Gal Can't Be Kind to Otaku!? - Vol. 7 Ch. 49 - Otaku & Gyaru & Circle of Friends

[MiguelH224]

same mfs even read manga despite not being Japanese

And yet here you are as well, so what's your point exactly?

 

[stephen01king]

And yet here you are as well, so what's your point exactly?

It was an exaggeration of the argument you used to make the flaw in the logic more apparent. Try it, it's fun and a legitimate way to argue and in no way should be read as a direct argument like what you're doing.

Basically, your complaint that people shouldn't use Japanese term because they're non-Japanese is hypocritical when you're someone that wants to read a Japanese manga despite being non-Japanese.

Being non-Japanese should have no bearing on whether you want to speak Japanese, use some Japanese terms that have no direct translation, or, in your case, wanting to read a Japanese manga. Yet, you only seem to consider things you want to do as being acceptable.

 

[stephen01king]

I put 'trash' in quotes in the note because it wasn’t the exact word used, just a way to sum up the overall reaction. A lot of people called the translation bad or awful, said the word choice was poor, or as you said hated it. After one of those comments, I even apologized for having "such an awful translation."

And yeah, it wasn’t just on MangaDex, there were similar comments on Reddit and other aggregators too. Of course, there were respectful comments, and I get that, but I can’t look at only a few individual responses. When you see dozens of people criticizing the same thing, whether nicely or not, it adds up. I get that it might not have seemed like a big deal from your perspective, but when you see that much criticism piling up (especially on your work), it’s hard not to feel frustrated.

As for the 'wasn't pressuring you to change anything,' you do realize so many comments calling out the same thing CAN cause a lot of pressure? Not that I suddenly changed my thoughts on the topic, but if changing it stops people from trashing the translation or word usage, then why not?

I'm sorry some people are calling your translations bad, since thay've been pretty good so far. And I get that you're feeling frustrated from seeing so many comments about your choice of translations, but your reaction to the initial polite disagreements is not the great.

Mostly, it's pretty unfair to mix your frustrations from the negative reaction at Reddit and other aggregate sites into your reply from that chapter, especially when people here tried to be polite with their disagreement prior to your post.

Secondly, it's also not good for your own sanity to react like that as it breeds more arguments from less polite people, like what happened after your post. This just adds to your frustration, which I'm guessing is not what you want.

As for the piling up of pressure, you just have to remember that people are independently reacting to your translation notes to share their perspective and mostly wasn't trying to pile on to you. Anyone trashing your translation based on just one word is not worth listening to in the first place. It's easier said than done, but ignoring the non-constructive criticism is always the healthier way to interact with people on the Internet.

Hopefully you don't take it to heart that people like me disagree with your translation decisions. We're all passionate people when it comes to manga, but not all of us wants to force you to follow our opinions. Some of us just like to give feedback in the hope that it will be useful for you and anyone else reading. Thanks for all the translations you've done so far.

 

[PreStoneX]

I'm sorry some people are calling your translations bad, since thay've been pretty good so far. And I get that you're feeling frustrated from seeing so many comments about your choice of translations, but your reaction to the initial polite disagreements is not the great.

Mostly, it's pretty unfair to mix your frustrations from the negative reaction at Reddit and other aggregate sites into your reply from that chapter, especially when people here tried to be polite with their disagreement prior to your post.

Secondly, it's also not good for your own sanity to react like that as it breeds more arguments from less polite people, like what happened after your post. This just adds to your frustration, which I'm guessing is not what you want.

As for the piling up of pressure, you just have to remember that people are independently reacting to your translation notes to share their perspective and mostly wasn't trying to pile on to you. Anyone trashing your translation based on just one word is not worth listening to in the first place. It's easier said than done, but ignoring the non-constructive criticism is always the healthier way to interact with people on the Internet.

Hopefully you don't take it to heart that people like me disagree with your translation decisions. We're all passionate people when it comes to manga, but not all of us wants to force you to follow our opinions. Some of us just like to give feedback in the hope that it will be useful for you and anyone else reading. Thanks for all the translations you've done so far.

