Jocelyne Allen
@brainvsbook.bsky.social
アレン・ジョセリン
I write. I ramble. I translate. And interpret.
筆者／翻訳・通訳家／取り留めの無い人
(she/they)
brainvsbook.com
kaikatsu.ca
I write. I ramble. I translate. And interpret.
筆者／翻訳・通訳家／取り留めの無い人
(she/they)
brainvsbook.com
kaikatsu.ca
Pinned
Jocelyne Allen
@brainvsbook.bsky.social
· Jun 19
Don't call it a Substack. - Anil Dash
A blog about making culture. Since 1999.
www.anildash.com
Since people have asked why I don't start a Substack:
I have one; it's called a blog and it's at brainvsbook.com. Why would I let some company slap its brand all over my writing?? Especially when that company is fascist and transphobic! (Great summary of why Substack sucks in case you're unaware)
I have one; it's called a blog and it's at brainvsbook.com. Why would I let some company slap its brand all over my writing?? Especially when that company is fascist and transphobic! (Great summary of why Substack sucks in case you're unaware)
It exists!! The pelican trying to eat a capybara is real!!
November 11, 2025 at 9:45 AM
It exists!! The pelican trying to eat a capybara is real!!
I kept reading Wetuve as Wet-you-vay and wondering if it was a user name? Or?? Took me waaaay too long to connect that it's meant to be a Youtube fake. I wish the video of a pelican trying to eat a capybara was real, though. #AmReading
November 11, 2025 at 9:37 AM
I kept reading Wetuve as Wet-you-vay and wondering if it was a user name? Or?? Took me waaaay too long to connect that it's meant to be a Youtube fake. I wish the video of a pelican trying to eat a capybara was real, though. #AmReading
Pretty sure I'm cursed. Now on day two of constant jackhammering outside my apartment in what is normally my extremely quiet Tokyo neighbourhood. I need to speak to the manager of the world.
The jackhammer has returned, and it is accompanied by a choir of leafblowers. This is my villain origin story.
November 11, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Pretty sure I'm cursed. Now on day two of constant jackhammering outside my apartment in what is normally my extremely quiet Tokyo neighbourhood. I need to speak to the manager of the world.
Reposted by Jocelyne Allen
See also: being a Japanese translator.
"Not a penny to her name--wait, no. Wrong currency. Not a yen? Sounds bad. Hm."
"They went to bed--uh-oh. They only have futons in this era. They went to futon? Ugh."
"Not a penny to her name--wait, no. Wrong currency. Not a yen? Sounds bad. Hm."
"They went to bed--uh-oh. They only have futons in this era. They went to futon? Ugh."
Being a fantasy writer is typing "they extended an olive branch" and then going "shit, do they even have olives in this world?"
November 8, 2025 at 3:17 AM
See also: being a Japanese translator.
"Not a penny to her name--wait, no. Wrong currency. Not a yen? Sounds bad. Hm."
"They went to bed--uh-oh. They only have futons in this era. They went to futon? Ugh."
"Not a penny to her name--wait, no. Wrong currency. Not a yen? Sounds bad. Hm."
"They went to bed--uh-oh. They only have futons in this era. They went to futon? Ugh."
The janky wordplay in the title of this story is exactly why the local news is my favourite show. It's like if your dad had a news programme.
November 10, 2025 at 9:58 AM
The janky wordplay in the title of this story is exactly why the local news is my favourite show. It's like if your dad had a news programme.
Very cool exhibit happening at Kabuki-za! And they will give you a sticker for coming!! #thisiskabuki
November 10, 2025 at 5:16 AM
Very cool exhibit happening at Kabuki-za! And they will give you a sticker for coming!! #thisiskabuki
Never trust crowdsourced dictionaries part 37: "get banged" as the entry for 前髪を作ってもらう (Actual meaning: get a haircut with bangs)
November 10, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Never trust crowdsourced dictionaries part 37: "get banged" as the entry for 前髪を作ってもらう (Actual meaning: get a haircut with bangs)
Reposted by Jocelyne Allen
Now that I'm back from vacation and getting into my Tokyo worklife routine, you know the first thing I did was go check in on the seasonal look of my favourite robot receptionist! Mini-chan delivered in spades with both an homage to autumn and the big baseball win. Stunning!
November 7, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Now that I'm back from vacation and getting into my Tokyo worklife routine, you know the first thing I did was go check in on the seasonal look of my favourite robot receptionist! Mini-chan delivered in spades with both an homage to autumn and the big baseball win. Stunning!
If you need me, I'll be in the smorking room.
November 8, 2025 at 1:11 PM
If you need me, I'll be in the smorking room.
Oh no! They're reading Gon the Little Fox on this drama!! A personal attack on me personally!! I do not need this dose of depression on my Saturday night!!
November 8, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Oh no! They're reading Gon the Little Fox on this drama!! A personal attack on me personally!! I do not need this dose of depression on my Saturday night!!
See also: being a Japanese translator.
"Not a penny to her name--wait, no. Wrong currency. Not a yen? Sounds bad. Hm."
