Cartoon Network Serves Up More Anime

E-Rock-23 writes "Anime News Network has the scoop on more Anime series Cartoon Network plans to bring to the Adult Swim block next year. Witch Hunter Robin (2) has been confirmed for a February run. On the "Probably" list are Wolf's Rain in April and Ghost in the Shell in July, though they didn't specify if it'd be the Mamoru Oshii film or the Stand Alone Complex TV series. Either way, the latter will most likely have to be rather heavily edited for TV. Looks like I have a few more reasons to stay up past my bedtime..." Or get a tivo. Witch Hunter Robin & Wolf's Rain are both really excellent shows- it's very cool to see them hit mainstream TV.

Comments

I just want to know...

[halivar]

...when we're going to get past this dubbing thing and see some subs.

Re:I just want to know...

[gabec]

It's not really the quality of the english voice acting, it's the casting and direction of european voice actors that often doesn't fit. For example, in the series Rurouni Kenshin (Samurai X), the Japanese version had a woman doing the voice of Kenshin and it was convincing. In the english version they had a guy sounding like he'd been kicked in the balls and perpetually on happy pills do the voice acting.

If you're six years old then the latter is probably more interesting (for example who can stand the sound of Barney's voice for more than a minute except a six year old?), but to me I prefer the more natural voice (even though it was from a woman, her voice was rather ambiguous in that way and it did seem to fit Kenshin).

Re:I just want to know...

[sangfroid]

There actually is a big difference and it's all about timing .

See, different languages have different words and syntax and thus it can take varying amounts of time to say the same thing in Japanese and in English.

So, a dubbed film must fit all the voice acting into the same amount of time as the original meaning that you not only have to translate the text but you have to make it fit. So, if it takes 130 seconds to say the equivelant of "I love you" in Japanese, an English Dub will have to fill that space with something really horrible like "My heart is filled with the most [cheesy emotion] a man could feel."

However, a subtitled version can put the best, most meaningful translation on screen instead and keep it there long enough for you to read and understand. With all the differences in culture, idioms, etc a good dub is a lot harder than a good sub. A perfect dub is nigh impossible.

So yes, you're getting "an" interpretation of it in english... but it's really hard to fit the timing and stay true to the original meaning. Think back to the old school badly dubbed samurai flicks.

Hands across the Tivo

[bluethundr]

Looks like I have a few more reasons to stay up past my bedtime..." Or get a tivo.

*upper lip trembling* you mean there are poor souls out there that actually lack this essential technology? ;P

Seriously, if it weren't for Tivo I'd never catch my fix of Twilight Zone reruns and Enterprise. I do Tivo Anime Crash on TechTV, but some of the Anime they show is a little esoteric for my tastes. So, a lot of that gets deleted before I have a chance to watch it.

My friend Mike got slashdotted recently pointing out that Time Warner cable is rolling out Tivo to their users for something on the order of less than $10 a month...and at no cost to the subscriber for the box!Pretty sweet deal considering that I paid slightly over $400 for the Sony DirctTV/Tivo combo box. That particular combination is a pretty sweet deal. I guess I could regret having shelled out that much money in light of Mike's cable deal. But...naaahhh. How can you regret shelling out for such a life-affirming technology?

I just checked with my registrar and it looks like tivoaid.com is still open. I think I may buy that domain to start a worthy cause....

Re:Hands across the Tivo

[Trolling4Columbine]

It's pathetic posts like the parent that really exemplifies the term "electronic teat".

While normal people are out with friends being social or (heaven forbid) spending time in the great outdoors, people like you are constantly searching ways to get more of that addictive mother's milk, that sweet nectar you call television (the idiot box).

"Life-affirming technology"? That doesn't say much about your life, my friend.

Re:Hands across the Tivo

[TrollBridge]

"It gives your time back to you"

Tivo doesn't give you a second of your life "back"; all it does is allow you to shuffle television around your life, instead of your life around television. Who is in control of when you watch television doesn't change the fact that the television is still the one in control.

"You no longer have to be there when the show is on, or do the constant shuffling of tapes and schedules on a VCR."

You don't need a Tivo for that; try turning the fucking thing off. It's cheaper than Tivo too!

not for awhile

[tuffy]

...when we're going to get past this dubbing thing and see some subs.

The market for subbed-only anime is still very small, that's why studios work hard to ensure all the DVD releases have a dub track (preferably a good one). Trying to put subbed-only anime, even on late night, isn't going to keep enough people watching to pay the advertising dollars.

How about an Adult Swim channel?

[Orne]

I, for one, welcome our new Unedited Cartoon Network... err...

Seriously, suppose Cartoon Network spun off a sister-station, and cable networks made it an optional channel to standard packages, who's purpose was to show anime in its raw form? Parents have the option for nudity and cursing on HBO & Cinemax, and they also have the control whether they want that stuff in their home or not. If you don't want it, the cable company can block it.

I'm not saying that we need a cartoon Spice channel (not that there's any shortage of hentai), just that there should be some medium for your average movie where you can catch the whole thing. The Cartoon Network has an image to keep as a channel for kids (the alternative to Nickelodeon), and they can't risk someones child staying up late and catching some unedited Vampire Hunter D.

Adult Swim has this nostalgic aura about it now (GiJoe, He-Man) ... like 80s Strike Back on VH1. And mix in a bit of "here's something cool you didn't know existed"... sort of like catching Most Extreme Elimination Challenge on TNT/SpikeTV. That's what anime is to American audiences... years of shows about robots and vampires, lasers and rockets and giant aliens, fast action and a "new" visual style.

There's something that bugs me about watching a show or movie when I know that it has been edited by some middleman... The director of the project had an artistic vision and those scenes & language capture the intent. You can't express the story of the rough mafia men in the Sopranos without the occasional trip to the strip club... this is what tells the story of men making bad choices and dealing with the consequences.

Re:Don't forget

[Cutriss]

Even after the death of Harry Goz (1932 - 2003),voice of Captin Murphy on Sealab 2021, the show has bounced back imo and did a good new ep.

While it is true that Harry Goz did pass away, rumors of new episodes without his voicework are exaggerated.

Williams Street had just completed work on a new season of Sealab before Harry Goz died, and so all the episodes running in this season are his final work. They aren't put together weekly.

Re:Witch Hunter Robin

[Maul]

The end. It was very very boring. They make a point of Robin not being sexy in any way; thus, whenever she shows any skin whatsoever, we would drink. I think we might have actually taken three shots to this rule in about five episodes.

OBVIOUSLY Robin isn't attractive whatsoever because she doesn't run around like a bimbo in a skimpy outfit or have extensive shower/hotspring/near-nude sequences.

Not every anime is made to fuel the sexual fantasies of teenage boys. Go watch Love Hina if you want that.

Re:Adult Swim has not been editing some shows

[Maul]

The only editing Blue Gender needs is editing it out of existance. Bleah.

Now, Furikuri is something I'm surprised to see on Cartoon Network. I find it hard to believe that edits were light, at least. What time are they showing that?

I don't know what the editing in Inuyasha is like. I don't see too much that needs editing, though, since the action is so unrealistic. Maybe Jakotsu will be edited to be "not as gay" when they reach the Shichinintai story arc (after episode 100).