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 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".
A Treatise on Translation
Why study translation when you’re on a blog about anime and manga? People sometimes have weird reactions to the fact […]
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,…
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…
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…
The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles Is Actually a Perfect Game In Translation
That statement may come as a surprise for people who spent years wondering if the game would ever get an English localization at all, but at its heart,…
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.
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?
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…
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.
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…
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
The Translation Process
How does one go about translating something? Don't you just start translating the text? NO! Use the translation process.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
Positive My Life (Translation)
This is a song from Hypnosis Mic’s latest EP release, The Block Party – Hoods. I noticed I usually make […]
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?
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?
A Roundtable Discussion With 8 Female Animators (Animage, June 1990): A DeepL “Translation”
NOTE: This is by no means a professional translation, this was done via machine translation. As such, not every meaning may be reproduced with 100% accuracy or flow well…
Mashin Hero Wataru, Madonna, Maison Ikkoku, City Hunter, Future Boy Conan
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.
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…
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 #2
Episode 2 returns us to the Digital World on a literal cliffhanger, as the ground beneath our heroes’ feet gives way under Kuwagamon’s powerful pincers! Luckily, there’s a…
![Featured image for [Translation] Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasuka? Prologue](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210421/1619021642.10731.35080.jpg)
[Translation] Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasuka? Prologue
This is the first chapter of Shuumatsu Nani Shitemasuka? Isogashii desu ka? Sukutte Moratte ii desu ka? (what a mouthful). I won’t make any promises yet on whether I’ll…
Talking Translation w. Sarah Moon
On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, Sarah Moon teaches us a bit about what it's like being a translator of anime and games.
Japanese – English Translation Competitions 2021
It is a new year and a new round of translation competitions is upon us! At least I hope they will be! Last year was a bit of…
Site Upkeep and Translation Station
Remember when Touhou was all the rage instead of VTubers? Well, on the upside, Hero is Dead didn't go through with the pee joke. On the downside,…
Japanese – English Translation Competitions 2022
A list of Japanese - English Translation Competitions 2022 including competitions for aspiring and published translators.
Translation, Localization, Censorship, and You
►DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE! --- SUPPORT MY CHANNEL! BUY ME A COFFEE: https://ko-fi.com/redbardiscool --- Originally, I meant for this video to be out like, a month earlier--but then several delays happened, and…
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 –…
✞ Dance With Devils ✞ Prologue Translation
“Tachibana Ritsuka is attacked by mysterious men on her way to Shikou Academy. This incident turns her into a target, for she is the key to the “Forbidden…
The Turn A Gundam Concert, featuring Yoko Kanno + Bonus Press Conference Translation
It’s Turn A Gundam’s 23rd anniversary, so here’s a special article to commemorate! When Turn A Gundam was still on-air, Yoko Kanno wanted to hold a concert to…
Translation Chat 17 – Erica Friedman chats about Whisper Me a Love Song
Erica Friedman chats about the English translation of the manga Whisper Me a Love Song and why character voice is so important.
School in the Crosshairs – Translation Notes
School in the Crosshairs - Translation Notes by RagnarXIV (Owen Baron) OPENING THEME The opening theme is performed by the singer Yumi Matsutouya, also known as "Yuming". Debuting…
SWET Event – Blogging, Podcasts, and Translation
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Audiobooks of Japanese Literature in Translation
Kobo Abe The Woman in the DunesTranslated by E. Dale SaundersNarrated by Julian Cihi Hiro Arikawa The Traveling Cat ChroniclesTranslated by Philip GabrielNarrated by George Bladden Osamu Dazai…
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