First anniversary

Exactly one year ago, Jin started Dicescans as a birthday present to a friend.

At that point, DICE was more or less in limbo. The previous scanlator, Silent Sky, had been in breach of the 12-week unspoken rule of scanlation (I know because, in my abstinence, I was counting week by week), and Lonemanga was struggling to put out chapters: they were coming out in a trickle, without making a dent in the backlog. (I also know that because I was measuring the release pace, again because of my abstinence.)

Jin knew nothing about scanlation (I know that because once she asked me what shoujo manga is), or what DICE status was. She only knew her friend liked the series and was craving chapters. So she did what a friend does: she set a few hours every week to translate the backlog chapters from Korean and pasted the scripts onto panels using MS Paint.

And then she decided to share it with everyone else. People loved it: I remember vividly when Son-Derling told us at Mangahelpers there were two new chapters at this blog I had never heard of. I was overjoyed and rushed to offer whatever help I could to her, first splicing chapters together (thus my nickname) and later cleaning/typesetting (I told her I knew how to and fortunately for me she believed).

And here we are now, thanks to many offers of help, and through more than one rough patch. Out of the top of my head, I can recall the names of many people who contributed here and there: Andrea, Sira, Kabuto, Sarrymast, Xarix, Jun the translator, Choo Choo Cat, Orange Translator, Jun the redrawer, Fruit... you have our gratitude. And of course, the lovely Aia-chan, who has been around ever since and always steps in when we need her.

And I cannot forget my partners in crime, first Kfmnpah and now Fábio. If our releases are beautiful, it's thanks to you.

Congratulations on one year of Dicescans, Jin!