Want to win an Emmy?
How about translating for a living legend?
Recently, the Seattle Symphony put down the Paganini, and picked up Playstations in order to perform a concert series with music from the renowned video game series, “Final Fantasy.” The symphony was conducted by Nobuo Uematsu, the composer who scored all of the Final Fantasy games.
Of course, with an event of this magnitude, various media outlets will rush to cover it, and with a name like Uematsu, there may need to be some translation involved. Someone with not only language chops, but the cultural competence to cross that bridge for an intrepid American reporter.
There will also be large events held, necessitating a person who, while cool under pressure, can serve to bring convey the nuance and knowledge of an admired man, to a group of people who would not accept a poorly-worded translation.
Enter Alumni Shun Endo (ALT, Ibaraki, 98-01) , John Charlton (CIR, Mie-ken, 03-06). Tapping their cultural ambassador knowledge, John and Shun volunteered as interpreters for various events in support of the concert.
Shun helped translate for an event held at Digipen Institute of Technology, a local institution of aspiring game designers. Final Fantasy is a legendary video game, and those who are familiar with the series view the game and those who helped produce it with awe. Shun also heled to support Uematsu and his team in other ways as well, going as far as procuring a salmon for Uematsu to throw into the audience after his final performance. (the quick thinking Endo avoided smelly scandal by stuffing a salmon oven-mitt with a sock.)
You can read the article John translated for here.
Check out some pictures of John and Shun in action, below the break.
John hard at work…
Shun translating at Digipen.
Shun with Uematsu and others.
Uematsu loves Sushi too!
Listening to the presentation at Digipen.
Shun and Nobuo Uematsu share a moment…
Shun and Uematsu