Date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
Time: 10:00 a.m.–12:00 noon (JST)
Speakers: Melanie Kardas, Amy Kelley, and Emma Hanashiro
Advance registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/9I2kuuEtQ5mL9K7lmQp55w

Although manga for English-speaking audiences are usually licensed, localized, and published by North American publishers, more and more Japan-based companies are also localizing manga into English. Who are the people working at these Japan-based companies, and what is involved in the localization process? At this Talk Shop, three in-house editors from Renta, Animate International, and Manga Planet/futekiya will talk about the ups and downs of working in the industry, the challenges and rewards in the workplace, and what it takes to find a job.

Speaker Profiles

Melanie Kardas: Melanie moved to Japan in 2011. After stints interpreting and translating for an advertising agency, a stationery manufacturer, a major airline, and more, she started working full-time at Animate International in 2021. Though initially responsible for a variety of projects at Animate group companies, she soon found herself in charge of editing and promoting the company’s Boys’ Love (BL) manga line. As of March 2025, she is part of manga publisher Takeshobo’s overseas division.

Amy Kelley: After returning to college for Japanese and Communications in her late 20s, Amy Kelley was lucky enough to get a job with Papyless Global. Having lived in Japan for six years, Amy is the head of the localization team and is also in charge of social media marketing, fan outreach, and brand invigoration. With an emphasis on BL and women’s manga, she hopes to help increase the availability of all manga genres on a global scale.

Emma Hanashiro: Emma Hanashiro is a managing editor/localization coordinator at FANTASISTA, INC. Currently stationed at Dai Nippon Printing (DNP), she is editing and preparing digital-first manga titles for print. Emma has worked for the past seven years at Manga Planet, a digital manga publisher and distribution platform. In 2018, she proposed and helped develop futekiya, the BL digital manga branch of Manga Planet. Outside of work, Emma helps run SWET’s Manga Special Interest Group and plans meetups in Tokyo for people working in manga localization and more.