Give a shout out to your favorite under-appreciated dubs

[populuxe]

The holiday season is over and it's back to the daily grind. Now that family obligations are behind us, we can get back to our regularly scheduled anime viewing. After all, it's cold outside up here in the Northern Hemisphere. Plenty of time to turn up the heat and turn on the TV. Let's do our fellow dub fans a favor and talk up some of our favorite over-looked and under-appreciated dubs, the ones you think people should try to check out if they have a chance. I'll start.

Steam Detectives is from the much-missed Monster Island Studio in Austin. Charlie Campbell directed this with a lot of enthusiasm for the material, a steam-punk Batman/Sherlock Holmes homage by Kia Asamiya. Josh Meyer is perfectly cast as the boy genius detective Narutaki, with Meg Bauman playing the wonderfully sweet (but not too sweet) Ling Ling. I loved Martin Blacker's blustery Detective Onigawara. Gray Haddock gave an incredibly textured and fascinating performance as the gentleman-criminal Le Bled. Larissa Walcott played Le Bled's assistant Lang Lang, and if you ever wanted to hear her play adult sexy, this is the show for you. Brian Jepson breathed fire as the righteously angry Knight Phantom. David R. Jarrot's Machine Baron is hilarious, while Laurie Gallardo's Crimson Scorpion is sexy, weary and funny at the same time. For fans of Doug Smith, be sure to check out his dual role performances as Pasta & Doria, the Crimson Scorpion's dim-witted henchmen. Edwin Neal's Dr. Guilty is as twisted as Neal himself. And then there's all the episodic characters as well, all as well cast and directed as the main and recurring cast. I like a lot of Charlie's decisions on directing this, especially using accents from nearly the entire English-speaking world, giving the dub a sound that really suits the familiar-yet-not feel of Asamiya's Victorian London crossed with Shinjuku city.

Another dub I loved which seemed to pass by most people is Hakugei - Legend of the Moby Dick, Herman Melville's epic tale of obsession set in space. The two stars of the show are Kira Vincent Davis as Lucky Luck who is trying to save her planet by enlisting the help of Captain Ahab, a hard-drinking down on his luck space whaler, played by John Swasey. I loved Kira's raspy, youthful, emotional Lucky, and Swasey really got to show his chops as Ahab, using a pirate's accent. Much of his dialogue was ad libbed in the studio between him and director Scott McClennan. It's one of Swasey's truly great performances. It has emotion and depth, but the speed with which he could ad lib his lines and match flaps (McClennan talked about it right here in this very forum) shows his experience, versatility and professionalism as a VA. Of course these are exactly the same qualities his co-star Kira brings the table. It's no wonder the two of them get so much work. Ahab's crew is terrific and a treat to listen to as McClennan used them in some very unusual and entertaining ways. Chris Patton plays Academias, a nerdy but very talented computer wizard. John Gremillion plays Speed King, a kid who lives up to his name. The cook is voiced by Rob Mungle, putting his vast comedic talents to great use. George Manley is Barba, a giant savage who speaks in broken but very loud English. Stephanie Nadolny is hilarious as Atre, a young orphan boy Ahab is raising on the ship. Doc Christiansen is played by David Born with a mixture of common-sense and silliness. Illich Guardiola is Mutz, the dour swordsman who often lets his guard down to great comedic effect. Vic Mignogna is Dew, a confused and conflicted andtroid. Andrew Love is perfect as White Hat, a detective who is forced to join the crew. His performance is a piece of comedy genius and was exactly what was needed to nail down that last little bit of awesome in the dub of the crew. Some other excellent performances from the recurring cast are Blake Shepard as Shiro, a psychically powerful but physically weak man trying to save his people, Christine Auten as a singing android looking for her lost love, Kaytha Coker as the vicious and very dangerous government official Ohara, and Chris Ayres as Murato, a powerful, terrifying and sympathetic man out to kill Ahab. McClennan worked a small miracle with this show, All the in-show singing is dubbed which should please Christine Auten fans and confuse and terrify George Manley fans. (And Rob Mungle fans, Andrew Love fans, Chris Patton fans, John Gremillion fans, David Born fans, etc.) And let's not forget Monica Rial as the parrot. The dub is all good, from beginning to end. Some might have passed on the show since the art style isn't the prettiest out there, but it suits the material and it has a story which goes from strength to strength.

