this post was submitted on 02 Jul 2025
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Edit: seems like there's more to the job than I thought, TIL
~~Sorry, but why is this bad? Translating is drudge work, like data entry, that should be done by a machine so humans can go do other more interesting stuff. I'd argue that if nobody knew before now, the generated subtitles are good enough; I'd also point out that automatic CC/subtitling has been around and in use a lot longer than ChatGPT and nobody batted an eye until recently.~~
I think with Crunchyroll as a paid service, people were just disappointed before in the mediocre subs they were getting. To find out it's not even done by people paid to do the translation is just another slap in the face.
Now, a good translation is much more than rote drudge work. It requires understanding of nuance and cultural differences. There are different schools of thought in how literal or interpretive the translation should be. It's very much an art form and should be respected as such.
Hmm. Those are good points, particularly if people were expecting human-translated subs when they subscribed. If they're gonna use AI it should be clearly marked on their site. I appreciate the breakdown; I wasn't aware of the intricacies involved in translating foreign works.
Just to add a little in favor on fansubs, sometimes they add a little spice like animating the lyrics of the intro, changing the font or style depending on who is talking or how are they talking and adding little details like explanations about the words, poses or context.
If small fansub groups who survive on donations can do that, I would demand the same level of commitment from a big company like crunchy roll or Netflix if they want my money.