{"id":3520,"date":"2025-11-27T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T03:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dkgy1yki8xgbd.cloudfront.net\/?p=3520"},"modified":"2025-11-27T12:19:05","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T03:19:05","slug":"sharing-the-same-joy-worldwide-what-does-localization-look-like-at-hololive-production","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/en\/list\/3520","title":{"rendered":"Sharing the Same Joy Worldwide: What Does Localization Look Like at hololive production?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">INDEX<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/en\/list\/3520\/#The_Wide-Ranging_Work_of_Localization\" >The Wide-Ranging Work of Localization<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/en\/list\/3520\/#From_NARUTO_to_GTO_How_Entertainment_Sparked_Journeys_to_Learning_Japanese\" >From NARUTO to GTO: How Entertainment Sparked Journeys to Learning Japanese<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/en\/list\/3520\/#Bringing_Out_Each_Talentss_Charm_Through_Translation\" >Bringing Out Each Talents\u2019s Charm Through Translation<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/en\/list\/3520\/#Sharing_the_Same_Joy_Across_Languages_and_Cultures_Through_Localization\" >Sharing the Same Joy Across Languages and Cultures Through Localization<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Wide-Ranging_Work_of_Localization\"><\/span>The Wide-Ranging Work of Localization<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Content localization refers to the process of adapting content created in one country or region so it resonates naturally with users in another language or cultural setting: it is more than simply translating words. The role of our Localization Team requires an understanding of local customs, cultural context, regulations, and values, and adjusting expressions so the overall message feels authentic and reaches the audience effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our Localization Team is made up of around ten members, covering a wide range of languages &#8211; English, Indonesian, Spanish, Korean, and both Traditional and Simplified Chinese. Each language has its own in-house specialist, who also works with a network of freelance translators. The team is also supported by our subtitle production staff, who take care of technical tasks such as \u201cspotting,\u201d the process of working out when subtitles should appear on screen.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Examples of Content We Localize<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Videos on the official channel (including the 3D animated series \u201cholo no graffiti\u201d (hologra), variety segments, short videos, etc.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Music video lyrics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The manga series \u201chololive Alternative\u201d (including \u201cYamato Phantasia,\u201d \u201cVesta de Cooking,\u201d and \u201cUnderworld Academy Overload!!\u201d\uff09<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3D live performances<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Subtitles for Blu-ray versions of real-life concerts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Official website content<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Talent voice pack content<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Social media posts<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Individual talent projects (e.g., \u201cLegend of Polka\u201d by Omaru Polka; members-only four-panel comics of Tsunomaki Watame, etc.)\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&lt;Example&gt; How We Localize hologra<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>1.Subtitle staff does the spotting for the episode<br>2.A script is prepared in a spreadsheet ready to be translated<br>3.Translators for each language are assigned to input their translations(English, Spanish, Indonesian, Korean, Chinese, Thai subtitles)<br>4.Localization staff for each region review and refine the translations<br>5.Once everything is checked, the finalized version is used to create the subtitles<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/dkgy1yki8xgbd.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/COVERedge\u56f3\u7248-15.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/COVERedge\u56f3\u7248-15.png 1000w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/COVERedge\u56f3\u7248-15-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/COVERedge\u56f3\u7248-15-768x461.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">&lt;Example&gt; How We Localize hololive Alternative Manga<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>1.Japanese dialogue and sound effects are translated by localization staff or by external translators, who create the initial draft<br>2.The translated text is inserted directly into the manga panels<br>3.The Japanese and translated versions are reviewed side by side, and necessary adjustments are made<br>4.Finally, our team carries out a Linguistic Quality Assurance check to ensure there are no typos or missing lines\/sound effects.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/dkgy1yki8xgbd.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/COVERedge\u56f3\u7248-14.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3537\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/COVERedge\u56f3\u7248-14.png 1000w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/COVERedge\u56f3\u7248-14-300x180.png 300w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/COVERedge\u56f3\u7248-14-768x461.