re: official and unofficial translations of manga

[ 1/6 ] let's all just come to terms with the fact that if you don't understand the native language of a body of work and its colloquialisms, it's rare to have a translation that frames things exactly the same way as the original

[ 2/6 ] if it's possible at all. official and unofficial translations both have this barrier between the original work and the audience that wants to consume it, and they approach this in different ways—which is to say translations can be anywhere on a spectrum of trying to

[ 3/6 ] preserve as much of the original work at the risk of failing to provide exact socio-cultural context and localizing it to be more digestible to foreign audiences. the same story existing in different forms provides different experiences depending on which you read but

[ 4/6 ] i guess i don't think it's all that bad? for haikyuu specifically, i've had discussions about different iterations of a certain quote as translated by viz, mangastream and the anime subs and they're really interesting discussions to have

[ 5/6 ] i think it adds another layer to how people perceive stories differently when we talk about which translation of a certain part struck you most and how it shapes your view on certain characters or series as a whole. but also i think that it's a reminder for me when

[ 6/6 ] writing fic that you don't really have to stick to one translation or the other or try to stay within realms of strictly canon? recontextualize and explore different quotes and dialogue from your favorite series and have fun with it. language is your friend. or something.

addendum: even if you prefer the unofficial translations, PLEASE support the official translations when they’re available