Translating Comic Books

Liraz Postan

February 10 , 2020 · 6 min

Anyone working in the field of translation understands that different types of translations have a different range of complexities, so in this post we’ll take a look at the translation of comic books, the problems that translators may face, and how to get quality comic book translations.

Multilingual Manga and Comics Translation
Quality Manga and Comics Translation
The Constraints of Translating Comic Books
How to Translate Comics in Your Language with BLEND
Our Comic Book Translation Services
Do You Need to Have a Comic Book Translated?

Comic books are an exciting and vibrant way to communicate stories and ideas. They can be a powerful tool for conveying complex messages and connecting with a wide audience. But, for comic book stories to reach beyond the original language, they need to be translated.

That’s where comic book translator services come in. Comic translator services specialize in translating comic books from one language to another, ensuring that stories and characters stay true to their original intention.

With comic book translation services, you can take your stories and characters to new audiences with confidence that the message and emotion will remain intact. Whether you’re a publisher, an author, or a fan, you can benefit from the expertise of comic book translation services.

Multilingual Manga and Comics Translation

Multilingual manga and comics translation is invaluable for those who wish to translate Japanese comics into English. This process is complex, as it involves a deep understanding of the source language and its nuances. That said, the end result can be gratifying.

Not only will the translations help people worldwide to enjoy the works of their favorite manga and comic authors, but they will also open up new opportunities for artists and publishers. With multilingual translations, clients translate comics to English and thus, people can access works from different countries, increasing their understanding of other cultures.

Translate Japanese comics to English

Translations can create more interest in foreign works, allowing authors to reach bigger audiences. To illustrate, understanding how to translate Japanese comics to English is a great way to share urban Japanese stories with a larger audience. Such a plan can also help to increase understanding and appreciation of different cultures.

Quality Manga and Comics Translation

Manga and comics have become increasingly popular in recent years, with an international audience eager to consume them. But as these works become more popular, so does the need to translate them into different languages.

Translating Japanese comics to English and vice versa is no easy task. It requires a strong understanding of the source material and the language it’s being translated into. This means that the translator must be fluent in both languages and familiar with the nitty-gritties and colloquialisms of each. It’s a complex and time-consuming job, but the results can be amazing when done right.

After all, manga and comics are to be enjoyed by everyone, no matter where they are in the world. Multilingual comic translators allow them to do just that.

The Constraints of Translating Comic Books

When translating, comic books present not only the typical constraints of language, such as idioms, double meanings, idiolect, and so on, but also the limitations of space. We all know roughly how comics work: they provide information not only with words, but they’re also linked to an image. This means that the translator must confine their translation to the limited amount of space provided. It’s important to remember that, generally, the original author was not thinking about how their work might be translated, but was ensuring that the speech bubbles were the perfect size to fit the text. In addition, the translator doesn’t have access to the same workarounds that can be used with other texts, like footnotes, explanatory notes, and so on.

Eliminating Text

Therefore, in order for the translator to provide an acceptable translation that’s as close as possible to the original, they must remove any accessory content, similar to what happens with subtitling, which also has strict space limits. It is unfortunate that, with this type of translation, important text will be eliminated on occasions, because with the limited space available there’s no way in the target language to translate the original idea. This can be really frustrating for translators because they know that the reader will ultimately not receive the full information; but there’s very little that can be done about this problem.

Onomatopoeia in Comics

Another important issue when translating comics is the varying onomatopoeia in comics; and this refers to onomatopoeia not only inside the bubbles but those also in the animation. An example of Onomatopoeia includes animal noises such as meow, oink, chirp, or roar. Onomatopoeia tend to be highly characteristic of the country of origin, for example, they’re widely used and play a key role in comics in the United States, but they may have no meaning at all for the reader from another country.

Resolving Onomatopoeia Issues

In these cases, the solution is generally to change the design. However, besides being quite expensive, it does bring into question the extent to which the cartoonist’s work should be amended, when it is this artist’s work and it should be respected. Generally, we see that the original is left and other solutions (normally unsuccessful) are used. These might be adding a small sign next to the onomatopoeia or trying to put the translation in the blank space left between bullets.

Using Professionals for Your Translation Projects

When translating comics, there are experts in the translation industry who perfectly understand the source language and its expressions and idioms. It’s very important to be able to translate the original as faithfully as possible, but also to stay within the original space whilst simultaneously losing as little information as possible.

How to Translate Comics in Your Language With BLEND

Comic book fans looking to expand their horizons beyond English should look no further. With BLEND, clients can translate comic books into any language they wish with the help of human translators.

The translation process is incredibly accurate, owing to the human element. As such, users can rest assured the translated version of the comic book will come out just as they envisioned it. So, don’t wait; take on a comic book translation today with BLEND and open up a world of comics to new audiences.

Our Comic Book Translation Services

At BLEND, our comic book translation services provide a way to bridge the language barrier and make comics accessible to a broader audience. We offer a wide range of tools and services to aid in comic book translations with professional language specialists.

BLEND’s comic book translator services help customers ensure that their comic books are translated accurately while also considering the cultural nuances of the language used.

With the help of our comic book translation services, our clients’ comic books are properly understood by everyone, no matter their native language.

Do You Need to Have a Comic Book Translated?

A comic book’s translation must be accurate and true to the original text. Any errors or discrepancies can be jarring for the reader and take away from the story. That’s why you need to hire a professional comic book translator who is experienced and knowledgeable about the language and culture of the original work.

Professional translators at BLEND will be able to accurately convey the tone, mood, and meaning of the story. They will also be familiar with the language subtleties, such as slang and idioms, and be able to adapt them to the target language.

Are you looking to translate a comic book? Reach out to BLEND for professional comic book translation today.