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NEWS: Discotek Streams 1st Chargeman Ken Anime Episode




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DerekL1963
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Joined: 14 Jan 2015
Posts: 1112
Location: Puget Sound
PostPosted: Wed May 31, 2017 6:21 pm Reply with quote
After watching that first ep, I gotta admit that had it been dubbed and run on Saturday mornings back in the mid 70's... my ten-year-old self would probably have watched the hell out of this.
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zawa113



Joined: 19 Jan 2008
Posts: 7357
PostPosted: Wed May 31, 2017 6:57 pm Reply with quote
I'm assuming Ken should be rolling around on the ground and not in mid-air, but that is the sort of show this is. I love it Twisted Evil
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TheHTRO



Joined: 20 Oct 2005
Posts: 326
PostPosted: Wed May 31, 2017 7:36 pm Reply with quote
No offense, Derek, but if it had been dubbed and run on Saturday Mornings, it wouldn't have had swearing in it, yet whoever Discotek hired to subtitle this decided to be a wiseguy/girl, and insert just that into this episode. Yes, it was one time, but that's one time too many. For this reason, I have no intention of buying any home video release of this show.

Now, I have to be completely honest here, but I felt that "spicing up the subtitles" was (and there's just no other way to put this) completely idiotic on their part. Anime isn't just for the fans, Discotek. So what if it's not based on a classic western book like The Wizard of Oz? It's still a family show, and it needs to be translated in a way that reflects that, which means (and again, there's just no other way to put this) no swearing.

Having said all this, however, and assuming they'll be more episodes, I MIGHT still watch the show on their You Tube channel, since I would still be watching it for free, but I would not pay for any kind of home video release if that's how they plan to translate it, and even then, for the reasons I just talked about, that's kind of a big "might". Now, before anyone gives me the "be grateful they're doing this" explanation, I think Discotek are the ones who are being ungrateful. I support older anime being released, but that doesn't mean I'm willing to support bad translation decisions like this.
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FLCLGainax





PostPosted: Wed May 31, 2017 9:59 pm Reply with quote
I guess this show was Knack's attempt at aping Tatsunoko. That sunburst behind the main character looks like something out of Speed Racer.
TheHTRO wrote:
Now, I have to be completely honest here, but I felt that "spicing up the subtitles" was (and there's just no other way to put this) completely idiotic on their part. Anime isn't just for the fans, Discotek. So what if it's not based on a classic western book like The Wizard of Oz? It's still a family show, and it needs to be translated in a way that reflects that, which means (and again, there's just no other way to put this) no swearing.

Having said all this, however, and assuming they'll be more episodes, I MIGHT still watch the show on their You Tube channel, since I would still be watching it for free, but I would not pay for any kind of home video release if that's how they plan to translate it, and even then, for the reasons I just talked about, that's kind of a big "might". Now, before anyone gives me the "be grateful they're doing this" explanation, I think Discotek are the ones who are being ungrateful. I support older anime being released, but that doesn't mean I'm willing to support bad translation decisions like this.

If you're referring to the alien saying "damn" in the subs, he does say a mild swear on the Japanese audio. Discotek didn't add any swearing.
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hikura



Joined: 21 Nov 2004
Posts: 565
PostPosted: Wed May 31, 2017 10:33 pm Reply with quote
classicalzawa wrote:
I'm assuming Ken should be rolling around on the ground and not in mid-air, but that is the sort of show this is. I love it Twisted Evil

I thought the same thing as you did about being on the ground not mid air.
Not a bad show.Reminds me of two different shows combined.Speed racer and gatchaman.
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zrnzle500



Joined: 04 Oct 2014
Posts: 3767
PostPosted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 12:20 am Reply with quote
After I'd seen Hand Shakers, I thought to myself, "Is this on the same level as those shows famous for their...quality?" of which Chargeman Ken was one that I'd heard mention in this regard. I know the answer now and it is no. It may well have been the worst in a generation, but it does not even touch this, at any level.

