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To my knowledge, the Girls und Panzer dub wasn't even allowed to use the song "Katyusha" from the original version - I guess they were forced to come up with some filler music Rolling Eyes

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Bubblegum Crisis is the only dub I can think of that actually had a cover band produce completely new versions of the songs.

Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball GT had entirely new versions of their songs done from scratch.

(Oddly enough, one of their trailers for GT during its initial release using that horrible rap song seemed to have a proper instrumental of Dan Dan Kokoro Hikareteku...)

7jaws7 wrote:

To my knowledge, the Girls und Panzer dub wasn't even allowed to use the song "Katyusha" from the original version - I guess they were forced to come up with some filler music Rolling Eyes

That was a rights/clearance issue, as in they couldn't get permission to include the song on the North American DVD at all, dubbed or subbed. So they replaced it with Korobeiniki (another Russian folk song that isn't copyrighted) and edited the footage to fit.

I'm about 99% sure that Love Live's situation is a legal issue. One of the show's main reasons for existing is to promote the music. If the version on the TV screens and the Blu-rays is different to the original, chances are it'd be a bit more difficult to promote CD sales. And even putting aside all that do you really think they'd be able to pull it off? That would mean getting 9 people who can act AND sing, obtaining karaoke versions of all the songs, writing lyrics for all the songs and then mixing it all in a way that sounds halfway decent (Which is NOT EASY when you have 9 people singing).

The situations where they have dubbed songs in recent years?

Show by Rock (Funimation), but only a few songs because of the rigorous schedule that broadcast dubs present. Caitlin Glass has said that they'll be going back into the studio and dubbing the songs for the Blu-ray release.

No-Rin (Funimation), but all in all that was about 3 or 4 short insert songs in which only one person is singing. The OPs and EDs are still in Japanese.

Yuki Yuna (Bang Zoom), but only one song in a naturalistic style that wouldn't be all that difficult to mix.

And a weird place in the middle is AKB0048 (Sentai Filmworks). I didn't watch much of the dub spoiler[cause it was bad] but they only dub songs in speaking scenes. But when I switched over from Japanese to English just to see how they dubbed a song in Season 2 which I assumed would full under that category... Japanese vocals! So maybe they just gave up at some point.

MadHi wrote:

I'd also kill for full English versions of Water Evidence and In This Quiet Night from Gundam SEED, Vic Mignogna's Dragon Soul, Snow Storm from Rosario + Vampire, and Unbalanced Kiss from YuYu Hakusho.

I was actually gonna mention Dragon Soul. What I especially liked about that was they had a different voice actor sing a rendition of that song. I think they actually had a version with Sean Schemmel and Christopher Sabat's renditions combined.

SaiyamanMS wrote:

Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball GT had entirely new versions of their songs done from scratch.

Coincidently Vic also actually did the dubbed version of the Dragon ball GT opening song

Maybe they don't often dub character songs to avoid fiascos like Guin Saga (jump to 2:40 it doesn't auto jump) - although by that point, they seem to have given up on the series dub as a whole. The Japanese bard admittedly wasn't much better, but at least they didn't confuse the song lyrics with the internal monologue. Or if they did, they didn't release it that way! Oi.

SpacemanHardy wrote:

MadHi wrote:

I don't mind when they do dub the songs but what I hate is when they never release full versions of them. I'd kill to get all the dubbed songs from Bubblegum Crisis, especially Tonight, A Hurricane without the background action. The only dubbed song from that anime I can find in its entirety and uninterrupted is Mad Machine.

I'd also kill for full English versions of Water Evidence and In This Quiet Night from Gundam SEED, Vic Mignogna's Dragon Soul, Snow Storm from Rosario + Vampire, and Unbalanced Kiss from YuYu Hakusho.

I asked Brina about this when I met her at a con once, and she explained that they never do full versions because they're never provided with the full-length track. They can only dub the truncated version that they're given for the episode in question that they're dubbing. She mentioned specifically that she would have really liked to do a full version of Stones from The Rolling Girls, but unfortunately it wasn't possible.

it would explain much cause vic's version for We Are is pretty good. the same with palencia's version of bom voyage. i definitely would have paid for the full collection version of OP if it had the full english dub version of the songs by some of the voice actors at that time as extras.

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Funimation has dubbed a few of their theme songs (such as One Piece and Ouran High School Host Club),

not quite answerman. funi mainly did the songs in english for one piece as like a transition when they got the license from 4kids. if they had gotten the series first instead of that abomination of a company,its highly they would have had them in the original japaneese version (not to mentioned that the dub version would already be at least in the dressrossa arc instead of just starting on the paramount war arc).

For musical sequences, I would definitely prefer they're dubbed over if I'm watching a dub. For everyone to suddenly be singing in Japanese again after hearing them in English is really jarring. But if they have to keep it in Japanese, at least give us subtitles so we know what they're singing about. I've seen some shows where the subtitles just vanish, and I feel like I'm missing something important.

