Transitioning to the manga

[Foggle]

Mosho moshi
I am Kabapu Hakase

I must stop Access...

[Micki!]

Mosho moshi
I am Kabapu Hakase

I must stop Access...

muu..?

seriously... muu...

[goody2shoes]

I see nothing wrong with those lines.

Spoiler

jk

[close]

I take it you guys don't know what's the best option for purchase, then. It's highly subjective, I know.

In that case, do you think buying new copies will support the franchise? IIRC it's out of print, so the ones in stock are the final supply, right? Viz even dropped the license completely, didn't they?

[Timeseeker]

I'm also thinking about buy the printed version (as Cartoon X mentioned is the only one available now) but i've read in some places that some volumes are bit hard to find, can anyone tell me what volumes are more rare. I'm planning to read this series for so long but i've lost my hope of some company release a portuguese version of this manga, will be the first time i import a manga and depending of the brazilian publishers will not be the only time.

[goody2shoes]

That would be vol. 5, 7 and 8. They were printed in shorter supply for some reason (and one introduces a character iirc).

As for the in-stock volumes, some more research decided things for me. The used market in Sweden for this manga is completely dry, and shipping even the cheapest used books over would cost me more than buying them from a national retailer.

Getting the oop ones might get pricey though, so Foggle, I'll check with you if you might have a better deal. Expect a PM soon.

[Foggle]

I take it you guys don't know what's the best option for purchase, then. It's highly subjective, I know.

I think they're probably gonna' be about the same price anywhere you go. I'm not really knowledgeable about non-American storefronts, sorry.

In that case, do you think buying new copies will support the franchise? IIRC it's out of print, so the ones in stock are the final supply, right? Viz even dropped the license completely, didn't they?

I actually have no idea if Viz dropped the license or not, but it would make sense, because they removed it from their digital storefront and no longer seem to field questions about it on their Twitter. Like, they list the print volumes on their official website, but they don't seem to even acknowledge it exists outside of that.

Buying new copies will give money to Viz and maybe Rikdo as well (I'm not too sure how much mangaka actually make off of translated versions). However, there really isn't a franchise to support anymore; the series has been over since 2011 in Japan and I don't think there will ever be more Excel Saga manga, anime, or merch.

Even if Viz hasn't dropped the license, the remaining volumes for sale are almost certainly the last new copies that will ever be printed. Once they're gone, they're gone, and prices will no doubt drive up considerably. I wouldn't worry about them running out for at least another 5 years, though.

I'm also thinking about buy the printed version (as Cartoon X mentioned is the only one available now) but i've read in some places that some volumes are bit hard to find, can anyone tell me what volumes are more rare. I'm planning to read this series for so long but i've lost my hope of some company release a portuguese version of this manga, will be the first time i import a manga and depending of the brazilian publishers will not be the only time.

5, 7, and 8 are the out of print ones, though 5 has never really risen from its retail price for some reason. 7 and 8 range from decently priced to unfathomably expensive depending on who's selling them.

That would be vol. 5, 7 and 8. They were printed in shorter supply for some reason (and one introduces a character iirc).

Volumes 5 and 7 introduce new characters, and #8 establishes the character introduced in #7. Volume 8 also includes the first major plot point in the entire series, while volume 5 is when the series really starts to get good IMO. They are not to be missed.

As for the in-stock volumes, some more research decided things for me. The used market in Sweden for this manga is completely dry, and shipping even the cheapest used books over would cost me more than buying them from a national retailer.

Getting the oop ones might get pricey though, so Foggle, I'll check with you if you might have a better deal. Expect a PM soon.

Sorry to hear about that.

This goes for everyone: if you have trouble finding specific volumes of Excel Saga for a good price, PM me and I'll help you out!

[Micki!]

I really do hope you guys find them available, a few good sites for the books to check would be:

bookdepository.com
abebooks.com

They're most likely not going to have volumes 7 or 8 though, but I've been using these sites next to amazon when ordering every single volume I own so far, and who knows if they do magically have one of the rare ones in stock, it could be worth a check, but otherwise, i got some good prices there and I especially like bookdepository.com as they ship for free within Europe (it's UK based), which means i could go nuts with orders to Denmark without worrying about overseas shipping costs, could be nice for someone like you in Sweden Goody..!

Other than that, lurking on ebay from time to time and seeing things pop up for not-ridiculous prices is also another way to got, for the 7-8 volumes, good luck on finding them, otherwise get to Foggle as he said, he can most likely help you out with something too 

[goody2shoes]

I take it you guys don't know what's the best option for purchase, then. It's highly subjective, I know.

I think they're probably gonna' be about the same price anywhere you go. I'm not really knowledgeable about non-American storefronts, sorry.

Np, I was more talking about used vs new from amazon but that's irrelevant now

I actually have no idea if Viz dropped the license or not, but it would make sense, because they removed it from their digital storefront and no longer seem to field questions about it on their Twitter. Like, they list the print volumes on their official website, but they don't seem to even acknowledge it exists outside of that.

