Well...the time has come. I actually said a lot in my post-script, but I sort of want to make a special message to all of you here on LittleRubberGuys due to everything you've done for me in the last year and a half. When I first started on Kinnikuman, all we really had were the Toriyama World scripts (which everyone wanted to keep even if I wanted to make a redo) and a bunch of fans who didn't want me to write about Suguru fighting shrimp monsters and giant turkeys and just skip ahead to the Gold Mask arc. To tell the truth, I'm sort of happy that the series is "complete" instead of just out there in a bunch of random fragments as it was originally. As bizarre and stupid as some parts were, everything Yudetamago did had a purpose for character development, with A leading to B, B to C and so on. I know people probably didn't want to see the random misadventures of Kinkotsuman or see Specialman and Canadianman in the only moments they actually were important or try to figure out why the heck Choujin get a theme park in St. Louis, but it's these little touches that actually allow for one to appreciate the growth and development of this world. Besides, in some ways I rather have the shrimp monsters and giant turkeys over Iron Sweat, Voodoo Dolls of Friendship and the Muscle Prophecy any day.
In a way, it's because of all of you here on LRG that I was able to have the support to do what I needed to do with this series. Unlike a lot of the manga I translate, which seem to go out into an empty world with no real response from anyone, I had a fanbase to back me up and push me along from day one, helping me, critiquing me, yelling at me for not getting scripts done fast enough, guys I could joke and threaten to allow for the existence of Beatlebomb or Buster Crabb. (yeah...I never wanted to use those either) And I guess there are a few people at the top of my head that I can thank right here and now for everything...I know I'm probably forgetting a ton of people but I have a bad memory with names:
-Tash (Stecase King): You were the guy who probably was more of the crux of the project than I ever was. Sure I translated the manga, but you did a lot of the scanslations that came after my scripts, polishing them, giving them sheen, and making sure they had the right amount of spit and shine in the spit-shine. You also had a lot of other cool interests as well in some of the crazier hero stuff out there, not just the comedy arc but "Batman: The Brave and the Bold"...and reminded me to get back to "Iron Man: Armored Adventures"...which I really need to. I think you're more important than stupid old me and I thank you for getting these scripts more presentable.
-Knuxie Chan: If Tash got the manga ready for distribution...then you're the esteemed distributor that got it out to the world. Helping out Kinniku-fans one chapter at a time, that's your motto. And you're the one who sort of kept us all together even in our harder times. Thanks for doing so.
-Meat's Fan: I can't forget you, considering you're probably one of the first really big fans of the project! Reading the scripts once upon a time, eagerly anticipating all of Meat's moments, and applauding when I finally got to that big Mixer Taitei fight and that epic Back Drop. I guess you're sort of happy he still is a kid in Nisei...but hey, you're also a Brocken fan too and his final battle...well probably one of his best moments alongside his Ninja fight.
-JaketheJackal (Katatonia): I know many think of him as probably the biggest controversy on this board and probably in the fandom, but somehow the two of us connected. We're both fellow translators, we both are struggling to get more manga recognition out there and do the things people really aren't getting to anywhere else. Heck, I've even had moments where I just can't speak to him...but the thing is, you're not that bad, Jake. You're probably the biggest fan of my insane, innane rants about the worst moments of Kinnikuman, laughing along at the insanity of the Perfect Choujin pulling the "Superman bit" and appreciating my rants about how Dr. Bombe is the most evil character in the entire series. He's introduced me to "Tatakate! Ramenman", I introduced him to "Sakigake!! Otokojuku"...and somehow, even with "those moments", we make a crazy pair...of what I don't know.
-Matto: Sometimes I like you, other times...well...let's say that you're memorable and I like you a lot. Personally whenever I see how horrible the girls of Kinnikuman and Nisei are treated, I think of you defending them to the bitter end...except Mari but she screws everything up.
-Kinnikumanbigbody: You haven't been around but your enthusiasm has been genuine and it's been great pleasing you with all of your likes and dislikes of the series.
-Shino619: Sort of hard to say too much but like Bigbody, your enthusiasm has been infectious for the series and my translations and I welcome that.
-Tubba: It's strange considering you haven't been on the board for too long but has probably become a delightful conversationalist regarding the series and everything that has happened in such a short time. I know I don't know as much as you and forget things easily but I really liked talking to you about all things Kinnikuman...even if Chienowaman got screwed out of his only notable fight.
-TheOrgg: Our boss, our manager, our all and all god. Just like Knuxie, you're the one who helped get the whole shebang together, being there from the moment the project started, helping me and the rest of us along and keeping an eye to make sure that Kinnikuman got out to the fans and anyone who wanted to read it.
I know I'm forgetting quite a few but let me just say this to all of you: doumo arigato gozaimash ita. If it weren't for you, there wouldn't be a Kinnikuman fan base and I wouldn't have someone to tell me what to do and how not to screw this project up. It's been a long year and a half and I'm happy that we've all had a lot of laughs and a lot of fun with this classic shonen manga. I'm not going away from LRG...I will be doing the wedding chapter hopefully within a week and will still chat on the boards and such, but somehow I just feel like eventually I'll end up doing what I always do...drift away to other parts unknown. Hopefully all of you will prevent me from doing so in the end, I hope. And thanks one more time for allowing for some idiot Bo-bobo translator to reveal a major key to shonen history and one of the most important and fun shonen manga out there to the English speaking world.
And now, with all that said and done...
Chp. 387: And to think, the "future" of Choujin isn't going to be left to those there on that fateful day...but to a gazelle, a walrus, and Suguru and Terry's sons. I fear what sort of future they're going to end up living in...but it's going to be really screwed up regardless:
http://mangahelpers..../releases/20989
Edited by SoldierAtaru, 24 March 2010 - 06:14 PM.
