Friday, October 28, 2011

[Novel] NO. 6 - Vol 3 Ch 4

These are English translations for the novel NO. 6 by Asano Atsuko.
Please hover over the image to see the text.

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CHAPTER 4
A Lie of Truth, A Truth of Fiction

The King's ears are donkey's ears.
Great furry donkey's ears.
Moving, twitching donkey's ears.

- Greek myth "King Midas' Donkey Ears" [1]

Nezumi walked slowly along the night path. Here, night and darkness were synonymous with each other. After all natural light had faded, what was left was a world of darkness. Everything became painted black.

Sometimes, a barrack would let a thin strip of light seep out of one of its cracks, while barely keeping the wind and rain out. But the lights were often extinguished not long after, and a frigid chill would reign over the night, piercing through the darkness, the silence, and people's clothes to reach their warm bodies underneath.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

[Novel] NO. 6 - Vol 3 Ch 3

These are English translations of the novel NO. 6 by Asano Atsuko.

On accents and dialects: I know many people hate the use of dialects in localization because it reinforces a stereotype, but it's one of the few ways I can bring character into a person's speech. I have nothing against working-class British people, or the Deep South!

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CHAPTER 3
Land's End

Humans were born from the eye of Ra. Ra was the creator of heaven, earth, and all things. Since he was the Sun, and also the ruler of the gods, it was decided that he would become the first King on earth.
-Egyptian myth 'The Beginning of Heaven and Earth' [1]

It was blurry. Everything was veiled in a haze, and vague.

But I have to wake up...

Safu struggled to open her eyes. She bit her lip as hard as she could. There was a slight pain. She could feel her sensations returning.

Friday, October 14, 2011

[Novel] NO. 6 - Vol 3 Ch 2 (b)

This is a continuation of PART A.

* * *

The elderly woman gave a small cry.

"Heavens, a crow!"

A crow with glossy black wings had alighted on the ground at Karan's feet.

"How disturbing," the woman said uneasily. "Were there ever any crows in the Forest Park?" She furrowed her brow.

"This is a natural environment after all. There are crows, though probably not many of them," Karan replied. The crow took flight again. She thought it would fly away, but instead, it flapped its wings busily and alighted again, onto a man's shoulder.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

[Novel] NO. 6 - Vol 3 Ch 2 (a)

These are English translations for the novel NO. 6 by Asano Atsuko.
Please see annotations and image-text on mouse-over.

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CHAPTER 2
Tranquil Scenes

I am the one without hope, the word without echoes,
he who lost everything and he who had everything.

Last hawser, in you creaks my last longing.
In my barren land you are the final rose.


- Neruda, Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair [1]

In No. 6, those under forty years of age consisted the majority of the age demographic. It was a young city. Because of this, the odd elderly person she passed on the street stood out all the more sorely.

I'd do anything to avoid growing old.

She was sick of seeing obese, white-haired women; knobbly, wrinkly old men and the like.

Monday, October 3, 2011

[Novel] NO. 6 - Vol 3 Ch 1 (b)

This is a continuation of PART A.

* * *

"I want information."

"I figured as much," Inukashi said simply. "Even you wouldn't be foolish enough to come to me looking for groceries. So? Information about what?"

"The Correctional Facility."

Inukashi almost fell over.