[Mr. Nail Bat]

One I'm very fond of is TRSI's relatively obscure Assemble Insert.

Jessica Calvello (in one of her first New York dubs) is very sweet and shy as Maron Namikaze, improbably strong high-school student, destined to become a crime-fighting idol singer. David Brimmer is excellent as the laconic cop who discovers her bizarre talents. Bill Rogers and Crispin Freeman can be heard as numerous background characters.

This is one of my favorite feel-good shows, and the dub is icing on the cake.

[cxt217]

Hmmm...Most of the dubs I favored most are either already well-known (Gundam 0083), or considered bad by everyone else (Betterman.)

But...How about Photon and Venus Wars?

Venus Wars, a release of Central Park Media under their US Manga brand, using a dub produced by Manga Entertainment. Most of the VAs work quite well, but Peter Marinker as Gerhard Donner was absolutely perfect (And the Robert Shaw vibe and sound did not hurt.). If only more villians were voiced that way.

Photon, also a CPM/US Manga release, using a dub by Mercury Productions from an ADR script by Crispin Freeman, who also voiced the Galactic Emperor to a 'T'. Scott Cargle did a very good job being understated as Photon. Suzy Prue was right-on as the strong, vibrant, and sexy Keyne (As well as being capable of softer performances as well.), while Tara Jayne was letter-perfect as the bratty and annoying Aun. Of course, the best was Tristan Goddard as Papacharino Nanadan, giving the appropriate performance as both blundering buffoon and scheming mastermind. With very fitting performances by Carolee Goldgood as the Lashara, and P.M. Lewis as ALL Pochinis, Photon has one heck of an entertaining dub that should have been seen and heard by more people.

C.T.

[populuxe]

One I'm very fond of is TRSI's relatively obscure Assemble Insert.

Jessica Calvello (in one of her first New York dubs) is very sweet and shy as Maron Namikaze, improbably strong high-school student, destined to become a crime-fighting idol singer. David Brimmer is excellent as the laconic cop who discovers her bizarre talents. Bill Rogers and Crispin Freeman can be heard as numerous background characters.

This is one of my favorite feel-good shows, and the dub is icing on the cake.
This sounds like exactly the sort of show I would enjoy.

[bctaris]

One I'm very fond of is TRSI's relatively obscure Assemble Insert.

Jessica Calvello (in one of her first New York dubs) is very sweet and shy as Maron Namikaze, improbably strong high-school student, destined to become a crime-fighting idol singer. David Brimmer is excellent as the laconic cop who discovers her bizarre talents. Bill Rogers and Crispin Freeman can be heard as numerous background characters.

This is one of my favorite feel-good shows, and the dub is icing on the cake.

One of Headline's earliest efforts. I've been meaning to check that out. *Netflix Away!*

(And thanks for the thread, 'stax. Always a dependable annual topic.)

[bctaris]

Venus Wars, a release of Central Park Media under their US Manga brand, using a dub produced by Manga Entertainment. Most of the VAs work quite well, but Peter Marinker as Gerhard Donner was absolutely perfect (And the Robert Shaw vibe and sound did not hurt.). If only more villians were voiced that way.

Any of the old Manga UK dubs with Peter Marinker are worth it just for him, no matter their overall quality. Speaking of Marinker villains, though outside of anime, he does a supremely wicked Bane in a Batman BBC radio drama if one can find the CD release...

Photon, also a CPM/US Manga release, using a dub by Mercury Productions from an ADR script by Crispin Freeman, who also voiced the Galactic Emperor to a 'T'. Scott Cargle did a very good job being understated as Photon. Suzy Prue was right-on as the strong, vibrant, and sexy Keyne (As well as being capable of softer performances as well.), while Tara Jayne was letter-perfect as the bratty and annoying Aun. Of course, the best was Tristan Goddard as Papacharino Nanadan, giving the appropriate performance as both blundering buffoon and scheming mastermind. With very fitting performances by Carolee Goldgood as the Lashara, and P.M. Lewis as ALL Pochinis, Photon has one heck of an entertaining dub that should have been seen and heard by more people.

