Japanese VS English (judging quality, video game choices)

[Questrider]

Question:

I know most of you enjoy DBZ in Japanese with English subtitles but my question is:
How are you able to judge whether or not the voice acting is good??
Assuming most of you don't speak Japanese, how are you able to say: "The Japanese voice acting is better than the English cast" when you can't understand the language in the first place? You can make the argument that you tell when characters are saying certain things at certain times but as a whole, I don't see how you could properly compare and judge without fully understanding the language.

Thought this was a decent quesion so hopefully someone can shed some light on this.

[AnimeMaakuo]

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[VegettoEX]

I don't speak German or Italian and have no problem sitting back and listening to Christoph Waltz dance over his words in Inglorious Basterds. Sure, you've got a face to pin to the performance, but it's the spoken delivery that clinches it.

You don't need to be fluent in a language to "get" when you hear "good" acting. Once you become familiar enough with the language to understand its rhythm and some nuances, it's woefully apparently who's talented (the entire cast of DragonBall) and who's not (the entire cast of Hana Yori Dango). Particularly with a language like Japanese which has such formal rules of formality, you can tell through the acting what kind of delivery, combined with the script they are given, you are listening to.

I always kick it back to one line by Ryusei Nakao / Freeza right before Goku's SSJ transformation. Here's an MP3 of the original DBZ version followed by the Kai version -- in this case, the comparison is irrelevant, as I'm strictly talking about the original Z performance:

http://www.daizex.com/misc_stuff/freeza ... arison.mp3

My question to you, after you listen to that clip where all you have to focus on is the sound of the voice (no pretty pictures to distract you!), is... how can you not tell quality voice acting when you listen to it...?

[AnimeMaakuo]

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[Questrider]

The first line sounds more intense versus the 2nd line but aside from that, I am honestly unable to judge. (I'm at work right now and I had to keep the volume relatively low so I'll give this another crack when I get home)

Perhaps since most of you have viewed DBZ primarily in Japanese, you have a better feel for what the character is saying, as well as have a better understanding of the language as a whole. I, on the other hand watch DBZ in English and so I am understandably biased in the first place and so here's to me becoming more open minded.

I'm glad you responded because I also wanted to ask you why you switch video games to the Japanese language? Doesn't that make it difficult to figure out certain aspects of the game or are you just that familiar with the language where you are able to get by?

You obviously prefer watching DBZ in Japanese but I find it interesting that this also carries over to the realm of video games. Like me, you probably just prefer what sounds the most familiar to you, right?

[VegettoEX]

In the North American releases of the DragonBall video games, switching the "language" to Japanese simply switches the voices coming out of the characters' mouths. Nothing else* (the menus, the subtitles, the various options, etc.) are changed into another language**.

* With the exception of the name of the voice actor in both Raging Blast games in "Museum" mode. It's a nice touch that it switches the name to the Japanese actor when the language is swapped.
** This is especially batty to me when I swap the language to Japanese and clearly hear "Paikuhan" coming out of their mouths, but read a different name on-screen...

That being said, I was able to play through pretty much the entire PS2 generation of games in Japanese (as in the actual JP PS2 games on a JP PS2), not to mention a few DS games, with little difficulty. Between my own (limited) reading ability, various FAQs, and this forum, there's simply nothing I wasn't able to do.

To quasi-answer that final question/point, I want to play a DBZ game with the DBZ cast. There's only one DBZ cast to me. If I can play with them, that's what I'm going to do. If I don't have a choice, I'll either put up with it or just import the Japanese version, depending on the situation (Tenkaichi Tag Team? I'll put up with it. Super DBZ? Import.).

[Questrider]

^Ah, that makes perfect sense. I did not realize that the menu's remained the same.
I also completely understand why you insist on playing with the Japanese voices if you are able to do so.

I feel the exact same way except I obviously favor the English cast. Like you, this cast is the ONLY cast for me as well.

Sean was always Goku for me just like Sabat has always been the Vegeta I have come to know. You obviously hold similar feelings for the Japanese cast and I think that's awesome.

I guess in the end, we have all been very fortunate to have received DBZ in multiple languages since we all have our faves.

Think we will ever get English versions of "Yo! Goku and his friends return" or "Eradicate the Saiyans?"

