Hiroko Yoda Explained

Hiroko Yoda
Birth Place:Tokyo, Japan
Alma Mater:University of Maryland
Occupation:Writer, Translator

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]

Education

Born 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

In 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

Games

As scriptwriter

As translator

As localization producer

Books

Translations

Books

Manga

Notes and References

  1. Ghostwire Tokyo Brings Japanese Folklore to the Masses. Wired. April 14, 2022.
  2. Web site: CNNGo . April 2, 2014.
  3. Web site: Hiroko Yoda Video Game Credits. Mobygames. April 14, 2022.
  4. Web site: The Yokai Art of the Master. October 6, 2017 . April 14, 2022.
  5. News: Godzilla's Older, Creepier Cousins. The Washington Post. April 14, 2022.
  6. Web site: Anime Sway: How Japan Came to Dominate the Global Pop Culture Landscape Speakers. Japan-America Society of Dallas Fort Worth. April 14, 2022.
  7. Web site: On Halloween, Japan fears home-grown spooks. NBC News. October 31, 2008 . July 25, 2022.
  8. Book: Yoda . Hiroko . Alt . Matt . 2012 . Yokai Attack! The Japanese Monster Survival Guide . Tuttle . 200 . 9784805312193.
  9. >Web site: Yokai a Go Go. AltJapan. May 20, 2022.
  10. >Web site: Death Kappa (2010). May 20, 2022.
  11. Web site: Japanese with common last name Yoda denied Facebook account. Boing Boing. August 26, 2008 . April 14, 2022.
  12. Web site: Woman called Yoda blocked from Facebook. The Telegraph. August 27, 2008 . April 14, 2022.
  13. Web site: Sorry Mr. And Mrs. Batman, Facebook Isn't Gotham. The Herald-Tribune. April 14, 2022.
  14. News: Interview: Matt Alt. Japan House LA. April 18, 2022. en-US.
  15. Web site: PlatinumGames Talks World of Demons and Bringing White Knuckle Action to Mobile. Crunchyroll. April 14, 2022.
  16. News: CRN Interview: Matt Alt Ain't Afraid of No Japanese Ghosts. Crunchyroll News. July 22, 2022. en-US. July 24, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220724063555/https://www.crunchyroll.com/pt-pt/anime-feature/2012/08/19/crn-interview-matt-alt-aint-afraid-of-no-japanese-ghosts. dead.
  17. News: Doraemon, the robot cat, gets your tongue. The Japan Times. April 18, 2022. en-US.