Instances of censorship in official light novel releases?

Korppi

Obviously I trust jnovel in this regard(though some discussions around Arifureta did raise some concerns but further searches didn't find anything...), but a move to alter a literary work to remove/remake an otherwise inconvenient scene would be the fastest way for me to drop a sub/official release of any particular work.

However there are other English light novel publishers not necessarily as scrupulous, and on the manga side it's not unheard of in even modern times, not even with big publishers like Viz, so I like to ask if anyone has ever found such instances, specific to English translated official light novels. I assume it must have happened at least a few times in the pioneer era?

I would also like ask jnovel how they would react in a plausible scenario in a very specific instance; If the Japanese publisher pressured you for a more 'clean' version for one of your ongoing releases/prepubs, what would you do? Would you yield? Would you give full disclosure to the readers/subscribers of such a fact? Would that publisher even have such power(license-related)?

Paul Nebeling

@korppi You've got me scratching my head over that last bit. Why would the Japanese publisher request a "cleaner", presumably meaning less "adult", translation? Or did I miss your point?

smashman42

It is more likely English sellers like Amazon would be the ones to want that sort of thing - if they are selling it in Japan with whatever scene is deemed questionable, why would the Japanese publisher give a toss it being in the English version?

alocervancouver

Because of the Princess Maker 2 "kiddie porn" effect (better to Google it for the particulars). The PM2 that's in Steam HAD to remove that "feature" in order to sell in the US, and even then, Gainax had a problem licensing it as they got diplomatic notice the last time. There are certain things that do get censored for legal reasons on their way to the US.

Editing for legal reasons is fine with me. There's no need to have questionable material such that the US can beat your head over it. US v Whorley (2008) is the current law.