Pokemon Adventures: Viz Media vs. Chuang Yi

[Oneb3low]

I want to start reading the pokemon adventures manga, and since i can't read japanese i'll need an english translation. Is the translation/censorship better handled in one publication over the other? Thanks in advance

 

[GreenBeece]

Well, both are good translations (I've read volumes 1-14 and 30-36 by VIZ Media and volumes 15-29 by Chuang Yi). This decision depends on two things, where you are living and what you are looking for:

VIZ Media's books are available in many bookstores in North America and some parts of Europe and South Africa. The Chuang Yi versions are available in Singapore and parts of Southern and South-Eastern Asia, and Australia and New Zealand. If you live outside of these parts, check e-Bay or Amazon. Some bigger cities throughout the world have stores that sell imported comics (like my local store in Helsinki, Finland).

The other thing is what you're looking for. The VIZ Media bases its translation more on the games whereas Chuang Yi has its own way of translating (for example in the VIZ version Youngster Joey goes by his name in the games while the Chuang Yi uses the name Grant, also the Aqua and Magma Admins have different names from the games in the Chuang Yi version) .

 

[PokeAwesome94]

VIZ

Pros:

Original right to left reading format preserved.
Direct Japanese to English translations.
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Cons:

Censorship of a few scenes such as a scene from chapter 32 (vol. 3) and a scene from chapter 133 (vol. 11).
Volumes from the DPPt arc and up published as separate series (for those who want to have the original numbering of the volumes).
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Neutral:

Modifies the cover designs a little, but it looks really nice.
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Chuang Yi

Pros:

No censorship as far as I know. Original numbering of the volumes.
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Cons:

Reading format flipped from the original Japanese right to left format to the western left to right format.
Chuang Yi translates the Chinese volumes into English, meaning that it's a translation of a translation. This has caused some translation errors if I remember correctly.
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Neutral:

Keeps the original cover design.
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