A while back, the local cable anime channel showed Voltron: Defenders of the Universe (dubbed in our language, of course). I can't help but think that they're trying to look in to the same nostalgia people have here for old super robot animes that the network's rival had exploited with Voltes V...

Anyway, whatever it was, it did spark a bit of nostalgia in me. So I looked for and downloaded the original English version, which was the one that was aired on local TV when I was a kid.

Only now did I realize... the English dubbing was absolutely awful.

I know the lines are corny - even the local version had been corny. But the VAs were still rather talented. The English dub... it was just... (speechless)

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Actually, I'm seeing this as part of a long line of shows wherein I appreciate the local dubbing more than the English one.

Please don't tell me that I only like the local dubbing because I'm more familiar with the language than English, or vice versa. That's a bit similar to people saying that we can't identify if the Japanese dub was actually awful because we don't know the language.

I remember reading one review where they said that the English dub of my favorite anime, Taiho Shichauzo (You're Under Arrest), is actually better than the Japanese. I really beg to differ. I have the AnimEigo DVDs... I tried to stomach the English dub, but I just couldn't. Some say I'm probably just used to the Japanese version, which is why I couldn't stand other languages. But when the same local cable anime channel stated above also started to show the same show in our language... I do have some complaints, but I'm still enjoying the show (the VA for the chief is exceptionally good).

That's not to say that I don't like English anime dubs - there are some that I do like. Akazukin Cha-cha had a brilliant English dub, and Ranma 1/2 wasn't bad either. I think Rick Hunter from Robotech has a better VA than Hikaru Ichijou from Macross ("blasphemy!", or so the Macross fans cry... hahaha! Overall, I still like Macross better than Robotech, so there. ). I do also believe that the game Radiata Stories had a better cast in English than the Japanese one. But these are rather rare cases for me.

I don't know... maybe there's a certain something my ears are tuned for that I couldn't find in Western voices?

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While mentioning all that stuff above, I suddenly remembered about a certain sentai show called Chou Denshi Bioman. I loved that show as a child!

However, instead of dubbing it into our local language, they decided to dub it in English.

I'd reckon even the average English viewer would also hate the dubbing done for that one.

A lot of us here are really good at speaking English. But a lot of us also have hard-to-ignore accents - something I recognized in the show while watching the replay as a teenager.

Given their tendency to feed into our nostalgia, I'd reckon they'd probably show a replay of Bioman again, although probably not in English. I think I'll be looking forward to that.

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Something rather unrelated... I watched Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen with my sister a few days ago.

My personal opinion?

It's a nausea-inducing film about metals clashing with no clear distinction between objects, rife with adult jokes that are completely out of place.

I wish directors would stop thinking that cameras jumping all over the place equate to a good action film. I've had enough with the camera in Square Enix's FF:AC. Please stop making more of these.

It also doesn't quite help that the plot holes gave me an even bigger headache.

My sister really liked it though. Lucky her.

At least she hadn't felt like two and a half hours of her life had been wasted. It sure felt that way on my end.

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