British dubs - let's make it happen.

I just dislike the loss of the detail through the translation, if you can use full equivalents that's fine but not always possible (especialy if a larger range of formal to informal is used). Some things handle it well, but only in more normal settings (schools are ok so long as no one starts getting adressed with -sama).
Had no objections to Azumanga Daioh. I sure as hell do to the Negima!? dub, try to translate Negi bozu not as just Negi.
Try to deal with anything super formal and in English you're screwed if you have to deal with multiple formal honourifics (after master/mistress and his/her lordship/ladyship)
 
There is no need for loss of detail. English is a fully descriptive language, there are plenty of ways of communicating relationships between people without using direct honorifics, *especially* in speech. There would only be a loss of detail in people's lack of comprehension without having things spelled out for them so discretely.
 
Kirrimir said:
Dubs? No thanks. Try watching JAPANESE ANIME, in JAPANESE. You know the way it's meant to be watched.
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Lol

Consider this:

When a Japanese person watches anime in Japan in Japanese, they are watching it dubbed in a language they understand, and anime are made with this intention.

THEREFORE...

The way it is meant to be watched is dubbed in the native language of the viewer, not read from subtitles.

Argue that point, Kerry. :p
 
Well, and I'm playing devil's advocate here because I like watching anime in both languages, it could be argued that unlike the Japanese, we're watching a foreign product. I do think that some of that unique flavour is lost when watching in English, and even more would be if I had to listen to comical regional accents!
 
Rui said:
... though my first name isn't very unusual.
...
* My name is not Emma.
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Amelia?

I'm slowly uncovering the secret about AUKN's regulars... For Paul, I at least knew his real name! But I'll stop it. It's getting old and I guess I'll have to wait until August. I'll make sure I'll ask every white women in Comiket if they are you. =)

On topic:
Reaper gI said:
I just dislike the loss of the detail through the translation, if you can use full equivalents that's fine but not always possible (especialy if a larger range of formal to informal is used). Some things handle it well, but only in more normal settings (schools are ok so long as no one starts getting adressed with -sama).
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But then, wouldn't this imply in the need to master the japanese idiom as well as it's customs?
I can't find the link to the fail subs, but there was this image around the net that showed different fansubs and their translations for the same line. They were all utterly different and quite a few of them made no sense at all.

Also, being fluent in a couple languages, sometimes I compare subtitles with what is actually being said and 'surprise!', more often then not the subs don't match what's being said literally or not even in meaning!
Oh, and don't get me started in words that simply doesn't exist in the other language....

I think there is a reason why translation is a degree in arts, not science.
 
Mutsumi said:
Argue that point, Kerry. :p
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Consider this:

When a Japanese person watches anime in Japan in Japanese, they are watching it dubbed in a language they understand, and anime are made with this intention.

THEREFORE...

The way it is meant to be watched is dubbed in Japanese.
 
I normally watch Anime in Japanese due to bad dubbed voice work, but there are a few series that I liked the English-language dub and therefore watch it dubbed. Cowboy Bebop was mentioned earlier in the thread, that's one of the ones I listen to dubbed.

As for a British dub of something... pfft. It would depend on the series and the voice talent more than where they come from.
 
ilmaestro said:
When a Japanese person watches anime in Japan in Japanese, they are watching it dubbed in a language they understand, and anime are made with this intention.

THEREFORE...

The way it is meant to be watched is dubbed in Japanese.
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Your statement doesn't follow at all. If the Japanese are watching it dubbed in a language they understand, then the case would be stronger for international viewers to also watch the show in a language they understand, thus getting equal satisfaction. Moreover, if your statement were correct, it wouldn't at all support the case for subs, which also come through a translator - it would rather mean international viewers should learn fluent Japanese so they can understand the nuances in the same way the original audience does.

Nor do I agree with Mutsumi that there should be no subs. I believe there should be a choice. My preference for subs has to do with there being far fewer high-quality English-language dubs than Japanese dubs. I find terrible acting detracts from the experience more than reading subtitles. THEREFORE I might as well stick to the sub until I hear from external sources that the dub is also worth following.

