About Me

Qualifications

• 6+ years of translation experience
  (see Portfolio for details)

• JLPT N1

My name is Samuel Allen. I'm a Tokyo-based translator dedicated to helping bring Japan’s best and most unique media to fans new and old all around the world!

I've been drawn to Japanese games, manga, and anime ever since I was young. I've always been enthralled by these imaginative works full of unique ideas and perspectives. As I grew older, I realized that I wanted to help others experience that same sense of wonder these stories instilled in me. And so I decided to become a translator to help Japanese creators overcome linguistic and cultural barriers and share their original creations with people everywhere.

[Education]

I studied Japanese for eight years, including a year abroad in Kyoto, before graduating from Tufts University.

[Moving to Japan]

After graduation, I moved to the snowy city of Aomori in northern Japan. I worked there for two years as a translator and interpreter in the name of furthering cultural exchange.

[Entering the Game Industry]

In 2016, I relocated to Tokyo, where I have had the opportunity to translate a number of tabletop and video games. I also gained an intimate knowledge of the industry gained through my time as a project manager at a translation company and in-house translator at Sony Interactive Entertainment JAPAN Studio.

[Going Freelance]

Having grown as a translator through years of experience, I decided to strike out as a freelancer.
Language is not an immutable construct; it continues to adapt and evolve as we find new ways to express ourselves. Working with such a mercurial medium, I welcome the challenge to learn and grow as well.

[Hobbies]

When not translating or playing games, I can be found curled up with a good book, or dusted with flour as I attempt to master the art of bread making.