I get what you’re saying, but I feel like you’re putting too much focus on just my initial comment rather than the entire discussion after. I responded to multiple people, tried to explain my reasoning and what my thought process was, and tried to be patient (even if some of the comments I wrote were in frustration).

Also, I wouldn’t really say all of the comments were "polite disagreements" (on MangaDex). Some of them randomly brought up unrelated things like honorifics and even disagreed with me on those, even though I've never mentioned anything about honorifics in the first place and always used proper japanese honorifics in the translations. Sooo... yeah, even if they were worded politely, I still felt like they were subtle complaints about something that wasn’t even true, and I had no clue what they were talking about.

Anyhow, I appreciate the advice, and I get that dealing with criticism online means picking your battles, but I don’t think my response was as unreasonable as you’re making it seem. xD Plus I know people weren't trying to pile on me, but getting a flood of similar criticism still feels overwhelming, which isn't easy to ignore.

 

[RiffRaffROTFL]

I love this manga because of the real progression of the characters and their relationships. It's satisfying to see everyone moving forward.

 

[MiguelH224]

It was an exaggeration of the argument you used to make the flaw in the logic more apparent. Try it, it's fun and a legitimate way to argue and in no way should be read as a direct argument like what you're doing.

Basically, your complaint that people shouldn't use Japanese term because they're non-Japanese is hypocritical when you're someone that wants to read a Japanese manga despite being non-Japanese.

Being non-Japanese should have no bearing on whether you want to speak Japanese, use some Japanese terms that have no direct translation, or, in your case, wanting to read a Japanese manga. Yet, you only seem to consider things you want to do as being acceptable.

So you're trying to compare reading manga that's translated in English to non Japanese trying to use Japanese terms.....


The main thing I called out is people getting upset over this dumb reason (the translation not using a Japanese word) yet you're trying to pin me as a hypocrite somehow, I read manga but like I said, I couldn't care less if Japanese words are used or not due to me not using them in my everyday vocabulary


So those getting upset that they don't get used look goofy, you're not changing my mind on this

 

[Imryse]

wonder what the new girl is going to be like, new raws on the 20th

 

[PreStoneX]

So you're trying to compare reading manga that's translated in English to non Japanese trying to use Japanese terms.....


The main thing I called out is people getting upset over this dumb reason (the translation not using a Japanese word) yet you're trying to pin me as a hypocrite somehow, I read manga but like I said, I couldn't care less if Japanese words are used or not due to me not using them in my everyday vocabulary


So those getting upset that they don't get used look goofy, you're not changing my mind on this

Don't worry, you were kinda blunt about it, but I think the same as you about people overusing japanese lingo. (I don't mind if they use them, but overusing or getting mad over others not using them is just no)

As for the replies, they are just twisting what you said to try and dismiss it. Feels like they just want to win the argument than actually discuss why they don't agree lol

 

[stephen01king]

I get what you’re saying, but I feel like you’re putting too much focus on just my initial comment rather than the entire discussion after. I responded to multiple people, tried to explain my reasoning and what my thought process was, and tried to be patient (even if some of the comments I wrote were in frustration).

Also, I wouldn’t really say all of the comments were "polite disagreements" (on MangaDex). Some of them randomly brought up unrelated things like honorifics and even disagreed with me on those, even though I've never mentioned anything about honorifics in the first place and always used proper japanese honorifics in the translations. Sooo... yeah, even if they were worded politely, I still felt like they were subtle complaints about something that wasn’t even true, and I had no clue what they were talking about.

Anyhow, I appreciate the advice, and I get that dealing with criticism online means picking your battles, but I don’t think my response was as unreasonable as you’re making it seem. xD Plus I know people weren't trying to pile on me, but getting a flood of similar criticism still feels overwhelming, which isn't easy to ignore.

Well, I focused on that because that's the post I found a bit unreasonable due to the sudden escalation of negativity. Your other posts aren't like that.

As for the ones bringing up "unrelated things", it was just in response to your translation notes for that chapter. You said "and honestly, it sounds stupid too in my opinion, keeping japanese terms in english translation like itadakimasu and so on", which sounds like you also disagree with the use of honorifics and otaku, regardless of you actually using it in the translation or not. Their point is just to address this seemingly general disagreement against using Japanese terms.

