anime/jap question

[Benevolent_Ghaleon]

i was once again explaining why i watch my anime subbed. "the english voice actors don't seem to TRY at all. i sometimes wonder if they're paid for it."

now i have to ask....is it like that in japanese? if i understood the language would i think the voice acting was crappy?

[phyco126]

I've never had a problem with english subbed anime. I do, however, usually have a problem with the amerification of anime. AKA, editing on a genocidal scale.

[Scorpioeyez]

I was a sub fan for a long time but now I watch both equally and if I've already seen an anime, many times I end up choosing the dub. It's really just preference but I think the dub acting is usually much better than the Japanese.

[LuNaRtIc]

Okay, don't even get me started on voice acting, I love it and I LOVE voice actors even more. Don't ever attack the voice actors for their performance. 99% of the time, it's not up to the VA how they portray their character, it's up to the DIRECTOR. The director is responsible for telling the VAs how they should sound and how they should read their lines. The director is responsible for choosing which lines will be used in the show, the lines you hear and decide to hate.

But don't be entirely upset at the director either, because he is under the producer's watch, who is completely in charge of how the anime series is being brought to and shown in america. Thus, in turn, the producer is under close watch of the original Japanese directors/producers/creators over in Japan who are trying to make sure their product is successfully being introduced in other countries. Our producers and directors will often choose several VAs and send their audition tapes to the Japanese directors who have the final say in approving which VA gets to be what character.

Naruto is a great example of this, many of the American VAs were approved for the dubbed show by Hayato Date. And the "Believe it!" catchphrase that every Narutard loathes? It was a line the Japanese producers came up with, because they wanted Naruto to have a catchphrase in the English version. So you can see how stupid it is for Naruto fans to blame Maile Flanagan for Naruto's "Believe it!" when it was their precious Japanese producers who suggested the line in the first place.

I'm not saying all of our dubbed voice actors are incredibly talented and perfect at what they do. However, I get extremely angry when dub haters start blaming the voice actors saying ignorant things like "I hate so and so because they're terrible actors and suck as that character, the Japanese version rocks." When really, it isn't the voice actor's fault at all.

Whoo, yeah, only got slightly off topic here! ^^; And I'm not chewing anyone out, sorry if it seems that way. Just venting some pent up rage about dubbed VA bashing. Anyway, moral of the story? Please don't hate dubbed VAs, it's okay to not like like them, just don't hate them. If someone must be blamed, it's the director/producer. Go watch your anime in Japanese and let's leave it at that. xD

[Benevolent_Ghaleon]

i can't not hate it. i'm still curious about my question, though. i'm kinda lookin for a kiyzr reply.

[BattleMedic]

Okay, don't even get me started on voice acting, I love it and I LOVE voice actors even more. Don't ever attack the voice actors for their performance. 99% of the time, it's not up to the VA how they portray their character, it's up to the DIRECTOR. The director is responsible for telling the VAs how they should sound and how they should read their lines. The director is responsible for choosing which lines will be used in the show, the lines you hear and decide to hate.

But don't be entirely upset at the director either, because he is under the producer's watch, who is completely in charge of how the anime series is being brought to and shown in america. Thus, in turn, the producer is under close watch of the original Japanese directors/producers/creators over in Japan who are trying to make sure their product is successfully being introduced in other countries. Our producers and directors will often choose several VAs and send their audition tapes to the Japanese directors who have the final say in approving which VA gets to be what character.

Naruto is a great example of this, many of the American VAs were approved for the dubbed show by Hayato Date. And the "Believe it!" catchphrase that every Narutard loathes? It was a line the Japanese producers came up with, because they wanted Naruto to have a catchphrase in the English version. So you can see how stupid it is for Naruto fans to blame Maile Flanagan for Naruto's "Believe it!" when it was their precious Japanese producers who suggested the line in the first place.

I'm not saying all of our dubbed voice actors are incredibly talented and perfect at what they do. However, I get extremely angry when dub haters start blaming the voice actors saying ignorant things like "I hate so and so because they're terrible actors and suck as that character, the Japanese version rocks." When really, it isn't the voice actor's fault at all.

