Nadia-The Secret of Blue Water Dub
Dubbing is a very debatable issue for many Anime fans. In the eyes of hardcore fans, it is a crime against the art and the thought of Japanese Anime in English sends them running. However, there are those of us who actually LIKE watching dubs, especially if there is a great care and effort that goes into the creation of them.
That applies with "Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water", which arguably is one of the most underrated dubs of all time. No, I'm not talking about the 8-episode Streamline version--that one was pretty weak. I'm referring to the version currently available from ADV. There are naysayers who have given this dub the cold shoulder, but personally I think doing so would deprive you of a charming, delightful dub that matches the tone of the show. According to sources, the dub directors, Charles Campbell and Lowell Bartholomee, cared about the quality of the show and worked hard to ensure that the dub would match. It's not perfect, but considering that this show is set in Europe, watching this show in Japanese would seem odd. No offense to the original team, but there are many things about the dub that add in many ways to the show, particularly in the use of the accents for each character. While some, like Jean's, are shaky in places, others, like the crew members of the Nautilus, work in their characters' favor, as they are supposed to be survivors from around the world.
What follows is a discussion of each (principal) character and their voices.
Meg Bauman (Nadia): The first thing that struck me about the dub was that the three young protagonists were voiced by actual children. While there is an air of inexperience in their performances, it also adds an intangible aura of realism and charm to the dub. It is also a refreshing change of pace from hearing actors/actresses stretching their voices to sound like children (no offense to those people of course, it's just nice to hear children sound like children for a change). Of the three, Bauman as Nadia really stands out. She is the driving force of the series, displaying a complex array of emotions while maintaining a fragile childlike innocence, and Bauman delivers these to perfection. It's also interesting to note that, like Nadia, she was fourteen at the time she recorded her part. She also speaks with a neutral accent--a surprising choice, but it works.
Nathan Parsons (Jean): OK, here's the voice that determines whether you'll like the dub or not. Like Bauman, Parsons has a very daunting task in his acting of Jean. He has to be enthusiastic, charming, and display growth throughout all 39 episoes... while speaking with a French accent. This accent, as mentioned, is thick and could discourage one instantly. However, with each subsequent episode, Parsons grows more and more into his character and the accent becomes less distracting. In a way, it is complimentary to his overall performance as Jean. Issue aside, Parsons delivers an infectious energy and determination to the character which is impossible to dislike. His best moment is in Episode 15, in which he witnesses Ensign Fait's death. Although he admits that serious scenes are not his specialty, he obviously gives his all to this moment, and his breaking down at the end is moving. Another important factor of his performance is how his chemistry with Bauman clicks. This is because they both knew each other in real life as students at the Austin Musical Theatre, which explains why their interactions feel so natural and real in the dub.
Margaret Cassidy (Marie): The third corner of the children, little Marie, is also voiced by a child actress, 11-year-old Margaret Cassidy. That's approximately seven years older than her onscreen character, but she brings an intangible cuteness to her part that it makes her presence onscreen a delight. She spends a lot of the time being cheerful and happy, although there are moments where she has to be serious and sad... particularly in the episode where she is introduced. This scene, in which she describes her parents being shot, is amazingly delivered... which is saying a lot considering that this is her first episode. She obviously relishes her role, and it pays off.
Since the whole show rests on these children, ADV should be commended for going out of their way to bring an extra punch of effort for the dub. Which is not to say that the adult cast is any less entertaining!
Sarah Richardson (Grandis): From the start, Richardson simply is Grandis. She recreates the character's fiery temper, amorous fickleness, and secret soft nature to a T and beyond. Some people may argue that she overacts, but that's how Grandis should be. It makes her all the more hilarious when things go wrong... which they often do. It is interesting to note that while her character is Italian (or Spanish, it's debatable), she speaks with a disciplined English accent. This was because when she auditioned for Italian and Spanish accents, it sounded too much like she was in a pizza parlor(!). It doesn't matter, though; it fits her character marvelously, and her grandiose relish for the role really comes through.
Martin Blacker (Sanson): Like Grandis, Sanson and Hanson start off as comical bad guys but in later episodes they display other emotions. Blacker sounds like he's having a lot of fun with the character, speaking, like Grandis, with a veddy British accent. He also has a goofy, yet vain and expressive voice that works wonderfully with the character, and really enjoys himself during any moment where he goes over the top. I love this guy! Some other moments from him which I liked included his scenes with Marie, particularly when he breaks down into tears in front of her. It's moving and genuine without feeling forced.
