Dub Openings (Essay inside, possible spoilers)

[Konekone]

This was an essay I did for a Pocket Monsters site, called "Dogasu", which took in rants, so this is why the Pocket Monsters reference is there. Please don't flame me for any material here, this was how I felt when I wrote it, and I still feel the same about most parts.

"Who needs a good opening song, when you have 33 seconds of just the show title?"
By Kawaii Kenni

This must be what 4Kids Entertainment thinks when they make a dub opening for one of their animes. The anime I based this rant title on was the English/Canadian version of "Sonic X". Now, before I get any correction emails, I just want to point out that England gets Canadian dubs, due to the fact that England was connected with Canada. ₁ We don't get the actual Amercian dubs, we get the Canadian versions, which explains a lot of differences between our shows.

Now, the problem with our "Sonic X" opening is that it isn't a real opening. All we have is a bunch of clips jumbled together, from the original opening "Sonic Drive", mixed up with an overwhelming amount of clips from the 4th episode of the series. The opening song? No such thing. All we have is "Sonic- X! Sonic E-EKS! SONIIIIC! SONIC X!", followed by terrible techno music, and a reprise of "Sonic- X! SOOOO-NIIIC! SONIC X!" with a group picture from the end of "Sonic Drive", with a man going "Sooo-nic E-EEEEKS!". All this was done as a 33 second piece of garbage called an opening.

Now, how does this tie into "Pocket Monsters" and its dub, you ask? Well, "Sonic X" and "Pokemon" are both dubbed by 4Kids Entertainment. 4Kids has done this to all its anime. The opening theme songs are just clips from the show, with terrible songs. Why can't they do like FUNimation's dub of "Yuu Yuu Hakusho"? Although I admit, they change the clips in the opening, they use an English version of the opening "Hohoemi no Bakudan" or "Smile Bomb". They even mention it in their credits. Albeit, the song isn't an accurate translation, but the acutal melody and basic idea is there.

The chorus lines:

"Then suddenly, my power and confidence are swelling up, magically erupt/magically, it were. ₂
And it's all because of kindness that I feel from people I don't even know.
Then suddenly, my intuition and my wisdom grow, and then, I know
That must of all I sensed compassion(s) build(s)/compassion's built ₃, from strangers wherever I go.
Thank-you for waking me up!"

aren't a direct translation of

"Why does the gushing forth of courage and power unexpectedly smash the extremely tortuous wall?
Perhaps it's because of the kindness extremely stern people had unexpectedly shown.
Thank-you very much!"

However, the idea is there. So, why can't 4Kids do such an attempt at good opening songs? Why can't they at least keep the original animation? I know that the dub of "Yuu Yuu Hakusho" had the opening animation moved about. For instance, in the Makai era, when we see the characters from the Makai Tournament era fly by, when some of them are dead, like Zeru. ₄ This is something I need to look into, but I digress.

The point is, 4Kids, you can't call 33 seconds to 1 minute of rushed clips from the show, with terrible music an opening. The opening is sometimes what hooks people into the dub.

1: This refers to the incident of the Tolpuddle Martyrs (One of whom I'm related to. ^_^)
2: The line of "Magically erupt/Magically, it were" is unclear, because of music and how the singer sings the line.
3: "Compassions" isn't a word, however, it sounds like the singer sings "Compassions build" or "Compassion's built".
4: After checking these Makai episodes, I discovered that it was NOT Zeru that I saw in the montage of the six fighters that Kurama gathered.

[Jr.]

Since you are talking technically about anime opening themes, I thought this thread would be better on the Anime on T.V. forum instead of the Anime/Manga one.

That's all.

[Sanji]

About the YYH dub intro, don't they have to change the words around, so it stays on beat with the music?

[Konekone]

Yeah, in the line "Docchi darou", they have to cram "I don't know where to go", in a little bit.

[Vasuki]

I would just like to say, that at least where I am in Canada, we did not get the opening you speak of. The only way to get Sonic X here where I am is by Foxbox(4kidsTV). I cannot really speak of any other anime series however, as I dont know what companies do the dubs for the UK. I do know that Ocean Studios does most of what we get here, as the CRTC really likes Canadian content, so much so, that there is an entire site about how Canadians are quite unlucky when it comes to anime. This site is unfortunately down at the moment, -_-.

