Liu Wan-lai (; born 1929, died 17 February 2016) was a Japanese–Chinese

translator Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''transla ...

active in

Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northe ...

during the martial law period (1949–1987). He translated

genre literature Genre fiction, also known as popular fiction, is a term used in the book-trade for fictional works written with the intent of fitting into a specific literary genre, in order to appeal to readers and fans already familiar with that genre. A numb ...

, hobby literature (particularly on trains and trams), and

manga Manga ( Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is use ...

series including ''

Galaxy Express 999 is a Japanese manga series. It is written and illustrated by Leiji Matsumoto, later adapted into a number of anime films and television series. It is set in a spacefaring, high-tech future in which humans have learned how to transfer ...

'' and ''

Space Battleship Yamato is a Japanese science fiction anime series produced and written by Yoshinobu Nishizaki, directed by manga artist Leiji Matsumoto, and produced by Academy Productions. The series aired in Yomiuri TV from October 6, 1974 to March 30, 1975, ...

''. The popularity of his translations led to him being described as "a legend" and "a literary demigod".Wu Po-hsuan and Jonathan Chin
Translator, teacher Liu Wan-lai dies
''

Taipei Times The ''Taipei Times'' is the only printed daily English-language newspaper in Taiwan, and the third established there. Online competitors include the state-owned '' Focus Taiwan'' and '' Taiwan News''; '' The China Post'' was formerly a compe ...

'', March 2, 2016. Accessed 4 March 2016. Liu studied at Chiayi Agricultural and Forestry Vocational High School. He translated, and taught Japanese, alongside a day job as an elementary school teacher in

Dalin, Chiayi Dalin Township () is an urban township in Chiayi County, Taiwan. To the east is Meishan, to the south Minxiong and to the north Yunlin County. Dalin TzuChi General Hospital (大林慈濟醫院) is located here. History The township was former ...

. Many of his translations were commissioned by the Dashan Bookstore in

Tainan Tainan (), officially Tainan City, is a special municipality in southern Taiwan facing the Taiwan Strait on its western coast. Tainan is the oldest city on the island and also commonly known as the "Capital City" for its over 200 years of hi ...

. In 2015 he published an autobiography.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Liu, Wan-lai 2016 deaths People from Chiayi County Taiwanese translators Japanese–Chinese translators 1929 births Taiwanese schoolteachers 20th-century Taiwanese writers 20th-century Taiwanese educators 20th-century translators