AltJapan

AltJapan is a Tokyo-based company focused on translating and localizing Japanese entertainment for international audiences. Its work has primarily covered video games and manga, with services extending from Japanese-to-English and English-to-Japanese translation to localization involving European languages. The company has been associated with projects for major Japanese and international game publishers, including Capcom, Koei Tecmo, Namco Bandai, Konami, Taito, Square Enix, and PlatinumGames. The company’s game-related credits include Dragon Quest VIII, the Ninja Gaiden series, the Dynasty Warriors Gundam series, Lollipop Chainsaw, Lost Planet 3, and the 2014 remake of Strider. Its role has not been limited to text translation. AltJapan has also produced recording sessions for video games, notably projects connected with the Dynasty Warriors Gundam and Dead or Alive series, and has received scriptwriting credits on titles such as Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword, and World of Demons. These activities place the company within the broader localization-production process, where cultural adaptation, dialogue, voice recording, and narrative writing can be coordinated alongside direct translation. AltJapan’s founders, Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt, had worked together for several years before establishing the company. Their first credit as independent translators was on Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete, a role that connected them to the early development of their professional localization practice. The company became associated with a translation model that paired native Japanese and native English speakers on localization projects. According to the available reference material, this collaborative approach was unusual in the early localization industry and reflected the founders’ own experience working as a bilingual team. The company has also translated manga, with credits including Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Togari, and Dorohedoro. In 2013, Fujiko F. Fujio Productions announced that AltJapan would produce an English version of Doraemon in cooperation with Voyager Japan. This work expanded the company’s profile beyond game localization and into the international publication of a major Japanese manga property. AltJapan has additionally produced original English-language books about Japanese popular culture and folklore. These include Hello, Please! Very Helpful Super Kawaii Characters from Japan, published by Chronicle Books in 2007, and the Attack! series: Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide, published by Kodansha in 2008; Ninja Attack! True Tales of Assassins, Samurai, and Outlaws, published in 2010; and Yurei Attack! The Japanese Ghost Survival Guide, published by Tuttle in 2012. The books combine cultural explanation with accessible presentation for international readers. The founders have also appeared publicly as commentators and participants in international media concerning Japanese popular culture. Hiroko Yoda has a master’s degree in international peace and conflict resolution from American University and worked as a Tokyo city editor for the CNN travel website CNNGo. Matt Alt previously worked as a translator for the United States Patent and Trademark Office, judged the Manga Translation Battle in 2013, and joined the cast of NHK World’s Japanology Plus in 2014. The pair appeared in the film Death Kappa and participated as extras in The Great Yokai War. Public sources supplied for this entry do not establish AltJapan’s current ownership, staffing, financial position, or operating status.

AltJapan developed from the professional partnership of Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt, who had collaborated for several years before forming the company. Their first credit as independent translators was on Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete for Working Designs. That early work placed the pair in the emerging field of Japanese video-game localization, where successful projects required more than literal translation: dialogue, humor, cultural references, terminology, and character voice all had to be adapted for players in another language. The company subsequently established itself in Tokyo as a specialist in Japanese entertainment translation and localization. Its primary languages have been Japanese and English, although the company has also handled localization involving European languages. AltJapan became associated with a collaborative translation method that paired native Japanese and native English speakers. The approach reflected the founders’ own bilingual working relationship and was described as relatively uncommon during the early period of the localization industry. AltJapan’s video-game portfolio has included work for publishers and developers such as Capcom, Koei Tecmo, Namco Bandai, Konami, Taito, Square Enix, and PlatinumGames. Referenced credits include Dragon Quest VIII, the Ninja Gaiden series, the Dynasty Warriors Gundam series, Lollipop Chainsaw, Lost Planet 3, and the 2014 remake of Strider. The company’s involvement has extended beyond conventional translation. It has also been credited with scriptwriting on Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword, and World of Demons, and has produced recording sessions for games connected with the Dynasty Warriors Gundam and Dead or Alive series. Manga localization became another important part of the business. AltJapan’s credited manga translation work includes Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Togari, and Dorohedoro. In 2013, Fujiko F. Fujio Productions announced a cooperation with AltJapan and Voyager Japan for an English version of Doraemon. The announcement demonstrated the company’s role in bringing established Japanese intellectual properties to English-language readers as well as game players. The company also moved into original publishing. Its books include Hello, Please! Very Helpful Super Kawaii Characters from Japan, published by Chronicle Books in 2007, followed by the Attack! books: Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide from Kodansha in 2008, Ninja Attack! True Tales of Assassins, Samurai, and Outlaws in 2010, and Yurei Attack! The Japanese Ghost Survival Guide from Tuttle in 2012. These publications presented Japanese cultural subjects, including supernatural beings, historical figures, and popular imagery, for an international readership. Both founders have maintained public careers connected to Japanese culture and international communication. Hiroko Yoda studied international peace and conflict resolution at American University and worked as a Tokyo editor for CNNGo. Matt Alt previously translated for the United States Patent and Trademark Office, judged the Manga Translation Battle in 2013, and joined Japanology Plus in 2014. Together, Yoda and Alt have appeared in international media and in Japanese pop-culture projects, including the film Death Kappa and The Great Yokai War. The supplied reference material does not provide a confirmed founding year, current corporate ownership, headquarters address beyond Tokyo, financial information, or a definitive statement about whether the company remains active.

