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The Role of Cultural Awareness in Manga Translation: Avoiding Cultural Pitfall

Manga and anime have grown in popularity globally over the past few decades. But how was the message spread to the rest of the globe from such a diverse culture?

When handled by multiple individuals, a manga translation can differ greatly. Editors, adapters, and companies, in addition to translators, all have unique methods and preferences (thus the existence of style manuals). The difficulties that could arise in translating manga will be examined in this essay.

1. Understanding Manga Translation and Its Challenges

Manga’s significance in Japanese culture and around the world

The influence of Japanese culture on the fields of education and communication is best illustrated by the phenomenon of manga.

Manga is a powerful international communication tool in addition to having tremendous entertaining and educational value. For instance, manga signages are utilized in businesses and workplaces with an increasingly diverse workforce to encourage better awareness of traditions and lower communication errors.

Fans all throughout the world have been drawn to and admire manga. This is due to the visual artistry’s distinctive aesthetic, dynamic panel design, and expressive character creation. As a result, this serves as inspiration for several professions, including those of film directors, illustrators, and graphic designers, in addition to modern art, animation, and design.

The potential cultural pitfalls that may arise during translation

A cultural translation error makes little logic and can produce absurd and occasionally offensive outcomes. Sometimes the manga translation is so incomprehensible to the local market that the service or product can be permanently removed from sale.

Cultural localization refers to the process of adapting material to your target audience based on local traditions, cultural norms, accepted aesthetics, and sensibilities. You run the risk of turning off potential clients if you don’t account for cultural variations.

Colors, symbols, and pictures are preferred by many civilizations in diverse ways. Colors, symbols, and images (like emojis) can signify a variety of things in various contexts.

Not least among these are the distinctions between Eastern and Western cultures. This speaks of the minute details interwoven into speech and behavior that convey messages. For a better comprehension of the idea it conveys, “rice balls” in Pokemon, for instance, were translated as “doughnuts”. The same holds true for “ramen” being misinterpreted as “pizza” and numerous more instances. These are only a few instances of localization that is required in anime in order to ensure accurate manga translation.

2. The Impact of Cultural Misinterpretations in Manga

In contrast to what one might anticipate, the most recent chapter of Jujutsu Kaisen, for instance, has caused a stir among fans. Fans are on the edge of their seats as they watch the protagonist Yuji Itadori battle Sukuna, but many are furious with the English translation of the most recent issue.

Fans are criticizing VIZ Media and Shueisha over chapter 214’s official English manga translation since it completely ignores and mistranslates Yuji’s remarks. In the original Japanese, Yuji states, “be the one trying to stifle this misery,” emphasizing “this” in italic and bold font. Fans contend that the usage of the word “misery” rather than “suffering” eliminates subtleties in the original Japanese text.

Language has various contexts depending on the culture. The meanings of words that have been passed down from one culture to another can alter somewhat or drastically. Sometimes those meaning variations reflect little or significant value variations that could affect the accuracy of translations.

Translation and culture are closely related since culture gives life to language. Particularly in manga translation, the cultural background of words has a significant impact on their meanings in both the source and target languages. A statement that seems simple to translate may really contain cultural nuances that, if not taken into account, can result in the exact opposite meaning from that intended. Translation without a thorough understanding of cultural context can therefore be risky, especially where semantics are crucial.

3. The Role of Cultural Awareness in Manga Translation

Understanding cultural variations and the intricacies and subtleties of the target language’s culture are essential for successful translation and localization. The efficiency and accuracy of the translation and localization process are significantly influenced by cultural understanding.

Culture and language are interwoven. Language reflects culture, while cultural nuances influence language. For instance, many languages have certain idioms, expressions, and phrases that are distinctive to that culture. To translate well, a translator needs to be aware of these cultural variations. A literal translation may not always communicate the intended idea and may confuse the target audience.

4. Cultural Sensitivity in Manga Translation

In order to avoid prejudices, cultural understanding is also crucial. Stereotypes can be hurtful and disrespectful, and they can also have a detrimental effect on the translation and localization processes. In order to effectively communicate a message, a translator must be aware of cultural variety and refrain from using stereotypes.

The requirement for cultural sensitivity is one of the main obstacles in Japanese translation and localization. To avoid offending or disrespecting the target culture, a translator must be knowledgeable of cultural norms, beliefs, and rituals. A cultural faux pas can negatively affect a brand’s image, making cultural knowledge particularly crucial in marketing and advertising.

