Yancha Gal no Anjou-san - Vol. 14 Ch. 175 - Flight Response Scramble

[Grimlore]

Yeah, and they're jealous. Take the W, dude.

Sadly Japanese society really frowns on PDA or standing out.

 

[eviljackspicer]

I'm not even 100% against AI translations so long as they have a competent editors who are bilingual and can check for correct context and correct details. However, making assurances of that kind while also being an AI startup is sus as fuck. Also I could never support a company with such a garbage mascot.

You know it's AI when the AI translations start creating hands with 3 fingers or 6 fingers. That's a dead give away LMAO

 

[THUND3RSTICKZ]

I feel for Seto. I was in a similar position and still am somewhat with how I'm studying. I'm enjoying learning information but I had to put it to use somehow. I'm not even sure if my major I'm doing currently is the one I want to do. All of this to say, if I was able to talk to Seto somehow, I'd tell him that there are plenty of jobs out there where constantly learning and applying the information you learned is your entire job. It's called being an engineer.

 

[the_Bear_from_Bearcave]

Your exact words were "Just hire good translators and pay them well." Would you like to explain how hiring skilled people and paying them well doesn't cost a lot of money, or can we skip ahead to the part where you either admit your profound ignorance or ragequit the thread?

You seem to be implying here that the anime and manga industries have both a readily available pool of high-skill talent and that they can easily afford the costs of hiring them, but are deliberately choosing the least competent people possible out of... malice, perhaps? You think they're causing international brand damage from fake translations and a worse product because they hate making money?

Let me explain some simple economics: The talent pool for people that are good at translation is limited and cannot keep up with the amount of manga produced. Even if they chose to start paying manga translators more, this does not magically lead to the instantaneous creation of people fluent in two languages and especially not for extremely difficult languages like Japanese. To acquire that level of skill from translators, they would be directly competing with high-paying translation jobs over a limited number of people. In order to compete with the high-paying translation jobs, they would have to offer equal or better conditions, such as equal or better pay.
You cannot solve scarcity by throwing more money at the problem.

However, you can sometimes solve scarcity by developing new technology. The solution to a lack of fertilizer to grow crops wasn't "pay fertilizer producers more," it was "someone invents the Haber-Bosch process." Similarly, the manga industry is hoping that investing 3 billion into AI translation will result in something significantly more economically feasible.

The manga and anime (and LN) industries already have a large amount of hired translators, that's how we've got all those translated manga, LN and subtitled anime through last several decades, and cast majority of them clearly isn't incompetent. "International brand damage" is vastly exaggerated by few loud voices, and recent attempts at using AI for subtitles also generated brand damage, far more than someone using word "sus". The whole argument that anime/manga business is running out of skilled translators is just idiotic made up nonsense. There were only few widely known issues with bad translation, mostly with regards to light novels. Most translated manga and anime subtitles are fine, some people dislike modern slang , but they are in minority, and compared to disaster that AI subtitles were every time it's idiotic to claim they're better replacement.

In case of several controversies, or even minor nitpicking of translation, I've seen people claiming that Spanish translations are superior to English, is your explanation that there are just that many high quality Japanese-Spanish translators, or that they're paying them better? Maybe it's just that some people here prefer the way Spanish translation business works and it doesn't have anything to do with skill quality or lack of translators to hire. It isn't about scarcity and never was, it's about being as cheap as possible regardless of quality. If the companies had a problem with current translations, they could talk to the editors of English translators and tell them to cut this stuff out, but it's clear that it's not issue with current quality, it's a question of cost cutting.

I don't know if you're blind AI fanboy, or someone with axe to grind against "woke" localisers, but anyone who's seen results of AI translation in anime or manga and thinks that this will result not in just cheaper, but actually better quality than current business model is either dumb or insane, or both. If companies really had a problem with quality, they would just get the few "activist" translators fired, and the rest would kept doing great work just like until now, while the next bad one who'd get idea to put own spin on the translation, would think twice and give up. No need for new technology with pretty bad track record and limited possibilities. Comparing MTL translation of artistic works to Haber-Bosch, what a bullshit.

 

[salamiowl]

As a quick reminder, this got licensed… by an AI manga translation startup

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1807964236754321574

Normally I’d say to support the official release, and the author tweeted that they checked with Emaqi Orange and they're using a human translator, but… I trust them as much as I can throw them

that mascot looks like it was drawn by meatcanyon

 

[MarcoMook]

Seto: Failure to launch. So busy feeling sorry for himself that he doesn't realize he's wasting potential quality time with his girlfriend before university.

Anjou: Boyfriend is so busy moping that he's borderline ignoring her needs as a partner. She creates countless opportunities for them to spend time together but to no avail.

Inuyama: Having an identity crisis
because he values his girlfriend feeling safe and comfortable around him, and doesn't want to jeopardize the relationship.

Toyoda: Showing how amazing she is as a partner by going out of her comfort zone to support Inuyama, just like he did for her.

Genuinely dislike Seto at this point. Anna is clearly sad they'll be separated soon, and he hardly if ever capitalizes on the opportunities she creates for them. She's doing the vast amount of heavy lifting in this relationship.

 

[dsfargeg]

This is a really fascinating post because it doesn't actually rebut anything I just said. You're free to argue with the AI fanboy that exists in your head, but don't project him onto me.

I'm feeling bored and spiteful so I'll go down line-by-line and explain why:

The manga and anime (and LN) industries already have a large amount of hired translators, that's how we've got all those translated manga, LN and subtitled anime through last several decades, and cast majority of them clearly isn't incompetent.

Yes, I agree that the manga industry has hired a lot of translators. This is not relevant to anything I said, such as "good translators are expensive and a finite resource." If the number of translators was large enough to handle the amount of manga being produced, then why is the AI startup estimating it will be able to quadruple the amount of manga being translated? To make a promise like that believable enough to secure funding would require a lot of manga that isn't being translated.

"International brand damage" is vastly exaggerated by few loud voices, and recent attempts at using AI for subtitles also generated brand damage, far more than someone using word "sus".

You agree that bad translations damage the brand. Excellent. Now address the other part of what I said, the actually important part, where I asked you to explain why you think companies are intentionally sabotaging their revenue. After all, the cost of brand damage is often far more severe than one person's salary.

The whole argument that anime/manga business is running out of skilled translators is just idiotic made up nonsense. There were only few widely known issues with bad translation, mostly with regards to light novels. Most translated manga and anime subtitles are fine, some people dislike modern slang , but they are in minority, and compared to disaster that AI subtitles were every time it's idiotic to claim they're better replacement.

Again: If the number of translators was large enough to handle the amount of manga being produced, then why is the AI startup estimating it will be able to quadruple the amount of manga being translated? To make a promise like that believable enough to secure funding would require a lot of manga that isn't being translated. Additionally, this is a startup that is promising to make specialized AI that is more sophisticated than what is currently available. Do you believe it is impossible for nascent technology to advance beyond its current level, or are you not bright enough to understand that the present and the future often have different tools? There is a strong possibility AI improves beyond its current ability. It is not guaranteed that future AI will create a better product than current AI, but I wouldn't be terribly surprised if it got to the level of "Good enough." It is virtually impossible for AI to make a translation worse than fake translations like the Ghost Stories dub.

In case of several controversies, or even minor nitpicking of translation, I've seen people claiming that Spanish translations are superior to English, is your explanation that there are just that many high quality Japanese-Spanish translators, or that they're paying them better? Maybe it's just that some people here prefer the way Spanish translation business works and it doesn't have anything to do with skill quality or lack of translators to hire.

Why are Spanish translators getting dragged into this? This doesn't have anything to do with what I said. Assuming what you are saying is true, Spanish translations are either higher quality, getting paid more, or willing to produce a better result for less pay. This doesn't change that Spanish translators, like English translators, Russian translators, or whatever other group you want to toss out there are still a finite resource.

It isn't about scarcity and never was, it's about being as cheap as possible regardless of quality. If the companies had a problem with current translations, they could talk to the editors of English translators and tell them to cut this stuff out, but it's clear that it's not issue with current quality, it's a question of cost cutting.

Several companies have done exactly that and removed problematic translators. A recent example is a character in, I believe Blue Archive? Some kuudere character in a gacha waifu game. Her English dialogue was completely botched, several people complained about it, the dialogue was translated properly and the prior translator was fired.

Since your chain of reason was "If they had a problem with quality they could make it stop->they don't make it stop->it's clearly about cost cutting," this argument fails at the second step.

I don't know if you're blind AI fanboy, or someone with axe to grind against "woke" localisers, but anyone who's seen results of AI translation in anime or manga and thinks that this will result not in just cheaper, but actually better quality than current business model is either dumb or insane, or both.

Go back and re-read my posts: I made two claims and these aren't either of them. To reiterate: "People who do a bad job should get fired," and "Hiring high-skill translators is typically very expensive." I did not say and do not believe that AI is better quality than a good translator, and do not expect AI to ever surpass genuinely skilled translators. Certainly not within my lifetime at least.

If they had a problem with quality, they would just get the few "activist" translators fired, and the rest would kept doing great work just like until now, while the next bad one who'd get idea to put own spin on the translation, would think twice and give up. No need for new technology with pretty bad track record and limited possibilities.

Many of them HAVE gotten fired and landed the company in hot water, yet they continue to act that way. Not that that is terribly relevant, since it doesn't have anything to do with what I said, which, again, are 1) People bad at their job should be fired and 2) High-skill translators are often priced out of manga.

Comparing MTL translation to Haber-Bosch, what a bullshit.

"What a bullshit" indeed, Mr. ESL. Are you incapable of understanding how a simile works?

 

[dsid2814]

I‘m all for AI when it comes to creating anime out of existing art but with mangas being translated… it’s super important to know who’s speaking what and what’s the character like to get a good translation. Imagine Anjou w/o the gyaru talk/ vibe

That’s the worst thing about AI.

 

[Sky_Ravager]

Inuyama mother

 

[SUPER7X]

As a quick reminder, this got licensed… by an AI manga translation startup

Normally I’d say to support the official release, … but…

Them using AI for translation does not innately matter. Are their translations good? That's what matters. They licensed the series as “Anjo the Mischievous Gal” (and their cleaning/typesetting could definitely be improved), so the answer is clearly “No.”. They indeed should be boycotted, just as all of the major English manga licensees should be, but not because they use AI.

I cannot disclose my sources, but it is being translated by a human. It is however edited by non-native english speakers, and the translator has very little input on those edits. Take that as you will.

Interesting. Good to know, but doesn't change my position. It couldn't.

I mean... seeing how bad official localization and translation are when done the old ways, it can't be worse... And those fuckers who botch and and change stories deserve to lose their jobs to AI

Whether or not AI/MTL translations are less bad than localiezers intentionally making a shitty productor doesn't actually matter if the product is still bad. It's not a win, and it shouldn't be celebrated as one.

 

[danvolodar]

Are we just ignoring Inuyama calling his mom a garbage dump? Yeah? Cool.

 

[ijontichy]

Huh-san strikes again.

 

[vanCham]

Oh wow.
1. i want more screentime for inuyamas mom. She seems to be fun
2. Inuyama you lucky boy
3. absolutely awesome & hot outfit for anjou.

 

[UnvalidUserName]

HOLY... Does Inuyama need a new Dad by any chance? Because I'm interested in the position

 

[maniloveromcom27]

Dang, i would love to see how they face with their problems. Peak manga

 

[maniloveromcom27]

man, Inu totally pulled a whole cake factory

 

[HYBRID_BEING]

Not sure why, but somehow, i'm getting the feeling that Inumama is too soncon and she won't take the news well

What's N*K, btw?

 

[Coldlight]

Is this the longest amount of time we've spent focusing on Inuyama and Toyoda? Truly is an arc centered on them when previously we only get to see 1-2 chapters about them after every handful of Anjou and Seto chapters.

Anyway, it's nice to see more parent characters. Inuyama's mom looks like an ex-delinquent or maybe an ex-gyaru. He doesn't seem to have a dad so that's sad (especially since it's way too common in anime and manga nowadays, I guess to simplify writing with less characters to worry about), but at least his mom is hardworking and loves him very much.

Inuyama is worrying way too much, the fact that Toyoda came to his house herself means she's already deeply in love with him, and the breakup he fears is an unfounded worry that can only happen if he continues to beat himself up and neglect her.

Anyway, we're back to a bit of Anjou and Seto. I'm a little disappointed we didn't get to see Inuyama-mama's reaction to her son having a hot girlfriend like Toyoda coming over to ask him out on a date.

What's N*K, btw?

It's a reference to NHK, a national TV channel. Due to a weird law it's notorious for collecting fees from people with TVs capable of receiving the NHK broadcast, so people often pretend to be away or say they don't have a TV to avoid paying the fee.

The Broadcasting Act stipulates that the fees shall be paid equally by every household and business in Japan with a television set.

 

[jeezits]

tl;dr version:

AI is good actually because I read whatever slop gets put in front of me and don't care if it's accurate

source: trust me bro

Emaqi is the app, Orange is the company. I cannot disclose my sources, but it is being translated by a human. It is however edited by non-native english speakers, and the translator has very little input on those edits. Take that as you will.

Also, they're lying to you, and you're a gullible moron: https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/newsbrief/index.html?record=4672

Orange Inc.... aims to "use artificial intelligence to help translate manga comics into English five times faster and 90% cheaper than at present."

 

[goreblade]

Why are the Japanese pressuring kids to pick their career when they're still teens? Teenagers are stupid and fickle, they don't know the significance of the choice they're making.