Whoo, yeah, only got slightly off topic here! ^^; And I'm not chewing anyone out, sorry if it seems that way. Just venting some pent up rage about dubbed VA bashing. Anyway, moral of the story? Please don't hate dubbed VAs, it's okay to not like like them, just don't hate them. If someone must be blamed, it's the director/producer. Go watch your anime in Japanese and let's leave it at that. xD

That couldn't have been said any better

[Benevolent_Ghaleon]

so what? who really cares WHY the english voice actors sound like they don't even try? the point is they ARE this way and it sucks. i'm fairly interested in learning japanese, and i'm HOPEFUL that if i DO learn it then i won't end up killing anime for myself in the process.

[phyco126]

Wow. Okay BG, take care, I'm gonna go hide in this bunker that was built for my friendship rings. I converted it to a "hide from angry LuNaRtIc" bunker.

[LuNaRtIc]

so what? who really cares WHY the english voice actors sound like they don't even try? the point is they ARE this way and it sucks.

Please don't make such a broad statement. You're making it out so that ALL English VAs are terrible. There are plenty of English VAs who are incredibly talented and easily best their Japanese counterpart. What makes a seiyuu so grand anyway that they can do no wrong? Please enlighten me, I'd love to know. And give me something better than, "they originated the role" or, "they speak Japanese" as I've received those half-assed answers in the past.

[Benevolent_Ghaleon]

the answer is that i want characters who at least sound like they'd like to keep their jobs. if my statement is broad, people can pick the english track and see if THEY can stomach it. voice actors aren't obligated to be perfect (free will lawl) but i'll still be an opinionated bastard towards their performances.

[LuNaRtIc]

Interesting, I wonder what voice actors you're listening to. What anime do you watch? More specifically, from which company? ADV, Geneon, Viz, BangZoom, Funimation, Bandai, 4kids, US Manga Corps, Media Blasters? I will say, if you're watching anime from 4kids, then I can understand where you're coming from. Their dubs are wretched. Disney is even worse, hiring celebrity names to sell the product instead of actually caring about voice talent. I can't watch Miyazaki films in English, I have to watch them in Japanese. Unless it's Princess Mononoke. Miramax at least picked some star names who had some talent.

[Benevolent_Ghaleon]

i never really paid attention to who makes what, but try watching love hina in english. holy crap.

edit: the english track of fruits basket is a step in the right direction. i can watch that and appleseed in english.

[exigence]

so what? who really cares WHY the english voice actors sound like they don't even try? the point is they ARE this way and it sucks.

Please don't make such a broad statement. You're making it out so that ALL English VAs are terrible. There are plenty of English VAs who are incredibly talented and easily best their Japanese counterpart.

that reminds me of the guy who does the voice for Jet in cowboy bebop, hes a good voice actor the problem is whenevr thay need an african american voice they always turn to him, i swear iv heard him in tons of dubed OVA's, it kinda grinds my gears hearing his voice everywhere.

[Benevolent_Ghaleon]

feels like there are about 7 people in the business doesn't it?

[Sonic#]

Interesting, I wonder what voice actors you're listening to. What anime do you watch? More specifically, from which company? ADV, Geneon, Viz, BangZoom, Funimation, Bandai, 4kids, US Manga Corps, Media Blasters? I will say, if you're watching anime from 4kids, then I can understand where you're coming from. Their dubs are wretched. Disney is even worse, hiring celebrity names to sell the product instead of actually caring about voice talent. I can't watch Miyazaki films in English, I have to watch them in Japanese. Unless it's Princess Mononoke. Miramax at least picked some star names who had some talent.

I've always been fine with English dubs of Miyazaki. Mononoke is the best, I agree, but I was always fine with Nausicaa, for example. I watch them in Japanese (and even French, in the case of Mononoke), and am pleased by different aspects of each dub.

And dubs are important when I've been chainmailing lately. I put an anime on, and I want to understand it without constantly keeping my eyes on the screen; otherwise I just watch the anime.

