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REVIEW: Gankutsuou DVD 1


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Mr Mania



Joined: 10 Feb 2003
Posts: 581
Location: UK
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 12:22 am Reply with quote
I quite like the sound of this series. I loved the novel and even enjoyed the Kevin Reynold's film. Maeda is a fairly talented director as well so I will probably end up picking it up at some point. It has been a while since I watched a decent mature anime series.

Quote:
No effort was made to give these obviously European characters distinct accents. They all sound like generic white people, especially Albert, who talks way too slow in many of his scenes.


I can't think of very many English dubs in which European accents have been voiced correctly.
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wao



Joined: 04 Jul 2004
Posts: 224
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 12:35 am Reply with quote
Eh, to me while Gankutsuou was a good series, it wasn't exactly what I'd call entirely mature - some things were just a little too blatant and predictable/overdramatic for my taste and well, I guess I prefer to think of stuff like Planetes as mature serious shows... though that was also a bit overdramatic. Okay, what about Emma, maybe. Never mind...

I guess that's the intent of the show though. It *is* a drama after all...

It's really a pity the english VAs flopped - I always enjoyed hearing the Japanese VAs, all the evil intonations and OMG BAD GUY laughter. Smile
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bahamut623



Joined: 23 Jun 2005
Posts: 1463
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 12:48 am Reply with quote
Great review. I share the same exact thoughts on it. I know there are people who would not be able to stand this show because it's "boring", but it's their loss(although i found the show to be quite intense and suspenseful at some points. I've never been shocked by any moments in anime as much as in this show). Kinda sad to hear that the dub was so-so, especially for Albert, who had a really good voice in the Japanese version. And I'm really surprised they dumped the french.
Very nice dvd cover. I'm very tempted to buy this, its worth owning even after having seen the whole show. I really really hope Geneon has a domestic release of the soundtrack *crosses fingers*


Just out of curiosity, did they decide to go with Beppo or Peppo? I remember their being some debate about that. I think the director said it was Beppo, and in the book it was Peppo, or the other way around, or maybe I'm remembering this wrong?


edit: And about English accent dubs, everyone in the dub for Licensed by Royalty has an English accent.Can't think of any others, maybe Hellsing.
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Fronzel



Joined: 11 Sep 2003
Posts: 1906
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 3:31 am Reply with quote
Quote:
The English version didn’t even bother to record the Count’s French lines in French; they just dubbed ‘em in English.

That's awful. Dub fail!
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mufurc



Joined: 09 Jun 2003
Posts: 612
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 9:39 am Reply with quote
Gankutsuou is mature in the way Oniisama he and Utena is mature - it might not look very deep and mature at first glance, but my experience is that it's only fully enjoyable and understandable to those who already have a fair amount of life experience. It might be blatant at times, but in many ways it's very subtle.

As for being overdramatic, well, the show has its roots in early shoujo manga and Byron's poetry (and of course the original novel), so it's natural that it's prone to be a bit theatric and melodramatic (in the good sense) - I don't think that makes it immature, though. I can think of only one time in the series where it slipped into seriously overdone and cliched melodrama (in the worst sense)... sadly, that was really bad and totally superfluous (except maybe for die-hard fans of a certain blond boy). Also, I admit that at times the script is kinda weak, and there's one element in the show I just can't come to terms with (spoiler[Franz's character in general, and the way the Franz Angst was done at the expense of the Count's character development after episode 18]). Still, there's no other anime that had such a strong impact on me as Gankutsuou. It moved me in ways no anime, film or even book ever did. It's really a one-of-a-kind show.

bahamut623 wrote:
edit: And about English accent dubs, everyone in the dub for Licensed by Royalty has an English accent.Can't think of any others, maybe Hellsing.

And The Heroic Legend of Arslan. Kinda strange, since it was a relatively early release, and by Manga to boot, but I think the dub for that was pretty good (the voices, that is - the translation was an abomination). Manga apparently realized that having an American accent just wouldn't suit the characters who all speak in rather archaic and elegant Japanese, so they gave them a British accent that worked quite well. They also gave the "foreigners" some kind of accent that I didn't recognize, but it also had a pretty good effect.
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darkchibi07



Joined: 15 Oct 2003
Posts: 5469
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 10:42 am Reply with quote
Mr Mania wrote:


Quote:
No effort was made to give these obviously European characters distinct accents. They all sound like generic white people, especially Albert, who talks way too slow in many of his scenes.


I can't think of very many English dubs in which European accents have been voiced correctly.


