Subs vs. Dubs: Anime’s Lifelong Argument

April 12, 2017

As a Japanese American, I might be a bit prejudice when it comes to this topic. Dubs were only a viable option when I wasn’t able to get my hands on the subbed version. However, being a bit older and a tad wiser, I have my clear reasons as to why you should steer clear of dubs.

Ignorance is Bliss

Back in the good old days I never did mind dubs since they were commonplace. Everything was in English and while I knew Pokemon and Dragonball were from overseas I didn’t connect the pieces. To me Ash was never Satoshi and Goku was never Son Goku, and to this day they still aren’t. Yet with the release of Fullmetal Alchemist in the United States, I could tell that there was something a bit off.

The Shortcomings of Dubbing

I’ve heard a few reasons why people watch dubs, “I can watch it without reading.” Okay maybe there was only one point, but realistically that’s it. When it comes to relaxing and entertainment they don’t want to put in the extra effort of having to read. To some extent, I understand that having studied and learned Japanese I don’t always have to look at the screen when watching subbed versions. What I have picked up through learning the language and watching countless series is that there are certain things dubbing falls short on.

Translations –

Yes, I know it may seem obvious that I start with this topic. Japanese is a tough language to translate to English and vice-versa. This is usually why both subtitles, as well as the scripts for dubbing, aren’t true to the original meaning. There are very few profanities in Japanese and “Dattebayo” does not translate to “Believe it” in the slightest. While it may seem like both the subs and dubs suffer from translations, dubs have one more hurdle to jump. Timings. When localizing anime to English, every translation has to fit the character’s mouth movements accordingly. This can cause for both a lack of explanation or an exploitation of filler, both straying from the original meaning.

Voice Actors/Actresses –

Sometimes voices are iconic to a role, some may associate Vic Mignogna with Edward Elric. Others will only see Romi Park as Edward instead, and I can understand that. However, some voices cannot be replaced such as Rie Kugimiya who plays characters such as Taiga, Kagura, and Alphonse Elric. (From the anime Toradora, Gintama, and Fullmetal Alchemist respectively) Or Kazuya Nakai, the voice actor for characters such as Roronoa Zoro or Hijikata Toshiro. (One Piece and Gintama)

In fact, many American voice actors/actresses get reused on a consistent basis. Rather than having a clear-cut defined role, it almost feels as if the actors and actresses get morphed to fit any role they can fill. As for the Japanese voicing scene, many have to go to a specific anime voice acting school to even be considered. Since Japan is the birthplace of anime it makes sense, there is a certain standard that needs to be met. When the content goes overseas though, their criteria for choosing voice actors/actresses dwindles.

Adapted Genres –

When watching certain anime titles there are times when the language speaks rather than the story. While not true for all genres, both romance and comedy are almost reliant on the language. Romance or drama are a bit more straightforward since tense moments can depend on a single line or even word. The subtleties behind saying “suki desu” rather than “aishiteiru” aren’t translated well to English. At the same time, saying “I like you” versus “I love you” wouldn’t translate well to Japanese.

Comedy, on the other hand, is reliant on the set-up of the gag, the background knowledge of the viewer, and the execution. Each part key in its language, so if translated, the joke is also morphed. The content loses its original intent and becomes the translator’s joke instead. Anime like Gintama would never be the same and would fall short in almost every degree.

A small change from the word Gintama to Kintama can make a huge difference.

Final Thoughts

Honestly, I’m sure there are good dubs out there, I won’t deny that. At the same time, were the original voices bad in comparison? Probably not. The case I am trying to make is that while dubs may not be necessarily bad, why not watch the original content when you have access to it? Sure, it might be a bit tedious to read instead of listening, but I feel it does justice to the original material. Whether the original content is in English, Japanese, French, etc. why not watch it the way the writer would have wanted.

I am sure this might cause a bit of controversy, but I am always glad to talk about it below. Please comment below if you want more like this, or if you want to discuss!

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How MTV’s Daria Holds Up At Twenty Years Old

Jonathan Bruce

April 12, 2017

“I don’t have low self-esteem. I have low esteem for everyone else.”

These words sum up Daria Morgendoffer. 2017 marks the 20th anniversary of the MTV series Daria, starring a smart, misanthropic teen girl. Originally a Beavis and Butt-Head spin-off, the show did last for five seasons, ending with two TV films.

