Mangas have gained popularity throughout the world, with a 9% growth in US sales, as of 2022. Its straightforward story, volume-wise split-ups and interesting plots have attracted a large number of readers, with many of them joining up each time. While mangas are totally worth reading, you may wonder how exactly these write-ups are translated from the original language, that is, Japanese.
Despite the common belief that best mangas might be translated through tools like Google Translate, mangas are translated by an actual translator who has adequate knowledge of the Japanese language. Besides, it’s not just a literal conversion of the Japanese language to English but rather an editorial initiative taken by the translator to make the manga content understandable by the readers.
The role of the translator is not just to translate the content but also to deliver an authentic reading experience that’s just like the original. As per the NY Times, Manga author and translator Frederik L. Schodt said that “Readers in English should be able to enjoy the story without thinking about it being a translation”. “But at the same time, it should be as faithful to the original as possible.” he further added.
Besides the content translation, the onomatopoeia, that is, the vocal imitation of the general sounds, is also edited to make it comprehensible to the readers. The onomatopoeia usually differs for both Japanese and English comics, with many being absolutely new for the US audience. This is where it gets tough to translate. Sometimes certain sound contents are not translated at all, instead, they are listed at the back, so readers can get the authentic reading experience.
According to the NY Times article, the Western media also changed the way the author’s name is written in manga. Instead of the normal Japanese format, where the last name is written first, they follow the opposite format, where the last name is written last. This is also followed by the NY Times itself.
With mangas becoming the talk of the comic world, there’s no doubt that their sales are only going to boost in the coming times. However, it’s evident that its English translation is no tool but rather manual work by professionals.
Navkiran Dhaliwal is a seasoned content writer with 10+ years of experience. When she's not writing, she can be found cooking up a storm or spending time with her dog, Rain.
