Translators Unite: Translator Interview #1
Today we're interviewing an active translator with DLsite's "Translators Unite" service! For our first interview, we talked with translator Carl Jr.
DLsite Staff: Could you briefly tell us about yourself?
Carl Jr.: I'm just an average student in their twenties that happened upon "Translators Unite" about half a year ago, and decided to register and start translating. I'm not a professional translator or even a Japanese major. I'm just a regular university student studying law in university in China.
DLsite Staff: How long have you been studying Japanese?
Carl Jr.: I'd learned a bit during my third year in high school, but after entering university I had a lot more free time, and was able to start studying in earnest. After studying for about a year and a half, I took the JLPT N1 on December 21st last year, and passed!
DLsite Staff: Wow, congratulations! What originally inspired you to study Japanese? Were you already a fan of otaku content like manga, anime, games, etc.?
Carl Jr.: I was always a fan of that kind of thing, but the biggest reason was that I wanted to do it for myself. I had studied hard to get into law school, but that was more working towards fulfilling a decided-upon goal, which sort of left me wanting. That's when I thought of studying Japanese, and decided to see how far I could go with it on my own initiative. As I studied, I found myself picking it up really quickly.
DLsite Staff: That's true. When you're a student, you're expected to study towards something, and there are many outside influences on that like your friends and peers. What type of otaku content do you enjoy the most?
Carl Jr.: I was always into anime, manga, and games in general, but what really kicked off my fandom was "Neon Genesis Evangelion". That work really opened my eyes to the otaku world.
DLsite Staff: I see! That's definitely one of the classics. You mentioned earlier that you originally registered on DLsite to join the "Translators Unite" service, but do you have any favorite works on DLsite right now?
Carl Jr.: I'm still a bit of a newcomer to the site, but I mostly find myself buying works that have translation permission. That said, there are definitely some works I buy just out of interest. For example, an all-ages doujin voice work based on a certain horse-girl franchise. The work contains some mature situations, so I won't mention the name.
DLsite Staff: Could you give us a bit of detail about your genre strike zone?
Carl Jr.: I have pretty vanilla tastes, and enjoy works with pure love (laughs.) I know NTR is all the rage nowadays, but I think I'll always be on the side of pure love.
DLsite Staff: I assume you like to translate works that suit your personal tastes, but could you tell us your general criteria for deciding on what to translate?
Carl Jr.: I have two main criteria for choosing works. The first is obviously that I have to like the work. The second is the work's total sales and difficulty level in terms of translations. For example, a voice work without a script is quite difficult and time-intensive to translate since its all by ear. I try to choose works that are relatively easy to translate for my fluency level.
DLsite Staff: Out of all the works you've translated, which one was most memorable for you?
Carl Jr.: It would have to be the first character voice (CV) I did. That one was voiced by Yoshino Nanjou.
DLsite Staff: That Yoshino Nanjou work is really popular! On a related note, about how much money do you make through Translators Unite?
Carl Jr.: Compared to other translators, I imagine a drop in the bucket. But it's about enough to pay roughly half my living expenses. It really depends on the work. For a translation of a new work, it might make me around one or two hundred dollars a month.
DLsite Staff: Have you encountered any issues or difficulties when translating?
Carl Jr.: I think the UI for translating voice works needs improvement. For example, when you drag the timeline, the progress bar doesn't move, which is a bit annoying. (Staff note: As of February, 2023, the ability to adjust and move sub timings on the timeline has been added!)
DLsite Staff: What features of the service do you find convenient?
Carl Jr.: It's very easy to apply to translate a work and get started. I've done some independent translation work before, and that typically requires getting translation permission directly from the creators. However, a lot of creators don't really won't to be bothered by direct messages, etc., and some have ignored or turned me away quickly. Of course, I understand their feeling, especially since at the end of the day, I'm just an amateur translator. In general, it takes a lot of effort for translators to deal with the copyright and authorization side, so being able to simply apply for a translation and jump in is very helpful.
DLsite Staff: Thank you! I'm curious to hear about your overall experience with "Translators Unite" in the half year you've been using it, and if there are any non-system related aspects you'd like to see improved.
Carl Jr.: I think there is more that could be done to motivate translators. Currently, the systems are a bit unwieldy until you get used to them, and there could be more or better incentives for translators. Of course, circles themselves are busy and have to look out for themselves, so material incentives might not be realistic, but there are mental motivators as well. For example, creators dropping a "like", a tweet, or even just sending a quick message of thanks can be a big spark for a translator. I also think the purchasing interface for translated works could be improved. It'd be nice if you could tell at a glance what the general level of different translators are.
DLsite Staff: Thank you. I think DLsite itself has a part to play in that as well, which is why we've started implementing rewards like medals for reaching certain translation count milestones, or unlocking new features for experienced translators. Regarding your point about mental motivators, have you read any memorable reviews of your translations?
Carl Jr.: Yes, I recall a review from a traditional Chinese user. I basically only translate in simplified Chinese, so I was shocked to see that. They praised my translation for sounding very natural and close to the source material, and I was happy to read that. I want to take this opportunity to tell that user "I saw your review! Thank you for your kind words."
DLsite Staff: How wonderful! I think going forward we'll be looking for more ways to connect translators and users. Do you recall any interactions with the DLsite translation review staff?
Carl Jr.: I knew you were gonna ask that! I actually happened to prepare one such instance (laughs). One of my translations had been getting returned over and over during review, and it was one step away from being suspended. I was really down because I felt like my translating days were about to end. After submitting my final corrections, I waited and waited, and finally I saw it, the "review passed" email. I remember feeling so relieved when I heard that email alert sound and saw the words "review passed".
I mentioned it before, but I study Japanese by myself, so naturally that lack of foundation can show in terms of odd translation mistakes. However, thanks to the thorough reviewers and passionate circles, I feel like my translation skill has improved a lot compared to a year ago.
I've also done translations in traditional Chinese, and the reviewers are polite about pointing out awkward phrasing or minor nuances. I'm not even paying them (laughs) but I really appreciate how meticulous the reviewers are. Big thanks to them.
DLsite Staff: It's so nice to hear about such a positive translator and reviewer interaction. Do you plan on continuing to translate after you graduate?
Carl Jr.: I would like to. "Translators Unite" has a lot of flexibility, and there are no deadlines, so I can work on what I want to when I want to. I can improve my translation skills while also getting good feedback, so it's a nice option for a mix of hobby and side-job.
DLsite Staff: Thank you letting us interview you! Please look forward to Carl Jr.'s new translation of an all-ages work coming out on February 19th.
Carl Jr.: My translations actually sell quite well, so I have nothing but appreciation for the original works, the creators, and the users that support translators like me. I hope everyone will continue to support me in the future. If you find any issues in my translations big or small, please feel free to leave a review. I hope to continue improving.
DLsite Staff: Thank you letting us interview you! Please look forward to Carl Jr.'s new translation of an all-ages work coming out on February 19th.
For any potential translators out there interested in partaking in "Translators Unite", you can find more details about the service below! You can also check what works are available for translation now!
↑Available languages: Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean.
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