Gabriel ?lvarez Martínez, a translator living in Spain, has translated Japanese literature, including the works of MURAKAMI Haruki, and manga into Spanish. His three and a half years of language study at Kobe University laid the foundation for his current work. “Learning the Kansai dialect in Kobe has also been helpful in my translation work,” he says. As a bridge between the Spanish and Japanese cultures, he received the Japanese Foreign Minister’s Commendation in 2022 for his achievements.
Growing up with anime and manga
Originally from Galicia in Northwestern Spain, he grew up enjoying anime such as “Dragon Ball” and “Ninja Hattori-kun,” not realizing at the time that they were Japanese creations. His interest in Japan began in middle and high school, sparked by the manga of TEZUKA Osamu and others. During his high school years, he bought Japanese language learning books and began to study on his own. “At that time, I tried to learn not only Japanese, but also various languages such as Latin and Ancient Greek,” he says. After graduating, he chose to study translation and interpretation at the University of Vigo in Galicia.
The catalyst for him to consider studying in Japan was a one-year study abroad program at a Belgian university specializing in translation and interpretation, where he met a Japanese student and a language instructor. He also became close to a Belgian student who had studied in Japan, which greatly increased his motivation to learn Japanese. After graduation, while working as a Spanish teaching assistant, he took the exam to receive a scholarship from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). He passed on his second try and finally arrived in Japan in the fall of 2010.
Lured into the fun of onomatopoeia
He chose Kobe University because he wanted to study under Professor FUJINAMI Fumiko of the Graduate School of Intercultural Studies, who does research on translation. He was particularly interested in onomatopoeia in the Japanese language, which is often used in the manga he has been familiar with since childhood.
“There are few onomatopoeias in Spanish. For example, there are no words equivalent to the Japanese ‘shīn‘ to represent a quiet state or ‘pita’ for when something stops. This makes translation difficult, but I think Japanese onomatopoeias describe situations very accurately.”
At the Graduate School of Intercultural Studies, he studied how onomatopoeia in Japanese manga is translated into different languages. “In Spanish, there are translations that explain the meaning of Japanese onomatopoeia, and there are also cases where translators create new onomatopoeias. On the other hand, the Korean language has a lot of onomatopoeia to begin with,” he says.
The three and a half years he spent in Kobe were not only an opportunity for research, but also for exposure to living Japanese. “The Kansai dialect often appears in manga. So, living in Kobe was really helpful for translating that, and even when I see other dialects for the first time, like Hiroshima dialect, I can kind of understand the meaning,” he laughs.
During his time studying at Kobe University, his experiences traveling throughout Japan and interacting with Japanese people and international students from various countries have contributed greatly to his current work. “Not only was I able to deepen my knowledge and understanding of Japanese culture, but even now, if there’s something I don’t understand, I can immediately ask my friends.” While studying abroad, he also participated in a language training program in South Korea for about a month. After returning to Spain from Japan, he continued his research on onomatopoeia in graduate school and obtained a doctoral degree. “I love languages. That leads to the sense of fulfillment in my current work,” he says.
Kobe the second hometown, its international character appealing
His work as a translator began even before he studied at Kobe University. In 2008, he translated AKUTAGAWA Ryūnosuke’s novel “Rashōmon” into Galician, the language used in his home region of Galicia, and won an award in a contest. This inspired him to start working on Galician translations of Japanese works in collaboration with a Japanese resident in the area. He worked on TANIZAKI Junichirō’s essay “In praise of shadows” and MURAKAMI Haruki’s novel “After dark.”
He then began receiving requests for Spanish translations of Murakami’s works as well. He translated “A wild sheep chase,” “Dance dance dance,” “1Q84,” and “Men without women,” among others. He says that since he started translating the works, rather than just reading them as a reader, he has been even more drawn in by their appeal. “They deal with serious themes and write about the real world, but there are also fantastical elements and humorous parts. The more you read, the more interesting they become.”
After completing graduate school and starting work as a professional translator, he took on more manga translation assignments. He has translated around 200 works into Spanish, including the “Tomie” series by ITO Junji, famous for his horror manga, and “Ping pong” by MATSUMOTO Taiyo. Recently, he has also begun translating French manga as well, further expanding the scope of his activities.
“The joy of translating is that you can encounter various genres, themes and stories,” he says, describing the appeal of the job. On the other hand, it is also a solitary job, where he spends his days constantly in front of a computer. “I wanted to value communication with people and time outside of work, so I started learning to play the accordion,” he says, adding that he has also expanded his hobbies.
In the future, he is also considering translating Japanese non-fiction works. As for novels, he is interested in the works of authors such as TSUTSUI Yasutaka. “In addition to accepting requests from publishers, I would like to introduce Japanese works that I have selected myself to Spain,” he says enthusiastically.
In October 2024, he was invited to give a lecture at the “Kobe University international student homecoming day.” He refers to Kobe as his “second hometown,” saying, “I have lived in various countries so far but I think among them, Kobe has been the most international city.” It is also a city deeply connected to Murakami, whose works he has translated. While cherishing the many connections he has made here, he will continue to focus his efforts on exchanges between Spain and Japan.
Resume
Gabriel ?lvarez Martínez was born in 1985 in Galicia, Spain. He graduated from the University of Vigo, Spain, in 2008. He came to Japan in 2010 and became a research student at the Graduate School of Intercultural Studies at Kobe University. In April 2012, he entered the master’s program at the graduate school and completed it in 2014. In 2016, he received his Ph.D. from the University of Vigo. His favorite works by MURAKAMI Haruki are “Dance dance dance” and “A wild sheep chase,” which he translated into Spanish. He has also translated works by KAWAKAMI Hiromi and MIYAZAWA Kenji, among others. He currently resides in Galicia, Spain.
