Hiroko Yoda is a Japanese entrepreneur, translator, writer, folklorist, and president of the localization company AltJapan Co., Ltd.[1] She was also a Tokyo city editor for the CNN travel website CNNGo.[2] She is a translator of video games[3] and the author of numerous books about Japanese history and culture. She is particularly known for her pioneering work contextualizing yokai culture for English-speaking audiences.[4][5]
Hiroko Yoda | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Alma mater | University of Maryland |
| Occupation(s) | Writer, Translator |
Education
editBorn in Tokyo, she studied at the University of Maryland, then earned a Master's degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from American University in Washington, D.C.[6][7]
Personal life
editIn 2005, she played the role of a yokai frog in the Takashi Miike film The Great Yokai War.[8][9] She also had a cameo in the 2010 Tomoo Haraguchi film Death Kappa.[10]
In 2008, she was denied a Facebook account. She was told that "Facebook blocks the registration of a number of names that are frequently abused on the site. The name Yoda, also being the name of a popular Star Wars character, is on this list of blocked names."[11] The company only relented after her plight gained international mass media attention alongside other cases of banned names.[12][13]
She is married to the writer and television personality Matt Alt.[14]
Works
editGames
editAs scriptwriter
As translator
As localization producer
Books
edit- Hello Please! Very Helpful Super Kawaii Characters From Japan. Chronicle. 2006. ISBN 978-0811856744.
- Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide. Kodansha International. 2008. ISBN 978-4770030702.
- Ninja Attack! True Tales of Samurai, Assassins, and Outlaws. Kodansha International. 2010. ISBN 9784770031198.
- Yurei Attack! The Japanese Ghost Survival Guide. Tuttle Publishing. 2011. ISBN 9784805312148.
Translations
editBooks
- Japandemonium Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopedias of Toriyama Sekien. Dover Publications. 2016. ISBN 9780486800356.
- An Introduction to Yokai Culture. Japan Library. 2017. ASIN B071HTQRMT.
Manga
- The Young Magician. CMX. 2005. ISBN 1401207375.
- Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan. Viz Media. 2011. ISBN 9781421538914.[16]
- Doraemon. Shogakukan. 2014. ASIN B00GTG4776.[17]
- Dorohedoro. Viz Media. 2010–2019. ISBN 9781421533636.
References
edit- ^ "Ghostwire Tokyo Brings Japanese Folklore to the Masses". Wired. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ "CNNGo". Retrieved April 2, 2014.
- ^ "Hiroko Yoda Video Game Credits". Mobygames. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ "The Yokai Art of the Master". October 6, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ "Godzilla's Older, Creepier Cousins". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ "Anime Sway: How Japan Came to Dominate the Global Pop Culture Landscape Speakers". Japan-America Society of Dallas Fort Worth. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ "On Halloween, Japan fears home-grown spooks". NBC News. October 31, 2008. Retrieved July 25, 2022.
- ^ Yoda, Hiroko; Alt, Matt (2012). Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide. Tuttle. p. 200. ISBN 9784805312193.
- ^ >"Yokai a Go Go". AltJapan. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ >"Death Kappa (2010)". Retrieved May 20, 2022.
- ^ "Japanese with common last name Yoda denied Facebook account". Boing Boing. August 26, 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ "Woman called Yoda blocked from Facebook". The Telegraph. August 27, 2008. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ "Sorry Mr. And Mrs. Batman, Facebook Isn't Gotham". The Herald-Tribune. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ "Interview: Matt Alt". Japan House LA. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
- ^ "PlatinumGames Talks World of Demons and Bringing White Knuckle Action to Mobile". Crunchyroll. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- ^ "CRN Interview: Matt Alt Ain't Afraid of No Japanese Ghosts". Crunchyroll News. Archived from the original on July 24, 2022. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
- ^ "Doraemon, the robot cat, gets your tongue". The Japan Times. Retrieved April 18, 2022.