Date: Fri, 07 Mar 1997 18:25:38 -0800
From: ------------------
To: jay_scott_raymond@charter.net
Subject: Dubs
I read your anime watch column 13 just now. I know, there are people in
rec.arts.anime who should loosen their underwear and all, but surely you
must have just a small complaint about the voice acting on english dubs.
When compare sub vs. dub I see a definite downgrade in quality. Take
Record of Lodoss War for instance. Deedlit is portrayed in the original
as an intelligent and very spiritual woman. In the dub, she is a
cheerleader. It is an experience likened to William Shatner's rendition
of "Tambourine man". Sure, I want anime to be popular, but why can't
these American companies leave bloody well enough alone? Now I'm seeing
changes in the script and soundtrack. I don't about you, Jay, but I think
this sucks!
My Response:
At 06:25 PM 3/7/97 -0800, you wrote:
>surely you must have just a small complaint about the voice acting
on english dubs.
>When compare sub vs. dub I see a definite downgrade in quality.
Take
>Record of Lodoss War for instance.
It depends on who is doing the dubbing. Overall, I have had few
complaints about Pioneer's dubs. AD Vision also seems to do fairly well.
I haven't seen or heard the Lodoss dub.
>Now I'm seeing
>changes in the script and soundtrack.
Manga Video is the only one I've heard of completely replacing the
soundtrack with something completely different (as opposed to doing
translated versions of the songs, as Pioneer does). They seem to be
trying for Streamline's old place as the Anime company to hate.
As for changes in the script, it depends on what you mean. No English
rendition of Anime, subbed or dubbed, is going to use a literal
translation of the Japanese script. It just wouldn't make sense. Even a
sub-title script has to be massaged from the raw translation to make
sense to the English speaker. In a dub, it has to be massaged further for
lip-synch purposes.
The most ubiquitous dubbing sin I'm seeing these days is the additional
dialogue where there was none before. Even Pioneer has been guilty of
this. It's as if all those who do English dubbing feel that American
audiences can't deal with moments of dramatic silence.
Thanx for reading my column. Hope you got a chance to read my other
columns and reviews as well.
This was apparently written in response to Anime Watch
#13
Date: Sun, 07 Jul 1996 14:46:44 -0500
From:------------------------------
To: jay_scott_raymond@charter.net
Subject: Otakus and dubs
Jay,
Amusing editorial on super-Otakus. I would like to point out, however,
that many of us prefer subs over dubs for two legitimate reasons. First,
the Japanese voice actors are usually better than the American voice
actors. Second, as with foreign films, the original language is still
part of the film and listening to the original language is part of the
"experience."
I checked over a couple of your reviews, and I was puzzled by your
description of BubbleGum Crisis. Who is Rally Cheyenne and what happened
to Sylia Stingray?
My Response:
At 02:46 PM 7/7/96 -0500, you wrote:
>Jay,
> Amusing editorial on super-Otakus.
Thanx
>many of us prefer subs over dubs for two legitimate reasons.
I have nothing against preferring subs over dubs, my rant was against
those who take the attitude that those who like dubs aren't "true" anime
fans.
>First, the Japanese voice actors are usually better than the
>American voice actors.
Agreed.
> Second, as with foreign films, the original
>language is still part of the film and listening to the
original
>language is part of the "experience."
Agreed again, but "as with foreign films"? Anime ARE foreign
films.
BTW, have you checked out any of Animeigo's "Samurai Cinema" films?
They're pretty good. "Lone Wolf and Cub" rules.
> I checked over a couple of your reviews, and I was puzzled by
your
>description of BubbleGum Crisis. Who is Rally Cheyenne and
what
>happened to Sylia Stingray?
That is what is known as a "brain-fart". That review was written back in
the print version of Anime Watch (#1-6). When I went to the web I just
converted the stuff to HTML and didn't really do any proof reading. The
only thing I can think of is that I must have been thinking about "Riding
Bean" at the time. Since "Gunsmith Cats" didn't exist then, Bean would be
the only place I can think of having a character named "Rally Cheyenne".
Thanx for pointing it out. The problem has been corrected.
This was apparently written in response to Anime Watch #11 or
#13 and a Usenet posting.
From:---------------------------------
Sent: Sunday, March 09, 1997 5:55 AM
To: jay_scott_raymond@charter.net
Subject: Re: I am sick and tired of the utter crap on this NG
Checked out your page. As to "Crest of Gude"(the fansub I have calls it
"Emblem of Gude") it's essentially "Dirty Pair" with magic instead of
guns, and not quite as funny. It's an okayish anime, but not something
you'd really want to pay A.D. Vision prices for. Rental, or buy on
markdown if that.
Maintained By: Jay Scott Raymond