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[Go_Ly_Dow]

It seems that with every new Japanese game released here in the States, there's another controversy about the translation. Most recently, we saw this with Metaphor: Refantasio, but the same thing happened with Unicorn Overlord and many others. This is true not only for games but also for anime and Manga. So today, we brought in Alexander O. Smith, a professional Japanese-to-English translator and game writer who worked on games like Vagrant Story, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, Final Fantasy X, and Final Fantasy XII, to set the record straight about the process of game translation and localization. Is the game industry plagued with "rogue translators" who are pushing their own agenda? Is censorship the issue? In this episode, you'll learn how and why these decisions are made and learn some REALLY cool behind-the-scenes info on how Final Fantasy X was translated!

About to give this a watch. Not often you hear from one of the localization legends who was involved in so many big Japanese games.

Alexander O. Smith - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Shake Your Rump]

"Hmm interesting.. I'll bookmark this to watch at work tomorrow... TWO HOURS???"

I may still try to watch it at work tomorrow.

 

[nikolino840]

Translate is hard even from english to italians..sometimes jokes are impossibile to Translate the exact translation ... for example in the movie "beetljuice" the mimic scene only works in english..in fact the italians translator they have added that beetljuice explain to wynona rider that are "two english words" Or in the big bang theory episode when they play pictionary that sheldon draw a nail polish to try to explain that the word of the game was marie curie..a polish woman
.

And how many times journalists make news where the source is in japanese and they translate in a wrong way

 

[Deft Beck]

I'll give it a watch, but AOS has a big head...he wanted translation royalties when Phoenix Wright became a big hit.

 

[ap_puff]

meh, i'd rather have accurate translations than what this guy thinks of as something that's not "dead on the page".

 

[nikolino840]

Another example I can give is that in Japan to indicate the hours before and after noon they use the kanji of horse, because in the past in Japan the hours were marked every two hours today, and the two hours were defined with the animals of the Chinese zodiac (seen in kunitsu-gami) the time corresponding to noon was that of the horse. and it is the only one left, they don't use other kanji of animals ... so a normal translator would translate with AM/PM or do you prefer that they translate with before/after the time of the horse? Because that's exactly what it literally means

 

[Danjin44]

meh, i'd rather have accurate translations than what this guy thinks of as something that's not "dead on the page".

Thats the thing sometimes trying straight translation is not accurate. One of my very good friend is from Iran and he taught me how to speak farsi.....and trust me trying straight translate that language to english would absolulty make zero sense to english speaking person, it just very different language than English.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

"Hmm interesting.. I'll bookmark this to watch at work tomorrow... TWO HOURS???"

I may still try to watch it at work tomorrow.

With long stuff like this I tend to listen/watch over 3-4 intervals!

 

[ap_puff]

Thats the thing sometimes trying straight translation is not accurate. One of my very good friend is from Iran and he taught me how to speak farsi.....and trust me trying straight translate that language to english would absolulty make zero sense to english speaking person, it just very different language than English.

I'm not talking about translations that are word-for-word. You can do accurate and non-literal translations without doing what the translation industry does today, which is to insert things that were never there in the original, recharacterize dialogue, try to make dialogue sound hip and use cringe slang. There are some games where that works, and some that it is way too far. Let me give an example. One thing I absolute HATE that's standardized in English translations is the loss of honorifics. There's relational context in them that not using them (or, worse, using their first name when it's something like otou-san or onii-chan) is just cringe when seeing it.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

I may still try to watch it at work tomorrow.

 

[Shake Your Rump]

Ended up watching it at work. Good stuff. Thanks for posting it.

A few ideas I gleaned from this:

Large publishers do not have rogue translators or an “agenda” in the sense that many people here suspect. The “agenda” is simply the marketing department (often the Japanese marketing department at that) looking to get the most sales from the western market.

Also, localization could be looked at as: there is this great game that was made (Japanese), and a localization team made a different great game.

I also like his anecdote about the translator and the book. If you want the original, it’s still there for you to experience.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

Finished it too. Overall I'm on board with his main takes and arguments. I enjoyed the inside scoop on his time spent on FFX and FFXII.

