50 Rules for Dubbing - 5 Years On

[Fudce]

In 2005 populuxe (then MartialStax) posted an epic list of 50 Rules for Dubbing. It was a bit of fun that was really just that.

Fun.

Originally Posted by Martialstax

1. If Kikuko Inoue voiced her in Japan, Bridget Hoffman gets the part.
2. Rob Mungle voices all characters named "Pedro."
3. Every voice actor in North America gets a part in Fullmetal Alchemist.
4. If she's adorable and it's being cast in LA, Carrie Savage gets the part.
5. If she's adorable and it's being cast in Houston, Jessica Boone gets the part.
6. If she's adorable and it's being cast in Vancouver, Jocelyne Loewen gets the part.
7. If Colleen Clinkenbeard is starring in it, Laura Bailey directs.
8. If Laura Bailey is starring in it, Colleen Clinkenbeard directs.
9. Dual-personality female characters go to Kira Vincent-Davis.
10. It doesn't matter what character you've got, if Luci Christian is available, cast her.
11. Chris Patton gets one adult character for every 5 teens.
12. Male casting in LA: 15 and under: Mona Marshall
13. Male casting in LA: 15 - 20 years old: Johnny Yong Bosch
14. Male casting in LA: 20 - 30 years old: Sam Regal
15. Male casting in LA: 30 - 45 years old: Michael McConnohie
16. Male casting in LA: 45 - 60 years old: Alfred Thor
17. Male casting in LA: 60 and older: William Frederick
18. Tantrums about Steven Foster's scripts are now solely reserved for "Ask John" articles.
19. Carl Macek dubs musthaveawkward gaps in thedialogue.
20. If there are teen sisters involved, Kari Wahlgren and Lara Jill Miller get the roles.
21. Liam O'Brien is the official replacement for all Bob Marx over-the-top flamboyant characters.
22. Aaron Drew now gets all young male characters cast in New York.
23. All MILFs cast by Matt Greenfield go to Laura Chapman. All other MILFs cast in Houston go to Christine Auten.
24. Monica Rial will never get a true lead role. (Rule broken by Don Rush)
25. Steve Blum and Crispin Freeman have to duel with chainsaws for all brooding male leads in LA.
26. Sakura Wars must never have the same dub cast twice.
27. Studio E rule of thumb: 1 VA for every 4 characters.
28. Jin Ho Chung will not be in any of his show's commentaries.
29. Sandra Krasa will be in all of her show's commentaries.
30. If the show's not going to sell and you really don't care about the dub, send it to Arvintel.
31. All angry female mecha pilots go to Tiffany Grant.
32. All German females go to Tiffany Grant.
33. If Ayako Kawasumi played the character in Japan, Michelle Ruff plays it in English.
34. All mute characters are played by Monica Rial.
35. In LA dubs, aggressive lesbians are played by Robin Rhodpa.
36. Aggressive lesbians played by Robin Rhodpa will always lust after characters voiced by Jennifer Sekiguchi.
37. All perky girls named Hikaru will be voiced by Cynthia Martinez.
38. All Matt Greenfield dubs that involve screaming go to Hilary Haag.
39. All Steven Foster dubs that involve cussing go to Hilary Haag.
40. All weeny teen characters cast in Texas go to Greg Ayres.
41. If Sho Hayami voiced him in Japan, Jason Douglas voices him in English.
42. All NYC dubs must include at least two of the following: Rachael Lillis, Lisa Ortiz, Veronica Taylor, or Deborah Rabbai.
43. Jamie McGonnigal gets all teenaged pervert roles in NYC.
44. If cast in Houston, all boisterous, hot-blooded male characters will go to Brett Weaver.
45. Nancy Novotny is the designated meganekko in Houston.
46. All Aya Hisakawa's adult characters go to Monica Rial.
47. Ted Sroka's character will always have the hots for Carrie Savage's charater.
48. All magical girls cast in Houston go to Luci Christian.
49. Chris Ayres characters will never learn.
50. No character voiced by John Swasey will ever get laid.

It strikes me though, which of those rules still apply? Do we have enough dubs to even make fifty new rules?

Please suggest rules you'd add to this list. What rules would you remove?

[cress2000]

This instantly came to mind...

Bang Zoom! dubs must pronounce Japanese names and words in audible italics.

[deathfromabove1993]

Let's see...

All Steven Foster dubs must include David Matranga and Luci Christian in the cast.

All cute girls in Funi dubs go to Alexis Tipton or Tia Ballard

Male Casting Ages 15 and Under in Dallas: Maxey Whitehead.

[bci110]

Originally Posted by Fudce

It strikes me though, which of those rules still apply? Do we have enough dubs to even make fifty new rules?

Well unfortunately Rule #5 doesn't apply anymore since she moved from Houston a few years ago. Or we can modify Rule #5 and replace Jessica with Alexis Tipton.

