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Hey, Answerman! [2007-09-07]


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Nermal



Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 223
Location: I was made to hit in America
PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:08 pm Reply with quote
I like the kitten Very Happy
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Dorcas_Aurelia



Joined: 23 Jul 2006
Posts: 5344
Location: Philly
PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:16 pm Reply with quote
I think the phrasing in the "crap-to-gold ratio" compared to FF.net is backwards.
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TheVok



Joined: 09 Mar 2007
Posts: 613
Location: North York, Ontario, Canada
PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:17 pm Reply with quote
It doesn't really bother me, but ... now 'Hey, Answerfans!' is flakebaiting?

I think the true flakes are the unsolicited type ....
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Zac
ANN Executive Editor


Joined: 05 Jan 2002
Posts: 7912
Location: Anime News Network Technodrome
PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:19 pm Reply with quote
Dorcas_Aurelia wrote:
I think the phrasing in the "crap-to-gold ratio" compared to FF.net is backwards.


You're right. Fixed.
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Key
Moderator


Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18175
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:20 pm Reply with quote
Concerning the first message: why would I want American animation to look like anime? American series that try to ape anime style actually annoy me because they feel like copycats.

Quote:
First, those working on an anime should watch it. They need to have a better feel for the characters, the story, and the overall environment the creator was going for. Those working on the music need to get a good feel for the type of music that works well with a show. (Admittedly, some anime have music that doesn't work well, in my opinion, but it gives the American music editor an idea of where to start.) The translators need to not just translate the words, but also try to grasp, to the best of their abilities, the fundamental concepts and underlying meanings, which are all best noted when viewing the original and seeing how what is said can be interpreted. And the voice actors need to listen and watch carefully, to know not only the words and the general gist of what is being said, but also how it is said; sometimes, the words, the voice, and the animated body language have to sync before the audience understands completely the full meaning of some scenes. If they don't sync correctly, then grand misunderstandings can occur.


This strikes me as insulting to the professionalism of the American anime production industry and a blatant case of elitism. Everything I've heard from behind-the-scenes features about American VAs and production personnel indicates that they already do these sort of things.

Concerning the new Answerfans topic: hmmm, I might actually have to write in something myself about that one.
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sabriyahm



Joined: 24 May 2005
Posts: 291
Location: Georgia
PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:26 pm Reply with quote
Get rid of dubs? Why? The DVD's have the original Japanese with subs 99% of the time. What's the point. As far as watching Anime on TV w/subs.. That doesn't seem like a good idea financially. Which doesn't seem to bother the answerfan but if anime licensors all go broke and their stations go belly up how will I get my anime?

Zac as far as not being a fan, I consider that a plus. I am not sure I would trust your opinions and assesments if I thought your were an avid anime fan. When it comes to critical analysis a little bit of distance and objectivity is a good thing.
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duo05001



Joined: 20 Dec 2006
Posts: 18
PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:32 pm Reply with quote
From the artical

"Finally, from "jeant":


So, although I know perfectly well it'd be the kiss of death for sales, I'd be perfectly happy if all the dubs were eliminated."


I guess but, I personally find watching the dubs before the subbed version makes the dubs sound better. A few examples would be Fullmetal Alchemist and Full Metal Panic!. I personally rather hear and watch whats going on rather then read and hear whats going on. I don't enjoy watching anime as much when I have to read it. Rurouni Kenshin Oh My God! I hated how Kenshin sounded in the Japanese. verson also Aoshi sounded like a little girl too.

Also I understand at times charcters sound better in the Japanese. voices as well to note a few the entire cast of naruto, Rukia from bleach the entire cast of Eva and those are just a few I could come up wiht off the top of my head.
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Neverwhere



Joined: 17 Jun 2006
Posts: 351
Location: socal
PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:42 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
most people would probably be skeptical that someone writing 400 pages of angsty Ranma 1/2 fanfiction could measure up to any professional novelist


Am I crazy Zac, or did you just refer to the only fanfic I've ever actually looked at, Hearts of Ice, which I think I read in 1996 and still isn't finished yet? Very Happy
Or it just an amusing coincidence. Wink After all, it's not as if any fanfic genre is lacking in the epic angstyness department...;- )

sabriyahm wrote:

Zac as far as not being a fan, I consider that a plus. I am not sure I would trust your opinions and assesments if I thought your were an avid anime fan. When it comes to critical analysis a little bit of distance and objectivity is a good thing.


*nods in agreement* I was going to say exactly that, but you beat me to it. *grins* (Also, anyone who still watches Escaflowne definitely has a discerning eye for quality, regardless of whether or not they are an 'avid' fan. ;- )

I really look forward to reading your response next week Key Smile
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Splitter



Joined: 19 May 2003
Posts: 1276
Location: Knockin' on Heaven's Door
PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:43 pm Reply with quote
Zac asking about moe? Someone feels a little masochistic this coming week, yes?
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Kenotic



Joined: 02 Mar 2007
Posts: 167
PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:54 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
most people would probably be skeptical that someone writing 400 pages of angsty Ranma 1/2 fanfiction could measure up to any professional novelist


Wasn't that the script for the 2nd Ranma movie, just sans the angst?

On to the "Moe" issue - I don't get it, I can't define it, and it seems like anything with a few female leads is considered "moe" these days. Speaking of Ranma 1/2, I remember the hoopla when it was oddly referred to as a "sex comedy" by Viz. I'm sure they'd pass it off as a Moe series these days.
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Richard J.