How does the show fare at twenty years old?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xf01tsSJ41VQ

In the pilot, the Morgendorffer family moves to the town of Lawndale. Most people don’t get Daria’s quirky point of view or her sarcastic manner. Rolling Stone describes her as “a bespectacled, combat boot-wearing misfit whose defining trait was, on the surface, a deep disdain for those around her.” To be fair, she doesn’t care what they think. “I’m not miserable,” she says. “I’m just not one of them.”

Despite the teen angst, Daria manages to do well in school and gains a motley crew of friends. Her best pal is the artistic Jane Lane, who shares her world views. Others in their group include straight-A student Jodie and the ditzy cheerleader Brittany. They must deal with teachers, homework and the antics of dumb jocks, led by the goofy Kevin.

Daria family — The Morgendorffers are the average dysfunctional family- pretty much like your own

Daria’s home life isn’t much better. Her little sister Quinn sees her as embarrassing, and she doesn’t want to be seen with her. Quinn goes to the extreme of telling her friends that they’re not siblings. Daria ends up revealing the truth to the kids at school, which horrifies Quinn.

Jake and Helen are too high-strung and fixated on their own problems to help Daria. Helen is a workaholic lawyer and the family breadwinner, but she has trouble connecting with her children. Neurotic Jake has mood swings, and he complains about his childhood. When something bad happens, he tends to erupt in a fit of rage at the world. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Initially, some viewers may have felt put off by Daria’s snarky musings and frequent putdowns. Yet, when you think about it, these are the thoughts of a teenage girl who’s trying to get through life. She makes her feelings clear to a therapist, as shown below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdZsqZKT30Y

The show does a great job in exploring teen life, and it holds up two decades later. Daria’s attempts to navigate high school, social cliques and family feel relevant. There are no crossovers with Beavis and Butt-Head, but Daria does hope Lawndale won’t be like Highland. Yet the show succeeds in standing on its own in exploring teen angst.

Perhaps a big part of Daria‘s impact comes from not being afraid to tackle real world issues. Tracy Grandstaff- the voice of Daria- agrees with this sentiment. “They weren’t obvious topics in some cases, but they scratched the surface,” she says. “They went a little deeper than, ‘Let’s just make Jane and Daria decide to go to a concert and meet guys.'”

Credit is given for Daria facing issues such as corporate sponsorships in schools and racism. The show addresses themes like anorexia and self-image. In addition, the topic of sex is brought up when Daria and her boyfriend Tom debate whether or not to do it. It’s even more difficult since Tom used to date Jane in the past.

Daria is not like most cartoons, because the characters grow and change as time passes. We see Daria showing some interest in boys, first with Jane’s brother Trent and then Tom Sloane. Later, she develops a better relationship with Quinn. By the show ends, Daria graduates with honours and goes to college. “Stand firm for what you believe in, until and unless experience proves you wrong,” she says. “Remember, if the emperor looks naked, the emperor is naked.”

Daria concludes her speech on life as follows: The truth and a lie are not sort of the same thing. And there is no aspect, no facet, no moment of life that can’t be improved with pizza.”

Twenty years later, Daria proves you don’t have to conform who you are, and there’s nothing wrong with being an outsider. Even now, the series succeeds in showing what it means to be a teen in the modern age. Perhaps we need more people like Daria today. That wouldn’t be so much of a bad thing.

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Netflix Unleashes ’13 Reasons Why’ A New Show Taking An Unflinching Look At Teenage Torment

Ruben Diaz

April 12, 2017

Netflix original series 13 Reasons Why pulls no punches in a painful story about rape, suicide, and bullying. It’s subject matter that might already turn some people away. But sometimes art and reality crash in a spectacular way that exposes a deep wound, an ugly wound, but a wound that we must admit is there. 13 Reasons Why reveals that injury, and there’s only one reason to watch it: the show is fantastic.

13 Reasons Why begins with Clay Jensen (Dylan Minnette) who finds a box of cassette tapes left anonymously at his front door. Using his dad’s old boombox, Clay listens to the first tape and realizes it’s Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford), his friend and classmate who recently passed away. The tapes begin a journey for Clay and the viewer into the reasons someone would end their life.

As the story unfolds, we listen with Clay to the tapes while living in two time periods. 13 Reasons Why slips back and forth between the past and the present. In the present, each tape focuses on a different character and their connection to Hannah’s suffering. The reality presented by Hannah in the tapes is further explored through her eyes in scenes from the past.

The juxtaposition of the two timelines is an effortless dance that sets up the story’s real mystery. What made Hannah, a smart, bright-eyed young woman, want to end her life?

