Are Axed Novels/Manga Worth Licensing?
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@Tahu you are incorrect. It is one volume from the conclusion. The author says they're working on it, but the LN is still ongoing.
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@GeorgeMTO that is a relief, I tried to find out whether the author was still working on it but had been unable to find anything.
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@Lily-Garden Yeah, came up recently on the discord with the announcement of Zero Damage v6 https://x.com/Isle_Osaki/status/1947663583917314049
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Personally I tend to avoid series if I know in advance they'll never be finished because for me reaching a proper conclusion is an important part of my reading experience.
Then a lot depends on the specifics of the series. Did it end in a huge cliffhanger that will never be resolved? Did it have a rushed but still conclusive enough ending that gives me enough answers to feel satisfied? Do we get proper closure of the current story arc, but there are more on the web novel that will never be adapted?
I enjoyed reading series like Monster Tamer or High school DxD enough that they are dear to me even if I'll never ready the intended conclusion from the author (but I can guess , at least). On the other hand, had I known in advance that the author won't finish Infinite Stratos I wouldn't have bothered with it. -
@Lex said in Are Axed Novels/Manga Worth Licensing?:
Personally I tend to avoid series if I know in advance they'll never be finished because for me reaching a proper conclusion is an important part of my reading experience.
Then a lot depends on the specifics of the series. Did it end in a huge cliffhanger that will never be resolved? Did it have a rushed but still conclusive enough ending that gives me enough answers to feel satisfied? Do we get proper closure of the current story arc, but there are more on the web novel that will never be adapted?
I enjoyed reading series like Monster Tamer or High school DxD enough that they are dear to me even if I'll never ready the intended conclusion from the author (but I can guess , at least). On the other hand, had I known in advance that the author won't finish Infinite Stratos I wouldn't have bothered with it.While I can relate very well to that stance and the feelings included, it is more often so the industry to be blamed as it is a standard to keep ongoing stories running just to profit from them.
That certainly does not apply to every story, but it is common practice with the entertainment business.
The benefits for the consumer is being able to enjoy an ongoing story for who knows how long and it depends on entirely on the author whether it gets to a satisfying ending or not, even if it means just getting an abrupt epilogue.
Sometimes it is outright necessary as the author is running out of energy to continue the story, at other times I got shocked to learn that a story has not been continued because the author suddenly died. You cannot plan life with certainty to get everything having a proper ending.
What could be done better, in my opinion, is for the publisher to make it clear early on when a story is about to put into hiatus or cancelled for whatever reason. Basically an early cooperation with the fanbase-publisher-author to determine if it makes sense to grab a point in the print edition and turn it in a proper ending, deviating from the -often so- web novel.
And even that is not certain. I have seen quite a surprising number of light novels which are supposed to die just to be revived in unexpected ways. Well, more or less unexpected, considering it matters what publisher is behind the author.
Yes, not having an ending can leave behind a very uncomfortable feeling with a story. Especially when it is with a cliffhanger. But then again - if the story is well written, it is worth to cherish them through and through until the end, whether it is as planned or unexpected.
I think there are possibilities yet to be discovered to make such endings more satisfying ~ like how prints (or in our case J-Novel translations) get additional content in form of bonus.
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@Serah yeah I'd love if publishers were able to give authors enough time to wrap up a series before it's canceled, and I appreciate authors who are able to plan in advance some stopping points in case their work turn out to be succesful. Of course, I know things aren't always easy when money is involved.
There is always some hope that adaptations or translations might rekindle interest in a series and help bringing it back, so licensing a series on hiatus or axed might not turn out to be pointless, other than giving fans access to the existing material. That reminds me, I should invest some money in those Seventh volumes...
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@GeorgeMTO the webnovel is finished but not the hard novel
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@Serah High School DxD was axed? And Manga Updates does not list IS as axed.
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@Tahu said in Are Axed Novels/Manga Worth Licensing?:
@GeorgeMTO the webnovel is finished but not the hard novel
It's almost like this entire topic was focused on the light novels, because that's what gets licensed for translation.
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Hmm.
Seems like everyone is thinking about this as a consumer and not a publisher.
As a consumer, there's a case to be made for being able to read what is available even when it doesn't finish. There's several series here that I don't expect to ever get more of and I don't have any regrets about having started them.
But as a publisher, it's a terrible business model. Series that have been cancelled aren't likely to have any cross promotion to help build a sales base, so they probably aren't going to sell very well. Meanwhile, folks that haunt a publishers' forum probably have the sense to check and see what the status is in Japan but the average buyer coming from places like Amazon or Bookwalker wouldn't. From their perspective, J-Novel licensed this series that they have gotten hooked on, then cancelled it. That could very well leave them thinking that J-Novel does that all the time, making them hesitant to buy series they release in the future.
