Subtitling Japanese Film: The Art of Subtraction

From New Zealand to Screens Worldwide

Brown's love affair with cinema started young, watching the hits of the day at a little hall on the island of Waiheke, off the coast of Auckland. In high school, by fortunate coincidence, one of his teachers happened to be the head of the New Zealand Film Society, and would regularly screen art house films and other works shown at festivals, such as the New Zealand Film Festival that was held at locations all around the country.

It was through the big screen that Brown got his first introduction to Japan. "There was always at least one Japanese movie included in the rotation, and it was a formative experience. I also loved the screenings that the Japanese consulate held at Auckland University, where I first saw the Tora-san movies," says Brown. 

"As this was before Peter Jackson, at the time New Zealand's film industry was still relatively small, so pursuing a career in movies was not realistic," he points out. Brown came to Japan through the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, working as a CIR (coordinator for international relations) in Kawachinagano City in Osaka. He got his first connections with the Japanese film world through translating for the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival, after which he worked at the New Zealand Embassy in Tokyo as a Public Affairs Officer.

"After a few years, I asked myself what I was going to do with the rest of my life, and decided to combine my Japanese skills and translation experience with my love of movies and just go for it," Brown reminisces. Welsh filmmaker John Williams' company 100 Meter Films gave him his first break into subtitling with Sayonara Midori-chan (Goodbye Midori) and then Lady Joker, which was shown at the Tokyo International Film Festival. "I got in trouble with festival staff for trying to take a photo of the screen when my name came up in the end credits," Brown laughs. 

The Delicate Balance of Subtitles

Capturing the nuances of Japanese and creating subtitles that are so natural that the subtitles are unobtrusive and "disappear" requires finesse. "Humor is one of the most difficult things to get across, as is kanji wordplay since, obviously, we don't use characters in English," Brown says. "But it is actually the very basics of Japanese communication that can be the most challenging, for example set phrases like otsukaresama that don't have a consistent translation. You need to keep in mind the situation, feel of the film and the character." 

Otsukaresama can have many meanings, such as expressing appreciation for someone's efforts, or it can even be a simple greeting which gives some insight into the translation challenges he regularly faces.

"The other tricky thing about subtitles is that there are character limits, unlike literary translation. So while it is important to make cultural context clear, my work is often about subtraction: what elements can be taken away while still maintaining both clarity and meaning," Brown explains.

Discovering Tokyo Through Film

Tokyo is both a location and sometimes a major role in many important Japanese movies. Brown notes that he has a soft spot for older films, most of which give a greater focus to the sense of place than more modern works. "Because of how rapidly the city changes and evolves, they show a Tokyo that no longer exists or that is no longer recognizable. It's like a time machine," he explains. 

However, there are some exceptions. He notes that visitors to Tokyo might enjoy preparing for their trip by watching the Otoko wa Tsurai yo (It's tough being a man) film series, which is also known as "Tora-san" after the main character, a cheerful drifter who is unlucky in love. "The films  mainly take place in the Shibamata area of Tokyo, which still looks very much like it does in the movies, so visitors can really feel like they are in the movie" he notes. "It is also a good way to show that not all of Tokyo is imposing and modern, but that it also has quirky, old-fashioned sides too." Brown also recommends the 2007 road movie Tenten (Adrift in Tokyo), which takes viewers on a relaxed, lighthearted screen tour of the city. 

Coming Full Circle

These days Brown is in high demand as a translator, and recently created new subtitles for a 4K restoration of Kurosawa Akira's influential classic Seven Samurai which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival. "It was surreal to be working on this movie that had such an impact on me when I was younger," he says. "Of course there was also pressure, as it is such a beloved, famous movie." He notes that its worldwide popularity is because at heart it is an archetypal action movie. "Although the setting is historical, it has truly relatable and endearing characters, which is why it is many people's entry point to Japanese cinema." 

He also worked on Miyazaki Hayao's latest film The Boy and the Heron, which was a challenge even for this experienced translator. "It is such a personal film for Miyazaki and has so many layers of meaning that I needed to be even more mindful than usual, so I could convey its nuances," Brown explains.

After almost two decades of working within the Japanese film industry, Brown now finds himself in a position to help up and coming local directors take on the world. "Getting to work with talented young filmmakers who I know are going places from the very beginning of projects, and through my translation work helping them make the leap overseas and get their message across to overseas audiences is very rewarding," Brown says.

Don Brown

Born in Auckland, New Zealand. Majored in Journalism and Japanese at the Auckland University of Technology. Based in Japan since 1999, when he was selected as a participant in the JET Program. Became a full-time translator specializing in Japanese cinema in 2010. English subtitling credits include Tokyo Story, Tokyo Tribe, and Tokyo Ghoul, as well as The Boy and the Heron, winner of Best Animated Feature at the 96th Academy Awards.