One of the more enjoyable dubs I like to return to at least once a year (I think I'm overdue). I still have never really agreed with Cargle's older-sounding Photon, though he's still good, but it's all about Jayne, Goddard and especially Suzy Prue as Keyne Aqua. Sure, the character design helped, but sexy+fun is all that need be said about Prue's Keyne. ;)

[The Great Bear]

Unfortunately, the only one I can think of that's underappreciated at the moment is an incomplete dub: the Story of Saiunkoku. It suffers from three drawbacks: 1) it's not going to be completely released for, well, a while; 2) it's Ocean, so there will be those who won't be interested; and 3) it mainly features male voices, with only one significant female character (who happens, however, to be the lead).

It has a nice range of performances from elder statesmen, to young dashing warriors, to complete oddballs, to conniving political operators. It's an unusual dub in being a largely male cast. But don't let that stop you from checking out the 2 volumes that have been released.

Another one that hasn't drawn much awards talk, though it did score one, was Ninja Nonsense, which was just recently released in a collection. Schemmel, deservedly, won Best Actor for Sept 06, but overlooked from that year were Emily Blau and Zoe Martin for Shinobu and Kaede. Both provide strong performances that fit their characters very well. Also of note are Veronica Taylor as Miyabi and Jason Linder as Sasuke. It's definitely one of the better comedy dubs from recent years, and makes me wish that NYAV Post would get more work. After ADV's Goddess run is over, I don't know what will be the next NYAV Post show I'll be able to hear.

[bctaris]

It's definitely one of the better comedy dubs from recent years, and makes me wish that NYAV Post would get more work. After ADV's Goddess run is over, I don't know what will be the next NYAV Post show I'll be able to hear.

Well, leap-frogging from that, there is a perhaps under-appreciated Phoenix, the only other current dub from NYAV right now. At only three volumes (the last coming out next month) and for a good price from Media Blasters I certainly recommend it. Sinterniklaas is on direction, and Jay Snyder and Stephanie Sheh (for the first couple story arcs at least) are the writers. Sort of an anthology, for those unfamiliar with the Osamu Tezuka source material, the show mixes whimsy and drama together in a surprisingly attractive way, and the dub works similarly. Cartoon-ish, but with a soul. It's an ensemble piece, as it involves various over-lapping, and far-flung, stories, but Danny Burstein and Michelle Newman as the approximate leads in the first four episodes are quite enjoyable, and Carrie Keranen, Jay Snyder, Erica Schroeder, Mike Pollock, Suzanne Gilad, David Brimmer, and Ted Lewis, among many others, make for a strong cast behind them. Robert L. O'Gorman as the narrator is always a nice touch. The last, fifth, episode of the first volume kicks off a new story continued in the second volume (which I unfortunately haven't seen yet as of this post) but it has Christopher Kromer and Eden Riegel as its leads, and proves to be just as enjoyable.

[dmgice]

I really liked the dub for Tekkon Kinkreet.

I watched it subbed originally, but I watched through it dubbed the other day to see how the voice actors/actresses handled the *really* odd lip flap in the film. Needless to say, I was happy. I was rather impressed that they pulled it off so well.

I have always liked the dub for R.O.D. The TV, and GTO.

[Nork22]

I give my shout out to Master Keaton's dub. Not only does Ted Cole give an outstanding performance as Keaton, but the rest of the supporting cast adds a touch of authenticity about the whole show. Made me feel like I was watching something out of an Agatha Christie novel or a British McGuyver (The Saint perhaps)

Kudos to the "accents" that pop up with episodic characters.

[populuxe]

Well, leap-frogging from that, there is a perhaps under-appreciated Phoenix, the only other current dub from NYAV right now.
This really sounds interesting. As a fan of Tezuka's work, this is one I've been meaning to check out in manga form, and now it seems I need to get it as an anime as well.

