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About Macross translation


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GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 15296
PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2002 10:50 am Reply with quote
I find it pretty immature for them to sneak those Star Trek references on there, not to mention inconsiderate of those people who pre-ordered and expected the best translation from Animeigo. If ADV or Manga did something like that, fans would be screaming for their heads.
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Tempest
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2002 10:51 am Reply with quote
Hmm, I was about to add my two cents worth regarding this as well.

I think the important thing is that AE never changed the meaning of any of the lines in doing this.

Essentially they have added something without taking out or changing. I say this because the translation they use is a perfect has the exact same meaning as the original.
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GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2002 10:52 am Reply with quote
Well if you like a Working Designs-style translation of anime, fine. Personally, I'd prefer it to be pure from pop culture references that weren't intended to be added in the first place.
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Trunten



Joined: 04 Jan 2002
Posts: 5
PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2002 11:16 am Reply with quote
Couldn't the references have really been in there. I mean, the Japanese are really Americanized after all, and the show was made about 20 years after Star Trek ended. I'm sure it made it's way on to Japanese TV by then.
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mike3560



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 23
PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2002 11:31 am Reply with quote
My personal opinion, and it's just that, is I would prefer a...stricter...translation of the script if possible.

There's going to be those who disagree with me of course, but it's a moot point for all of us right now and we're just going to have to live with it.
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Trunten



Joined: 04 Jan 2002
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2002 11:33 am Reply with quote
They only put the references in when it's totally relevent and when it doesn't affect the story. I don't think they did anything wrong. Of course I want them to make the translations as good as possible, but it barely changes anything.
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GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2002 11:37 am Reply with quote
First I gotta say, cool Boondocks logo, Trunten! (The last strip has gotten incredibly dramatic though. :( ) Anyway, it's never relevant to mess with the script to appeal to your ego. I got pissed when Pioneer added slang to the dub of Akira which never existed before! But at least Pioneer doesn't have the same reputation as Animeigo, so you can't have as many high expectations of them as you could from Woodhead.
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Trunten



Joined: 04 Jan 2002
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2002 11:40 am Reply with quote
GATSU wrote:

First I gotta say, cool Boondocks logo, Trunten! (The last strip has gotten incredibly dramatic though. Sad ) Anyway, it's never relevant to mess with the script to appeal to your ego. I got pissed when Pioneer added slang to the dub of Akira which never existed before! But at least Pioneer doesn't have the same reputation as Animeigo, so you can't have as many high expectations of them as you could from Woodhead.


I haven't read Boondocks in a while actually (my dad always takes the paper). I'll have to start reading them online now.

I don't like when they tinker with the script either, but since they don't have a dub, it seems like they have to put their stink on it, no matter how small. I haven't yet seen the episodes that are being talked about, but if it doesn't hinder the overall enjoyment of the show, it really doesn't matter much to me; but, "to each his own," right?
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Allen
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Joined: 03 Jan 2002
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2002 11:41 am Reply with quote
Trunten wrote:

I don't like when they tinker with the script either, but since they don't have a dub, it seems like they have to put their stink on it, no matter how small. I haven't yet seen the episodes that are being talked about, but if it doesn't hinder the overall enjoyment of the show, it really doesn't matter much to me; but, "to each his own," right?


That's probably the biggest point I think people are overlooking. Animeigo's argument is those lines are saying pretty much the same thing, they just decided to use a more familiar wording.

People are saying the actual line in question can be literally translated as "... 50,000 lives are more important than 1..."

Translation is difficult enough, because its not always precise. This is like arguing about the translation of sugoi as either cool, awesome or wonderful. All are perfectly acceptable.

If anything, its the people that are raising a stink about this that are causing trouble with the enjoyment of what is otherwise a very good product.
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GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2002 11:43 am Reply with quote
"That's probably the biggest point I think people are overlooking. Animeigo's argument is those lines are saying pretty much the same thing, they just decided to use a more familiar wording."

There's always going to be an issue about whether a translation is 100% accurate. No translation can be that way. The problem is when you try to change the script to make it look more appealing, instead of to make it more understandable. (Take the "donkey piss" line in Princess Mononoke for example. Or when Pioneer threw the anachronistic lines "Whatever" and "You look like a crack addict" into the Akira dub.)

