Need your help with deciding to buy LN raws or not!
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I need your help with deciding if I should buy light novel raws of some special series, or not. I thought so much over it by myself, but couldn’t get to a decent decision.
Years ago, I bought myself the raws of Hakushaku to Yousei and loved them (bought them for collecting, can’t read a damn actually). Reason for me was, that I wanted to enjoy the printed high quality illustrations and owning the books/aka the story as a fan.
Now I’m interested in three series, the stories are quite good and the settings are also really interesting. But they are totally expensive (one volume costs around 10 to 12 dollars) and there is still no end in view (the first one has currently 9 volumes, the second 11 and the third one 14). The first two series have good chances getting licensed in the future, so I would definitely buy the translated books (normally I would just buy the ebooks, but here I would probably buy the printed versions). The third series probably will never get licensed (the publisher is AlphaPolis) and I’m currently relying on the fan translation. Not forgetting, that the shipping is still really expensive (using the japanese amazon)...
I also thought, that I could buy at least the third series (the one with 14 ongoing volumes) as ebooks using Honto, but ebooks are never as good as their printed versions (although I have two light novel series as Honto ebooks, since I couldn’t even get them in used condition anymore and their quality is really good for ebooks). Well, should I be satisfied with it, if I buy them as ebooks (although the quality is inferior to the two series I have as ebooks mentioned above)? Better, than not having them I try telling myself, buying so many printed volumes is clearly too expensive for me and I don’t have much space anymore to store them, plus I can’t even read them... Honestly, what should I do?!
Sorry, for the confusing rant. It must be very silly...
... Should I buy at least the ebook versions, or should I just be satisfied with the downloadable epubs of the fan translation (even if the illu quality isn’t that good either)??? -
If you can't read Japanese and you don't have much money, buying a bunch of Japanese light novels doesn't seem like the best use of your budget.
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If you want to support the author/artist buy 1 volume that has art you particularly like (or buy a licensed print and hang it on the wall)
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@Jon-Mitchell Haha, that isn’t a good solution for me, if I buy one volume I automatically crave for the rest.
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I don't think it something strangers can really help you on, maybe try looking at what you would do with that money otherwise and determine which you would like more between that and those books you can't read.
From what you say it seems like a rather bad decision, but well I'm someone who mostly eats pasta to buy books with the money instead so I can certainly understand the type of struggle you're in ^^ -
@silvercat422 said in Need your help with deciding to buy LN raws or not!:
The third series probably will never get licensed (the publisher is AlphaPolis) and I’m currently relying on the fan translation. Not forgetting, that the shipping is still really expensive (using the japanese amazon)...
My alignment is Lawful Good, so I'd want to support that author by buying their works in some form or another. If I never expected to see a licensed English translation I'd probably just get ebooks for space reasons, but since you prefer the physical volumes that makes more sense for you.
That's just how I am not how I think anyone else is "supposed to be," and it's also easy for me to take that position since I have a high-paying job and live below my means. $168 + shipping would not make me give up food for a week.