• 2014

  Matt Alt joined Japanology Plus

  [1]AltJapanen.wikipedia.org

  Co-founder Matt Alt joined the cast of NHK World’s Japanology Plus.

• 2013

  Doraemon English edition partnership announced

  [1]AltJapanen.wikipedia.org

  Fujiko F. Fujio Productions announced that AltJapan would produce an English Doraemon edition with Voyager Japan.

• 2012

  Publication of Yurei Attack!

  [1]AltJapanen.wikipedia.org

  Tuttle published Yurei Attack! The Japanese Ghost Survival Guide, expanding the Attack! series into Japanese ghost folklore.

• 2010

  Publication of Ninja Attack!

  [1]AltJapanen.wikipedia.org

  Ninja Attack! True Tales of Assassins, Samurai, and Outlaws was published by Kodansha.

• 2008

  Publication of Yokai Attack!

  [1]AltJapanen.wikipedia.org

  Kodansha published Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide, the first identified book in the company’s Attack! series.

• 2007

  Publication of Hello, Please!

  [1]AltJapanen.wikipedia.org

  AltJapan produced Hello, Please! Very Helpful Super Kawaii Characters from Japan, published by Chronicle Books.

• Founders began working as independent translators

  [1]AltJapanen.wikipedia.org

  Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt’s first cited independent translation credit was Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete for Working Designs, before the establishment of AltJapan.

A specialist Japanese-to-English entertainment localization and cultural adaptation company combining bilingual translation, game narrative work, voice-production coordination, manga localization, and original cultural publishing.

• Localization service

  Video-game localization

  AltJapan translates and adapts Japanese video games for international markets, especially Japanese-to-English projects. Its credited work spans role-playing games, action games, fighting games, and licensed properties, including Dragon Quest VIII, Ninja Gaiden, Dynasty Warriors Gundam, Lollipop Chainsaw, Lost Planet 3, and Strider. The service can encompass terminology, dialogue, cultural adaptation, and narrative presentation rather than word-for-word translation alone.

• Publishing and localization service

  Manga localization

  The company translates Japanese manga for English-language publication. Cited credits include Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan, Togari, and Dorohedoro. In 2013, AltJapan was also announced as the producer of an English Doraemon edition in collaboration with Voyager Japan and Fujiko F. Fujio Productions.

• Narrative service

  Video-game scriptwriting

  AltJapan has received scriptwriting credits on games including Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2, Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword, and World of Demons. This work represents a broader narrative-adaptation role in which the company contributed to the written presentation of game stories and dialogue.

• Audio production service

  Voice-recording session production

  In addition to written localization, AltJapan has produced recording sessions for video games. The referenced examples include projects in the Dynasty Warriors Gundam and Dead or Alive series, indicating involvement in the practical production of localized game voice work.

• Original publishing · 2008

  Attack! book series

  AltJapan’s original publishing includes a series of accessible English-language books about Japanese folklore and history: Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide, Ninja Attack! True Tales of Assassins, Samurai, and Outlaws, and Yurei Attack! The Japanese Ghost Survival Guide. The books introduce international readers to yokai, ninja, samurai, outlaws, and yurei through explanatory and illustrated popular-cultural formats.

1. 1AltJapanen.wikipedia.org