Topic: RossRoy's Random Viewings

[RossRoy]

Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi

Original Title: Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi Year: 2003 Country: Japan Rating: 13+ Length: 278 Min. Video: Full Frame 1.33:1 Audio: English, Japanese Subtitles: English

 

What they say
One year after the arrival of Chika, things become livelier than ever in the Sakuraba residence. With Chika’s embarrassing questions, Tina’s love for breast fondling, Mayu’s puppy-dog love of Hanabishi-sama, Taeko’s cute clumsiness, and Miyabi’s absolute totalitarian rule of the mansion, Kaoru has a lot to handle. Combining the wants and needs of his friends and his loyalty to Aoi, will Kaoru be able to survive the emotional pressure?

My Thoughts
What a sad day this is. Yeah, despite the fact my nieces were here today. Despite the fact I finally got my NAS running today. It is still a sad day. It is the day I just finished watching Ai Yori Aoshi Enishi.

Ok, maybe not that much! Haha! But I did love the series a lot. I found the characters to be fresh and interesting. Yes, they are stereotypical, but the way they are presented, and the way the interact with one another makes the show so interesting. Also, while I would've gladly watched a lot more Ai Yori Aoshi, I do think the show benefitted the shorter format of Enishi (12 episodes), as opposed to the 24 episodes of the first series. They could make the show tighter and they didn't have use filler stuff to get the full series. I also found the supporting cast more interesting this time around, mostly because they are actually being given screen time!



PS.: I want to add one more thing. While some people would say it is absolute heresy, I'm still unable to watch Anime subtitled. I still watch it dubbed. And this time, I'm glad I did. The woman who does the voice for Mayu (one of the secondary character) just has that little something in her voice that gets me. It's the kind of voice I could close my eyes and just listen to all day long. She has a special little intonation I like in her voice. I'll probably be hunting down more of her work!

[Tom]

Heresy!!! 

My ears start to bleed everytime I forget to switch to the original Japanese track before starting an episode. English dubs of animes are really bad. I don't know why, but the English voices (especially the female ones) I really cannot stand. And to make matters worse, it is almost always the same bunch of voice actors (especially if it's a ADV release).

[RossRoy]

My ears start to bleed everytime I forget to switch to the original Japanese track before starting an episode. English dubs of animes are really bad. I don't know why, but the English voices (especially the female ones) I really cannot stand. And to make matters worse, it is almost always the same bunch of voice actors (especially if it's a ADV release).

Yeah, I fully understand what you mean. But I just can't enjoy watching while reading subtitles at the same time. I keep trying though, but I just can't. I always find myself reverting to the english dub.

The real test will be when I start watching Gunbuster.. I'll then have no choice, as there's no english dub on it. Maybe by the time I'm done watching the series, and if the series is good, I'll be a convert

[Tom]

By the way: Any plans to watch "Full Metal Panic" or "Midori Days" soon?

[RossRoy]

Hmmm Full Metal Panic is actually a good idea for the next viewing, seeing as I'm itching for something with a little more action and a little less romance after AMG and AYA.

[Tom]

Just as an example using one of your recently watched animes:
In "Ah My Goddess" Belldandy has just such a pleasant voice in the original. But in the English dub I always want to claw my ears off. And noone seems to be able to pronounce Belldandy's name correctly. Also the sisters are great. I especially love the voice of Skuld. It's perfect for a spoiled child who whines when something doesn't go her way.

Japanese:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97nt1xW-920

English:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGtlbhTHMSQ

[RossRoy]

I know what you mean, and I fully realize that I should probably watch the original japanese voices..

but the thing is, I don't find the english voices irritating at all, and it allows me to concentrate on the animation, instead of being stuck reading subtitles, and often having to rewind/pause because I didn't have time to read the whole subtitle..

[Tom]

Yes, that probably depends on how fast you read. I know others who don't want to watch the original language of movies, which aren't German or English, because they don't want to be distracted from the picture.
I do not have problems with subtitled movies as I am a fairly fast reader. Usually I have read the subtitles long before the characters actually have spoken the lines and I can go back to watch the picture. I am quite accustomed to take a quick look at the bottom of the screen to read the next line and then go back to watch the movie. It's also the reason why I prefer English subtitles over German ones. They are much faster to read. For one thing it's usually a little shorter, but mainly it's because of the English grammar as you can get the drift of the sentence with only taking a quick peak.

