Japanese Anime dubbed in a language I can understand

[Viera Champion]

This is the thread to discuss all your favorite anime shows. Talk about whatever you want about them. Or if your to lazy to contribute to the discussion just post your favorites.

My personal favorites are Wolf's Rain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf's_Rain) and Yu Yu Hakusho. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YuYu_Hakusho)

Both are excellent anime and are dubbed extremely well.

My pet peeve is people who watch Naruto. No offense but I don't see whats so good about it. I have watched one episode of it and will never watch it again.

[Obrysii]

My pet peeve is people who watch Naruto. No offense but I don't see whats so good about it. I have watched one episode of it and will never watch it again.

Yeah. Let's start out this thread by attacking people who enjoy a popular anime. That's going to go well. Please actually watch a show beyond one episode before judging the entirety of it. Believe me. It gets a lot better. Find a character you enjoy, and follow his or her progress through the series.

Don't ever watch any of the Gundam series if this is how you determine if you like anime or not.


On topic, though, Gurren Lagann has the best dub I have ever seen. They pulled out all the stops. Also, Steve Blum (voices the villain in Wolf's Rain as well as Spike in Cowboy Bebop) as LeRon is hilarious and absolutely perfect.

[Setra]

This is the thread to discuss all your favorite anime shows. Talk about whatever you want about them. Or if your to lazy to contribute to the discussion just post your favorites.

My personal favorites are Wolf's Rain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf's_Rain) and Yu Yu Hakusho. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YuYu_Hakusho)

Both are excellent anime and are dubbed extremely well.

My pet peeve is people who watch Naruto. No offense but I don't see whats so good about it. I have watched one episode of it and will never watch it again.
There's already an anime thread.. not that I won't post anyways..

My personal favorite anime is Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, however I also like Air and Saikano. However I tend to read more manga than watch anime, my favorite manga being Berserk. When I DO watch anime I tend to watch it subbed, though I have nothing against people watching it dubbed.

As far as pet peeves go, it's people who think dubbing or subbing is superior. Especially if they try to convince me I am somehow "wrong" about my opinion.

I do read Naruto, and though I admit it's not that good (I have lost count of the number of times I have said "If Sasuke does x I swear I will quit reading Naruto"), I find it odd you would consider it a pet peeve for people to just watching it. Admittedly, people who try and convince me Naruto is "the best anime ever" do annoy me, but I'm sure I annoy people when I glurge a little about how much I like TTGL.

[Lord of Rapture]

...Yeah.

But just because the topic's already rolling, my favorite anime and manga tend to line up pretty evenly (FMA, Berserk, and Monster). However, there are a few that are really good in either format that aren't present in the other (Now and Then Here and There for the former, Pluto for the latter).

[Viera Champion]

Firstly, I was not attacking people who watch Naruto. I'm simply saying I don't understand what's so good about it. If you would care to enlighten me on the matter, please go ahead.

Secondly, I don't think dubbing is superior. I just prefer watching shows where I can understand what there saying.

And thirdly, about there already being an anime thread, I knew there was a reason I hadn't made this thread earlier. Sorry bout that.

[Starfols]

And thirdly, about there already being an anime thread, I knew there was a reason I hadn't made this thread earlier. Sorry bout that.

That's alright, this favorite shows/pet peeves formula is something I've been looking forward to.


My personal favorites are Wolf's Rain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf's_Rain) and Yu Yu Hakusho. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YuYu_Hakusho)

I almost forgot about YuYu Hakusho; it was lovely.
Never watched Wolf's Rain, though.

Anyway, I have a lot of favorites:
Samurai 7
Lucky Star/Manabi Straight
Rozen Maiden
Samurai Champloo
Gurren Lagann
Big O

My pet peeve is: when the designers have little to no concern for character design and churn out a frightfully generic protagonist. It fills me with a venom I cannot easily express in text.

[Prime32]

My pet peeve is people who watch Naruto. No offense but I don't see whats so good about it. I have watched one episode of it and will never watch it again.There's a big difference between the fans and the material. Naruto has a lot of young fans with ADHD.

