FAKKU Insight - How Magazines Get from Japan to You.

Hey everyone! My name is Harry. I'm the manager of the magazine team here at FAKKU and I want to give you all a little insight into our magazine release process. As you hopefully saw we just announced our third magazine, Comic Shitsurakuten! Before we jump in, here's a few numbers for ya'll going forward:

Number of pages/month: 1200-1300
Number of days each editor has to work on a chapter: 2
Number of translators on the team: 1
Number of editors on the team: 5

That's a lot of work for our small team, which is why it's important to make sure the process is as smooth as possible.

[color=#9D0A0A][size=18]Step 1: Data Acquisition[/size][/color]

A few days before the magazine is released in Japan we are sent the print data for the magazines. This data includes: the page images, titles, editor notes, and a compiled project for each chapter.




[color=#9D0A0A][size=18]Step 2: Ticket Creation[/size][/color]

Anyone who's worked in software development or customer service knows about ticketing systems. They let you create encapsulated tasks that can be moved and tracked between states. Simply put it lets you keep track of the things you want done. This step involves exporting a high-quality PDF for the translator, double checking the files for the editors and uploading everything to the ticketing system. Each chapter goes through 9 statuses before it's ready to go out! ("Fixes Needed" is only for chapters that are already released)




[color=#9D0A0A][size=18]Step 3: Translation and Proofreading[/size][/color]

This is the first step towards actually having a finished chapter. First the Translator goes through and creates an English script. Once the script is done there's a back and forth to catch any mistakes and smooth out awkward dialog. Here's an example of some back-and forth from kiasa's My Secret Spot's Little Secret Spot:



Every now and then I sit back and think about how much time I spend trying to make Ero-Manga read well. I chuckle.

[color=#9D0A0A][size=18]Step 4: Editing and Typesetting[/size][/color]

Here at FAKKU we combine the traditional typesetter and redrawer into one position that we call an "Editor" (p.s. we're hiring). Although we get the files straight from the artist/publisher, there are often a lot of redraws and complex cleans that go into each chapter. Here's a couple examples of the effort they put in:










For a bit more detail, editors use Photoshop/Manga Studio to do handwriting and redraws on the pages, Illustrator for chapter titles and editor text, and InDesign for typesetting and the final composition/export. Some editors prefer to typeset before they do redraws and handwriting, others the other way around. But everyone agrees; halftones on a gradient are the worst things ever. With magazines releases we translate/typeset everything that is inside a bubble or visible to the characters (this includes books, signs and other important "set pieces"). The one thing that we don't do, and its purely because we're on a very strict time constraint, is the "aaaah" "oooh" and similar sound effects that appear outside the dialogue bubbles.





[color=#9D0A0A][size=18]Step 5: Revision and Release[/size][/color]

The last step between ya'll and our releases is revision. Sometimes a line that sounds great in the script looks wrong on the page or there will be small spelling/grammar mistakes to fix. This is where we try to catch 'em all!



This is where the translator and I go through and make any last changes we want to the chapter. The changes include everything from shifting the text around in a bubble to rewriting whole lines.

Typically each chapter goes through 1-2 rounds of revision and even then we sometimes have to make fixes after a chapter has been released. That's one of the benefits of how we release content, we can make changes to the digital files at anytime!

[color=#9D0A0A][size=18]Step 6: Release the Kraken![/size][/color]

This is where everyone gets to enjoy it! Read and fap to your hearts content! We love being able to work on this content and love reading everyone's comments on the chapters, so keep em coming!

Once a chapter is released, sometimes it needs a few fixes.. That's also why we recently added the changelog, so you can publicly see when we make a fix to your favorite fap material. (if you ever see a grammar/spelling mistake in a chapter use our contact form to report it. If you've reported an error in the past, thanks!).

To put the process in perspective, Step 1-2 are usually finished within a week (all tickets made). Translation takes probably 2-3 weeks for the ~900 pages of chapters (soon to be ~1200). Finally the Editing and Revision takes ~2 days/chapter.

I want to give a HUGE shout-out to the whole magazine team who put in tons of hours and effort to get high quality uncensored content to you all as fast as they can!

• sayo - Translator

• Andrew - Editor

• wavedashh - Editor

• sim0ne - Editor

• Romana - Editor

• Tyaeth - Editor

It's been looking great, thanks for all the hard work everyone! Looking forward to more epic hentai from FAKKU

Since Comic Shitsurakuten is coming in does that mean backlog content is or is close to exhausted?

[size=12]I'm so proud on how much you've accomplished FAKKU. Love you guys ♡ and keep up the fap-tastic work. High-fives are in order ✋.[/size]

Very cool to get a look "behind the curtain". I had no idea you guys were such a small team.

Also, it's interesting/sad that you guys went with "This is just as good as a prostitute!", as I feel that completely changes the meaning of what was being said (in a way that makes the line boring as hell). It definitely makes me wonder what other choices I'd disagree with. I'd bet there's a lot. Translating is a very subjective task though, so it's not like I can hold it against you guys.

Cool, I appreciate the info. Been with Fakku long enough that enjoy watching it grow.

Now that I know how much work is behind the translation of the stories, I will value each chapter even more...

Should have stuck with "Free pussy's awesome!"

Thanks for the insight on the production and publication process, Harry!

Man, knowing how much hard work you and the rest of the team put into it makes it all the easier to appreciate the final product. You do a tremendous service to us and the quality of your hard work shows.

Thanks for all the wonderful content you've produced so far, and I'm looking forward to seeing even more in the future.

Best of luck!

This is great to know, and it's amazing how much you can do with just one translator on this. I can't wait to see what you could offer us when you get more people working on magazines...

This is actually really heart warming. Thankyou for sharing the process, and it sounds like you all actually enjoy the work you do. Thankyou for sharing it with us!

Nice to have an insight to know how much work stands behind the releases.
Thanks guys for your hard work!

Hey! This is the first time today I've had a moment to respond, and I want to say thanks for the positive vibes!



We're still working through it. It took a bit for us to build the team up (there was a point where we only has 2 editors!). We're slowly getting through it, but as always new Issues > Old Issues, so it's usually towards the end of the month where we can start working on and releasing backlog stuff



As you say, translation is a very subjective endeavor. There's a larger argument here of literal vs "localized" translation, and we need to take into account a lot of other factors as well: Bubble size/shape, readability/flow and the character's personality just to name some. I appreciate the feedback though, we're always looking to improve!





Thanks! Honestly the editors and translator do most of the work!

Really awesome you did this Harry, I knew you guys worked hard but to see an idea of how the process is like is great to see. Can't appreciate what the staff does more then I already do (^^)

Love you guys
Keep up the good work
Can't wait for MAGS-287

Same here, this was the one thing I really remembered from that image. :D

His new book just came out so I've been waiting for this chapter

Anyone got any ideas about what the or the "Kagekiri - Doujinshi" under proofread or the "Yukituki - Doujinshi" under translation are (besides being doujins)?

( Í¡° ͜ʖ Í¡°)

Absolutely love insightful reads like this. Keep up the good work, team. Your efforts do not go unappreciated.