Welcome to the launch of the three-episode podcast series Translator Tea Times Two! A couple of translators took time over the spring and summer to take part in this series, and I’m really happy that these episodes can now be listened to by a general audience.

The planning began earlier this year when I kicked this idea around to the co-host of the original Translator Tea Time, Jenny McKeon. And since then, it’s turned into a series that features:

  • 6 translators in the anime, manga, light novel, and gaming industries.
  • An episode with two translators talking to each other about how they got into the industry, the things they’ve experienced, how to improve their craft, and a lot more.
  • All three episodes dropping tomorrow, December 20th.

The main goal of Translator Tea Times Two is pretty simple: there are a lot of things to factor in when it comes to translating a work, and in having professionals — whether it’s an 11-year veteran or someone who’s translating different forms of media — discuss amongst themselves in this format, I hope that you take away a general day-to-day of a translator/localizer and some of the unique challenges they each encounter.

UPDATE: Here’s the episodes in the Translator Tea Time series:

Jennifer O’Donnell and Cassiel Merricat
Emily Balistrieri and Jake Jung
Jenny McKeon and Stephen Paul

Here’s where else you can listen to the podcast:

Here’s the 6 translators who took part in the Translator Tea Times Two series:

Translator Tea Times Two Podcast Series
The Translators

Jennifer O’Donnell is a Fukuoka-based Localization Assistant. After she graduated from SOAS (London) in 2015 with an MA in Theory and Practice of Translation she focused her efforts on the translation of Japanese media (manga, anime, and video games), as well as websites, tourism, and advertising. Since then she has studied interpreting at Bellevue College (Washington, USA) and volunteered as an interpreter at a number of Japanese media conventions in the US. Now she works in-house as a localization assistant.

Jake Jung is a freelance Japanese-to-English translator specializing in anime, manga, and video games. Anime titles he has translated for Sentai Filmworks include Made in Abyss, Release the Spyce, Assassins Pride, and Why the Hell Are You Here, Teacher?! among others. He also handles the English manga adaptation of Made in Abyss for Seven Seas, and is the translator of a to-be-announced title for them releasing in 2020. He has been a full-time translator since 2010 and has focused on media translations specifically since 2013. Born and raised in Michigan, USA, as of 2019, he now resides in Kagawa, Japan with his wife and two children.

Born 1985 in Wisconsin, Emily Balistrieri currently lives in Tokyo. Published translations include Tomihiko Morimi’s The Night is Short, Walk on Girl, Ko Hiratori’s JK Haru is a Sex Worker in Another World, and Takuji Ichikawa’s The Refugees’ Daughter. He also translates two ongoing light novel series, Carlo Zen’s The Saga of Tanya the Evil and Kugane Maruyama’s Overlord. His translation of Eiko Kadono’s Kiki’s Delivery Service will be out in July 2020.

Cassiel Merricat is a Japanese-to-English translator and localizer for games and manga. After working for a hobby company she moved into game translation, and has translated a number of different titles — particularly in the romance/otome space — for over 11 years while dealing with numerous disabilities (is chronically ill). Loves creative writing, language, games, and bacon. She currently lives in Australia with her platonic life partner, two Cane Corsos and a kitty.

Jenny McKeon is an artist and translator based in Western MA. Her comic work has been featured in anthologies such as Dirty Diamonds, Restless Minds, Planetside, and 1001 Knights. Her translation credits include New Game!, So I’m a Spider, So What? Bloom Into You, Blank Canvas: My So-Called Artist’s Journey, Nichijou, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, Satoko and Nada, and Kino’s Journey- the Beautiful World manga. 

Stephen Paul has been a Japanese-to-English translator for nearly 15 years, with his credits ranging from BECK to the simulpub of Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru. His other translations include the Sword Art Online manga and light novels, Vinland Saga, Yotsuba!&, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Battle Angel Alita, Durarara!!, and One Piece. He is a contributor to the One Piece Podcast, a fan run podcast that talks about the Weekly Shonen Jump manga and the anime by Toei Animation.

Some things to know
  • Will reiterate that these were recorded over the spring/summer, but there are only a few references to it (whether it’s a seasonal show or remark) in these episodes.
  • Everyone was given a list of questions, but they served more as prompts to mostly kick start things. The translators had full control of their episodes.
  • The Translator Tea Times Two Logo and Banners that you’ll see were created by Alcina Wong. You can follow her on Twitter and check out the rest of her creations on her website.
  • The theme song that you will hear in all the episodes is “Somnolent Nova” by City Girl. You can listen to the full version of this and more of City Girl’s work on Twitter (@citygirltime), Spotify & YouTube as City Girl and Bandcamp. Here’s the full version of Somnolent Nova for you to listen to: