Orange distributes its translations via an app called Emaqi (a pun on “emaki,” the traditional Japanese illustrated scrolls which might be considered a precursor to manga). It also desires to be a translator-for-hire for US publishers.
But Orange has not been welcomed by all US fans. When it showed up at Anime NYC, a US anime convention, this summer, the Japanese-to-English translator Jan Mitsuko Money tweeted: “An organization like Orange has no place on the convention hosting the Manga Awards, which celebrates manga and manga professionals within the industry. If you happen to agree, please encourage @animenyc to ban AI corporations from exhibiting or hosting panels.”
Brienza takes the identical view. “Work within the culture industries, including translation, which ultimately is about translating human intention, not mere words on a page, might be poorly paid and precarious,” she says. “If that is the best way the wind is blowing, I can only grieve for individuals who will go from making little money to none.”
Some have also called Orange out for cutting corners. “The manga uses stylized text to represent the inner thoughts that the [protagonist] can’t quite voice,” one other fan tweeted. “But Orange didn’t pay a redrawer or letterer to duplicate it properly. Additionally they just skip over some text entirely.”
EMAQI
Everyone at Orange understands that manga translation is a sensitive issue, says Kuroda: “We consider that human creativity is totally irreplaceable, which is why all AI-assisted work is rigorously reviewed, refined, and finalized by a team of individuals.”
Orange also claims that the authors it has translated are on board with its approach. “I’m genuinely glad with how the English version turned out,” says Kenji Yajima, considered one of the authors Orange has worked with, referring to the corporate’s translation of his title (see images). “As a manga artist, seeing my work shared in other languages is all the time exciting. It’s a likelihood to attach with readers I never imagined reaching before.”