Like I said, it's a really bad idea.
Now, it's very different when a series gets cancelled in Japan after it's started releasing here. I'm just talking about going out and licensing series that have been confirmed to be cancelled before they are licensed.
Of course, some of these series end up continuing for free on novel sites, but rights in a case like that get very, very messy. The exception would be something in the author's contract with the Japanese publisher returning the rights to them and allowing them to "shop" it to be released by someone else. Even in that case, licensing directly from the writer has it's own set of headaches.
All that weighed against what would probably be fairly small sales.
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@Tahu DxD wasn't axed, but the author has health problems and last time I checked there was no info on if and when he'll be able to resume writing.
For Infinite Stratos the author posted on Twitter that he won't conclude the series because he doesn't have the leeway to work on something that won't bring money. -
@Lex said in Are Axed Novels/Manga Worth Licensing?:
@Tahu DxD wasn't axed, but the author has health problems and last time I checked there was no info on if and when he'll be able to resume writing.
For Infinite Stratos the author posted on Twitter that he won't conclude the series because he doesn't have the leeway to work on something that won't bring money.I personally think the same should apply to FUNA's titles - but they seem to handle it quite well with having multiple series at once.
It is sad, but I have read a lot of stories reaching a point where I just "put the series to peace" because the author has lost their pacing for one reason or another.
Those moments often collate with a series "going into hiatus" very soon - you can "feel" that something is wrong. Whether the author is running out of ideas or burnout by being pushing into a "kingsroad scenario" for publishing/marketing matters.
On that note I have high love and respect for the author of I Got Caught Up in a Hero Summons, but the Other World Was at Peace! They make an update almost daily - so there is always something to read. And they got the pacing right to keep things interesting and funny, making it one of the more worthwhile reading titles.
In comparison I am rather dissapointed with Farming Life in Another World and lung into a New World? Time to Lift the 200-Year Curse! Both made a very great impression at first, and while the concept was novel it was fun to read. But the longer it goes the pacing became more and more akward that it is no longer fun to read. Let's Buy the Land and Cultivate It in a Different World does it much better in comparison, despite I am not fond of the manga style.
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@Lex Funny timing since the new one just got announced for October.
https://www.kadokawa.co.jp/product/322412000970/
Actually this appeared to be the short story collection series, my bad. -
@xdrfiredogx said in Are Axed Novels/Manga Worth Licensing?:
Hmm.
Seems like everyone is thinking about this as a consumer and not a publisher.
Well yea, because this was a poll asked to us, who are consumers. It's not the consumers' job to decide what makes the publisher the most profit. our only job as consumers is to make it known to the publisher what we are and aren't willing to spend money on (and then actually spend that money). the publisher is the one responsible for balancing consumer wants with best practice for the publisher. they'll already consider this question from the publishers' side so no need for us to do it for them.
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@morfowt said in Are Axed Novels/Manga Worth Licensing?:
@xdrfiredogx said in Are Axed Novels/Manga Worth Licensing?:
Hmm.
Seems like everyone is thinking about this as a consumer and not a publisher.
Well yea, because this was a poll asked to us, who are consumers. It's not the consumers' job to decide what makes the publisher the most profit. our only job as consumers is to make it known to the publisher what we are and aren't willing to spend money on (and then actually spend that money). the publisher is the one responsible for balancing consumer wants with best practice for the publisher. they'll already consider this question from the publishers' side so no need for us to do it for them.
I am actually curious how exactly JNC/publishers decide on which web novel to serialise/print and which not. Currently the only impression I have is they pick the top 100 from syosetsu and serialise the ones with the largest amount of readers, regardless how good or bad a story is.
Sorry for my bad English - it is not my native language
Give Pens Down, Swords Up: Throw Your Studies to the Wind a try. It is that good! ♡(>ᴗ•)
I like it as much as Realist Hero ♡ -
@Serah We're probably never going to get an explanation of how JNC ever pick series. But for the cost of printing books, the closest we would ever get would be the Invaders of the Rokujouma!? Print Edition Kickstarter fund allocation section.
Based on that I'm guessing they are going for is there enough demand for break even? At 5000 books for 15.99 a unit that would be the minimum hurdle to clear. At least in the US authors can't seem to get deals unless they can prove they have a big enough fan base (with the associated social media presence) to justify the risk. Plus the genre matters. That is why isekai or danmei novels seem to sell so well.
