The evilness of Hajime Kanzaka and the terrible curse of Tokyopop

[pip25]

No, this is not a Tokyopop-bashing entry. On the contrary, actually. A few days ago, I've been put into a situation that reminded me quite a bit of what they must have faced when trying to localize the Slayers novels.

Comments

[shansito]

Well, I do seem to remember that Lina casted the Giga Slave in almost the same fashion as in that SP chapter, in the Slayers Premium Drama =3 and you know, there she used it agaisnt Naga xD and that time, she perfectly knew what could happen, so... more fun =D

A detailed version would be great for us (we wouldn't be participating in a Wikia if we didn't like details xD), but that's exactly the point of the SP chapters, they're all just senseless fun, it's like watching Bobobobobo Bobobo, SpongeBob SquarePants or series like that

[shansito]

True, but at the same time, although that was the first Giga Slave use chronologically speaking in the Slayers timeline, readers could already know (mostly japanese readers, of course) what was that spell about since either 1990 (first novel, "first" use), 1993 (7th novel, Claire Bible explanation), 1994 (8th novel, L-sama Herself), 1995 (1st series), 1996 (NEXT) and 1997 (TRY), while that novel chapter was written by the end of 1997. The spell has been introduced and explained already many times to readers and audience, so it could just be that Kanzaka thought it would be pointless to give, again, information about the spell, specially taken into account the light character of the SP chapters. What's more, he even doesn't write almost anything about other new spells that may appear in the Special saga, or others not-so-new but almost-not-used in the main series.

Anyway, I would be jumping all over the house if he would have given more info about that particular scene, of course xD

[pip25]

I guess it's partly that the special series usually has very little to do with the main novels. Some arcs, like the men in black in novel 9-10 and Wizer are connected, but mostly, the two have next to nothing in common, so the very different tone and detail-level does not bother you... except, well, here.

[gruic]

Lina says something about her adventure in Special at least one time per main novel. She learned a lot before she met Gourry and her experience in Special help her oftenly.

[pip25]

Really? Honestly, I'm surprised, because I don't really remember all too many such occasions.
It could be true though, my knowledge of the main novels isn't all that detailed - I've only read the first arc around two times, I remember it much less precisely than the anime.

[gruic]

Yep, I'm not gonna list them all but for example :

"Depending on how you mix them together, the first spell's power can instead be greatly amplified. That is to say, just mixing a fireball and Freeze Bullet any old way could end up producing one hell of a fireball (...) The sorceress with whom I'd worked on the matter had wandered off on her own a little while before I met Gourry".
Novel 3, tokyopop page 48.

This kind of thing appeared a lot in the novel of the main serie. For example, all the story of 4th novel is possible only because Lina already met Phil on the Special Serie.

The name "Naga " is never says but she has a lot of cameos or reference in the main serie too, like "the other sorceress", "Big sis" or her true name "Gracia".

Oh, now I want to read them again :c but my japanese is still not enough good.