PS. Anyone remember Meier Link from VHD: Bloodlust? Now THAT was spectacular British voice acting.
 
VivisQueen said:
ilmaestro said:
When a Japanese person watches anime in Japan in Japanese, they are watching it dubbed in a language they understand, and anime are made with this intention.

THEREFORE...

The way it is meant to be watched is dubbed in Japanese.
Click to expand...

Your statement doesn't follow at all. If the Japanese are watching it dubbed in a language they understand, then the case would be stronger for international viewers to also watch the show in a language they understand, thus getting equal satisfaction. Moreover, if your statement were correct, it wouldn't at all support the case for subs, which also come through a translator - it would rather mean international viewers should learn fluent Japanese so they can understand the nuances in the same way the original audience does.

Nor do I agree with Mutsumi that there should be no subs. I believe there should be a choice. My preference for subs has to do with there being far fewer high-quality English-language dubs than Japanese dubs. I find terrible acting detracts from the experience more than reading subtitles. THEREFORE I might as well stick to the sub until I hear from external sources that the dub is also worth following.

PS. Anyone remember Meier Link from VHD: Bloodlust? Now THAT was spectacular British voice acting.
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Totally agree, if all dubs were great, I'd watch dubs, but for a great deal of titles I think the japanese dubs capture the essence of the characters more, and especially in comedy anime, the timing is a heckuva lot better.

However it can come down to just personal preference. I love Miyano Mamoru, but I still prefer the Death Note dub to sub, however, while Ouran has a perfectly good dub, I think the sub is infinitely better.
 
VivisQueen said:
ilmaestro said:
When a Japanese person watches anime in Japan in Japanese, they are watching it dubbed in a language they understand, and anime are made with this intention.

THEREFORE...

The way it is meant to be watched is dubbed in Japanese.
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Your statement doesn't follow at all.
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It wasn't really meant to, I was joking with Mutsumi in a "let's word things how we want them to sound" kind of way. If you would like to make it more coherent, you could change the ending from "Japanese" to "a language that the original intended audience understands" or somesuch.

As to your other point though, I do watch my anime unsubbed in Japanese and have no particular "subs are ace" axe to grind, so I might be a little biased there. ^^;

I do avoid checking out English dubs for partially the same reason you mentioned - it's not the "percentage" play - but also because I don't really have any desire to watch something not in its original language, whether that's Japanese, Korean, French, whatever.
 
Ignoring all the **** that comes with a thread entitled "dubs"
there is some pretty decent ones out there, and all due seriousness Dragon Quest 8 was not only the first to be dubbed but was dubbed by British actors too.
Though when you say British dubs in Anime...hmmm I'm not sure it'll hit off as well, I heard there was often people dubbing it in "mockney" or some horrid quick speech like in DBZ.
There was a movie, though I've forgotten the name, from MangaEnt that had an American and English dub to it.
All an all it could only work as a comedy, and 9/10ths of that would be re-scripted at best
 
VivisQueen said:
Nor do I agree with Mutsumi that there should be no subs. I believe there should be a choice.
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Never did I say there should be no subs. :p Personally I do not generally prefer one over the other, but on a show by show basis I will prefer either the dub or the sub, depending on the show. Really that is the only way to judge it fairly, because you cannot generalise (without looking a complete prat) that all English language dubs are bad. Death Note dub is awesome, for instance.
 
If I were a better person, I'd be able to listen to both languages and choose which one is more pleasing to the ears, but because I'm such a failure I tend to always go for the sub. There's been a couple of exceptions and I can easily handle watching anime dubbed, especially when its with friends or on TV but if I have a choice, I go subbed before I've even heard anything. Yep.
 
Jayme said:
If I were a better person, I'd be able to listen to both languages and choose which one is more pleasing to the ears, but because I'm such a failure I tend to always go for the sub.
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I don't even have time to watch all the series I want to watch *once*, never mind twice. Yours is the sensible position.
 
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