Wave ? - Cruiser and Racer type

[Klinkin]

@ Ikuya_koi Ikuya

Princess type bikes like the release of God hopeless. But I heard that I was the director talking to those involved at the time of launch the other day at a glance, I'd like factory production can not be ensured. I think the fans demand and has also understand I know well in the Konami Maybe Busou # Hey I wonder what will not even try to circumstances of adult

Google doesn't offer a translation that even passes for legible, but it would seem to agree that the bike girls may be cancelled. It looks like the problem might be with the factory, and that it's possible that they might be un-cancelled. I don't suppose anyone can give us a proper translation?

[Raiski]

Here's babelfish, lol:

"Shinki bike launches despair desperate term. During the recent launch peek et cum and it, but I heard the officials and coach'm talking is not enough production plant. Trying to whether in adult situations I think and recognize fan demand 10-Konami side maybe story but, I understand it, even if you probably not a! # BUSOU SHINKI"

I'm really starting to lose all faith in Konami... *sigh*

[MaidenLili]

From Twitter:
いくや ‏@ikuya_koi

バイク型神姫の発売は絶望的っぽい。先日の打ち上げ時にちらっと監督が関係者と話をしてるのを聞いたんですが、生産工場が確保できないみたいですね。ファンの要望は多分コナミ側でも十分承知してるし理解もしてると思うんだけど、大人の事情でどうしようもならないんだろうなぁ #武装神姫

Hey, all. Sorry for my long absence, I'm quite the lurker

My Japanese is far from fluent or perfect, but I think I can at least make the translation a little smoother. Here's what I can make of it:

"The release of the bike-type shinki is hopeless. The other day around launch time, by chance I head the director talking to some of the staff involved, and it seems a manufacturing facility can't be secured. I think (we here at) Konami recognize and appreciate the fans' demands, but for certain reasons it just can't be helped."

Some translation notes:
- I don't know enough about Japanese product release terminology to understand what the 'uchiage toki' or 'launch time' referred to is; my assumption is that it refers to the approaching planned release of the product - but it might just be referring to factory startup or something like that.
- I'm pretty sure this implies that the writer heard about this second-hand by chance, but I'm not clear on whether they heard the conversation directly or merely heard about it from someone else. It doesn't really matter where the information came from; the 'I head the other day...' could even just be a convenient way to mention that the writer got some information.
- I'm not sure the sentence really makes it clear what's going on with the manufacturing facility or factory. Verbs in Japanese are a little vague, so I can't quite tell whether they're saying that they can't get a facility, itself, or if something about the facility or its production can't be adequately secured or guaranteed.
- 'Otona no Jijou', or 'adult circumstances', is a sort of standard phrase used in Japanese for when one has reasons for something but can't really speak about them, such as company-internal or manufacturing affairs.

Hopefully that helps understanding a little, even though it's also terribly depressing. At least for me part, I really wanted these girls to join my collection, too.

[Zenislez]

Oh man. That's sucks.

Been quite some time since the last wave too. Is this some kind of bad sign?

[kintaro]

Bike girls getting cancelled? Can anyone offer a better translation than Google?

From Twitter:

いくや ‏@ikuya_koi

バイク型神姫の発売は絶望的っぽい。先日の打ち上げ時にちらっと監督が関係者と話をしてるのを聞いたんですが、生産工場が確保できないみたいですね。ファンの要望は多分コナミ側でも十分承知してるし理解もしてると思うんだけど、大人の事情でどうしようもならないんだろうなぁ #武装神姫

Well, here goes:

"Release of Bike Type Shinkis is looking hopeless. The other day during the product launch I accidentally heard the manager talking to staff and it sounds like they can't secure production factory. I think that on Konami side they are plenty aware of the demand created by fans and they sympathize, but they have actual, grown-up circumstances and there's probably nothing they can do..."

What I didn't get is who this "ikuya" guy is (I didn't investigate, his twitter page says that he is a "trivial animator"), why what he says should be taken seriously, and what that "product launch" he's referring to was.

