Orange distributes its translations through an app called Emaqi (a pun on “emaki,” an ancient Japanese illustrated scroll believed to be the forerunner of manga). He also wants to be a hired translator for American publishers.
But the Orange was not welcomed by all American fans. When it came up at Anime NYC, an American anime convention, this summer, Japanese-to-English translator Jan Mitsuko Cash tweeted: “A company like Orange has no place at a Manga Awards conference that celebrates manga and manga professionals. in the field. If you agree, please call on @animenyc to ban AI companies from exhibiting or hosting panels.”
Brienza has the same opinion. “Work in the cultural industries, including translation, which is ultimately about translating human intent, not just words on a page, can be poorly paid and insecure,” he says. “If the wind blows like this, I can only mourn for those who go from making little money to none.
Some also called Orange out to cut corners. “Manga uses stylized text to represent inner thoughts that (the protagonist) can’t quite express,” wrote another fan on Twitter. “But Orange didn’t pay a redrawer or letterer to replicate it properly. They also just completely skip some text.”
EMAQI
Everyone at Orange understands that manga translation is a sensitive matter, says Kuroda: “We believe that human creativity is absolutely irreplaceable, so all AI work is strictly controlled, refined and finalized by a team of people.”
Orange also claims that the authors he has translated agree with his approach. “I’m really happy with how the English version turned out,” says Kenji Yajima, one of the writers Orange worked with, referring to the company’s translation of its title. Neko Oji: Salaryman Reincarnated as a Kitten! (see pictures). “As a manga artist, it’s always exciting to see my work shared in other languages. It’s a chance to connect with readers I never thought I’d reach before.”
