Fansub Review: [Commie] Nisekoi (Episode 02)

This post was written by Dark_Sage. He is Dark_Sage.

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Futsuu, renowned Commie and UTW translator, said that Commie had the objectively best script for this show. Well, let’s see if he’s right. (Spoilers: Of course he’s right. Such top-tier translators always are.)

Table of Contents

Release Information

Visual Quality

Script Quality

Results

 

Release Information

Episode details.

Release format: MKV (279 MB, 10-bit)

Japanesiness: No honorifics. Classmates call one another Mr. and Ms. as is proper Japanese custom.

English style: American English.

Encoding details: http://pastebin.com/DFeuwZ2P

Speed: Quick (<48 hours)

Translation style: Aniplex rip.

Since some of you are going to be a bit confused by this review, here’s a bit of background:

Some people yesterday called Nyaa mods (Xythar/Daiz/Futsuu/etc) out on giving “blue” (Nyaa’s way of saying “this is the objectively best release out there, bar none”) to Commie’s release of Nisekoi. But considering the quality of Commie’s Nisekoi 01 release…

[Commie] Nisekoi - 01 [331218B4].mkv_snapshot_07.45_[2014.01.20_12.13.48]

…people were a bit confused by how they could have come to that conclusion. But when they asked what was up, Nyaa mods started deleting their comments, since anything that damages fansubbers’ fragile little egos can’t be allowed.

After a round or two of comment deletions, Futsuu got mad and posted why he thought Commie’s release was the best, in an attempt to shut people up. Here’s his translation report: http://pastebin.com/CpUs7CZK. The gist is “Commie has the best translation accuracy for Nisekoi and you suck if you disagree”.

Now, I thought this was a bit funny, since Futsuu himself is one of the worst translators around, and brainchild (the person who edited Commie’s Nisekoi) doesn’t know Japanese and hardly even changed the Aniplex script in the Commie release.

Example.
Example.

So I thought what I’d do was, I’d write a review and find out just how good these subs are.

 

 

External links.

Group website: http://www.nyaa.se/

IRC channel: #[email protected]

 

 

Visual Review

Karaoke.

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_02.30_[2014.01.20_01.05.11] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_03.16_[2014.01.20_01.06.59]

Opening. The colors change, but not in a readable fashion. The few effects they added were entertaining, but not quite good enough to make up for Commie’s inability to understand what a border is.

Rating: Okay-.

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_21.11_[2014.01.20_01.43.05] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_21.24_[2014.01.20_01.43.28]

Ending. Same as the OP. The color choices were cool, but not cool enough to make up for shitty font decisions.

Rating: Okay-.

 

 

Typesetting.

Typeset

There are about 40 signs I took screenshots of, but I’m just including the unique typesets here.

Spoiler:

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_00.09_[2014.01.20_00.33.37] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_00.12_[2014.01.20_00.46.53] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_00.13_[2014.01.20_00.46.58] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_00.18_[2014.01.20_00.47.15] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_00.24_[2014.01.20_00.47.35] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_05.46_[2014.01.20_01.12.18] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_09.02_[2014.01.20_01.19.06] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_09.06_[2014.01.20_01.19.17] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_09.32_[2014.01.20_01.20.15] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_09.33_[2014.01.20_01.20.24] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_10.27_[2014.01.20_01.22.52] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_10.33_[2014.01.20_01.23.14] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_11.09_[2014.01.20_01.24.41] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_16.33_[2014.01.20_01.35.58] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_19.30_[2014.01.20_01.40.17] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_19.33_[2014.01.20_01.40.30] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_22.21_[2014.01.20_01.44.30]

The typesetting is pretty damn good.

 

Not Typeset

Spoiler:

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_00.05_[2014.01.20_00.29.52] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_00.06_[2014.01.20_00.30.05] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_00.09_[2014.01.20_00.46.42] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_08.34_[2014.01.20_01.18.30]

They didn’t miss anything particularly important.

 

Broken

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_16.26_[2014.01.20_01.35.39]

Try QC next time.

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_20.09_[2014.01.20_01.41.24] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_20.10_[2014.01.20_01.41.31] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_20.11_[2014.01.20_01.41.54]

Not sure what the hell happened here.

 

Other.

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_05.09_[2014.01.20_01.10.37] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_15.05_[2014.01.20_01.34.06]

Commie has silly effects for the script. Hee hee, fansubbers are almost as funny as animes!

