Translation is not made of boxes, it's a spectrum. And a number of factors impact how a translator approaches a translation.
Jul 22, 2023 • Subscribe
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Translation is a Spectrum
Translation is not made of boxes, it's a spectrum. And a number of factors impact how a translator approaches a translation.
Translation is Hard: 5 Obstacles to a Good Translation
There seems to be a lot of discourse on anime subtitle translation these days. The louder voices on Twitter tend to defend localized, less literal translations. I’ve been…
Translation is NOT Like a Woman
Translation not like a woman. It's a lot more complicated that being "beautiful/not beautiful" and "faithful/faithless".
VG Pulse 297: Spectrum Oasis
This week on VG Pulse, its full of spice and danger! We start off with side-notes of shining legendaries and an important PSA to all former Time Warner…
Tár: The Anti-Social Personality Spectrum
Initially, when watching Tár you may be tempted to compare it to a fictional biopic. After all, it follows the story of a highly successful woman in music,…
#117 Yui Kamio is a Confused Story! ft Translation Analyst Lightning
A woman so wild she even makes a gigachad sweat We and our guest translation analyst Lightning discuss Jump Plus manga Yui Kamio Lets Loose. Show…
#117 Yui Kamio is a Confused Story! ft Translation Analyst Lightning
A woman so wild she even makes a gigachad sweat We and our guest translation analyst Lightning discuss Jump Plus manga Yui Kamio Lets Loose. Show…
Covering the LGBTQ+ Spectrum in Incompatible Species
When a project boasts the inclusion of LGBTQ+ characters, I more often than not find myself disappointed. Most of the time the visual novel in question only feature…
All You Need Is Kill – Translation Review
What if you’re stuck in a Groundhog day-like time loop? Only it’s not a creepy stalker romance, but a horrifying nightmare in a war-zone. And the English translation…
A decade (or so) of translation…
As some friends would know, the final year of this decade has seen me formally enter the industry as a translator. To be precise, I work as a…
What is the Japan Visualmedia Translation Academy (JVTA)?
Two graduates of the Japan Visualmedia Translation Academy share their experience into the online school for translators.
What is the Japan Visualmedia Translation Academy (JVTA)?
Two graduates of the Japan Visualmedia Translation Academy share their experience into the online school for translators.
How Do Judges Judge a Good Translation?
How do the judges judge a good translation? What are they looking for? What can you do to create the best translation possible?
Anime-only? You’ve only read a translation.
Anime is a translation. Not metaphorically—functionally. Studios, committees, broadcast schedules, and adaptation choices all stand between you and the story a mangaka originally created. That’s not a criticism of anime.…
TRANSLATION POSTINGS
You can now read the entirety of the Zeta Gundam Sidestory: Four’s Story ~And, As a Soldier~ located here. Also, Entertainment Bible.35 Part.5: The Cosmo Babylonia Foundation War…
TRANSLATION POSTINGS
You can now read the entirety of the Zeta Gundam Sidestory: Four’s Story ~And, As a Soldier~ located here. Also, Entertainment Bible.35 Part.5: The Cosmo Babylonia Foundation War…
The Spectrum of Relationship Difficulties and Hurt Among Men
When a boy is raised without the tools to identify and communicate his feelings, he initially might still be able to express different kinds of emotions. Yet over…
The Spectrum of Love (Fate/Grand Order’s Ooku’s Analysis)
The arrival of the Tokugawa’s Restoration Labyrinth: Ooku, one of Fate/Grand Order’s event, marked what I would like to dub as the conclusion of the Sakura trilogy in…
Spectrum Drops Disney XD, Home of Yu-Gi-Oh! SEVENS
Disney and Charter Communications’ Spectrum have ended an 11-day carriage dispute that saw the blackout of all Disney-owned channels offered by the TV provider, including ABC local stations…
Cosmic Spectrum Talks With Anime Herald at Lightbox Expo 2022
Anime Herald: What is your origin story as an artist? Cosmic Spectrum: Oh, that’s a tough question. I’ve always wanted to be an artist, so there isn’t
Opposite Ends of the “Real Robot” Spectrum: New MODEROID Solicitations
Between the end of last week and the start of this week, Good Smile Company dropped a couple of solicitations for a couple of kits they’ve already revealed…
SEKAI/SUBETE Remake and Translation is now out on DLsite!
