What about the nicknames? Before, you said you hadn't yet figured out how you'd handle the dialogue dealing with them. Have you thought up something yet?
Nicknames with -P endings will be left intact, ie: Luna-P, Mina-P, etc. Truncated names (Usa, Mako, etc.) will be returned to full length (Usagi, Makoto, etc.). Names using diminutives (Usagi-chan, Ami-chan) will drop the suffix and will be dealt with in other ways to make the levels of familiarity apparent in the translation. Names using truncated diminutives (Usako, Mamo-chan, etc.) will be returned to full length (Usagi, Mamoru), and the levels of intimacy between individuals will be made apparent in the translation in other ways, either by using English diminutives (honey, darling), or with some creative license in making pet names. Haven't decided if I'll really go through with the pet name thing though -- sounds like it's more trouble than it's worth to put something in that isn't there to begin with, just for the sake of retaining Japanese diminutives.
While my main line of expertise is professional interpretation in a business setting, during college I dealt with written translation work pretty heavily. Generally speaking, the way I'm going to go about handling Japanese suffixes and names is the same way professional translators of novels or historical documents handle them. Restoring truncated diminutives and such as I've mentioned above is pretty standard fare. If you pick up a copy of The Tale of Genji - or any Japanese novel or document - you won't find -kun or -san suffixes, name contractions, and the like. Think of it this way; when you see the term 入管 (Nyuukan), you wouldn't try to translate the word as "Imm-Off", even though it's a truncation and contraction of the words 入国管理局 (Nyuukoku Kanrikyoku), "Immigration Office". Same general concept applies.
Previously, you said you'd be changing "Ayakashi" into "Strange". You kinda explained why, but not how. How is "Strange" a good change? There are some who say that "Ayakashi" might be their surname.
Ayakashi is not a surname. It's not even a surname for the sake of it being a fake surname within the series universe. I'm not sure who suggested otherwise or why, but they are completely wrong.
All of the Black Moon Family have "titles" of a sort. For example, Esmeraude's name in Japanese is 緑
のエスメロード (Midori no ESUMEROODO). Does this mean that her last name is "Midori"? No. We have two really good reasons for arguing this; first, "midori" refers to the color green. It's never used as a surname. Second, surnames are never separated by the particle "no" from given names. Therefore, Esmeraude's name is more like a title; "Green Esmeraude".
The "names" of the members of the Black Moon Family have this format. Crimson Rubeus (紅
のルベウス), Blue Sapphir (蒼
のサフィール), etc. In the case of the Strange Sisters, their title is あやかし
の四姉妹 (Ayakashi no Yon Shimai); literally, "The Four Strange Sisters". Basic Japanese linguistics disproves that "Ayakashi" is referring to a surname. On top of that, the individual members are never referred to individually as "Ayakashi no Petz", or whatever. Since ayakashi (like midori, ao, and akai from the other Black Moon Family titles) is a real word, it is being translated as such.
Anyway, I hope I explained that without coming off too strong. People just come up with crazy ideas about the series that kind of confuses me, haha.
to my shame I didn't watch the previous release, even though I downloaded it long time ago
Well, get on it already! =p I kid, I kid. I think you'll enjoy both releases!