Scott Hards a translator?
huffy
This may be old news, but I don't remember it coming up in February when the
March issue of Model Graphix came out. Blame it on not receiving my copy
until a week ago :-( .
Anyway guess who is given credit for the translation of the english bits in
the "Zplus Possibility" article, one Scott Hards. Could this translator and
our beloved owner of HLJ be one and the same? If so excellent job Scott. I
miss the "engrish".... wait a minute there it is, right above the translator
credit "Rogo design" ;-).
later
-huffy
Hiroaki Fukuda
His title doesn't simply end with the owner of HLJ or translator.
He's a successful business man and an economy journalist, who appears
regularly on TV and comments on radio. He has numerous seminars and
writings. Or, you can even call him an actor, since he appeared in
Ultraman Tiga movie.
Searching on Yahoo Japan, I came up with this many links in Japanese.
http://google.yahoo.co.jp/bin/query?p=%a5%b9%a5%b3%a5%c3%a5%c8%a1%a1%a5%cf%a1%bc%a5%ba&hc=0&hs=0
--
Hiroaki Fukuda
Sports and Race Car Modeling Page (has been moved to...)
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~xr2h-fkd/scalemodels/index.html
Drcc
http://sarapro.milkcafe.to/scott.html
Graduated from Michigan University.
His seminars include US/Japan business, a comparison. American/Japanese culture, etc
He writes in numerous magazines as well so his Japanese has to be way above average.
Mark Kai
> Anyway guess who is given credit for the translation of the english bits in
> the "Zplus Possibility" article, one Scott Hards. Could this translator and
> our beloved owner of HLJ be one and the same? If so excellent job Scott. I
> miss the "engrish".... wait a minute there it is, right above the translator
> credit "Rogo design" ;-).
>
> later
> -huffy
Flipping through my expensive Gundam Fix: The Art of Hajime Katoki
book, I noticed Scott was the translator of that book too. =>
Mark Kai
Scott at HobbyLink Japan
<josha...@hotmail.com> wrote:
Yep, that's me. It was actually translation jobs years ago here in Japan
that started a series of events which led me to start HLJ. Here's a very
brief rundown:
1992: Bored with working at Asahi Bank in Tokyo. Quit and work for Thomson
Corporation, Tokyo Office while doing odd TV appearances.
1993: Quit Thomson after 18 months (personnel problems) and begin freelance
translation work. While at Thomson, I had been paying freelance translators
and realized how lucrative the work as. One day, while reading the
"Engrish capshuns" in an "Aero Detail" book (published by Art Box, the Model
Graphix people) on the Zero fighter I became convinced that those guys
needed a translator who knew historical aircraft. I contacted them and got
work immeidately. I translate the Aero Detail books and other things for
them to this day. My main hobby interest has always been aircraft, though I
love Gundam and SF, too.
1994: Discover the Internet and begin participating in rec.models.scale
(I've always built aircraft kits). Through conversations with Art Box staff
and other industry people, I learn that Japanese hobby kits are great, but
poorly distributed. I begin to smell a business opportunity, but lack the
know-how to put something together. WWW still barely known in Japan.
1995: People on modelling newsgroups actually begin asking me to send them
kits even though I have not offered such services. They note the ".jp" at
the end of my old e-mail address and figure, correctly, that I live in
Japan. In September I come up with the name HobbyLink Japan and begin
shipping kits to people. There's no web site yet, just a guy who posts in
rec.models.scale, and this group. Dave Chiu, a frequent poster here, was my
first-ever customer.
1996: I begin to teach myself HTML. First crude website created -- it's
just a static page with no cgi or anything. Basically it just says "I live
in Japan and I'll send you stuff -- e-mail me." This works though, and
business swells. The more graphics I add to the site, the more it grows.
By August, I cannot keep up with the order flow on my own, and I decide to
create a real company. From August to December, I take no orders while I
gather the money, data and people necessary to launch a true, dedicated
business.
1997: HobbyLink Japan, Ltd. Launched on January 5, and thanks to all of
you, it's been a great five years since then!
2002: Business now nearly 1000% the level of 1997. Staff has grown to 15
people from three, initially. We actually have profits, helping dispel the
myth that you cannot make money in retail on the Internet. Though 95% of my
time is spent running HLJ, I still squeeze in the odd translation job
(books, magazines, and even a video game or two!), TV appearance or magazine
article from time to time. It's all quite fun, but I wish I had more free
time! Still, no regrets.
