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Unlicensed favourites -- which would/wouldn't be successful?


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Animegomaniac



Joined: 16 Feb 2012
Posts: 4070
PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:01 pm Reply with quote
Spastic Minnow wrote:

Unfortunately I think this isn't the case. It's not the perversion that's the problem, or the hilarious characters. It's the fact that it is packed with Japanese specific jokes, more than usual, especially very frequent word puns.... Even with on screen notes some of them are hard to understand... like the "Santa's Semen" joke? If it got a dub it would have to be a very creative one and a sub would probably have to include translation notes.


I wouldn't say it was packed with Japanese sex puns, maybe just well hung with them. There's a reason I mentioned Yamada as I think this one could be just right for Funimation to work off of.

I don't really recommend sub notes in comedy unless they're optional like the ones ADV did, as the second rule of comedy is don't explain the joke. The first rule is there are no rules so make of it what you will.

Quote:

It's also ugly. How does it fit into the "would work" category again?


I thought Onii-chan was ugly until I saw A-Channel. Now I just call it "unique" {A-Channel is so cute, it's sickening to my stomach but it's been licensed for some reason}; It's a different style that takes some time to get used to. I had it in "wouldn't work" but I find its approach to the "open minded" of both sexes to be interesting. It's honest and I find that refreshing as well. I know, I'm letting my personal preferences get in the way of my judgement and it's obvious where my tastes lie but I liked it a lot more than I figured I would.
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Mai Yukino



Joined: 26 Aug 2009
Posts: 217
PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:13 pm Reply with quote
Animegomaniac wrote:

Kanon: Both Clannad and Air adaptations were licensed but there's a reason this turkey won't fly. Well, not that turkeys fly...


If you're referring to the Toei 2002 version then your statement would ring true, the character designs alone for that version are pretty much an eyesore and the story is compressed, so I agree that wouldn't be a successful venture considering it didn't do well in Japan. However, if you're referring the KyoAni 2006 version which WAS LICENSED right after Air was, then your statement is a misinformed one.
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The King of Harts



Joined: 05 May 2009
Posts: 6712
Location: Mount Crawford, Virginia
PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:32 pm Reply with quote
Spastic Minnow wrote:
Unfortunately I think this isn't the case. It's not the perversion that's the problem, or the hilarious characters. It's the fact that it is packed with Japanese specific jokes, more than usual, especially very frequent word puns.... Even with on screen notes some of them are hard to understand... like the "Santa's Semen" joke? If it got a dub it would have to be a very creative one and a sub would probably have to include translation notes.

I've written a few dub scripts for fun, and I can tell you first hand that finding English equivalent puns aren't hard; it's actually really easy if you're creative and even moreso if you're very familiar with the content and anime in general. The hard part is finding a pun that works and fits the flaps you're given. You can come up with the greatest, funniest pun equivalent ever, but if it doesn't fit in the scene it's worthless, and that's frustrating.

It's why I always snicker when people say dubbing Bakemonogatari would be near impossible because of it's word play. Given how much they talk and how fast their lips move (allowing line flexibility), fitting puns and other replacement lines in wouldn't be a huge problem. However, it'd take days to write a script for one episode because it's so much damn talking and it's so damn fast. It'd be more tedious than it would be difficult. If I had to write 26 episodes worth of dub scripts for Bakemono and Nisemono I'd probably end up in a gutter dead with a pencil jammed in each eye.
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Ikari1



Joined: 23 Jun 2008
Posts: 531
Location: London
PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 6:18 pm Reply with quote
The King of Harts wrote:
Spastic Minnow wrote:
Unfortunately I think this isn't the case. It's not the perversion that's the problem, or the hilarious characters. It's the fact that it is packed with Japanese specific jokes, more than usual, especially very frequent word puns.... Even with on screen notes some of them are hard to understand... like the "Santa's Semen" joke? If it got a dub it would have to be a very creative one and a sub would probably have to include translation notes.

I've written a few dub scripts for fun, and I can tell you first hand that finding English equivalent puns aren't hard; it's actually really easy if you're creative and even moreso if you're very familiar with the content and anime in general. The hard part is finding a pun that works and fits the flaps you're given. You can come up with the greatest, funniest pun equivalent ever, but if it doesn't fit in the scene it's worthless, and that's frustrating.

It's why I always snicker when people say dubbing Bakemonogatari would be near impossible because of it's word play. Given how much they talk and how fast their lips move (allowing line flexibility), fitting puns and other replacement lines in wouldn't be a huge problem. However, it'd take days to write a script for one episode because it's so much damn talking and it's so damn fast. It'd be more tedious than it would be difficult. If I had to write 26 episodes worth of dub scripts for Bakemono and Nisemono I'd probably end up in a gutter dead with a pencil jammed in each eye.


