the Ultimania translations from Dark Horse

[taichara]

Has anyone been picking these up?

I had the second one (VII/VIII/IX) arrive today, and it has a few nice bits here and there that it's nice to have an official English take on. And of course pages after pages of character/critter/location designs (my precious), which are a maaaaajor draw for me.

By and large I enjoyed the first more than the second, though, which is probably partly because of my game preferences but also because there was more early stage or unused or just development notes stuff in it -- especially for II, which practically has one and a half entire other game plots outlined in there, whoo boy ~!

So, yeah, anyone else enjoying these? Or is there something someone might wind checked for, if you don't have them/aren't getting them?

Comments

[wallwalker]

I'm so behind the times. I did not know about this, but I'm going to have to take a look at them when I have money. There's a lot I'd want to check for, so I'll have to see about making a list. :)

[taichara]

Yen On (Yen Press) is also tackling FF prose material --

The Compilation story story collection On The Way To A Smile is already out, the Turks novel is next month, and iirc the XIII prose works are some time in the spring.

I have Thoughts on the short stories. most of them involve me snickering. lol.

[kalloway]

I need to get the new one ordered. For awhile, I was collecting the JP Ultimanias but I don't think I hung on to most of them (space, interest waned for a bit) even though I couldn't read most of them.

But these are absolutely a treasure~

[taichara]

I have a few JP!Ultimanias but they were a bit of a pain to get my hands on; a few unexpected ones, though, I think I may have one for Four Heroes lurking around somewhere even ... I should check that, lol. Maybe I'm thinking of something else. And yeah, reading was and is a no-go.

Being able to actually read all these bits, mind you, this is a nice change X3

[kalloway]

I think I still have the FFVII Ultimania Omega which has a lot of nice art of every item from the game, inc. Cloud's drag stuff, and maybe one for FFVIII? And another thick, similar guide for FFIV DS that's not an Ultimania but might as well be?

I sort of regret selling my KH Ultimanias but maybe we'll get stuff from those later. I wouldn't have looked at them in the last decade anyway, but...

[taichara]

I have the VII one, and the III one (lol), and I have all kinds of stuff for IV let me show you my IV stuff *coughs* *lol* and there may be stragglers. And Four Heroes. Because Four Heroes.

Pretty sure I have a few KH ones but I don't remember if it's the first and CoM or the first and II and they've been stowed away ...

Dammit now I'm gonna want to go digging lol.

[kalloway]

Okay, my FFIV one is a Complete Guide for the DS version, but it has interviews and concept art in the back. It's nearly the same size...

I had at least the first KH one and maybe for II? It's been a long time.

[nanslice]

Gosh. I need to check this out. Especially the second one, since VIII is my second favorite game haha. I do enjoy that sweet, sweet design art. :3

[taichara]

It's probably fair to note that VIII has the smallest segment, but there's still a pile of stuff in there.

[lassarina]

I ordered them, but due to the *handwaggle* that the last couple years have been, I haven't had a chance to look through them yet. In the new year, though!

[larissa]

!!! I had no idea they were going to be putting out the FFXIII books!! This makes me super happy, now I don't have to go digging through all the fan translations anymore. (I say that, but this just means I'm gonna end up comparing them........)

[taichara]

They're worth it when you get there --