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"From_NARUTO_to_GTO_How_Entertainment_Sparked_Journeys_to_Learning_Japanese\"><\/span>From NARUTO to GTO: How Entertainment Sparked Journeys to Learning Japanese<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Quietly supporting COVER\u2019s global expansion behind the scenes are two members of the Localization Team with whom we sat down for this interview: team leaders Sriram Gurunathan (also known as Ram) and Natalia Solichin, who oversee English and Indonesian respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2015\u2015When did you both come to Japan, and when did you start working at COVER?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-75\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>I came to Japan from Indonesia seven years ago. After spending a few years studying Japanese, I worked at a gaming company where I handled translation and localization for social games before joining COVER in 2024.<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/dkgy1yki8xgbd.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0036-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3440\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0036-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0036-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0036-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0036-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0036-2048x1365.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>I arrived in Japan later than Natalia. I\u2019m originally from India, and I began working with COVER around 2019 as a freelance translator from my home country. I was set to join the company in 2021, but the pandemic made it impossible to travel. Once I finally received permission to enter Japan, I moved here and officially joined the company in May of 2022.<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2015\u2015Since you\u2019re from India, is Hindi your first language?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>No, my first language is English. In India, English is one of the official languages, and many school curriculums are taught entirely in English, including mine.<br>India has more than 450 regional languages &#8211; some similar to one another and others completely different. Even distances as close as Tokyo and Kanagawa can see people speaking entirely different languages, not just different dialects. As my father\u2019s job required us to move frequently, I spent my childhood relocating to all kinds of places and each time we moved, I had to learn a new language. Looking back, I think that experience really strengthened my ability to pick up languages.<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/dkgy1yki8xgbd.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0011-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3441\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0011-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0011-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0011-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0011-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0011-2048x1365.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2015\u2015What inspired you both to start learning Japanese?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-75\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>Japanese pop culture is hugely popular in Indonesia. I grew up watching manga and anime like \u201cDoraemon\u201d and \u201cNARUTO,\u201d and that naturally made me curious about the country they came from. At one point, I even tried playing a NARUTO game without understanding any Japanese and as I kept playing, I slowly started to recognize katakana &#8211; mainly because the character names were written in katakana.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2015\u2015That\u2019s very true. The first names of Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Hinata all appear in katakana, don\u2019t they?!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-75\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>Exactly. That\u2019s actually how I ended up learning Japanese: I started with katakana before moving on to hiragana, and then kanji.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>I\u2019ve never met anyone who learned Japanese in that order! Most people start with hiragana, then katakana and after that kanji.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-75\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>It probably is a little unusual (lol). Even after that, I continued consuming other Japanese works that had been translated into Indonesian, but there were no translated versions of things such as <em>doujinshi <\/em>(self-published works), and there were some that I really wanted to read, so that pushed me to start studying Japanese more seriously.<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>That\u2019s actually a pretty common pattern among overseas <em>otaku<\/em> learning Japanese (lol). About ten years ago, it was normal to wait six months to a year for the English versions of Japanese content to come out, so a lot of fans started learning Japanese simply because they wanted to read or watch things as soon as they could.&nbsp;<br>In my case, the first Japanese show I ever watched was GTO, the one starring Takashi Sorimachi. I watched it with English subtitles and got completely hooked. After that, I spent the next seven years devouring all kinds of Japanese content and eventually, I could understand about 70 percent of it and that\u2019s when I decided to start studying the language more seriously.<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bringing_Out_Each_Talentss_Charm_Through_Translation\"><\/span>Bringing Out Each Talents\u2019s Charm Through Translation<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2015\u2015What are some of the challenges you face when localizing Japanese content?