The series gets better if you read from the start and stick with it - Naruto slowly grows more mature over the course of the series, and he's had to face some difficult moral dilemmas. One episode isn't a very good indication - it could have been one of the terrible and absurdly numerous filler episodes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kThTYC5BGWw) between the final Naruto vs. Sasuke fight and the start of Naruto Shippuden (there's a reason the first Shippuden OP is called "Hero's Come Back" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gNu0-fkND0)).

[Aidan305]

Then there's the fact that the dubbed version of Naruto is appalling.

[Setra]

Then there's the fact that the dubbed version of Naruto is appalling.
BELIEVE IT.. I'm so sorry

Well it wasn't anywhere near as bad as what happened to One Piece though.

If only there were more FMAs in the world.. Saiyuki's is pretty decent too, and Yu Yu Hakusho's was pretty good too.. though Kuwabara's voice was a little irritating to me.. I think that was on purpose though. Wolfs Rain also had a good dub.

I know I will probably get shot for saying this but.. I like DBZ's dub... There I admit it.

Edit: For the record, my least favorite dub of all time is Sailor Moon. Dear... Lord. It wasn't just the voices.. they replaced ENTIRE PLOT POINTS.

Edit Edit: On the other hand..
"Fighting evil by moonlight.. winning love by daylight" .. CURSES! IT'S IN MY HEAD.

... I've had too much sugar.

[Tengu_temp]

Hello! (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=129473)

Anyway, here is a list of my top 15 anime, roughly in order in which I watched them. I'm not going to put them in order from most to least favorite, it was already painful enough to decide on just 15 - there are many other shows that deserve to be here.

Fullmetal Alchemist
Neon Genesis Evangelion
Suzumiya Haruhi
FLCL
Cowboy Bebop
Full Metal Panic
Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Genshiken
Azumanga Daioh
Lucky Star
Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha
08th Mobile Suit Team
Gunbuster + Diebuster
Eden of the East
Baccano

Most of these got dubs, and pretty good dubs too to my knowledge (apart from Evangelion), but I can't tell from experience since I prefer anime subbed.

Personal pet peeve? People who argue that Generic Shonen Anime X sucks, because Generic Shonen Anime Y is much better.

[Obrysii]

Then there's the fact that the dubbed version of Naruto is appalling.

This is not true.

They stop doing that whole "believe it!" thing sometime around the Gaara/Naruto fight. The rest of the voice actors are quite good, with Orochimaru's being Steve Blum, who is among the more talented VA's around (as well as among the more prolific).

[Prime32]

Then there's the fact that the dubbed version of Naruto is appalling.I liked the dub. As was said, they stopped using "BELIEVE IT!" after a while, even though the original anime kept using "DATTEBAYO!" (a nonsense phrase which you probably didn't notice unless you speak Japanese, since it's left out of most subs)


I know I will probably get shot for saying this but.. I like DBZ's dub... There I admit it.Hardly. Goku's Japanese voice was awful, and Bruce Faulconer's replacement score was a lot more epic than the original (I particularly liked the many variations of Buu's theme).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zKs_joz2eg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFNOnKWwuH0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY6FjOEI7oo

[Texas_Ben]

Personal pet peeve: the phrase "japanese anime". 'anime' already carries with it the implication that it is japanese, so saying japanese anime is sort of redundant.

[Lord Seth]

Firstly, I was not attacking people who watch Naruto.Your original post was, and I quote exactly:

My pet peeve is people who watch Naruto. You said--literally--that you don't like people who watch Naruto. You didn't say "I don't like Naruto" you literally said "I don't like people who watch Naruto". That is the definition of attacking people who watch Naruto.

[Douglas]

Firstly, I was not attacking people who watch Naruto. I'm simply saying I don't understand what's so good about it. If you would care to enlighten me on the matter, please go ahead.
Personally, I watch it mainly for the highly varied epic fight scenes. There are quite a lot of ridiculously powerful characters, large portions of the show are various sets of these characters facing off in extended multi-episode battles, and most of these characters feature an astounding array of truly fundamentally different abilities. The "energy blast - but BIGGER" of DBZ is rare, and any given new character introduced is likely to have a set of abilities whose very nature is different from every previous character. This leads to interesting fight scenes as the interactions of the new abilities with existing characters are explored and explained.

