ACen 2007 Translating Manga Panel

[mangamaniac]

After attending this panel,  I can't believe that anybody would actually want to translate manga for a living.  The pay sucks and there's no job stability.  Worse yet, you're a freelancer, so you don't qualify for company sponsored benefits, you know, like that all important, but increasingly unaffordable, health insurance.  Here is a summary of

Comments

Rewriting

[anonymous]

What's to know about rescripting? No matter what anyone says there is nothing consistent from company to company. Editors will mostly step on whatever you do. Unless you're Peter David the pay is for crap and usually "bundled" with translation or lettering or both. Unless you know someone chances are slim to none you'll get the work. The line of people willing to do it goes out the door and they're all willing to do it for less pay than the previous guy they're replacing. Companies are looking for the cheapest not the best but you still have to be the best anyway. My advice: Learn a trade. Sorry to be a pessimist but that's where things are for freelance rescripting.

[anonymous]

This very much echoes my (relatively limited) experience in manga translation, which is: It's fun work, but you better be doing it because you enjoy it, and you better have a full-time job (or be married to someone who does) because it's no way to make a living.

Nice work if you can get it, though.

(Posting anonymously because I'm paranoid about saying anything until my title is published and I don't have to worry about breaking an NDA.)

[replicant_rasa]

"Professional" translator (such as it is, when it doesn't pay a living wage) checking in to say yes, yes, and YES to all the points here. Translating had better be your passion, because there isn't much else to recommend the job, apart from some kickass colleagues. :D

Anime Central Manga Translation Panel

[otaqueen]

Hi Julie,

We haven't really met, but thanks for doing such a good job on the recap of the panel. With all the questions from the audience, and with everyone just as interested in the subject as both Toshi and I are, it was definitely one of the best panels we've done in, oh, I don't know HOW long. Definitely in a while!

Toshi, Hajime and I had a great time in Chicago and would very much enjoy coming back next year. The fans were awesome, and I met cool people such as a high school librarian who uses manga as a stepping-stone for literacy. Now THAT is cool.

Anyway, don't be a stranger, and thanks again for the write-up. Now if I can only get started on writing up my next book.... (Gratuitous plug.)

Trish
Central Valley, California

Re: Anime Central Manga Translation Panel

[lynneness]

otaqueen, I have a question to you ... or maybe rather to Mr. Yoshida

Re: Anime Central Manga Translation Panel

[otaqueen]

Hi

Re: Anime Central Manga Translation Panel

[lynneness]

Trish, thanks for your reply. Though manga translation is something that I really wanted to get myself into, I guess it's the best to stay away... I love translating to the point that I wouldn't mind translating my most-loving series (Banana Fish / Nodame Cantabile) to commercial for free, but just like you, I'm a perfectionist/control freak, too. I even spent hours and hours arguing and searching for the right-sounding word with my proofreaders ^^;

Once I was wondering if there is anyone who does the context checker (so that there won't be mistake of Thousand/Southern Master), but from what you told me, that's almost impossible, huh?

Thanks again for lots of interesting info!

[lynneness]

mangamaniac, thank you for posting this! It was very interesting read :]