5. Conclusion

Through our Japan translation services, which have given us extensive experience in creative translation, we guarantee that every project is handled on a micro and macro level: taking into account all the minute nuances in the language and culture, as well as making sure that the plot and characters remain as consistent and solid as possible.

We translate using a multi-step procedure. Our team of linguistic professionals and fans of manga, comics, and Webtoons works together to offer the finest quality translation for readers of the target language, from the preparation phase through the translation phase, checking phase, and ultimately proofreading stage. We are aware that translation naturalness does not always result from strong language skills.

To ensure not only the accuracy of the manga translation but also the proper delivery and usage of slang, proverbs, idiomatic expressions, colloquialisms, and many other linguistic and cultural nuances that only native speakers can understand and express, we have always employed native speakers in our team.

The Erasure of Queer Love Stories

Spurred by the need for some kind of normalcy and a yearning for quality time with friends displaced by thousands of miles, I found myself a part of a Zoom book club. Book club life has brought so much light into what has been an otherwise dark time. For months, my friends and I have met each week to discuss not only our current shared book but also our thoughts and musings as 21st-century social experiments.

In our little moments together, it can feel as though we’ve cracked plenty of codes, while at the same time discovering there are mountains more that lie ahead.

Perhaps the most recent, and arguably most timely one, was something unearthed in our reading of “In the Dream House” by Carmen Maria Machado. Machado’s words navigate the worst kind of love: one that turns abusive. In her recounting of her own experience, one sees first-hand not only how damaging emotional and psychological trauma can be, but also how isolating that experience can be for those that identify as queer.

Historically, and still today, society is biased towards the idea that queerness somehow negates the ability to be subject to abuse at the hands of one’s partner. This is especially true for lesbian relationships, where it is debated whether it is possible for a woman to take on what is assumed to be the “male role” of being the abuser.

It’s not rocket science: abuse is abuse.

Nonetheless, court systems continue to fail to protect the abused, like in the case of Debra Reid, a Black woman who went to jail for defending herself against her abusive partner – while straight, white women who did the same walked free.

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, no matter how un-festive I might be, I don’t wish to focus on abusive relationships. There was actually another part of Carmen Maria Machado’s book that stood out to me: the often undiscussed love affair of Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok. As readers, we are introduced to this bombshell as Machado discusses the concept of archives. Much of what remains of history is what those that came before us allowed to survive.

Each person has the power to discern what is deemed important enough to be archived, and likewise what is destroyed, with subsequent lessons and truths along with it.

We know of Roosevelt and Hickok’s relationship today because of boxes of letters that the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library uncovered in 1978. These letters are only a piece of the story, as Hickok is reported to have demolished any evidence of some of their more explicit words to each other. Upon learning about this history, a mix of emotions seemed to flood over me. Firstly, this seems like something that should have been brought up much earlier.

Given all the times we were force-fed information about historical figures, I can’t help but feel this omission is targeted.

Thus, came along the second wave: grief. Grief for the stories that will never be told, and the voices that historians and even the speakers themselves have silenced for fear of backlash or “brainwashing” of the youths. Queerness, contrary to what some choose to believe, has been in existence for eons. Erasure and untruthful storytelling have led many to think otherwise, for the sake of adhering to such frivolous things as “societal ideals.” In fact, after Roosevelt’s death, it was reported that the relationship she had with Hickok was simply a friendship.

How many friends send each other daily handwritten letters for 30 years? I’ll wait.

Glazing over the obvious ethical questions of privacy, reading a selection of these letters felt like a piece of history righting itself; erasure being erased. Here’s an excerpt written by Hickok:

“I’ve been trying to bring back your face — to remember just how you look. Funny how even the dearest face will fade away in time. Most clearly I remember your eyes, with a kind of teasing smile in them, and the feeling of that soft spot just north-east of the corner of your mouth against my lips.”

Historically speaking, some of our greatest writers, artists, and free-thinkers lived lives outside of hetero-normity. It is simply gut-wrenching that even today we continue to be misled to believe otherwise. I’ll dare to say that some of the most incredible love stories are (or were) queer, but it’s unlikely we will ever uncover them because of archivist with hidden agendas and misguided concerns. It is crucial that these stories are shared, and that as curators of our own archives, no matter the subject, we lay out our truths in bare nakedness.