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-75\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>One challenge is translating expressions that are commonly used in Japanese but don\u2019t exist in Indonesian. For example, phrases like \u201c<em>yoroshiku onegaishimasu<\/em>\u201d or \u201c<em>otsukaresama desu<\/em>\u201d don\u2019t have direct equivalents. So I adjust them depending on the context &#8211; sometimes as a greeting, or sometimes as a message of appreciation.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>Right. Instead of translating the words literally, we focus on what the phrase means in that specific situation and choose the wording that fits best.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-75\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>That\u2019s right. Another challenge is translating Japanese onomatopoeia. Manga often uses sound effects as if they were dialogue, like \u201crero-rero\u201d for licking or \u201csara-sara\u201d for the sound of writing. But in Indonesian, those kinds of onomatopoeia feel very unnatural. So in those cases, I usually rewrite them as descriptive sentences instead of trying to recreate the sound.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>When I first started translating, I remember wondering what \u201c<em>jii-<\/em>\u201d means in expressions such as \u201c<em>jii-to miru<\/em>\u201d (staring intently). Japanese onomatopoeia can be tricky even when translating into English.<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2015\u2015Content from hololive production seems especially challenging to localize, since each talent has their own unique way of speaking and distinct character.&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-75\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>That\u2019s true. hologra, in particular, is a comedy-style show with lots of wordplay in Japanese, so localizing it can be quite tough.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>Comedy&#8230; I\u2019m not sure that\u2019s the right word (lol). To me, it feels more like \u201c<em>denpa-kei <\/em>(nonsense humor)\u201d &#8211; the kind of charm that comes from things being slightly nonsensical. For example, the maid cafe episode was absolute chaos.<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2015\u2015You\u2019re talking about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=z9L9YL2NVkw\">\u201cU Maid?\u201d<\/a> episode, right?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/dkgy1yki8xgbd.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-116-1024x576.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3444\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-116-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-116-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-116-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-116-1536x864.webp 1536w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/image-116-2048x1151.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>It was the episode where Shirakami Fubuki, La+ Darkness, and Omaru Polka &#8211; classic old-school otaku types &#8211; dote on FUWAMOCO (Fuwawa Abyssgard and Mococo Abyssgard), who are dressed as maids. The whole thing was filled with otaku slang and internet memes like \u201c<em>megane-kui<\/em>, \u201c<em>shomo-suru<\/em>,\u201d and \u201c<em>kiri<\/em>.\u201d There was no way to translate them literally, so I replaced them with English slang and memes that would convey a similar vibe.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-75\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>For the Indonesian subtitles, I use Indonesian memes instead.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2015\u2015So, even though the wording wasn\u2019t exactly the same as the original Japanese, you chose English or Indonesian expressions that still have that slightly old-school, otaku-like feel. That sounds like quite a challenge.&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>Surprisingly, that part was actually pretty easy for me. I\u2019m an old-school otaku myself, so all the phrases just came naturally (lol). Translating otaku terms comes with its own set of challenges, though. Take \u201c<em>tsundere<\/em>,\u201d for example. In English-speaking otaku circles, the word \u201c<em>tsundere<\/em>\u201d is already widely used, so I understand why many people think we should simply keep it as is. But as an official localization team, we want the content to be enjoyable for fans who aren\u2019t necessarily familiar with otaku culture, which is why I intentionally choose words that are easier for a broader audience to understand.<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2015\u2015How would you translate it?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>There are expressions like \u201chot and cold,\u201d but that isn\u2019t really well-received among otaku. They\u2019ll say, \u201cWhy does it start with the \u2018dere (hot)\u2019 part?\u201d since the whole point of \u2018<em>tsundere<\/em>\u2019 is that someone goes from feeling \u2018<em>tsun<\/em> (cold)\u2019 to \u2018<em>dere<\/em> (hot)\u2019. \u201d So when I translate it, I adjust the wording each time depending on the context.<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-75\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>\u201c<em>Tsundere<\/em>\u201d is also tricky to translate into Indonesian. Sometimes I adapt it depending on the context, and other times I add a brief note explaining what \u201c<em>tsundere<\/em>\u201d means.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>Adding explanations is another option too. But we\u2019ve been doing it less and less lately because, with entertainment content, it\u2019s important that people understand things instantly, so we try not to make it feel too much like studying.