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Streamline vs Pioneer dub... what's your take?

posted 9 years ago by Ambient_Soho
11 replies | jump to latest

Please... I don't care if you think the Japanese version is superior, this topic is about the original Streamline dub and the Pioneer dub remake ONLY.

Here's my breakdown of both dubs.
Overall, I prefer the Streamline dub. It has that raw 80's edge to it which fits more with the cyberpunk oldschool anime style of Akira. Pioneer dub sounds too much like the squeaky clean anime of today... like something straight outta Naruto or Bleach.

Characters:
-Kaneda: Honestly, I liked both. I guess I like Cam Clarke slightly more but his voice does get annoying at times

-Tetsuo: Streamline by far. Joshua Seth did ok but his screams/moans were weak compared Jan Rabson's.

-Kay: Streamline. As much as I like Wendee Lee, she sounded too old for this, when Kay is supposed to be nearly the same age as Kaneda.

-Colonel: Pioneer. Streamline was too growly... I prefer the more calm professional sounding colonel in Pioneer.

-Esper children: Streamline. Ok, so they actually sound like kids in the Pioneer dub but by god their acting was HORRIBLE. And some of those lines were just lame "weirdo!", "hey you you're a cretin!", "hi.... Akira" REALLY? ugh... so cringe worthy. And Takashi's scream in the beginning was way better in the Streamline dub.

-Kei: They sound nearly identical... so both.

-Yamagata: Pioneer. But one thing I did like about Streamline Yama was that he was more of a bully to Tetsuo in the beginning, which made more sense to me as to why Tetsuo was so mad at his friends. Pioneer Yama sounded too nice in that scene...

-Ryu/Roy: Pioneer. I had no idea Ryu uttered Kay's name when he got shot... made me totally feel for the guy.

Some other things I didn't like about Streamline was:
-Voices didn't sync with characters lips at times

-The same 1-2 guys voicing all the soldiers

-Some of the dialogue doesn't make sense ("This chapters finished" huh?)

Things I didn't like about Pioneer:
-Name pronunciation. Really... what does it matter which way it's pronounced? It all depends what accent you have. It sounds so stupid hearing American VA's trying to pronounce names with a Japanese accent, when it clearly doesn't sound authentic. Japanese VA's butcher non-Japanese names all the time but we don't demand that they get it right, do we now?
I never pronounce it like they do in the Pioneer dub unless I want to be seen as a total weeaboo.

-Some of the voices just sucked (Masaru & Kaori's sister are the worst)

-While it was more accurate to the original script, some lines/jokes were just better off being changed. Such as the coach in Streamline "SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!", the correction officer's joke about Kaneda's mother, and several other exchanges that I could go on and on about.

[–] Miller0700 9 years ago

I like the pioneer dub better.

[–] JTurner82 8 years ago

I too prefer the Pioneer dub. The older dub is, simply put, horrible. All the voices are badly miscast and fail to do any justice to their roles, they fail to completely understand the subtext of the story, and the script adaptation turns an already complicated work into a confusing, muddy, laughable mess. Seriously, I can't stand this older dub. At all. It is impossible to take seriously without laughing at it. I don't understand how anyone can prefer it to the newer version, it is one of the absolute WORST dubs I've ever heard IMO.

The Pioneer dub improved the movie for me, big time. Johnny Yong Bosch and Joshua Seth both do far better jobs than Cam Clarke and Jan Rabson, both of who misfired miserably with their roles. Everyone else in the Pioneer dub crushes their lame Streamline counterparts as well. More importantly, the script flows much smoother and is less difficult to follow. It is easily superior to the godawful Streamline dub.

[–] TemporaryAgent 7 years ago

I do not agree at all. Personally, I find your perspective to be too biased by your initial viewings of the film. Your entire argument for the Pioneer dub boils down to bunch of blanket statements that translate to "PIONEER GOOD!" and "STREAMLINE BAD!"

Obviously, my perspective is biased too. However, I saw these dubs days apart from each other and I recognize both versions have their own merits. I also recognize that most people simply prefer the dub they saw first and became used to. When they become used to a character sounding one way, they're not going to like it when they character sounds completely different.

