Jeremy Blaustein

Jeremy Blaustein at the Silent Hill 3 recording session in 2002.

Jeremy Blaustein (born June 7, 1966 in Long Island, New York) is a Japanese translator and localization coordinator specializing in the localization of video games, such as Metal Gear Solid and Silent Hill 2, as well as anime and other television programs, such as Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl. He currently resides in Japan with his wife and three children, where he operates his own translation agency, Zpang, Inc. His sister was Maddie Blaustein, a voice actress of anime (known for playing Meowth in Pokémon).

Style

Blaustein is well known in the gaming community for his translation work. GameFan praised Snatcher, calling the translation "perfect" and the voice acting "flawless,"[1] while GameCritics said, "The writing and adaptation from the original Japanese is so good that you don't even think about what an achievement it is for the video-game industry," with the voice cast "going above and beyond anything the industry had previously seen."[2]

IGN said of Valkyrie Profile, "this is one of the best English scripts I've ever read in a role-playing game... Characters speak like they ought to - some rough, some formal, some friendly, some distant - and you relate to them accordingly."[3]

GameSpot noted Alundra 2's localization as one of the game's strongest points, saying "The character voices are lively, and the text is grammatical, occasionally amusing, and pretty natural - Activision's localization team has done a great job."[4]

GameSpot also praised Blaustein's work on Dark Cloud 2 (known as Dark Chronicle outside North America), saying, "Dark Cloud 2's translation and voice acting deserve special mention because they show how far the localization of Japanese games has come in the last decade or so. The dialogue's phrasing is imaginative and the voices are of the caliber you'll find in any animated television show. ... Sony clearly put some real effort into localizing Dark Cloud 2, and the work pays off big."[5]

In their review of Shadow Hearts: Covenant, PSM said, "This amazing sense of humor is one of the game's greatest strengths. Excellent localization and quality voice-overs deliver an incredible level of sarcastic humor, as well as RPG-standard melodrama and personality. Amazingly scripted with more humor than every RPG put together."[6]

For Silent Hill 4, IGN said, "One of the best changes in the series since its humble beginning is the improvement in voice work. Even since Silent Hill 3, the voice work in this version has markedly improved. ... Conversations are much more realistic and fluid. ... The dialog has also improved to stay in step with the voice-over work."[7] Furthermore, Gaming Target said, "However, it's definitely the evolving story that lies within Silent Hill where you'll get the peak of performance from the actors' as you'll get to view some of the most inspired death sequences in gaming right here. Great cast. Great acting. Good going, Konami."[8]

Selected works

Video games

Title Year Platform(s) Role
Banshee's Last Cry 2014 iOS, Android Writing and Adaption
Silent Hill: Book of Memories 2012 PlayStation Vita Localization Director, 7 languages
Dynasty Warriors 7 2010 Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 Translator
Velvet Assassin 2009 Xbox 360, PC Translator
Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao 2008 Xbox 360 Translator
Holy Beast Online 2008 PC Translator
SimCity Creator 2008 Wii Translator
Rune Factory 2 2008 DS Translator
Imagine: Figure Skater 2008 DS Translator
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials and Tribulations 2007 DS Translator (with Nanica Co., Ltd., edited by Capcom)
Hamsterz Life 2006 DS Translator and coordinator (with Gabe Glick)
.hack//G.U. 2006 PlayStation 2 Translator and coordinator (with Gabe Glick)
Shadow Hearts: From the New World 2005 PlayStation 2 Translator, scriptwriter, English VO director, voice actor
Shadow of Rome 2005 PlayStation 2, PC Translator, English VO director, motion capture director
Silent Hill 4 2004 PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC Translator, English VO director, motion capture director
Shadow Hearts: Covenant 2004 PlayStation 2 Translator, scriptwriter, co-directed certain sequences
Airforce Delta Strike 2004 PlayStation 2 Translator, English VO director, motion capture director
Silent Hill 3 2003 PlayStation 2, PC Translator, English VO director, motion capture director
Lost Kingdoms II 2003 GameCube Translator, scriptwriter, English VO director
Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits 2003 PlayStation 2 Translator and coordinator
Dead or Alive: Extreme Beach Volleyball 2003 Xbox Translator
Dark Chronicle (Dark Cloud 2 in North America) 2002 PlayStation 2 Translator and coordinator
Beach Spikers 2002 GameCube Translator
EOE: Eve of Extinction 2002 PlayStation 2 Translator
Fatal Frame 2001 PlayStation 2, Xbox Translator and coordinator
Silent Hill 2 2001 PlayStation 2 Translator, English VO director, motion capture director
Ape Escape 2 2001 PlayStation 2 Translator and English VO director
Shadow Hearts 2001 PlayStation 2 Translator, scriptwriter, English VO director
Dragon Warrior VII 2000 PlayStation Translator and coordinator
Valkyrie Profile 1999 PlayStation Translator and English VO director
Alundra 2 1999 PlayStation Translator and scriptwriter
Suikoden 2 1998 PlayStation Translator and coordinator
Metal Gear Solid 1998 PlayStation Translator and assistant-directed English VO sessions with Kris Zimmerman
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night 1997 PlayStation Translator
Vandal Hearts 1996 PlayStation Translator
Snatcher 1994 Sega CD Localization supervisor (with translation by Scott T. Hards)

While working at Konami in Tokyo, Japan in the early 90s, he also contributed to the localizations of the following games:

TV shows

Movies

References

  1. ↑ GameFan, Issue #26
  2. ↑ "The Great Games - Snatcher". GameCritics.com. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
  3. ↑ "Valkyrie Profile Review". IGN.com. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
  4. ↑ "Alundra 2 Review". GameSpot.com. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
  5. ↑ "Dark Cloud 2 Review". GameSpot.com. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
  6. ↑ PSM, November 2004
  7. ↑ "Silent Hill 4 Review". IGN.com. Retrieved 2007-12-06.
  8. ↑ "Silent Hill 4 Review". GamingTarget.com. Retrieved 2007-12-06.

External links