Being a Brief Discussion of Anime Dubs: Rumiko Takahashi Anthology, Volume One

By: Way Jeng
Date: Tuesday, October 25, 2005

One aspect of anime that makes these shows popular is a general tendency towards long, directed storylines. A sizable percentage of shows have a clear beginning, middle, and end. It's an appealing style because it allows for stories that include a lot of conflict, parallel plot arcs, and a larger scope than a series that tries to make each individual episode generally stand on its own. It's a popular and successful storytelling technique, but it's sometimes a bit much. Huge plots have a great payoff, but they also tend to take a long time getting started. Rumiko Takahashi Anthology, released by Geneon Entertainment and dubbed by New Generation Pictures, offers a nice alternative. Most shows that contain mostly standalone episodes use established characters in an open continuity. This series differs because it's a true anthology. Each episode introduces new characters, new situations, and a different story. It features a good dub, and all things considered Rumiko Takahashi Anthology is a great way to sample a variety of stories.



Wendee Lee plays Sakiko Tamagawa, a woman spends most of an episode trying to make sure she doesn't get caught violating her housing contract by taking care of a penguin. Her nervous energy comes across extremely well, and some calmer material towards the end of the disc provides a nice contrast to the excitement.



Sally Dana voices Mrs. Kakei, the ostensible villain of the first episode. The performance does a good job of conveying her character's multiple layers. She keeps an even tone throughout the episode, but manages to not sound too monotone. The best work in the volume comes fairly late, when Mrs. Kakei drops her vague annoyance and cool attitude in order to show her more vulnerable side. It's a nice moment and well played.



Michelle Ruff takes the lead in the second episode as Yukari, a woman who runs a wedding hall perpetually in the red. It's a good performance, particularly during a few scenes towards the end with some warm and heartfelt material, though her anger in the beginning and middle of the volume sounds a bit soft.



The third episode introduces yet another new cast, this time with Doug Stone in the lead as Toshio. His performance is one of the most fun to listen to in the entire volume. The voice matches the character's age at all times, though Mr. Stone also displays a quicker, more easy and light cadence that makes his dialog believable when his character develops amnesia. He consistently sounds natural, and there are no weak moments in the dub worth mentioning.




Kevin Hatcher plays Minoru, Toshio's teenage son. It's a good performance that captures the character well. His sharper moments tend to sound the best, particularly when he ponders what devious acts his father may have committed during his time wandering the streets alone.



Sonja S. Fox's performance as Kazuko sounds good, though she has a slight tendency to go through her lines too fast. She displays relatively awkward moments, and her high energy in the first half of the episode is very good.



This dub offers a fairly rare experience for viewers. Each individual episode in this volume features a fairly small cast, usually limited to less than a half a dozen principle characters and a similar number of smaller supporting roles, but it offers close looks at many performances because each episode uses a different cast. It's a nice situation that bridges the gap between the long looks at lead characters of most series and the broad gaze of an ensemble cast. A number of the small roles sound very good, for example Carrie Savage as Mitsue in the first episode and William Frederick as Pops in the second episode. There's a tendency to overuse some of the actors in multiple parts for the supporting cast, but it's a polished dub for the most part and fun to listen to.



Rumiko Takahashi Anthology's stories make an impressive argument for themselves. Each episode in this volume tells a different and distinct story. The plotlines don't set each other up or form any obvious connections, and they introduce new characters to follow. They're all enjoyable character-driven stories that focus on relationships and learning more about other people. Characters get into fights or conflict and then learn something about themselves and each other that brings the problem to a resolution. There are some funny and quirky moments, such as the hilarity that ensues when a family has to take care of a pet penguin, but ultimately each story also involves a little bit of sadness. That comes in different forms, from a woman who loves pets but lives in building that doesn't allow for proper care of them to a middle-aged man who aimlessly wanders the streets because his home life is so unfulfilling. Each story has a nice emotional core to work with, and even more surprisingly they all fit the run time of the episode well. The episodes obviously don't have time to generate the conflict of a larger tale. There's no time to introduce numerous betrayals or set the fate of nations at stake. The stories all choose a character arc that can fit inside the small format and yet still hold the emotional payoff necessary to make the each episode worthwhile and fulfilling in its own right. It's an impressive accomplishment for any series, and even more so for a series of episodes that introduces new characters and doesn't rely on a continuing plotline to establish pathos.



Long story arcs that span whole seasons are always exciting, but it's also nice to have a set of standalone episodes to watch. Rumiko Takahashi Anthology offers viewers a chance to watch a few short, simple stories. Viewers who enjoy meeting new characters and watching a short, quirky, and sweet period of their lives play out should definitely keep Rumiko Takahashi Anthology in mind when looking for a new show.





Questions? Comments? Suggestions? E-mail me at way.jeng@gmail.com



Copyright 2005 by Way Jeng