At Japan Expo USA, Sekai Project announced today that they would localize CLANNAD Full Voice Edition.
While CLANNAD does have a previous translation, it was done using the collaborative platform baka-tsuki, which is regrettably not known for its quality (to the point where script comments spill into game text etc.) Sekai Project is working with Doki Fansubs’ VN division to release a version with an improved translation.
It’s previously been hard to get any significant information from Doki regarding the CLANNAD project, except for the fact that they are still working on it. What little I can find is a post from 21 November 2013 by an ex-member of the VN team, Rokudaime:
The-O Network: Key is “exploring the possibility” of releasing CLANNAD in widescreen, Planetarian will cost under $10 on Steam, and the usual bit about good sales making further localizations interesting. As with most of Sekai Project’s localizations, there will be a Kickstarter to fund the licensing costs.The release date during the presentation was listed as TBD, not TBA. It’s possible that this degree of uncertainty is due to the potential issues of working with a fan translation group. Getting it released might take a while.
Not sure how to feel about this one. On the one hand this is an incredibly popular series and they’re bound to profit (especially if they can get it onto steam), but on the other it’s a gigantic novel that will take an eternity to translate, punctuated by the fact the writing is really poor.
Though if this is another forward step into allowing more games to come over then I guess it’s worthwhile effort.
I feel that they should have went with Rewrite for the 1st Key project to bring to the west. Maybe Little Busters if they refuse (probably cause they haven’t done a Rewrite anime yet). Rewrite seems easier to target a western audience with, especially on Steam.
Probably, but you also gotta remember that Rewrite isn’t as popular the previous Key works, nor does it have the same type of story that most Key fans are use to. It’s a great work, yes, but I don’t think it’ll hold up as well against its predecessors in a western localization. Also, there’s a great number of people who love the work, and a great number of people that consider it mediocre. Clannad isn’t exempt from negative opinion either, but it’s generally well-accepted by the majority as compared to Rewrite.
Any chance that they’ll bring Clannad to other platforms like the PS Vita?
This is great news!
It looks like KEY may finally be willing to take a look at the western market. Wich is a good thing, very good, in fact. The problem is again, the small market and target audience. So, everyone whom supports official localizations ought to show KEY that even westerners can appreciate what they do, in other words, buy their localized stuff when/if you can. If they can show others they make a profit in the western market, others are sure to follow!
He forgot to mention that this will be a steam only release as it stands, which is extremely aggravating and disappointing. It kills me to see one of the most important visual novels I’ve experienced in my life end up on a piece of shit platform like steam. I don’t understand why anyone would want to digitally rent their visual novels and go through a third program to access them rather than just opening the visual novel itself. The only thing steam is good for is online servers and “chatting” with your friends list, neither of which is necessary or desired for playing visual novels. I don’t know about you guys but when I sit down to immerse myself in the story and characters I want to forget the world exists and don’t want to have to be connected to the internet to access it and have people messaging me “LOL I just banged your waifu, lets play call of duty!”. I really wish they would release a Hard copy so everyone can be happy. Especially on a release this important.