> Just translate the thing.

But which thing? Language transmits information, intent, tone, sound and many other layers. Usually, there is no way to transport all of it to the target language, and the translator must choose what to sacrifice.

Japanese prose doesn't intend to be boring, and its target audience isn't bored by it. If you translate it in a way that sounds boring to an English audience, you aren't maintaining the intent of the author.

The famous example is Tina from FF6, a name exotic and exciting for a Japanese audience, but commonplace and boring for Westerners. Keeping such a word means missing its point.