Dubs vs Subs

Fudce said:
unellmay said:
3 beck
okay maybe I just somewhat byast too disliking dubs where the completely murder the original script and just make their own stuff up
I just like it to be as accurate as possible
(could have made them French for all I care at least it would be somewhat accurate)
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I don't recall them making things up in Beck, could you give me an example of what sort of fabrication you are talking about?
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There was actually quite a few but the one I remember best was
there's a scene where koyuki in like a bar with maho and her friends
and he ends up walking off
and in the english dub he says something like

"is money all girls think about?"
but in the the original he says
"They should teach English better at school!!"

I get why they did it but it doesn't stop it from annoying the hell out of me
in my eyes is pretty much a worthless dub as you might as well be watching a different show altogether
 
Rather hot topic this, as per usual...

Personally, I prefer/watch the english dub 99% of the time, with exceptions. These exceptions being:

Naruto: Because I started watching it in Japanese from the get-go and they are so far ahead. Although the English dub is actually a bit better, voice-wise. Bar choji....

Bleach: Same as Naruto.

Zenki: Which I did watch in English, but in heinsight, should have switched over early on.

The Law of Ueki: Which I am currently watching and simply has a generally CRAP English dub.


On a different note, both lanuages have their problems, in my opionion, japanese dubs are often too high-pitches and can be quite hard on the ears. But on the English side, there is the increasingly annoying fact that I am starting to think American pronounciations of words are correct, which is REALLY pissing me off...

Most English dubs by Funimation and ADV are excellent, as far as I have come across anyways. Other companies are pick and mix really, although viz normally do quite a good job...
 
CitizenGeek said:
Ugh, why is anyone seriously entertaining the postings of unellmay?
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I dunno man, it's sort of hard to take him seriously bashing on English dubs when he barely has any form of mastery with the English language in text format. Plus he's like you, he won't back down!

Also, I just got done watching Black Lagoon dubbed, I'm surprised so many liked it despite the not so familiar VAs, aside from Brad Swaile. Was it because it was basically a Manga Ent. dub with so much "******* BITCH, I'M GONNA KILL THAT ****" Either way, it was pretty win.
 
Hating dubs means hating the Cyber City Oedo 808 dub.

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For shame. Also, the butthurt being displayed by unellmay is making me laugh.
 
unellmay said:
I love naruto and death note but yes I sometimes try and avoid things that are popular
but doesn't everyone?
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People who knows what they like? I choose what I watch, listen or read based on what I like, I do take recommendation and listen to others I know that have similar tastes.

Lupus said:
....ME, ME, ME. ..BAM.
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Ban you? well, if you really want me to... =P


Native english speakers are not used to subs and dubs. (Peroid)
Where I grew up, we had a guy who was "Bruce Willis voice", another for Stalone, Sarah Michelle Gellar, All the "Friends" and so on and on...

I'm pretty sure the japanese used to dub Holywood movies before airing anything on TV.
As I've mentioned before - all anime is dubbed either in japanese or english. With regards to losing something in translation, people are speaking as if they have the cultural knowledge and mastery of the language to understand the subtlety in it.

The most obvious of things such as -dono, -san, -kun, -chan most anime fans get already, but what about puns? I've been studying english for way over than ten years and I still miss a lot of them. For a culture as full of subtleness as the japanese, it amazes me the fact you get them. If I'm not mistaken, in Watanuki's name from xxxHolics is a pun in itself. An awful lot of names in animes are puns.

Ok, I'm digressing now. My point is the same as many others already expressed. I watch what I like most. You won't change that. You can like whatever you want as well. I can't change that.

Let's agree to disagree?
 
Lupus said:
Also, I just got done watching Black Lagoon dubbed, I'm surprised so many liked it despite the not so familiar VAs, aside from Brad Swaile. Was it because it was basically a Manga Ent. dub with so much "******* BITCH, I'M GONNA KILL THAT ****" Either way, it was pretty win.
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It could well be though that a lot of not so familiar VA's are better than a lot of the regulars because they aren't such big OOOverAAActors! And, it has to be said, this is especially true for a lot of female English VA's (Hyper-OTT-I-don't-actually-know-the-meaning-of-the-word-"acting"-voice-go!) which I think is where Black Lagoon excels. Several talented female VA's who captured the feel of the characters dead-on. Despite the content it was actually a far more understated dub than many shows which are nowhere near Black Lagoon's OTT style.
 
