We’ve started this year off to a pretty good start, and it looks like we’ll be making headway with a lot of projects in the upcoming months. As an added bonus, we’d like you to know where we stand on our current and upcoming projects.
3 AM Dangerous Zone (Nemu Yoko): To think that a pair of hairy, male buttocks (Takki’s to be exact) lured me into buying this series. Now we’re seven chapters in and have up to 9 chapters cleaned. billybare is currently the editor for this project, but will still need some help wrapping this series up, so that we can get started on the sequel, and then the sequel to the sequel(!) – What are those called? Anyway, there are a lot of laughs left in store for Momoko & Crew. Please come and help us
NEEDS: Raws Prepper, Typesetter
& (Okazaki Mari): This series has been known to make editors cry. Not only from the gorgeous – by gorgeous, I mean intoxicating – and detailed artwork, but also because of its massive redraws. Mari knows her craft and is constantly experimenting on &, so the effect is both utterly mesmerizing (for readers) and utterly destructive (for editors). There are also a lot of mature scenes in here. Enough to put an escort girl to shame.
NEEDS: Raws Prepper, EXPERIENCED Cleaner (or one that is able to handle a little tough love from our head editor, Lilanar.)
Anata no Koto wa Sorehodo (Ikuemi Ryo): Okay, another Ikuemi Ryo series? Say what? I’ve been in love (in a non-lezzy way) with this woman since I started reading her in the late ’90s. She just keeps getting better and better. This series takes a more serious turn in nature than her usual works because it deals with adultery, but it has her signature humor injected throughout, and I love how she characterizes everyone through dialogue, rather than spoon-feeding us information. A mistake that other mangakas tend to fall prey to, as if they think we’re drooling babies.
NEEDS: Raws Prepper, Cleaner, Typesetter
Ane no Kekkon (Nishi Keiko): I know a manga is good when I’ve found myself laughing out loud more than once, and this is one of those LOLWHUT? kind of series. Chapter 2 is cleaned and translations are in the works. We have the next four chapters scanned.
NEEDS: Raws Prepper, Cleaner, Typesetter
Balancing Toy (Yamakawa Aiji): We’re done with Volume 1 cleans. Huzzah! Now if only we can get someone to help out with Volume 2. I think the character dynamics and relationships are so beautifully portrayed in here. Probably one of the most fuzziest, heartwarmiest series we have on board. Seiji and Haru are so adorable! I know you can’t resist!
NEEDS: Raws Prepper, Cleaner
Bitou Lollipop (Iketani Ricaco): After much deliberation, we have decided to drop this project and allow Forbidden Garden to spearhead it on their own. However, we will still be providing raws for them.
Chiruhi (Kawachi Haruka): Story 2-5 have been scanned and Story 2 has already been cleaned. We’re in the process of translating.
NEEDS: Raws Prepper, Cleaner
Even Children Become Adults (Sato Yukie): Chapter 1 was originally cleaned by Elanor, but the raws were dirt-poor quality, so I’ve decided to re-scan them all. Kelpie helped complete Ch.1 cleans. Ch.1 and Ch.2 have already been translated.
NEEDS: Raws Prepper, Proofreader, Cleaner, Typesetter
Futago (Iketani Ricaco): At first I was very skeptical whether people would actually enjoy this series. I thought I’d be the only one in a crowd of jeering, manga-hungry readers/vultures. I mean, in actuality, there are only four tangible characters and mostly dialogue with not very much action (if any) at all. Who could actually enjoy this but me? However, I decided to take the plunge and translate Futago, and now look what it’s brought? So many lovely people who became as hooked on Yukari, Akari, Naomi and Miki just as much as I did. So glad I took the gamble.
NEEDS: Raws Prepper
Gad Sfortunato (Basso): Another one of those stories that make me feel slightly jealous that all these 2-D hot men only have the hots for each other. But we want them to rip the pants off each other anyway, don’t we? (joking haha) Lapin Peluche (a Russian group) has teamed up with us to clean this project. We’re in the process of translating Ch.3-4 and waiting on Ch.5-7 cleans.
NEEDS: We’re good on this one. 🙂
Heartbroken Chocolatier (Setona Mizushiro): Ugh, why do these characters make me feel so forlorn? Occasionally the creeping sense of doing evil on Souta because of his horrible obsession is overwhelming, but then the chocolates are just so, so delicious-looking and lovely. (I guess I’ll preserve his life for now.) We will be releasing the COMPLETE first volume shortly, which includes fixed typesets for Ch.1-2. I just wasn’t satisfied with the way it looked, and since it’s going to be a long series, this was my way of taking the mental thorn out of my flesh. We have teamed up with a Russian group called Aniblog. They will be helping out with cleans.
