4Kids TV

[Danj]

Saw this on ANN (where, typically, they managed to get something wrong even though it was spelt right in the source article), taken from Digital Spy:

[ QUOTE ]
Another new kids station looks set to launch early next year.

4Kids Entertainment, distributor of shows such as Pokemon, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Yu-Gi-Oh, has been granted a broadcast licence by TV regulator Ofcom to launch a service called '4 Kids TV'.

Details of the station are still unknown, although a spokesman told C21 that more would be announced "in the coming weeks".

The channel is one of a number of upcoming launches into the already-crowded kids market. ITV is planning a new kids offering in February while Turner has announced plans for a further two spinoff channels. Disney is also ramping up its presence by switching to the basic pack on Sky and launching a new movie channel.

[/ QUOTE ]

Here's the Ofcom page for the channel, so it's definitely real. Hey, maybe we'll get lucky and they'll take Pokemon off all the other channels... [img]/images/graemlins/sweat200.gif[/img]

[ic14]

Urgh.....

Great, a crappy channel by the masters of crappy taking up a precious slot on our over-packed airwaves....

[Fudce]

They may be "The masters of crappy" but it is also anime. And anime on UK TV is a good thing. Maybe they'll consider some of the younger 'good' series for the channel too, regardless of who dubbed the series.

[Exelion]

[ QUOTE ]
IanC said:
Urgh.....

Great, a crappy channel by the masters of crappy taking up a precious slot on our over-packed airwaves....

[/ QUOTE ]

[img]/images/graemlins/relief1.gif[/img]

You know what, good on 4kids, okay so its edited and such but at least its a chance for the little uns to watch some more anime, and perhaps just perhaps some of them will like what they see and become fans when they're older. Which can only help the market in the future.

[Fort Max]

[ QUOTE ]
IanC said:
Urgh.....

Great, a crappy channel by the masters of crappy taking up a precious slot on our over-packed airwaves....

[/ QUOTE ]

But now you'll be able to ignore it easily.

[Nylock]

[ QUOTE ]
Exelion said:
You know what, good on 4kids, okay so its edited and such but at least its a chance for the little uns to watch some more anime, and perhaps just perhaps some of them will like what they see and become fans when they're older. Which can only help the market in the future.

[/ QUOTE ]


I have to agree with this - sure 4kids butcher anime to get it on TV, but that's not exactly new is it? I'm sure I'm not the only one here who watched Battle of the Planets as a kid. My first anime ever was Marine Boy in the early 70's and that might have been a total hack-job as well, but it got me interested.

Anime getting more exposure through something other than the ultra-violence and tentacle-porn stigma seems like something fans should be welcoming. It's unfortunate that 4kids don't show much respect for the original material they manipulate, but few others are willing to even put it on TV nowadays.

So it's not the best possible bit of progress, but it's better than nothing IMO.

[Shiroi Hane]

Hmm... potential for Mew Mew Power in the UK then?
Mind, I can't see myself sticking with it for more than the first episode of the dub anyway.

[Yashouzoid]

Why is it that the first arguments I usually hear are "Oh well they did this in the 70s so what 4Kids is doing is OKAY! *thumbs up*" and "Well the little kids have to watch it so it's okay to butcher it!"

1) Guys, we're not in the 70s anymore. We've come to a point where well over 90% of the anime being released today has some uncut alternative, and frankly, this kind of treatment isn't acceptable anymore.

2) They stop editing it down for little kids when they pointlessly edit everything they can. Sonic X and Tokyo Mew Mew were already acceptable for kids, 4Kids still thought they had to butcher the hell out of them. Lo and behold, neither one's an outstanding success like people seem to think.

3) One Piece is the worst dub ever and there is no defending it. Almost purposely miscast voices, story arcs removed entirely, probably the largest count for "cut episodes" in a TV dub TO DATE (32), music changed for no reason, the script riddled with puns and made impossibly stupid... you know, screw it, just see the light:

http://opguide.bravehost.com/

[Fudce]

[ QUOTE ]
Yashouzoid said:
Why is it that the first arguments I usually hear are "Oh well they did this in the 70s so what 4Kids is doing is OKAY! *thumbs up*" and "Well the little kids have to watch it so it's okay to butcher it!"

1) Guys, we're not in the 70s anymore. We've come to a point where well over 90% of the anime being released today has some uncut alternative, and frankly, this kind of treatment isn't acceptable anymore.

2) They stop editing it down for little kids when they pointlessly edit everything they can. Sonic X and Tokyo Mew Mew were already acceptable for kids, 4Kids still thought they had to butcher the hell out of them. Lo and behold, neither one's an outstanding success like people seem to think.

3) One Piece is the worst dub ever and there is no defending it. Almost purposely miscast voices, story arcs removed entirely, probably the largest count for "cut episodes" in a TV dub TO DATE (32), music changed for no reason, the script riddled with puns and made impossibly stupid... you know, screw it, just see the light:

http://opguide.bravehost.com/

[/ QUOTE ]

While in principle I agree with what you are saying, if you had a choice between anime that was over-cut (One Piece being your example) and no anime, whatsoever, which would you choose?
Yes anime is better uncut. Yes some dubs are better than others. (I actually think the dub quality of Pokemon is quite high) But I'm sure I speak for a good few people here when I say my usual 'Any Anime on UK TV is a good thing!'

[abigsmurf]

Just got hold of my 4kids contact...

She can't give out any details yet