“Sleep, those little slices of death — how I loathe them.” – Edgar Allan Poe

In many stories like this, the focus often becomes about some revenge plan that’s hatched by the deceased. Or it’s the drama between self-centered characters. Here, the story focuses on all the tiny cuts, the little slices, that killed Hannah. Each episode punches one of the self-centered characters in the gut. And in death, Hannah spares no one.

So often, an abundance of expository dialogue floods these shows. But throughout 13 Reasons Why, a handful of directors and writers combine forces to create a subtle narrative through sight and sound. The quality put forth by Netflix’s show is akin to the same level paid to ABC’s American Crime.

13 Reasons frames shots and matches them with songs that create textured moments of storytelling. One such moment, when Alex (Miles Heizer), Hannah’s one-time friend who moved on, falls into a pool. In part, he’s killing himself, but only mentally. As he sinks into the water, the Chromatics play “Into the Black”, and the lyrics let us know everything we need “Out of the blue, into the black.” Alex comes to the surface of the water, alive, out of the blue, but into the black, the dark, where his guilt exists. Alex knows his torment is only about to begin.

The manner in which 13 Reasons Why approaches its subject matter will turn off many viewers. 13 Reasons takes a hard look at the micro and macro factors that cause people to take their lives. It’s an honest look, unlike few shows on TV, and it might not be the escapism people are looking for, but I argue it’s the dose of reality we all need to see.

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Jeff Lemire Sets Up Epic ‘Old Man Logan’ Farewell With ‘Past Lives’

Brandon J. Griffin

April 12, 2017

Last month, Jeff Lemire announced he was done writing for Marvel. He also reassured fans on Twitter that he would be ending his stories on Thanos, Moon Knight, and Old Man Logan as planned. With issue #21, Jeff Lemire sets up an epic Old Man Logan farewell with the arc entitled “Past Lives”.

Amidst the ResurreXion that Marvel’s mutant population is going through, Logan had a loose end to tie up. In the future that he is from, he left a Hulk baby unprotected. He sought out any possible way to get back there and clear his conscience.

After being rejected by every magic wielding ally he had, Logan resorts to breaking Asmodeus out of prison in exchange for time travel help. Instead of being sent to his desired time, the old man goes on a tour through his past. His body is still in the present as his consciousness inhabits his younger selves.

Lemire couldn’t have planned a better way to exit a title and leave his stamp on a character. Throughout these recent lackluster times in Marvel comic book fandom, Old Man Logan has been a diamond in the rough. Readers will be sad to see Lemire go, but at least he’s delivering another epic story before he goes.

Ever since becoming a “permanent” member of the 616 universe, Logan has struggled to find his place in the world. Having the character revisit his vast history, and dig through old memories, should assist him in finding his way with the new era of X-Men. It’s also an extremely fun experience for fans to refresh on Wolverine history.

Things may not go how readers remember them either, with Logan’s “old man” mind inside his younger body, the narrative may contain some altered events. During the War of 1812, he expresses that being his younger self makes it harder to control his rage. Surely there was more bloodshed the time he was originally captured in Ontario.

Our favorite claw-yielding mutant goes from 1812 to Weapon X before ending the issue in a familiar blue and yellow outfit. He finds himself face-to-face with the classic Hulk and Wendigo fight in those famous snowy woods.

Lemire’s voice for Logan, in his confused and older years, continues to be fantastic. A wiser, yet way more disgruntled, crank pot who’s just trying not to mess everything up again. For this story to flow so well, and be driven by nostly inner dialogue, Lemire had to have a firm grasp on the character.

Another major reason this trip through history is going to be spectacular is the art. Even through a few changes in the team behind the visuals, this series has been consistently beautiful. Getting this dark and dirty perspective on key moments in Wolverine’s history will be an absolute treat. Adding a sharper edge to his most memorable moments should make this book a memorable one.

Eric Nguyen and Andres Mossa combine pencils and colors to create beautiful landscapes. Populating them with interesting figures both familiar and unfamiliar. Each new moment in time has a different energy as Logan analyzes his new surroundings. The only misstep is the knife seen in 1812, clearly it’s not of that era.

We certainly don’t want Jeff Lemire to go, he’s been the only writer scratching the X-Men itch in any fashion for some time. This odd series, that wasn’t a sure-fire hit, has consistently delivered to the surprise of many. We still have this arc to appreciate and absorb before Lemire is gone from Marvel, I advise you pay it some attention.

