Dogasu's Backpack Discussion

[Moe]

I'm just annoyed at them changing some lines that clearly intended to let the viewers know a certain pkmn's gender in the original Japanese version.

But you still have to consider the different ways lines could be translated, whether the intention is to hint at the gender - or if it's just a common figure of speech being used, and whether the implication that the translation of it in English would have about gender is what it would be in the context of the original. It's just easier to go with a line that takes a more neutral translation, and I don't think it hurts the plot to occasionally miss gender hints along the way.

I doubt every line that could be interpreted as a hint at gender was for the right one when the gender of a Pokemon was confirmed - they even made a whole episode about that with 'Purrloin: Sweet or Sneaky?', one of the better Unova ones.

You can't use this excuse to completely changing May's line outright calling Aipom a female. There was no "risk" to take there.

I don't - clearly the dub gets things wrong. When a Pokemon is referred to directly as a gender obviously they should keep that in the dub.

Also, unlike many others, I don't find a male Gardevoir THAT hard to believe. Diancie and Meloetta though? They're SO obviously female no matter what anyone says, and the anime clearly treated them as females despite the game's awkward "unknown gender" thing.

Female Machamp then?

Given that there are legendary Pokemon that do get given genders - like Tornadus/Thundurus/Landorus - despite logic, there's obviously at some point a decision made to not come down on one side or the other in the case of Pokemon like Meloetta/Diancie.

 

[Adamant]

As for not calling Diancie a female - it's a genderless species, and given male Gardevoir, appearance isn't totally conclusive. It's obvious and logical by the dialogue and setting that Diancie is female it'd have been impossible to write avoiding that and they made the right decision with the final result - but I can see why they have to think about that stuff.

Or, here's a radical thought: They could just translate the dialogue. You know, that stuff that called Diancie "she" and "princess". They don't have to "think about that stuff" and run her appearance through some weird logic filter when the script they're supposed to be producing a translation of blatantly states Diancie is female.

 

[Moe]

Or, here's a radical thought: They could just translate the dialogue. You know, that stuff that called Diancie "she" and "princess". They don't have to "think about that stuff" and run her appearance through some weird logic filter when the script they're supposed to be producing a translation of blatantly states Diancie is female.

A script that's about Pokemon that have characteristics outside of it - dialogue that refers to Diancie as female clashes with what is listed in the games. I think that makes both options a valid translation - one true to the script and one that's closer to the source material.

They went for the direct translation in the end, I think that was absolutely the right decision.

 

[Dogasu]

I don't see why ignoring the Zukan's "Gender Unknown" listing is any worse than any of the the other listings this show ignores on a regular basis.

 

[Piplup]

I don't see why ignoring the Zukan's "Gender Unknown" listing is any worse than any of the the other listings this show ignores on a regular basis.

well I'm not complaining about that (if anything I'd complain about the games not making Diancie/Meloetta female-only) I'm just bringing to people's attention that the dub indeed does have this recurring "let's change this line to avoid implying gender" thing. Since Adamant and others seemed to doubt it when I said it before. I think cases like May's line about Aipom and maybe to a lesser extent Serena's line about Fletchinder totally prove that. They're just really weird about that in the dub, cause at other occasions they do leave the gender implications there... but yeah, the point is, I believe the princess/ruler thing in the movie trailers was due to this, until whoever it was decided it's ok to imply it's a female as if it wouldn't be obvious enough anyway...

 

[MizuTaipu]

Happy 15th anniversary, Dogasu's Backpack! This is really an impressive accomplishment for a fansite run by a single person.

 

[PonyoBellanote]

I only just registered to say Happy Birthday Dogasus for your awesome page. For another awesome year! I love your page. ^^

 

[PockyAddict]

Happy birthday to your page! Your page is one of the few surviving pokemon fanpages from the era when pokemon was really popular.

 

[AvatarAce2015]