[Soufriere]

Wow, that list is really a blast from the past. I wasn't registered here at the time, though I was lurking and saw it.

What really floors me is how much of that list is completely inoperable now. This industry really has changed a lot in just half a decade. I'm not sure there can even be 50 rules now, even as a joke.

Aside from totally agreeing with cress on BZ dubs, the only rules that really seem to still apply are...

1. How many times did Ms Hoffman overdub Ms Inoue? At least four. But this only applies to LA dubs
4. Still true, but change LA to DFW to reflect Carrie's relocation
9. True in the rare instances KVD actually lands a non-kid role and Neo-ADV actually dubs anything
10. This will always be true as long as anime is dubbed in Texas
13. Johnny is so typecast
18. Does John Opplinger still do his anti-dub bitchfests? It's been years since I've checked
21. Shame Liam hasn't done any Taishi-type characters lately
24. Monica - Always the VA bridesmaid, never the bride. I'm sure she'd say that at least it's work
25. But insert the word "villains" in there somewhere
30. But add "Odex"
31. Tiffany Grant = Angry girl mech pilots
32. Tiffany Grant = German girls
34. It's so weird how true this still is
38. Has Matt even directed a dub since Neo-ADV reopened?
39. This will be true as long as Hilary still wants work. It's up to her really
40. Poor Greg, even Funimation has accepted this typecasting. But, it's work
42. But also add DAN GREEN to the mix
44. Don't get me wrong, Kyle Hebert was a fine Kamina, but we really missed out with the Gurren Lagann recasting
48. I guess this is still true even though Neo-ADV hasn't really done any MG shows
49. Oh so much
50. I guess this is still true

To this mix I would add something like...
- If the male lead is a jerky little prissy boy, Vic Mignogna gets the part
- If Funimation dubs an opening or ending with female vocal, Caitlin Glass sings it; if male, Vic sings it
- If the role is a neurotic wussy boy, Todd Haberkorn gets the part
- Sexy women dubbed in Fort Worth will be played by Stephanie Young
- Fiery redhead girls dubbed in Texas (Houston) will be played by Tiffany Grant (why didn't this one make the first list??)
- If Aya Hirano played the part, and the dub is in LA, Wendee Lee will be the English voice regardless of suitability (but I like her)
- Even after more than two decades in the business, Wendee Lee defies easy typecasting or pigeonholing
- This also applies to Laura Bailey minus the long tenure in the business, as well as to her former(?) BFF Colleen Clinkenbeard
- If the character is a sexy-male-voiced badass, and the dubbers can't afford Crispin Freeman, Patrick Seitz gets the part
- If a dub has Taliesin Jaffe attached to it in any way, it is automatically gold
- Funimation will never be able to decide just how over the top/"unfaithful" they should go with their comedy series
- Every Funimation dub will have multiple directors, defying us any chance to discern any particular "style" or "feel"
- If it's Gundam, it's dubbed at Ocean or not dubbed at all (except Unicorn)
- If ANY company releases a dubbed trailer on their official site or YouTube, there will be at least 100 sub-purists bitching about it

And of course...
- In five more years this list will probably be out of date again

EDIT: Add in deathfromabove1993's suggestions. They're good.

EDIT 2: Dammit. I forgot Unicorn was being dubbed at NYAV Post. God I feel like an idiot.

[Zeether]

Originally Posted by Soufriere

- If it's Gundam, it's dubbed at Ocean or not dubbed at all. No exceptions

Except Unicorn?

I have one:
- If the girl is sassy and cast in TX she must be voiced by Jamie Marchi

[ancar]

Originally Posted by Soulfreire

- If it's Gundam, it's dubbed at Ocean or not dubbed at all. No exceptions.

Um, NYAV Post is currently dubbing Gundam Unicorn. So, not quite.

Edit: And of course I am beaten to the punch. ;p

[MeggieMay]

Actually, instead of a updating this list maybe what needs to be done in a totally new list. A lot of these rules have changed - people have moved, retired, semi-retired, died (RIP Carl Macek) . There are a few VA's on the list I've never even heard of and several other VA's on the list are doing more work in gaming than anime these days. Then there is the on just how ADV/Houston centric this list was. It really shows how much things have changed in both the dubbing communities and the dub fan communities in just five years, though my feeling is things were starting to change by the end of 05' since I would have thought you'd be seeing more on both LA and FtW/D actors by then.

BTW, when exactly was this posted in 05'? - I don't think I became active in the forums here until 2006, though I could be wrong (I need to see if I can figure that out but I'm not sure we have complete archives going back that far).

[Fudce]

November 2005 - just over 5 years ago

[MeggieMay]

Hmm, maybe I was here then - my profile says I joined in 2004, though it also says I'm 30 years old (I wish! ) so accuracy may or may not be right there.