Hey all! In a fun change of pace, I'm changing gears and speaking to a translator rather than someone who had their work translated! Beyond that, her work has been featured in places such as in flight movies and the Italian National Film Library?! She's even got an ANN credit page! We've got a celebrity on our hands! Of course, we became acquainted to her work by Mr. Shonen Sunday himself --Detective Conan. A special thanks to Simona for taking the time out to answer our questions. We appreciate it! Q1: First could you introduce yourself to our audience? A: I'm Simona Stanzani, manga/anime/movie/games/etc. J-IT, J-E, E-IT-E translator since 1992.Born and raised bilingual (Italian and English) in Bologna, ItalyStudied Japanese @ University of Bologna, MA in Communication Design @ Central Saint Martins College, London, UKLived 4 years in Venice, CA and 4 in London, UK — currently living in Tokyo.My not-so-updated CV is online @ https://www.simona.com/cv.htmQ2: To get right into things, how long have you been translating, and how did you get started doing so professionally? A: Since 1992. When I finished my studies in Bologna, I got a call from an acquaintance (Andrea Baricordi from editorial team Kappa Boys) who was looking for a Japanese-Italian translator to work on manga for Edizioni Star Comics. My first series was Ghost in the Shell. You can call it "baptism by fire" Q3: We're huge Shogakukan fans, which means by extension we're into Detective Conan as well. Are you a fan of the series? And if so, who's your favorite character?A: I'm not following the series closely, but I had the honor to translate two movies, so I got even more familiar with it. I love Heiji!!! Like, I wanna marry him! Q5: Do you choose your projects? Or are they assigned to you? Which projects did you have the most familiarity with before going in? A: It depends. I also do “manga scouting” work, writing reports about all the new titles (mainly Shueisha and Square Enix, another colleague is in charge of Shogakukan) and I also write reviews about titles by all publishers, so I do get to ask to translate a series when I recommend it. Q6: We noticed you translate Japanese into English, French, and Italian. Which language is the easiest to work with in your opinion? The hardest?A: I don't actually translate into French, unfortunately. I did translate into Japanese a fantastic docufilm called Borsalino City that was full of interviews in Italian, French, and English. So, I summoned all my knowledge of French while translating from the existing English subtitles to make sure that the translation was faithful to the original audio.Q7: Walk us through a project with you. What do you to prep, research (if needed) and communicate with your client? A: It depends. They generally send video and script, and since I work mostly with agencies, most send an Excel file complete with time codes and Japanese text. In some cases, the client provides a glossary or guidelines. Then I do my research online or where necessary. In certain cases, I may ask the client to provide English versions of the original manga if it exists, so that I can make sure I use the same terminology.If I have questions or comments, I either email the agency's editor or write them in the comments' column in the Excel and the agency gets back to me ASAP. The communication is pretty swift and efficient. Q8: Have you ever had the opportunity to talk to a Japanese mangaka or director? If so who? If not, who would you want to sit down with?A: Yeah, I actually had the honor to translate the Italian subtitles for Inu-Oh and also go to Venice Film Festival with the Director to work as an interpreter during press interviews. I also have mangaka friends and acquaintances. Q9: For the Detective Conan movies (Fist of Blue Sapphire and Crimson Love Letter) you translated, you mentioned your translations are used for in flight movies. Is this just for Conan, or all of your translations? A: Just Conan, I think. I've also translated many Crayon Shin-chan movies (I love them! XD) but I'm not sure whether the subtitles are used for festivals or inflight entertainment (or both.)Many of the subtitles I've translated in my career were for film festivals. The Italian subtitles for Akira Kurosawa's Red Beard and The Seven Samurai are actually in the official Italian version stored at the Italian National Film Library. So whenever they are shown somewhere, be it at a cinema theater, or a festival, or in TV or online, they've got my subtitles. It was (and is, I guess) the highlight of my career. Q10: In a dream scenario, what's a franchise or work you'd like to translate? A: I totally love Mitsuru Adachi, but I only got to translate Rough (manga.) I wish I could work on more of his titles. Another author I love is Shuzo Oshimi, I've translated most of his manga and can't get enough of his works! Then there's another gazillion — I can't possibly list them all! Q11: What advice would you give to aspiring anime and manga translators? A: As the situation is now, the average manga/anime translator doesn't really earn much - only a selected few can really make a decent living. And the advent of AI technology is going to drastically change our job - in fact, it has already started to do so. Unfortunately, I can't really see a very rosy future for our profession. I, for one, am planning to focus more on consulting from now on. I do love manga and anime and I love translating, so I'll try to go on as long as possible, but I think it's not an easy field to join from now on.
