Forum - View topicNEWS: Madoka Magica English-Dubbed Trailer Streamed
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Kakugo
Posts: 163 |
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I never thought that Ebert's old argument was entirely true: The other thing that disappears is the actor that the producer or director of the show picked for the role itself. That's not to say that this process can't be a compromise unto itself, but particularly for original animated concepts - like Madoka Magica - the casting becomes a key component in creating that universe. To simplify one iconic English language example, Dan Castellaneta not only plays Homer Simpson, but his performance has - in turn - helped shape and refine the character itself. The word "D'oh!" probably shouldn't exist in the English language, but it does, and that all goes straight to Castellaneta. When you watch Homer Simpson dubbed into French, German, Italian or Japanese or whatever else, you're not really seeing the character Castellaneta created anymore; you're seeing a new cultural impression of that character, which may or may not be a valid characterization unto itself. I know that certain cultural expectations dictate changes being made for certain character types or roles (ie: stuff like Son Gokuu in Dragon Ball Z being played by a woman just doesn't fly outside of Japan), but that doesn't mean the original version is any less valid to an audience willing to watch the film. Heck, the very concept of "Magical Girls" as transforming evil fighting heroines is an almost uniquely Japanese concept, and one that only rarely spills over into non-2D mediums at that. If one can accept that concept at face value, watching the show in Japanese should only seem natural, shouldn't it? I know there's the argument about "immersion" and that Japanese audiences wouldn't be 'reading' the show, but lacking the culture surrounding that language is just as damning to the concept of immersion anyway. Dubs are obviously a great way to market a show to a new audience, and that some dubs are substantially better than others. I'm not upset that Madoka Magica is getting dubbed and have no strong opinion one way or another; it's not a "Shin-Chan" style parody and it's not a Hollywood A-List Bonanza. To me, it's just another dub... nothing notably offensive or out of the ordinary. I'm just kind of amazed that Madoka Magica is even getting dubbed. The target audience for a strictly limited, notably expensive DVD/Blu-ray release seems to be the high end collector's market where dubs are considered something of a luxury. It's a fantastic show and I'd love to know more people have been introduced to it, but at the same time it's a show I can't see being any sort of mainstream success outside of the demographic that's already seen it in Japanese anyway. I agree that the US marketing isn't going to reach any new fans by not playing up the "darker" elements the show has buried under the bubblegum surface; but as I've said, I can't see the release pattern Aniplex is sticking to doing much to help boost sales outside of the fans it already has anyway. 
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Key
Moderator
 Posts: 18262 Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley) |
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You're assuming way too much here. Just because most of the anime fans you know think that way doesn't mean that most anime fans do, period. Also, English dub actors are no more guilty than seiyuu when it comes to using "essentially the same voice for every character they play." Japanese dubbing seems to have set expectations for how certain characters must sound and are (in my experience) slavishly loyal to those vocal styles, so much so that I've heard the exact same vocal style for certain types of characters repeated countless times in just the past couple of years, usually by the same actor each time. To put it in PMMM terms, the only Japanese performance that I felt was mold-breaking was Kyubey's, and that had more to do with Kyubey not being a typical familiar-type character than with the VA making the character different with her performance.
I want sources on this, as I've never heard a whiff of such talk.
Except that it's existed, in one form or another, for decades in American comics and cartoons. (Wonder Woman might arguably be considered a purely adult version, but a more direct example would probably be this character.) Granted, some of the stylistic elements used by anime and manga are culturally distinct, but the concept isn't. |
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kakoishii
Posts: 741 |
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I've only ever heard Maxey's Alphonse Elric, which sounded like a woman trying to sound like pre-puberty Aaron Dismuke trying to sound like a boy. To me if the VA voicing Kyubey wanted to sound like a little girl she could've stood to go a little higher, and she didn't she was definitely trying to level out the femininity, but to each their own. I don't hear it, others do, but honestly to me the Japanese seiyuu doesn't sound any less feminine than the English VA.
Quite Honestly, your Simpson analogy doesn't really work in this scenario. You're comparing a 23 year old cartoon series in which the initial actors have added onto and expanded upon the original vision of the characters over time as people began to associate these characters more and more with the actors voicing them, to a 12 episode series that ran for a quarter of the year. I won't discredit the fact that yes the seiyuus were cast to bring the writer's vision of who these characters are alive, but that doesn't change the fact that the story and characters were initially words on a page. Not words and pictures in a manga series albeit, but still words on a page. So yes in essence all animation is dubbed. If an animated feature runs long enough like the Simpsons, can the animation in essence bring on a life unto itself. Sure. But this appears to be the exception and not the rule. That being said, if the French or German dub of a series I love fosters a life in those respective countries that's different than the one I've come to appreciate, does that make that life any less valid? I don't think so. I don't think Matt Groening is pissed that French Homer doesn't sound like American Homer, likewise I don't think American fans of the Simpsons give two shits about whether the multicultural versions of the characters they know and love sound exactly the same around the world. This apparent need and associated rage seems to be something more unique to anime fans. Last edited by kakoishii on Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:29 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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504NOSON2
 Subscriber Posts: 647 Location: Body:Santa Barbara, CA ~ Heart:New Orleans, LA |
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So, after 100+ posts on its trailer's thread, a median user rating of "excellent"(lol), and somewhat accurate claims regarding its commercial success, I felt compelled to watch a couple of episodes of this; what a waste of a perfectly good hour that turned out to be. This show is so run-of-the-mill Mahou shoujo that I expected a talking cat to show up at any moment. (And what do you know, Kyubey to the rescue!) Don't get me wrong, in a technical sense, it's a success; the settings, the sounds, the pristine animation, and unique character designs. However, if there's a well-written, innovative story to be found, one must first rummage through the massive receptacle of spurious and cliché stock elements that make this typical magical girl series #9837.