Joined: 11 Aug 2006
Posts: 3367
Location: Sic Semper Tyrannis.
PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:55 pm Reply with quote
Is it just me or does it look like that kitten is talking to God?

Also, no offense Zac, but I think the column's a little weak this time. I don't know, maybe it's just me, but it just doesn't have the same punch as some of the past ones.

The first question was just kind of silly, the second is rehash (you've pretty much said the same thing before), and the only thing I found interesting with the third is that I would like to know where I could get that printing equipment. I might be able to put book binding tech to good use. (Assuming I ever finish one of those novels I have rolling around in my vast and empty cranial cavity.)

The flake was too stupid to even laugh at. I think a side-by-side analysis of Naruto would show that the level of editing/censorship is very low. (Hey, we'd all love to see completely uncensored everything, but it ain't happening any time soon regardless of who gets elected.)

Although I got to admit, I like your response to that flake. Sick and twisted. My kind of answer. Twisted Evil

The answers are okay. Even though it was the shortest you posted, I really liked Binarysunset's answer. Faster releases and untouched product. Couldn't agree more.

jeant's answer just sort of annoyed me, but that's mostly just because I'm an English dub fan and I found the last comment rather elitist. "Where's the otaku level in that?" Perhaps I'm just a fool, but I'd think the most important aspects of anime are the moving art and the story. The enjoyment of these is slightly hampered, at least in my opinion, by trying to read subtitles.

At least this person (I hesitate to use a gender pronoun) didn't make some blanket "dubs suck" statement so much as a complete dismissal without much consideration.

And again, that kitten looks like it is talking to God.

Neverwhere wrote:
*nods in agreement* I was going to say exactly that, but you beat me to it. *grins* (Also, anyone who still watches Escaflowne definitely has a discerning eye for quality, regardless of whether or not they are an 'avid' fan. ;- )
Agreed. That series is one that never gets old. I wish it were longer.
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ichiro3923



Joined: 08 Apr 2007
Posts: 167
Location: hiding in your closet watching you
PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:56 pm Reply with quote
duo05001 wrote:
I hated how Kenshin sounded in the Japanese. verson also Aoshi sounded like a little girl too.

Also I understand at times charcters sound better in the Japanese. voices as well to note a few the entire cast of naruto, Rukia from bleach the entire cast of Eva and those are just a few I could come up wiht off the top of my head.


I actually prefer the Japanese voice of Rorouni Kenshin and I have not heard the dub version, but I assume that the english voice actor sounds manly. Giving Kenshin a feminine voice kinda adds more character and makes him seem more peaceful and friendly, making it less likely for people to expect that he was once an assassin. That's my view anyway.

First Answerfan Flake: the scene in Naruto where he cuts off Sasuke's head and made to his eyeball while screaming out the F word sounded so random that it was hillarious

As for wanting American TV series to be like anime. There are shows that try to be anime like Teen Titans, Totally Spies, and Martin Mystery. Those shows even copy the usual overly-exagerated anime expressions such as a character flailing their arms rapidly while streams of tears are coming out of their eyes. It just ended up making it look more awkward.


Last edited by ichiro3923 on Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:03 am; edited 1 time in total
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jsevakis
Former ANN Editor in Chief


Joined: 28 Jul 2003
Posts: 1684
Location: Los Angeles, CA
PostPosted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:56 pm Reply with quote
Key wrote:
This strikes me as insulting to the professionalism of the American anime production industry and a blatant case of elitism. Everything I've heard from behind-the-scenes features about American VAs and production personnel indicates that they already do these sort of things.


(insert bitter laugh here)

True to an extent, and definitely the self-image the industry likes putting out there, but there are plenty of people in the industry that really don't give a shit about anime at all. I've seen it mostly in the dubbing circles, where many VA's are embittered out-of-work stage and/or screen actors, and many directors/engineers are embittered out-of-work musicians. I've even seen some people who have a genuine resentment for the stuff. You would be shocked at how widespread this is, and is the reason whole shows were produced where the VA's literally show up not knowing who they're playing, walk in the booth, give a couple line reads, first take that matches lip flap is kept, and they move on.

Granted, that was years ago. The lack of money in the industry seems to have weeded out most of those people; only the true fans are masochistic enough to still be in the industry. (Maybe this is why dubs are generally good today despite all the budget cuts?) And frankly, I've seen fans-cum-professionals do a measurably worse job than the reluctant pros. Smile
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Cowboy Cadenza



Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 243
Location: Poughkeepsie, NY
PostPosted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:07 am Reply with quote
Splitter wrote:
Zac asking about moe? Someone feels a little masochistic this coming week, yes?
Knowing you, you'll probably have something to say, ne? Wink
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Murasakisuishou



Joined: 22 Jun 2006
Posts: 1469
Location: NE Ohio
PostPosted: Fri Sep 07, 2007 12:11 am Reply with quote
That was an interesting question about publishing fanfiction. I've been there myself (well, sort of); about a year ago I wrote a fairly decent 6 chapter fanfic about a really, really minor character from Shaman King and put it up on the internet, then also showed it to some family members and adult friends. I was encouraged by a couple of people to get it published, but I had to explain that I couldn't because of copyright. I've also been encouraged to switch the names around so I can get it published, but dammit, the story is about the character it's about, not someone else.

When you think about it, what's to stop someone from judging a published fanfic the same way they'd judge a novel? To go through a publisher, one would probably have to meet certain standards, which would probably weed out the 400 page angst-tastic Ranma 1/2 fanfics. Like doujin, it wouldn't be about capitalizing on something that wasn't yours, but sharing your art and maybe making a few bucks in the process.
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