Also, Naruto (and the rest of the cast) does get a lot more mature as the show goes on.

Anyway, my new favorite anime is Code Geass. It's too bad it only lasted two seasons. Lelouch is the ultimate Magnificent Bastard (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MagnificentBastard).

[CarpeGuitarrem]

Mmmm....

As far as favorite anime go, I'm splitting it between Noir and Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo. I haven't finished Cowboy Bebop, FMA (original) or Code Geass, but I bet they're getting up there soon. (I'm not a huge anime-watcher, but I pop into the media here and there)

I'm keeping up with the new FMA, and whilst it doesn't take itself as seriously as I'd like it to, sometimes, it's very epic and actiony and sophisticated-ish. I also like how the plot is clicking together as a whole.

Pet peeve? People who use "anime" when what they really mean is "shounen anime". In extension, I guess I've got a small grudge against shounen anime simply because of that. I can't say I'm a big Naruto fan (although I ought to give it more of a chance), and definitely not a DBZ fan.

[Xuincherguixe]

Naruto is, at it's core a pretty deep and powerful story.

... But the writing doesn't match up to the themes.

(Ironically, it's getting to the point that some of the Filler Arcs are getting better than the main story! Who would have guessed?)

At it's core, the story is about one guy who wants to bring back a friend who has decided that he would rather dedicate his life to revenge instead of moving on with his life. He's trying to save someone who doesn't want to be saved.

No matter how many villains he destroys, he can't save his friend from himself.

[Mercenary Pen]

Been watching a fair bit of anime recently (though I've seen very little prior to this year)

In dubbed anime, I've enjoyed the following:
Code Geass (second season a bit so-so, but the first is really excellent)
Mobile Suit Gundam
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam
Gundam Wing


In anime that desperately NEEDS dubbing, I'd have to give mention to Macross Frontier, which has a tight, well-balanced plotline, excellent pacing and a variety of character emotions that blows a lot of other good anime right out of the water without even trying. Even with Gundam, it's usually good story (although I'd pace it differently myself- just as a personal opinion), but if any of the series' were people, they'd be diagnosed with chronic depression at birth.

[Viera Champion]

Oh. I just thought of another pet peeve. People who feel the need to correct you because you get the type of show wrong. Noone cares whether or not hat there watching is anime, manga, hentai, or whatever. Frankly, it's almost as annoying as people who feel the need to correct you when you mix up good and well, or stuff like that. So people, if you wanna get all smart ass on people who call hentai, anime, or something like that, don't.

[Fawkes]

Oh. I just thought of another pet peeve. People who feel the need to correct you because you get the type of show wrong. Noone cares whether or not hat there watching is anime, manga, hentai, or whatever. Frankly, it's almost as annoying as people who feel the need to correct you when you mix up good and well, or stuff like that. So people, if you wanna get all smart ass on people who call hentai, anime, or something like that, don't.

Okay, I'm not even an anime fan and I know that's not right. Anime is animation, manga is comics, hentai is porn.

"What are you watching?"

"Porn."

"That looks like a sitcom."

"Porn, sitcom, what's the difference?"

Yeah.

Anyway, on topic: the only two anime shows I really like are Cowboy Bebop and Gurren Lagann. I liked Lupin, but haven't watched it in years.

I also like Yu-Gi-Oh Abridged and Dragonball Z abridged, but those don't really count.

Edit: Wait, there's already a perfectly good anime thread. Why is this one here? For complaining?

[Viera Champion]

This threads here because I had been planning on making it for a while but couldn't because there was already an anime thread up. Then today I completely forgot about the other anime thread, and made this one.

I'm not encouraging people to post here but they still do. And also, you just corrected be about anime, hentai, and manga. Really?

[Fawkes]

And also, you just corrected be about anime, hentai, and manga. Really?