Have you been reading Old Man Logan? Which Jeff Lemire title is your favorite? Will you continue to read after he leaves? Let us know in the comments below!

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iZombie Review: “Zombie Knows Best”

Mikey Curalli

“No, no, no. If they want to eat brain mash, let them eat brain mash. In this house, we eat whole brains and solve murders.”

Often times on a television show the outsiders are the true anchors of the story. For over two seasons now Malcolm Goodwin’s portrayal of Clive Babineaux has been the most underappreciated performance of the series. Clive is a seemingly rooted person, but there is a side of him that is always underlying. How does a seemingly rational person believe for one second that the girl in the morgue is a psychic? That notion exists, because buried under that rough and tough cop exterior, the good detective is a believer with a hidden gooey center. This is why he ignored all the signs at first, but thankfully the detective figured out Liv’s secret so we could finally see “Team Z” whole.

Most of Goodwin’s storylines to this point have dealt with Clive suppressing his feelings, so you can understand how refreshing it was seeing Babineaux rattled at the death of his former neighbor Wally. Raised under the roof of an abusive father, Wally was taken in by Clive after the detective arrested dear ole’ Dad for hitting his mother. Clive took a liking to young Wallace, but couldn’t help but having eyes for his mom too.

Not to sound like a broken record, but again it is refreshing to see Goodwin play a younger, less jaded, more mustached Babineaux in the flashbacks. With his new boss grilling him about his relation with the dead bodies it was amazing watching the layers of Clive. Thank god Rob Thomas (not of matchbox 20, but there was this) has let Goodwin off the gruff leash and given him something to sink his teeth into. We are no closer to figuring out who murdered Wally, but at least there is some skins in the game now.

Fortunately, not everything was kid shootings and baby daddy drama, as we got some outstanding comic relief from Liv and Major. While Clive was dealing with Wally, the two zombies digested the brains of a recently murdered father and daughter. Liv and Major’s relationship has had many incarnations over the course of iZombie, but father and daughter were one no fans saw coming.

If Clive was the star of “Zombie Knows Best,” Robert Buckley’s Major was the MVP. Viewers expect Liv’s zany actions on the “thinkin’ stuff,” but to see Buckley go full on teenage girl was an absolute joy to behold! Surely, female (and some male I’m more than sure) viewers played the bathroom selfie scene back more than a few times, but the former One Tree Hill alum (R.I.P Q) gave us a peek at his comedic side. Also anytime you can hear a former college football player whine “I’m going to mercenary training GOD!” is a good time.

Liv was given the week off from the heavy lifting of the episode, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Rose McIver is brilliant weekly as Liv, but any great star needs to share the ball with the role players. Don’t worry though, Liv was still able to give a great heart to heart to Ravi thanks to the “dad brain.” Oh, and she solved the mystery, whose plot twist harkens back to Thomas’ other smash hit Veronica Mars. In the future, however, I think it would be smart for The CW to steer away from this. Comparisons of the show are bound to happen, but iZombie needs to carve a niche out of its own.

Brains for thought…

What did you all think of “Zombie Know Best?” Comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @themikeycuralli!

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Josh Brolin Cast as Cable in ‘Deadpool 2’

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

April 12, 2017

After a string of rumors and theories as to who will play Cable in Deadpool 2, it looks like Josh Brolin is the last man standing.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Brolin will play the photo negative to Ryan Reynolds’ merc with a mouth. From THR[Cable] is described as in many ways being the opposite of Deadpool: a man who is a leader and used to being obeyed, who is very controlled but with an aura of simmering violence. In the comics, Cable was from the future and was the adult son of Scott Summers.”

The barrage of people who were trying to land this role included Michael Shannon, David Harbour, and Don’t Breathe’s Stephen Lang. This will also mark Josh Brolin’s second Marvel property, as he will be Thanos for the upcoming Infinity Wars films (and beyond).

Josh Brolin feels like a solid fit. He’s a reliable performer, and his work in Sicario sort of fits in sideways with the Cable character. No qualms here.

Deadpool 2 will hit theaters in 2018.

