Scanlation, from SCAN (or 'SCANned') + transLATION, is the unauthorized translation of a foreign graphic novel, usually Japanese yaoi or other sexually explicit work, from Japanese into English. Typically the scanlator scans the hardcopy text into a computer, and electronically whites out the Japanese characters in the thought balloons to replace them with English text.
Illegality is the essence of scanlation, as opposed to authorized translations in which rights are granted, royalties scheduled, and chain of intellectual property is maintained. Many scanlators will argue that the more erotic or hardcore types of manga (yaoi, bara maga) are rarely translated into English, and that even a Japanese best-seller can sit untranslated for years. (Example: the graphic novels of Gengorah Tagame, like his three-volume PRIDE, which has as subject matter the training of a novice in BSDM techniques and includes very explicit sexual language and images, and scenes of torrture.)
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Illegality is the essence of scanlation, as opposed to authorized translations in which rights are granted, royalties scheduled, and chain of intellectual property is maintained. Many scanlators will argue that the more erotic or hardcore types of manga (yaoi, bara maga) are rarely translated into English, and that even a Japanese best-seller can sit untranslated for years. (Example: the graphic novels of Gengorah Tagame, like his three-volume PRIDE, which has as subject matter the training of a novice in BSDM techniques and includes very explicit sexual language and images, and scenes of torrture.)
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-- "I'm reading a scanlation of a Japanese 'bear-loving-bear' manga."
-- "Is it any good?"
-- "Definitely gets the plot points across, though sometimes the English is a little sketchy. The scanlator uses spellings like "colour" and "honor" so it's probably someone from the British Commonwealth or perhaps a Japanese person who learned English using English spellngs. No way of telling, really, their blogs don't have to say where they live or what they do."
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-- "Is it any good?"
-- "Definitely gets the plot points across, though sometimes the English is a little sketchy. The scanlator uses spellings like "colour" and "honor" so it's probably someone from the British Commonwealth or perhaps a Japanese person who learned English using English spellngs. No way of telling, really, their blogs don't have to say where they live or what they do."
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by al-in-chgo April 7, 2010
Get the Scanlation mug.Scanilation is a computer scan and translation of current Japanese manga which has been translated, usually into English and distributed on the net.
by Edd_the_duck August 25, 2005
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Thou whom is bestowed with the knowledge of scamming shall officially help those of a low stature to become that nigga/bitch . <3
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Get the scamalations 3:20 mug.by Jazebladeface March 5, 2023
Get the slanglation mug.Scapulation dumping refers to the process of dumping scapula’s. Little is known about Scapula’s (from the latin word Scapulaiincredabilous) except that they are found at incredible depths within the worlds oceans. It is within their home environment that they creep and crawl over the ocean floors gathering the bubbles from shark farts.
Deep sea trawlers net the scapulas, extract the shark farts and encapsulate them in a vat of spirits which are ultimately sold to the manufacturers of spirit levels and used for the bubbles found within those levels.
Extreme caution must be applied throughout the action to avoid the shark farts entering the seamen’s blood stream and causing “the bends”.
The Scapula’s are not harmed during the process and are dumped back into the sea once their valuable cargo’s are extracted hence the expression “scapulation dumping”.
Prof J.S. Miller
Deep sea trawlers net the scapulas, extract the shark farts and encapsulate them in a vat of spirits which are ultimately sold to the manufacturers of spirit levels and used for the bubbles found within those levels.
Extreme caution must be applied throughout the action to avoid the shark farts entering the seamen’s blood stream and causing “the bends”.
The Scapula’s are not harmed during the process and are dumped back into the sea once their valuable cargo’s are extracted hence the expression “scapulation dumping”.
Prof J.S. Miller
Scapulation Dumping refers to dumping scapula's and is associated with production of Pioneer Brickies Levels
by Ormbo January 22, 2008
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Get the scabulation mug.Scanlations are unofficial translations of comics, posed on the Internet. The name is derived from the process, as, usually, a scanlation is done through scanning a hard copy of the original, whiting out the speech bubbles, and typing the translation in its place. Scanlations can range from basic unjustified text copy-pasted from Google Translate to professional-quality localizations, though it is noted that scanlations are often more faithful to the original than official localizations. From the same source as "scanlation", the verb "scanlate" is also in use.
On top of its illegality, scanlation has a bad reputation due to a massive amount of scanlated material being erotic manga. However, it is a misconception that only such works are scanlated, or even only mangas at all; for instance, Franco-Belgian comics such as "Spirou et Fantasio" that never received English versions have been scanlated thusly.
Unauthorized translations of already freely available webcomics are sometimes lumped together with scanlations, although, since no scanning is involved, they may not actually qualify depending on who you ask.
On top of its illegality, scanlation has a bad reputation due to a massive amount of scanlated material being erotic manga. However, it is a misconception that only such works are scanlated, or even only mangas at all; for instance, Franco-Belgian comics such as "Spirou et Fantasio" that never received English versions have been scanlated thusly.
Unauthorized translations of already freely available webcomics are sometimes lumped together with scanlations, although, since no scanning is involved, they may not actually qualify depending on who you ask.
by Septimus Lector July 6, 2017
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