Aug 14, 2025 • Subscribe
More like this
Sunday Hitmaker: Translation of an interview with editor Katsumasa Ogura.
Hey all! In what has become a tradition on my birthday, I bring a new interview translation. This time it's with Katsumata Ogura who is a pr...
Call of the Night, exception, The Duke of Death and His Maid
Sunday Veterans: Kazuhiko Shimamoto and Kazuhiro Fujita interview translation.
Hey-lo, Sunday fans. In what's become a strange tradition it's me, Sakaki updating the blog on my birthday rather than resting or doing anyt...
Golden Kamuy, Honoo no Tenkousei, Slam Dunk, Ushio and Tora, Ushio and Tora
Wearing Sunday on our hearts: Interview with Atsuko.
Hey all! We at Weekly Shogakukan Edition/WSSTB seek to provide you news and interviews from all parts of the anime fandom. With that in mind...
Sunday Master: Long interview with Kazuhiro Fujita (Part 1)
If you've hung around this site over the years-first, thank you, and second, you'll know that when my birthday comes a knockin' it's the fans who get the…
Musha, Spriggan, Ushio and Tora, Ushio and Tora, Karakuri Circus
Sunday Master: Long Interview with Kazuhiro Fujita (Part 2)
When they said this interview was long, they meant it. That being said, Kazuhiro Fujita has some interesting things to say about being a mangaka and the theory…
Flame of Recca, Karakuri Circus, Musha, Ushio and Tora, Ushio and Tora
Sunday Master: Long Interview with Kazuhiro Fujita Final Part
Hello all! At long last, we're at the end of the Fujita road with the third and last translation of the long interview. I hope you enjoyed this…
Doraemon, Doraemon, Jumping, Karakuri Circus, Puppet Princess
Sunday Collaboration: Frieren Artbook Translation w/Violet!
Hello all! Sakaki here with our first translation collaboration!! I love the idea of supporting a Sunday community, and this is the first st...
MAJOR sunday: Interview with MAJOR and MAJOR 2nd mangaka Takuya Mitsuda.
Hey all! Since there's no Sunday this week (The magazine. We didn't suddenly lose an entire day.) I figured I'd flush out my queue of interv...
MAJOR 2nd, Musashi, Musashi no Ken, Tomorrow's Joe, Ganbare Genki
Translation – 10 Years of Khara, interview with Hideaki Anno Part 2
The post Translation – 10 Years of Khara, interview with Hideaki Anno Part 2 appeared first on Full Frontal.
Translation – 10 Years of Khara, interview with Hideaki Anno Part 1
The post Translation – 10 Years of Khara, interview with Hideaki Anno Part 1 appeared first on Full Frontal.
![Featured image for [English translation] Kenji Nojima PASH!+ Interview](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220706/1657139553.39045.68506.png)
[English translation] Kenji Nojima PASH!+ Interview
The interview came from the August issue of PASH! which is later extracted and posted at the magazine’s website weeks after its release. I already said this multiple…
Call of the Sunday (KOTOYAMA TSUTAYA interview)
Hello, hello everyone. Your overlord who unfairly makes others post on this blog host Sakaki here with...my own dirty work. That's right...
Sunday Cinema: Interview with Chika Nagaoka director of Detective Conan: Million Dollar Pentagram
Hey all, Sakaki here! To commemorate Detective Conan: Millon Dollar Pentagram 's success, We're giving you an insight into the director of t...
