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NEWS: 4Kids script writer on edits, new Gonzo co-production


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arxane



Joined: 30 Oct 2002
Posts: 447
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 5:39 pm Reply with quote
They obviously understand how loathed they are in the more hardcore anime community, but their responses to anime fandom's criticisms are pathetic. This interview shows just how out of touch 4Kids is not only with their show's fans but with the community itself. This gem of an answer just about sums it all up:

Quote:
I know some hardcore anime fans hate the fact that 4Kids doesn't simply air the original Japanese series with "literal" subtitles. I understand their feelings. I'd just ask them to remember that 4Kids has probably brought more anime to more viewers than any company in the world. It may not always be in the way some fans would like, but I think 4Kids has contributed greatly to the interest and availability of anime worldwide. Maybe that counts for something in their eyes.


So much wrong with that reply, so much wrong...
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Gawyn



Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 19
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 5:45 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
Rasmussen : …uh… ok… anyway are you familiar with any of the previous incarnations of Sonic, including the video games, comics and previous animations? What is your
impression of these works?
Mr. Haigney : I’ve never played the game, seen the series or read the comics.

Quote:
Rasmussen : Are you interested in Japanese Anime and/or Manga? If so what are you into right now?
Mr. Haigney : I am interested in Manga as a concept. But I was never into comic books or manga.

Rasmussen : When you say that you are interested in manga as a "concept" what does that mean, exactly?
Mr. Haigney : I find the history and origins interesting, along with the visual conventions.

I think those snippets sum up the general contempt this individual has for the medium. I don't expect the guy to be an otaku or anything but it would surely help if he had any interest whatsoever in what he was working on...
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GreatSaiyaman777



Joined: 03 Jan 2004
Posts: 21
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 6:10 pm Reply with quote
There's already a topic on this.

http://animenewsnetwork.com/bbs/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=21842



Also AnimeNation posted the news 3 days earlier to now.

http://animenation.net/news/
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Wolverine Princess



Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 1100
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 7:06 pm Reply with quote
arxane wrote:
They obviously understand how loathed they are in the more hardcore anime community, but their responses to anime fandom's criticisms are pathetic. This interview shows just how out of touch 4Kids is not only with their show's fans but with the community itself. This gem of an answer just about sums it all up:

Quote:
I know some hardcore anime fans hate the fact that 4Kids doesn't simply air the original Japanese series with "literal" subtitles. I understand their feelings. I'd just ask them to remember that 4Kids has probably brought more anime to more viewers than any company in the world. It may not always be in the way some fans would like, but I think 4Kids has contributed greatly to the interest and availability of anime worldwide. Maybe that counts for something in their eyes.


So much wrong with that reply, so much wrong...


I'm not in their defense or anything, but I think when he said that he probably meant that 4kids exposed more people to anime, rather than saying that they actually translate and distribute more anime than any company in the world. (That's how I interpurted the line at first; I had to give it a second reading to fool myself into thinking this man isn't as stupid as I think he is. Gosh, I hope thats what he meant; stupid people make me sad. Anime cry )
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minakichan





PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 7:09 pm Reply with quote
WTF?! Gonzo and 4Kids? Wow, was that relationship REALLY mutually consensual, because it sure sounds like rape to me.

So is it going to be originally bad, or an OK concept that 4Kids is going to MAKE bad? I mean, I hate to sound like a prejudiced 4Kids-basher, but the last 4Kids and Japanese-company love child (that monstrosity of a bastard kid, Yu-Gi-Oh! the Movie) was complete crap...
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Malintex Terek
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 7:51 pm Reply with quote
Anime News Network is a tad behind on reporting nowadays. There was a summit meeting two days ago with representatives of Viz Media, Tokyopop, Del Ray, and 4Kids discussing the future of manga; that's more significant than this interview, yet it hasn't been reported.
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one3rd



Joined: 28 Jul 2003
Posts: 1817
Location: アメリカ
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 9:56 pm Reply with quote
arxane wrote:
They obviously understand how loathed they are in the more hardcore anime community, but their responses to anime fandom's criticisms are pathetic. This interview shows just how out of touch 4Kids is not only with their show's fans but with the community itself. This gem of an answer just about sums it all up:

Quote:
I know some hardcore anime fans hate the fact that 4Kids doesn't simply air the original Japanese series with "literal" subtitles. I understand their feelings. I'd just ask them to remember that 4Kids has probably brought more anime to more viewers than any company in the world. It may not always be in the way some fans would like, but I think 4Kids has contributed greatly to the interest and availability of anime worldwide. Maybe that counts for something in their eyes.


