Voice of Heroes

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

I think I'm in a unique position to offer a little insight into some of the complaints people are having about the dub clips.

I work in Japanese junior high as an assistant English teacher. I am surrounded by kids Naruto's age for about eight hours a day. So I can tell you that Japanese kids speak, in tone and inflection, very differently than American kids do. This become very clear when you try and get a Japanese kid to say an English word. The reverse is true. I have to shift the way my voice sounds somewhat when I speak Japanese to the students or my co-workers. It is the nature of speaking another language.

It's also worth noting that, despite what they might think, there are a good many English-speaking Naruto fans who are not pronouncing things the right way either. Pronouncing Japanese correctly takes a little practice and, I hate to say it, but watching anime is *not* the best way to learn how. It can help make your Japanese sound more natural once you understand the basics, but for getting the basics down classroom teaching is still the best.

As per usual with dubs, the actors will get better once they've got a few episodes under their belts and get more comfortable with the characters. Maybe the way things are pronounced will sooth out and maybe it won't. But it's pretty much a given the people making the show are taking note of fan reaction to the clips that have come out so far.

Comments

[marctheundead.livejournal.com]

so everyone stop bitching about it >=0

[sexytwist.livejournal.com]

100% AGREED. THANK YOU.

[pastel-waltz.livejournal.com]

*bows to your logic*

We fans have to chill, man. How can we possibly expect the VAs to have down by the first ep? And in reality, we could have lost a lot of the original phrases like ninjitsu and jounin, but we didn't! We really ought to be thankful for that much, plus give the poor American VAs a break. They will hopefully get better with a bit of practice.

[billypilgrim.livejournal.com]

Right. So, um.

Your religion.

How the fuck do I convert.

[darkwarrior.livejournal.com]

I don't get why everyone was so afraid of the techniques changing names. Not like they renamed Kamehameha to "BLUE BEAM ATTACK!".

Some of them are straight forward like Big Bang Attack. I can't remmeber but I think they switched back and forth between calling it Solar Flare and Taiyoken. They go with whatever sounds coolest and most marketable. They want everyone chanting this stuff in playgrounds and the like so that other kids will say "WHAT THE HELL YOU SAY!?" and another Naruto fan will be born.

Then they'll get to the legendary filler saga...

[narutomonkey.livejournal.com]

yes yes yes. If people don't like the dubbed PERIOD, they should stick back to the downloadable subs

[vash3857.livejournal.com]

yeah, lol

yeah i agree, even though i like the japanese pronounciation, as long as they dont completly butcher it, its ok

[narutomonkey.livejournal.com]

oh, i forgot to add to that sentence, "they should stick to the downloadable subs and leave the dub tv for some of us who have crappy computers and can't download bit torrent!"

Like meh!

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

It's called Logic. Ask your local Vulcan for more information.

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

There's also that some of the names are actually rather silly in Japanese. Sure, if you don't speak the language it sounds cool. But when you do the exotic flavor is rather lost.

[billypilgrim.livejournal.com]

And, this icon is perfect.

[domlandbubbles.livejournal.com]

So they sound just as dumb in Japanese as "Art of the Doppleganger!" does in English?

[darkwarrior.livejournal.com]

I would like most of Gaaras to stay the same (Meaning wise) but I think they work in English and Japanese. Desert Coffin/Graveyard/Requeim/Avalanche or Sabaku whatever sounds awesome.

Kage Bunshin I can imagine becoming the kiddy craze. Rasengan, Chidori. Henge might change and I imagine thinks like the Naruto Rendan will change to English.

[rokoroshon.livejournal.com]

...assistant English teacher? Completely off-topic, but do you happen to be part of the JET program. Out of curiousity...

I agree with your point though. Since English-speaking fans don't pronounce Japanese correctly without learning some Japanese, so it's natural that voice actors have to do the same.

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

Imagine watching someone, in all seriousness, shouting "Shadow Copy Technique!" in English and trying not to laugh.

