I was planning to watch this sometime this week and I wanted to know if the dubbing lives up to the subbed version. I usually prefer subs, but in some rare cases like Cowboy Bebop, I actually preferred the dub. It maybe helpful if people who watch either version plug in their views here.
shareI usually prefer subs as well, so I saw that version and will see the English dub later, and I can say the sub version is good but not necessarily ideal.
For one thing, they used white font for the subtitles, which was a little difficult to read against some of the animation, esp. in the outdoor daytime scenes (of which there are many) where the color palette is pastels, and the background is clouds, white or gray airplanes, light-colored suits, etc.
Also, unlike for example Spirited Away, where the most complex animated sequences were basically during non-dialogue scenes, in The Wind Rises, there's almost always visually interesting details during dialogue scenes, so I probably missed one thing or the other several times during the film. Esp. in the first dream sequence between Jiro and Caproni.
And finally, I don't know about you, but I'm more used to watching subtitled films at home, where my non-humongous screen makes it possible to read and see the whole film in periphery at the same time. Not so here.
I'll comment again after I see the English dub, which I'm also looking forward to because it's got a great cast.
I posted this in another thread, but here again for OP...
This is one of the better English dubs I've seen of Miyazaki's films, but both versions have their own merits.
In terms of the voice acting, there are several fine performances in the English dub (I can't give an opinion on the acting of the Japanese dub since I'm not a Japanese speaker). Emily Blunt as Nahoko Satomi is flawless and brought convincing and touching emotion without ever overdoing it in a character that could've been too sentimental. Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the lead character Jiro and Stanley Tucci as Caproni are excellent, giving their characters nuanced personalities and showing restraint and intensity in pretty much all the right places. Mandy Patinkin as Hattori is perfect in his smaller role, and Werner Herzog as Castorp gives an interesting--you might even say odd--performance, and it works wonderfully for his mysterious character.
In terms of the script, the English script is pretty close to the English translation of the Japanese script, but some of the changes explained things more bluntly, and sometimes changed the feeling of the scene. A couple examples and the impressions I got from them:
CAPRONI (Japanese dub): Dreams are convenient. One can go anywhere. (whimsical)
CAPRONI (English dub): I find dreams are an easy way to study my designs. In dreams you can go anywhere. (practical)
HONJO (Japanese dub): He's asleep, dead to the world because he's carrying on his shoulders the future of Japanese aviation. (admiration and gentle affection)
HONJO (English dub): He's asleep, dead to the world because HE thinks he's shouldering the future of Japanese aviation. (fond exasperation and begrudging affection)
IMHO, the English dub is better.
Hideaki Anno's voice in the Japanese version did not suit the character of Jiro well for me. For one thing, he sounded way too old. They cut to Jiro as a college student and all of a sudden he sounds like a 50 year old man. On the other hand, I really liked Joseph Gordon Levitt, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, and Werner Herzog's voices in the English version.
As far as your translation comparisons, I felt like the same meaning got across in the Honjo line in both versions when I watched them (though I could be mistaken). I do see what you're saying about the Caproni line, but I actually like the English version better there, because I felt the overtly whimsical aspects of The Wind Rises tended actually to detract from the strength of its mature storyline.
In the Japanese dub, IIRC, Jiro basically responds that she must live with them because leaving his job is not an option, so you can interpret Jiro as egotistical, or that Jiro's dream of building airplanes is more important to him than his time with Nahoko. In the English dub, Jiro responds that if Kurokawa won't allow Nahoko to live with them, Jiro will quit his job to be with Nahoko. It's clear this arrangement is a compromise, and it goes as far as to say that Jiro would choose Nahoko over his job if he had to.
Wonderful explanation. Thank you for putting it so clearly.
vibes atm: http://tinyurl.com/ny63vgsshare
Bravo bravo bravo....lol great comment. I usualy hate dubs, but maybe i should give it a try dubbed.
shareBravo bravo bravo....lol great comment. I usualy hate dubs, but maybe i should give it a try dubbed.
share> The eternal question: Subbed or Dubbed?
The eternal answer: Subbed.
When the original film is made, the original actors receive a lot of specific direction in order to impart the impact and emotion the director wishes to achieve. Unless the dubbing-voice actors are given the same direction by the same director and understand it the same way as when the original was filmed, the dubbers just are not going to produce the same result.
Even subs can lose some things, but at least the viewer can still hear the feelings being projected by the original actors in the original language while the subs provide the actual word translations.
For that matter, in some ways, that's why fansubs (despite occasional spelling or grammar problems) can often be even better than official DVD subs.
Of course, with that said, some people just are not capable of following the film AND the subs at the same time and they can really miss out on the story if they don't use dubs. That is why, despite the objective reasons for the superiority of subs, the subjective, individual choice of dubs will always win out for those who need it.
As for me, even though the Disney/Pixar dub of "Spirited Away" is far better than most, it just isn't quite the same as hearing the original actress' original intonation of "Matte!"
I don't think it's an eternal question because dubs are pretty bad. Disney did the treatment here, which means it's at least professional, but doesn't mean it's good. Off the top of my head Spirited Away, Mononoke, FLCL, and Cowboy are the best dubs I have seen.
