A translator of Japanese manga reflects on ADHD and his love for comics

From the first moment Paul Starr saw the Japanese anime series Robotech (aka Macross), he was hooked. But did it have something to do with his ADHD? He’d never been motivated about anything before, but now he threw himself into learning Japanese so he could read comics.

One thing led to another, and eventually Paul started to work as a translator for Japanese manga and novels. But it took an embarrassing event at work — falling asleep at his desk — to make him realize that to follow his career dream, he needed to come to terms with ADHD. 

Hear from Paul about the pros and cons of working as a translator and having an all-consuming passion. And get Paul’s recommendations for comics and manga with story lines that showcase neurodiversity.

To find a transcript for this episode and more resources, visit the episode page at Understood. 

We love hearing from our listeners. Email us at thatjob@understood.org. 

Related resources

• Watch a video about an illustrator with dyslexia.
• Watch Dav Pilkey, creator of Captain Underpants, talk about growing up with ADHD and dyslexia.

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