[TonyTheTiger]

I think there's at least some level of understanding required to gauge acting quality. If only because sometimes the difference between emphatic emotion and cheesy overacting can be subtle. Hell, even in our own language that's sometimes hard to distinguish. Look at Al Pacino who at this point seems to have made a career as a clever self-parody.

This is probably especially true the more "alien" the language is. This is an extreme situation but imagine an African language with sounds that generally don't have English analogues. Even languages like Hebrew, with gutteral back of the throat vocalizations, are foreign to English speakers.

We're lucky in that Japanese doesn't have any of that making it a bit easier for us. The sounds are all essentially familiar. Plus since we're so used to hearing Japanese we can find some kind of scale where we can measure a lot of different performances against each other but that isn't an exact science. Then again, neither is acting in the first place.

I guess what also makes it easier is we're judging acting in a cartoon not known for subtlety.

[the_abberration]

Speaking as someone who is not fluent in Japanese, I just seem to like some of the voices because of how they can convey the emotion of the situation without the need for me to understand what they are saying. Sometimes you can gather the tone or meaning of what the character is saying. It's like a song, when it's sung well, it doesn't matter the lack of understanding the language. For example, Run Devil Run by Girl's Generation. It's a great song and those girls can harmonize. Ke$ha did a cover version of it. And while her version is similar (except for the American lyrics), I still prefer the original version.

[Kiyza]

As with pretty much any language that we speak here on Earth, it's things like emotion and entheusiasm that are conveyed through the voices that helps you to get a grasp on how good the acting is. Is it believeable? Is it over the top? Is it so terrible you want to grind your own ears off with a cheese grater? Just because you don't know what someone's saying doesn't mean you can't make out the emotions behind it. You can tell from the way that it's spoken whether or not someone's mad at you be it in English, Spanish, Japanese, or any other language. It's all a matter of how it's conveyed I think.

[gotensottile]

How are you able to judge whether or not the voice acting is good??
Assuming most of you don't speak Japanese, how are you able to say: "The Japanese voice acting is better than the English cast" when you can't understand the language in the first place?

To be blunt, you can. Language does not effect whether or not the acting is good or not. You can clearly tell a convincing and amazing performance versus a terrible one in English and other languages.

[dbgtFO]

How are you able to judge whether or not the voice acting is good??
Assuming most of you don't speak Japanese, how are you able to say: "The Japanese voice acting is better than the English cast" when you can't understand the language in the first place?

To be blunt, you can. Language does not effect whether or not the acting is good or not. You can clearly tell a convincing and amazing performance versus a terrible one in English and other languages.

Yeah just like the finnish version of Digimon.
I think most people would agree it was bad acting, even though they don't understand the language.
just listen to it!!!
and this as well

[JulieYBM]

As everyone else has already said, it is all in the performance of the actor. When Domon Kasshu (Seki Tomokazu) of Mobile Fighter G Gundam is spilling his guts to Rain about how he truly feels about her you can hear a swelling of his emotions until he finally breaks down and cries out for her. You can litterally hear the insecurity that Domon is filled with over his emotions. That is a good performance you don't need subtitles or English-speaking actors for that.

The sad music helps too, I'm sure.

Ignore the crappy...bootleg subs? Damn, those are bad.

How about a Dragon Ball example? In this scene, as we should all know by now, Cell is being taunted and overpowered by Super Vegeta. Filled with rage, Cell begins screaming and cursing, crying that if only he had the chance to absorb Artificial Human #18 and take on his perfect form he would be able to beat Vegeta. Cell comes off as a big baby making a fit at the local Target 'cause he isn't getting the Boba Fett toy he wants, and Wakamoto Norio perfectly captures that whiney and insufferable manner of Cell's.

Then you've got scenes like this, where the cute factor has been turned up to maximum output. I'm not sure any explanation is necessary, really. Then you've got the incredible monologuing power of one Mr. Kamiya Akira. The conceited arrogance drips out his mouth like warm butt'a.

To quasi-answer that final question/point, I want to play a DBZ game with the DBZ cast. There's only one DBZ cast to me. If I can play with them, that's what I'm going to do. If I don't have a choice, I'll either put up with it or just import the Japanese version, depending on the situation (Tenkaichi Tag Team? I'll put up with it. Super DBZ? Import.).