 

[stephen01king]

So you're trying to compare reading manga that's translated in English to non Japanese trying to use Japanese terms.....


The main thing I called out is people getting upset over this dumb reason (the translation not using a Japanese word) yet you're trying to pin me as a hypocrite somehow, I read manga but like I said, I couldn't care less if Japanese words are used or not due to me not using them in my everyday vocabulary


So those getting upset that they don't get used look goofy, you're not changing my mind on this

Bro, you seem confused about what point @Mithgol was trying to say, so I was explaining that. And yes, using Japanese terms is about as acceptable as reading Japanese manga when you're not a Japanese. The Japanese don't care as much about cultural appropriation to consider those things that differently.

While you did initially refer to the idiots that called the translation "trash" for using the word fave, you did immediately try to insult everyone that uses Japanese terms, so it seems you could care less about them. If you couldn't, you wouldn't have attempted to insult a whole group of people including those that didn't call the translation trash.

If you didn't mean to do so, that means you need to phrase your posts better, because people here cannot read your mind. People won't read a post that calls anyone that uses Japanese terms as "weebs" as being exclusively meant for those that calls the translation trash over one translated Japanese term.

 

[chusetto]

You should go through the macho route, Otaku-kun

 

[huntercheco]

Chadtaku is the next step in your evolution line

 

[TNT261]

Gen nii proving he's a real Chad with that last line. Nearly got me tearing up.

 

[Mithgol]

Kinda the new trend in GalxOtaku titles is getting the dude jacked, after all.

I feel ignorant about this new trend. Can you please mention several titles that exhibit the trend?

 

[ItsThatBriGuy]

I feel ignorant about this new trend. Can you please mention several titles the exhibit the trend?

https://mangadex.org/title/270f205c-e9a6-4b24-b940-59d5c07829d1/gal-ni-yasashii-otaku-kun?tab=art

https://mangadex.org/title/555bc816...atsu-kanojo-tachi-ni-sukarete-boku-mo-saikyou

https://mangadex.org/title/f3d3cf42...-hiccups-this-gyaru-is-head-over-heels-for-me

https://mangadex.org/title/8806e41e...-kuru-gal-ga-kyorikan-zero-demo-yasashiku-nai (this one isn't quite to being fully-jacked...yet)

https://mangadex.org/title/6c62d637-4004-426f-ba7f-be45e18941b6/yankee-jk-kuzuhana-chan (it's easy to forget how hard he trained earlier in the series)

https://mangadex.org/title/aa6c76f7-5f5f-46b6-a800-911145f81b9b/sono-bisque-doll-wa-koi-o-suru (another one where everyone forgets how solid he's built)

 

[MiguelH224]

Bro, you seem confused about what point @Mithgol was trying to say, so I was explaining that. And yes, using Japanese terms is about as acceptable as reading Japanese manga when you're not a Japanese. The Japanese don't care as much about cultural appropriation to consider those things that differently.

While you did initially refer to the idiots that called the translation "trash" for using the word fave, you did immediately try to insult everyone that uses Japanese terms, so it seems you could care less about them. If you couldn't, you wouldn't have attempted to insult a whole group of people including those that didn't call the translation trash.

If you didn't mean to do so, that means you need to phrase your posts better, because people here cannot read your mind. People won't read a post that calls anyone that uses Japanese terms as "weebs" as being exclusively meant for those that calls the translation trash over one translated Japanese term.

I'm referring to them getting upset over it not being used, when they aren't Japanese themselves, which was my initial point, I don't care if the translations use them or not cause I don't use them myself. If you aren't Japanese (most likely American) it makes absolutely no sense to get mad about translators going full English with their work


You get me now?

