Scrapped Princess: Volume One
© Tokyopop
"Scrapped Princess: Volume One"
By: Nadia OxfordDate: Monday, January 22, 2007
Translating Japanese novels to English is a tricky process that runs the risk of stripping characters and storylines of their original intent and message. But with skill and care on the part of the translator, preservation is possible. The colourful characters and settings of Scrapped Princess indicate Tokyopop worked cautiously to retain the magic in Ichiro Sakaki's novel, but unfortunately, the writing itself is flawed.
The Scrapped Princess novel is the inspiration behind the anime series of the same name. It follows the life of fifteen-year-old Pacifica Casull, who is prophesised at birth as the destroyer of the world. To protect her life, the newborn is spirited away and raised by a reputable swordsman and his twin children, Shannon and Raquel. Once the royal family learns Pacifica has survived, they send a steady stream of assassins to off her and her adoptive family before the dire prophecy has a chance to come true.
The premise of Scrapped Princess is made interesting by Pacifica's character; she's a typical fifteen-year-old girl, clumsy if not a bit spoiled, and her adventures are worth reading to try and uncover what, if anything, makes her so dangerous. Her goofy personality works well alongside the laid-back warriors Shannon and Raquel, who love their sister but struggle with the possibility they might be protecting the destroyer of the world.
However, the story's narration is a little amateurish. Instead of illustrating the characters' feelings and intent through their actions and dialogue, there are frequent interludes and internal monologues describing their emotions. Admittedly, "telling" versus "showing" is acceptable in stories for young adults, which is Scrapped Princess' target demographic. It can also be considered a means of sacrificing a little character development in order to fit the details of a lengthy story (Scrapped Princess will span thirteen volumes), but there are other instances where the book can be tightened. For example, almost every spell Raquel (an adept magic user) casts is accompanied by half a paragraph of description, including the spell's origin, nature and effect. But if a spellcaster yells out "Ragnarok!" and their opponent immediately begins to burn, is it necessary to have the details of the attack doled out beforehand?
The same can be said for the sometimes-lengthy descriptions of the towns in the Kingdom of Linevan. Descriptors like fortified walls, cobblestones and markets are all fantasy staples, but there isn't much need to detail the politics running a town the siblings are only passing through.