Corey Gagne (Hanson): Complimenting Blacker is the rather down-to-earth, sometimes scrappy sounding tones of Gagne, who plays Hanson. When he raises his voice, he is a hoot, but Gagne also handles the quieter moments very well. I also found his scenes with Electra very sweet and heartbreaking. One other interesting aspect is that he has a somewhat neutral accent. I don't know why this was done, but strangely, this does not distract from the character at all.
Like the children, all three of these characters are spot on in the dub; the chemistry between them is so natural, that you'd swear they were all in the recording studio together!
The other major characters in the story include:
Jason Phelps (Ayerton): When we first meet Ayerton, he comes across as a flamboyant, but arrogant and boastful man. Later on, he develops a whacko sense of ridiculousness (partially due to the bad writing in the filler episodes). Phelps handles him excellently. One oddity is that he uses an American accent continuously--which seems somewhat strange when he reveals himself to be a count from England. Not that it detracts from his performance, however.
Ev Lunning, Jr. (Nemo): A professional accent coach and Yale graduate, Ev Lunning lends his voice to the mysterious captain. He gives the character a sense of intrigue and aloofness. While his voice is distinctively different from that of Akio Otsuka, it nonetheless works. It should also be noted that he uses a sophisticated Indian accent, which adds an exotic touch to the character. It was a decision on the voice directors' part, since they were trying to link Nemo to the origin of the Mysterious Island story, and one that works in his character's favor. While there are a few moments when he sounds stiff, that's more attributed to the mouth flaps than his actual acting. In the later episodes, he really gets more into character, particularly when he belts out orders to his crew and communicates with Gargoyle.
Jennifer Stuart (Electra): The first thing you'll notice upon hearing her voice is that she speaks with a British accent. Again, this is a creative decision on the directors' part. Since Electra is a complex character, with a "no-nonsense" like attitude, it adds a depth of dimension to the role. Throughout, Stuart does an excellent job with the role. Particularly spectacular are her explosive catfights with Grandis--she and Richardson obviously relish those moments--and her emotional breakdown in Episodes 21 & 22. It's utterly engrossing and powerful. People who believe that English voice actors cannot emote should hear this part in the dub--it's amazing.
David Jones (Gargoyle): This is probably the only voice that took me a long time to get used to. Since he's the major villain of the piece, you'd expect something very menacing and vile, but strangely he comes across as rather casual and deadpan. At first I found it off-putting, but as his performance develops, we receive a depth of complexity and arrogance in the character. It works in favor of Gargoyle being arrogant, and, now when I think of it, I can't imagine Gargoyle in English without this vocal. He also gets to do some really evil cackling in the latter episodes, to the point where you'll be surprised that its the same actor.
All the other incidental roles are equally well cast and bring liveliness and enthusiasm to their roles.
One other thing that should be mentioned about the dub is Lowell Bartholomee's script adaptation. Rather than providing a literal word-for-word transliteration, his screenplay polishes up the subtitle script and somehow skillfully brings it into convincing, believable English. Even some occasional awkwardnesses in the original script, like Gargoyle's speech about the destruction of Sodom and Gamorroh, is corrected to fit better with the old Bible story. In other words, his script succeeds as both being smooth and natural while remaining faithful to the original.
As mentioned, Nadia's dub isn't without its faults. The accents, as mentioned, are shaky, and the writing on the filler episodes in the second half (23-34) goes south, but that's no fault of the dubbing team; the blame rests more on the creative staff.
While Nadia's dub has received praise in several reviews, other critics have been less than kind, and there are few, if any, Anime fans on the net who confess it to being one of their favorites. As a matter of fact, some label it as a dub to avoid. This is unfortunate, because the current version of Nadia is, as mentioned, one of the finest dubs ever made, and the care and quality provided to it shines through. Rather than pedestalizing this series to the Japanese voice cast, I prefer to say that this dub succeeds in its own right. Sure, there are some rough spots, but once you overcome them, you'll find yourself experiencing a charming Engish track that matches, and in many ways improves on, the series.
-Jon T.