Being a Brief Discussion of Anime Dubs: Gravion Zwei, Volume Two

By: Way Jeng
Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Classic shows do it all. They make us laugh, cry, cheer, and boo. The very best shows generally present a wide spectrum of emotions. Gravion Zwei's second volume, released by ADV Films and dubbed by ADV Studios, follows that same trend, but unfortunately the pace of the storytelling goes a little too fast to achieve full effect. This volume is fun and entertaining, but it requires more than average suspension of disbelief on the part of the audience to really work.



Chris Patton delivers a very enjoyable performance as Eiji. This character doesn't see the extraordinary highs and lows that some of the cast members do in the volume, but he does show a relatively wide range of emotions. Eiji spends a lot of his time frustrated with Toga, but he also does his share of comic screaming with Luna and tries to come to terms with the feelings of his fellow pilots. Fans of Mr. Patton's work should pay special attention to his performance in the volume's first episode.



Greg Ayres takes on the role of Toga. This performance has been extremely strong in previous volumes, and Mr. Ayres continues to do good work. His foley, which is plentiful in the second half of the disc, shows plenty of intensity. There is one minor flaw in the early parts this volume. The pitch of the character's voice sounds a bit deeper than in previous volumes, however the problem doesn't appear after the second half of episode six.



Luci Christian plays Luna. Much as in the past, one of the most enjoyable parts of this characterization is how young and energetic the character sounds. Luna is full of energy almost all the time, and she's a lot of fun to listen to opposite Chris Patton's Eiji. Unfortunately, the energy goes a little too far during a few scenes early in the volume when Luna sounds happier and more excited than her character looks. It's worth noting that the Japanese language track appears to show the same characteristics during at least one of these scenes, specifically at the amusement park, but even so the disparity between the visuals and the voicing is difficult to ignore.



Kira Vincent-Davis doesn't have too many lines as Mizuki. She takes on more of a supporting role in this volume compared to the past. The performance isn't quite as strong as it has been, mostly due to a few pauses held too long and some inflections that sound too sharp. Still, the voice matches the character well and it's not a bad performance by any means.




Jessica Boone voices Ena, one of the pilots of the G-Driller arm unit. This volume contains some of Ms. Boone's best work in the series so far, partially due to the fact that before this point Ena has been something of an easily frightened and shy character who effectively functioned as comic relief. This volume shows Ena's strength of character, particularly in episode seven, and the performance does an excellent job of stepping up to match that need. It's natural, sincere, and good work.



Allison Shipp plays Leele. This performance is fair, and probably one of the weaker in the cast. Ms. Shipp appears to have some problems physically delivering her character's emotions at low volume. The character doesn't sound flat or wooden. Indeed, the emotions themselves are laudable. Rather, the voice doesn't lend itself particularly well to the intense scenes and sounds a bit hoarse.



Jason Douglas plays Klein Sandman, a wealthy eccentric with a sordid past. This performance has been enjoyable since Gravion's start, and this set of episodes continues that trend. That's especially true near the middle of the disc, when Sandman's secret past is revealed and we see what trials he has faced in the past. The character's lack of grace under pressure is certainly surprising, considering Sandman's unflappable attitude so far in the series, but Mr. Douglas does an excellent job of bringing the character's misery out.



Vic Mignogna plays Raven, second-in-command of Sandman's forces. It's a fun performance to listen to. Raven is always self-assured and firm, no matter the situation, and the delivery is impeccable in terms of both cadence and emotion. His best work can be heard in the first episode of the disc when Raven tries to calm and console the characters who can't go on a mission at an amusement park.



Stephanie Nadolny plays Faye Xin Lu, lead pilot of the EFA's giant robot squadron. The performance is difficult to judge in absolute terms. On one hand it matches the character well. It has good intensity, and has an edge that suits Faye's persona. On the other hand, Ms. Nadolny's delivery has a few odd characteristics that detract from the experience. She often goes through her dialog too fast, and doesn't draw out words at all. Her dialog doesn't sound natural because it lacks some of the natural emphasis that people generally use to add contextual clues to their speech.