[kintaro]

From Twitter:
いくや ‏@ikuya_koi

バイク型神姫の発売は絶望的っぽい。先日の打ち上げ時にちらっと監督が関係者と話をしてるのを聞いたんですが、生産工場が確保できないみたいですね。ファンの要望は多分コナミ側でも十分承知してるし理解もしてると思うんだけど、大人の事情でどうしようもならないんだろうなぁ #武装神姫

Hey, all. Sorry for my long absence, I'm quite the lurker

My Japanese is far from fluent or perfect, but I think I can at least make the translation a little smoother. Here's what I can make of it:

"The release of the bike-type shinki is hopeless. The other day around launch time, by chance I head the director talking to some of the staff involved, and it seems a manufacturing facility can't be secured. I think (we here at) Konami recognize and appreciate the fans' demands, but for certain reasons it just can't be helped."

Some translation notes:
- I don't know enough about Japanese product release terminology to understand what the 'uchiage toki' or 'launch time' referred to is; my assumption is that it refers to the approaching planned release of the product - but it might just be referring to factory startup or something like that.
- I'm pretty sure this implies that the writer heard about this second-hand by chance, but I'm not clear on whether they heard the conversation directly or merely heard about it from someone else. It doesn't really matter where the information came from; the 'I head the other day...' could even just be a convenient way to mention that the writer got some information.
- I'm not sure the sentence really makes it clear what's going on with the manufacturing facility or factory. Verbs in Japanese are a little vague, so I can't quite tell whether they're saying that they can't get a facility, itself, or if something about the facility or its production can't be adequately secured or guaranteed.
- 'Otona no Jijou', or 'adult circumstances', is a sort of standard phrase used in Japanese for when one has reasons for something but can't really speak about them, such as company-internal or manufacturing affairs.

Hopefully that helps understanding a little, even though it's also terribly depressing. At least for me part, I really wanted these girls to join my collection, too.

Funny how we both decided to translate it at the same time

[Sonja]

Well, this explains why we've been hearing about statues and other things, but no real shinki releases.

What a shame, but if it can't be helped there's no point in being upset over it.

[Klinkin]

If true, though, this might answer the question that keeps getting asked around the site; with the huge popularity of Shinkis, as evident by both their high going prices on auction sites and the success of the recent anime, why isn't Konami making more of a move to capitalize on that chunk of market share? We've basically gotten no news about actual Shinki for the past several months. If this post is true, then it might be that, for one reason or another, Konami's lost whatever agreements, licenses, or contracts that allowed it to get Shinkis produced. The "adult circumstances" are likely rather complicated; if it was just the factory raising its prices or Konami being underbid by a competitor, I'm pretty sure Konami has the wiggle room to bump Shinki prices if they wanted to. I don't know much about how figure production works in Japan, but it sounds like this could be a serious problem; has a Shinki wave ever been cancelled before? On one hand, this could just be a temporary hitch and we'll see the bikers back on track in a few months, but on the other hand...I don't want to jump to the worst conclusion, but if Konami can't get a factory, then no more Shinkis. I hope we see an official statement from Konami, especially since this rumor's now out.

[Raiski]

Oh man. That's sucks.

Been quite some time since the last wave too. Is this some kind of bad sign?

Well, like Klinkin, I think if they're indeed having problems with their factory or other parts of the production, it might affect other future shinki releases as well. This could very well be the reason we haven't heard any news on upcoming shinkis, be they re-releases of the older ones or new prototypes.

Whatever the case, I'm furious. How can they mess up so badly? You'd think they would put all their effort into getting new stuff out now that it's hot and the anime has raised their popularity. Well, other figure manufactorers have been having factory problems recently too, so I understand this is probably not something Konami can just fix right away.

It seems we probably won't be getting new stuff for a while then. I wonder how high the prices of popular shinkis will be when Konami finally manages to get their act together...

I'm really wishing for an official statement too.

[kintaro]

I don't want to jump to the worst conclusion, but if Konami can't get a factory, then no more Shinkis. I hope we see an official statement from Konami, especially since this rumor's now out.

Hmm. I wonder if the "factory situation" only applies to Biker Shinkis and to them alone. If Konami can't get a factory period, then where do you suppose all those factory rejects have been coming from lately?