Thoughts on the new gaiden, pure speculation
Okay, so what we know is that the new gaiden will contain the story about Seiran’s mother and his past before he was exiled, and the the story of how Seiran and Ensei met and the thieves: the first story is fully translated by someone else (not me) and the second story I didn’t summarize because I would prefer to when it’s in final form.
The new story: if it really is about Shuurei’s parents, as the rumors seem to indicate. Wow. That’ll be a big change, because probably FINALLY we will be finding out something about the mystical storyline. Possibly the story might answer questions such as:
“Why was king Senka against the Hyou? What and who is Bara-hime really, and how did she come to be imprisoned by the Hyou? Why didn’t the other Immortals try to help her? Where does the Hyou clan live? What is the real relation between the Immortals and the Eight Clans? Why did the Hyou clan become corrupt?”
And we’ll probably see Hokuto and Ki-hime, I’m guessing.
Another note: >_> In this volume, Saiunkoku is not at all very comedic, I would think. The Suzuran no naku koro ni story is extremely dark, and though the story of how Ensei and Seiran meet maybe has a few sunny parts, it’s also depressing. I also suspect the new story will be fairly dark. Eh, I don’t mind, but I wonder what the people who liked Saiunkoku for the lighter aspects will think. Some of them sure do complain on the Japanese message boards.
April 5, 2009 at 4:57 am
The front cover will, if it goes as usual, come out around April 20, which is very close to my b-day, heehee, so i’m gonna have a veritable “happy” b-day~~~
the oringal meaning of the phrase “黄粱一梦” is “a vain dream of wealth and splendor”, highlighting the Taoistic values, which prefers personal freedom rather than wealth or power. but in mordern Chinese it has take on the meaning of “a dream that are too good to come true”, though the dream itself is not necessarily about vain things.
April 5, 2009 at 5:03 am
Yeah… People are like always saying when I post the new info when it first comes up on the page “but where’s the cover?” Yet, always, they never put up the cover at that time.
That is interesting. I know very little about Taoism, so I’m not that familiar with these concepts. In some ways though, that’s a pretty ominous title. Kind of 儚い.
April 5, 2009 at 5:12 am
儚い–you mean “life is short”?
April 5, 2009 at 5:14 am
Yeah, fleeting, transient, vain, ephemeral.
April 5, 2009 at 11:26 am
hi, we are glad to hear new information about saiunkoku.hope it comes soon-bye see you soon–INDIAN RYUUKI FANS.sayonara[we just learn this japanese wishing].bye !
April 6, 2009 at 2:18 am
Out of pure curiosity… does anyone know if the story in the 1/28 Beans magazine will be in the gaiden? I can’t seem to find any other info on it. Don’t mean to press, but the Nightmare Exam group is my fav and there is so little background info on them. Love all your translations, btw, chairman. Awesome work.
April 6, 2009 at 2:24 am
If the rumors are correct, it won’t. But, since I can’t find any concrete proof yet, I can’t say for sure. It’s not completed yet anyhow. :/
(BTW, the nick is charMIAN not chariman ^_^)
April 6, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Woops. sorry.
April 6, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Oh, it’s fine, no problem. XD