As someone who didn't grow up with either version, I will assert that the Streamline dub is superior. The Pioneer dub does have advantages, notably a more faithful translation of the original Japanese script. But the Streamline dub is not as incomprehensible as its detractors claim and people can't cite moments that made the main plot of the film - not an individual scene - difficult to understand.

In regards to performances, Streamline has the advantage, hands down. Again, I can acknowledge that some of the Pioneer actors are equal or better than their Streamline counterparts (e.g. the Doctor and Yamagata). But when it comes to the leads, it's no contest. Cam Clarke and Jan Rabson absolutely destroy Johnny Yong Bosch and Joshua Seth. Bosch could not be more miscast as Kaneda, sounding too clean-cut and too innocent as a biker. He makes Kaneda sound like a generic anime hero, which Kaneda was supposed to be the antithesis of, and in the scenes that genuine emotion, he just yells really loudly. Clarke gives Kaneda the arrogant tone he should have and he holds nothing back in the emotional scenes. Likewise, Rabson goes all out as Tetsuo and puts dedicated effort into the role. Seth at least has a fitting voice, but he lacks force and emotion, whether it be calmly dismissing the people trying to stop him, cursing with no indication of pain or anger, and not sounding too bothered by his body mutating into a grotesque creature.

I know you'll disagree with me and I'll know why. But there is an argument that can be made for the Streamline dub being the superior dub, even if it doesn't appear on the internet anymore.

[–] duklec 8 years ago

I enjoy the Streamline dub for nostalgia and the fact it is so damn goofy and nonsensical, especially towards the end. But from an objective viewpoint, the Pioneer dub was miles ahead of the Streamline version. The SL dub was simply a mess, especially during the city council scene when only 25% of the dialogue was remotely synced with the lips. Kaneda's voice was annoying as hell, and the dialogue was so cryptic, me and my friend used to get into heated arguments over what the *beep* happened in this movie. I appreciate the Funimation release for including both dubs and I enjoy the SL dub for being, "so bad it's good." I appreciate not having to dig out my old Akira tape (which is under stacks of VHS tapes) to enjoy the SL version, but the Pioneer version was a LOT better.

[–] TemporaryAgent 7 years ago

I find the "nostalgia" comments about the Streamline dub ironic now because the Pioneer dub is 15 years old. It's older than the Streamline dub when the Pioneer dub was first released, resulting in fans who have become nostalgic about it. I'm not saying you're one of those fans, I'm pointing out that nostalgia is now a factor for supporters of both dubs.

I don't buy the idea that the Pioneer dub is "objectively" better. Yes, there are moments in the Streamline dub with missed lip syncs, but they're not as prevalent as you claim, especially not in the committee scene. Arguing that Kaneda's voice sounds annoying is subjective. People like to claim the Streamline dub makes no sense, but they can't cite any key moments that convoluted the main plot of the film.

I know I'm in the minority here. Most Streamline dub supporters have gotten old and are no longer active on the internet. The online Akira base is now controlled by the fans who grew up with the Pioneer dub and - whether they want to admit or not - are biased by nostalgia and seeing that dub first, just as many of the fans who saw the Streamline dub first are also biased. With both dubs now available to the masses, I can only hope that the new fans will see the merits of both versions and form their own opinions about them instead of buying into the narrative that the Pioneer fans are selling to them.

[–] unknown1000 7 years ago

I enjoyed both dubs.

[–] TemporaryAgent 7 years ago

That's a good way to look at them.

[–] manchof1 7 years ago

Both dubs are bad, just watch it in Japanese.

[–] Levtones (500) 2 years ago

This.

[–] Puvwall (1216) 2 years ago

80s dub, but ill watch in Japanese too .

Also is that Leonardo from turtles doing kanada

[–] HottyToddy (8) 10 months ago

My Turtles are the 4Kids Turtles from the early 2000s and my Akira dub is the Pioneer dub

I appreciate the ones that came before