Anime recommendations

[fuser]

It doesn't even have to be sexualized. Any use of anything, a character or otherwise, in a place where there's absolutely no reason for it to be and exists only for fans - for example, putting any actual FF characters in Kingdom Hearts.

Think any of the "holiday" specials.

[Rendakor]

Extended (repeated) Mecha launch and transformation sequences are another example.

[Strazos]

Almost the entirety of Lucky Star? 


Also, I'd second Welcome to the NHK for Stray - it's great.

[stray]

Also, I'd second Welcome to the NHK for Stray - it's great.

Heh... OK.. umm... These guys are even more pathetic than Onizuka.  Some of it is funny though, but I'm almost offended that this recommended to me.   

[Vash]

I find that if I see a dub version of a show first and I like the show, voice acting, or both then watching the same show subbed is not nearly as enjoyable and often can be irritating/painful if the voices are drastically different.  For some reason I find hearing characters with a different voice after one has already been established that you identify the character with to be unsettling and unnerving.

However, going from a good dub to a subbed version usually just means trying to cope with different voices than your used to, whereas there are typically a lot more shows with great Japanese voice acting that get brutally mauled by terrible English dubs.  Based on some recent dubs I've looked at this doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon. 

[Bzalthek]

I'm just going further extend on that and just say I like dubs period.

You are dead to me.

But seriously, that'll cut your selection way short.  Dubs are harder to find and take much longer to get.  Plus, good dubs are even harder to find.

I couldn't watch dubs ever since I watched Akira Dubbed and Subbed at once.  

I'm sure you hear the arguments plenty though.  It's like wearing an "I'm Atheist" shirt in the bible belt.

[Lantyssa]

There are some great American voice actors.  Unfortunately, the anime companies don't use many of them.  I won't watch dubs because it's guaranteed one or more characters are voiced by people who shouldn't be in the business.

[Xuri]

I really can't understand how ANYONE would enjoy dubbed tv-series/movies/cartoons/anime. I find it very painful and will go to extreme lengths to avoid dubbing.

[Vash]

I really can't understand how ANYONE would enjoy dubbed tv-series/movies/cartoons/anime. I find it very painful and will go to extreme lengths to avoid dubbing.

Well, many people (myself included, thank you Cartoon Network) are originally exposed to anime or other foreign media via dubs and if the voice acting isn't terrible are none the wiser.  If they enjoy it enough to seek more out they eventually find their way to subbed stuff and then can make their own decision about which version they like better for a particular show.

I don't have a strong preference one way or the other in general and I think my lack of anti-dub rage can be placed on the fact that some of my favorite all time anime have really well done dubs (Trigun, Cowboy Bebop, FLCL).  I think I may actually just be biased towards whichever version I see first, something I've seen subbed first would have to actually get a dub that isn't terrible though before I would know for sure. 

[stray]

I'm just going further extend on that and just say I like dubs period.

You are dead to me.

But seriously, that'll cut your selection way short.

I've seen an asston of anime at this point, and most have been subs actually. I'm just saying... if there's a dub, then I will still make that my first choice. The way I see it, cartoons are dubbed anyways. Japanese or not!

There are some things that can be lost, inside jokes, wordplay, etc.. Sometimes... But there's nothing superior about Japanese voice actors necessarily. It comes down to the English speaking studio simply taking it seriously and trying to hire good actors. Just like any production. For instance, all of the Ghibli stuff was picked up by Disney. So for the most part, they got good actors. In Bebop and Onizuka's case, it's the same dude who voices both of them. As far as I'm concerned, he's funnier than the original. There's just something about that guy's voice that cracks me up.

[Jain Zar]

I really can't understand how ANYONE would enjoy dubbed tv-series/movies/cartoons/anime. I find it very painful and will go to extreme lengths to avoid dubbing.

The same reason I would rather read my comics left right right perhaps?

My native tongue and what I am naturally used to works better than reading backwards or moonspeak.

[Rendakor]

I think I may actually just be biased towards whichever version I see first

This. Nowadays I watch subs almost exclusively, but anything I watched when I was younger was dubbed, and thus I prefer that. GTO's probably the only exception; there's a minor character who's english voice acting is probably wholly responsible to me starting to watch subs in the first place.

[Strazos]

I think one problem is that in Japan, they have a larger selection of VAs/Seiyu across a larger age range, whereas in the US the selection is much more narrow, and the "better" VAs skew towards the older end of the spectrum.

What this means is that sometimes a dub will annoy me not because the voice acting is neccessarily bad, but because in English the voice sounds too old for the character. The English dub of Haruhi is a recent example, at least for me; the person doing her voice in English just sounds way too old for the character at times.

However, I thought the dub for Full Metal Panic was great - watched the first 2 seasons in English, and Second Raid in Japanese.

[stray]

What's funny is that I notice the voice of Naruto is both done by older women. Although the American version is awful (on a sidenote, the guy who does English version of Orichimaru is the same guy who does Spike and Onizuka as well... He pulls it off nicely. That guy is everywhere. Does the voices for Wolv in the new Marvel Vs. movies too. And Mugen in Champloo).