People are saying the actual line in question can be literally translated as "... 50,000 lives are more important than 1..."

Maybe because that's how many people are on board the Macross?

"Translation is difficult enough, because its not always precise. This is like arguing about the translation of sugoi as either cool, awesome or wonderful. All are perfectly acceptable."

Yes, but "ass end of space" is kind of extreme, compared to "the furthest reaches of space", don't you think?

"If anything, its the people that are raising a stink about this that are causing trouble with the enjoyment of what is otherwise a very good product."

Well sorry, but if you already put your money down, you should be told what you're getting.
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Legato B



Joined: 06 Jan 2002
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Location: Florida
PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2002 11:46 am Reply with quote
Quote:
Well sorry, but if you already put your money down, you should be told what you're getting.


Alright then, what if Animeigo put this on the front of the box:

"WARNING - Contains Star Trek references that, while accurate translations, have offended some fans."

Would that be okay? Wink
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Trunten



Joined: 04 Jan 2002
Posts: 5
PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2002 11:47 am Reply with quote
Legato B wrote:

Quote:
Well sorry, but if you already put your money down, you should be told what you're getting.


Alright then, what if Animeigo put this on the front of the box:

"WARNING - Contains Star Trek references that, while accurate translations, have offended some fans."

Would that be okay? Wink


lol!!!!
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Tempest
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2002 12:14 pm Reply with quote
Okay, I see a very valid point here, made by Gatsu here, and other people on the AE Mailing list.

I wasn't able to see this point until I considered a parallel... "What if someone did the same thing while translating for a speaker?"

Imagine if someone is giving a speach, and the translator sees an opportunity to add in a subtle joke that was never intended, but does not detract from the speakers original meaning.

AE's example with Macross, IMHO isn't as bad, and it is something that I am willing to forgive... even chucle at and appreciate. However, I recognize that the people who are annoyed by this, are, in the strictest sense, right.


Last edited by Tempest on Wed Jan 09, 2002 10:13 am; edited 1 time in total
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GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2002 12:16 pm Reply with quote
Ok, for people who own a PS2, let me put this in terms you can understand. Remember how excited you were to get Metal Gear Solid 2 for Christmas? You spent 300 bucks on what was basically a PS1 with slightly better graphics and a sh*tty dvd player. But it was worth it just to see Snake in action. Only you're not playing with Snake, but with Raiden! However you were promised more Snake. So you spent over 300 bucks to get an overhyped product that did not meet up to its promises.

Now with Macross, the "promise" was supposed to be an accurate script that would correct Macek's "evil" hack job. Plus you'd get to see it before most otaku. Now how would you feel paying over 200 bucks for a similar product? (Especially one you could've easily waited to buy on individual discs a few months later.)
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Gai Super Napalm



Joined: 09 Jan 2002
Posts: 148
Location: Hoboken, NJ
PostPosted: Thu Jan 31, 2002 12:59 pm Reply with quote
Imagine this, theres this Otaku, who gets a show, where the origional prints were terrible, and the company busted its ass to do not only a fantastic job on the restoration but also to make the transfer beautiful, the box art great, and lowered the price from its origional to boot. And this otaku is happy with his purchase because even though theres a dissapointing star trek reference, he realizes the ammount of work that this company put to give him the best quality box possible.. and he doesn't complain at all!

Now come back to the real world, because most of the people who bought that box wouldn't be happy if it was wrapped in gold and had strippers inside; because they are elitists who can't stand if there are tiny descrepancies with any minute detail.

Oh come on, grow up. I didn't cry when Gai Super Napalm was translated by ADV into Gai Super Upper (even though i've been using this nick everywhere since before their release), and i didn't throw a fit when the english portions of the show were, rather than unsubtitled, or subtitled correctly, done half in a translation of barely visible japanese text and half not at all. And when there was a spelling error on a later disk, I didn't complain.

It doesn't mean im a good person, or even that im better than you, it just means that you either do not understand the full reaches of your particular subculture and the size of the companies that cater to it, or you need to grow up and stop being so nit picky. And if you can't/refuse to do that, then don't buy the dvds. You can buy the robotech boxed sets in their origional video horrible 80s dub glory.
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