Subs vs. Dubs?

Because I got into Anime by watching an American show (Avatar: TLA) on Netflix, the next Animes I watched were Netflix recommendations. Now, most Anime on Netflix is dubbed, with a few exceptions. I started with Jigoku Shoujo (Hell Girl), which just so happened to be dubbed. Netflix only had the first season, though, so when I went online to watch the following shows, I had to watch the third season subbed. Because I'd gotten used to watching it dubbed, this annoyed me; the voices were different, the translation was different, and I couldn't multi-task, as I had to sit there the whole time and read the subtitles. It wasn't until much later that I learned to like subs better, when I got into Naruto Shippuden, and dubs were no longer available.

[Note: By the way, I always hated Naruto's American voice - I thought she was way to gravelly. I like Junko Takeuchi much better. But I liked Might Gai's and Rock Lee's voices better dubbed; they were so funny.]

As it is now, I can't stand dubs. I feel like sometimes something is lost in translation with dubs. But the thing that bothers me most is the pronunciation. You'd think there would be a language coach teaching these people how to pronounce Japanese words correctly, but I guess not, as they're allowed to butcher words to their hearts' content, apparently. The only dubs I don't really mind are the ones with few Japanese words in them to begin with, like Canaan or Kuroshitsuji (Black Butler), or ones that actually take the time to teach their actors to pronounce things the right way, like FLCL.

[Note: I actually love J. Michael Tatum's Sebastian in Kuroshistuji, but he's the only American voice I thought did any good in that dub, mostly because he can actually do a British accent.]

Recently, after watching Kuroshitsuji dubbed on Netflix, I thought, "Well, maybe dubs aren't quite as bad as I thought..." and tried to watch D Gray-man... which I thought was a little ridiculous and couldn't make it past the third episode. But besides the fantastical story, what bothered me most was how everyone in the dub kept saying "uh-KOO-muh" instead of "AH-ku-ma." Annoyance shot through me like a jolt of lightning every time they said it, and I just couldn't take it!! COME ON, American voice actors, you could at least try a little bit, right?!

I recently finished InuYasha, including the movies, and decided, "What the hell, maybe I'll watch the dub now," but aside from just preferring especially Inuyasha's Japanese voice to the American one, the mispronunciation drove me insane! "kuh-GOH-may" instead of "KAH-go-meh", "nuh-RAH-koo" instead of "NAH-ra-ku"... ugh. It's like when people say "nuh-ROO-toh" for "NAH-ru-to", annoyance lightning.

Japanese is not a very complicated language, and it irks me beyond words when Americans butcher it. If you're going to voice a Japanese show, the least you could do is ask someone if you're saying the Japanese words right... right? I think so. It just seems so... American to me, to mispronounce foreign words so ignorantly.

[Note: Also the way some of the characters in Feudal Japan spoke, like Kaede - "Who be ye?" - was just annoying. Like in the Spice and Wolf dub, where they try to make the English sound dated because of the time period. I find that obnoxious. It's a cartoon, nothing will be lost by speaking modern English, imo.]

Mirai Nikki

Delving into more new Anime territory, between new episodes of Bleach and Naruto, and finishing off the first series of Natsume Yujin-Cho, I discovered Mirai Nikki (The Future Diary) on Hulu.

It has been likened to Death Note, and when I started watching it, that's the first thing that popped into my head, although it's quite a bit more exciting, and more violent, than Death Note.

I wasn't very intrigued by the description:

 "One day, Yukiteru discovers that his cell phone "diary" can now tell him the events of the future," was all that was given on the Hulu Plus channel on my Wii; but that changed after I watched the second episode. The first episode is a far cry from the rest of the series, basically just setting up the events to follow; after watching the second, I was hooked - it's an edge-of-your-seat thriller with complex interwoven story-lines, multi-dimensional characters, and beautiful animation. The only character I think could be better-developed is the main protagonist, Yukiteru Amano. He seems to stay pretty true-to-form and doesn't experience much of a character arc (to date, maybe that will change, I haven't read the Manga), but as he is "the observer," I guess that's to be expected. When I started watching, I didn't realize this show was ongoing - and I'm dying to see what happens!

The only thing that bothers me is the choice that Funimation made to censor it. It's obviously a violent Anime, even with the censorship, and preceding each episode on Hulu, there's a disclaimer stating that it's intended for mature audiences, but then it's censored... I hate censorship - with all the violent/adult Anime out there, they think we can't handle it? It's condescending - not to mention distracts from the viewing experience. For example, at one point, a character has her forearm cut off, and I had to rewind it because I didn't know what had been cut; or when entire images are edited out for gore, making it indiscernible what the character is seeing...