[Bzalthek]

I tend to notice a difference, but to each their own really.  My main concern comes when the dubbers try to match dialogue to mouth movement, which is probably the worst offense.   Also, with female voice actors, I hate how the English VAs go shrill to be loud.  Black Lagoon is an example.  The Japanese speaking Revy sounds dangerous, the English speaking Revy just sounds like a bitch. 

Though I have to admit, there are some good dubs out there.  I really enjoy Cowboy Bebop dubbed as well as Big O.  I actually haven't watched all of Trigun to make a distinction.

However, Witch Hunter Robin I thought was much better subbed.

[stray]

hah, yet again. it's the same voice actor in the Big O too (playing Roger Smith). there might be something to it than just his voice though.. from what i understand, he helps write some of the shows he works on. perhaps he knows japanese and bring more to the work than others can. [edit] if you look at his credits, it's actually pretty astounding.

[Bzalthek]

From what I understand, voice acting is a rather incestous industry.  Kinda like MMO devs.

[stray]

Perhaps, but he's quite pervasive in so many things we're familiar with, games included.

[Strazos]

Yuri Lowenthal has some decent credits. I really liked his work on the Persona games.

Crispin Freeman has done some nice work as well.


And when I was talking about Haruhi earlier, I was referring to Wendee Lee. See, I thought she was great in Cowboy Bebop as Faye, but as Haruhi...I dunno, her voice just sounded too old a lot of time.

But yes, especially in the US, the VA industry can be pretty incestuous, especially in anime dubbing - there's really only a handful of good VAs to select from.

[Lantyssa]

Which is why it would be nice if they drew from the rest of the cartoon/voice over industry.  A lot of the anime voice actors were fans who got lucky, or friends and family of people who worked in it, and their level of training shows.

[stray]

Hell sign me up. I'd do that for the rest of my life if I could. 

[stray]

Also, I'd second Welcome to the NHK for Stray - it's great.

Heh... OK.. umm... These guys are even more pathetic than Onizuka.  Some of it is funny though, but I'm almost offended that this was recommended to me.   

[Rendakor]

Also, I'd second Welcome to the NHK for Stray - it's great.

Heh... OK.. umm... These guys are even more pathetic than Onizuka.  Some of it is funny though, but I'm almost offended that this was recommended to me.   

Just wait 'til you get to the episode where he starts playing FFXI. If you're not sold by then, give up.

[stray]

Oh, it's funny enough to stick through, I guess. I had to look up terminology though. And just so everyone knows, I am not an "otaku". Hah.

[edit] Anyone seen Beck?

[Bzalthek]

Mongolian Chop Squad?  Excellent series.

[Strazos]

I only recommended it because I thought it was funny, not because I think you're an Otaku or shut-in or something.

[stray]

It's actually getting less funny as it goes on, and more emotional. The Final Fantasy thing wasn't funny at all! Now his old schoolmate is caught in a pyramid scheme too.. this part is sad. But it's pretty cool that there's an anime about shit like this. I really don't mind the recommendation.. just fucking around there. :)

[Bzalthek]

I am fully convinced they can make an anime about anything at all ever since I watched this anime about a guy who saw germs as some kind of cartoonish representation, and could identify shit like a batch of beer spoiling by the fuckers floating in the air.  And it was entertaining and interesting too.  Blew my mind.

Fake edit: Moyashimon is the name, I had to look it up.

Now if only I could find some kind of math geek anime about calculus, I have a teacher I would like to show it to.

[Rendakor]

[Yoru]

Moyashimon was indeed pretty cracked-out, but it felt unremarkable. I think I watched like half of it and I don't recall an actual plot developing anywhere, although the various "adventures with germs" were amusing.

As for sub/dub, I almost exclusively watch subs because I almost exclusively watch stuff shortly after it airs. I've got a couple of old friends who are deep into anime, and they alert me to the upcoming-show lists when new seasons are starting, so I can sample a series or two and pick up on anything interesting. Dubs, or even commercial subs, are usually out months if not years after a series airs.

Hell, some of the best stuff never even comes over. See: Bartender.

[Strazos]

YES, Bartender! 

There's also REC, an anime about a girl trying to get into the VA business.

[NowhereMan]

Bartender is one of the few animes I've been able to get friends who hate anime on the grounds that 'it's stupid cartoons' to sit through and actually want to watch more of. It is fucking awesome over-the-topness.

[Rendakor]

Speaking of new seasons, Spring 09 starts soon and there are already a couple previews up around the web. FMA and DBZ are both getting remakes; I'll probably have to watch both and be impressed with neither. The show I'm most looking forward to is Natsu no Arashi! but mostly because it's created by the same guy who made School Rumble.

[Strazos]

Full Metal Alchemist....remake? Why?

[Yoru]

Bartender also has the narrator with the world's most soothing voice.

I thought the new FMA coming out was another season? (Somehow. I don't know how they'd weave it into the plot.) I hardly see the necessity of remaking a series less than 5 years old.