Of course, being satisfied with something doesn't make it phenomenal.

[Grey Fox]

I've noticed some companies that are responsible for the butchering of perfectly good dialog. One example is Nerima Daikon Brothers which was ported by ADV. My roommate and I decided to watch the show in Japanese and loved it. I thought it was absolutely perfect. That's when we decided to watch the show in English.

We got through half of the first episode before finally giving up. It was pretty unwatchable and not very funny anymore. The lines chosen to say were terrible and the voices chosen for the characters were not that good either. It's perhaps because I watched it at first in Japanese and was trying to associate the Japanese voices with the English voices but it wasn't happening.

In the dialog there was added a curse word almost every five minutes. One which was stuck in unnecessarily. Many times I found myself switching between the English and Japanese dialog for the songs to see if the original translation would fit if sung in English. Many times, this was so. A line such as "Gonna live a hell of a dream to-day" that is sung in the shows opening theme song, could've very well been replaced with what was originally sung "A dream so endless no one follows it" or something to the effect of what was translated. Many other lines such as "He's eating my crops in my field!" were replaced with "That bastard is eating my field!"

It seemed to me that they simply stuck in swear words for the sake of doing so and trying to appeal to people by doing so. Also, the voice work done for the character lead was done so with a very terrible Southern accent. The joke there being the character is from "Okayama" district of Japan, which are known for being kind of like the south in their dialect. This only shows up a few times in the anime, therefor making the accent quite useless and very annoying after a period of time.

This is not the fault of the VA so much as I find it the fault of whoever translates it and writes it out. Sometimes they don't think that maybe the dialog would be better without all of the unnecessary cursing and also the jokes that don't fit with the situation. I've found ADV the biggest culprit of this most of the time, however that's not to say others are not at fault.

But then again, there are many dubs that I enjoy, and that I think are very well done. Cowboy Bebop is one of them, I also think the Trigun dub but only because not much was changed between the dub and the translation. I've not seen many dubs due to my lack of money and there for have a preference for subbed anime because of my financial bind, but either one works with me as long as it's translated well enough.

That is all...

(Christ this is a big post...)

[Dark_Fairy]

To me, it doesn't matter if its in English or Japanese. There are a few exceptions though. If I don't like the English voices as well as the Japanese voices, then I'll listen to it in Japanese. I've always kind of been that way though. I remember my sis used to NEVER watch anything in English because she like subs better. Now my sis doesn't even like anime in general. She's still a huge game-a-holic, and has even more games than me and I have A LOT.

The only dubbing company I have issues with is 4kids. Do I even need to go into as of why I have issues?

[Guild_Premier_Ghaleon]

Three words to redeem english voice actors... Johnny Yong Bosch. Not ONLY is he one of the greatest english voice actors ever, along with the Ayres family, but he was a former POWER RANGER! Know what that means? He kicks ass both in real life, and in the anime!

[Benevolent_Ghaleon]

can somebody that understands japanese and watches anime come in here and elaborate on if the japanese voice actors do or don't sound bad?

[Grey Fox]

can somebody that understands japanese and watches anime come in here and elaborate on if the japanese voice actors do or don't sound bad?

I think the question you're asking isn't easy. Mostly due to the fact that when they record voices for a show and you hear that voice enough, you associate it with the character. Therefor, asking if the characters voice in Japanese is bad isn't going to be judged well because that's the voice of the character. It's not a matter of understanding, but how the character is. If his personality seems cheery and the actor is very low and monotone then it probably isn't a good match unless that was intended.

You can do the same comparison by watching American cartoons and asking yourself the same question really. "Do these people sound good or bad?" It'd be the same result. The answer is going to be how you see the character portrayed. Voice Actors and their directors always look for the people who sound the closest to the characters personality/age/body type. It's a process of listening to hundreds of people over time and finally saying "they'd be perfect!"

I'm sure in anime just as there are in American cartoons that there are times that they go "well, the voices don't really fit the character." But it's the same thing for cartoons made here. There is no real difference of process other than when the voice recordings occur as opposed to when the animation process begins.