The English writing and VA work in FFXII to this day is just a treasure. I completed the game again last year and loved it more than ever before.

 

[Sakura]

Another example I can give is that in Japan to indicate the hours before and after noon they use the kanji of horse, because in the past in Japan the hours were marked every two hours today, and the two hours were defined with the animals of the Chinese zodiac (seen in kunitsu-gami) the time corresponding to noon was that of the horse. and it is the only one left, they don't use other kanji of animals ... so a normal translator would translate with AM/PM or do you prefer that they translate with before/after the time of the horse? Because that's exactly what it literally means

I'm not sure that's a good example, 午前 and 午後 have literally the same meaning as AM/PM, or before and after noon. While it is true the first character is horse from how time used to be counted, the horse was merely a representation of noon. It is used in the same was as noon in English, and nobody thinks about horse when they use it, it is just a word.
Consider in English how Thursday literally means day of Thor or "Thor's day". But it would be incorrect to translate Thursday that way into other languages. It wouldn't be a literal translation, because English speakers just use it to refer to the 4th day of the week, and most likely aren't aware of the origins of the word.
A literal translation doesn't mean you are translating the etymology of a word.

 

[kevboard]

I'm not sure that's a good example, 午前 and 午後 have literally the same meaning as AM/PM, or before and after noon. While it is true the first character is horse from how time used to be counted, the horse was merely a representation of noon. It is used in the same was as noon in English, and nobody thinks about horse when they use it, it is just a word.
Consider in English how Thursday literally means day of Thor or "Thor's day". But it would be incorrect to translate Thursday that way into other languages. It wouldn't be a literal translation, because English speakers just use it to refer to the 4th day of the week, and most likely aren't aware of the origins of the word.
A literal translation doesn't mean you are translating the etymology of a word.

exactly. this often intellectually dishonest nonsense, where people misconstrue what the criticism actually is about, and claim people want literal translations is so asinine.

people want a translation that is true to the intent of the original language.

it has happened many times now that characters get an entire personality change, or where very clearly someone inserted politics into a scene where there were not even remotely any connotations like that in the original.

 

[Myths]

This guy is a legend. Nobody beats him and Matsuno.

 

[ReyBrujo]

so a normal translator would translate with AM/PM

That's the only way of translating that. Anything else would be being more Catholic than the Pope. However I can understand when they need to tweak the language because otherwise the meaning might be lost in translation (because it might not mean anything for an American to read "It's as far as Kagoshima from Sapporo" rather than "It's as far as New York from Arizona", let's remember native Americans got an extremely low level of bilingualism compared to other regions in the world so they are quite limited in the amount of comparisons they can draw upon).

 

[nikolino840]

I'm not sure that's a good example, 午前 and 午後 have literally the same meaning as AM/PM, or before and after noon. While it is true the first character is horse from how time used to be counted, the horse was merely a representation of noon. It is used in the same was as noon in English, and nobody thinks about horse when they use it, it is just a word.
Consider in English how Thursday literally means day of Thor or "Thor's day". But it would be incorrect to translate Thursday that way into other languages. It wouldn't be a literal translation, because English speakers just use it to refer to the 4th day of the week, and most likely aren't aware of the origins of the word.
A literal translation doesn't mean you are translating the etymology of a word.

I know that is the most logic but is an error that it's also mean after/before the time of the horse? I don't know..let's take an example about a videogame based on ancient japan...would like that translators uses the word "noon" or "am pm" (two latin words) or horse?

 

[InterMusketeer]

Large publishers do not have rogue translators or an “agenda” in the sense that many people here suspect. The “agenda” is simply the marketing department (often the Japanese marketing department at that) looking to get the most sales from the western market.

Also, localization could be looked at as: there is this great game that was made (Japanese), and a localization team made a different great game.

I also like his anecdote about the translator and the book. If you want the original, it’s still there for you to experience.

We have gotten several pieces of proof over the years that confirm (some) translators make changes according to their taste or political leanings beyond what's expected for a localization.