[populuxe]

(And thanks for the thread, 'stax. Always a dependable annual topic.)
Thanks. Let's see if I can remember to start another one next year.

[Merr]

Ooh, I was just thinking of starting a topic like this. You guys have perfect timing!

Ultra Maniac - People seem really divided on whether this dub is complete trash or a hidden gem. Obviously based on the topic, I lean toward the latter point of view. Yes, some of the secondary performances are rough (with a couple being downright bad) but the four leads really do an outstanding job, especially Carrie Savage as Nina the not-so-bright magical girl in training. Supposedly she worked really hard to land this part, and it definitely shows in her performance. You can just tell from it that this was a show she really enjoyed working on. Jennifer Sekiguchi also sounds equally great as Ayu, Nina's even-tempered (but secretly ditzy) foil. It's not her best role, I guess, but somehow the sincerity of the character really shines through despite the fact that this was a low-budget dub.

...I'll probably have shows to add later

[Buckeye]

For now, the only underrated dub I can think of is Grenadier. Many people write it off as one that is pure fanservice and thus, ignore it for good reason. The dub for this series is very good as Wendee Lee is great as the sexy gunslinger Rushuna and Sam Regal does a great job as Kojiro. The rest of the voices are very solid as well.

Others will come later, but right now, I can't think of anything else.

[Spirit Of The Stage]

Two spring instantly to mind.

Getbackers is the first that springs to mind. Hearing Jason Liebrecht in Tsubasa and him in Getbackers as Ban just showcases how much talent this guy has. Shannon McCormick however stole the show as the evil but godly awesome Akabane. Coolness personified as he travelled throughout the show - makes me glad that the full thinpack is out now. There are other wonderful roles in there as well (not the less J. Shannon Weaver as Ginji) and the dub was my personal favourite of the Austin delights.

The second was of Kino's Journey - a well liked series around here - and a dub that basically lives and dies on two voices - Kelli Cousins as Kino and Cynthia Martinez as Hermes. How they interact is fantastic, and their voices - I can't imagine anyone else doing them now...I feel Cynthia's Hermes was far better than the Japanese Hermes and despite the episodic nature of the show, they continued to draw me in as much as the actual show did. Wonderful stuff.

[Orihimes_Boyfriend]

Well I like the Evangelion dub. YES YOU HEARD ME CORRECTLY! lol. Don't get me wrong I love the JP version too but I read a lot of flack over the dub from ADV and I think it sounds fine. Tiffany Grant is one of my fav VOs. I can't imagine any other English vo as Asuka. The rest of the cast is good too. And I believe it has gotten better over the years and the numerous re-releases. To me Spike Spencer pulls of Shinji perfectly. Nailing the emo attitude that is the character. Eva is a show were I can watch either audio track and have a enjoyable experience.

Other shows were I love the dub
Cowboy Bebop
Full Metal Alchemist
Full Metal Panic
Chrono Crusade

Subtitles Only for me(don't like the dub)
InuYasha
Bleach

[Fudce]

The second was of Kino's Journey - a well liked series around here - and a dub that basically lives and dies on two voices - Kelli Cousins as Kino and Cynthia Martinez as Hermes. How they interact is fantastic, and their voices - I can't imagine anyone else doing them now...I feel Cynthia's Hermes was far better than the Japanese Hermes and despite the episodic nature of the show, they continued to draw me in as much as the actual show did. Wonderful stuff.
I'd have to agree with your sentiments about Kino's Journey. I only recently watched it, and immediatly fell in love with Kino and Hermes, primarily due to the voices and the way they sounded off each other so well.

As for what I'd rate as under-appreciated.. Aquarian Age. The show is nothing spectacular, but in it we get to hear the classic Monica/Patton combo, but with each of them being stretched and forced to change. We also get to hear a whole array of talent, including what a lot consider to be one of Sasha Paysinger's best roles in Rumiko.