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Let’s Have Some Fun, Rank the ‘Fast and Furious’ Films

Larry Taylor - Managing Editor

April 12, 2017

The Fate of The Furious is coming out this weekend, the eighth entry into the little franchise that could… blow shit up and crash cars like a boss. Early critical returns aren’t too promising, but that doesn’t really matter. The Fast and Furious franchise has grown from a small Point Break cover song into a collage of high-octane, super spy action thriller franchise like no other. So let’s have some fun, I’ll rank them and you tell me if I’m spot on or I’m a complete idiot…

1Fast Five

Dwayne Johnson can resurrect just about any franchise he wants. And Fast Five was his crowning achievement. The inclusion of Johnson here, as Agent Hobbs, gives Diesel a worthy physical adversary. But beyond Johnson’s involvement, Fast Five strikes the perfect balance between absurd action and actual narrative competence. The safe-dragging scene here is one of the best in the entire series, and the Fast and Furious films were never better all the way around.

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Does ‘The Fate Of The Furious’ Finally Jump The Shark?

Anthony Composto - EIC

The Bottom Line (Audio Summary)

The Fate of the Furious is the eighth movie in The Fast and the Furious franchise, in which series protagonist Dominic Toretto seemingly betrays his team to pull heists for a dreadlocked Charlize Theron. As the story unfolds, the family has to figure out if they can get Dom back, or if they’ll need to take him out. To make it to eight movies is no small feat, so how does this movie stack up against its predecessors?

What Worked

These movies are all about over-the-top action that defies the laws of physics. That’s proved true yet again, as Fate of the Furious has some of the franchise’s most insane and unbelievable stunt work yet. If that’s all you hope and need to get from this experience, then you’re in for a treat.

The chemistry among the team is also a big selling point to see Fate. It’s so much fun watching these characters interact, and after eight movies it’s no wonder the actors really do feel like family. Even new players like Scott Eastwood fall into place perfectly. The acting itself isn’t always great, in fact sometimes it’s downright bad, but the chemistry seems to make up for that.

Special shout outs go to Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham for delivering both the film’s best combat scenes and the most overall fun performances. The two fit so well into this franchise; hopefully they stick around for its duration.

Honestly, this movie has heart, which is the one thing that keeps this series alive. As dumb as the action can get, the characters and their relationships are compelling enough to make this more than just a paint-by-numbers blockbuster.

What Didn’t Work

Like I said, these flicks are about crazy stunts, and they have to top themselves with each movie. But there’s always a point in each movie where it seems they go just a hair too far. In Fate, that point comes in the climax where the team is speeding away from Russian separatists across ice. That in itself isn’t too far, and the car stunts are acceptable, but what the characters were able to do on the ice when they’re outside of their cars seemed like overkill. It’s hard to complain without spoilers, so you’ll have to see and judge for yourself.

The dialogue in this movie is also hands down some of the worst dialogue ever written. Granted, most folks don’t go see a Fast and the Furious movie for the dialogue, but it still needs to be pointed out. Some one liners were so contrived that they were actually distracting. If bad dialogue is something that takes you out of a movie and ruins the experience for you, maybe steer clear of Fate of the Furious. But if you’re a stickler for writing and dialogue, there’s a good chance you weren’t planning on seeing it anyway.

What are your thoughts on the Fast and the Furious franchise? Which film in the series is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!

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Jude Law To Play Young Dumbledore In ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Sequel

Anthony Caruso

April 12, 2017

Since it was announced that Albus Dumbledore would be appearing in the sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, fans have speculated who would be cast to play the younger version of the beloved Hogwarts’ Headmaster. Today, we got our answer.

Per Entertainment Weekly, Jude Law will pick up the famous wizard’s wand.

Continue

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New ‘Justice League’ Poster Unites Earth’s Greatest Heroes

Kieran McLean

April 12, 2017

Warner Bros. and DC Comics have released another poster for Justice League, and while the image doesn’t feature Henry Cavill’s Superman it does give us a great look at the League assembled and together.

The image features Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg standing together looking into the bright light ahead. Much like the individual character posters, this promo seems to tease the brighter approach to these iconic characters from Director Zack Snyder.

fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman’s selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists the help of his newfound ally, Diana Prince, to face an even greater enemy. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to find and recruit a team of metahumans to stand against this newly awakened threat. But despite the formation of this unprecedented league of heroes—Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and The Flash—it may already be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

Justice League is directed by Zack Snyder and stars Ben Affleck (Batman), Henry Cavill (Superman), Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Ezra Miller (The Flash), Jason Momoa (Aquaman), Ray Fisher (Cyborg), Ciarán Hinds (Steppenwolf), Amy Adams (Lois Lane), Diane Lane (Martha Kent), Jeremy Irons (Alfred Pennyworth), J.K. Simmons (Commissioner Gordon), Amber Heard (Mera), Kiersey Clemons (Iris West) and Jesse Eisenberg (Lex Luthor).

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