[DJ Doena]

I do not have problems with subtitled movies as I am a fairly fast reader. Usually I have read the subtitles long before the characters actually have spoken the lines and I can go back to watch the picture. I am quite accustomed to take a quick look at the bottom of the screen to read the next line and then go back to watch the movie. It's also the reason why I prefer English subtitles over German ones. They are much faster to read. For one thing it's usually a little shorter, but mainly it's because of the English grammar as you can get the drift of the sentence with only taking a quick peak.

For me it's exactly the same. Another reason I choose english subs over german one (in an english movie) is that the subs match what is spoken. You read the same that you are about to hear. German subs would confuse me because what I read isn't what I hear.

[Achim]

My :

I cannot stand to watch dubbed films at all any more. Not only does the lip movement not match but usually the ambient sound is almost completely removed.

Obviously animation lends itself a bit easier to being dubbed. Often though the voice is recorded first with the animation then being made to match lips (I know Pixar does it all the time, but I am not sure it's the standard in regular animation). But, if the original actor can get in the mood to perform in the empty room, someone else should be able to do the same. Still, somehow I still tend to stick to the original; like I did with Midoroi Days, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and soon with Death Note.

Maybe us Germans have a greater tendency to accept the subtitles as we are more used to them...? Then again, there was "quite a few" subtitled movies during my childhood but I don't know if that's still the case. In general Germany has the tendency to dub.

[DJ Doena]

Maybe us Germans have a greater tendency to accept the subtitles as we are more used to them...? Then again, there was "quite a few" subtitled movies during my childhood but I don't know if that's still the case. In general Germany has the tendency to dub.

I can only speak for me, but I don't know any german television program that has subtitles. In germany basically everything is dubbed nowadays and as far as I can remember back.

[RossRoy]

Maybe us Germans have a greater tendency to accept the subtitles as we are more used to them...? Then again, there was "quite a few" subtitled movies during my childhood but I don't know if that's still the case. In general Germany has the tendency to dub.

I can only speak for me, but I don't know any german television program that has subtitles. In germany basically everything is dubbed nowadays and as far as I can remember back.

It's the same here in Quebec, everything dubbed, so most everybody grew up with dubbing. It's actually very hard with most "average joes" to get them to watch a movie in english, even when they are perfectly bilingual. They'll still watch the french dub.

That I can't understand. If you understand the original language, what's the point in watching the dub?

In the case of languages you don't understand... well...

[Tom]

Often though the voice is recorded first with the animation then being made to match lips (I know Pixar does it all the time, but I am not sure it's the standard in regular animation). But, if the original actor can get in the mood to perform in the empty room, someone else should be able to do the same. Still, somehow I still tend to stick to the original; like I did with Midoroi Days, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and soon with Death Note.

For US productions this is correct: They usually record the voices first and then animate. In Japanese animes on the other hand they usually do it the other way around. But the thing what makes the Japanese tracks so fun to listen to is, that they record "live". I.e. all persons which are part of the scene are all in one room and dub a complete scene together at once (as a matter of fact even the ones not part of the scene are nearby and watch. It seems more like a stage rehearsal). American productions usually record takes of single lines with usually only one actor (or sometimes two) present at a time.
This is why Japanese dubbing is so lively and have a much better flow.

[RossRoy]

Hey Tom, I started watching Full Metal Panic yesterday, and it's awesome! Thanks for the suggestion, both to watch it now, and to buy it back then! I had to force myself to stop watching and go to bed last night because I had to go to work this morning!

I'm getting an almost 24-like vibe from it, with the episodes ending on sort of little cliffhangers and just wanting to keep going and find out what happens next! That's a bit scary, because it means I could get through the whole thing (First Raid, Fumoffu and Second Raid) all in the course of a single week, if it keeps up like that!

But, I'm loving the show so far (end of FirstRaid.Mission.02) and I can't wait to get home tonight and keep going!

[Tom]

I am really glad you enjoy it!

I also have had the urge to revisit Fumoffu and TSR again, but I have lent my DVDs to a friend a while back and I still don't have them back