Translation of Cultural Elements in Manga : A case study comparing the official translation and a fan translation of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba

This study investigated the translation of cultural elements in the Japanese manga Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba by comparing its official English translation and a scanlation. The aim was to examine how the use of foreignizing and domesticating translation techniques differs between the two versions, as well as how these approaches impact the meaning and representation of cultural elements in the material. The data was collected from the first volume of the manga, resulting in 47 cases for analysis. Identified cases were categorized as culture-specific items, names and honorifics, idiomatic expressions, or proverbs. The translation techniques used, categorized either as foreignizing or domesticating, were then noted. The findings revealed significant differences between the two translations. The official translation leaned more toward domestication (65%), prioritizing accessibility and fluency for English-speaking readers. Techniques such as adaptation and omission were used frequently but often at the expense of cultural nuances, as seen in the omission of honorifics and the mistranslation of historical references. In contrast, the scanlation preferred foreignization (69.2%), retaining cultural markers like name order and honorifics to preserve authenticity. However, this approach occasionally compromised readability and displayed inconsistencies in terminology and translation notes.