Fansub Review: [AsukaSubs] Black Rock Shooter (Episode 02)

This post was written by Dark_Sage. He is Dark_Sage.

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I’d like to refer everyone to this post on Asuka’s site. The people at SubDesu were so ashamed by the original release that they asked for their name to be dropped from the joint, even though they still have staff working on the show. I hope this sets the tone for what’s about to come.

Release format: MKV (419 MB, 8-bit)

Japanesiness: Honorifics. “Nee-chan” used.

Chapters: Not included.

Timing: Fucked to hell and back. There were enough scene bleeds the script went into cardiac arrest.

Special note: Every font they used was a default Aegisub font. This includes such greats as Times New Roman and Arial.

Group website: http://asuka-subs.blogspot.com/

8thsin’s translation critique: http://8ths.in/2011/12/02/winter-2011-anime-subtitle-comparison/#Black

Ji-hi’s screenshot comparisons: N/A

 

Karaoke.

Opening. Yes, this is bad. Terrible, even. But does it make you raise your hands to the sky and call upon a plague to curse all of Asuka’s staff (actually, Asuka only has one staff member now because even the co-founder quit) with a plague of tapeworms? No? Then check out the ED.

Ending/Special lol @ the kanji/Who thought this was acceptable?

 

Typesetting.

If only all their typesetting was like this…

“Hmm, this sign looks difficult. I know! Let’s choose a random font and just increase the size until it looks somewhat readable. Aww yeah, I’m such a fab typesetter!”

Also, this sign bleeds into the next screen. Actually, most of them do, but I’m only gonna screencap the next one because it looks terrible.

I don’t even know what to say.

They can do it in one scene. But another? Preposterous.

Yes, the typesetting fails by all measures.

 

Script.

>princess-sama

“Gomen nasai” is a single phrase. The space in between the two Japanese words does not mean you need to extend the line. Jesus Christ.

Oh god.

This is just one example of the shitty timing. I don’t really know how to describe it other than “Lines were randomly placed throughout this 10-second period, leading to non-sensical phrases and scenes.”

Oh, Asuka~

weired -> weird

I’m not reading English, am I?

Commas do not suffice as pausing devices. Asuka fucked this up throughout the release.

Dammit, KKrais. Now other groups are copying your “lol random colors in the main script” schtick. Fuck my life. I don’t want to live in this world anymore.

making her out to be != making her

“It’s a dangerous cycle! You’re making her weak!” is what’s supposed to be said in this scene.

 

Watchability: Not really watchable. But if you don’t care about font/karaoke/typesetting/timing… Yes, it’s watchable.

Overall grade: F

This release is a failure no matter how you measure it. The sad thing is, there’s an okay release hidden somewhere among all the incompetency. The script could be easily fixed, fonts could be muxed, and a timer could go through and make sure shit was done right. But this was clearly too difficult for AsukaSubs and the result is a failure.

I cannot recommend this release. Avoid it by all means.

0 thoughts on “Fansub Review: [AsukaSubs] Black Rock Shooter (Episode 02)”

      • I’ve seen and reviewed worse. Take a look at some of my Hadena, Chiki, and Espada reviews. If you want to see all groups that got an F, click on the F-tier tag at the top of the review.

        Reply
  1. >raise your hands to the sky and call upon a plague to curse all of Asuka’s staff
    >[Mad_Dog] Update: I’m suffering with the stomach flu right now.

    inb4 D_S tries to get us to wish him emperor of the world.

    Reply
  2. “If only all their typesetting was like this…”

    Not subjunctive mood? “If only all their typesetting were like this.” (?)

    Reply
  3. >Dammit, KKrais. Now other groups are copying your “lol random colors in the main script” schtick. Fuck my life. I don’t want to live in this world anymore.

    ( ゚∀゚)アハハ八八ノヽノヽノヽノ \ / \/ \

    Reply
  4. In order to try to save at least some face I’m going to attempt to explain this shit. This release was done with no actual typesetter and no dedicated timer. After the script left me it went to the leader of Asuka. None of the typesetting issues that I pointed out were fixed and several lines were changed to be incorrect. Only one of the script issues that you pointed out were there after it left me. The timing issue was also not in my script. These changes were all made after our QC and also happened for the first release. Asuka’s leader promised not to make his own changes again which is why a few of us volunteered to help out, but he did anyways. We will not be continuing to sub this series.

    Reply
  5. They failed so bad, I’m gonna offer to help those guys improve their fansubbing, and about just the basic fonts, I think they just didn’t mux the font files in, or something like that

    Reply
  6. Ok I’m the admin of Asuka subs here and to the person who posted those pics you’ve obvious you’re missing the fonts listed in the ass file we use.

    THESE are the fonts we used to the OP and ED
    OP: http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/2030/89057797.png
    ED: http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/7679/97549497.png

    There is no bleed over from the Phone texting scene.
    http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/1985/nobleed.png
    Main reason you maybe getting one is becasue with an mkv a text can stick while you move the time bar to another time. And the way it’s so displace you may have done this on purpose.

    Go Home – again you not the right font you’re showing
    http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/2622/gohome.png

    Also at 5am in the morning still working on this, typos slip through.

    and: “It’s a dangerous cycle! You’re making her out to be weak!” IS the proper translation here. Yomi is always making Kagari out to be weak and it’s leading to this cycle of always having Kagari dependent on her. Stop staring at the art style that you don’t like and pay attention to the damn story.

    Reply
    • Uh, you’re not supposed to count on the viewer to have the fonts you used. That’s why you mux the fonts into the mkv before releasing. If you didn’t include the fonts, then you can’t blame D_S (or any other viewer) for saying that they don’t display properly.

      Everyone forgets sometimes (I know I have more than once) but if you didn’t mux the fonts then that’s not the viewers’ fault, it’s yours.

      Reply
    • Unfortunately, that’s really a scene bleed.
      You mistimed it, both for the start time and end time.
      Start time :
      Instead of 0:04:08.31, it should be 0:04:08.24.

      End time :
      Instead of 0:04:11.31, it should be 0:04:11.23.

      I’d say, please ask your typesetter to learn more of aegisub– both frame timing and ass tags. If not, it’d be better to get a new typesetter or use an8 to all the signs that it’s so hard for you to do typeset it.

      (In several cases, I like to see signs as an8, because it’s easier to be read)

      Reply
      • Apparently they don’t even have a typesetter so it’s probably the dude above not knowing how to frame time properly.

        Protip for AsukaSubs: Even if a sign is one frame off it’s still noticeable, let alone like three frames or whatever happened here. Step through the scene transition frame-by-frame and make sure your sign ends on the right one using the ‘Set end of line to current frame’ button. The same applies for when it begins.

        Reply
  7. Guys, quit getting up the guy, you’d be pleased to know, they’ve got a new Typesetter, me! Also, he didn’t mux in the fonts because when your tired, mistakes happen

    Reply

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