NEEDS: Raws Prepper, Experienced Typesetter (or at least one that’s willing to train)
Junai Rosen (Fujisue Sakura): You may be more familiar with her other work, Ano ko to Issho. Oh, man, no offense to her fans, but I really suffered through reading it and the ending left me traumatized for a very long time (and possibly numb on one side of my brain). Good thing I have her old tankos to fall back on. This was one of the better stories she churned out, though the artwork is pretty dated, if not downright ugly. I really thought the characters were adorable in this one, and by the end of it, I felt all warm and fuzzy inside. Ch.2-3 has been graciously translated by magpie, though it’s largely incomplete and needs a thorough Japanese proof (by none other than moi). The chapters have also been cleaned as well.
NEEDS: Typesetter
Kiyoku Yawaku (Ikuemi Ryo): A joint with Perfect Illusions. We are trying to contact them right now to get this project going again. However, in the case that we do not hear from them within the month, we will be going solo on this project.
NEEDS: Cleaner and Typesetter
Love Master X (Moyoco Anno): Ah, what josei group would be complete without the likes of an author as wickedly hilarious and obscenely brave as this woman? I want to bandage my eyes during certain scenes, but then again, I can’t resist seeing what crazy antics these characters are up to next. The very suave and hard-working Kelpie is churning away at Volume 1 cleans.
NEEDS: Raws Prepper and Typesetter
Mani Mani (Unita Yumi): This was a joint with Hotcakes and it’s still ongoing. We just haven’t got around to it yet. Translations are under way for the last two chapters. Oh, man, the last two stories are really, really adorable.
NEEDS: We’re good on this one. 🙂
Natsuyuki Rendezvous (Kawachi Haruka): Volume 3 and Volume 4 will be released as entire volumes. We have up to Ch.12-13 typesets in hand already. With the anime out, the fever has died down a bit, but we still think that it’s a great project and are DEFINITELY working on this behind-the-scenes. We only have one more volume to go and a little bit of help could go a long way. Let’s help wrap up our first long series!
NEEDS: Raws Prepper
Nigeru Otoko (Natsume Ono): There are only two chapters left!!
NEEDS: Raws Prepper, Cleaner, Typesetter
Nikotama (Watanabe Peco): Chapter 1 is currently being cleaned by Flapper Girl. I’ll also be scanning the remaining chapters for Volume 1 shortly and working on translations as well.
NEEDS: Raws Prepper, Proofreader
Nina My Love (Ikuemi Ryo): Acedia has mercifully helped us clean up to Ch.9. Ch.7 will be released shortly. We’re also in the process of translating Ch.8-9.
NEEDS: Raws Prepper, Proofreader and Cleaner
Nobody Cry (Sato Yukie): akiyamacho has signed up to help with the series and cleans for the first story are under way.
NEEDS: Raws Prepper, Proofreader, Typesetter
Otoko no Issho (Nishi Keiko): Gazechic has taken over the typesetting for this project until further notice. I think this is one of those series that takes a while to warm up to you. I started really enjoying it after Ch.3~4.
NEEDS: Raws Prepper, Cleaner (for Volume 2-4)
Principal (Ikuemi Ryo): I could gush over this manga all day. It’s undeniably, hands down, my favorite shoujo series right now. Shima is also undeniably, hands down, my favorite shoujo heroine to read. The moment I get this manga in hand, I ooh and ahh over it for a full hour before unwrapping it from its plastic wrapping. Lypiphera is currently typsetting Ch.8 and 8.5, while hoi is typesetting the Volume 2 extra. We also have cleans up to end of Volume 4, and pirato4ka will be working on Volume 5 shortly.
NEEDS: Proofreader
Sekine’s Love (Kawachi Haruka): Sekine is the most adorable male character to ever grace the pages of a manga EVER. Even my older sister, who is immune to men (other than her husband) finds him irresistable and has even taken up knitting as a hobby. Lilanar is currently working on Ch.13-15 cleans, while I’m working on the translations. With the help of donors, we were also able to purchase the Volume 4 tanko and that will be scanned soon.
NEEDS: Raws Prepper, Proofreader
Silent Summer Snow (Yoshii Rin): Done with Ch.1 translations, which have been sent to a proofreader. This is a very heartwarming story. Unfortunately, the mangaka got into a legal bind with her plagiarism case (because she copied the pose and clothes from a magazine photo). I was really loving the series she was working on that was running in COOKIE, but they decided to pull it, and she just fizzled into obscurity afterwards.
NEEDS: Raws Prepper, Proofreader, Cleaner
Teketeke Rendezvous (George Asakura): Why does this project scare so many editors away? Why oh why? I will probably have to sacrifice a lamb to the manga gods in order to find myself another worthy cleaner. Yes, there are some massive redraws required. But this series is SO worth it. Currently, Lilanar is typesetting CH.4, vanille is prepping CH.6-8, while Minelauva will handle the cleans.