Yup. Do you honestly not see how incorrectly referring to something you're watching as pornography might cause problems?

[Setra]

Yup. Do you honestly not see how incorrectly referring to something you're watching as pornography might cause problems?
Though it might also be hilarious.

It reminds me of this time I thought Evangelion was a hentai anime because all I had seen of it was ... certain clips. So when my brother rented it I thought he got it because of that reason.

Hilarity Insued.

[Lord Seth]

Also, Naruto (and the rest of the cast) does get a lot more mature as the show goes on.Unfortunately, the story goes in the opposite direction, getting more and more ridiculous and idiotic as it goes on.


Oh. I just thought of another pet peeve. People who feel the need to correct you because you get the type of show wrong. Noone cares whether or not hat there watching is anime, manga, hentai, or whatever. Frankly, it's almost as annoying as people who feel the need to correct you when you mix up good and well, or stuff like that.Not at all. Whether "good" or "well" is used is fairly complex; probably one of the more complex rules of grammar. That isn't like the issue of there/they're/their or your/you're where the differences are easily figured out; for example, if you can replace the instance of your/you're with "you are" and have the sentence still make sense, then use you're, otherwise, it's your. Even more simple are things like a lot vs. alot which is easy to remember because one of them is never right; "alot" isn't a word at all.

Okay, okay, I snuck a bit of a spelling lesson into there, but my point is that those are the easy to remember one, whereas good vs. well is more complex (similar to "who" vs. "whom," the latter of which I firmly believe should be removed entirely from the language). So the claim that it's like correcting you on good or well is erroneous simply because "the type of show" is much easier to figure out. Even if we simply go by genre it's easy; no one is going to watch 24 and mistake it for a sitcom, and no one is going to watch The Big Bang Theory and mistake it for a western. So what you seem to be saying is you think people shouldn't bother to get the genre right. Which makes little sense.

But the comparison is actually more fallacious. Sure, genres might be easily recognized, but defining them can be a bit harder. But the issue of anime, manga, and hentai? Those are simple, textbook definitions. Anime is a Japanese cartoon, manga is a Japanese comic, and hentai is hard-core Japanese pornography. Outside of the debate as to what qualifies as "hard-core" (separating it from the softer "ecchi"), the definitions are all crystal-clear, and you can't mistake one for the other. You cannot watch something on television and mistake it for a comic book. You'll sound absolutely ridiculous if you do that; "hey, did you see that comic book on TV yesterday? Or read the newest issue of that TV show?" Getting back to the good vs. well thing, a lot of times you can mix them up and sound surprisingly natural. Mixing up the terms anime/manga/hentai is like...well, it's like saying that Order of the Stick is a black-and-white horror-themed adult yearly print comic.

I did a lot of writing, so here's the sourpuss summary: Comparing the correct usage of the terms anime/manga/hentai to the correct usage of the words good and well is absurd. The former have simple, concise definitions and the correct usage of each one should be clear, and using the wrong one sounds as ridiculous as referring to a color comic as a black-and-white comic. The latter have much more confusing rules as to when they should be used, and you can mix them up and often still sound fine. I therefore reject both the comparison that asking people to use the terms anime, manga, and hentai correctly is like correcting them on the usage of good and well.

[Starfols]

But the comparison is actually more fallacious. Sure, genres might be easily recognized, but defining them can be a bit harder. But the issue of anime, manga, and hentai? Those are simple, textbook definitions. Anime is a Japanese cartoon, manga is a Japanese comic, and hentai is hard-core Japanese pornography. Outside of the debate as to what qualifies as "hard-core" (separating it from the softer "ecchi"), the definitions are all crystal-clear, and you can't mistake one for the other. You cannot watch something on television and mistake it for a comic book. You'll sound absolutely ridiculous if you do that; "hey, did you see that comic book on TV yesterday? Or read the newest issue of that TV show?" Getting back to the good vs. well thing, a lot of times you can mix them up and sound surprisingly natural. Mixing up the terms anime/manga/hentai is like...well, it's like saying that Order of the Stick is a black-and-white horror-themed adult yearly print comic.