One could argue that those are singular incidents rather than a trend, but what you've described here sounds more like he's shifting the blame to (Japanese) marketing departments as well as the customer for having the wrong expectations. Seems dishonest.

 

[StereoVsn]

exactly. this often intellectually dishonest nonsense, where people misconstrue what the criticism actually is about, and claim people want literal translations is so asinine.

people want a translation that is true to the intent of the original language.

it has happened many times now that characters get an entire personality change, or where very clearly someone inserted politics into a scene where there were not even remotely any connotations like that in the original.

The issue is often lies with humor, puns and cultural references. Translating “as is” from Russian, Chinese or Japanese to English as an example just wouldn’t work the same way. A lot of meaning would be lost.

Hence we have attempts (often bad) to insert modern cultural references or jokes.

As to honorifics in Japanese, it really depends on a game, could take it or leave it. Senpai doesn’t have to notice me!

Edit: Not talking about the purple hair culture wars, mind you. That shit can completely butcher the storytelling and characterization.

 

[kevboard]

The issue is often lies with humor, puns and cultural references. Translating “as is” from Russian, Chinese or Japanese to English as an example just wouldn’t work the same way. A lot of meaning would be lost.

Hence we have attempts (often bad) to insert modern cultural references or jokes.

As to honorifics in Japanese, it really depends on a game, could take it or leave it. Senpai doesn’t have to notice me!

that is also not the biggest issue. there have been changes done where no puns existed.
anyone understands changing jokes that would not work in another language is ok. but there have been changes done where there were no jokes, no Japanese specific cultural connotations or anything. changes done specifically to change things. and that is the issue.

I am from germany, and in germany basically all TV shows and movies get dubbed. so I am very familiar with changes done to source materials. and I am very familiar with very, let's say liberal dubs like Hogan's Heroes, where they tried an authentic dub first, but that one flopped... so they made a more exaggerated comedy dub with funny accents and better comedic timing.
and I think even such very modified translations don't necessarily have to be bad. the issue is when changes are done for strictly the political views of the translators.

I think noone is gonna argue that the english dub of Ghost Stories isn't fucking hilarious for example. but that dub is not trying to sneak in an agenda where there was none. that dub has little in common with the original japanese version, but the changes done to it were for comedic reasons and to salvage a terribly boring show they were stuck with.

 

[Shake Your Rump]

One could argue that those are singular incidents rather than a trend, but what you've described here sounds more like he's shifting the blame to (Japanese) marketing departments as well as the customer for having the wrong expectations. Seems dishonest.

If you watch the video, he addresses this.

An industry translator who has worked on many classic games over the past 30 years is not "shifting the blame", he is explaining things as they are. My mind is struggling to think of why anyone would jump to the conclusion that he is being dishonest.

I suggest everyone who is interested in hearing an insider perspective watch the video. It's enlightening.

 

[InterMusketeer]

If you watch the video, he addresses this.

An industry translator who has worked on many classic games over the past 30 years is not "shifting the blame", he is explaining things as they are. My mind is struggling to think of why anyone would jump to the conclusion that he is being dishonest.

I suggest everyone who is interested in hearing an insider perspective watch the video. It's enlightening.

I don't have the time right this second to watch the video. But the way you worded your post sounds like he's defending the concept that localisations are a different entity altogether from the original (it shouldn't be) and that people should just go play the original (a lazy excuse) if they're unhappy with a release. And just because something is a certain way now, doesn't mean it can't be improved as the industry matures and artistic integrity is deemed more important. Maybe it comes across differently in the video.

 

[March Climber]

The issue is often lies with humor, puns and cultural references. Translating “as is” from Russian, Chinese or Japanese to English as an example just wouldn’t work the same way. A lot of meaning would be lost.

Hence we have attempts (often bad) to insert modern cultural references or jokes.

As to honorifics in Japanese, it really depends on a game, could take it or leave it. Senpai doesn’t have to notice me!