Hear me out: Queer love is not taboo.

It should be just as much a part of our conceptualization of what love can and does look like. Hopefully, the day we can fully accept this fact is also the day that we can begin to see queer relationships outside of a heteronormative lens. Perhaps then, victims of abuse will finally get the justice they deserve, in a society that supposedly believes battered women – only when they’re battered by straight men.

As I think of Valentine’s Day, and what it means to be loved and to love, I am thinking of all love: one love.

I am thinking of those that feel filled to the brim with love. And those that have had to hide their love. There are those that have been hurt by love. And those still hoping to find love. More importantly, looking at the queer love stories we do have access to, even if only for one moment, I hope you find some bit of love through the words that were able to survive. There is so much power in knowing they did so, in spite of a society that wanted to see them die.

Always remember, even through concrete, flowers can (and will) grow.

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About the Author

Miguel is a senior at American University studying Business Administration with a concentration in Sustainable Change & Analytics. His passions outside of writing are running, traveling, and learning new languages. Follow him on Instagram.

Concerned Mom Points Out That Companies Should Stop Marketing ‘Diet Culture’ To Kids

Being a mom of girls today can be challenging. With society pressuring girls and trying to manipulate them into conforming to stereotypes of “beauty,” many mothers will be faced with self-esteem issues and struggles. Today, where social media is constantly reminding young girls that they are not “rich enough,” “skinny enough,” or “fun enough,” it’s hard to get a grasp on how our daughters will feel about themselves, especially when people are constantly telling them that they’re “not enough.”

Sonni Abatta—a mother, podcast host, and writer—shared her thoughts on how companies market inappropriate products and cultures to young girls. Specifically, Abatta discussed the new fad of “diet culture,” where people are joking about losing weight, skipping meals, and depriving themselves of what they really want in order to conform to the “skinny world.” Abatta saw the lunchbox in a store in Florida, placed next to a candy stand in a Nordstrom Rack. Abatta figured that due to the placement, and the color/style of the lunchbox, it was catered to young girls.

She wrote:

See this? This is a picture I snapped today of a little girl’s lunchbox that I saw for sale at a popular department store. Why do I say it’s marketed toward little girls? It’s pink, it has sequins and it was surrounded by other girls’ merchandise. So, safe to say that it’s aimed at our daughters.

I am SICKENED that this phrase is on a lunch box.

We scratch our heads when we see our little girls struggle with body image, with self worth, with confidence.

We wonder, “Why do our girls worry so much about their bodies so young?” … “Why does my five year old call herself ‘fat?’” … “Why does my middle schooler stand in front of the mirror and find all her flaws?”

THIS. This is part of the reason why.

Our world is telling our girls that it’s “cheating” if they eat something that’s not 100% fat-free and perfectly healthy. In turn, that tells them that self-control and denying herself is to be valued above all. And that if she dares to step outside of the foods that will keep her perfectly slim and trim, then she is by default “cheating” and needs to feel some sense of remorse.

Look, I’m not saying a diet of strictly sugar and chips is right either; but by God, why would a company ever pile onto our girls’ already-fragile senses of self by making her feel as though she’s “cheating” by eating something that’s–gasp–not made of vegetables and air?

“You’re overreacting!” you might say. To which I say, No. We are not overreacting when we ask more of the world when it comes to how they treat our girls.

Can you imagine a similar message directed toward little boys? For the record, I’d be equally offended… but I haven’t seen anything that is aimed at making our boys feel bad about what they eat, or how they look.

So here’s what I want to say, and what I will tell my girls. Girls–you are not “cheating” when you enjoy good food. You are not “cheating” when you eat pizza. You are not “cheating” when you have a cookie, or two, on occasion. You are not “cheating” when you live in moderation and allow yourself things that make you happy.

Girls–you are MORE than your bodies. More than your faces. More than your complexions. More than the clothes you wear and the things you buys and the other girls you hang out with.

You are beautiful, worthy, intelligent, and whole beings–whole beings who are worthy of so much love and respect, no matter what anyone, or anyTHING, says.

Many people on Facebook agreed. Mothers and parents everywhere shared their stories on how their own children are affected by the push to support diet culture and fads just to look cute and fit in. Most people online agreed that the rant was warranted because it’s wrong to try and persuade young girls to starve themselves just to appear thin.