Not exactly. Anime and manga is about medium, hentai is about content. Hentai can appear in both mediums, and has no inherit effect on the legitimacy of the story.

[Prime32]

Not exactly. Anime and manga is about medium, hentai is about content. Hentai can appear in both mediums, and has no inherit effect on the legitimacy of the story.I should point out that while in otaku parlance, "hentai" is used to mean porn and "ecchi" to mean suggestive, in Japan "ecchi" means porn and "hentai" means perverted or abnormal. A pornographic game would be referred to as a "H-game" or more commonly "ero(tic) game", "eroge" for short. The "H" actually does come from "hentai", but given how odd the origins of the prefix are (going to English and back again) most Japanese aren't aware of this, so asking for "hentai games" is a bad idea.

Yes, the Japanese find it more appropriate to say "erotic" in public than "H". Yare yare. :smallsigh:


"Otaku", for that matter, carries stronger connotations in Japan than the English word "geek".

[Starfols]

I should point out that while in otaku parlance, "hentai" is used to mean porn and "ecchi" to mean suggestive, in Japan "ecchi" means porn and "hentai" means perverted or abnormal. A pornographic game would be referred to as a "H-game" or more commonly "ero(tic) game", "eroge" for short. The "H" actually does come from "hentai", but given how odd the origins of the prefix are (going to English and back again) most Japanese aren't aware of this, so asking for "hentai games" is a bad idea.

Yes, the Japanese find it more appropriate to say "erotic" in public than "H". Yare yare. :smallsigh:


"Otaku", for that matter, carries stronger connotations in Japan than the English word "geek".

When I was in Japan, the H sections of stores were clearly marked, and the products were referred to as this/that, rather than refer to them by name.

I was just saying that there are anime/manga that are utterly, grotesquely pornographic, and still tell a decent story.

I avoid the word "otaku" for many reasons, one of them being the original connotation, but mostly because it's too specific.

[Vaynor]

And also, you just corrected be about anime, hentai, and manga. Really?

Yes, he did, because frankly they're so completely different it shouldn't even warrant an explanation.

Differentiating between them isn't being nitpicky, you're just, well, totally wrong.

[Otogi]

Okay, I'm not even an anime fan and I know that's not right. Anime is animation, manga is comics, hentai is porn.

"What are you watching?"

"Porn."

"That looks like a sitcom."

"Porn, sitcom, what's the difference?"

Yeah.



Then you're probably going to be confused by CBS's fall line-up :smalltongue:

[Fawkes]

I was just saying that there are anime/manga that are utterly, grotesquely pornographic, and still tell a decent story.

Skepticism.

[Prime32]

I was just saying that there are anime/manga that are utterly, grotesquely pornographic, and still tell a decent story.

Skepticism.
Well, there are VNs. Tsukihime seems to fit those criteria (oh God, Shiki, why did it have to be your sister? :smalleek:). Just... skip over any scene in that game where track 5 is playing if you value your sanity.

[Zeful]

Skepticism.

Optimistic rebuttal.

[Setra]

I am going to add this, since I feel it's somewhat on topic.

Visual Novel is probably my favorite medium of all time, many of my favorite stories are visual novels. (Utawarerumono, Fate/Stay Night, Tsukihime, Planetarian, etc.).

Compared to anime, they are fairly low budget I would imagine, but tend to be a good way to get a story told. Also, it's easier to explain things in visual novels compared to anime. Since all you need is some text, rather than having a character lean on the fourth wall and explain the universe to someone who should already know its rules.

Compared to manga, it's more.. expressing. It's hard to explain, but also somewhat simple. Even just music adds a LOT to a story. Not to mention voices, though those aren't in every visual novel (Though lately I think they're just about).

But more importantly, visual novels tend to give you the option of choice much of the time, some of them can actually be very hard choices and even make the player feel emotions when they choose them.

You may feel bad for killing people in other types of games, but it's not quite the same for visual novels. It's.. hard for me to explain.. but suffice to say killing Fate/Stay Night SpoilerSaber was probably the hardest thing I've ever done in any game.

