The international circulation of cultural products is increasingly prioritized. Japanese manga, as a highly influential cultural export, is accelerating its global dissemination through advanced artificial intelligence (AI) technology. In response to the growing issue of piracy, the Japanese government has collaborated with publishing industry giants to employ AI technology to globalize manga, thereby expanding into broader markets.
Global Appeal of Japanese Manga
Japanese manga enjoys a high reputation both domestically and internationally. Works such as "Naruto," "Demon Slayer," and "Detective Conan" have become global cultural phenomena. The multilingual versions of these works have greatly enriched the global cultural landscape. According to "Nikkei News," although Japan has 700,000 manga titles, only about 14,000 have been translated into English, limiting their international influence.
Technological Innovation AcceleratesTranslation Process
To address inefficient translation processes and piracy issues, the Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry’s Japan Industrial Innovation Corporation (JIC), in collaboration with multiple companies, invested ¥2.92 billion in ORANGE, an AI translation startup based in
Tokyo’s Minato Ward. The company’s advanced AI technology can translate a page of manga in seconds, significantly shortening the time to market and effectively curbing the spread of piracy.
According to "Nikkei News," usingORANGE's AI translation technology, the time and cost of translation can be reduced to one-tenth of the original. Normally, manually translating a manga might take a month, but using AI technology, the initial draft can be translated in just two days, followed by proofreading and polishing by professional translators. ORANGE’s manga translation AI reads the text in manga through image analysis technology and accurately translates it into multiple languages such as English and Chinese, especially excelling in handling comedy manga and content with unique phrasing and cultural expressions.
Combating Piracy, Expanding Markets
According to data from the Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA), the export value of Japanese manga and other publications has reached ¥320 billion, while losses due to piracy amount to ¥831.1 billion. ORANGE’s AI translation technology not only speeds up translation but also combats the pirate market through instant translation services, protecting the legal rights of copyright holders.
Future Outlook
With continuous advancements and optimizations in AI technology, the international accessibility of Japanese manga is expected to significantly increase in the coming years. Shigehiro Utagaki, the founder of ORANGE, plans to translate 500 manga titles monthly over the next five years, aiming to export 50,000 English e-manga to foreign
markets. Additionally, the company is developing new AI tools to further enhance translation accuracy and cultural adaptability.
As technology continues to advance and morecustomers pay attention to AI translation, we are constantly optimizing and improving our service processes to provide clients with translation localization services that meet their requirements more effectively!