Kevin Glenz

Freelance translator (Japanese-English), writer, narrator, voice talent and DJ

Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, U.S., I entered Columbia University (New York) in 1994. I studied Japanese for two years at Columbia and took a two-month intensive course in Kanazawa, Japan on a grant from the Tamaki Foundation in 1997.

After graduating cum laude from Columbia in February 1998 with a major in East Asian Languages and Cultures, I moved to Tokyo. I taught English at schools, colleges and offices in and around Tokyo before joining LEC: Tokyo Legal Mind in 2001, where I served as the coordinator of the International Affairs Department. I passed the Japanese Proficiency Test, Level 1 (highest level) in 2003 and became a freelance translator later that year. Since then I have been involved in hundreds of projects, from websites and pamphlets to movies, anime and song lyrics.

I began working as a freelance narrator and voice actor shortly after arriving in Tokyo. My work has ranged from TV commercials and corporate videos to English textbooks and video games.

I have also worked as a DJ at venues such as Sugar High, Ruby Room, Club Pure and Loft Plus One. I have written entertainment and other features for the Mainichi Daily News and Asahi Herald Tribune. In addition to translation work, I have participated in marketing, product branding, copywriting, and many other projects.

I am currently residing in Shizuoka, Japan but make frequent trips to Tokyo for work and play (especially the cheap electronics shops in Akihabara).

Contact me here.