Wanted: Proofreaders/Copy Editors!

Update: Both positions have been filled. We would like to thank everyone for their applications. Please look forward to these projects when they are released in the near future!

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Again, we are seeking competent and reliable English proofreaders/copy editors to supplement our little staff. The requirements are pretty much self-explanatory: complete fluency in English, a good grasp of grammar and punctuation, attention to detail, above-average writing skill (needed for the rewriting of awkward dialog lines) and excellent communication skills. We have a fairly lenient schedule, so your turnaround could be anywhere between 24 hours and one week for one chapter (the faster the better of course).

Currently, we have two upcoming projects each of which is in urgent need of a dedicated proofreader/copy editor:

The first project is a sweet slice-of-life tale named Hourou Musuko (lit. “The Wandering Son”). Its story revolves around a grade-school age boy who has such a beautiful face that he is often mistaken for a girl. In fact, it is his secret dream to become one. When two girls from his class, one of whom wants to become a boy, find out about the boy’s secret, his wish to change gender grows stronger to become a desire. Created by Takako Shimura (the author of Sweet Blue Flowers) and serialized in Comic Beam (there are five volumes out so far), Hourou Musuko is a delicate coming-of-age story with a unique premise that explores the nature of gender roles and relationships among adolescents.

We have prepared a special test for those who wish to apply for this project. It contains the script and raw scans for the first 15 pages of the manga. If you would like to take it, write your corrections/improvement suggestions in a separate text file or in the reply mail itself and send it to kotonoha [at] gmx [dot] net.

The second project, whose title I’d rather not disclose yet, is a grim and violent samurai epic set in the Edo period. It features extremely detailed artwork, stunning action scenes and a gripping story whose sophistication is at least on par with genre highlights such as Vagabond and Blade of the Immortal. For this project, we need someone with considerable writing skill and a large vocabulary who can adapt the English script to make the dialogs and narration sound more fitting for a period work. Familiarity with Japanese history in general and the Edo period as well as its samurai culture in particular is a big plus. Please note that this manga contains mature content in form of graphic violence (which may involve a heavy amount of blood and gore) and sexual situations. The proofreading test will be sent to you upon application.

Note: You are welcome to submit your application even if you are not interested in the said projects. You can contact us at kotonoha [at] gmx [dot] net or leave a message with contact data in the comment section.