Sunday 5 years later (Chief editor Ichihara interview)
Hey all! I've been around a little more lately, but just in case you don't know who I am, it's your beleaguered translator/editor/writer/t...
Sunday anime Surplus (Takhashi/Kumanomata/Hata interview pt.1)
Hello, hello! You were expecting Marion or Jecka but instead you get me--Yeah it's Sakaki, and I'm finally posting in my own blog again. Of course if you…
Sunday anime Surplus (Takahashi/Kumanomata/Hata interview pt.2)
Hi all! Been waiting long? Here's part two of the Sunday anime mangaka interview! This time we got a little more insight into how Yashahime became a thing…
Sunday Tunnel to Summer: Interview with Mei Hachimoku, Harumi Fuuki, Shingou Nishikawa, and Naoki Koyama.
Hey all! We're slowly becoming an interview depot, and we wouldn't have it any other way. I've always wanted to make Weekly Shogakukan Editi...
Kizuna, Digimon: Digital Monsters, Digimon Adventure:, Digimon Adventure: Last Evolution Kizuna
![Featured image for [Translation] 4Gamer Interview with Kinoko Nasu and Yosuke Shiokawa on FGO (March 2017, Part 2)](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210421/1619021649.10735.35077.jpg)
[Translation] 4Gamer Interview with Kinoko Nasu and Yosuke Shiokawa on FGO (March 2017, Part 2)
This is a translation of the 4Gamer interview with Kinoko Nasu and Yosuke Shiokawa released on 2017 March 11 regarding Fate/Grand Order. The original article can be found here.…
![Featured image for [Translation] 4Gamer Interview with Kinoko Nasu and Yosuke Shiokawa on FGO (March 2017, Part 1)](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210421/1619021641.10729.35078.jpg)
[Translation] 4Gamer Interview with Kinoko Nasu and Yosuke Shiokawa on FGO (March 2017, Part 1)
This is a translation of the 4Gamer interview with Kinoko Nasu and Yosuke Shiokawa released on 2017 March 11 regarding Fate/Grand Order. The original article can be found here.…
Studio Z: An in-depth interview – Translation and commentary
A translation and commentary of Yoshinori Kanada’s first ever interview, published in OUT in 1978.
![Featured image for [TRANSLATION] Yukimura Makoto x Noda Satoru Interview: Part 4](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210505/1620247455.11768.36250.jpg)
[TRANSLATION] Yukimura Makoto x Noda Satoru Interview: Part 4
Original interview here. The way the translation is divided does not correspond with the division of the original interview. Corrections, suggestions are welcome! [Part 1] [Part 2] [Part…
![Featured image for [TRANSLATION] Yukimura Makoto x Noda Satoru Interview: Part 3](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20210505/1620247457.11765.36259.jpg)
[TRANSLATION] Yukimura Makoto x Noda Satoru Interview: Part 3
Original interview here. The way the translation is divided does not correspond with the division of the original interview. Corrections, suggestions are welcome! [Part 1] [Part 2] Are…
![Featured image for [English translation] Hiroaki Hirata and Shinji Kawada PASH!+ Interview](https://cdn.aniblogtracker.com/live/20220706/1657139552.39044.68504.png)
[English translation] Hiroaki Hirata and Shinji Kawada PASH!+ Interview
This interview came from the September issue of PASH! which is later extracted and posted at the magazine’s website three weeks after its release. I said this multiple times…
Lost in Translation with Cipher Academy
When I was told even a professional translator found a cipher manga impossible to translate, I had to get in on the action. (Spoilers for Cipher Academy up…
Interview With Lauren Orsini
Interview with Lauren Orsini! (The Otaku Journalist) - The Anime View Podcast Today we have the pleasure of introducing you to Lauren Orsini, an esteemed author and anime journalist…
Interview With A Volgar
Japanese animation, anime, cartoons, manga, 1960-1990, Tezuka, Miyazaki, Ishinomori, Matsumoto, Yamato, Gatchaman, Star Blazers, Captain Harlock
Interview with Ottermelon & PapaParfum!