That being said, when can I see the rest, Discotek? I must see all of it and then never again, aside perhaps to give perspective.
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Bamble



Joined: 30 Aug 2011
Posts: 130
PostPosted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 2:27 am Reply with quote
FLCLGainax wrote:
If you're referring to the alien saying "damn" in the subs, he does say a mild swear on the Japanese audio. Discotek didn't add any swearing.


"Damn" isn't really a swear word, so I can't see the problem?

Anyway I remember seeing some proposed DVD cover proofs for Chargeman Ken a couple of months back, so I hope the series is still on course for that release and isn't kept streaming only like Miss Machiko.
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ParkerALx



Joined: 09 Apr 2014
Posts: 194
PostPosted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 4:11 am Reply with quote
TheHTRO wrote:
Now, I have to be completely honest here, but I felt that "spicing up the subtitles" was (and there's just no other way to put this) completely idiotic on their part. Anime isn't just for the fans, Discotek. So what if it's not based on a classic western book like The Wizard of Oz? It's still a family show, and it needs to be translated in a way that reflects that, which means (and again, there's just no other way to put this) no swearing.


Nothing screams family entertainment more than a show with episodes titled Terror! Mental Hospital and Eliminate the Fashion Model!

What a wonderfully dumb show, Chargeman Ken is. I read a great overview of it on Cartoon Research not long ago, and it's great having Discotek release if over here.
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TheHTRO



Joined: 20 Oct 2005
Posts: 326
PostPosted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 5:52 am Reply with quote
@FLCLGainax and Bamble:

I don't usually make posts like this, but this time I have to. Both of you are wrong. It IS a swear word, and it IS spicing up the subtitles. There's no such thing as actual swearing in Japanese, number one, and number two, to claim otherwise is just an excuse to try to promote animated productions (let alone this show, or any other Japanese anime) as being more "adult" than they really are (and yes, I'm aware of shows like Gantz, and Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, and stuff like that, but still), but that's another topic entirely, and I don't want to derail this topic, so we'll just have to end it here.

Suffice it to say, Discotek (or whoever they hired to actually do it) was wrong here for doing what they did, and I can't and won't support a translation that runs counter to what the show really is, and what it's really about.
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dragonrider_cody



Joined: 14 Jun 2008
Posts: 2541
PostPosted: Thu Jun 01, 2017 6:25 am Reply with quote
TheHTRO wrote:
@FLCLGainax and Bamble:

I don't usually make posts like this, but this time I have to. Both of you are wrong. It IS a swear word, and it IS spicing up the subtitles. There's no such thing as actual swearing in Japanese, number one


This is a very grand oversimplication. While Japanese may not have exact equivalents of stronger curse words, it does have the equivalent of "damn", "Hell", and others, and these are sometimes found in children's programming. Usually, if they are brought to the US and broadcast on TV, it was far more likely that the swear words would be removed.

Also, "damn" is a pretty accurate translation in this case. Though it's hard to make out exactly what the alien says due to the loud music, it does sound very close to "chikushou", which is often translated as "damn" or "damn it". It can also be translated as "beast", but that's probably more out of place in this scene. Of course, without seeing the written script, which the translation would have been done from, it's impossible to know.

This really isn't a case of Discotek trying to "spice up" the subtitles to appeal to a wider audience. This is a decades old children's program. Adding damn to the subtitles isn't going to do jack as far as growing the audience.

Here's a pretty good write up on the topic: https://www.quora.com/Are-there-any-swear-words-in-Japanese
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Kadmos1



Joined: 08 May 2014
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Location: In Phoenix but has an 85308 ZIP
PostPosted: Fri Jun 02, 2017 2:05 am Reply with quote
TheHTRO, certain Japanese anime shows that would be deemed "family" by Japanese standards have swear words. Sometimes in said show, a character may say "kuso", which literally means "s---", "crap", or BS. By your standards, then Japanese "family" shows should not have such words either.
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