The following is a collection of interesting articles I found. These are not necessarily recent articles, some are a few years old. But they’re ones I’ve read recently.

It’s been a little while since I’ve gathered my bookmarks of interesting articles that I’ve had to split them into three parts. One for anyone game localization fans, another for localizers, and the third for Japanese speakers.

These ones are somewhat related to video games, translation, and localization, as well as one podcast on literary translation.

You can find more Link Roundups here!

Articles for Localizers – Winter 2019 Part 2

 

Video Games

A Conversation With Sega’s Localization Team On Censorship, Consistency, And Comedy

An absolutely fantastic interview with the Sega/Atlus localization team about their localization approach. With great anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stuff that most fans wouldn’t know about.

 

How skillful translations helped these Japanese video games gain global appeal

Along a similar vein to above article, this is an interview with the Sega/Atlus crew about their work on Yakuza and Persona 5.

This one mostly looking at how key localization is to selling games in the West.

Game Localization Fans Yakuza

 

Meet the people bringing Japanese video games to life in English

Interview with localization company 8-4. They not only localize Japanese games into English, but English into Japanese.

They talk about the challenges of taking games across cultures and their more creative approaches.

 

PAX East 2018: Final Fantasy XIV’s main scenario writing and localization

Article and video of the FFXIV localization panel at PAX East in 2018.

I’ve said before how much I love the localization of FFXIV. I might not play it anymore because I’m too busy…but I do still love hearing Koji Fox talk about the localization process of the game.

 

PAX East 2018 Interview with Natsuko Ishikawa and John Crow

No video, but this time a written transcript of an interview with the Main Scenario writer and lead localizer for Final Fantasy XIV. Although very similar to the above article, it’s also different. And especially interesting to get different people’s takes on similar subjects. (In this case the MMORPG Final Fantasy XIV.)

Game Localization Fans Moogles FFXIV

 

A Study of KH1’s Japanese and English Script

A more academically focused breakdown and comparison of the English translation of the first Kingdom Hearts.

Game Localization Fans Kingdom Hearts

 

Wordbee Guest: Kate Edwards, CEO of Geogrify LLC [Podcast]

You should listen to this podcast if you are a fan of localization.

This is my go-to podcast for educating people about the importance of localization. Kate Edwards is a localizing consultant who helps gaming companies spot possibly problematic cultural blunders. One example she talks about is when someone tried to use chanting in their game, not realising it was a song of prayer.

Blunders might be caused by simple ignorance but can create massive issues. These can even lead to games being banned in certain countries, or not published altogether. Just from one seemingly tiny mistake…

 

The legacy of PlayStation creator Ken Kutaragi, in 24 stories

Not about localization but some really interesting stories about the incredible Ken Kutaragi. Giving really interesting insight into things behind-the-scenes.

 

Literary Translation

JAY RUBIN: The Art of Literary Translation [Podcast]

A podcast interview with Jay Rubin, translator of Haruki Murakami. He talks about how he got into Japanese to English translation. As well as some really interesting takes on how Japanese cannot be directly translated.

 

Still swinging for the fences: Murakami in conversation

[EDIT – Added 24/2/19 because someone just shared this.]

Interview with Haruki Murakami where he talks about how translation shaped his writing.

Game Localization Fans

You can find more Link Roundups here!

 

Articles for Game Localization Fans – Translation Link Roundup [Winter 2019 Part 1]

Jennifer O'Donnell

Jennifer is a Japanese to English translator and Localization Director for a video game company in Japan. With an MA in translation from the University of London, she specializes in creative, entertaining translations for media, and has a passion for improving the entertainment translation industry for translators, vendors, and clients. (No AI or machine translation in creative works!)

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