 

Oh, and you can’t play the release in VLC, or even most media players other than MPC. The video and audio desync whenever typesets hit the screen, and shit gets screwy. Hope you don’t try to close the program while typesets are up either, since the audio will keep playing, and you’ll have to force it all to shut down in the task bar.

Commie_Creates_Superior_Encodes
It’s beautiful.

Guess that’s just to be expected with such a superior release.

 

 

Script Review

Main Script.

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_00.42_[2014.01.20_00.48.17]

Exactly. He’s the heir to the entire yakuza. Brilliant edit, brainchild. What did Aniplex have again?

“The heir apparent to a yakuza clan…?”

A yakuza clan? Silly Aniplex, are you doubting Futsuu’s translation skills? There is clearly but one yakuza outfit in Japan. Just ask Commie.

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_00.58_[2014.01.20_13.50.53]

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_01.00_[2014.01.20_00.54.15]

Not nearly as absurd…ly awesome as this dialogue! Yeah, Commie!

It sure would suck if her first line and the next one matched up like Aniplex had it.

Not happening, not happening, not happening, not happening!
Me dating this guy is absolutely not happening!

I mean, can you even imagine?

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_01.25_[2014.01.20_00.56.04]

What’s a “Shuei-gumi”? Nike meets Haribo?

Oh wait, wait. I know this one thanks to Commie’s earlier translation. It’s an alternate name for the entirety of the yakuza, not the name of a yakuza family. Silly me, thinking I know more than fansubbing’s finest.

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_00.45_[2014.01.20_01.02.01] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_01.33_[2014.01.20_01.01.41]

Capitalization standards are so 2013.

HorribleSubs
HorribleSubs/Aniplex
Commie
Commie
HorribleSubs/Aniplex
HorribleSubs/Aniplex
Commie
Commie

Most people would think the use of terms like “bocchan” (here, “Young Master”) and “ojou” (here, “Young Miss”) in the Japanese script would aid in differentiating between who’s talking and provide clear status delineations.

But Commie knows that avoiding such terms whenever possible makes for a better script. After all, if Aniplex wanted those terms in the script to be understood by dirty foreigners like us, they would have hired a translator and given us the show subbed on their own streaming site or something. I bet they would even have called it Daisuki to indicate how much they love us.

One day…

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_04.22_[2014.01.20_11.21.41] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_04.25_[2014.01.20_11.21.29]

Just another human line in a human release.

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_04.47_[2014.01.20_01.09.07]

Overlimit mode: overactivated.

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_07.32_[2014.01.20_01.15.33] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_07.36_[2014.01.20_01.15.45] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_07.39_[2014.01.20_01.15.52] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_07.40_[2014.01.20_01.15.23]

I know I wouldn’t be able to stand it if the line had read “She said, ‘Let’s meet again,’ and gave this to me as a sign of that promise.” After all, that’s a symbol of reunion, not of a promise.

Sure, episode one may have been titled “Yakusoku”, but if not even Commie knows what that means, how could we?

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_17.18_[2014.01.20_01.37.41] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_19.18_[2014.01.20_01.39.58]

Commie: masters of the zing. These are definitely things humans would say.

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_12.57_[2014.01.20_01.26.54]

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_13.00_[2014.01.20_01.27.39]

Is this a “For great justice!” reference? Haha, am I right? Is that how the meme goes? Oh man, Commie, you guys are too funny.

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_11.23_[2014.01.20_11.41.23] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_11.25_[2014.01.20_11.41.14]

Such hilariously comedic phrasing. These guys are truly gods in human form. They are not Commie, but kami!

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_14.37_[2014.01.20_11.43.44] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_14.38_[2014.01.20_11.43.49] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_14.40_[2014.01.20_11.43.56]

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_14.45_[2014.01.20_01.32.57]

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_14.46_[2014.01.20_11.55.25] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_14.49_[2014.01.20_11.55.31]

What a flow of dialogue. Most people can only come out with something this Commie-tier after a night of drinking and Taco Bell. But Commie manages on a line-by-line basis. Impressive!

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_17.12_[2014.01.20_01.37.17] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_17.15_[2014.01.20_01.37.25]

You can tell what a dastardly villain he is through the use of Commie’s quality writing, after all.

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_17.56_[2014.01.20_13.12.57]

Using three intensifiers on a hyperbolic idiom? Sasuga best group.

[Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_24.01_[2014.01.20_01.47.22] [Commie] Nisekoi - 02 [F73CAA11].mkv_snapshot_24.03_[2014.01.20_01.47.29]

It’s funny because you didn’t translate the joke. But that just means there wasn’t a joke to translate. Futsuu would never be wrong. He knows Japanese. After all, he says he does. Facts is facts, ya know.

 

 

 

 

Results

Well, Futsuu didn’t lie. These subs are the greatest. They’re literally the best I’ve reviewed for Nisekoi.

I doubt any of the other groups on the show will even be able to come close to such heights, especially when they’re faced with the quality editing and translation checking that Commie put in.

Commie broke their backs on this release!
Commie broke their backs on this release!

Fansubbing is truly saved.

Watchability: Watchable.

Visual grade: B+ (F- if you don’t use CCCP)

Script grade: C-

Overall grade: C (F- if you don’t use CCCP)

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87 thoughts on “Fansub Review: [Commie] Nisekoi (Episode 02)”

  1. It’s funny you said “Try QC next time.”
    the ‘qc’ actually contributed some of these errors.

    I’m not letting rhe touch this script again.

    Reply
      • As I recall, she calls him that due to his being physically small. It’s an oft-recurring insult of hers as the series goes on, and I’d probably be hesitant to change it (especially since this is a Shaft show, and there’s likely to be some sort of visual cue for it one day).

        Reply
        • That’s weird because there is an idiom using bean sprout in English (maybe Brit) but it refers to someone being tall and thin, which sounds like it’s exactly the opposite of what you’re describing. So a certain amount of localisation would be needed, even if it does reoccur throughout the series.

          Reply
  2. Am I gonna live to see the day when people stop complaining about stuff not working outside of MPC/CCCP? Go grab a hardsub, ffs…

    Reply
    • Of course not. It doesn’t matter if fansubbers recommend using CCCP, it’s their fault if you use something else and the subs don’t work. Especially if you’re trying to make them look bad.

      Reply
      • I’d point out if any group’s release was unplayable with anything but CCCP. Though CCCP is what I personally use and expect most people to use, there are those who use other options and ought to know if a release won’t work for them (Mac users, for example).

        Reply
        • Plenty of releases (especially those with KFX) break outside of CCCP; I can’t say I recall you ever pointing it out before. Mac and Linux users should be using mplayer2. While it uses libass rather than vsfilter and thus won’t render everything properly, it does a much better job at it than VLC.

          Reply
          • I don’t usually point it out, you’re right. Mostly because it’s not something I test for. But when people are pissing and moaning about how VLC/KCP/etc. won’t work (and I mean to a degree of literal unplayability), I don’t think I should just sit on that information and play dumb.

            Reply
            • It’s one thing to mention it; it’s another to blame the fansubbers for it, especially when you’re trying to point out why they don’t deserve A+ (I actually agree with you, although I can’t say I really care about A+ status). It just hurts your credibility when you nitpick and make mountains out of molehills. There’s plenty to criticize without resorting to this kind of thing.

              Reply
              • The A+ itself is irrelevant. Making nyaa’s sycophants eat their own words is not.

                Now, whatever I say about things not working on VLC/Macs/what-have-you isn’t going to affect the canon score. I watch everything with CCCP, and it’s that watch-through I’m basing reviews off of (hell, I’ve held the torch for CCCP since I started subbing in 2008). That being said, I think there’s value in letting people know when a release will break if they don’t watch it in CCCP. And when it breaks this badly, I think they deserve to be called out for it.

                Reply
          • I would say i’ve never seen a release break that badly in VLC, mpc or even live streaming software like Plex or airvideo or xbmc. Usually the kfx will just kind of disappear because libass is too slow but the audio and video will keep going. If the screenshot and description D_S gave there is true of the entire release, then something is seriously wrong with it that “It’s libass!” alone can’t explain.

            Reply
            • I think if you skip past the first minute it’s fine (I did a bit of spotchecking after that), but yes, it completely breaks down when you try to watch that sequence.

              Reply
              • That’s all sorts of special. ITW’s NouCome didn’t break in either mplayer2 OR vlc here. (Hi, I’m a linuxfag). What the everfucking fuck is Commie doing here to break things this badly?

                Reply
          • Mac and Linux users should be using mpv, Mplayer2 is a mess due to the forking and half-assing git pulls to make much needed fixes.