Edit: Not talking about the purple hair culture wars, mind you. That shit can completely butcher the storytelling and characterization.

that is also not the biggest issue. there have been changes done where no puns existed.
anyone understands changing jokes that would not work in another language is ok. but there have been changes done where there were no jokes, no Japanese specific cultural connotations or anything. changes done specifically to change things. and that is the issue.

I am from germany, and in germany basically all TV shows and movies get dubbed. so I am very familiar with changes done to source materials. and I am very familiar with very, let's say liberal dubs like Hogan's Heroes, where they tried an authentic dub first, but that one flopped... so they made a more exaggerated comedy dub with funny accents and better comedic timing.
and I think even such very modified translations don't necessarily have to be bad. the issue is when changes are done for strictly the political views of the translators.

I think noone is gonna argue that the english dub of Ghost Stories isn't fucking hilarious for example. but that dub is not trying to sneak in an agenda where there was none. that dub has little in common with the original japanese version, but the changes done to it were for comedic reasons and to salvage a terribly boring show they were stuck with.

It feels like you guys are trying too hard to find a singular answer to a question who’s answer is ‘all of the above’. Not just you two but others here as well.

‘It’s not this it’s that’ ‘It’s not that it’s this’.

What if it were both?

 

[Shake Your Rump]

But the way you worded your post sounds like he's defending the concept that localisations are a different entity altogether from the original (it shouldn't be) and that people should just go play the original (a lazy excuse) if they're unhappy with a release.

I was only mentioning parts that were interesting to me. The idea of the localization being a unique game is only one potential perspective he presents. Also, he never suggests people should just play the original. He shares an anecdote from a prolific book translator about the original material still existing after being accused of ruining a book.

It's a two hour interview. I wouldn't take my 30 second forum post as gospel.

 

[Kataploom]

Another example I can give is that in Japan to indicate the hours before and after noon they use the kanji of horse, because in the past in Japan the hours were marked every two hours today, and the two hours were defined with the animals of the Chinese zodiac (seen in kunitsu-gami) the time corresponding to noon was that of the horse. and it is the only one left, they don't use other kanji of animals ... so a normal translator would translate with AM/PM or do you prefer that they translate with before/after the time of the horse? Because that's exactly what it literally means

This is what I don't understand about those against direct translations, we're not asking that literacy, that would be retarded af, in that case AM or PM are valid.

Which is not valid:

• Adding stuff that wasn't there unless there's absolutely no choice and the game doesn't provide context elsewhere
• Changing dialogs "just because that's funnier haha" and because "og looks boring". Keep it boring if that's the case.
• Changing names unless it's aimed at kids and og sounds like a curse, which would be understandable
• Changing story
• Changing characters personality
• Adding stupid slangs or overdramatic phrases "because it's cooler man haha yeah so cool haha"

The shit they did to Xenoblade 2 still hurts to these days and that mistake will never be emended...

 

[InterMusketeer]

It's a two hour interview. I wouldn't take my 30 second forum post as gospel.

Fair enough. Just found it interesting that the points you mentioned can be boiled down to very common arguments people use to defend bad localisations.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

Which is not valid:

Changing dialogs "just because that's funnier haha" and because "og looks boring". Keep it boring if that's the case.
Changing names unless it's aimed at kids and og sounds like a curse, which would be understandable

Having read manga and Japanese books translated very faithfully, I’ll have to disagree with your first point here. Japanese at large is a dull, drab, redundant, unexciting language. If translators never took some liberties to spice up the text a bit, pretty much every JRPG you loved in English would have very few memorable lines. On paper, what was done to Castlevania SOTN’s dialogue in its first English translation was a crime. In hindsight, I wouldn’t want it to be any different. The new, more faithful translation is dull.

Names get changed all the time, since the dawn of civilization, to accommodate local languages and cultures. Just think of all the deities in ancient cultures that were basically the same gods, but with different names. In the case of Xenoblade, the game is anime enough as it is that having a character named Homura amidst a party where no other name sounds so typically Japanese would have been a bit jarring. Also, 90% of western players would have missed the elemental reference in the name. The translators made a good decision there.