Plus also, would you have a print edition of From Villainess to Healer on your limited bookshelf? Sure. Redo of a Healer not so much.
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@Serah said in Are Axed Novels/Manga Worth Licensing?:
@morfowt said in Are Axed Novels/Manga Worth Licensing?:
@xdrfiredogx said in Are Axed Novels/Manga Worth Licensing?:
Hmm.
Seems like everyone is thinking about this as a consumer and not a publisher.
Well yea, because this was a poll asked to us, who are consumers. It's not the consumers' job to decide what makes the publisher the most profit. our only job as consumers is to make it known to the publisher what we are and aren't willing to spend money on (and then actually spend that money). the publisher is the one responsible for balancing consumer wants with best practice for the publisher. they'll already consider this question from the publishers' side so no need for us to do it for them.
I am actually curious how exactly JNC/publishers decide on which web novel to serialise/print and which not. Currently the only impression I have is they pick the top 100 from syosetsu and serialise the ones with the largest amount of readers, regardless how good or bad a story is.
Sam, the JNC CEO , has mentioned during announcements streams that he tries to get series that he finds interesting as well as what he thinks will sell well. He has also mentioned during streams that people have complained about the amount of isekai licensed but that what sells the most.
your comment seems to be conflating JNC with the original publishers though and they’re very different beasts.
You also have to remember that publishing is foremost a business so perceptions of literary quality are, how should I put it, multi-faceted.
You may complain about the writing style of, to use an American example, Fifty Shades of Gray, but it still sold well over 150 million copies. From a publishing standpoint, it is a very successful book.
That is to say, from a certain point of view the literary quality of a book doesn’t exactly matter. It is the icing rather than the cake.
Which is not to say that literary merit is not important but it may not be the major factor…
“There’s always a story. It’s all stories, really. The sun coming up every day is a story. Everything’s got a story in it. Change the story, change the world.” ― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky
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@Lily-Garden said in Are Axed Novels/Manga Worth Licensing?:
I want to be able to read all stories
At least half of my favorite stories on JNC (probably more) have been apparently axed or put on indefinite hiatus
Deathbound Duke’s Daughter
Altina the Sword Princess
Faraway Paladin
The Sidekick Never Gets the Girl, Let Alone the Protag’s Sister!
Zero BelieversAll these are great books that I’m glad were translated, even if the author never finished the overall narrative
I feel the same way about those, and some others like:
- Seriously Seeking Sister (the Abilities Average of vampire princess novels)
- Me, A Genius!? (the Grieving Soul Retire of reincarnation stories)
Also, a series can be stalled for years for various reasons then suddenly be resumed - the Grieving Soul author's Ringer series got a new volume, the Mixed Bathing series was continued and completed.
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@Lily-Garden ugh... that book was horrible. Though even more horrible I consider Hunger Games. I have read all the books, but by all means I cannot relate why it is so successful.
@morbelek I get what you mean. For years I have been angry that the genre which is getting popular is so limited and shallow in form of isekai and what in Bakuman is described as "king's road" type of story. It is even worse when you can see the pattern being used and the quality is really rather low / copy-catish.
That is why I was rather surprised / relieved to see the likings mentioned here https://forums.j-novel.club/topic/9542/what-are-your-favourite-top-5-2025/11 is actually more diverse than that.
The problem is like a conundrum. You can sell only what is popular. But if what is popular is only the same, how are you supposed to get the less known stuff sold...
However - especially thanks to JNC - as we get to know more and more light novels and the selection has been broadened quite a lot compared to e.g. five years ago - it still baffles me why some seemingly questionable quality stuff is being translated. I mean, at least JNC can sure be more picky with the excuse of different taste regarding the western market.
I mean, if people have good alternatives, they sure will not always pick the isekai-op-harem trinity. Apothecary Diaries is an example which comes to my mind. I am not a fan of it. I am not disliking it either. I am just ridiculous stunned by how popular it became wheras I remember when I first read it , it was rather unknown and treated as a niche series.
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@Lily-Garden said in Are Axed Novels/Manga Worth Licensing?:
He has also mentioned during streams that people have complained about the amount of isekai licensed but that what sells the most.
No complaints from me, I'll read any isekai if it's got a half decent hook and is ongoing (Sweet Reincarnation LN where?), but if it's axed or stalled it has to be something special for me to try it, now - I've been burned a few too many times on that front. Though with the new volume of rearguard out in Japan next week, that brings it down to only one series I really liked stuck in limbo (Monster Tamer - well potentially two with Dungeon Dive, but if V16 ties up enough I can probably live with that - Monster Tamer would have been fine too if it wasn't the penultimate volume).