If fluffy, magical girl, My Little Pony, "fighting evil by moonlight, winning love by daylight" shows are for you, than you've probably already sat through this. If intelligent, intriguing, innovative, thought-provoking works are your forte, then consider this post a mass, early Christmas/Kwanzaa/Chanukah/Yule present. Happy Holidays. |
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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504NOSON2, oh please. The first two episodes set up what happens later on, but even then are very well-written, and not just for a Magical Girl series. To completely ignore their quality is you actively hoping the show will fail and therefore refusing to see it with an open mind. Those two episodes are certainly not run-of-the-mill. And if you had bothered to watch the third episode you would have seen what all the fuss is about.
But anyway, goodbye. It's no skin off my back if you want to hate one of the best Anime series ever made. Last edited by dtm42 on Sun Dec 18, 2011 8:40 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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The Coffee God
 Posts: 412 |
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To be honest, if you're going to give this series a good fair try, you need to watch at least past ep. 03. Though it's probably good to get to at least ep. 06 to get a viable opinion of the series. |
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yeshayden
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If by an hour you mean two episodes, try giving it just a little longer. Your rummaging will be rewarded. |
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kakoishii
Posts: 741 |
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504NOSON2 your free to your opinion. I'll be honest, when ANN did their preview guide on the series way back when, too many of the first impressions seem to imply this show was run of the mill entertainment that one should only check out for the unique visuals and background settings, the character designs were moe blobs so hopefully you weren't lumping that in with what you thought was unique about it. Since I don't watch anime for the glitz and glam and I like my viewership to be full of substance, I passed on the show. The only thing that made me give it a look a month or two back was an amv I saw on the show that kind of clued me into what it was really about. So I essentially had to spoil the big reveal (well only partly spoil, there was was still a lot for me to unveil once I got in) to give this an earnest viewing. I hate to say this, but you almost have to commit to episode 6 for things to get real, although by episode 4 there should be enough set up to show that things are about to get real pretty soon. I'm not sure how far you got, an hour sounds like 2 or 3 episodes, which is too soon to give up on it, but just wanted to let you know that there's still a lot you're missing and this show still is far from your typical magical girl show.
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penguintruth
 Posts: 8468 Location: Penguinopolis |
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I've honestly never heard of this show until now, but by the trailer, it looks a little generic. Was this title really worth pages of chatter?
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The Coffee God
Posts: 412 |
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The general consensus of almost everyone that has watched it is "Yes". Interestingly enough, if that's how you felt about viewing the trailer, then it did its job. But if you're truely curious as to what the talk is about, I suggest watching it. However, if you don't mind having it spoiled for you, you can always watch this AMV, which is made basically like a trailer of episodes 1-12 in order. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-M8BkFTbpw |
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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Don't show them spoilers. What's the point in them watching it if you're going spoil all the big plot points? And penguintruth, as people have already stated in this thread, there is far more to the show than the trailer indicates. In fact, the trailer is as trollish as they come. The only thing that's more trollish in the entire history of Anime is the opening to Shadow Star Narutaru. Take from that what you will. |
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yeshayden
Posts: 4 |
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As far as my favourite anime goes, Madoka Magica is second only to Code Geass. I can occasionally enjoy vapid dialogue and cuteness for the sake of cuteness, but that is not what this is. Magical girl tropes are the setting, but by no means the story. Of the hundreds of episodes of anime I have watched, one episode in this series is among four standout episodes I have ever seen. (For context, the others are Death Note episodes 1 and 25, and Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya season 2 episode 1.)
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penguintruth
Posts: 8468 Location: Penguinopolis |
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A trailer's job is to convince me to watch a show or movie. This trailer has convinced me NOT to. |
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504NOSON2
Subscriber Posts: 647 Location: Body:Santa Barbara, CA ~ Heart:New Orleans, LA |
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Since many of you insist that I'm truly doing myself a disservice(and the visuals aren't bad), I may give this one a little more time. There could be more than meets the eye. Well, at least most of you didn't get your frilly lolicon panties in a bunch, and take my observation about this cartoon *personally*. 
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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The trailer is lying to you. So? All that means is that it is lying to you. Can you honestly say that you'll hate the show when virtually everyone who has finished it at least acknowledges that it is more than 'just' a typical Magical Girl show? Are you going to ignore what people with informed opinions have been saying time and time again, and base your entire judgement of the show on just the trailer? A trailer which, as I've already stated, is one of the biggest trolls ever in the history of Anime. Imagine a trailer of Neon Genesis Evangelion - a show you think highly of - that mixed fanservice scenes with shots of Unit One firing its rifle and Maya exclaiming technical data. And there were no other scenes, nothing to indicate that the show was anything but a typical Mecha series. If an uninitiated person watched that trailer and said that the show must suck, wouldn't you advise them that the show is actually a whole lot deeper than that and should be at least given a go? You would, wouldn't you. That's basically what I'm doing now. Edit: penguintruth, watch this spoof trailer of The Shining and tell me that it accurately surmises the movie. Last edited by dtm42 on Sun Dec 18, 2011 9:53 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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