I've heard different people mention for a while that scanlation is becoming more poor. But it occurred to me, it could just be because manga and the internet are getting more popular, that things are changed to make it seem like everything is LQ.

The # of LQ scanlations is growing, but hasn't the # of HQ scanlations been growing just as steadily? Well, it seems that way to me... And LQ scanlation may be growing faster, but has that had any negative effect on HQ scanlation? Is that what the real problem is, that people just settle for less quality?

Sure, there may be more newbie HQ scanlation groups which fall apart quickly, but are there less HQ scanlation groups that have been releasing steadily for multiple years now, than there were 5 years ago?

I don't really have a long history reading scanlations, so I don't know for sure about any of this, I'm just relying on my intuition. What is there to say about this?

I heard about this as well and my thoughts on this is pretty much the same. I think that this belief was created by the massive creation of a lot of new groups who scan popular series and or any combination of the below

1. get the scans from the weekly jump raws e.t.c which of course cant be better from tankoubon scans
2. their first releases might be a little rough because... well they are their first releases, they are bound to test different things out until they learn and maube the team isnt complete and/or well organised
   3)speedscans, meaning fast scans with minimal cleaning and editing for "fast delivery" for those who cant wait to see what happens next (i.e me,sometimes when I am impatient I will download the first release and then I will replace it with me prefered group...)

Well these are my thoughts, it's just a matter of perception and comparison of numbers and frequency..... 😛

Quote from myopius

I've heard different people mention for a while that scanlation is becoming more poor. But it occurred to me, it could just be because manga and the internet are getting more popular, that things are changed to make it seem like everything is LQ.

The # of LQ scanlations is growing, but hasn't the # of HQ scanlations been growing just as steadily? Well, it seems that way to me... And LQ scanlation may be growing faster, but has that had any negative effect on HQ scanlation? Is that what the real problem is, that people just settle for less quality?

Sure, there may be more newbie HQ scanlation groups which fall apart quickly, but are there less HQ scanlation groups that have been releasing steadily for multiple years now, than there were 5 years ago?

I don't really have a long history reading scanlations, so I don't know for sure about any of this, I'm just relying on my intuition. What is there to say about this?

Most changes have, of course, happened in the shonen scanlating community. But, imo, it simply doesn't matter anymore there. Practically everything in the genre gets licensed really soon; making it uncharted grounds for HQ groups. Who in turn shy away from picking up a new shonen manga. And since there aren't too many people interested in less mainstream series, I can imagine less groups take off, or old ones just disappear.
The only thing I see happening is a complete alienation between more reputable groups, and "LQ" scanlators who over time gain the skills and motivation to up their ante. Though lacking the etiquette to not meddle with a "taken" project, be it licensed or done by another group, which used to be respected.
Nowadays noone still cares who does what, or in what quality. As long as they get to read it asap. And it's that mentality I got sick of too, and decided I never want to scanlate another shonen manga again; as much as I still have a soft spot for them.

People have really lost sight of what started this thing called scanlating. Offering a means to read manga that would go unnoticed otherwise.

Quote from barbapapa

The only thing I see happening is a complete alienation between more reputable groups, and "LQ" scanlators who over time gain the skills and motivation to up their ante. Though lacking the etiquette to not meddle with a "taken" project, be it licensed or done by another group, which used to be respected.
Nowadays noone still cares who does what, or in what quality. As long as they get to read it asap. And it's that mentality I got sick of too, and decided I never want to scanlate another shonen manga again; as much as I still have a soft spot for them.

People have really lost sight of what started this thing called scanlating. Offering a means to read manga that would go unnoticed otherwise.

That's really upset me, too. I always took care to read the best scanlations that I possibly could, particularly when there was a big difference between "speed scans" and a regular group doing tank scans, and I've always been disgusted when another group picks up - or wants to - a project being done by another group. Even if it's for speed scans, it's wrong, and I've seen a number of great shounen manga reduced to nothing but awful speed scans merely because they had begun to become popular.

Honestly, what's wrong with waiting nowadays, especially for only a day or two? For my favourite series, I read the raw, and that's enough until someone puts out a scanlation, even if I can't understand it all. Why can't other people wait, too?

I see plenty of HQ scans, or at least it depends on what you define HQ, and it also depends on what you read. I read a lot of unlicensed stuff that most people don't care about, so groups tend to take their time with it.

I think speed scans can be troublesome too. Lately, a grip of groups have been releasing the same chapter of a manga like it was the end of the world. Bleach, Naruto, and One Piece are the main ones that are released really fast. Claymore is starting to suffer the same fate too now. One time, over five groups released a chapter of Bleach in one day and three more the next. What really makes me sad is when I see One Piece and it turns out to be a speedscan when I'm waiting for HQ from a particular group. I get so excited and then get depressed after I see the group name. I know that speedscans are nice when you're impatient, but I wish the number of groups doing such scans could be cut down. I don't need twelve versions of one chapter, and they are just wasting their time since another group will release the thing an hour later.

I do think these types of things happen the most with popular shounen manga (like the above poster said, multiple versions of the same naruto or bleach chapter). They're wasting their time...what with all the great unscanlated manga out there, who needs a 5th version of one chapter of naruto?
I think these people just want popularity within the scanlating world...who cares about quality, right? as long as lots of people read them? hmph. they're the types of groups who scan manga for the wrong reasons.