NEEDS: Raws Prepper, Experienced Cleaner (for Volume 2), Redrawer (for Volume 2)
Tenshi no Tamago (Iketani Ricaco): We are going to release this series in its entirety. Cleans have already been produced by pirato4ka, while hoi will be taking over the typesets.
NEEDS: Proofreader
Torch Song Ecology (Ikuemi Ryo): We have cleans in for CH.1 by pirato4ka and CH.2-5 are currently being cleaned by Kiwango/Mangiwi. Translations are under way as well.
NEEDS: We’re good on this one. 🙂
Toribako House (Unita Yumi): Sometimes when I remember this series, I think to myself, “Why did I ever leave you behind?” That’s how I feel about it. It’s a really funny story, but I don’t know why it keeps getting left in the dust. So far, we have cleans from Ch.4-Ch.6. Translations are under way as well.
NEEDS: Cleaner, Typesetter
would love to be a proofer for sekine… anything for that hot man! please drop kick me an email and recruit meeeee! more power to u guys! awesome group!
Hello, team!
I’ve sent a retranslation request for ‘Sekine’s Love’ stilettoheelsteam at gmail. Please, look into it when you have time.
Also please reply what ‘Raws Prepper’ mean and how it’s different from cleaner. Maybe I know ppl who can help (depends on what it means).
Thank you!
Thanks for all your fantastic work! Stiletto Heels is definitely my favourite scanlator. I know that I’m bound to love any project that you work on. Anyways, I’d love to help out but don’t think I’m too good at much, expect proofreading and maybe cleaning (if I learn? It’s not too hard is it?).
Kira, it’s definitely not too hard to learn. We have cleaning tutorials. If you’d like to help out with proofreading you’re very welcome to join us. We will have lots of scripts to go around. 🙂
I just read the second volume of Natsuyuki Rendez-vous all at once. It was so great! >o< I'm very excited about this series now. I had forgotten how good it was.
I could help typeset Toribako House or 3 AM Dangerous Zone. I’ve been in scanlation for three years so I have experience in typesetting. ^^
Hey I don’t see anything about Tokyo Alice!
Has that been dropped?
It seems I have skipped over the project…
We have translations up to Ch.10. Ch.7-9 have been PR’ed by vanille. We do not have a cleaner or typesetter to continue the project due to a lack of interest and are currently debating whether to keep it or find another home for it.
Really thanks for this update and also for your hard work, I would be very honored and happy to help you if I could, but unfortunately I do not know Japanese very well, also I do not have great qualities, I’m learning to clean and filter raws, about edit I get along, but I’m very far from your standards: guys, sometimes you do some work on redrawing really amazing! Anyway thank you very much for everything, I love your projects, I love the way you work, and I appreciate your choices, and I’ll prove it already translating into Italian three of your projects that I love to madness, though I admit that if I could, I would translate many other…thanks again and have a nice day…bye
Thanks for the updates! I love almost all of your projects.
I would love to help typeset Ane no Kekkon and proofread any of your projects, although I’m only a novice typesetter and am not, in any way, an English professor. I’m just a grammar purist.
Please let me know if you are okay with a beginner (and slow) typesetter for your project (or proofreader).
What does redraw mean? I think I have an idea, but I’m still pretty confused. I’m curious, you know, just wondering what people have to go through.
Redrawing is like drawing parts of the manga where the text used to be in order for it to look like it was never there 😀
You know those really big sound effects that go across the page when you read chapters sometimes? Things like BAM! or SLAP! etc? Well in order to put the english words onto there, the original Japanese characters have to be erased first. Of course sometimes it works to just put the English right on top, but sometimes there still may be some Japanese still sticking out. In these cases you would need to “redraw” those parts. If you just simply erased it without redrawing there would be random white spots sticking out. Usually redrawing involves using a brush/pen tool on Photoshop and creating new lines over where the Japanese text used to be so it looked like they were never there. Of course, sometimes its not easy! Any text that’s not inside a bubble or a box has the potential to need redraws. It could be unboxed narration on top of a person for example, and you would need to redraw their hair/clothes/body depending on where it is (Hair in my opinion is the worse because you need to re-draw it strand by strand…). Or it could be thoughts right on top of pretty patterny tones which would require cloning of those patterns.
Hope that helps understand what kind of things cleaners have to go through x__x;; lol
Thanks for bringing 3 AM and & to us. I’ve been hooked ever since I started reading those. Now that I’ve graduated from shoujo, I’m into josei big time. I did a little scanlation work a few years back for a team that’s no longer around. I think I still know my way around editing software although I might need a refresher crash course, so I’ll be glad to offer whatever help I can.
Thank you a lot for your hard work! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!
OMG, I really can wait for the day I’ll be able to read the sequel of 3am! (I read the raw of dangerous zone already since I’m really impatient!)
Thank you for your hard work! I’m really happy to see so many manga to come! Don’t overwork yourselves though! 😛