 

[Kataploom]

Having read manga and Japanese books translated very faithfully, I’ll have to disagree with your first point here. Japanese at large is a dull, drab, redundant, unexciting language. If translators never took some liberties to spice up the text a bit, pretty much every JRPG you loved in English would have very few memorable lines. On paper, what was done to Castlevania SOTN’s dialogue in its first English translation was a crime. In hindsight, I wouldn’t want it to be any different. The new, more faithful translation is dull.

Names get changed all the time, since the dawn of civilization, to accommodate local languages and cultures. Just think of all the deities in ancient cultures that were basically the same gods, but with different names. In the case of Xenoblade, the game is anime enough as it is that having a character named Homura amidst a party where no other name sounds so typically Japanese would have been a bit jarring. Also, 90% of western players would have missed the elemental reference in the name. The translators made a good decision there.

I just wish the English localization stayed in USA so name changes don't pollute other regions, unfortunately that's never the case

 

[StereoVsn]

I was only mentioning parts that were interesting to me. The idea of the localization being a unique game is only one potential perspective he presents. Also, he never suggests people should just play the original. He shares an anecdote from a prolific book translator about the original material still existing after being accused of ruining a book.

It's a two hour interview. I wouldn't take my 30 second forum post as gospel.

Haven’t had the chance to watch the whole thing, but I found this particular episode annoying. The issue with the stance on original book being there is that it’s going to be inaccessible to most folks.

So if a translator butchers original story in say a Japanese or Chinese book, 99% of the readers won’t have access to the original due to the language barrier.

 

[LordCBH]

Which is not valid:

• Adding stuff that wasn't there unless there's absolutely no choice and the game doesn't provide context elsewhere
• Changing dialogs "just because that's funnier haha" and because "og looks boring". Keep it boring if that's the case.
• Changing names unless it's aimed at kids and og sounds like a curse, which would be understandable
• Changing story
• Changing characters personality
• Adding stupid slangs or overdramatic phrases "because it's cooler man haha yeah so cool haha"

100% this.

 

[Sakura]

Japanese at large is a dull, drab, redundant, unexciting language.

Absolutely ridiculous.

In the case of Xenoblade, the game is anime enough as it is that having a character named Homura amidst a party where no other name sounds so typically Japanese would have been a bit jarring.

Like half the characters names are Japanese in the original. Hikari, Byakko, Tora, Hana, etc.

Also, 90% of western players would have missed the elemental reference in the name. The translators made a good decision there.

Yeah. Thank god they changed Hikari's name too, to Mythra. I'm sure the majority of the western players will understand the elemental reference now! Good job translators.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

Absolutely ridiculous.

Nah. Just last year I’ve read through a series of 40-something Japanese books. Some of these are considered absolute classics. Most of them had the driest, most unengaging writing I’ve seen in a long time. The most hilarious case was a collection of short stories by Yasunari Kawabata. A Nobel prize winner. Borderline unreadable, the whole lot. And the translation was very clearly accurate… that’s to say, drab, dull, pedantic, and awfully redundant.

Names get changed. Get over it.

The debate over honorifics is hilarious, as well. In my language, it’s uncommon to even use expressions like “big brother” that still somewhat work in English. When a Japanese character says “big brother”, in Italian you’re better off just having the character say their brother’s actual name. Using honorifics for younger people, or people of inferior condition, would be absolutely ridiculous in most western languages. And then you have fan translators that somehow don’t understand that stuff like “princess-sama” is totally moronic. Make your language sound like your language. Trying to preserve Japanese syntax and idiosyncrasies leads to bad text and dialogue way more often than not. There’s excesses in the opposite sense, of course, and those should be kept in check. But localization is an art, not a science.

 

[Kataploom]

Absolutely ridiculous.

Like half the characters names are Japanese in the original. Hikari, Byakko, Tora, Hana, etc.


Yeah. Thank god they changed Hikari's name too, to Mythra. I'm sure the majority of the western players will understand the elemental reference now! Good job translators.

