Discussion: Animes That Make More Sense in English

[Trogdor]

You notice that some animes, at least the ones that don't always take place in Japan, make more sense in English? Like Trigun, for example. Of course, I think they intended it to be an American-based thing. Considering the fact that it was based on the wild west, and it was just very Americany. I also think Ultimate Muscle (They may be in Japan every now and then, but most of them are from different planets, and they fight all over the world anyway. Or at least, I think they do. Anyway, even though Roxanne, Kiki, and, uh, the other one, are Japanese, it still kinda makes sense that the intergalactic wrestlers speak English instead of Japanese, unless ALL aliens just happen to speak Japanese and land in Japan. And Sonic X definately. I mean, SEGA is an American company after all. The only thing Japanese about it is that the show is made in Japan. Like Transformers Armada, it's an American thing, but it's got a Japanese anime. That, and they never did specify what country they live in...

[Nick Biped]

Personally, one that I can think of off-hand would be Cowboy Bebop. It seems to take place in a rather diverse future, and not really in any one place. And of course this might change between now and when the show takes place, but it seems like English is the closest thing to a universal language that we have on Earth, and to me it'd make sense that the characters'd be most likely speaking that in the future.

Plus, none of the main characters are Japanese (there hardly seems to be any in the show, actually), so I think them speaking Japanese would be more unlikely than them speaking English.

[DianaGohan]

One obvious one would be Big O, with it taking place in America (New York to be percise) obvious Batman art style homages and even the way of speaking is more American then it is Japanese.

[Artemis]

Sega's a Japanese company.


And we've had this discussion countless times before. I wanna try something new. Like...American Cartoons That Make More Sense in Japanese! :p

[Elven Moon]

For some reason, when I watched the Pokemon movies in English (after seeing the fansubs - the first two movies) I understood them a bit more. I think, unless I've confused it with something else.

[Juu-kuchi]

Gasaraki, mainly because it's a dialogue-driven anime for the most part so we have to listen to them to get the story. Also, the subtitles are sometimes annoying especially in the last few DVDs where they're having multiple tracks for different voices on screen.

[Trogdor]

Sega's a Japanese company.

No, I'm pretty sure it's American. Not trying to sound rude or that I know more than you or anything like that, but my big bro says it's made in the US, and he knows a lot about stuff like that.

[Nin-Nin69]

LoL they have a branch in America, but they don't make the games. They just market them and translate the scripts and dialogue.

What makes sence to me would be Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, Trigun, Big O, and Fatal Fury the Movie.

[Animation Otaku]

No, I'm pretty sure it's American. Not trying to sound rude or that I know more than you or anything like that, but my big bro says it's made in the US, and he knows a lot about stuff like that.

No, the American Sega company just translates the games and markets them. The games are made in Japan.

[Chris Wood]

[Trogdor]You notice that some animes, at least the ones that don't always take place in Japan, make more sense in English?

No, not really.


Like Trigun, for example. Of course, I think they intended it to be an American-based thing. Considering the fact that it was based on the wild west, and it was just very Americany.

??? How about Jackie Chan Adventures? It's very "Chinesy", but it's in English.


Anyway, even though Roxanne, Kiki, and, uh, the other one, are Japanese, it still kinda makes sense that the intergalactic wrestlers speak English instead of Japanese, unless ALL aliens just happen to speak Japanese and land in Japan.

Why does it make more sense for aliens to just happen to speak English, than for them to just happen to speak Japanese? Same difference.

When it comes down to it, the characters of any TV show in any country are obviously going to speak the language of their primary audience. That's what makes the most sense.

[Lord Dalek]

No, the American Sega company just translates the games and markets them. The games are made in Japan.

The company was, however, founded by an American but that really dosen't count does it.

[Trogdor]

When it comes down to it, the characters of any TV show in any country are obviously going to speak the language of their primary audience. That's what makes the most sense.

Well I understand that, but I meant the ones that were meant to make more sence in another language. I'm just saying that, although I guess the viewers assume/know that they're speaking English but in Japanese so they know what the hell they're saying. I mean, if it were to be only one way around the whole world, some of them would make more sense in English. Man, I think I just confused myself :o Well, what I mean is that I get what you stated, but that's not my point. I think that came out correctly...

:confused: :eek: :o :( :sweat: :brak:

[zmanjz]

I wanna try something new. Like...American Cartoons That Make More Sense in Japanese! :p

How about Teen Titans and Samauri Jack?

[Sprocket]

In Trigun, though, isn't it kind of weird that they can SPEAK Japanese but not READ Japanese? This is because, apparently, that they're supposed to speak English, but for the audience's convenience, they speak Japanese.

Kind of weird.

