By: Bethany
Ahh, I know I'm late - but better late than never, ne?
Actually - I wrote this article for my web page - Purism
Act: 2000 - and had some requests to post it on the Worst
Sailor Moon Pages Ever page and decided to go for it. Being
a regular visitor of the page, I don't know why I didn't
think of it myself. ;)
So now, without further ado, is my rant on the new voices
for the dub.
Not so long ago the Sailor Moon R movie was translated
into English. Again, my morbid curiosity got the best of me
and I rented it. (I was thankfully warned ahead of time by
Meara to not buy it). Where I, a proud "sub" child even at
that time, was used to the wonderfully deep and thick voice
of the Japanese VA for Mamoru; this was a shocker.
There, in the beginning scene in the garden, was one
of two things that could very well send me on a one-way trip
to the local insane asylum. The second being Haruka and
Michiru being cousins, but I'm off subject.
Mamoru/Darien - acting very girlish.
I have no bad feelings for those in that sort of thing,
don't get me wrong. But Mamoru had a wonderful, rich baritone
in the Japanese version and they killed it in the dub. In my
humble (snickers) opinion - Tony Procter was the best VA for
Darien. As my editor pointed out, he brought an edge to the
role and actually managed to say the lame dialogue in a
believable way. How many do you know who could say "You
have used your drum for evil" and keep a straight face? That,
on top of the unnecessary talking on his behalf. Why do dub
directors think the audience can't handle two minutes without
dialogue? Are they afraid we will start thinking on our own?
But I'm getting off my rant subject again.
That was the first time I experienced the true depts of
horror at what a bad voice actor can do.
The second time I came across this was when watching
the Sailor Moon S dub.
For the new season of Sailor Moon to come to a good ole'
American television near you, they have managed to get a
squawking, high pitched, "cool bean" to do the voice of
Serena. From her supposedly "hip" slang to her to shrill
voice (that could strip the paint right off the furniture) -
there is not one thing about the new VA for Serena that I
can say I like at all. Her delivery is flat - there is no
soul to Serena. As previously said by my editor, Meara, "She
reminds me of nothing so much as Alvin the Chipmunk on the
unhappy combination of estrogen and speed."
Now, on to other important vocal subjects.
For the new season, not only did Serena get a do-over,
but so did Amy. Her new VA, while not as bad as Serena's, is
definitely not the sweet, sometimes over studious girl, that
we purist know. I can't really decide on her new VA, I'm
going to give it a little more time before going for or against
the idea.
When you heard Mina's new voice, did you suddenly get a
flash back into DiC land? I know I certainly did. Mina's new
VA is actually Raye's last one from the 17 episodes that DiC
translated. And Raye's "new" VA is none other than her original
VA from season one. Makoto's voice thankfully stayed the same,
although I wish I could say I was just as happy about Luna and
Artemis' VAs staying.
In the Japense manga and anime, we are introduced to a
kitten, just on the verge of adulthood, that is to be Sailor
Moon's guardian. In the orginal dub, and now the Cloverway dub,
we are introduced to an old lady in cat's skin. The English
accent most definitely needs to go and maybe put a little spunk
in her kitty litter. She makes Luna sound as if she is perpetually
mad at Serena. No wonder the girl blows her off as much as she
does! This Luna is like taking your mother along on a date - no
fun.
Now what you have been waiting for (and knew was coming
eventually ^^;) - my take on Uranus and Neptune's voices. Was it
me, or could no one else picture the girls mistaking Haruka (Amara
*gags*) for a male? That voice was way too girly for my liking. And
Michiru, instead of sounding soft spoken and elegant, sounds
amazingly like the VA for Haruka - only with some small differences.
Also, she is the old VA for Serena's mom... wonder if they will still
keep her for both parts? This is not the Haruka and Michiru we know,
either. Their slangs and name calling of the girls is way out of line,
and completely uncalled for. Such as Amara calling Serena "Little Miss
Beethoven" and Michelle saying "Meatball Alert". This is not the
personalities of the original Haruka and Michiru of the subs and
manga that we know and love. They simply aren't nice people in
this dub and could use a major transplant in the personality
department. Always saying they are not good enough for what they
are famous for - making them come across as them bragging in my
opinion. Or "Hey! Look what I can do!" instead of actually thinking
they are not good enough.
From the squeals like someone is torturing small animals to
the "girlish" side of Haruka that I bet even she didn't know she had -
the over all look at the V.A.s for the new dub probably could have
been worse, but for now are bad enough.
Comments on this article can be sent to: Bethany.