Its not really a case of it being impossible that is the problem, it's more a case of that it would be counter productive in Bakemonogatari's case. I cant think of another unlicensed series that would would suffer more from a dub than this.
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mbanu



Joined: 11 Jan 2010
Posts: 159
PostPosted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 8:21 pm Reply with quote
Ggultra2764 wrote:

-Kemonozume- While it has a well-told mature story of the struggles Toshiko and Yuka have with advancing their relationship and the former's family due to Yuka's status as a monster, the crude animation style would be a big turn-off to many fans.


I wonder if this is true? If you look at the animation available at liquidtelevision.com (the archive for MTV's old animation showcase Liquid Television) or at the animation shown on Adult Swim today, there are a wide variety of styles, many fairly crude. Americans seem to be quite comfortable with differing styles of animation... why do you think that unusual character designs would be a deal-breaker?
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Ggultra2764
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Joined: 21 Jan 2004
Posts: 3863
Location: New York state.
PostPosted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 12:00 am Reply with quote
mbanu wrote:
Ggultra2764 wrote:

-Kemonozume- While it has a well-told mature story of the struggles Toshiko and Yuka have with advancing their relationship and the former's family due to Yuka's status as a monster, the crude animation style would be a big turn-off to many fans.


I wonder if this is true? If you look at the animation available at liquidtelevision.com (the archive for MTV's old animation showcase Liquid Television) or at the animation shown on Adult Swim today, there are a wide variety of styles, many fairly crude. Americans seem to be quite comfortable with differing styles of animation... why do you think that unusual character designs would be a deal-breaker?


Many anime fans are used to the polished/ conventional drawing style commonly found with titles like the hit shounen titles or recent titles like Steins;Gate and Fate/Zero. They would perceive the drawing style of anime to be nowhere as deformed or outlandish like what you would see from South Park, The Simpsons or Family Guy. Something like Kaiba or Kemonozume, no matter how good the story is, would turn such fans away due to the crude animation styles used in both.
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asimpson2006



Joined: 13 May 2008
Posts: 3151
Location: USA
PostPosted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:47 am Reply with quote
Animegomaniac wrote:

Seitokai Yakuindomo: If Yamada made it, this one should be next. The rise of the lustfull woman in comedy, I'm all for it. And I love Hata, she's just so focused.


While it is a funny show, I think it is way over the heads of normal anime fans. It would have to come with Liner Notes, no I mean Liner book. Remember, if you have to explain the jokes it is not funny.

Animegomaniac wrote:

Mayoi Neko Overrun: I don't know where to start with this one. Perverted extreme comedy produced by a series of different directors. I'd say it was trying too hard if it didn't work.


Way too niche to work over in R1. It is an okay show, but little appeal to most fans.

Animegomaniac wrote:

Ladies versus Butlers: You know what most ecchi/harem comedies are missing? Nudity. Sometimes comedy. This one has both.


If MB was in much better shape I could see them going after this.

Animegomaniac wrote:

I don't like you at all, Big Brother: What I love about this show is not how it depicts relationships but how it depicts fetishes. It's borderline, it's so borderline...


Incest shows are tough to pull off in R1 an I doubt it would break even over here if it got released. The manga I think will do okay for Seven Seas I know I will be buying it.

Well enough stomping on others dreams time to get on with my own.

Lovely Complex - I've only read the manga and watched a little bit of the anime but I would love to own this series on DVD. I doubt it would ever happen but I can dream.
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dirkusbirkus



Joined: 10 May 2008
Posts: 699
Location: Manchester, UK
PostPosted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 2:50 pm Reply with quote
Ggultra2764 wrote:
Many anime fans are used to the polished/ conventional drawing style commonly found with titles like the hit shounen titles or recent titles like Steins;Gate and Fate/Zero. They would perceive the drawing style of anime to be nowhere as deformed or outlandish like what you would see from South Park, The Simpsons or Family Guy. Something like Kaiba or Kemonozume, no matter how good the story is, would turn such fans away due to the crude animation styles used in both.


This is pretty much on the nose. The works of Yuasa Masaaki have always polarised opinion, even within the wider anime community. If people receptive to the medium are taking issue with the style used (I'd go with the term 'free form' rather than crude, but I see why you'd use that term) then audiences across the waves would possibly take even more issue with it.

It's a damn shame really. Personally I love everything he's had a hand in, but a lot of people can't stand the character designs and animation style.
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mbanu



Joined: 11 Jan 2010
Posts: 159
PostPosted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 8:51 pm Reply with quote
The designs in Kemonozume remind me a bit of the character designs from the American cartoon Aeon Flux... has anyone else had this impression?
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EricJ



Joined: 03 Sep 2009
Posts: 876
PostPosted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 11:08 pm Reply with quote
mbanu wrote:
I wonder if this is true? If you look at the animation available at liquidtelevision.com (the archive for MTV's old animation showcase Liquid Television) or at the animation shown on Adult Swim today, there are a wide variety of styles, many fairly crude. Americans seem to be quite comfortable with differing styles of animation... why do you think that unusual character designs would be a deal-breaker?