So much wrong with that reply, so much wrong...


Just as much as 4Kids might seem to be out of touch with the hardcore anime community, the hardcore anime community is out of touch with 4Kids. 4Kids does not target the hardcore community. Much like their name suggests, 4Kids aims to adapt anime for kids. Kids aren't going to care about a 100% faithful translation, original background music, or Japanese cultural references. As long as they're entertained for half an hour, they won't care about what went into it. It's long past time that the community should have realized this and quit whining and complaining about it.
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MorwenLaicoriel



Joined: 26 Feb 2006
Posts: 1617
Location: Colorado
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 10:35 pm Reply with quote
My problem with 4Kids isn't that they take anime intentioned for kids and make it so that it's acceptable for american audiences for the typical Saturday cartoon. I don't mind them taking Pokemon and Sonic X and bringing it here to kids in the US, even if it means editing some content and taking out cultural references...

What DOES bother me is they insist on unneeded changes, like the music. The excuse for why the music is changed really doesn't cut it for me. It's not like the music for the originals are sitars and japanese flutes, so I don't really see why american kids couldn't get or understand the music in the originals.

Also--why is it that they somehow attract the WORST voice actors out there? I mean, every now and then they have someone who's OK (Eric Stuart comes to mind), but it seems like 99% of the time the voices are make-my-ears-bleed terrible. (And then they go and put the actors from Sonic X in the games, as well. The ones in the earlier games weren't exactly Cary Grants and Emma Thompsons, but they still were better. Ah...I miss the days when Jaleel White was Sonic...)

I understand the logic behind some of the things they do, I just think there must be a better way to present series both so american kids like them AND at least a casual anime fan would like them as well. The Naruto dub is a good example of this, I think (although to show it on Saturday mornings you'd have to cut out more of the blood, of course).
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GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 15299
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 10:45 pm Reply with quote
minaki:
Quote:
WTF?! Gonzo and 4Kids? Wow, was that relationship REALLY mutually consensual, because it sure sounds like rape to me.


It's not like Gonzo's a quality company.

Anyway...

Quote:
We replace [the music] for both artistic and commercial reasons. I don't think it's any more or less insensitive than dubbing.


When it's commercial, it's usually not artistic. And dubbing is generally insensitive by nature.

Quote:
What they may not realize is that Fox Broadcast Standards and Practices forbids things like smoking, firing realistic weapons and, generally, any kind of violence that would be easy for kids to imitate.


FOX doesn't seem to forbid that kind of behavior in the Bush administration. Rolling Eyes

Quote:
That’s because the FCC has rules and regulations governing broadcast.


Yes. Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson get tax breaks for trashing gays and demanding world leaders to be killed, but Janet Jackson shows a nipple, and CBS gets fined. Some standards.

Quote:
I happen to dislike realistic violence in the context of kids’ cartoons,


But you buy shows which feature realistic violence, anyway. Why is that, Mike?

Quote:
The Standards & Practices woman at Fox felt that the whole show dental care in a terrible light and that airing it might discourage children from going to the dentist.


Do kids have parents anymore?

Quote:
Rasmussen : Are you interested in Japanese Anime and/or Manga? If so what are you into right now?
Mr. Haigney : I am interested in Manga as a concept. But I was never into comic books or manga.


Do you even know the definition of "cross-promote"?

Quote:
I'd just ask them to remember that 4Kids has probably brought more anime to more viewers than any company in the world.


Ratings may vary.

Quote:
It may not always be in the way some fans would like, but I think 4Kids has contributed greatly to the interest and availability of anime worldwide.


At least bootleggers will agree with you on that.
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HitokiriShadow



Joined: 09 May 2005
Posts: 6251
PostPosted: Sun Feb 26, 2006 10:50 pm Reply with quote
one3rd wrote:


Just as much as 4Kids might seem to be out of touch with the hardcore anime community, the hardcore anime community is out of touch with 4Kids. 4Kids does not target the hardcore community. Much like their name suggests, 4Kids aims to adapt anime for kids. Kids aren't going to care about a 100% faithful translation, original background music, or Japanese cultural references. As long as they're entertained for half an hour, they won't care about what went into it. It's long past time that the community should have realized this and quit whining and complaining about it.


