My TK fan translator policy: Ethical fan translation
Hello TK fans! I wanted to address something that is rather important as a fan who translates TK content from time to time and that is that unlike other fan translators I am unwilling to translate content that belongs to Toru Kitajima's official fan club, Kalappo Lab, nor Zaiko streamed content, or something like TK's Yureru book (since TK's book falls under stuff not related to music that TK does not often do which he had to take time away from music-making to do). As a loyal superfan of TK's for over a decade (10 years) that is something that is inappropriate to translate. It is nothing personal. I understand that there are some fan translators that will translate anything and everything they can get their hands on but I do not.
As a long-time TK superfan it is important that I respect my favorite rockstar's work.
While I am committed to helping fellow TK fans understand what TK is saying I also need to keep in mind that paid content is exclusive content that is content that none of us regardless of socio-economic background are not entitled to. It is a privilege not a right. For those of us who do not just like TK but love him, a little more than the rest: it is obvious why. If people truly cared then they would do what they must to get ahold of the content. Work hard to access TK's more exclusive, paid content.
Luckily, there is a lot of TK content that can be translated that does not belong to TK's official fan club and or is TK exclusive, paid content like TK's radio appearances.
Of course, I can also translate magazine appearances and TK Kalappo personal photobooks mostly the minis going forward and the film A moment 🎥 photobook TK has released but I will only do the actual translations for both photobooks and magazines and won't be including all photos from the photobooks and magazines. Since again these translations are ideally for people that just need help with the translation who already have the photobooks and magazines but do not know what TK is saying. I want to help, not do more harm than good. Although if my translations are of interest and that gets people to buy the photobooks and magazines if you do not already have them then that is great too. Again the way I approach TK fan translation work is by wanting to help TK fans but at the same time knowing that TK is the top priority. For me he comes first. I listen to his music because of him, my enjoyment of his music is reliant on him, not his fans. No offense. If it was not for him there would be no music, after all. As a result I am not a fan in the fanbase because of his fans but because of him. I am doing this for him not clout and I have to be respectful. What others do is not my concern and I will not do what they do.
I think as a fan translator it is very possible to be ethical about what you translate. You are the one translating, you can set the boundaries you see fit. I know I want to help other TK fans but I also want to be an ethical TK fan translator.
