User blog:Qunow/Translation of SAO-related info on TCA14

Original post: http://gnn.gamer.com.tw/4/92634.html, all photos are there.

Taiwan Kadokawa had invited the author of SAO and AW, Kawahara Reki, to the second Taiwan Comic Animation and culture festival for a autograph session, and held a talk there together with Miki Kazuma, the editor of SAO and the deputy chief editor of dengeki bunko, Ōsawa Nobuhiro, producer of SAO anime and CEO of GENCO, and Shī Xìngjí, manga & books division director of Taiwan Kadokawa for discussion of how SAO and AW success in different area.

At the moment, SAO and AW had sold 8.7 million and 3.8 million copies in Japan respectively. it'd been revealed previously that SAO's global sale had totaled to more than 11 million copies, and now it's revealed that Taiwan edition of SAO and AW had each sold 1.1 million and 0.4 million respectively. (As a reference, Tianwen Kadokawa said they'd already sold 2 million SAO novel last November, before their SAOP and SAO12 release)

In the talk, four guests talked about the reason why SAO and AW success:

Reki said the initial reason for him to create an online game-related novel is because of his addiction on online game to a degree of being called as a Net game wreck. But at the beginning he's not brave enough to participate in the Dengeki Bunko Newauthor Award thus can only persistently post his work on his personal website. However it let him able to write his novel freely without any limitation. Think back on that, it's very good to star writing in this way. And subsequently because he entered bottleneck on his creation, he'd written AW and joined the 15th dengeki bunko award, which get its grand prize and published in japan at 2009, and all of it sold out within two week after its release.

Then editor Miki Kazuma said, to have success, except the author have to have the talent for creation, it's also essential about how they view things when they are creating, not creating from a elevated view, but from a reader's point of view. For example, when selecting illustrator for works, it'd been considered seriously about who can draw out the work's style, and at the end HiMA and abec are selected so both works can be presented in such a way.

Then animator Ōsawa Nobuhiro talk about the anime part. Shortly after the release of AW, ASCII had contacted him about plan to animelize it, and the project started since then. But it's only confirmed until 2012April. The long near-3-years duration on further information made reki who originally very happy about the anime adaption once thought that it'd been canceled. Initially when Ōsawa Nobuhiro consider how to present the anime, he contacted 9 different anime company before finally endorsed.

When Accel World anime release, in term of currently popular japanese drama Hanzawa Naoki, would be "pay back three times". Using the original work plus anime plus game to let the series reach its max effectiveness.

Shī Xìngjí said the reason why they initially agent this series, is because he's keeping a relatively high interest on the series since it'd win the dengeki award, and once he get the book he immediately read it and then find out it's interesting and talk with japanese authority at once, and also for the SAO as it'd attracted a fair level of attention since its web serialization, so its license is also obtained once he know it is going to be published. And as expected, both series obtained quite a number of support from Chinese people in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Except few points that have been mentioned above, both series had released many different figures and related products, and utilized giant cardboard or truck to promote in places where popularity gather like Shinjuku and Akihabara, as well as advertisement which had incorporated local culture. Although budget were surprising, but what being advertised not just the anime, but also the game and the original work itself. (4th picture in the original post)Tokyo Kōenji Awa Dance Festival poster

On the forum, presenter bring along two clip which each include words from seiyuu of SAO Kirito (Matsuoka Yoshitsugu) and AW Kuroyukihime (Misawa Sachika).

Matsuoka Yoshitsugu: "Hello everyone. I am Kirito's voice actor Matsuoka Yoshitsugu, we are very happy about the popularity of SAO oversea. To myself, although not very clear about how to express it, but i think the key to success is because there are "something". and I think that would be spirit of heart (心意(as in the key factor of AW's incarnate system)), the feeling that want people happily enjoy the work.

when we're dubbing, we aren't just acting characters in drama, but to interpret character's life, let people echo with it, therefore really thank for all of you. Please continue support the series SAO, previously frequently go with Kawahara Reki for meal and liquor, and if there're chance, (i'd) want to go with Reki and producers to drink liqouor together again! want to go drink again! (re-emphasis), and in second season also waiting for everyone's comment." Misawa Sachika:"Hello everyome, I am the seiyuu of AW Kuroyukihime Misawa Sachika, today i dress like Kuroyukihime, how is it? Do you like Kuroyukihime? Kuroyukihime is my first main character role, so I am very happy, and had accumulated many experience by this role, but I am quite anxious when first dress-up this cloth, thought in mind about if I'm really suitable? But after multiple Events I slowly getting use to it. Previously received some AW products from Taiwan with English and Hanzi print on it, and because some Hanzi are same as Japanese Kanji so there's a sense of affinity there. Initially when I dub I have the feeling of Kuroyukihime being cool in the original work so would want to made it more cool in anime. I'd also made a Black Lotus myself, I like Black Lotus a lot! Do sensei still remember me? We hadn't meet for a while already. Hope AW's second season will also come soon, goodbye everyone~" (5-7th pictures) presents prepared by Reki for readers

In the afternoon autograph session, there are passionate readers who brought their self-made flag to welcome sensei arrive Taiwan, as well as coser cos into Kuroyukihime to present flowers on stage. Part below include Q&A gathered in that session. all media/host/reader's questions are represented by "Q". Q: Because there're big temperature difference in Taiwan and Japan, and heard it's the first time sensei come to Taiwan, so heard that it take a long time to pack up luggage?

Reki: Because Tokyo is just around 2'C now, I feel Taiwan is really warm.

Q: Sensei said Taiwan is very warm, would you consider live in Taiwan?

Reki: Taiwan is an environment favorable to elderly living. If there are chance later then would want to live here.

Q: In this trip to Taiwan, is there anything that want to do particularly?

Reki: Had went to Taipei 101 just before this, but the bad weather which made the full view not available is a bit pity.

Q: Heard that Reki prefer going to same family restaurant while creating works?

Reki: I went to the same restaurant and sit on the same position everyday.

Q: If there're someone else sit on there first?

Reki: Sit in tbale next to it first, and then switch to that once the position empty. If it is possible I really want to paid for keep using that table.

Q: Could you say what restaurant is it?

Reki: Royal Host. (10th picture) Reader's self-made welcoming flag

Q: Why sensei designed AW Haruyuki with this image of fat and some inferiority?

Reki: As I want to write a person, that even his outlook isn't beautiful and keep being bully in school, still he would continue to summon up, be brave and progress forward, even not having outstanding outlook and personality, but still could be able to summon up, be brave and progress forward. And although he look like this now, but later-on he might have some chance to become a more handsome and outstanding person than Kirito.

Q: Which character in your work do you like most?

Reki: Kuroyukihime.

Q: Would works sell in Doujin Market have chance to turn into bunko publication?

Reki: There're chance, but because each of them have only 8 pages, so it need 300 of them to be turn into bunko release, therefore it have to wait for a whole 300 years. (^.^)

Q: Kirito frequently appear in black in the work. Why is this?

Reki: Because the first rare item kirito obtained from boss drop is black coat, therefore he then like black a lot, and it turn out all his clothes are mainly black at the end.

Q: The two current works are related to online game, why is that? Could i ask what online game had sensei played?

Reki: Because I like online game a lot, so the two works are setted as it. One online game used around 1/10 time in my life, which is World of Warcraft, my occupation in the game is Death Knight.

Q: Is Kuroyukihime the child of Kirito and Asuna?

Reki: This question is hard to answer, but i can say, they are not their daughter "biologically".

Q: How long it take to create a book approximately? Reki: 2 months per book on average, or else it'd miss the publish schedule.