A “fansub” is a subtitled translation of an anime episode or movie created by amateur fans in an effort to promote awareness of anime. Private fans acquire a copy of an anime, translate the spoken Japanese dialogue, add subtitles to the show with their home computer, then give away free copies of the newly translated anime to anyone who requests a copy. The goal of fansubbing is to stimulate awareness of anime and interest in the international distribution of anime. However, despite their lofty intentions, fansubs are illegal. Public distribution of any copyrighted material, regardless of its national origin, without authorization from the official copyright owner is a violation of international copyright law. If fansubbing was merely a form of video piracy, fansubs themselves probably wouldn’t be as controversial and as long lived as they are.
The first known anime fansub was a fan translated Lupin III episode that came to light in 1986. The first known fansub to get significant distribution within America’s fan community was a translation of the first two Ranma 1/2 television episodes, produced by the Ranma Project in 1989. (The first professionally subtitled anime released in America appeared a year later with the commercial release of Gunbuster and Dangaio in January 1990.) Early fansubbers translated and distributed anime among English speaking fans as a way of educating fans about particular series, and Japanese animation in general. Early fansubs were also created in hopes of encouraging eventual, officially licensed American commercial releases. The “fansub ethics” developed by early fan translators insisted that underground translation and distribution of any anime should stop as soon as the title was officially licensed. After all, if a fansubbed title was licensed for official release, the fansub had done its job.
There are a lot of fansub-related post on this anime blog.
There are a lot of fansub-related post on this anime blog.