Sekai no Subete, developed by Tama-soft, was originally released on March 26th, 2002 in Japan. It also received many ports thanks to the work of Regista.
Gained in Translation
People talk about "lost in translation" but what do we gain in translation? We gain more than we lose as translation shapes media.
The Translation Process
How does one go about translating something? Don't you just start translating the text? NO! Use the translation process.
Gunbarich’s English Translation
This popular Japanese arcade game finally hit the Nintendo Switch, along with an awkward English translation.
Gained in Translation
People talk about "lost in translation" but what do we gain in translation? We gain more than we lose as translation shapes media.
The Translation Process
How does one go about translating something? Don't you just start translating the text? NO! Use the translation process.
SF! A Booklist of Japanese Science Fiction in Translation
Support RJL. Check out our Bookshop.org page. Anthologies The Best Japanese Science Fiction Stories ed. John Apostolou and Martin Greenberg The Future is Japanese: Science Fiction Futures and…
A Summary of “The Routledge Course in Japanese Translation”
A summary of The Routledge Course in Japanese Translation by Yoko Hasegawa. Breaking down each chapter and the subjects they cover.
A New Translation of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi
Review of a new translations of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi from 2020. Published by Amber Books, translated by Maisy Hatchard.
Positive My Life (Translation)
This is a song from Hypnosis Mic’s latest EP release, The Block Party – Hoods. I noticed I usually make a mess of longer translations, so I wanted…
Idol Burning – Translation Review
Idol Burning is an award winning smash hit of a novella and is now available in English! So how was the English translation?
Idol Burning – Translation Review
Idol Burning is an award winning smash hit of a novella and is now available in English! So how was the English translation?
Balancing Japanese-English Translation
There are times when you need to know how to balance Japanese-English translation, especially when working in media translation.
Battle Rangers’ English Translation
This arcade classic features amazing examples of bad 1980s video game translation.
My Dream Translation Course
I've taken a number of translation courses and they've been hit or miss. I'd love to build my own translation course someday.
Balancing Japanese-English Translation
There are times when you need to know how to balance Japanese-English translation, especially when working in media translation.
Finding Your Translation Specialization
How do you find your specialization in translation? What do we even mean when we say you should specialize? This article breaks it down.
My Dream Translation Course
I've taken a number of translation courses and they've been hit or miss. I'd love to build my own translation course someday.
Finding Your Translation Specialization
How do you find your specialization in translation? What do we even mean when we say you should specialize? This article breaks it down.
Uehashi Nahoko Translation Project
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Selfy Collection’s English Translation
Bizarre fashion meets bizarre translation in this Nintendo Switch game!
Lost in Translation #19 – March Comes in Like a Lion
Wow, I’ve been gone for a long time. That’s a separate post for a separate day, but for now, I’m gonna try and ease myself back into the…
Can You Learn Translation from “The Routledge Course in Japanese Translation”?
Can you learn translation from "The Routledge Course in Japanese Translation"? How useful is this book for new and experienced translators?
The Boy and The Beast: A Magical Tale Lost in Translation
The movie The Boy and The Beast (currently available on Crunchyroll) is a truly delightful tale of a confused and emotionally injured little boy that runs away from…
Translation Chat 15 – Alexander O. Smith chats about All You Need Is Kill
Video game writer and translation, Alexander O. Smith, chats about the English translation of the sci-fi novel All You Need Is Kill.
Free otome game translation project!
I decided to start up a translation project for a short free game named 純正優男 (”Genuine Gentlemen” ??) because of its funny and proactive MC. The creator has…
Digimon in Translation | Adventure #1
WE HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE ISLAND………FILE ISLAND!!! I have a confession to make: I’ve never watched through Digimon, my favorite childhood anime, in its native Japanese…
Japanese – English Translation Competitions 2023
A list of translation competitions for Japanese to English translators in 2023. I’ve also posted a list of articles at the bottom which should help! Japanese –…
![Featured image for Media Translation Link Roundup [2025]](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20250308/1741425357.99412.142356.jpg)
Media Translation Link Roundup [2025]
Articles from the last year about manga, game, and literary translation. For translators and localization fans alike.