Forum - View topicNEWS: Interview: Adapting Manga in America
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Richard J.
 Posts: 3367 Location: Sic Semper Tyrannis. |
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Very interesting interview. I wish Ms. DeConnick had gone into more details about what she felt was appropriate in translating but given her belief that it's most important to capture the original intent of the author, I feel safe in saying she seems to be doing it right. Liked her take on localization.
I liked her explanation of why it's sometimes so difficult to translate Japanese and have an "exact" translation. Japanese truly is a contextual language and trying to translate things precisely must be difficult. I think she may have been a tad rough on people who want an "authentic" experience with manga but I see where she was coming from. Personally, I'd feel better with her working on a project given her comments about not unnecessarily altering the art and keeping the author's intent. A short but excellent interview. And while this comment has little to do with our interview subject Kelly Sue DeConnick: Neil Gaiman rocks! 
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Neverwhere
 Posts: 351 Location: socal |
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This comment has nothing whatsoever to do with Furuba or the very interesting and enlightening interview: Yes Richard. Yes he does. *beams at you* 
(You did wish him a very happy birthday at the livejournal blog feed, right? He does read them, y'know. ;- ) |
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BleuVII
 Posts: 672 Location: Tokorozawa, Japan |
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Yeah, this was a really great interview. It was very informative. Maybe I should get into this business. Where do I apply?
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Richard J.
Posts: 3367 Location: Sic Semper Tyrannis. |
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Neverwhere is my favorite of his books. It's one of those rare western stories that could be adapted into a truly great anime series. (A long one though. Such a rich story deserves more episodes.) Can't you just picture an anime version of Door?
Only reason I haven't failed every history class I've ever taken is that I can at least remember the order things happened in. |
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Neverwhere
Posts: 351 Location: socal |
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Richard J... I'm sure this comes as a shock, but Neverwhere is my favourite too. *grins impishly* (Actually, I'm gobsmacked to find someone else who calls it their favourite -- I've been looking for ten years now, and you're the first. Amazing!)
An anime adaption would be breathtakingly wonderful, I know the story would lend itself so well to the an anime treatment. The comic adaptation was so disappointing, and there's no chance of remaking the original tv series, which is a shame. The Henson Studios really should get on with making the movie version, or at least prod Neil into finally writing the much-hinted at sequel (when he gets the chance ;- ). Mmmmm anime Door. Her odd coloured eyes would be delightfully moe, dontcha think? (I'm already so smitten with Richard, I don't know what I would do if he got the bishounen treatment. *giggles*)
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TNaran
Posts: 17 Location: Canada |
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I disagree with her "born and lived in Japan" part because even the Japanese don't necessarily get it. For example, I doubt many Japanese have attended a school for the very rich and had a pampered life (ala Hana Yori Dango), but yet they manage.
But she does bring up an interesting point about otaku who complain about not getting an "authentic" experience. For me, it's fascinating because most manga fans I've read who want "authentic" point to scanlations or fansubs as examples. Well, as someone who is well on the road to reading and listening to Japanese, I can tell you that scanlations and fansubs are not 1-to-1 translations at all. In fact, the most acclaimed fan translators do exactly what she does: adapt to reflect the original dialog's intent. That is NOT a one-to-one translation, or even an approximate literal translation. My view has been consistent for years: Protecting me from the language -- OK, protecting me from the culture -- DAME (BAD, Not Good)!!!
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Neverwhere
Posts: 351 Location: socal |
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Hee! だめ indeed
I'm so pleased publishers are finally realizing that readers don't need to be 'protected' from cultural differences, and are putting translation notes and explanations at the end of the volume. Well, mostly. I'm still extremely annoyed with the way some manga are treated and sometimes even blisteringly mangled (Prince of Tennis, I'm looking at you), but on the whole, series being released now are looking remarkably intact and beautifully done, with respect to both the translator's need to adequately transpose a complex language, and the reader's desire to immerse themselves in an authenticly rendered world. |
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Richard J.
Posts: 3367 Location: Sic Semper Tyrannis. |
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Sharing a name with the hero doesn't hurt either.
I kind of wish Richard could somehow get a chance to save spoiler[that sweet Rat-speaker girl that vanished on Night's Bridge]. I was shocked the first time I read the book when she was lost. I kept hoping for her to come back. 
Whenever I read it, I always picture her as almost absuredly cute yet with just a slight edge. Door was so sweet and, despite what she'd been through, still so hopeful. Yet she was tough too. To survive as long as she did running from Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar, she had to be extremely tough. Although Richard really stands out as a hero too. When he gives that old woman at the very beginning his umbrella, it immediatly showed what kind of person he was. Later on, during the spoiler[trial for the key], you truly realize just how strong he is. (God I would kill to have that entire sequence with spoiler[the trial], everything that happened to Richard during it, as one episode all by itself. Maybe even two. That ordeal was brilliantly written and intense!) I can't imagine any medium other than anime really capturing the marquis de Carabas properly or the seriousness of having a conversation with a rat. And some of the lines in the book already sound like something the Japanese would come up with. "I suppose you could call them men, yes. Two legs, two arms, a head each." Door is so unintentionally funny! Writing all of this has made me decide to read it again! (Thanks Neverwhere, I was feeling a little down. This whole exchange perked me up. Although we've taken the thread badly off-topic!) |
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