Also... Bromark, Drumbar... IDK, the thing they call Byakko, whatever it is. Names changing should NEVER happen, specially like in Xenoblade 2, where they said it was to "westernize" the references, but 95% to 100% of western gamers didn't understand those stupid name references because "the west" is too big of audience, specially these days where there are WAY more people into japanese media than ever.

 

[ap_puff]

Nah. Just last year I’ve read through a series of 40-something Japanese books. Some of these are considered absolute classics. Most of them had the driest, most unengaging writing I’ve seen in a long time. The most hilarious case was a collection of short stories by Yasunari Kawabata. A Nobel prize winner. Borderline unreadable, the whole lot. And the translation was very clearly accurate… that’s to say, drab, dull, pedantic, and awfully redundant.

Names get changed. Get over it.

The debate over honorifics is hilarious, as well. In my language, it’s uncommon to even use expressions like “big brother” that still somewhat work in English. When a Japanese character says “big brother”, in Italian you’re better off just having the character say their brother’s actual name. Using honorifics for younger people, or people of inferior condition, would be absolutely ridiculous in most western languages. And then you have fan translators that somehow don’t understand that stuff like “princess-sama” is totally moronic. Make your language sound like your language. Trying to preserve Japanese syntax and idiosyncrasies leads to bad text and dialogue way more often than not. There’s excesses in the opposite sense, of course, and those should be kept in check. But localization is an art, not a science.

W.r.t honorifics you dont have to say 'x-san' or whatever in English. Just add something that denotes what the line is indicating about their relationship. For your example of "princess-sama" it would be this in english:

You think people want to hear uwu-speak? No, just stop butchering what the original language is saying.

 

[nikolino840]

This is what I don't understand about those against direct translations, we're not asking that literacy, that would be retarded af, in that case AM or PM are valid.

Which is not valid:

• Adding stuff that wasn't there unless there's absolutely no choice and the game doesn't provide context elsewhere
• Changing dialogs "just because that's funnier haha" and because "og looks boring". Keep it boring if that's the case.
• Changing names unless it's aimed at kids and og sounds like a curse, which would be understandable
• Changing story
• Changing characters personality
• Adding stupid slangs or overdramatic phrases "because it's cooler man haha yeah so cool haha"

The shit they did to Xenoblade 2 still hurts to these days and that mistake will never be emended...

Well i can tell you that changing names happened often in past in italy...even at schools...i believe boomers doesn't say Jules Verne the writer instead they say "Giulio" or Abraham Lincoln "Abramo" and happened in batman animated series that the joker was "the jolly" because in italy the name of the card is "jolly" or Darth Vader in star wars was "Dart Fener" and also in star wars Leila is Leia ian solo is han solo C1 - P8 is R2 - D2

 

[marquimvfs]

I agree that localisation (instead of pure translation) is necessary to tell a story that's truthful to the author's intent. People should stop blaming localisation for what they don't like because bad localisation work is a thing. But that doesn't mean that every localisation is automatically bad. To my knowledge, most are good, some are mediocre and a minimum amount is real bad. The bad ones often are the ones were the translator use too much or too little localisation (in a sense of adaptation of the translated material), and the ones were topics that weren't in the original material were included, be it political or not.

 

[Lethal01]

Another example I can give is that in Japan to indicate the hours before and after noon they use the kanji of horse, because in the past in Japan the hours were marked every two hours today, and the two hours were defined with the animals of the Chinese zodiac (seen in kunitsu-gami) the time corresponding to noon was that of the horse. and it is the only one left, they don't use other kanji of animals ... so a normal translator would translate with AM/PM or do you prefer that they translate with before/after the time of the horse? Because that's exactly what it literally means

Thats the thing sometimes trying straight translation is not accurate. One of my very good friend is from Iran and he taught me how to speak farsi.....and trust me trying straight translate that language to english would absolulty make zero sense to english speaking person, it just very different language than English.

