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Accuracy
What to Look Out For
Though our memory serves very well for most things we have viewed, it is always better to check some reliable sources such as MAL, Wikipedia, ANN, and official pages etc. for facts and key information before writing or editing a synopsis. There is no greater turn-off for a reader than the realization that they have been misled, even in some small way.
Where do inaccuracies usually creep in?
Time Periods
When specifying years, centuries, and other time periods, please make sure you're using the right time period. It is easy to miss out by a year... or hundreds.
Titles, Names, and Genres
Japanese is not the first language for many of us (or the second or third). Make sure to stick to MAL's conventions for names of the work and its characters and also the respective genres. Check all the spellings carefully.
Character Ages
A 16-year-old is just as much a high school student as a 17-year-old, but it is still absolutely essential that we maintain accuracy across all the facts we present to MAL users.
When in doubt, go through the character description on MAL and the Wiki and simply rely on the first chapter/episode of the original source.
Story Events
It is easy to skip details that seem obvious to us, but sometimes omissions could make a synopsis misleading. Similarly, do not make assumptions for series that are familiar to you if the anime or manga specifies (or implies) no such thing.
Always cross-check any information you remember or stumble upon on other sites—even things that seem very clear to you.
Numbers
Amounts of money, prices of objects, number of wins and losses of a legendary sportsperson, etc. are easy to get wrong.
And finally...
If you are still in doubt about some piece of information or if you come across conflicting information across several sites, evaluate carefully if the synopsis could do without that detail. It is always better to skip it than use doctored information and produce an inaccurate synopsis.
Notify a Coordinator if you notice inconsistencies in spellings and other details across MAL (even if it is just one!).
Please go through the Details of Anime and Manga section in the MAL Rewrite Style Guide for more information.
Last modified 2mo ago