Friday, July 11, 2008

Souki and I Discuss Otakus, Fansubs, and the Anime Industry

This is a part of the conversation that inspired me to create this blog.

January 28th, 2008
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: I'm totally gonna start buying anime
CatchFiveBats: Oh?
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: Yeah
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: first to build my collection
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: and secondly to support the industry, cause it's doing poorly.
CatchFiveBats: Yeah.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: Subs were good for it up to a point, but they are well past that point now
CatchFiveBats: What?
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: fansubs, I mean
CatchFiveBats: mmm
CatchFiveBats: I think fansubbing is actually a pretty good way to get into real subbing, or dubbing.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: Oh totally. I don't dispute that at all
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: but it's a double edge.
CatchFiveBats: I suppose.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: You would probably still buy an anime for collections cause that's you.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: But I know I wouldn't.
CatchFiveBats: I would honestly rather leave it to the fans.
CatchFiveBats: Fansubs are plenty good, and it keeps corporations out of it.
CatchFiveBats: Which is always, ALWAYS good.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: I dunno. I'm cool with making money off of something you love.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: I don't wanna make games so I can die poor XD
CatchFiveBats: I'm not talking about games, persay.
CatchFiveBats: That's an industry that couldn't stand without the support of big corporations.
CatchFiveBats: Not in its current state, anyway.
CatchFiveBats: But anime subbing and distribution could easily be done online, by the fans.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: Yeah.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: But I've also come to love dubs
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: That's just me, though.
CatchFiveBats: Fuck that.
CatchFiveBats: No offense.
CatchFiveBats: But...fuck dubs.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: None taken
CatchFiveBats: I know I'm horribly biased, and that subs don't work for everyone, but fuck dubs anyway.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: Yeah, I know
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: But for me, fuck screen cluttering.
CatchFiveBats: I don't think that's a problem.
CatchFiveBats: At all.
CatchFiveBats: But that's just me.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: It's not a HUGE problem for me either, but I can't say I like seeing the translated sub say "you must have great nakama, Ichigo." and then at the top of the screen say "* nakama = good friend"
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: That has ALWAYS bothered me
CatchFiveBats: Yeah, that's a stupid translation choice.
CatchFiveBats: They could have easily translated that.
CatchFiveBats: But some terms are so commonly used that it pretty much makes sense to just stick it in there and show the meaning up top.
CatchFiveBats: Then, in other subs, when you see the word...you'll know what it means.
CatchFiveBats: And you won't have to worry about the definition.
CatchFiveBats: I rarely have to look to read the stuff up top anymore, and it's not because I'm taking Japanese.
CatchFiveBats: The only time I ever read it is when it's explaining a pun or a pop-culture joke.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: if it's a pun or a pop culture joke, it's even worse.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: I hate a joke explained.
CatchFiveBats: Well, then what do you do?
CatchFiveBats: Just leave the joke out of the dialogue?
CatchFiveBats: That doesn't work.
CatchFiveBats: As a translator, it gets rid of a lot of headaches if you just explain the joke and leave it to the watcher to decide whether they want to know or not.
CatchFiveBats: Since it rarely has anything to do with the story.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: Yeah. But because it rarely has anything to do with the story, then it's also just as easily expendable. Not when there's visuals involved.
CatchFiveBats: I can see what you're saying, but it's not as big of a hindrance as you make it out to be.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: Nah, it really never is.
CatchFiveBats: If I start to read the explanation and I don't really care, I leave it.
CatchFiveBats: Like I've said before, the people who are downloading fansubbed anime should probably know what most of those terms mean anyway.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: Yeah, but anime is no longer the hardcore hobby it used to be.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: Now, my brother watches GTO.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: my sister watches Haruhi
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: and my mom and dad watch Eva.
CatchFiveBats: Well, then those people can watch dubbed anime.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: Yeah, that's why I say they're necessary.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: Because they make it accessible for those that want it that way.
CatchFiveBats: That's fine, I can understand that.
CatchFiveBats: But for the people who are really into anime, subs are the way to go.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: Yeah.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: Those that are really into the nitty gritty, definitely subs.
CatchFiveBats: Anyone that can handle subs, should do subs.
CatchFiveBats: All the kids at anime conventions who go there to get autographs from their favorite English voice actors should be doing subs.
CatchFiveBats: That's the problem I have with it.
CatchFiveBats: It gives the wannabe hardcore fans a cop-out.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: whaddyamean?
CatchFiveBats: Dubs are easy.
CatchFiveBats: If you're gonna be living a hobby, you should probably not be going the route that's designed for casual fans.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: All the way or not at all you say.
CatchFiveBats: Yes.
CatchFiveBats: Which is how I have always operated.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: So essentially, you want the kids at anime cons to do it YOUR way.
CatchFiveBats: Perhaps...but I genuinely think it's the best route if you're really gonna be into the stuff.
CatchFiveBats: The whole dubs vs subs thing is why we have all these naruto kids.
CatchFiveBats: It's too easy to be labeled as an otaku now.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: It's a cool thing here.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: Although....
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: ...I dunno if I wanna be so ostracized anymore XD
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: I know I did when I was younger
CatchFiveBats: I like being ostracized.
CatchFiveBats: Ostracize away.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: Eh, I don't enjoy it. I don't care, but I don't enjoy it enough to deal with it all the time. I'd rather otaku was seen as a "not that bad" thing here than being a pariah like it is in Japan.
CatchFiveBats: I think the choice between your interests and fitting into society is what makes or breaks a true fan of something.
CatchFiveBats: But I'm crazy.
CatchFiveBats: And OCD.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: yeah XD
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: I'm just not
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: well, maybe I am crazy
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: but definitely not that OCD
CatchFiveBats: Regardless, everything I say, even if it sounds like I want everyone to do it that way, is just the way I do it because I feel that's the right way.
CatchFiveBats: If everyone else did it like I did, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing.
CatchFiveBats: I'd be doing something else.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: It'd be a bore to be the same thing everyone else is.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: That's definitely true.
CatchFiveBats: mhmm
CatchFiveBats: But I really do feel passionately about this stuff.
CatchFiveBats: So, despite all the points I've been making...let the naruto kids have their dubs, and make anime popular and everything else.
CatchFiveBats: I've found a hobby that would require a near restructuring of society to become popular over here.
CatchFiveBats: So, I'm good.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: No SHIT.
CantSpellShotaWithoutHOT: XD

So yeah...let the "OMG YOU DON'T WANT H!P IN AMERICA WTF" flamewar begin. XD
- cfb

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