Orange distributes its translations through an app called Emaqi (a play on words on “emaki,” the ancient Japanese illustrated scrolls considered a precursor to manga). The company also wants to become a translator for hire for American publishers.
But Orange was not well received by all American fans. When he appeared this summer at Anime NYC, an American anime convention, Japanese-to-English translator Jan Mitsuko Cash tweeted: “A company like Orange has no place at the convention that hosts the Manga Awards, which celebrate manga and manga professionals. If you agree, please encourage @animenyc to ban AI companies from exhibiting or hosting panels.
Brienza shares the same view. “Work in the cultural industries, including translation, which is ultimately about translating human intention, not just words on a page, can be poorly paid and precarious,” she says. “If the wind blows like this, I can only mourn those who will go from little money to nothing. »
Some have also criticized Orange for taking shortcuts. “The manga uses stylized text to represent inner thoughts that the (protagonist) can’t really express,” another fan tweeted. “But Orange didn’t pay a redrawer or letterer to reproduce it correctly. They also skip certain texts completely.
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Everyone at Orange understands that manga translation is a sensitive issue, says Kuroda: “We believe that human creativity is absolutely irreplaceable, which is why all AI-assisted work is rigorously reviewed, refined and finalized by a team of people. »
Orange also claims that the authors he has translated adhere to his approach. “I’m really happy with how the English version turned out,” says Kenji Yajima, one of the authors Orange worked with, referring to the company’s translation of his title. Neko Oji: Salaryman reincarnated as a kitten! (see pictures). “As a manga artist, seeing my work shared in other languages is always exciting. It’s a chance to connect with readers I never imagined I would reach before.