[JTurner]

Well I like the Evangelion dub. YES YOU HEARD ME CORRECTLY! lol. Don't get me wrong I love the JP version too but I read a lot of flack over the dub from ADV and I think it sounds fine. Tiffany Grant is one of my fav VOs. I can't imagine any other English vo as Asuka. The rest of the cast is good too. And I believe it has gotten better over the years and the numerous re-releases. To me Spike Spencer pulls of Shinji perfectly. Nailing the emo attitude that is the character. Eva is a show were I can watch either audio track and have a enjoyable experience.

I don't know if I'd call the Evangelion dub totally underappreciated (there are fans of the dub), but to me what sold that dub for me was Alison Keith as Misato. She made the character the sole reason to sit through this otherwise rather gloomy albeit brilliant series.

Anyway, it seems as though some of my favorite dubs seem to be some of the more underappreciated ones

Lodoss OVA--The TV version is weaker by comaprison, although Crispin Freeman's Spark and Angora Deb make it watchable, but the OVA English track remains a classic, even if it does show its age in places. Lisa Ortiz's Deedlit is a favorite of mine alongside her Lina Inverse, and of course John Knox's Ashram is awesome. Just as good are Parn, Slayn, Woodchuck, Kashue, Karla, Leylia, and Wagnard. It surprises me that there are people who speak out against the OVA dub, for I'd say it's held up pretty well over the years.

Nadia -- Yet another Monster Island dub that martialstax should get a chance to see. Shaky accents and dreadful filler eps in 2nd half notwithstanding, it's one of the most underrated dubs of all time, with the three leads being playing by actual children (this is also the debut of Meg Bauman, the actress from the aforementioned Steam Detectives dub, although her character isn't always as lovable). All three do delightful jobs, and even the adult supporting co-stars are terrific. Yet reviews of this dub have been very mixed: for every review that gave it positives, others have condemned this dub, saying that Nadia should only be watched in Japanese (e.g. DVD Talk, who calls the whole dub "horrendous" after hearing two episodes--a poor way to judge an overall dub), but while I like some voices in the native language track, I personally think the dub is one of the few that actually goes beyond and even surpasses the original in many ways. This dub deserved a better reputation than what it was accorded for at the time of its release, so its gratifying to hear people speak out in favor.

Castle in the Sky -- Like Ultra Maniac, this is a hotly debated one. While there are fans of the dub, a minority of naysayers have raked it over the coals--and I can't understand why; it's one of my favorite Ghibli-Disney dubs. While I see the points about the sometimes extraneous dialogue, I fail to see what else is wrong about this dub. The voices are very fitting and excellently performed (even if the two leads do sound too mature), and the new music score adds to the movie in many places. Don't get me wrong I like the Japanese version too, but Disney's version gets more replay value from me, namely for its good points--Dola and Muska especially. (The little bit I heard of a previous dub by Streamline doesn't even compare in quality to the new version. Why some hardcore fans say its superior I just don't understand.)

My Neighbor Totoro (Disney) -- I understand the attachment of nostalgia to the FOX dub, as it was an excellent effort for its time. But that in no way justifies the backlash against this new version, even if it does contain "all-star" cast members. Hearing the sisters portrayed by actual children this time around is a treat, and the translation actually outshines the FOX version in many ways. Ditto for Frank Welker as Totoro and the Cat Bus; he really shows off his vocal foley. Like Castle, this is a very underrated redub, one that deserves its own circle of fans. IOW, I like the FOX dub for nostalgia, but I also love Disney's version for having an excellent cast of its own and for adding to the movie in many ways.

Petite Princess Yucie -- I doubt that many people remember this dub except for the few who have followed Monster Island English tracks, but this is up there with Nadia. The show itself, although charming for the most part, sometimes verges on the mediocre side, but the lively performances by the cast, from lead Rachel Riveria to Kelly Houston as the bratty but lovable Glenda, do help to maintain interest. Equally amusing is David Jones (who played the evil Gargoyle from Nadia) as the Demon King; hearing him as a comical character is a hoot.

Jungle Emperor Leo -- This NYPost effort hardly ever gets mentioned on these boards. It ranks up there with their Magic User's Club dub track as one of their finest (although their live-action dub of Cutie Honey was surprisingly good, I have to admit), with strong performances by everyone involved. Particularly spectacular are Dan Green as the title character and especially Mike Pollack as the kindly Dr. Moustache--the dramatic scenes toward the end, in particular, are phenomenally performed. If you haven't heard this dub, you should.