<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-75\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>Exactly. I think it\u2019s all about finding the right balance so the subtitles remain easy to read as part of the content. Indonesian subtitles tend to be longer than those in Japanese or Chinese, so they can easily take up more space. But if viewers are too busy reading the subtitles to enjoy the content itself, that defeats the purpose. So while keeping translations accurate, I try to keep them as short as possible &#8211; ideally within two lines.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/dkgy1yki8xgbd.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0058-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3443\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0058-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0058-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0058-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0058-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0058-2048x1365.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>As the official localization team, we also see it as our role to keep each talent\u2019s image consistent across different regions. In the VTuber community, fans often add their own translations to clipped videos, which creates a culture of many different interpretations. That means a single phrase can end up with multiple translations depending on who\u2019s doing it. For example, take the unique greeting \u201cTis&#8217; I!\u201d (\u201cYo dayo~\u201d) used by Nakiri Ayame. Everyone has translated it differently, so by providing an official translation through hololive production\u2019s content, we\u2019re able to offer something that fans can consider a standard translation.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"570\" src=\"https:\/\/dkgy1yki8xgbd.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-26-13.57.33-1024x570.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3511\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-26-13.57.33-1024x570.png 1024w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-26-13.57.33-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-26-13.57.33-768x428.png 768w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-26-13.57.33-1536x855.png 1536w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-26-13.57.33.png 1620w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2015\u2015That makes sense. The words you choose in translation can really shape how a character comes across &#8211; cute, serious, playful, and so on. That\u2019s a big responsibility.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>Exactly. That\u2019s why we research each talent carefully, including watching their streams, so we can produce translations that feel natural and stay true to their personality.<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sharing_the_Same_Joy_Across_Languages_and_Cultures_Through_Localization\"><\/span>Sharing the Same Joy Across Languages and Cultures Through Localization<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2015\u2015Is there a project that left a strong impression on you?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-75\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>For me, it would be the hologra graduation episode for Nanashi Mumei, titled &#8220;Memories I Will Not Forget.&#8221; It\u2019s the episode where Nanashi Mumei visits other talents before graduating, and there\u2019s a scene where Anya Melfissa from hololive Indonesia prepares a whole stack of stone tablets covered in ancient writing just so Nanashi Mumei can get to know her better. In the scene, Nanashi Mumei reads the ancient inscriptions with ease, which really impresses everyone around her, but in the original script, those \u201cancient characters\u201d were just random strings of text. I felt that instead of having her read out meaningless letters, having her read the inscriptions in Javanese would give more context to the tablets in relation to Anya\u2019s lore and make the moment feel more authentic.<br>When I pitched this idea, they decided to run with it. I also recorded the Javanese lines for reference and shared them with Nanashi Mumei, who used them during the actual recording. After the episode was released, seeing that fans had noticed and reacted with comments like, \u201cNanashi Mumei is speaking Javanese!\u201d and \u201cThey even localize such small details like that?\u201d made me really happy.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"577\" src=\"https:\/\/dkgy1yki8xgbd.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-26-14.01.43-1024x577.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3513\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-26-14.01.43-1024x577.png 1024w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-26-14.01.43-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-26-14.01.43-768x433.png 768w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-26-14.01.43-1536x865.png 1536w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-26-14.01.43.png 1612w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>One project that has really remained with me was when I localized the lyrics for Hoshimachi Suisei\u2019s \u201cStellar Stellar\u201d music video. I translated the English subtitles so they could actually be sung along with the melody, which was quite a challenge. Hoshimachi Suisei once mentioned that she wrote the lyrics after extensively reading The Little Prince, so I wanted the English version to subtly reflect that. Not by stating it outright, but in a way that would make attentive listeners think, \u201cIs this inspired by The Little Prince?\u201d Striking that balance was tricky, but taking a deep dive into the lyrics and searching for the best possible wording made the whole process both challenging and enjoyable.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"567\" src=\"https:\/\/dkgy1yki8xgbd.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-19-18.54.38-1024x567.