There are, of course, animes that you can't even tell WHAT language would be right. Dragonball, and just about anything by Toriyama, I've always found interesting in one aspect: they way they transcend all cultures. There's nothing particularly Japanese about his work, but then, there's nothing particularly cultural about his work, either.

One Piece is also interesting. All the names, the locations, EVERYTHING, is made up from scratch. They don't sound Japanese, but they don't sound like they're tied to ANY culture. At all.

How someone can make something that doesn't seem tied to any particular culture certainly amazes me. It almost seems impossible.

[RogueMartian]

You notice that some animes, at least the ones that don't always take place in Japan, make more sense in English?
IMO, all anime's make more sense in english. I'm a pretty slow reader, so I know I miss things all the time. I miss dialogue looking at the pictures and pictures when reading the dialogue. I absolutely HATE subtitles.

However by far the worst cases are anything by Gainax. FLCL was cool, but a total mystery (even after I watched it 3 times) until I saw it in english. Soon as I saw the dubbed dvds I loved the show even more. I had no clue that show had a plot.

BTW, here's the The History of Sega (http://www.theseganetwork.8k.com/history.html)

[lostrune]

Hellsing -> British.
Howl's Moving Castle -> British

Anyway, Sega is a Japanese company, though it didn't start that way. Now they're in financial trouble (and for quite some time already). Several months ago, they almost had a deal for Sammy, a Japanese pachinko-maker, to buy them, but the deal fell through.

[Zorakfan]

No, not really.

Spot on. If you think animes are produced with an english fanbase in mind, you're sorely mistaken. The Japanese are the most xenophobic nation on the planet, at least 98% of it's population is native born. Most of the fascination with the West comes from a very small caste of nerds analogous to our own anime fanbois, and a social stigma exists against them, too. In short, no anime is produced with english in mind at all.

http://home.comcast.net/~girz/gb2amerika2.jpg

[Misato Tanaka]

ranma is the only one i could honestly say that about

[Evil Dr. Reef]

ranma is the only one i could honestly say that about
...

Ranma 1/2 is so Japanese that it's practically sprouting phallic tentacles.

[Misato Tanaka]

...

Ranma 1/2 is so Japanese that it's practically sprouting phallic tentacles.

i was joking my ass off with that one...i guess i diddnt make it apparent enough

[Evil Dr. Reef]

Guess not.

[zlfuep]

Noir should be in french.

[Ben]

Spot on. If you think animes are produced with an english fanbase in mind, you're sorely mistaken. The Japanese are the most xenophobic nation on the planet, at least 98% of it's population is native born. Most of the fascination with the West comes from a very small caste of nerds analogous to our own anime fanbois, and a social stigma exists against them, too. In short, no anime is produced with english in mind at all.



Whoa there. It's true that Japan is still mostly an monoethnic nation, but calling them xenophobic is nothing but untrue. Young people here are in love with Western culture. I've even met some who refuse to listen to Japanese music because "none of it is as good as American music." If the only people who love the West are fanboys, than Japan is a nation of fanboys.

Politics professor took us to a slum in Osaka yesterday where homeless people live and wait for temp work (mostly construction). Basically the poorest part of the city. Some people scowled at us, sure, but most people who looked at us waved and smiled. A homeless man who picks up cans for a living even showed us where our train stop was and explained to us how to get home. And this is a group of all-white, obviously middle-class American kids. I have had ONE (1) Japanese person be hostile to me, and that was because my friends and I were being rude (albeit without realizing it).

Now this isn't to say the Japanese love all foreigners. They're nary too fond of their Asian neighbors (and the feeling is mutual) but to say all of them hate Westerners is 100% wrong.

Do American studios produce animation with Japanese audiences in mind? No, but that doesn't mean we hate Japanese people.

Also, this is changing. Most anime studios may not be producing directly for American audiences now, but anime is becoming more and more an export product and good anime studios will start thinking about their foreign audiences soon. SD Gundam and Big O have already been mentioned I believe, but even the new Astroboy, the quintessential anime franchise, was produced with places for two commercial breaks (Japan has only one) so that it would be ready for American television.

[undomel]

im so glad that im not the only one that thinks Cowboy Bebop and Trigun make sence in english!!!

[Zorakfan]

[QUOTE=Twage] Wrong. [QUOTE]

Whoops, I worded my statement completely wrong, and you answered it completely right. I forgot to mention the most important part of my statement which was that Western pop culture is what's not recieved quite as well. While it is readily available, and many children do think it's cool, it rarely goes beyond the status of a novelty and is not taken "seriously." When it comes to western culture in general, your statement is totally correct. As for the xenophobia, the Japanese are a very polite nation, and are friendly with foriegners, but tend to look down upon them in society. This is far more apparent in the older generations, and seems to be dying with passing generations. The chances of a foreigner being assimilated into society and viewed as an equal by the populous, however, are very, very low.