Going through Space Dandy. Watched Episodes 3 & 4. Better than 1 & 2, love the Zombie episode. But I think I figured out the issue.
In the English version, he doesn't quite work. He sounds like a typical stuffy sci-fi narrator, without a change in his voice no matter what he describes. I found it way funnier and more engaging with the subtitled version. I think the voices as a whole don't impress me that much in English, but I get way into it because they sound so unique in Japanese. And the words are much different from the translations to how they are normally. (Plus, you get an abridged intro in English compared to the full intro to Japanese, which sounds great)
Depends on the sub. A lot of subs have fairly dry, by-the-book, literal translations. Some dubs play a bit more fast and loose and result in a more "fun" translation.
Depends on what you're looking for, too. If you're familiar with Japanese cultural touchstones and idioms, then a literal translation may be what you actually want.
Hearing Dandy call the Head Zombie "zombie-senpai" was cracking me and my daughter up.
I'm actually not a big fan of using Japanese cultural touchstones and idioms in translations unless it's a show that's heavily into Japanese culture (i.e. a show about the samurai era or that takes place in a Japanese school or something like that). I'm more of a fan of "dynamic equivalence" where applicable.
However, in the case of Getter Robo Armageddon, you get stuff like this (imagine the character shouting the line at the top of his lungs):
Sub line: "We're going to beat you, old man!"
Dub line: "We're going to kick your ass, you old goat!"
The over-the-top nature of the show and the scenario actually made the dub line more appropriate and fun, in this case.
[Masahiko Minami] announced that BONES will release 3 adaptations as well as one original show in 2015 as well as expressing his wish to produce a Space Dandy movie should the TV series become a success.
Comments
In the English version, he doesn't quite work. He sounds like a typical stuffy sci-fi narrator, without a change in his voice no matter what he describes. I found it way funnier and more engaging with the subtitled version. I think the voices as a whole don't impress me that much in English, but I get way into it because they sound so unique in Japanese. And the words are much different from the translations to how they are normally. (Plus, you get an abridged intro in English compared to the full intro to Japanese, which sounds great)
...dear god, I sound like a subtitle purist.
Case and point: Getter Robo Armageddon.
Hearing Dandy call the Head Zombie "zombie-senpai" was cracking me and my daughter up.
However, in the case of Getter Robo Armageddon, you get stuff like this (imagine the character shouting the line at the top of his lungs):
Sub line: "We're going to beat you, old man!"
Dub line: "We're going to kick your ass, you old goat!"
The over-the-top nature of the show and the scenario actually made the dub line more appropriate and fun, in this case.