Hello again, and congrats on the milestone. Personally, I find the dub's changes to be nothing too big (been watching the Japanese subs for frame of reference since Best Wishes); name pronunciations bring to mind the whole Saruman/Aruman thing in the 1978 Lord of the Rings movie. I really enjoyed your look at "The Purr-fect Hero;" regarding how the kindergarten teacher in the dub, in hindsight, is kind of like Mitzi from Shin Chan for my money; as well as Meowth being rendered for Western audiences, Superman costume and all (and to think people worry about Zack Snyder). Also interesting with how "The Battle of the Badge" resulted in one of 4Kids many attempts to simplify things instead made them more complicated. As for "Snow Way Out:" I don't know about Ash not caring about his human friends. Given the way things were worded, that would imply the apathy was mutual. Regarding the episode itself, I have similar feelings: "it's rock climbing, Joel." I'm expecting the Diancie movie in the mail as a belated birthday present; I will let you know how that goes. I don't really care for Yokai Watch (too many games and shows this year I'm into to spend time with one I hate) or Alan, so I'd definitely like a third version and not to have Ash meet him. Your statement about the Mega Evolution is something I'll have to think about, but that doesn't mean I can't keep up my fantasy rosters in X and Y and OR/AS. Lastly, I agree about the Hoopa movie; since I enjoy the Pokémon movies the same way I enjoy the 1986 Transformers movie or the first two TMNT movies, and they are better than other video game movies (such as the infamous Super Mario Bros. movie). Here's to what's sure to be another successful year with the franchise, Jinbanyan be damned.

 

[MRStealth64]

A very happy 15th anniversary to your site, Dogasu! As a long time visitor, it's hard to believe it's been that long already. The first time I remember visiting the site was about the time the anime was airing the third Johto gym episodes. Here's to a great 16th year!

 

[JacobYBM]

The happiest of anniversaries to you, Dogasu! I still like reading those Diamond & Pearl comparisons for your thoughts on the episodes, which sort of seems self-gratifying in hindsight, given how much I like those major episodes of Diamond & Pearl. :lol: I'm looking forward to what you have to say regarding the first Full Battle that occurred in Episodes #113-114 . Some...day. :lol:

 

[Galactic_V]

お周年おめでとうございます、ドガースさん　（^^)

Hope next year you Photoshop Dogas onto Poppo, it'd be very funny

 

[Dogasu]

I really enjoyed your look at "The Purr-fect Hero;" regarding how the kindergarten teacher in the dub, in hindsight, is kind of like Mitzi from Shin Chan for my money

You might be onto something there. I don't really know Crayon Shin-chan all that well but it's definitely a possibility.

I'm looking forward to what you have to say regarding the first Full Battle that occurred in Episodes #113-114 . Some...day.

Probably not in 2015, if I'm being realistic. This year's going to be more about finishing up Kanto.

 

[AvatarAce2015]

Hello there. First off, I did receive the Diancie movie as a belated birthday present; and I can refute the negative Amazon review and vouch for the fact that it has the scenes missing from Cartoon Network's airing of the movie (You'll find my review under "CartoonDude258"). It also has a dub of the "Princess of the Diamond Domain" short. Next, the Skrelp and Dragalge episode had its second airing this past Saturday stateside; with surprisingly minimal edits despite what happened in South Korea last year (the most I noticed was that the narrator was referring to the events in past tense; since Ash currently has his third badge in the dub and is well on his way to his fourth). It was an OK episode, but I can see why they delayed it. Just thought I'd let you know. Be seeing you.

 

[ii kanji]

I just wanted to say thanks for translating Masafumi Mima's tweets! It's lovely to see that at least one member of the staff still remembers and holds dear Shudou's vision for the Rocket trio, regardless of whether or not he succeeds in bringing back the radio show.

 

[KelvinV]

I wonder if the Korean or Chinese version do big dub edits too (except of replacing theme songs)

 

[Garren]

and judo athlete Shinohara Shin'ichi (篠原信一) as a random Hippopotas Satoshi and his friends run into in the desert.

W-what?

I don't really get why they do this. Is it costly to hire these dudes to pull off a Pokemon voice? Will anyone even realize it's them, or care. I just don't get what's the purpose of this that they seem to do it every new movie.

 

[Silktree]

Hippopotas is the key to the movie. Without it, there would be no way of resealing the shadow of Hoopa Unbound.

 

[Dorothy]

and judo athlete Shinohara Shin'ichi (篠原信一) as a random Hippopotas Satoshi and his friends run into in the desert.

W-what?

I don't really get why they do this. Is it costly to hire these dudes to pull off a Pokemon voice? Will anyone even realize it's them, or care. I just don't get what's the purpose of this that they seem to do it every new movie.

I imagine "walk-ons" like this are generally fairly cheap.

(I say walk-on, it's a bit different when there's no set to walk onto)

 

[Dogasu]

I don't really get why they do this. Is it costly to hire these dudes to pull off a Pokemon voice? Will anyone even realize it's them, or care. I just don't get what's the purpose of this that they seem to do it every new movie.

It's just stunt casting that enables the movie producers to trot out a bunch of celebrities for the film's premiere.

The idea is also that the fans of said celebrities who wouldn't normally go to a Pokemon movie will go just to see (well, hear) their favorite actor / athlete.

Pretty much every animated film released in Japan these days does this sort of thing.