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Jocelyne Allen

@brainvsbook.bsky.social

2.2K followers 520 following 3.7K posts

アレン・ジョセリン I write. I ramble. I translate. And interpret. 筆者／翻訳・通訳家／取り留めの無い人 (she/they) brainvsbook.com kaikatsu.ca

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Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · Jun 19

Since people have asked why I don't start a Substack:
I have one; it's called a blog and it's at brainvsbook.com. Why would I let some company slap its brand all over my writing?? Especially when that company is fascist and transphobic! (Great summary of why Substack sucks in case you're unaware)

Don't call it a Substack. - Anil Dash

A blog about making culture. Since 1999.

www.anildash.com

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Reposted by Jocelyne Allen

Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 1d

A thing I really love about the Veil series is the pages of sketches tucked in between finished illustrations and manga vignettes. It's like peeking behind the curtain to see how the manga magic happens. #AmTranslating

Rough sketches across two pages of the attractive man and woman who are the protagonists of Veil. There's lots of movement in the linework and many different facial expressions, plus some charming little moments, like the two of them happily chowing down on some food.

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Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 20h

I've definitely been there. Just keeping your fingers crossed as you hit send on the sample that the powers-that-be end up hating the book as much as you do

Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 20h

I feel that you could easily prove this hypothesis to be true with the book I'm working on

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Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 20h

You need to try the caramel ones!!

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Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 20h

I'm so glad I'm not alone in hate translating! I should try the screaming into a pillow thing. I need to get through ten pages a day and I fear the buildup of sheer rage at the book's very existence might actually kill me.

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Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 20h

I'm obsessed with the caramel ones

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Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 20h

Sometimes I have to work on titles I hate (I will never tell you what they are), and I literally curse my way through every page. Just yelling to my empty apartment about how much I hate the book and how boring it is. Somehow, the yelling makes the pain of translating it less.

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Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 21h

I only discovered it today and am wishing I knew about it sooner! So many yummy treats!!

Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 21h

H Mart has been my go-to, but J Mart has my favourite mochi snacks, so they are the winners today!

Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 22h

Toronto friends! Did you know there is a J Mart at Church and Carlton? And that they have many flavours of Melty Kiss?? Plus onigiri and a variety of mochi??? I wish I had discovered this place months ago when I was homesick for Japan rather than right before I fly back to Tokyo!

Home | J Mart

www.shopjmart.ca

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Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 1d

Yes! They're in the English translations, too!

Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 1d

Yeah, eyes are waaaaay easier than teeth.

Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 1d

That is very high praise! I did a little looking online to see if it's available (since you've made me very curious), but I couldn't find anything. I'll have to check the used bookstores when I'm back in Tokyo. If you find it, let me know! I would be happy to pay you back for it!

Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 1d

You have to just rip off that bandaid! Go get those eyes checked!

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Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 1d

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Reposted by Jocelyne Allen

🌿Elaine Tipping🍃 @triaelf9.bsky.social · 1d

Oh yeah, it's a manga thing! I feel like I don't see it as much in new ones I pick up, but it could be generational depending on the artist. A quick search in Japanese shows ppl calling it フキダシの内側(に)しっぽ or フキダシの中にしっぽ which both basically mean "balloon with the tail on the inside"

Dave Kellett @davekellett.bsky.social · 2d

I’ve never seen this before! An *inward-indicating* word-balloon tail (that’s the speaker’s right arm descending below the word balloon).

FASCINATING! Does this tail technique have a name? Have folks seen it used elsewhere?? I have so many questions!!! (From HIRAYASUMI, book 3, pg 37)

Photo of HIRAYASUMI, book 3, pg 37… showing an inward indicating word balloon tail

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Reposted by Jocelyne Allen

Nico Mara-McKay 🦇 (they/iel) @nicomaramckay.com · 3d

Canadians: The federal government is seeking public input on how AI should be developed and used in business, research, and the military.

If this scares the shit out of you, please let them know:

Help define the next chapter of Canada's AI leadership

Current status: Open from October 1 to October 31, 2025 Canada helped invent modern AI. To stay a leader—and protect our digital sovereignty—we're running a 30-day national sprint to shape a renewed...

ised-isde.canada.ca

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Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 1d

Right?? Normally, I'm aware that my vision is getting a bit worse or a little wonky. But this time, my brain had me completely bamboozled! I thought I could see! I cannot!!

Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 1d

I had to shell out a lot of money for new lenses bc my eyes are terrible in many annoying ways, so uh, publishers, please hire me for cool new projects so I can pay for my failing vision.

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Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 1d

I went to the optometrist today, certain my eyes were the same and I wouldn't need new glasses. I then proceeded to fail the eye chart test harder than I have since I was a child getting glasses for the first time. I could barely make out the first line! How have I survived with vision this poor??

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Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 2d

That's wild! I would be thinking about it nonstop through ラジオ体操. And then walking home. And randomly throughout the day. I would basically have to stop going to that park.

Reposted by Jocelyne Allen

Jen Calleja @jencalleja.bsky.social · 2d

Annual reminder that without literary translators, most Nobel Prize-winning authors couldn’t be read by the committee/readers, so celebrate them too. Congrats @ottiliemulzet.bsky.social et al! This isn’t taking away from the author, it’s adding recognition of the miracle/labour/skill of translation.

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 2d

Nobel prize in literature 2025 live: Hungarian novelist László Krasznahorkai wins

Nobel prize in literature 2025 live: László Krasznahorkai wins

Follow along as the next winner of the world’s most prestigious literature prize is announced in Stockholm

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Jocelyne Allen

Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 3d

When my neighbourhood is described in a book, I always end up picturing myself on the edge of the action, living my life. Like the characters are fighting to stay alive in the big boss battle in the park, and I’m in the conbini to one side, buying Chu-Hi and eyeing the shu creams. #AmTranslating

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Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 2d

Hilarious! I didn't know he yells it in the anime

Jocelyne Allen @brainvsbook.bsky.social · 2d

My Japanese brain knows the "ufun" is a little giggle spelled with the alphabet instead of kana, but my English brain can't help but read it as "U fun" like a Prince lyric, especially combined with Hibari's sidelong glance.

Chapter title page from Hibari-kun. Kohsaku is in close up on the right, looking sideways to the left at HIbari, who is similarly looking at Kohsaku. Their names are in English type above their heads, and the SFX on Kohsaku reads DOKI while the one on Hibari says UFUN. The title at the top of the page is 彼女（！？）はおれのものの巻

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