Interview with Ottermelon & PapaParfum – The Anime View Podcast Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing with the creative minds behind Ottermelon and PapaParfum. Joining me today…
Interview with Elizabeth Maxwell
No, the TangleCast has not returned. However, we do have some new audio for you! Voice actress Elizabeth Maxwell (Fruits Basket, RWBY, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of…
Interview with Rie Fu
This morning, Twwk had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Japanese musician, artist, and brand new mom, Rie Fu! Known for her blend of music influenced by folk…
Interview with Monster Girls
Interviews with Monster Girls is a 2017 Comedy Fantasy anime series from a beloved anime studio to ever come into existence, A-1 Pictures. Whenever a studio creates any…
Interview with Cosplayer Ithileryn
Didn’t join our livestream yesterday? No problem. Here’s what you missed! Twwk and Ithileryn talk about all sorts of topics cosplay-related, including her origin story involving Lord of…
Interview with Rie Fu
We’re excited to announce that the next interview in our recent series of Instagram live streams will be with singer and artist, Rie Fu! A multi-genre talent with…
Interview With Lauren Orsini
Interview with Lauren Orsini! (The Otaku Journalist) – The Anime View Podcast Today we have the pleasure of introducing you to Lauren Orsini, an esteemed author and anime…
Interview with Akio Jissoji
This interview was translated by our kind friend Robert Nishimura. Its main focus is Jissoji's fourth ATG movie, Life of a Court Lady . ...
Interview with Tara Sands
So thanks to the wonderful people behind Chattanooga Comic Con I got to do an interview with a voice actress who has voiced many iconic characters for the…
Interview with Shinichiro Watanabe
The post Interview with Shinichiro Watanabe appeared first on Full Frontal.
Interview with Xanthe Huynh
Come catch the recording of our recent live stream with the lovely and talented Xanthe Huynh! We chat about about voice acting, including her roles in anime and…
Wearing our best Sunday Shirts (Gosho Aoyama x Uniqlo Interview)
Yo, Yo, Yo. It's your lead Sunday-er Sakaki with a surprise interview for my homies out there. If you've been paying attention to our Twitt...
Sunday Champions. (Editor in chief Ichihara and Takekawa interview pt2)
Hullo, Hello, Greetings! It's a little later than I would have liked but here's part two of the Takekawa and Ichihara interview! It was interesting to hear these…
Sunday 5 years later (Chief Editor Ichihara interview pt 2)
Hey all! Bet you weren't expecting me back so soon! Figured we'd end the 11th month with an 11th hour update! With this the Ichihara inter...
Interview with Ottermelon & PapaParfum!
Interview with Ottermelon & PapaParfum – The Anime View Podcast Today, we have the pleasure of interviewing with the creative minds behind Ottermelon and PapaParfum. Joining me today are…
An interview with Alfred Birnbaum
Translator of Haruki Murakami’s "A Wild Sheep Chase," and many others
INTERVIEW With Independent VTubers: Introduction
The overview page for Yatta-Tachi's series of interviews with independent VTubers.
RJL’s Interview with Keiichiro Hirano
Akutagawa-winning author Keiichiro Hirano was kind enough to sit down with Read Japanese Literature’s Alison Fincher for an interview on November 18, 2024 to talk about his life…
An Interview with Katsuhiro Otomo
Salvaged from the mid-1990s.
Interview with Buddha Director Morishita
The Daily Yomiuri Online recently published an incredible interview with Kozo Morishita , the director of the first movie based on Osamu Te...
Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Idea, Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac, Tiger Mask
An Interview With Ralph Bakshi
I interviewed Ralph Bakshi in late 2023 about queer representation in his films.
Special - Interview with Japan Society
Hello everyone, In this episode of Heroic Purgatory, in anticipation of the upcoming Japan Cuts 2024 film festival, we interview two members of Japan Society: director of film Peter…
INTERVIEW with Independent VTubers: YaBoiEdgee
YaBoiEdgee shares their streaming tips and describes how VTubing came to be an important part of their life.
An Interview with Mike Wyzgowski
An interview with the English lyricist for anime composer Shiro Sagisu, and his work on Evangelion, Bleach and more.