Buying new copies will give money to Viz and maybe Rikdo as well (I'm not too sure how much mangaka actually make off of translated versions). However, there really isn't a franchise to support anymore; the series has been over since 2011 in Japan and I don't think there will ever be more Excel Saga manga, anime, or merch.

Never lose hope

Yeaahhh... you're probably right though.

As for the in-stock volumes, some more research decided things for me. The used market in Sweden for this manga is completely dry, and shipping even the cheapest used books over would cost me more than buying them from a national retailer.

Getting the oop ones might get pricey though, so Foggle, I'll check with you if you might have a better deal. Expect a PM soon.

Sorry to hear about that.

This goes for everyone: if you have trouble finding specific volumes of Excel Saga for a good price, PM me and I'll help you out!

bookdepository.com

Wow, nice. That just reduced my expenses by 1/4. Thanks a ton!

Also forgot about ebay. I'll check it too just in case.

[Lord Il]

Funny that the manga is supposed to get good at about the spot where the anime runs out of source material.

I've a feeling if the source material from Rikdo went much more beyond what Shinichi Watanabe originally had to work with at the time, he may not have been the person to make the ES anime at all. The reason would simply be the amount of depth and sometimes dark nature Excel Saga took as events unfolded. I'm not saying he wouldn't be capable of doing it, but... it wouldn't seem to be his cup of tea to make.

Welcome to AR, BTW!

[goody2shoes]

I received my first batch of volumes this monday. Boy was the translation an improvement, even volume 1 makes a lot more sense!

My only gripe is the way sound effects were treated. Seems like it's the standard for manga translations, but it did throw me off initially. Having to flip through a list in the back is bothersome, thankfully it's not necessary all the time. It may be heresy but I still would've preferred what they did with chapter 1. The translation otherwise is top notch, and it's great that they brought Kanemitsu on board since I loved the anime translation.

I'm really enjoying the things the anime left out. The difference is staggering even this early on: The manga gives the characters a lot more room to breathe and interact, and they do feel more like actual people. I'm warming up to the neighbours as a result, who I didn't like in the anime at all!

For the anime, it's like Nabeshin took Excel's "zaniness" and let it spill out into the whole show, for better and worse. It certainly made the aforementioned neighbours feel out of place in the show.

And granted, props to some of the animation from the anime, but wow is Rikdo's art an improvement (just look at Kabapu's face). The paper was pretty yellow but I got used to it.

Just starting vol. 2 btw.

[LumRanmaYasha]

Glad to see you're enjoying it!  Just keep on reading; it just keeps getting better from there. 

[Foggle]

My only gripe is the way sound effects were treated. Seems like it's the standard for manga translations, but it did throw me off initially. Having to flip through a list in the back is bothersome, thankfully it's not necessary all the time. It may be heresy but I still would've preferred what they did with chapter 1.

I agree, though I eventually stopped caring about the sound effects at all.

The translation otherwise is top notch, and it's great that they brought Kanemitsu on board since I loved the anime translation.

Sadly, he leaves the series after volume 5 - which is, coincidentally enough, the last book released when the anime was made. Thankfully, Carl Horn is there for the entire English adaptation, so there's a consistent voice throughout the entire run.

I'm really enjoying the things the anime left out. The difference is staggering even this early on: The manga gives the characters a lot more room to breathe and interact, and they do feel more like actual people. I'm warming up to the neighbours as a result, who I didn't like in the anime at all!

I didn't care for them in the anime either, but I actually ended up liking them more than the "main" characters thanks to the manga!

And granted, props to some of the animation from the anime, but wow is Rikdo's art an improvement (just look at Kabapu's face). The paper was pretty yellow but I got used to it.

His art gets really, really great later on. It's very expressive and lovable.

Just starting vol. 2 btw.

Volume 2 is kind of slow. I remember not liking it much the first time I read it, but it's grown on me a lot over the years.

[goody2shoes]

Volume 8 also includes the first major plot point in the entire series

It appears that way. Past the halfway point in 8 and wow, things are happening fast. That Iwata chapter and the start of the one after that... Man, Rikdo is a dick

Spoiler

I doubt he has the guts to kill anyone off for real, but it had an interesting outcome nonetheless.

[close]

[Micki!]

Iwata becomes so goddamned awesome from that point onwards, and it suits him perfectly 

[goody2shoes]

So after finishing my last bought volume, 12, I'm not that excited to keep going to be honest. Rikdo is good at hijinks (many chapters like the pistol chapter and AI van almost fit right into/outshine the anime), but his storytelling abilities outside of that leave me something to be desired. I'm not sure what's missing really, but it might be a sense of thematic cohesiveness, direction and characterization/character progression. The sort of thing I take for granted in almost all the anime I watch, and the few manga that I've read (I don't follow ongoing stuff like One Piece). Since he's making shit up as he goes along, the writing quality goes through peaks and valleys without much of a "throughline", if that makes sense.

Also, Rikdo's ability as an artist fluctuates. Maybe he was too short on time to produce consistently good art, but he seems to put an unhealthy emphasis on the "full body shots" of the ladies in recent volumes. Is this what people were talking about regarding a "genre shift" to seinen? It's almost like he entered puberty.