Tuesday 8 May 2018

Tetsu goes legit


I realized it's been over a year since there's been anything posted here, so just a quick update.

Last year I reached out to some manga publishing companies to see if they were looking for translators, and one of them was kind enough to offer me contracts. I got something for 2 months the first time, right now I'm working on a 4 volume 4koma that'll last until the end of August.

I'd assumed these publishing companies hated scanlators - I remember once seeing an editor call someone out on twitter for listing their years of scanlation experience in their application for professional work (actually I think he compared it to shoplifting from a store, then trying to get a job there). I don't think you can blame scanlators for wanting to translate, distribute their stuff and get popular on the internet, any more than you can blame publishing companies for being companies and wanting to make money. There was never anything pure or noble about free scanlation work, and there's nothing evil in wanting to profit from the sale of manga.

I'm glad there are some companies that don't hate us, that genuinely seem like they're trying to get interesting manga into the hands of people who want printed versions, and money into the hands of manga-ka who are the ones working hardest for it. The manga I'm working on are interesting, and whether I'm paid for it or not, it's fun to be able to turn stuff from Japanese into English. It's pretty much all I'm good at.

TL;DR - Not closing the blog, not dead, got some paid translation work.

~Tetsu

PS.
I have a script for Nekojiru Udon Volume 2 (Cat Soup) which is in limbo.
Editor has had it for over three years, and with Batoto down I don't even know how I'd contact her.
Email me if you're interested.

1 comment:

  1. Always good to see someone get paid for the shit they're already doing for free. Thanks for the update.

    ReplyDelete