I think it's one of the best thrillers since Death Note, and I don't really understand people's complaints about it - sure Yuki is a little flat and dense; so ignore him and enjoy the beautiful animation, intricate story, and gory fight scenes. There are plenty of other dimensional characters to redeem the show of Yuki. I guess we'll have to wait for it to be released on DVD to see it uncensored, but until then, I look forward to the finale!

Avatar: The Legend of Korra

EEEEK! Avatar is baaaack! I just watched the leaked first episode, and although it isn't Aang, Katara, and Sokka getting into misdeeds whilst running from the Fire Nation, it's still Avatar and I can't wait to see what becomes of Korra. It's still funny, as is to be expected of Avatar, and I love Korra's fighting style.

This show was literally what got me into Anime in the first place (although I know it's an American show in the style of Japanese Animation, and not technically "Anime", it still can't be discounted from the ranks of the best Animes out there). I'm sooooo excited! I can't wait to watch it again in HD when it actually premieres on April 14th, and I can't WAIT to see what's in store!

What Happened to Byakuya?

Now that I'm finished with InuYasha,  I can catch up on my ongoing animes: Naruto and Bleach. Naruto is always good; I can't wait to see him fight with the Kyuubi's chakra! As for Bleach - it has never been my favorite show, especially since my favorite characters are no longer in it: Ulquiorra, Grimmjow, and Nel... and I was starting to get seriously tired of the Xcution storyline... But now it's getting good again!

I was missing the other Shinigami, and I'm glad Renji, Rukia, and Toushiro are back, finally! Plus, who'd have thought Byakuya would have become so cool? Byakuya, with the stick up his ass - cool? I'm a big fan of a lot of all the character design changes, but especially of the change in Byakuya's headgear, the hair, the new Shihakushou... when he appeared with the rest of the gang, through the Senkaimon, I did a double-take. He looked... kind of... (dare I say it?) ...hot. It feels almost wrong to say it... but it's true, as surprising as that is - Byakuya Kuchiki - hot. I'm happy that there's finally another aesthetically pleasing male character on Bleach since Grimmjow.

InuYasha, A New Favorite

My new obsession has been InuYasha. I know it's an oldie, but I just discovered it on Netflix, and it's such a goodie! I can't stop watching it!

Before I watch a new anime, I look it up on CrunchyRoll to see what people are saying about it. I'm surprised this one is so unknown; it doesn't even have 400 fans, and the page for it only has about 27 comments, be it all positive ones. I put off watching it because of this, and also because it's so long - 186 episodes - and when I get engrossed in an anime, I can think or do nothing else until I'm finished with it. Plus, it being on Netflix is a deterrent because the animes on there are usually dubs, and I prefer to watch the subs. CrunchyRoll doesn't have it, and I was without Internet for awhile...

Anyway, I'm glad I started! I freakin' LOVE this show! My prediction was right, and I haven't been able to stop watching it; after only a couple of days, I'm already into the 100's. Sure, the animation is a little crude at the beginning; the fight scenes are not very complex, filled with a lot of action-stills with flashing backgrounds; there are a lot of googly-eyed stills; but what the show lacks in animation, it more than makes up for in character development.

The story is your typical textbook shounen anime: a schoolgirl and a half-demon have to scour the countryside of feudal Japan in search of shards of a sacred jewel, which they need to assemble to defeat the story's main antagonist, the demon Naraku. But the characters are really why you watch this one. Although it's technically considered a shounen anime (and it definitely fits that category, with the action and violence), I think there are some elements of shoujo in there too, what with the main protagonist being a young girl and all the romance that ensues.

Of course, Kagome and Inuyasha fall in love; I mean, how could they not, spending every minute together? But it gets more complicated with the appearance of Inuyasha's dead ex-girlfriend. Love triangles abound in InuYasha, and make for some very emotional moments, not to mention great fun.

It's super funny, too, and has me laughing out loud constantly. Unlike with shows like Naruto, I don't mind the filler episodes in InuYasha because they're rife with the character, romance, and comedy that are the reasons I love this anime. And the reason all fangirls watch animes: the hot guys - I dare you not to fall for Mikoru, despite his lecherous actions. While Inuyasha himself I wouldn't consider 'hot', he's kind of cute when he's in human form, but it's his devotion to Kagome, and even Kikyo - though I hate her, that makes him so sweet you can't help but love him.

[edit - I don't think he's as smart or thinks things through as much as Kagome gives him credit for ;)]

So while I finish watching the last 80 episodes and get started on my Sango cosplay, have a good weekend :)