 

[MiguelH224]

Don't worry, you were kinda blunt about it, but I think the same as you about people overusing japanese lingo. (I don't mind if they use them, but overusing or getting mad over others not using them is just no)

As for the replies, they are just twisting what you said to try and dismiss it. Feels like they just want to win the argument than actually discuss why they don't agree lol

Holy YES!! Thank you for actually grasping what I said, when I read the comment I was originally replying to, I cringed, there was a term for people like that, well still is: weaboo

Those are the weird anime fans that start appropriating their culture, even if the Japanese don't mind, that shit is still weird and cringe to witness


It's straight up embarrassing

 

[stephen01king]

I'm referring to them getting upset over it not being used, when they aren't Japanese themselves, which was my initial point, I don't care if the translations use them or not cause I don't use them myself. If you aren't Japanese (most likely American) it makes absolutely no sense to get mad about translators going full English with their work


You get me now?

If you only said that at the start instead of including your weird obsession with people using Japanese words, nobody would have batted an eye.

Yes, non-japanese shouldn't be that mad since it is not their culture to protect. At the same time, non-japanese people also shouldn't get mad when other non-Japanese people want to speak Japanese or use Japanese terms for the same reason.

You crippled your own point by acting hypocritically about this issue.

Holy YES!! Thank you for actually grasping what I said, when I read the comment I was originally replying to, I cringed, there was a term for people like that, well still is: weaboo

Those are the weird anime fans that start appropriating their culture, even if the Japanese don't mind, that shit is still weird and cringe to witness


It's straight up embarrassing

Your obsession with culture appropriation to the point of disregarding the opinions of the people whose culture was being used is really weird to me. I always associate this obsession with American culture or the white saviour complex.

 

[PreStoneX]

If you only said that at the start instead of including your weird obsession with people using Japanese words, nobody would have batted an eye.

I think it was quite clear what he meant, but maybe that’s because I didn’t overcomplicate it.

This whole argument got way overblown for no reason. Was he blunt in his comment? Sure he was, but did he imply anything else other than that it makes no sense for non-japanese people to get upset over translations not using japanese words? Honestly, no.

Your obsession with culture appropriation to the point of disregarding the opinions of the people whose culture was being used is really weird to me. I always associate this obsession with American culture or the white saviour complex.

That's why I don't agree with this. You are basically putting words in his mouth, since he wasn't even making a cultural appropriation argument, but just thinks people forcing japanese culture into their personality looks weird and cringe. It's a personal opinion, not some deep moral stance about who 'owns' culture or hypocrisy...

So, please, stop forcing this argument. You're taking things too far and arguing against points nobody even brought up. This discussion was never that deep, and stretching it like this isn't making it any more meaningful.

(Plus it kinda feels like the same thing, when people misunderstood my note in ch47 and acted like I was against honorifics or wanted to translate otaku to nerd or something. They just randomly brought it up when that wasn't my point at all.)

 

[stephen01king]

I think it was quite clear what he meant, but maybe that’s because I didn’t overcomplicate it.

This whole argument got way overblown for no reason. Was he blunt in his comment? Sure he was, but did he imply anything else other than that it makes no sense for non-japanese people to get upset over translations not using japanese words? Honestly, no.



That's why I don't agree with this. You are basically putting words in his mouth, since he wasn't even making a cultural appropriation argument, but just thinks people forcing japanese culture into their personality looks weird and cringe. It's a personal opinion, not some deep moral stance about who 'owns' culture or hypocrisy...

So, please, stop forcing this argument. You're taking things too far and arguing against points nobody even brought up. This discussion was never that deep, and stretching it like this isn't making it any more meaningful.

(Plus it kinda feels like the same thing, when people misunderstood my note in ch47 and acted like I was against honorifics or wanted to translate otaku to nerd or something. They just randomly brought it up when that wasn't my point at all.)

He literally used the term "appropriating their culture", so you can't convince me that's not a large part of his motivation when making that first post, as well as the subsequent ones. I get that you want to defend the guy, but at least don't try to ignore the things he did write to do it.

As for your last paragraph, if people misunderstood your point, that means they didn't randomly bring it up. They were replying to what they thought your stance was. That was also just their personal opinion, well, at least the ones that weren't rude about it.

But yes, I agree that the argument is getting too deep and meaningless at this point, so I'll just bow out of this first, if you don't mind. I'll just read your translations quietly from now on to minimise future arguments.