"They went to bed--uh-oh. They only have futons in this era. They went to futon? Ugh."
"Not a penny to her name--wait, no. Wrong currency. Not a yen? Sounds bad. Hm."
"They went to bed--uh-oh. They only have futons in this era. They went to futon? Ugh."
Being a fantasy writer is typing "they extended an olive branch" and then going "shit, do they even have olives in this world?"
November 8, 2025 at 3:17 AM
See also: being a Japanese translator.
"Not a penny to her name--wait, no. Wrong currency. Not a yen? Sounds bad. Hm."
"They went to bed--uh-oh. They only have futons in this era. They went to futon? Ugh."
"Not a penny to her name--wait, no. Wrong currency. Not a yen? Sounds bad. Hm."
"They went to bed--uh-oh. They only have futons in this era. They went to futon? Ugh."
Reposted by Jocelyne Allen
This mystery place in Nagoya is maybe the coolest bookstore I've ever been to. Arrows lead you through the winding path of the store like a museum exhibit, all the shelves are giant books, and there are little sitting rooms/crime scenes throughout the store.
November 6, 2025 at 8:44 AM
This mystery place in Nagoya is maybe the coolest bookstore I've ever been to. Arrows lead you through the winding path of the store like a museum exhibit, all the shelves are giant books, and there are little sitting rooms/crime scenes throughout the store.
Reposted by Jocelyne Allen
A reminder: AI is a bad translator--it will give you in a pinch the meaning (if it doesn't get hopelessly confused) , but i will not create something that reads like a book.
That's why we have professionals.
(And everyone who's reread ai translations knows that it's faster going to rewrite them)
That's why we have professionals.
(And everyone who's reread ai translations knows that it's faster going to rewrite them)
"Amazon propose une traduction par IA pour les livres Kindle auto-édités"
Bon, je n'en peux plus de soupirer. 🙃
Bon, je n'en peux plus de soupirer. 🙃
Amazon offers AI translation for self-published Kindle books
AI translation is coming to your Kindle.
www.theverge.com
November 7, 2025 at 7:56 AM
A reminder: AI is a bad translator--it will give you in a pinch the meaning (if it doesn't get hopelessly confused) , but i will not create something that reads like a book.
That's why we have professionals.
(And everyone who's reread ai translations knows that it's faster going to rewrite them)
That's why we have professionals.
(And everyone who's reread ai translations knows that it's faster going to rewrite them)
Now that I'm back from vacation and getting into my Tokyo worklife routine, you know the first thing I did was go check in on the seasonal look of my favourite robot receptionist! Mini-chan delivered in spades with both an homage to autumn and the big baseball win. Stunning!
November 7, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Now that I'm back from vacation and getting into my Tokyo worklife routine, you know the first thing I did was go check in on the seasonal look of my favourite robot receptionist! Mini-chan delivered in spades with both an homage to autumn and the big baseball win. Stunning!
A collaboration between CLAMP and Hub Pub?? The marketing people who dreamed this up live in an entirely different reality from the rest of us. Looking forward to seeing what kind of wild drinks Hub comes up with to capture the vibe of xxxHOLIC
【ニュース】
xxxHOLiC × 英国風パブHUB コラボ開催決定
●開催期間
2026年1月8日（木）～25日（日）
開催店舗など、詳細は後日下記にてお知らせ
HP： product.amiami.jp/amiami/proje...
X： x.com/amiami_p_event
#CLAMP
#xxxHOLiC
#HUB
xxxHOLiC × 英国風パブHUB コラボ開催決定
●開催期間
2026年1月8日（木）～25日（日）
開催店舗など、詳細は後日下記にてお知らせ
HP： product.amiami.jp/amiami/proje...
X： x.com/amiami_p_event
#CLAMP
#xxxHOLiC
#HUB
November 7, 2025 at 6:16 AM
A collaboration between CLAMP and Hub Pub?? The marketing people who dreamed this up live in an entirely different reality from the rest of us. Looking forward to seeing what kind of wild drinks Hub comes up with to capture the vibe of xxxHOLIC
Reposted by Jocelyne Allen
SE’s localization work on FFXIV and FFXVI have been some of the most incredible examples of good JPN-ENG loc. SE has defined new standards for excellence in our craft.
Not to mention, that good loc has been pivotal in establishing a dedicated fanbase—and good sales.
Not to mention, that good loc has been pivotal in establishing a dedicated fanbase—and good sales.
square trying to cut its QA and loc teams to the bone for a great AI pivot is absolutely crazy your entire thing is prestiege narrative jrpgs distributed worldwide
November 6, 2025 at 11:48 PM
SE’s localization work on FFXIV and FFXVI have been some of the most incredible examples of good JPN-ENG loc. SE has defined new standards for excellence in our craft.
Not to mention, that good loc has been pivotal in establishing a dedicated fanbase—and good sales.
Not to mention, that good loc has been pivotal in establishing a dedicated fanbase—and good sales.