Very good essay by the way. Well written and really like the comparison. I definately see where you are coming from. I would just like to voice my opinion now...
As for Sonic X, I have heard the opening you speak of, I do think it is quite horrible, and, in fact, I think it is one of the worst anime opening songs I have ever hear, although, I have heard people do like it more than Sonic Drive, and the 4kids opening.
I also must say, anime openings are a bit of a passion for me, sometimes I base whether I check out an anime on just the opening, which is why I didnt get into Naruto right away.
As for Dub openings, obviously many of the shows have a different target audience, as well as the whole Japanese have a different culture as in the western world, etc. I do think many shows actually end up with fine openings here. While One Piece's opening has pretty dumb lyrics, and doesnt fit with the show, I find it a catchy tune, and, really not that bad. Same pretty much goes for Shaman king's.
Yu-gi-oh pretty much has the same curse as your Sonic X however, -_-
Pokemon is quite a mixed bag in my openion. As for the images, they have been getting MUCH better. The most recent series to air is almost exactly the same as the japanese version. Whether this is because of lack of funding, or, smartening up, I dont know, but I was very grateful.

The point I am trying to make is that things seem to be a mixed bag. I find 4kids, and other companies, sometimes, even about 50% of the time do a pretty fine job with dub openings all things considered.

A warning to Dragon Ball fans, if any of you want to cry, and I mean cry, watch the Ocean Studios opening for Dragon ball. For such a good dubbing job, it is pathetic beyond words.

[Rapid]

As for Sonic X, I have heard the opening you speak of, I do think it is quite horrible, and, in fact, I think it is one of the worst anime opening songs I have ever hear, although, I have heard people do like it more than Sonic Drive, and the 4kids opening.

Where did you hear that, a mental insitution?!

That... that CRAP.... better than.... better than Sonic Drive?!

Sonic Drive is bliss! Sonic Drive is divine! Sonic Drive is rant etcetera!

There's no way that the UK into is better than Sonic Drive. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a compulsive liar, or needs psychiatric counselling. XD

[Pinkechidna]

Vasuki, you're joking! I had no idea that people actually like the UK Sonic X Opening! I heard it and it made my ears bleed! The 4Kids Opening I like, but Sonic Drive is awesome! The random english phrases they throw in there are hilarious!

[Vasuki]

I wish I was joking. And the sad thing is, the person I know who likes it is the biggest Sonic fan I know on the internet, -_-;;

[Konekone]

Oh, yeah, the "Dragonball, Dragonball" opening from Ocean Studio. Just singing "Dragonball" twice, every "verse", is not an opening song either!

You were so close with your English "Dan Dan", so why didn't you try an English "Makafushigi Adobenchaa"?

[Ryu]

So 'different cultures' means the Japanese get Overlap, shuffle, Oversoul and Sonic Drive whilst we get Yu-gi-oh's wordless opening of random clips from the series and Sonic x's................Well it doesn't deserve to be called music does it?

[Rapid]

Vasuki said:

I wish I was joking. And the sad thing is, the person I know who likes it is the biggest Sonic fan I know on the internet, -_-;;

Well, you can't know me too well yet then XD

Seriously, when Sonic X first aired here, I was happily expecting 'Gotta go Fast!'. Upon hearing the UK garbage, I felt like committing suicide. XD

[Konekone]

Ryu said:

So 'different cultures' means the Japanese get Overlap, shuffle, Oversoul and Sonic Drive whilst we get Yu-gi-oh's wordless opening of random clips from the series and Sonic x's................Well it doesn't deserve to be called music does it?

Pretty much, yes... I just wish dubbers could go to the trouble of doing proper openings. I mean, most of the times, their openings are chock full of spoilers.

Oh, and the most scathing insult I can use at the moment, for dubbers, is:

"The only opening theme song that uses clips from the show and is good is Evangelion's theme song."

Seriously, it is actually good, because quite a few of the clips relate to each other... Well, okay, they don't, but they still fit quite well, and aren't just "montaged" to a piece of music.

[Ryu]

They don't even try to keep the clips in time with the 'tune' anymore. Look at the 'Waking the dragons' opening clips. They constantly show the clip of Honda and Anzu with duel disks even though they only duel once just to make the show look like its more about the cards than it is. I s'pose i went a bit off topic then but it was worth it ;D

[Vasuki]

I wish I ment the Dragonball Z opening with the "Dragon, Dragonball, Dragonball ZEEEE!!!!!" line, but I refer to the original Dragonball series. It is by far one billion times worse. One of the lines is, "A boy and a girl, in a struggle for truth", and yes, this theme song goes on, for the entire series... -_-

I do wish we got more dubbed theme songs though. How I long to hear a english version of some of the Digimon themes...

[NewBee]

Shoot me now, but I actually LIKE the dub Yu-Gi-Oh theme (partly because I've never seen the original). The scenes, at least. The music? Not so much.