I dont get why evey single time peeople jump to "So you want 100% literal word for word translations? that's dumb"
No I can go through a game in japanese then watch the English version and go "Some of these changes just don't make any sense"

 

[ap_puff]

I dont get why evey single time peeople jump to "So you want 100% literal word for word translations? that's dumb"
No I can go through a game in japanese then watch the English version and go "Some of these changes just don't make any sense"

I'll give you a perfect example. In the Metaphor Refantazio demo, there's a scene where one of the characters says "Osoi!" (you're late!) in japanese audio. They translated it as "stay back!" My eyes rolled at that one. Most likely because they needed something to match the lip flaps for the english dub, but it still made me groan.

 

[RaduN]

Well, THE biggest translation change ever must be the final exchange between Yuna and Tidus. And as much as i generally preffer original vision to remain as true as possible, that particular change was for the better.

So yeah, it's all subjective and culture driven.

 

[Kataploom]

Well i can tell you that changing names happened often in past in italy...even at schools...i believe boomers doesn't say Jules Verne the writer instead they say "Giulio" or Abraham Lincoln "Abramo" and happened in batman animated series that the joker was "the jolly" because in italy the name of the card is "jolly" or Darth Vader in star wars was "Dart Fener" and also in star wars Leila is Leia ian solo is han solo C1 - P8 is R2 - D2

They're always a weird "competition" between Spain Spanish and Latinamerican Spanish to see who fucked a dub less and they always use "El Guason" against Latinamerica because of how wild old localizations were here lol they should just start using joker, people these days are more used to original names and less external culture averse in general

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

An indirect follow-up to the previous vid.

How far is too far? If a translator tries to use common phrases and manners of speaking in the target language but does so at the expense of the source language's intention, who is to blame? We conducted an interview with Zakogdo over text and asked him some of these exact questions. Zakogdo is someone who talks about the localization of Japanese games on X and has gotten lots of traction this year by critiquing the translations of games like Unicorn Overlord and Eiyuden Chronicle. The interview was conducted over text, and we sought to find places of agreement and understanding.

 

[Firestorm ZERO]

An indirect follow-up to the previous vid.

I only briefly skimmed it but will watch it in full later.

But one point I saw is they believe it is mostly corporate that is doing the censoring then rogue translators which I disagree. As we see in Twitter/X, Reddit, etc.., those translators openly brag they are changing and censoring the text and are dismissing the criticism.

I feel there are now few translators currently in the business that actually push for accurate translations.

But one good thing that is happening mentioned near the end, is that complaining about it, especially sending emails to the company, can cause them to fix it and hopefully make them aware we want accurate translations.

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

I only briefly skimmed it but will watch it in full later.

But one point I saw is they believe it is mostly corporate that is doing the censoring then rogue translators which I disagree. As we see in Twitter/X, Reddit, etc.., those translators openly brag they are changing and censoring the text and are dismissing the criticism.

I feel there are now few translators currently in the business that actually push for accurate translations.

But one good thing that is happening mentioned near the end, is that complaining about it, especially sending emails to the company, can cause them to fix it and hopefully make them aware we want accurate translations.

They do go on to say if and when rogue translators do make changes away from the original script/tone then they disagree with that.

 

[Firestorm ZERO]

They do go on to say if and when rogue translators do make changes away from the original script/tone then they disagree with that.

Yeah just watched it fully. I am glad they are very open and have a willingness to listen. Now I have to watch the previous episode this is referring to.

 

[YCoCg]

I think people complain more about it these days compared to the past, changing things for a dub isn't exactly new, even going off the translator in the OP there were a few memes at the time that snuck into the Ace Attorney games.

 

[Imru’ al-Qays]

meh, i'd rather have accurate translations than what this guy thinks of as something that's not "dead on the page".

This guy is the best games translator who has ever lived

 

[Go_Ly_Dow]

Yeah just watched it fully. I am glad they are very open and have a willingness to listen. Now I have to watch the previous episode this is referring to.

The first ep is largely them letting Alexander O Smith talk about his perspective on the matter, which I was cool with because he deserves respect for what he did with FFXII alone, which is incredible and is a high bar for me.

But it's a good listen none the less!