Reposted by Jocelyne Allen
You don't need me to tell you this is yet more good money being burned after bad. But as someone who's worked with that QA team, I'll say they're unsung heroes who truly play a huge role in maintaining SE's reputation for high quality locs and to attempt to replace them with AI is deeply insulting.
Square Enix wants 70% of its QA work to be handled by generative AI by the end of 2027, in partnership with the University of Tokyo's Matsuo-Iwasawa Laboratory. https://bit.ly/4qKdyQR
November 6, 2025 at 5:46 PM
You don't need me to tell you this is yet more good money being burned after bad. But as someone who's worked with that QA team, I'll say they're unsung heroes who truly play a huge role in maintaining SE's reputation for high quality locs and to attempt to replace them with AI is deeply insulting.
Every time I look at Junji Ito's early work, I feel heartened and inspired. His drawings used to be so wonky, and now they are all fine lines and beauty, proof that practice and dedication will get your art where you want it to be/what it looks like in your head.
November 6, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Every time I look at Junji Ito's early work, I feel heartened and inspired. His drawings used to be so wonky, and now they are all fine lines and beauty, proof that practice and dedication will get your art where you want it to be/what it looks like in your head.
This mystery place in Nagoya is maybe the coolest bookstore I've ever been to. Arrows lead you through the winding path of the store like a museum exhibit, all the shelves are giant books, and there are little sitting rooms/crime scenes throughout the store.
November 6, 2025 at 8:44 AM
This mystery place in Nagoya is maybe the coolest bookstore I've ever been to. Arrows lead you through the winding path of the store like a museum exhibit, all the shelves are giant books, and there are little sitting rooms/crime scenes throughout the store.
Got attacked by a bookstore again today. #AmReading
November 5, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Got attacked by a bookstore again today. #AmReading
Just called a shelf a “putting things place” so it seems that Japan is working its usual magic on my English abilities.
November 4, 2025 at 11:27 PM
Just called a shelf a “putting things place” so it seems that Japan is working its usual magic on my English abilities.
Reposted by Jocelyne Allen
Travelling around Japan right now and the reactions to my Japanese are wild compared with Tokyo where my efforts are begrudgingly acknowledged. In Hiroshima, one woman stared at me with stars in her eyes while gasping, Your Japanese is *so* good. If nothing else, it's a real confidence boost.
October 31, 2025 at 1:01 AM
Travelling around Japan right now and the reactions to my Japanese are wild compared with Tokyo where my efforts are begrudgingly acknowledged. In Hiroshima, one woman stared at me with stars in her eyes while gasping, Your Japanese is *so* good. If nothing else, it's a real confidence boost.
My immaculate vibes translation baby is on everyone's reading list!!
We're deeply honored to see VEIL Volume 1 by Kotteri, translated by Jocelyne Allen, on Publisher's Weekly's "Must Read Manga of 2025" list! MSX produced this title and UDON published it and it's so great, and we're so happy for its success. www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...
Must-Read Manga of 2025
This year, as middle grade and YA manga continued to show strength, publishers also embraced manga for adult readers, with New York Review Comics, HarperAlley, and Abrams ComicArts continuing to expan...
www.publishersweekly.com
November 2, 2025 at 11:36 PM
My immaculate vibes translation baby is on everyone's reading list!!
Reposted by Jocelyne Allen
We're deeply honored to see VEIL Volume 1 by Kotteri, translated by Jocelyne Allen, on Publisher's Weekly's "Must Read Manga of 2025" list! MSX produced this title and UDON published it and it's so great, and we're so happy for its success. www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...
Must-Read Manga of 2025
This year, as middle grade and YA manga continued to show strength, publishers also embraced manga for adult readers, with New York Review Comics, HarperAlley, and Abrams ComicArts continuing to expan...
www.publishersweekly.com
November 2, 2025 at 3:51 PM
We're deeply honored to see VEIL Volume 1 by Kotteri, translated by Jocelyne Allen, on Publisher's Weekly's "Must Read Manga of 2025" list! MSX produced this title and UDON published it and it's so great, and we're so happy for its success. www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...
FYI if you're gluten-free/vegan looking for a nice central place to stay in Osaka, Hotel Morning Box is a pretty great choice. The rooms are cute and large, they have a GF/VG cafe on the first floor with very tasty food, and there's a great bath that was deserted whenever I went.
ホテルモーニングボックス大阪心斎橋【公式】
心斎橋駅徒歩6分、長堀橋駅徒歩1分のコンセプトホテルです。ラウンジ・メイクブース・大浴場など共有スペースでご自宅のようなくつろぎ感で過ごし、素敵な朝を迎えてもらえるようにデザインした新しい宿泊スタイルです。大阪観光、出張や就活グループや家族旅行におすすめです。
hotelmorningbox.com
November 2, 2025 at 1:27 PM
FYI if you're gluten-free/vegan looking for a nice central place to stay in Osaka, Hotel Morning Box is a pretty great choice. The rooms are cute and large, they have a GF/VG cafe on the first floor with very tasty food, and there's a great bath that was deserted whenever I went.