Think it's because most anime fans don't WANT to be Americans that watch the Boondocks, Family Guy or Adventure Time because they're on.
We watch anime to get away from whatever fatally screwed up American animation's evolution in the early/mid-90's, and see what would have happened if it had continued as a creative commercial enterprise that actually tried to appeal to its mainstream audience. Sort of the same reason we still watch Clone Wars, just to see a "normal" show on CN.
(As opposed to the old joke about CN: "Cartoon Network: Where 'What were they smoking to come up with this show?' is a real question...." Razz )

I remember when we saw that the Japanese were fans of the Powerpuff Girls, and thought "Noooo....Nononononooooo...Who corrupted our native paradise?? Shocked "
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JamesFox



Joined: 26 Jan 2012
Posts: 11
Location: Summerville, SC
PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 3:34 am Reply with quote
What would work
Midnight Horror School - Why must people diss Naomi Iwata's use of blocky CG, That's what make his animes unique

PaRappa The Rapper - The games have a cult following so why not

Kaiketsu Zorori/Majime ni Fumajime Kaiketsu Zorori - We've been force fed nothing but cookie cutter action anime (with the exception of Bo-bobobo), So it's time for a comedic adventure that doesn't pull a One Piece on us

Ginga Nagareboshi Gin - ever since Star Blazers (Space Battleship Yamato), the US has lacked a anime within the same appeal as Star Blazers.. i highly believe Ginga Nagareboshi Gin will fit right in given if it get a proper time slot

What won't Work
Ebichu - A series that leaves us confused, is it a Hamtaro spoof or it just a hentai comic?
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Animegomaniac



Joined: 16 Feb 2012
Posts: 4070
PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 11:55 am Reply with quote
asimpson2006 wrote:
Animegomaniac wrote:

I don't like you at all, Big Brother: What I love about this show is not how it depicts relationships but how it depicts fetishes. It's borderline, it's so borderline...


Incest shows are tough to pull off in R1 an I doubt it would break even over here if it got released. The manga I think will do okay for Seven Seas I know I will be buying it.


You know, sometimes the differences in manga and anime amazes me. Season 1 and 2 of Sora no Otoshimono get licensed almost immediately while the manga's still stuck in Japan. On the other hand, Onii-chan's book been licensed while it looks like the anime might not.

Is it a matter of taste? They're both kind of perverted, no matter how you want to define the humor. I don't see Onii-chan as incest since the first chapter/show goes out of its way to say "This isn't incest." in almost those words at that. Much of my "would be licensed" shows are quite similiar to shows already licensed by Funimation and Sentai {There's no point in mentioning Oreimo as that was Aniplex's perogative rather than a license get}. He is my Master and MM!, Heaven's Lost Property and Yamada come to mind.

Quote:

If you're referring to the Toei 2002 version then your statement would ring true, the character designs alone for that version are pretty much an eyesore and the story is compressed, so I agree that wouldn't be a successful venture considering it didn't do well in Japan.


I really messed up writing that one. I meant to say that both adaptations of Air and Clannad were licensed while only one of Kanon. It's funny though and this is the reason why I listed it; The license should be relatively cheap {even with sublicensing from Key as well since Kanon doesn't seem to be as loved in Japan as it is here} so releasing a low budget sub only DVD just to cash in on the name in the West could have been done by now. It would be kind of like how ADV used the name "Hurahi" Suzumiya to sell Kanon and Negima to sell Pani Poni Dash, only it would actually be a bit truer. "From the people who brought you Air and Clannad, it's Kanon. Just not those guys."

It wouldn't work, maybe, but dumber things have been licensed for dumber reasons with dumber results.
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Kelly



Joined: 17 Nov 2003
Posts: 868
Location: New York City
PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 12:29 pm Reply with quote
EricJ wrote:
Think it's because most anime fans don't WANT to be Americans that watch the Boondocks, Family Guy or Adventure Time because they're on.
We watch anime to get away from whatever fatally screwed up American animation's evolution in the early/mid-90's


Actually, the 90's were a high water mark for American animation. We had Animaniacs (93-98), Batman (92-95), some of the best seasons of The Simpsons, and perhaps above all Gargoyles (94-97) on TV. Whatever happened, it was certainly after that.
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EricJ



Joined: 03 Sep 2009
Posts: 876
PostPosted: Sat Mar 10, 2012 3:35 pm Reply with quote
Kelly wrote:
EricJ wrote:
Think it's because most anime fans don't WANT to be Americans that watch the Boondocks, Family Guy or Adventure Time because they're on.
We watch anime to get away from whatever fatally screwed up American animation's evolution in the early/mid-90's


Actually, the 90's were a high water mark for American animation. We had Animaniacs (93-98), Batman (92-95), some of the best seasons of The Simpsons, and perhaps above all Gargoyles (94-97) on TV. Whatever happened, it was certainly after that.


OTOH, John Kricfalusi of "Ren & Stimpy" fame has said on a few occasions that he doesn't want to go down in history among animation fans as, quote, "The Man Who Killed Cartoons". Sad

Although, yes, that should be the mid-late 90's, since the Fox X-Men/Tick hour ended around '96-'97, that was it for the commercial mainstream, and the cable freaks took over after that.
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