A Japanese startup, Orange Inc., announced on Tuesday that it plans to utilize artificial intelligence to speed up the translation of manga comics into English while reducing costs significantly. The company aims to increase the production of English-language mangas to 500 per month, which is five times higher than the current industry capacity, with a target of 50,000 volumes in five years before expanding to other languages.
Despite the success of mangas in Japan, only two percent of the country’s annual output of 700,000 manga volumes are released in English due to the challenging and time-consuming translation process and a scarcity of translators. Mangas like “One Piece” and “Dragon Ball” are highly popular in Japan, with the market expected to be worth $42.2 billion by 2030.
However, translating manga poses unique difficulties due to its complex nature. As stated by Orange’s marketing vice-president Tatsuhiro Sato, translating Japanese conversational language that often contains slang and short sentences can be a challenge. Moreover, determining whether spoken lines were actually said in a scene or represent internal thoughts can be difficult. Additionally, conveying Japanese sound effects into English adds complexity as they have no direct equivalent in American English.
To overcome these challenges, Orange has developed an AI tool that not only promises to increase translation efficiency but also aims to combat piracy in the manga industry. The Content Overseas Distribution Association estimates that piracy is worth $5.5 billion annually, which can hinder the growth and profitability of legitimate publishers like Orange Inc.
Orange secured 2.92 billion yen ($19 million) in funding from major publisher Shogakukan and nine venture capital groups, including the government-backed JIC Venture Growth Investments.
In conclusion, Orange Inc.’s AI tool has the potential to revolutionize the manga industry by increasing translation efficiency and reducing costs significantly while also combatting piracy in this lucrative market. With its ambitious goals for expansion beyond English-language markets and investment from major publishers and venture capital groups alike, it seems that Orange Inc.’s technology could have a significant impact on how we experience manga comics around the world.
