95 Localizing Japanese Video Games (Mel Ok of Ace Honyaku)

On this episode of the Japan Station podcast, Japanese to English translator/localizer Mel Ok tells about localizing Japanese video games and how he got into the translation/localization industry. About Mel Ok Mel Ok is a translator/localizer of Japanese video games and heads the translation/localization company Ace Honyaku. Topics Discussed The Japanese population in Hawaii Studying Japanese linguistics About doing play testing for video games Doing the Japanese QA for Halo 2 On getting to Japan and trying to get into the JET Program On transitioning into the translation & localization industry On starting a translation company in Japan On how the translation & localization process for video games works On dealing with ambiguities in texts On dealing with new IP On translating The World Is Your Weapon On how long it can take to translate a game The difficulty of finding good translators On translation tests Advice for aspiring translators/localizers About Tottori And much more! Support on Patreon & Ko-fi If you enjoy Japan Station and want to ensure that we're able to produce more episodes, then please consider becoming a patron on Patreon.com. For a minimum pledge of $1 a month you'll get early access to all JapanKyo podcasts, bonus content, and more. And for $3 a month, you'll get access to Japanese Plus Alpha, a podcast produced by me (Tony Vega) that focuses on the Japanese language and all of its fascinating quirks. Also, all pledges get a shout-out on the show and my undying gratitude. Thank you in advance! Support Japan Station on Patreon You can also do a one time donation via Ko-fi. Support us on Ko-fi Links, Videos, Etc. To follow Mel Ok on Twitter or visit the ACE Honyaku website, use the links below. Mel Ok on Twitter Ace Honyaku Website Don't forget to check out the latest episode of Ichimon Japan. Are Japanese…? (Stereotypes About Japan) | Ichimon Japan 62   Follow Japankyo on Social Media Facebook (@JapankyoNews) Twitter (@JapankyoNews) Instagram (@JapanKyoNews) Full Show Notes Get the full version of show notes at https://www.japankyo.com/category/podcasts/japanstation/