I dunno, it seems to me that Japanese VAs are just as liable to overact. Having said that, I do particularly enjoy dubs of anime with low-key dialogue (Stand Alone Complex, Le Chevalier d'Eon, Patlabor WXIII). It's when the material doesn't call for histrionics that English VAs excel.
 
chaos said:
The most obvious of things such as -dono, -san, -kun, -chan most anime fans get already, but what about puns? I've been studying english for way over than ten years and I still miss a lot of them. For a culture as full of subtleness as the japanese, it amazes me the fact you get them. If I'm not mistaken, in Watanuki's name from xxxHolics is a pun in itself. An awful lot of names in animes are puns.
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The subject of honourifics in dubs is a contentious one, with as many people wanting them as not wanting them. My own personal opinion is that I don't mind them, as long as they fit the series and are consistant. Using honourifics in Negima would be find, since it is generally a formal setting. Using honourifics in the dub for Kaleido Star on the other hand wouldn't be as fitting, given that the anime takes place in America. There is an argument for using them ony for the Japanese characters, but that would feel inconsistent.

On the subject of puns, wordplay, and cultural references, it all depends on the complexity and nature of the joke, and the flow and feel of the series. If it is a series aimed at younger people (low-teens and below) then using Japanese wordplay might not be the best idea, but for other series they are fair game within reason. If the pun doesn't need explaining, or can be explained with a very quick cultural note then it's good, but if it needs a huge explaination over exactly why something is funny, then it clearly needs changing. Jokes are only funny when they make sense after all.
 
fabricatedlunatic said:
I dunno, it seems to me that Japanese VAs are just as liable to overact. Having said that, I do particularly enjoy dubs of anime with low-key dialogue (Stand Alone Complex, Le Chevalier d'Eon, Patlabor WXIII). It's when the material doesn't call for histrionics that English VAs excel.
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I think it's more about emphasis though... Japanese speakers seem to overact a little even IRL (if that's the right way to put it) but quite a few English VA's seem to sound unnatural compared to the way we (or even Americans) actually speak. It's the mark of a good actor, surely, to make it sound as close to reality as possible?
 
I agree that many dubs don't sound terribly natural. Often it's a case of the director requiring that the actors adhere too rigidly to lip movements, which can necessitate the inclusion of extraneous words at the end of sentences. Sometimes they enunciate too clearly. Neither of those sounds natural but I do think it depends on the director.

Regarding the "real life" point, a lot of anime characters are exaggerated stereotypes; they're not the sort of people you'd encounter in "real life". This, I think, is the reason my favourite dubs tend to be those with low key performances rather than, say, wacky high school comedy. The more believeable the character, the easier it must be to make them sound "natural".
 
Lupus said:
CitizenGeek said:
Ugh, why is anyone seriously entertaining the postings of unellmay?
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I dunno man, it's sort of hard to take him seriously bashing on English dubs when he barely has any form of mastery with the English language in text format. Plus he's like you, he won't back down!
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Unlike Citizengeek, Unellmay can't string together a sentence without misspelling anything nor explaining anything in the most ambiguous explanation ever.. Actually, it's pretty much sad =/
 
Damn. It's irritating to see some of your former self every time I read a forum post by this guy. Ue-something. I like both dubs and subs, depending on where I'm watching and how convinient either one was. I literally laughed out loud when (s)he said (s)he'll stick to Evangelion, instead of Bleach and Naruto.

Also, a basic rule for me is: FUNi = Good. Viz, Bandai and everyone else = not as good. They just seem like they are there for the sake of being there. Generic anime voices (not that FUNi are Gods)

Beck's dub was amazing. Indeed, FUNi changed some lyrics occasionally, but it was fine as.

"is money all girls think about?"
but in the the original he says
"They should teach English better at school!!"
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Found this quite funny.



OH MY GOD, NARUTO DIDN'T SAY DATTEBAYO-BAYO.
 
Jayme said:
Also, a basic rule for me is: FUNi = Good. Viz, Bandai and everyone else = not as good. They just seem like they are their for the sake of being there. Generic anime voices (not that FUNi are Gods)
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Funimation is a mixed bag for me. Their dubs are consistantly high quality, but they have settled into an all too familiar rhythm of recent times. They frequently use the same names in major roles, and I'd rather they mix it up a bit more.

As for other studios, not all is bad if you know what you're looking for. Anything from NGP is usually good, Studiopolis produce average dubs. Bang Zoom depends on the voice cast and director. If you have a dub from Headline or NYAV you have a fresh sounding dub with minor flaws. Ocean Studios in Vancouver tend to produce decent dubs, but sometimes produce a lemon. Blue Water in Calgary (also part of Ocean) is very eratic in quality, but can produce some good dubs.

Back when ADV was producing dubs, they highly depended on directors. Good dubs tended to come from Steven Foster (serious titles only), Matt Greenfield, and Jin Ho Chung.
 
Respect to the dub fans who stand their ground and resist the barbs. This is writhing completely off topic and back again and covering some interesting ground now the usual points have all been made.

Even though I dislike watching dubs, I have to say I'm becoming a dedicated fan of a dub actress - Mary Elizabeth McGlynn - through her singing in Silent Hill. I think her voice is fantastic. So there's definitely some solid talent out there if even a pretty anti-dub person like me can notice it.

Perhaps I'll hear her in an anime/game one day too.

R
 
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