Seven Seas Entertainment has released a statement apologizing for the translation if the recent series I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl. The series began releasing in English just last month and was quickly criticized for its translation which seemingly changed the nuance of the plot.
According to fans, the series was written in Japanese to be a Boys’ Love romantic comedy. Mido Kenshiro, a guy with a hobby for applying make-up practices on his childhood friend Hiura making him look like a cute girl. This awakens a crossdressing hobby in Hiura who even starts going to school wearing a girl’s uniform.
Seven Seas Entertainment took the series and turned it from a Boys’ Love crossdressing manga, into a series where Hiura is a trans woman. While the series is still ongoing and the story does explore themes of gender expression, fans insist that Hiura still identifies as a man despite looking like a cute girl.
The new translation will be used in an upcoming reprinting of I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl volume one. The full statement from the English publisher can be read here.
In response to fan concerns, Seven Seas has thoroughly reviewed our English language translation of I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl Vol. 1. The subject matter in this book is delicate and we took every effort to keep the language respectful and inclusive. However, after discussing the matter with the rights holders, we realized that our edition differs in certain details from the author’s intent. With that in mind, we will be revising the English script of this series to address various concerns, and to more accurately reflect the original intent of the creator. This revised translation will be available in reprints of Vol. 1, and the translation for future volumes will be handled by a collaborative translation team to ensure a faithful and accurate translation of the original work. We’re sorry for any confusion or stress caused by our first printing of Vol. 1, and we thank you for your passion as we bring this complex and wonderful manga series to English audiences.
This isn’t the first time Seven Seas Entertainment has had to walk back a translation decision. The company admitted to “heavy-handed” localization of titles like Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation and had to apologize for removing cultural context from I’m in Love With the Villainess, a girls love manga where the company removed the protagonist’s introspective questioning of their own feelings.
Seven Seas Entertainment promises that the upcoming revision will be more “faithful and accurate” to the original work. For those looking for a series with actual trans representation, consider Hourou Musuko (Wandering Son).