Like all shows, Gravion Zwei has its fair share of supporting characters. Tiffany Grant does good work as Thoria, the head mechanic in charge of repairs to the Gravion robot. She continues to show a lot of energy, and displays no weak moments during this volume. Kim Prause has a few lines as Ayaka, Eiji's sister. The performance is somewhat problematic. It's stiff and over-inflected much of the time. It does match the drama of the situation, but on the whole it feels like too much. George Manley plays a mysterious figure named Hugi Zeravire. This performance has some good material, but also has some that drops down to fair. The foley and emotionally intense scenes are good, but the more conversational dialog feels a little too soft. A sharper tone at a few key moments might have added more depth and complexity to the material. Tessera, Tuile, and Marinia, bridge technicians played by Shelley Calene-Black, Tiffany Terrell, and Monica Rial respectively, are all fun to listen to. They're not quite as energetic as they were in previous volumes, but the performances match the material. Christine Auten plays Dr. Burnett, a scientist working for the EFA. It's good work on the whole, though Ms. Auten shows some minor cadence issues towards the end of the disc. Finally, Kimberly Reid plays Dica, a member of the medical team in Sandman's castle. The character doesn't have a lot of lines, but the few that she does have are good. The delivery shows good cadence that matches the lines and purpose of the scenes, but I'm not sure if the voice is a perfect match for the character. The character might have been better served with a voice in a slightly lower register.



Overall, the dub for this volume hovers between good and very good. The events of this disc allow the actors to explore the serious sides of their characters much more carefully than any previous volume so far, and they do it well. Almost all of the most important moments, the times when the emotions are running the hottest, are handled very nicely. However, some of the supporting roles and the lines of dialog when the characters are recovering from an ordeal show a bit of weakness. Even then the problems aren't too bad, and generally stem from the cadence and inflection issues that challenge every dub.



This volume of Gravion departs from the previous volume's humor and light-hearted atmosphere. The first episode is fairly light and enjoyable, but the show quickly takes a turn for the dark, serious, and dramatic. Almost countless secrets are revealed, including hidden agendas and mysterious back-story, and it's pretty safe to say that the world is turned almost upside down. The revelations affect numerous characters, and although the show has kept an air of mystery around these people for some time, the truths are nothing short of shocking. They range from believable, to odd and unnecessarily melodramatic, to nearly incomprehensible. One character's hidden identity seems particularly strange, not so much because of who the character turns out to be but because the disguise alters the character's body to such a degree that it simply does not follow the laws of physics.



But conservation of mass aside, these events are a mixed bag. On one hand, giant robot anime has always incorporated some melodramatic elements. The giant robot itself is a melodramatic device, and so it's not entirely unexpected or unreasonable that the show would include a few mind-boggling twists. The problem is more that they're coming so fast, which is doubly shocking considering how light and funny the first volume of Gravion Zwei was. In the span of three episodes the show has changed the perspective on almost every element the series has introduced. It's not always an about-face turn that transforms heroes into villains and vice-versa, and none of the secrets are too much by themselves, but this many surprises packed into such a small time frame threatens to overwhelm the show.



Had these secrets been introduced over a longer period of time or had stronger foreshadowing, the series might not feel so jarring. The problems Gravion Zwei has follow the traditional challenges faced by twelve or thirteen-episode anime. The format doesn't allow too much time to present the story, and so the show has to make a choice. It can either tell a more modest story, or it can take the risk of cramming the plot into the limited time available and trust that the audience will keep up with the developments and accept them. Gravion Zwei seems to have opted for the latter, which is somewhat odd after it just finished a long string of fun, cheerful episodes.



However, that's not to say that Gravion Zwei isn't fun to watch. The melodrama may come a little too fast and strong, but Gravion has had a fair amount of melodrama in the past. It's always been a little tongue-in-cheek, so fans who have stayed with the show up to this point will probably accept these events at face value and enjoy the ride as it plays out. At this point the characters are in full meltdown mode. They've learned terrible secrets about each other, they have an enemy capable of bringing about the end of all life on the planet, and their only hope lies in solving the world's problems with a giant robot. Add in a few more robots, courtesy of the EFA, and the result is a massive battle just waiting to erupt.



Gravion isn't a title for people who want to take their time through a slow but enjoyable tale that gently rocks between its highs and lows. The series eschews moderation at every turn. The level of fan service remains high in this volume, there's some strong language, and the drama doesn't look like it's going to slow down any time soon. Fans who have been watching Gravion Zwei up to this point solely for the comedy may want to think twice before watching this latest installment, but those who have been hoping for manic action and drama should pick it up right away.





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Copyright 2005 Way Jeng