            Reply
        • I am on a Mac and use mpv to watch my anime. I bet it would still break if it is that bad but sitting there to see anything by commie would make me want to vomit.

          Reply
  3. All of your objections are legit, but I wonder about this:

    >Commie: masters of the zing. These are definitely things humans would say.

    Talkin’ funny is a common thing in cartoons, yeah? Could they not have just been talkin’ funny?

    Reply
  4. I would say I’m surprised (with both Commie and Nyaa), but at this point, it’s kind of just what you’ve come to expect from them.

    Reply
  5. Commie staff being egotistical and claiming they put out good subs when everyone and their mother know it’s meme-spouting trash and le epic meams?

    Surely not.

    Reply
  6. I thought Nisekoi might be one of the occasions where they don’t have an A+ just because there are four notable groups on it. Oh well. Here’s hoping for an eventual BD release with Commie typesetting and EveTaku script.

    Reply
    • I think the major issue is how late FFF is getting with releases and m33w, peeps, and EveTaku are not much faster. It is worth the wait but when they go for scoring their A+ they will almost always kiss ass to the earlier releases.

      Reply
  7. I think I made Xythar mad. :(

    Edit: Brainchild too.

    Wonder if they’re afraid of the comments section or something. Hey guys, you’re scaring away the Commie devs. Put some smiles on or something!

    Reply
    • I don’t usually watch Commie but when I watched Commie’s Nisekoi release it reminded me of the effects in Chinese releases.

      Reply
    • I really like a few well done effects…emphasis on a few. Haven’t watched Commie’s release but just from the screens I’ve already seen three, which is probably enough for an entire season. As an occasional joke, something that gives a little extra impact to a line by how well it meshes with it, it can work, but if you pepper your script with them then it just becomes normal and you get tired of the distraction of it real quick.

      Reply
    • would like it even more if they finally figured out how to mirror stuff using the correct axis…
      (“finally” if the same person did ITW’s NouCome’s Ep9’s 180° “mirror” job)

      Reply
      • Yeah, I even thoroughly enjoy most silly typesetting effects, but this bugged me. It shouldn’t have even been mirrored at all. Words (on a shirt for example) are reversed in a mirror because they’re FACING the mirror, but the subtitles are facing the viewer. Any reasonable way you imagine the subtitles as an actual object in the room, they’d appear with the same orientation in the reflection.

        Reply
  8. So does it mean in really short way that Commie are the best release at the moment from FFF and EveTaku ? or you going to review them next? I’m confuse D:

    Reply
    • It means that of every release that I’ve reviewed thus far (a group which currently consists solely of Commie), Commie’s subs are the best.

      Reply
  9. Dialogue: 20,0:14:06.57,0:14:08.20,Default,,0,0,0,,Why would you ask that… -> Where did that come from?

    Dialogue: 20,0:14:15.58,0:14:19.29,Default,,0,0,0,,Wh-Why do you want to know so much about me? -> Why do I have to give you my life story?

    Dialogue: 20,0:18:29.21,0:18:32.71,Default,,0,0,0,,{Raku }I can’t read it, but it’s pretty clear that she’s calling me stupid.{Insults transcend language.} -> she’s mocking/insulting me

    Dialogue: 20,0:21:07.78,0:21:10.91,Default,,0,0,0,,{Raku }Wait, you’re serious about this?{This isn’t a joke, you know!} -> You’ve gotta be kidding me!

    Don’t tell me these are the “TL errors” that got Evetaku the shaft. Personally, I thought these lines were fine. So are they telling me that these are a no-no while “monkey AIDS” gets a pass?

    Reply
  10. “Hope you don’t try to close the program while typesets are up either, since the audio will keep playing, and you’ll have to force it all to shut down in the task bar”

    …..Maybe try using an OS that doesn’t suck monkey cock like, uh, I dunno, anything Linux based?

    Commie’s a genius for sucking up the release so bad, but it’s your own darn fault for using a crap OS.

    Reply
    • Umm, that’s horrible advice. If I remember correctly xy-vsfilter isn’t available on Linux, which is what most groups will target. If anything it would be more likely to break and would be prone to rendering incorrectly if the group doesn’t want to bother making it work in libass.

      Reply
    • linux is shit in a ton of ways and libass is broken as hell so recommending it for the specific purpose of watching fansubs is like recommending the wii u for gaming

      Reply

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