[img]http://img.userbars.pl/69/13603.gif[/img]

“What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.”

But then again who are we to tell people what to do?

Regardless of what series people are working on, it's their choices and their hobbies. No one pay them, donating maybe toward bandwidth and buying raws but other than that, no one pays them. If people want to work on whatever series with however they want the chapter to turn out to be, that's up to them and the group. Usually people like to work on series they are interested in, than series they are not interested in. Some people's interests are not always the same as some other people's interests.

And it's up to the readers if they want to read it or not. No one is forcing anyone to read anything either. I don't understand the point when I see someone is critical of another group's work. I always thought "then don't read it then", or why don't you join that group and proves you can do whatever better, editor or proof read or what not.

And it's up to the readers if they want to read it or not. No one is forcing anyone to read anything either. I don't understand the point when I see someone is critical of another group's work. I always thought "then don't read it then", or why don't you join that group and proves you can do whatever better, editor or proof read or what not.

aaah, the "if you don't like it, don't read it" reasoning. No, I am not reading it and I am not telling them what to do. But that doesn't mean we're not allowed to share with others what we think. I'm sure you've had periods in your life where you've ranted about something you hated, it happens to the most of us. We don't need to like it, we don't need to read it, but hell, we can talk about it all we want.

[img]http://img.userbars.pl/69/13603.gif[/img]

“What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well.”

Quote from Wild Star

Quote from Akillarian

And it's up to the readers if they want to read it or not. No one is forcing anyone to read anything either. I don't understand the point when I see someone is critical of another group's work. I always thought "then don't read it then", or why don't you join that group and proves you can do whatever better, editor or proof read or what not.

aaah, the "if you don't like it, don't read it" reasoning. No, I am not reading it and I am not telling them what to do. But that doesn't mean we're not allowed to share with others what we think. I'm sure you've had periods in your life where you've ranted about something you hated, it happens to the most of us. We don't need to like it, we don't need to read it, but hell, we can talk about it all we want.

right back at ya 😀

lq scanlations suck ... that is all .-.'' hmm what's really bad is when an hq group drops the project after the speed group starts it.
examples:
umisho (tea-scans) though i didn't like the manga much :X
Fairy-tale(kefi)
hmmm... mental block.
can anyone think of anymore?

well one time there were 10 lq versions of a naruto chapter within the first hour and .. i just had to laugh at the retards >_>;

Quote from Wild Star

We don't need to like it, we don't need to read it, but hell, we can talk about it all we want.

Yes of course we are allow to talk and complain about what we think in our head. But what I mean to say is when there are a number of people keep criticizing some people's work, those people will eventually read or hear about it. They are going to take it that you are looking down on what they are doing, which they have right to do without the need of others looking down on them.

Quote from Akillarian

Quote from Wild Star

We don't need to like it, we don't need to read it, but hell, we can talk about it all we want.

Yes of course we are allow to talk and complain about what we think in our head. But what I mean to say is when there are a number of people keep criticizing some people's work, those people will eventually read or hear about it. They are going to take it that you are looking down on what they are doing, which they have right to do without the need of others looking down on them.

It's true! I respect all scanlator groups' time & effort that they use to work on some projects (they do what they want - and they are not paid to scanlate as well - except donation as mentioned above). Plus, everyone has different opinion of how much is HQ & LQ. If there is a manga that I eagerly want to read, I'll try to get the raw, then pick any chapter that is released first to read the content, eventually, I'll keep the best quality in my harddisk. In this case, LQ/speed scanlation does come handy IMO.

It also depends on what you call lq and hq.
For me, lq are mostly scans that have barely been edited, and you can see it, the levelling isn't "good" or gutter hasn't been removed properly or the translation is full of spelling mistakes.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be able to do everything perfect myself. The main reason why I don't apply to any group to help cleaning/editing/typesetting is not because I don't have time or "no" Photoshop skills. It's because I don't want to bring lq or mq stuff.

It depends greatly on those who download it, are they happy with lq/fast scanlations. Some ppl just want to be able to read the chapter. Take bleach/naruto etc, how many groups are doing speedscans?, 10?. I appreciate those people putting there time in it, although it's a bit "overkill" doing it with so many. I download those manga’s maybe once or twice every month and don’t care what group they’re from. I only want to follow the story cuz I’ve been following since the beginning. While other series I wouldn’t want to think about downloading low quality(mostly read shoujo).

There has to be more then bleach/naruto that those TS/editors/typesetters like right?, Maybe they should consider doing something else they like.
But I'm the last person that should comment on that, as the only thing I do is run a direct download site.

About more groups doing the same project, sometimes I can understand. Yesterday when browsing through my manga's I noticed b-shock.
I like that manga, but, the last release was in May. If I had the translation I would have done chapter 47 myself.

Anyway to stay with the topic, I don't mind groups doing lq, but imo, if they can do better just by working on it a bit more relaxed(no speedscans) then they should. If they want to ofcourse 🙂

...File not found. Should I fake it? (Y/N)

i dunno if this is on topic but what do u consider HQ, MQ, n LQ?
for example:
LQ
~no leveling
~barely any cleaning
etc

MQ
~leveled
~blacks mostly blacks
n so on..

u get the idea.
it kinda pisses me of when a group overrate or sometimes underate themselves.