I’m happy my expections didn’t amount to nothing. FUNimation’s been disapointing me lately but I’m actually happy with Ouran’s dub! There’s a lot of weird stuff to it but I’m happy overall with it. Particularly the voice acting.
(By the way, I watched the first two episode up on FUNimation’s website.)
Translation and Script
This has got to be the weirdest dub I’ve ever listened to. The overall script is great and the translations were well done. Tamaki’s lines are the absolute best and they did well the part where Haruhi used ‘ore’ in episode two. I was worrying about that but it came out okay. But what I didn’t expect was how they kept so much Japanese terms and honorifics. It reminded me of fansubs … just audio. I mean, why make that english and keep something else japanese? They kept RAMEN. I mean ‘ramen’? Why not make it ‘noodles’? And why keep “Senpai” “Tama-chan” “Usa-chan” Haru-chan” but make “Dono” “Boss” and “Kanako-hime” “Princess Kanako?” I don’t understand it one bit. There were more strange translations but those are the general ones.
(Pronunciations are always strange but that’s something I’ve come to expect and it doesn’t bother me anymore)
Tamaki
Tamaki’s great. Vic’s doing a great Tamaki. They were right at the panel when they mentionned how Tamaki’s a mix of the three most popular characters that Vic has voiced; Fai, Dark and Ed. His lines are the best and I absolutely love it when he goes extreme mode. My favorite is the scene in episode two when he goes “MAMA! HARUHI’S USING THOSE DIRTY BOY WORDS AGAIN!” … that was so cute and funny I thought I was going to die. Tamaki’s flamboyance and elegance is voiced perfectly. Vic almost as good as Mamo-chan. I was a little bit worried about Vic voicing Tamaki but I know now that I worried about nothing. It’s known that Vic loves Ouran and Tamaki so I highly doubt he’d ruin a character he likes. He’s the perfect english counterpart for Tamaki.
Hikaru and Kaoru
Greg and Todd’s voice blend in perfectly. They’ve got the some playful tone Yoshinori and SuzuKen had in the original dub. Separately, they sounds different yet similiar in the same way as the Japanese voices; Kaoru sounding smoother than Hikaru. The homo scenes were done well. The bases being that I squealed. I would’ve groaned disapointedly if it sucked. I can’t wait to watch the more twin-centric episodes to hear their voice more.
And the rest ~
I’m smashing the rest of the hosts into one paragraph because I don’t have as much comments on them. Caitlin’s Haruhi was fine. Not too girly and not too boyish either. Just in between the way Haruhi is. Sometimes her voice was a little too low but it was okay I guess. The outbreaks were well done and I laughed at the dub she did for the “love letter” in episode two. Luci’s Hunny was great too. She’s so cute! Hunny’s so cute! The voice was sooo cute! Not as cute as the Japanese mind you but still damn cute. Enough that I was went “kya!” and “aww” nearly everytime Hunny had a line. Mori … well, he had like two lines so no comment. Kyoua, honestly, wasn’t that good. Kyouya’s megane coolness isn’t being properly transmitted.
OP AND ED
Why were they dubbed? Why why why? Sakura Kiss wasn’t bad but Shissou was … ugh. No honestly, they could’ve saved money just leaving it japanese.
Overall: 7.8/10
I laughed. I had fun. It was a great dub. It saddens me how much effort was put into Ouran’s dub when Oofuri just plain fucking sucked. Obviously, this is where fanbase and popularity comes in. I won’t be talking about Oofuri here. The general was very well done. My favorite thing has to be Tamaki. You’re going up ranks again Tamaki! Honestly, this was a good enough dub that I actually really really really want to buy it. And I will … somehow. Gods, I want it. Obviously, the fact that we get half the series in one box is what’s attracting me to get it. So yes. I lenjoyed the dub thoroughly. Feel free to complain and see if I care. I love Vic’s voice. Yes, it pisses me off how he’s sometimes way too against yaoi but I love his voice nontheless.
I love Ouran so obviously I’d complain if the dub sucked but it was good so no complaints.
This was one of the dubs I was most looking forward to (edit: The only dub I ever looked forward to) and it turned out pretty good.
Just as you mentioned, I’m really disappointed that they actually dubbed the opening and ending. After watching the series and basically memorizing the old ones, this is just a bad change. I really hope that when you change the audio on the DVDs to Japanese, the opening and ending will be back to “normal”.
I don’t really have the money for this either, but I know I have to get it no matter what!
Thanks for this review! This is one of the very few dubs I’ve been looking forward to. I’ll continue waiting for the DVDs since they’ll be out soon.
Also, correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t the Oofuri dub that you’re talking about the one from Taiwan? If so, that’s not FUNimation’s version. I’d doubt it if they even started recording theirs yet since the show isn’t due ’til early next year. Plus, you know, they tend to give info on dub actors before it’s played on TV and such.
LOL I still remember those days when people complained about a good dubbed openings and endings (although I heard quite a bit about some of mature anime that shouldn’t gotten any dub) now we’re complaining about them being original. Makes me feel all the more old.
I have been getting afraid of dubs lately, but if Ouran is quite decent (and that’s a lot comparing it to most english dubs) I’m gonna buy and try the dubs.
You see? blogs and fansubs can be good for licensed anime too!
Wait are you takling about the Big Windup (Oofuri) English Dub?
Or just the show in general?
If the former, you hear it at a con or something?
Um yeah, about the Oofuri dub … maybe I’m completely off.
What dub is this then?
Oh, that’s not gonna be FUNimation’s dub.
Animax dubs stuff in like Singapore or something.
Oh my god. You should watch the videos of when they announced the cast. Those anime con people are crazy. Caitlan Glass would say, “Playing Hikaru and Kaoru….” Fangirl/boy screams. Caitlan, “Oh gosh…. so and so…” They would scream for the characters. The fucking characters! I thought they were there to find out the cast. I am never going to con. I am scared shitless.
I thought it was okay. However, I am beyond fucking pissed about the intro and credits music! Their voices crack and waver…why does Fuck-it-mation feel the need to dub beyond where any dubber has gone before? It’s not a “Let’s be American, hyuk hyuk!” contest.
I don’t mind Vic, but I find his voice too…prepubescent. Kyoya is terrible as well, and the twins had me a little miffed, but I got used to both. But I just couldn’t get used to Vic. Everyone else, good job!
Funimation, whoever decided to dub the formerly amazing music…I will find the decision-maker and sing “Sakura Kiss” in English, outside their door, for one week. And then I’ll send mix tapes…and THEN I’ll ask how they like having to hear that crap when they don’t want to.