I have seen people do stuff like that and it's either comes off as being goofy or (if they actually are taking it seriously) kinda pathetic.

Of course, a lot of the difference between the two depends on alcohol consumption.

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm a JET in Kumamoto Prefecture. That's in Kyushu, FYI. We got hit with a typhoon Tuesday.

The party never stops in Japan.

[toki-usagi.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the wisdom...maybe now people who have never actually studied the language and don't realize its complexaties will stop bitching so much.

On another topic entirely, do you have any advice for someone interested in applying to JET or similar programs?

[morningxafter.livejournal.com]

fucking THANK YOU!!! 100% agreed!

[domlandbubbles.livejournal.com]

Woo hoo! Thanks to Naruto, I can sound like a total dork in two languages!

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

Really think about why you want to go, don't talk about anime or manga in your interview and be prepared for them to ask you about what you'd do if a student is goofing off or acting up.

There are some LJ groups for JETs. They can give you more advice. Try jetjapan.

[thomasvye.livejournal.com]

Well you know, whilst it's true I have been learning the language for 5 years now (and yes; classroom taught by a Japanese sensei and not from watching anime, which I agree is not a good way to learn a language), but I really really don't think it's that hard to pronouce a name correctly (other stuff is hard! lol).

But the point is more that if the teeny clip release is not that inspiring (and it's not just the pronunciation that's an issue - that's more amusing); it's the lack of passion in the actors' voices in a pretty passionate scene.

If the first clips aren't the best, then instead of thinking 'oh, this is going to be quite good actually', people will think 'oh Lord this doesn't bode well...' They haven't done themselves a favour. It's not really a reflection on what the whole will be like. But it's a bit of an inauspicious start for many nervous older fans.

It's all academic for me though; as I say, as a Brit, the dub might reach us by the next decade. ^^

[splintered-soul.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I lived in South Korea for ten years and my father privately tutored many kids over at the house, pronounciation is very difficult.

Even those I've met living in America for some odd number of years find themselves tripping over words. It's called an accent.

[turnip-girl.livejournal.com]

It's all academic for me though; as I say, as a Brit, the dub might reach us by the next decade. ^^

If we're lucky. XD

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

It's just more assuming the worst based on scant evidence to me.

[thomasvye.livejournal.com]

And people are not allowed to be disappointed by first impressions? It's not the fault of fans if the first clips released aren't great after all. I don't expect you need worry though; it's Naruto - people won't be so easily put off.

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

Disappointment is fine. So long as it's tempered by realism.

Doomsaying is just a stupid waste time.

[thomasvye.livejournal.com]

...and realistically, it doesn't look too good. But I am sure it will be OK.

As I am actually someone who constantly defends original anime episodes (filler has become a derogatory term), I appreciate people's desire to defend things that are not being givem a chance.

[toki-usagi.livejournal.com]

Hmmm...it sounds a bit like the interview I had to be a camp counselor. Thank you, I appreciate the help. I'm really interested in learning more about Japanese culture and history, as well as helping young children (I have the most experience working with kids between 3 and 7) learn the basics of English grammar. Besides, it's an invaluable opportunity to be able to go to another country bringing some knowledge of your own culture and to be immersed in theirs.

*laughing* As if I'd tell them about a side interest... Anime? Manga? What's that? Oh right...the bridge that brought me back into my interest in Japan again...the one way off in the distance now.

[dv8nation.livejournal.com]

Hate to burst your bubble, but don't hold any great dreams about being a super teacher over here.

The truth is that 90% of the kids don't like English, your co-workers will either put the teaching all on you or have very little idea of what to actually do with you, and a large part of your day will be spent sitting at a desk, trying to look busy when you're really just goofing off to keep from being bored.

And that's not just me talking. That a broad overview of what this job is like from me and others in the program.

The truth of it all is your time here is what you make of it. It can either be a couple of years of being well-paid but bored and idle most of the time or you can use your time outside of school to go places and do things you'd never get to do back home.

Sorry if that's a bit of a downer. But if you really want to do this you should know how things really are worts and all.