stable enough for the novel. The result being western unfamiliar audience will be underwhelmed because the english language lacks the variety of meanings that the japanese Kanji has going for it. For all of us that have read the novel either the rogue fan translation, Google Store release or physical novel itself knows how well each of the synonyms can accurately describe the Arc of Koyomi Vamp. We also know how applicable it is to it all of it's entirety, Giving it a definite translation and having it on the cover steals that essence on my perspective. Sadly we fans know this and we will be looking to buy more since we want to have all novels, The newcomers however will fall face first into the book missing what it really means to read a book with this many forms of intricate word play and many of it flies above their heads. The english translations are more definite and since it's definite the lack of this variation will leave "wanna be CRITICS" a lack of understanding of what it's truly great of the work of art that The Monogatari Series truly is like I've demonstrated with the sole tittle itself as a example. The monogatari Series it's filled with that, Multiple definitions and/or connotations to his writing, Nishio Ishin [NISIOISIN]. Wanna be critics often want to justify their low scores with a self shield that prevents their narrow and gold fish mind from getting out there for people to witness. After all if they don't measure up to the bar and/or fail it must be the books and authors fault rather than their intellectual incompetence. Back to topic, The lack of this essence or variety on English translations will have many misunderstanding folks ignorantly giving harsh remarks to The Series damaging plans of future translation based on bad fame created by lack of understanding. That said despite of this. The book it's well done being aware that english doesn't encompass as much ground that the Japanese language does. So to the translator, My hat is off to you. You truly tried. To my personal preference, but for the presented reasons I would have preferred the Kanji on front with the KIZUMONOGATARI on roman letters, At the same time plastering the info inside the cover or the back regarding the meanings of the name of the novel alongside the synopsis of the work, Then maybe a trivia glossary perhaps of kanji to english with it's multiple meanings. That's what i would have done if i were the publisher. Moving on. Another complaint i have that's deals more with Vertical-Inc more than the book itself it's the presentation. Kizumonogatari it's the 3rd novel presented of The Monogatari Series by Nishio Ishin [NisiOisin] it's the cover. The North American version alongside the Japanese one are paper back format, However the thing that bothers me it's the lack of a box or / and case the japanese fan base were presented with. I have no qualms on regards to the picture on ours but it's fragility bothers me. Many of us will pin the books near the anime adaptations and if you're like me, You'd want a book that won't be damaged easily with things like folded corners or dust collection on the sides. It is this reason i think of the box an essential when dealing with paper back formats. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- I give the translator who did the novel an A+ on how well he did his job, and for those of us who read the other translation; I'll take a leap of faith and state on behalf of all the monogatari fans a sense of underwhelm. The translator set his work apart from the previous translations by using synonyms of key words and on my perspective made the novel good but less powerful than it's predeceasing translations put out there. At least to my eyes. They have to look different so it wont look like a carbon copy of someone else's work, So i can't really blame the guy. but the problem still sticks out like a sore thumb nevertheless. At least to those versed on the previous ones. It felt very friendly and less rough, It's a plus for newcomers as it's more of a breeze to read but somehow feels dumbed down. Mostly done to grab a much wider consumer base, It's about economics when it comes down to things. I could go on and on, But I guess with the simple example there presented; My point flew through. Specially with the opening of the book. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Now to the book!. Kizumonogatari it's a tale of the beginning, It's a story Araragi Koyomi the story teller has been putting off to his audience to whom he tells about his life. A story on which he deals with the traumatic event that shifted his life and his future that set him up on a path where the slice of life comparison he thought his life story would have been shifted to a more unnatural youth story. A story that isn't a run of the mill story that any youth person can relate to being past, present or future. The lessons he gathers however are resonating enough to the masses. Having already explained what is like to read a novel on it's base Japanese form or English the experience will be different, So I'll go ahead a depict that of the english publications. The story begins with a tone akin to a flashback. Araragi Koyomi the main character aware of his readers decides to depict a story he'd kept hidden from us as for why he is the way he is as well to show us his beginnings on the way he was, His first friend whom we had no idea on how he met on Bakemonogatari and Nisemonogatari as well of the tale on how he met his life partner vampire once known as Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade now known as Oshino Shinobu. To those who don't know, Chonologically this is the beginning but It's actually the third novel introduced to us after Bakemonogatari (A Story of Ghosts/Monsters or Monster Story) and Nisemononogatari (A Story of Fakes/Impostors/Liars). Having said that, Readers of this review you know what to deal with when picking up the novel. This book it's well done and a breeze to read, From a funny and erotic beginning to the most gruesome of endings you will have definitely have not seen coming. The pace it's great filled with insights as they develop on their state of mind,Physical and expressive cues are told for you to make assumptions and then your assumptions are shattered right before your eyes. Entire thought process are revealed to you and you are carried away just as the character gets as you read this book and fall first when he does because the story is so fluent that many important facts as important as they are fly over your head as it often does with youth and even if you aren't a youth anymore you will be as you read this book because of the way it resonates with the present and past. It's a state of mind on which many think they are over with but suddenly you find yourself on the same boat as you did back in the day. As if your life of experiences were deleted alongside your age and you are the main characters confidant. 5/5 Would i recommend it to newcomers in general? No, I'd recommend it to those who are aware of differences between western and eastern writing style. Don't get me wrong this book it's fluently translated and there is no getting lost on the read but it's done under the assumption that you are aware of this fact. You're not reading twilight. The selling point of this series is more demanding of a wide ample mind and perspective rather than just demographic with a shitty plot and underwhelming love story that does it to the regular empty headed western audience that are easily impressed with exterior rather than development and the know how of things. As to my experience this book require that much. Now for The Monogatari Fans, Definitely get this and add it to your Blue-ray / DVD collection of the series. It's most definitely worth every penny and the translator worked hard for it and definitely deserves praise. Last edited by Dago314 on Sun Jan 24, 2016 7:56 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Ali07
Posts: 3333 Location: Victoria, Australia |
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Huh, I've never done that. And, while I agree, it would be nice to have a case/box for the book itself, I've never had an issue with my books getting damaged sitting on my shelves. Though, I can't speak as to the quality of the paper stock used for this book...as it's yet to arrive. But, I've never bought a novel that came with a case/box. Add to that, I've no idea if Vertical would even be able to justify making a case for this book. LNs are still seen as a bit of a risk in the English market, so I assume they probably would've liked to have done so, but couldn't due to the extra cost. As for mentioning this being the 3rd novel, safe assumption is that Vertical were expecting a number of people already being familiar with what chronologically happens after Kizu, so they decided to grab the prequel that had yet to be adapted as an anime. Hopefully, with the movies coming out, this will bring some more people to the book. |
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relyat08
Posts: 4125 Location: Northern Virginia |
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Personally, I think that was a really good idea. I was going to buy this regardless, but I wouldn't have been quite as eager to get my hands on a copy of Bake as I was to read Kizu, since I have had access to the Bake story animated for years already. After reading Kizu though, I'm addicted and can hardly wait to get my hands on the rest of Nisioisin's stuff. It would be nice if someone licensed Katanagatari and Zaregoto again too. Can hardly get enough of his stuff! By the way, is there even a listing for Zaregoto in the encyclopedia? I'm not seeing it anywhere. |
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