How common is it for Japense light novels to be translated (officially or otherwise) into English?
Baka.bt has some!
>>138584
fairly common. you can't rely on the specific LN you want being translated, but a great number of them in general are.
>>138584
Not really as "common" as that anon is saying, in a sense. The only ones that will really be translated are ones that already have an anime and fans to buy it. Just look at what Yen Press displays on their front page. They're all things that already have an anime and established fanbase. Not that that's a bad thing (it is for us), they just want to make money. They just don't really take many risks on bringing stuff over.
So, if you're hoping for a bunch of underappreciated/unknown light novels to come over, you'd have to hope for some miracle. But, if you're just waiting on your favorite light novel adaptation to finally come over so you can read the rest of it, it's either got a good chance of being done, already in production, or completely dead with no chance of coming over. That last option isn't a death sentence though, since even Baccano! just started being released.
Also, LNs take forever to be translated and released (probably about 6 to 9 months per volume) though, so get ready to wait a long time.
>>138766
Oops, I forgot you also mentioned "or otherwise".
You can check out fan translations at https://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/?title=Main_Page
This website probably has most all light novel translations, so have a look at it. The translations themselves can be kind of iffy and the consistency with releases can also be pretty rough, but that comes with all fan translated things.
Also, you better hope your LN is popular in Japan or just good or it probably won't be translated either, kind of like with official translations.
>>138584
novelupdates.com
>>138766
>The only ones that will really be translated are ones that already have an anime and fans to buy it
Crazy talk.
Though the majority will be connected to anime somehow. For example, Vamp! and Etsusa Bridge got translated, but the interest to translate them came from them being written by the same dude who did Baccano and Durarara.
Though not always. Zaregoto vol.1 got translated a year before Bakemonogatari got animated (they're both written by NisiOisiN), though official translations stopped at volume 2, and fan translations had stopped at volume 5 years ago (luckily, the same dude who made 3 to 5 started working on 6 earlier this year).
>>138584
I wouldn't say it's common, considering the volume. There's a big number of LNs being translated, and a way bigger number that have been translated before, but it's merely a speckle compared to the amount of LNs out there, and of course, the number of LN translators is way smaller than the number of mango and animu translators.
>>139069
>chock full of chinese webnovels
brb, barfing.
>>139085
I feel like what you said basically confirms my point though, not that I'm trying to make fun of you or anything.
Nisio Isin and similar popular writers are also among the only things that get brought over, sadly.
Zaregoto got translated before light novels and stuff were even a thing in the west along with Nisio Isin's western popularity, which is probably what caused them to stop at volume 2 (And also why it's worth, like, $100 or $200 for either volume) along with a few other things where companies just took some shots in the dark with them. And of course there will be a few outliers, but right now those are few and far between, with the only outlet of actual new stuff mostly being fan translations.
>There's a big number of LNs being translated, and a way bigger number that have been translated before, but it's merely a speckle compared to the amount of LNs out there, and of course, the number of LN translators is way smaller than the number of mango and animu translators.
You're completely correct on all of this though. Despite the only things right now that are getting translations are things with established fanbases or at least an anime, the want for them is growing, and will continue to get bigger and bigger. This is especially with the large amount of LN adaptions these days.
>>138584
There's a Damonbane LN?