[Rogue 7]

Setra, you may want to mark just what that's a spoiler of (Fate/Stay Night, actually).

And yeah, Fate/Stay Night is an amazing story with fantastic characters (seriously, the next time I hear an accusation of sexism from anime/manga people, I'm going to point them towards Rin Tohsaka) and a wonderful setting. I've been completely hooked by it....Says the guy with the Rider avatar.

[Tengu_temp]

"Otaku", for that matter, carries stronger connotations in Japan than the English word "geek".

I always thought this is an exaggeration from Western people. The only Japanese sources I've seen treat otaku the same way America treats nerds living in their parents' basement - streamline pop-culture looks down on them and finds them uncool, but few people think they're dangerous freaks.

[CarpeGuitarrem]

I always thought this is an exaggeration from Western people. The only Japanese sources I've seen treat otaku the same way America treats nerds living in their parents' basement - streamline pop-culture looks down on them and finds them uncool, but few people think they're dangerous freaks.
Isn't that itself a stronger connotation than "geek"? From my experience, "geek" and "social" are not exclusive terms, and the geek movement prides itself on not over-obsessing on obsessions. "Otaku", from what I've heard, is supposed to contain the connotation that you have zippo social life or life period, becoming utterly absorbed in Japanese anime culture, etc. Like, to the point of definite unhealthiness.

Which is why I also get a slight bit annoyed with people in America who identify themselves as "otaku", when they're really just anime geeks.

[Lord Seth]

Not exactly. Anime and manga is about medium, hentai is about content. Hentai can appear in both mediums, and has no inherit effect on the legitimacy of the story.I thought I did express that, but to clarify, my point was that they're easily-identifiable things and easily-definable terms. It's clear when something is a manga and when something is an anime; confusing them is like incorrectly referring to a video game as a book. Comparing them to a somewhat confusing grammar rule is completely incorrect. I also made no reference either way as to whether hentai can affect the quality of a story, so I'm not sure what you're trying to argue with me about.
Isn't that itself a stronger connotation than "geek"? From my experience, "geek" and "social" are not exclusive terms, and the geek movement prides itself on not over-obsessing on obsessions. "Otaku", from what I've heard, is supposed to contain the connotation that you have zippo social life or life period, becoming utterly absorbed in Japanese anime culture, etc. Like, to the point of definite unhealthiness.

Which is why I also get a slight bit annoyed with people in America who identify themselves as "otaku", when they're really just anime geeks.That's actually what the otaku has pretty much become in America: Anime geek (or manga geek). Just because it had a different meaning originally in Japan doesn't mean it has the exact same connotations in English. For example, "anime" in Japanese refers to all cartoons, whereas in English it refers only to Japanese cartoons.

It's my understanding that the term "otaku" even in Japan is losing some of its insulting edge.

[Starfols]

I thought I did express that, but to clarify, my point was that they're easily-identifiable things and easily-definable terms. It's clear when something is a manga and when something is an anime; confusing them is like incorrectly referring to a video game as a book. Comparing them to a somewhat confusing grammar rule is completely incorrect. I also made no reference either way as to whether hentai can affect the quality of a story, so I'm not sure what you're trying to argue with me about.

I think it was when you said:
Anime is a Japanese cartoon, manga is a Japanese comic, and hentai is hard-core Japanese pornography.
I thought you were referring to them as mediums, rather than terms. Sorry about the confusion.


Skepticism.

I think it's best just to ask you to trust me.


"Otaku", from what I've heard, is supposed to contain the connotation that you have zippo social life or life period, becoming utterly absorbed in Japanese anime culture, etc. Like, to the point of definite unhealthiness.

I think that's closer to hikkomori than otaku. I think "otaku" to the Japanese carries the same connotation that "trekkie" has to westerners.

[Prime32]

I think that's closer to hikkomori than otaku. I think "otaku" to the Japanese carries the same connotation that "trekkie" has to westerners.No, I think that term is "Gundamu otaku". :smalltongue:

[_Zoot_]

I'm very fond of Cowboy Bebop, it is a very good dub if you ask me.