New Generation Pictures' dub for Hellsing and L/R made a very successful attempt on it especially since they did hire real British people. Dammit, if they dubbed it, there's not doubt they would hired French actors as well as give their regulars French accents. Mad
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Mr Mania



Joined: 10 Feb 2003
Posts: 581
Location: UK
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 1:53 pm Reply with quote
darkchibi07 wrote:
Mr Mania wrote:


Quote:
No effort was made to give these obviously European characters distinct accents. They all sound like generic white people, especially Albert, who talks way too slow in many of his scenes.


I can't think of very many English dubs in which European accents have been voiced correctly.


New Generation Pictures' dub for Hellsing and L/R made a very successful attempt on it especially since they did hire real British people. Dammit, if they dubbed it, there's not doubt they would hired French actors as well as give their regulars French accents. Mad


I was actually thinking more of mainland Europe. Although saying that I haven't heard many good attempts at British accent’s either. I haven't watched Hellsing mind you. A lot of the time when American companies handle British (or more specifically English) accents the characters always either end up sounding very posh or are cockneys. We don't all sound like that. I won't even get started on Scottish accents.
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor


Joined: 05 Jan 2002
Posts: 7912
Location: Anime News Network Technodrome
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 2:07 pm Reply with quote
darkchibi07 wrote:

New Generation Pictures' dub for Hellsing and L/R made a very successful attempt on it especially since they did hire real British people. Dammit, if they dubbed it, there's not doubt they would hired French actors as well as give their regulars French accents. Mad


That's my thought exactly; this show was tailor-made for New Generation, since they go the extra mile to get the authentic European voices.

Coulda been a fantastic dub, instead of the mediocre one we got.
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DKL



Joined: 08 May 2005
Posts: 1945
Location: California, USA
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 2:09 pm Reply with quote
darkchibi07 wrote:


New Generation Pictures' dub for Hellsing and L/R made a very successful attempt on it especially since they did hire real British people. Dammit, if they dubbed it, there's not doubt they would hired French actors as well as give their regulars French accents. Mad


Yeah, I was thinking the same thing too...

I'm still wondering why JONATHAN KLEIN wasn't given the job... Confused

In any event, there's at least one guy on cast who can speak French AND Japanese, whether they use him or not... well, it's up to them (http://www.yurilowenthal.com/)

EDIT: WAIT, I've been thinking... maybe it would've cost too much to commsision NGP for this one... damn Confused
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ananda



Joined: 22 Apr 2005
Posts: 109
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 7:54 pm Reply with quote
Fronzel wrote:
Quote:
The English version didn’t even bother to record the Count’s French lines in French; they just dubbed ‘em in English.

That's awful. Dub fail!


Did he spoke French in the Japanese version then?!?
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DKL



Joined: 08 May 2005
Posts: 1945
Location: California, USA
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 8:06 pm Reply with quote
According to the review... yes *I think*

...

well, there might be a FRENCH dub if they release the thing in France... that'd be cool
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ananda



Joined: 22 Apr 2005
Posts: 109
PostPosted: Sat Sep 17, 2005 8:53 pm Reply with quote
DKL wrote:
According to the review... yes *I think*

...

well, there might be a FRENCH dub if they release the thing in France... that'd be cool

If he really spoke French in the Japanese version, then why didn't they just left it in there for the English version?

It wouldn't have been even necessary to Dub this part again, I suppose, just take the one from the Japanese track.
Well I don't know,...
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Haru to Ashura



Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 617
Location: Termina
PostPosted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 2:16 pm Reply with quote
ananda wrote:
DKL wrote:
According to the review... yes *I think*

...

well, there might be a FRENCH dub if they release the thing in France... that'd be cool

If he really spoke French in the Japanese version, then why didn't they just left it in there for the English version?

It wouldn't have been even necessary to Dub this part again, I suppose, just take the one from the Japanese track.
Well I don't know,...


Because the voices wouldn't match.

I've seen an episode or two of this series...I love the crazy animation. Interesting backgrounds, very colorful, and the non-moving patterns in people's hair and clothing are really visually...weird. Cool, but weird. I've never seen much of anything like it (well....excluding for the fact that I watched Earth Girl Arjuna and Spring and Chaos the other day :lol: ) and I'm kinda wondering why people aren't talking about that...maybe it's just me that thinks its weird?
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RedComet



Joined: 05 Dec 2004
Posts: 227
Location: Virginia
PostPosted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 4:28 pm Reply with quote
I've been following this for months and it looks good enough to deserve it's reputation and this might be on my shelf someday.
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Strategos



Joined: 25 Sep 2004
Posts: 91
Location: Ohio
PostPosted: Sun Sep 18, 2005 4:32 pm Reply with quote
The animaition really turned me off when I first saw the Japanese trailer last August (I think), but I may have to give it a shot...I've heard to many good things to ignore it any longer.
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