Carley Garcia

Carley Garcia began learning Japanese at the age of six, and the rest is history. In May 2020, she joined the Otaquest team, specializing in lesser-known aspects of Japanese pop culture, rambling about retro games, forgotten anime series, and Tokyo’s indie musicians in her first official paid gig as a staff writer. Since then, she’s continued sharing her love for gaming and honing her writing skills by contributing hundreds of articles to sites such as Siliconera and Gameranx.

Utterly obsessed with gaming, anime, and manga for the past 25 years, Carley grew up in Dunedin, Florida. Attending Florida State University, she graduated with a degree in Japanese in 2012 and immediately moved to Kashiwazaki, Japan as a JET Program participant. Realizing quickly that teaching small children was a much too harrowing experience for her introverted self, she moved to Tokyo in 2013, working as an editor and translator for a financial company in Ginza and wearing a suit every day like a grown-up.

Eventually, Carley remembered that she was engaged. She moved back to the states to marry that neat guy in 2015. Since then, she and her husband have lived in South Carolina, Oregon, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Iowa. She returns to Japan as often as humanly possible.

During her decade-long career as a translator, Carley has worked on everything from manga to medical dictionaries, with the former being much more enjoyable. Her first “I made it” moment came when she worked alongside Emmy Award-winning director Leo Eaton on the documentary series Sacred Journeys. She translated a number of high-profile interviews for the 2020 Otaquest CONNECT online event, including those from famed composer Yoko Kanno, voice actor Mamoru Miyano, and SEGA’s Toshihiro Nagoshi.

Carley spends her free time gaming with her husband, scoping out breweries and wineries, writing self-indulgent fanfiction, and doing freelance translations for fun. Her favorite food is foie gras and her favorite drink is scotch.

She prefers lore-heavy RPGs and walking sims and has played Dragon Age: Inquisition 13 times. Her favorite Final Fantasy title is all of them.



Persona 5 Royal: Complete Mini Game Guide
Stealing hearts and studying might keep you busy in Persona 5 Royal, but taking a break to play some Mini Games can net you some big rewards.
Barret Wallace is a playable character in Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VII Remake. Using a gun-arm, he's a powerful tank.
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Persona 5 Royal: Complete Crossword Puzzle Guide
Persona 5 Royal is packed with minigames, and doing a quick crossword puzzle from time to time can help boost your Knowledge stat.
Persona 5 Royal: How to Get All Room Decorations
You can collect all kinds of neat goodies to decorate your room in Persona 5 Royal by spending quality time with your friends.
The Impact of Weather in Persona 5 Royal
The daily weather conditions in Persona 5 Royal shouldn't be ignored, as this passive system can lead to stat bonuses, rare drops, and more.
Final Fantasy VII: Where to Find the Lunar Harp
The Lunar Harp is a key item in Final Fantasy VII, allowing players to progress through the Sleeping Forest near the Bone Village.
How to Fish in Stardew Valley
Fishing in Stardew Valley is a vital skill, both useful for earning serious cash and for completing a number of Community Center bundles.
Stardew Valley: Complete Greenhouse Guide
Repairing the greenhouse in Stardew Valley is a must, making it easy to keep cash flowing and keep things growing during the Winter.
Persona 5 Royal: Confidant Gift Guide
Giving the correct gifts to each of your friends in Persona 5 Royal is a quick and easy way to get closer to the next confidant rank.
Stardew Valley: How to Make Pale Ale
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Do Trees Grow in the Winter in Stardew Valley?
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Is Stardew Valley Cross-Platform?
Stardew Valley has been a fan-favorite for almost seven years, but those wanting to play with friends will need to be careful.
Final Fantasy XIII: How to Upgrade Equipment
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Stardew Valley: Complete Secret Notes Guide
Players can find 25 Secret Notes hidden around the world of Stardew Valley and these collectables contain some seriously useful information.
Final Fantasy XIII: All Roles Explained
Final Fantasy XIII introduced the Command Synergy Battle system, and choosing the right roles for your party is the key to victory.
Video Gaming Terms, Words, and Lingo You Should Know
The gaming world is filled to the brim with special terminology and ever-evolving slang, and understanding these common phrases are a must.
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Final Fantasy XIII: What a 5-star Rating Means in Battle
In Final Fantasy XIII, players are given a star rating after each battle ranging from 0 to 5. Why is it so important to aim for a high score?
Persona 4 Golden: Complete Classroom Answers Guide
Players in Persona 4 Golden are often called on in class and these general knowledge questions can prove to be a little on the tricky side.
The 30 Best Anime Series of the 90s
The 90s gave birth to some of the most iconic and inspiring series in anime, ranging from action-packed fantasy to heart-pounding romance.
The 16 Most Kawaii Anime Series
Kawaii culture has swept the world over the past few decades, and Japanese-style cuteness commonly appears in popular anime series.
Stardew Valley: Where to Find the Flower Dance
The Flower Dance in Stardew Valley allows romance-minded players to get even closer to their special someone during the spring season.
What are Easter Eggs in Video Games?
Easter eggs are a legendary part of the gaming experience, but what does the phrase mean and how can you uncover them?
Cyberpunk 2077: How to Get Rebecca’s Shotgun
The Edgerunners Update for Cyberpunk 2077 added Rebecca's flashy pastel shotgun from the popular Netflix anime series.
Final Fantasy XIV: How to Catch a Twinklefleece in Island Sanctuary
The Twinklefleece is one of the most rare creatures in Final Fantasy XIV's Island Sanctuary, requiring specific conditions to appear.
Final Fantasy XIV: How to Catch a Glyptodon in Island Sanctuary
The Island Sanctuary in Final Fantasy XIV is home to plenty of rare beasts. The mighty Glyptodon only appears during a certain time of day.
Final Fantasy XIV: How to Catch an Apkallu of Paradise in Island Sanctuary
The Island Sanctuary in Final Fantasy XIV allows players to catch unique animals. The Apkallu of Paradise is one of the more rare creatures.
Final Fantasy XIV: How to Get the Allegiance Coat
The Allegiance Coat is one of the sleekest glams to come out of the Endwalker expansion for Final Fantasy XIV, but how can you snag it?
An AI Interview: Mario on Family, Love, and Adventure
Have you ever dreamed of having a conversation with your favorite video game character? We have, too. So we did. Here's our conversation with Mario.