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3448\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-19-18.54.38-1024x567.webp 1024w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-19-18.54.38-300x166.webp 300w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-19-18.54.38-768x425.webp 768w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/\u30b9\u30af\u30ea\u30fc\u30f3\u30b7\u30e7\u30c3\u30c8-2025-11-19-18.54.38.webp 1250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-75\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>Translating Japanese song lyrics is pretty difficult, isn\u2019t it?<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>It is. Even when the lyrics are abstract or don\u2019t specify a subject, they still make sense in Japanese. But that doesn\u2019t work the same way in English or Indonesian &#8211; we have to decide who the lyrics are referring to or to whom something belongs. I struggle with that every single time, but music is something people can enjoy regardless of language &#8211; it\u2019s universal. And that\u2019s exactly what we aim for as a localization team. So I really want to keep putting energy into lyric localization for music videos moving forward.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u30fc\u30fcHave you noticed any differences in how fans from different countries react to content?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>Our job in localization is to minimize those differences. Even if the language they receive is different, the goal is for fans everywhere to have the same experience and the same sense of enjoyment. If there\u2019s still a gap in that sense, it means we haven\u2019t done our jobs well.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/dkgy1yki8xgbd.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0007-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3451\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0007-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0007-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0007-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0007-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0007-2048x1365.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-75\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>Localization is all about making content feel just as natural in different languages and cultures. That\u2019s the challenging part, but it\u2019s also what makes the work so enjoyable.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">\u2015\u2015Lastly, what do you find most rewarding about working in localization at COVER?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>I\u2019ve spent countless hours enjoying Japanese entertainment, and I\u2019m genuinely grateful for all the great moments it has given me. Now, being able to help share that same content with fans around the world feels deeply rewarding.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-75\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>At COVER, there\u2019s a strong commitment to global expansion, and the Localization Team plays a key role in that. That certainly comes with some added pressure, but when a localization project turns out well, the sense of accomplishment is huge.&nbsp;<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-liquid-speech-balloon liquid-speech-balloon-wrap liquid-speech-balloon-77\"><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-avatar\"><\/div><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-text\"><p>It really does come with a lot of responsibility. Since each language has just one person in charge, you feel almost like the representative for that language within COVER. For anyone who wants to take on meaningful, high-impact work, I think this is an incredibly rewarding place to be.<\/p><div class=\"liquid-speech-balloon-arrow\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/dkgy1yki8xgbd.cloudfront.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0128-1024x683.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-3452\" srcset=\"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0128-1024x683.webp 1024w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0128-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0128-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0128-1536x1024.webp 1536w, https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/IMG_0128-2048x1365.webp 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Wide-Ranging Work of Localization Content localization refers to the process of adapting content created in one country or region so it resonates naturally with users in another language or cultural setting: it is more than simply translating words. The role of our Localization Team requires an understanding of local customs, cultural context, regulations, and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":3437,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/dkgy1yki8xgbd.cloudfront.net\/?p=3427","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[47,14],"class_list":["post-3520","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-buisness","tag-47","tag-interview","en-US"],"acf":[],"categories_info":[{"slug":"buisness","name":"Business"}],"tags_info":[{"slug":"%e9%83%a8%e7%bd%b2%e7%b4%b9%e4%bb%8b","name":"Department Introduction"},{"slug":"interview","name":"Interview"}],"thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/B_FIX.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3520","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3520"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3520\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3541,"href":"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3520\/revisions\/3541"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3437"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3520"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3520"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coveredge.cover-corp.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3520"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}