What has all this taught me? Just make sure that you like whatever you're
doing for a living. I know that sounds incredibly basic, but you'd be
surprised how many people put up with jobs they hate just because "the
money's good" or some other lame reason. The joy you'll get from a
low-paying job you love will far outstrip the pleasure you can buy with the
money from a high-paying job you hate. I know -- I've done both.
Scott T. Hards
President, HobbyLink Japan
http://www.hlj.com
Mark Wilson
curious about--on this NG most people probably associate HLJ with just
Anime related merchandize; maybe even just Bandai and B-club kits. As
you said, though, this all started with military models on RMS. Off
the cuff, what % of your business is NOT anime modeling?
You are also proof that being fluent in English/Japanese is not enough
to succeed; you need to have drive and talent too!
Mark Wilson
The Sleeping Giant has awoken....
http://home.earthlink.net/~mmwilson2/
RAAM FAQ:
http://home.earthlink.net/~mmwilson2/RAAMFAQ/index.html
le...@voicenet.com
Scott at HobbyLink Japan <sc...@hlj.com> wrote:
> 1995: People on modelling newsgroups actually begin asking me to send them
> kits even though I have not offered such services. They note the ".jp" at
> the end of my old e-mail address and figure, correctly, that I live in
> Japan. In September I come up with the name HobbyLink Japan and begin
> shipping kits to people. There's no web site yet, just a guy who posts in
> rec.models.scale, and this group. Dave Chiu, a frequent poster here, was my
> first-ever customer.
I'll never forget the day back then that I phoned to leave my credit
card info for my first order. It was midday eastern US time, so I
expected an answering machine. Instead, I got a groggy Scott, who
I woke from a sound sleep! He was very nice about it, and took the
information anyway.
Thanks, Scott!
Tom Leber
Drcc
Have you ever thought about writing a book on your experience? Like
writing about experience in life in Japan and forming your company,
and various things you did and you are doing in Japan, etc if you have
not already done so.
How did you get acting role in movies such as Tiga's Final Odysses?
You have connections? Introduction by someone?
As for me, I started doing model kits at a very early age but instead
of fighter jets, I was into tanks and F-1 race cars (this was really
started during the time when an anime show called the Grand Prix (No
Taka) started on TV. Then the next big thing was superrobot and Gundam
78 in 1978 and haven't really stopped the Gundam thing since then.
Scott at HobbyLink Japan
140c0b08.02041...@posting.google.com, "Drcc" <dr...@hotmail.com>
wrote:
> Have you ever thought about writing a book on your experience? Like
> writing about experience in life in Japan and forming your company,
> and various things you did and you are doing in Japan, etc if you have
> not already done so.
>
> How did you get acting role in movies such as Tiga's Final Odysses?
> You have connections? Introduction by someone?
Writing a book? For which market? Japan or overseas? I don't know how many
non Japanese would be interested in the story of an American setting up a
company in Japan... besides, between running H.L. J, and by occasional TV
work, and my occasional translation work, where would I find the time to
write a book? :-)
As for my brilliant performance in that Ultraman movie, that was set up by
the same agency that gets me speaking jobs and television appearances from
time to time here. As many of you may know, being a white guy who can speak
Japanese is in itself perceived as an amazing talent by many Japanese.
That's what got me on Japanese television in the first place. I've been
doing that since 1991, long before I formed HobbyLink Japan.
Drcc
interesting things. After all these years in Japan, you must have a
lot of encounters and experience, or something funny that happened, so
writing a book is not a bad idea if you have the time. I will surely
buy the book, it would be a good read.
Judging from the movie, your Japanese is very good.
Scott at HobbyLink Japan
140c0b08.0204...@posting.google.com, "Drcc" <dr...@hotmail.com>
wrote:
> Judging from the movie, your Japanese is very good.
Thanks. But when you only have one line, it's pretty easy to practice it
thoroughly!
Mark Wilson
appeal of the book would be obvious. Gary's experience with corporate
Japan was bad to say the least, but funny as hell. Especially with
the myth of Japanese economic invincibility shattered by the Asian
recession, you could have some valuable insights. I don't think
anyone would care about a "how to" cookbook on setting a hobby store
up; but setting up a successful web business ANYWHERE, especially a
foreign country with a reputation (true or not, its still the
perception) of being closed to Gaijin...?
I'd read it!
Mark Wilson