Other honorable mentions include: Gokudo, Shingu, and The Devil Lady (although the latter dub does suffer at times from a loose script).

-Jon T.

[The Great Bear]

My Neighbor Totoro (Disney)

I agree on this one. I like the Disney dub for Totoro.

Petite Princess Yucie

This one has more fans around here than it might seem ;)

[JTurner]

My Neighbor Totoro (Disney)

I agree on this one. I like the Disney dub for Totoro.

Petite Princess Yucie

This one has more fans around here than it might seem ;)

I was talking about elsewhere in general.

[CGord]

I can't call it my favorite, but I don't read too much about Peace Maker Kurogane. It's got Luci Christian & Vic Mignogna screaming their heads off, Christine Auten & Chris Patton laying the southern drawl on as thick as they can, Greg Ayres, Jason Douglas, Chris Ayres, John Swasey, John Gremillion, Monica Rial...overall it wasn't much of a series to me, but it was nice to look at & a lot of fun to listen to.

[Otakuman1]

Howdy all!

Lets see.

An earlier CPM OAV I liked very much is Shamanic Princess.

Great animation,character designs & good story.

Tara Jayne is excellent as Tiara the main heroine of the series.

Tiara is sent to earth by the elder to retrieve the throne of Yord stolen by her main love Kagetsu (Voiced by Crispin Freeman)

PM Lewis voice Jappolo a talking ferret.
Who acts as a magical partner.

(Sailor Moon has Luna the cat & Tiara has Jappolo)

Suzy Prue voices Lena another princess from the realm who failed to retrieve the throne.
She has a partner also named Leon voiced by Alvaro J Gonzales.

Then theres Kagetsu's sister Sarah voiced by Mary Ann Towne.

Overall worth checking this magical girl series with enough twists that'll leave ya head shaking
:laugh:


Another Series i liked a lot is Laybrinth Of Flames.

Eric Stuart does the voice of Galan, A Samurai geek who watches a lot of KungFu & Samurai Films.
Besides working at the local college.

Eric uses his Gourry voice in Slayers & fits pretty well

Jessica Calvello voices Natsu a student at the college & a friend to Galan.
(Who likes has a liking towards Galan but he is dumb as a brick)

The Extras with Jessica is fun to watch.

Tristan Goddard voices Shigemitsu Natsu's wacky Father.
(Think of Papacha From Photon but twice as crazy)

Elisa Wain Vocies Kasumi,Natsu's Confidant.
Really funny role from her.

Natsu give Galan a family heirloom a samurai sword
for him to keep.

Unaware that the sword is valuable & there are 2 buxom crooks that want it pretty bad.

With TONS of fanservice & hillarious scenes worth picking up from CPM.

A TV series I liked very much & not talked about is Cyberteam In Akihabara from ADV.

Meet Hibari Hanakoganei Voiced by Luci Christian.
One of the most adorable vocies from Luci.

Hibari dreams of getting a Pata-Pi
(A mechanical toy much liked the Cabbage Patch Kids craze)
She gets one from a white prince voice by Greg Ayres.

Her Pata Pi is targeted by 3 Crazy Ladies (as Hibari Puts it LOL)

Christine Auten as Blood Falcon
Jessica Boone as Death Crow
Monica Rial as Dark Pigeon
Are funny as heck.

Under the command of Shooting Star Voiced by Chris Patton.

Tiffany Grant Vocies Suzume Hiabari's best friend.

Theres Kira Vincent Davis as Tsugumi.

Alison Shipp as Kamome

Hilary Haag as Tsubame

Also have Pata-Pis as well with a special power.
(ya need to see it to believe it folks hehe)

The 3 Crazy Ladies will stop at nothing to get the Pata Pi's

So the girls form Cyberteam In Akihabara to fight evil.

Vic Mignogna vocies the old man who knows whats going on.


Well worth getting this gem with action & fanservice & comedy.

See ya!