This goes for more than just anime. I know a bunch of languages The Simpsons are dubbed into not only do not bother with dubbing over its musical sequences, but there are no subtitles either. I can feel the pain of those viewers who saw the episode dubbed into their native languages where Apu has to stay over at the Simpsons household and he sings about not needing to rely on the Kwik-E-Mart, except they have to listen to it in English with no subtitles.

ninjamitsuki wrote:

Even in video games it's kind of a dying practice. Only super mainstream stuff like Nintendo or Square Enix even bother.

And even then, it's hit-or-miss with quality. Rhythm Heaven for the DS had mostly horrible singing quality for its songs, but Rhythm Heaven Fever bounced right back and were a lot better to listen to (to where some onlookers have asked me if its songs were originally in English).

SquadmemberRitsu wrote:

I'm about 99% sure that Love Live's situation is a legal issue. One of the show's main reasons for existing is to promote the music. If the version on the TV screens and the Blu-rays is different to the original, chances are it'd be a bit more difficult to promote CD sales. And even putting aside all that do you really think they'd be able to pull it off? That would mean getting 9 people who can act AND sing, obtaining karaoke versions of all the songs, writing lyrics for all the songs and then mixing it all in a way that sounds halfway decent (Which is NOT EASY when you have 9 people singing).

For something like Love Live, isn't it clear it's a musical series and thus they would cast voices with singing in mind? I know that's what was done for Friendship Is Magic and Phineas and Ferb. Then again, maybe it's harder with the anime dubbing scene.

Gina Szanboti wrote:

Maybe they don't often dub character songs to avoid fiascos like Guin Saga (jump to 2:40 it doesn't auto jump) - although by that point, they seem to have given up on the series dub as a whole. The Japanese bard admittedly wasn't much better, but at least they didn't confuse the song lyrics with the internal monologue. Or if they did, they didn't release it that way! Oi.

That's hilarious! It's almost as bad as The Super Mario Bros. Super Show having wrong characters speak. (And the video DOES skip to that point. It actually skips to 2:42.)

^ I meant to say "if it doesn't" since sometimes the t= function doesn't work. There is a section of him singing a different song right before that one, but I decided not to subject anyone to that unless they chose to endure it. It really is godawful.

Yeah, I heard that part. It was just as funny for how bad it was.

The article and comments so far have left out when the original anime and singers also do an English version of a song sung in Japanese e.g.

Elemental Gelade's "Everlasting Song" appeared in English as an insert song in episode 26;

Noir's "Lullaby" (different vocalists, but both English and Japanese versions were part of the original OSTs);

Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles "You Are My Love" in Japanese sung by Yui Makino and in English by Eri Itoh (also famous for singing in Japanese in Japanese dubs of Disney animation); and Tsubasa (English version sung by Kaori Oda) and Yume no Tsubasa (Japanese version sung by Yui Makino);

Tokyo Ravens insert songs: "Red Monochrome" sung in English and Japanese by Lisa Komine, and "All the Same" and "Daily Knack" sung in English and Japanese by Shinji Kakijima.

Record of Lodoss War OVA had two english versions for the opening. A full length version was on the 3rd OST sung by a different japanese artist. The TV sized version is what I presume is the re-dubbed version produced for the US release. I wonder what prompted the japanese english version... Too bad that they didn't do one for the ending too. Not that I mind the (presumably) US release version, but it's only TV size.

I still enjoy most of those english dubbed songs that I heard back in the day. I'm sure it's primarily fueled by some nostalgia, but many imo were well done.

Kinda miss that they don't go through the effort to dub most songs any more. I probably wouldn't even notice nowadays since I just watch subs, but back in the day when I didn't, it was something I enjoyed, so I would imagine many dub fans today would.

Dubbed music is such a novelty I won't make a fuss unless it's really bad.
I remember Naruto (first anime) had a few insert songs dubbed.

I'd love to hear the Sailor Moon cast do more musical bits, they all can sing well enough, and Vee's covers are great. Still find it wonderful she dubbed the SM op five years before she was cast.

You can also have a reverse case, where the common criticism of dubbing songs can hold true. Not that they weren't Japanese casted to begin with, but Cowboy Bebop's dub flows better in part because most of the soundtrack is in English anyway, producing said jarring effect in Japanese I get with English dubs.

Or with Steven Universe and MLP:FIM where the singing in various dubs ranges from very good to what were they thinking. In Japanese, the SU cast just can't sing well, or if they do it's miscast. Stronger than You just soundswrong.

Then I come across some great quality fan covers.

Covnam wrote:

I still enjoy most of those english dubbed songs that I heard back in the day. I'm sure it's primarily fueled by some nostalgia, but many imo were well done.

Kinda miss that they don't go through the effort to dub most songs any more. I probably wouldn't even notice nowadays since I just watch subs, but back in the day when I didn't, it was something I enjoyed, so I would imagine many dub fans today would.

I miss those days as well. I'll never forget how awesome the English versions of the OP and ED songs of Negima sounded, as well as the OP song of Suzuka.

I actually prefer it when Opening and Ending themes stay the same and aren't dubbed over but as for insert song I actually enjoy hearing them in English by the English voice cast one of my favorites is "Be My All" from Space Dandy. Very Happy

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