That said, I've only seen subs on this and nothing about anyone's performance blew me away. Anno was particularly low-key. Unless the dub is awful I'd go with that for WIND RISES, reading the white font isn't worth it here
Actually, Disney doesn't oversee this dub. Noted producer Frank Marshall (who has produced the English dubs of the last four Ghibli films, including From Up on Poppy Hill, which was distributed by GKids instead of Disney) and Studio Ghibli (thru their International Distribution head Geoffrey Wexler) produced the English dub.
I was only able to see the dubbed version, which I enjoyed. As usual with the English dubs produced for Ghibli films, the performances were great. With Ghibli films, I encourage everyone to see them in theaters, even if you prefer subs. Although Ghibli films don't always fill US theaters, its always best to show your support for such beautiful and well developed films.
I usually like the Disney Ghibli dubs; they are always some of the best. But I didn't particularly enjoy this one. There were SOME performances I really liked (Short, Tucci, and Whitman), but others were either passable or mediocre. The weakest, IMO, was Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He sounded like he was reading instead of acting. I just didn't enjoy his performance.
shareI wonder if our difference in opinion boils down to the style of acting we prefer in animated films. Usually I find animation voice acting too aggressive and "over-acted" as compared to many live-action films, and the reason I loved Gordon-Levitt's, Blunt's, Tucci's, Patinkin's, and Herzog's voice work the most is they went for what I feel is a more natural and subtle style. (Though, really, the whole cast did good work.) I responded in more detail in the "Is the dubbed version any good?" thread...
shareWith Ghibli films, I encourage everyone to see them in theaters, even if you prefer subs. Although Ghibli films don't always fill US theaters, its always best to show your support for such beautiful and well developed films.
Both versions are great. The dub was excellent this time around, but the Japanese cast is also excellent. In the end, just go with whichever one is playing in your area.
shareI'd usually prefer subbed, listening to the voices of the native feels much more authentic. But reading all these testimonies about the excellent dubbing work, I'm intrigued to see the dubbed version.
shareUnless the only dubbing available is objectively bad, you really have to confess to being a big-time Japanophile if you prefer subtitles in animation. Live action, conversely, it's ridiculous to have dubbing.
shareMost foreign movies and TV shows are subbed in my native country, so I'm used to subtitles :).
share[deleted]
I watched this dubbed. The only voice that was bugging me was Castorp (the man with the hooked nose) the guy sounded stoned or too tired to talk... what were they thinking in casting that voice? Was he supposed to sound like that in the Japanese? (I couldn't switch the audio in the dvd while watching it)
shareAs a "fan" subtitle maker for obscure films, I guess I would be biased towards the former, but beyond that, I always feel that something is "lost" in a dubbed version.
In terms of Studio Ghibli films and Japanese animation in general, I find part of the charm of these films is knowing I am watching it in its original form, exactly how the film-makers meant it to be seen. I have tried to watch "dubbed" versions but it just seems "wrong" on a fundamental level when I hear saccharine American Hollywood voices coming out of the characters.
There is always the question of the accuracy of a subtitled or dubbed translation, as of course, every language has words that do not have a direct correspondence in other languages.
Personally, I often find the preference for a "dubbed" or "subbed" version of a given film is reflected in the personality type of a given person. I know everyone in my circle of friends prefers subtitles. Of course this is a gross generalisation, but I do feel that the choice reflects a certain aesthetic or cultural way of seeing cinema and the world in general.
Anyway, I cannot wait to see The Wind Rises, each new Studio Ghibli film is a joyfully anticipated event.
I honestly don't understand when people say that they prefer subtitles because they want the dialogue in its pure, unadulterated form. I mean, subs are translations just like dubs are, right? Subtitles are just as prone to losing things in translation as dubs are. The only way to see the movie in the way the director intended is to actually learn to speak the language. Well, I guess you could literally see the movie with your eyes in the way the director intended but you won't comprehend it since you won't understand what the characters are saying.
sharedubbed NEVER
shareThe original Japanese voices are the only way to go.
The awful Joseph Gordon-Levitt voices the lead character in the english dub of the film. Another slap in the face of all us who know a thing or two about painting.
Ghibli films?
Always subbed! No need to ask.
That is something I agree with completely. Studio Ghibli films sound beautiful in the original Japanese. I personally believe that these dubs are an insult to animation studios, Studio Ghibli and Disney, and Japanese and American cinema also, both animation and live-action. I also believe that people need to be a bit more opened minded about animation in the non-English speaking world. Yes, Japan has a gigantic animation industry, but it is not the only non-English speaking country that makes them. There is also France, Spain and Russia to name a few. It is really saddening and disappointing that people do not pay very much attention to these things. I treat Japanese and American animation equally. They both have their strengths and weaknesses. I also believe that some countries need their animation industry to develop, like Greece, because the said country's film industry is in serious trouble. One example is the Greek animated short, The Village, directed by Stelios Polychronakis, a very, very underrated animator. It is a fantastic and hugely overlooked short. Go check it out. Here is the link:http://vimeo.com/18867544
shareOne little update:
To avoid confusion, I define voice acting and dubbing as two entirely different things.
Voice acting: Acting done in the original language of the animated film.
Dubbing: Translating from the original language to another language, whether it is animated or live-action.
I hope I cleared things up for others.