Obviously they are targeting kids. Most anime fans understand that and most of us (I think) don't really care what they do the televised version as long as an Uncut version is still available for us later. But they don't do that. Of all their shows, three got temporary uncut releases which have since been canceled. Sometimes, I think they are TRYING to piss off the anime fans.

And if they bastardize a show I like and don't give me an uncut version, why shouldn't I complain about it?
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hkrok76



Joined: 09 Jun 2003
Posts: 118
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 12:46 am Reply with quote
4kids has really done nothing for "anime" itself. It's like saying the old American releases of Astroboy and Speed Racer were to promote anime. They weren't. Now, just like back then, a company saw fit to take a show that was already made from another company and then to localize it. Nothing wrong with that, but I seriously disagree with any notion that 4kids has that they are releasing anime to the public. It really isn't. Nor should it be. I won't villify 4kids for trying to make a profit. I just don't like them doing it under the guise of an anime distributor.

That's my opinion.
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LordRobin



Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Posts: 354
Location: Akron, OH
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 12:47 am Reply with quote
MorwenLaicoriel wrote:
What DOES bother me is they insist on unneeded changes, like the music. The excuse for why the music is changed really doesn't cut it for me. It's not like the music for the originals are sitars and japanese flutes, so I don't really see why american kids couldn't get or understand the music in the originals.


Replacing the music wouldn't bother me so much if the new music wasn't such worthless crap. Remember, Robotech replaced the music too. Robotech's music may not have been as good as Macross, but at least it was memorable. I swear, all 4Kids soundtracks sound like one guy improvising on a Casio keyboard, and all the shows sound exactly alike!!

I know their target market is kids, but the best kids shows inspire children long after they've grown up. I can't imagine children having fond memories of the generic voice acting and forgettable music in 4Kids' shows ten years from now.

------RM
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Hideyuki



Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 50
Location: Wisconsin
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 12:58 am Reply with quote
I'm sorry, but in this case I don't care what I sound like. They're terrible at their job as anime distibutor. The only thing they ever did right was pokemon, and they should have just stuck with it.

This only showsthat the people who work at 4Kids don't care about their job, they have no real interest in the material they're molesting. If you ask me, they'll keep going farther and farther down. All thanks to the fact they had to throw a fat sack of cash-money at OP.....

Really, I don't care if people call me a blind basher in this case, I was kind enough to give Funi a good, lon chance and they certainly didn't dissapoint. 4Kids is just a horrific massacre on this business, and only helps the whole "anime is for kids" crap we all get at some point.
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Urashima Otaru



Joined: 27 Feb 2006
Posts: 6
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 1:36 am Reply with quote
one3rd wrote:
Just as much as 4Kids might seem to be out of touch with the hardcore anime community, the hardcore anime community is out of touch with 4Kids. 4Kids does not target the hardcore community. Much like their name suggests, 4Kids aims to adapt anime for kids. Kids aren't going to care about a 100% faithful translation, original background music, or Japanese cultural references. As long as they're entertained for half an hour, they won't care about what went into it. It's long past time that the community should have realized this and quit whining and complaining about it.


A few things: 1 Yeah 4kids targets kids I have no problems with that for the TV ver, but there should be an Uncut dvd release for their shows. 2 There really is no reason to change the music. 3 Is it really whining when you like a series but the only release of it in the US is a heavily edited (one could say butchered) ver pf it and due to the acts of a company (that seems to be in it only for the money) you may never be able to buy a legitamit copy that has subtitles and is uncut. Take One Piece for example it is really bad (and really what was the point in changing Marines to Navy.)
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Mohawk52



Joined: 16 Oct 2003
Posts: 8202
Location: England, UK
PostPosted: Mon Feb 27, 2006 6:03 am Reply with quote
I'll be fascinated to see what this "Chaotic" will look and sound like. This will be an interesting concept of a 4Kids original animated by a Japanese studio in Japanese first then dubbed for English. I find this intriguing as I’m not sure this concept has been done in reciprocal like this. By that I mean a foreign company like 4Kids going to Japan to produce a story not conceived in Japan but for the Japanese audience firstly. I don’t understand why Gonzo can be considered to be “not a quality company”. Wasn’t Last Exile quality? It was to my eye’s and ears. “Chaotic” could be a nettle, or it could be a tulip. I shall watch closely, but one thing is to be sure, there will be no fanservice, or bloody violence with any kind of recognisable lethal weapon.
Wink
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