I was actually going to send in an email about this, but with the advent of Dragon Ball Kai we've now got quite a few characters completely recast...not in dubs, but in the original version. Sure, mainstays like Nozawa, Furukawa, Horikawa, and Tanaka remain...but do you still feel at home with the Zarbons and Dodorias of the cast being fully replaced? I suppose that only affects whether or not you actually play as those characters, but it's a question I felt interesting enough to ask.

[Jaetinh]

Speaking as someone who is not fluent in Japanese, I just seem to like some of the voices because of how they can convey the emotion of the situation without the need for me to understand what they are saying. Sometimes you can gather the tone or meaning of what the character is saying. It's like a song, when it's sung well, it doesn't matter the lack of understanding the language. For example, Run Devil Run by Girl's Generation. It's a great song and those girls can harmonize. Ke$ha did a cover version of it. And while her version is similar (except for the American lyrics), I still prefer the original version.

Actually Ke$ha did her version before Girl's Generation but that's so off topic.

I think most people would agree it was bad acting, even though they don't understand the language.
just listen to it!!!
and this as well

Now that's just class! Especially the second video.

[penguintruth]

Acting is mostly in intonation.

Sure, I can't be 100% sure that the Japanese performers are as brilliant as I think they are, but I can be a lot more sure when I compare them to some of the awful English dub VAs that they're at least better than they are.

I find that the Japanese VAs tend to provide a better range of genuine emotions. It's easier to pick up on this when you watch a lot of anime in Japanese as I do.

[TonyTheTiger]

How are you able to judge whether or not the voice acting is good??
Assuming most of you don't speak Japanese, how are you able to say: "The Japanese voice acting is better than the English cast" when you can't understand the language in the first place?

To be blunt, you can. Language does not effect whether or not the acting is good or not. You can clearly tell a convincing and amazing performance versus a terrible one in English and other languages.

Yeah just like the finnish version of Digimon.
I think most people would agree it was bad acting, even though they don't understand the language.
just listen to it!!!
and this as well

Wow, that's brilliantly horrible!

I somewhat retract my statement provided we're talking extremes like this.

Though it is probably easier to pick out notably bad acting than it is to pick out notably great acting, with everything else finding a competent average.

[Patient-mental]

Actually Ke$ha did her version before Girl's Generation but that's so off topic.

Technically she never released it, it got leaked as a demo, pretty sure you generally can't make money without an official release, so Girl's Generation wins out on that one.

[DB_Fan1991]

How are you able to judge whether or not the voice acting is good??
Assuming most of you don't speak Japanese, how are you able to say: "The Japanese voice acting is better than the English cast" when you can't understand the language in the first place?

To be blunt, you can. Language does not effect whether or not the acting is good or not. You can clearly tell a convincing and amazing performance versus a terrible one in English and other languages.

Yeah just like the finnish version of Digimon.
I think most people would agree it was bad acting, even though they don't understand the language.
just listen to it!!!
and this as well

The Finnish Digimon dub was so bad that after episode 26 they switched dubbing studios, and the dub got much better afterwards.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

We're lucky in that Japanese doesn't have any of that making it a bit easier for us. The sounds are all essentially familiar.

That's true except for "r"s in Japanese, which have no English equivalent. But good point.

[CODii]

As has been stated before, having an understanding of a language isn't really a factor when it comes to judging a performance. My first introduction to Dragonball was watching the show on Cartoon Network. For years all I knew was the Funimation Dub. But once I began watching the show in Japanese, there was no turning back. To my ears there is absolutely no comparison. In the Japanese version the seiyuuu are actually acting. In the Funi dub the voice actors just so one dimensional. That is not to say that there is nothing they do well (Schemmel's performance of Goku's more playful side is particularly well dine) but there is very little nuance to their performances. Take Vegeta for example. Ryou Horikawa's Vegeta is a proud yet flawed character. Capable of anger, but always in keeping with the regal manner one would expect from a prince. Sabat just always sounds pissed. A bit like Christian Bale's Batman with hemorrhoids.
I am a film studies major in college. As such I watch a lot of foreign films. I will accept that this may make me more prepared for viewing DB in the original Japanese than your typical American viewer, but there is no doubt in my mind that anyone willing to give a foreign performance a chance will be able to give an accurate assessment of its quality.