Review S17 EP01: Kalos, Where Dreams and Adventures Begin!

[Johtohfiller]

- The few pieces of original BGM kept gets its volume lowered to the point where it's barely hearable

I can't decide which bothers me more, replacing music or this. It's like they were thinking "Okay fine, we'll keep some of it, but let's not let people actually hear it."

I'm a game music fanboy. I think a lot of the best music from the last 30 or so years is from video games. I listen to VG cover bands, I'm friends with people in some of those bands, I take guitar lessons from a guy who does game covers (Ailsean, if anyone's familiar with him), I want to record my own covers. I'm completely obsessed with VGM. The Pokemon games have great soundtracks, and Shinji Miyazaki does exquisite arrangements of them. This music deserves worldwide attention, but TPCi says "too bad." The dub music practices make me want to cry.

 

[Nymphia]

Just goes to show that they were in a hurry to do the sneak preview, and edit any of the BGM.

Then they need to be in a hurry more often.

Seriously, going to the trouble to go back to an already finished episode and deciding to fuck it up by replacing video game music that we're all familiar with...Yash is right, the Pokemon dub really is a lost cause.

Is *this* the reason there was that big gap between the final BW episode and this first XY one?

This episode deserve a comparison as soon as possible.

They should stop using dub music because "I want". I understand why the openings are really short but I don't understand the need of replacing music. I thought it was eonomical, this episodes proves that's not.

 

[PockyAddict]

Did they keep the lumoise city theme that always be playing in the game and played in some parts of the anime. Because that BGM is my favorate from the XY era.

 

[Yamadora]

Sigh...I stopped watching the dub during Rival Destinies, tried return to watch it when Episode N came around, I skipped Decolore Islands and now I was going to continue watching the dub again...buuuut I might skip it again. Just because: why they have to ruin everything? They showed that they can keep the BGM, but they just don't want to.
I prefer watching Japanese episodes without understanding anything from what they're saying instead of listening that annoying dub BGM.

 

[gritty stunfisk]

man if TPCI's dub writing wasn't so terrible I'd have gotten used to it a while ago, but it's still just awkwardly translated Japanese (but I don't wanna go into a 4kids comparison argument, it's my own flaw that I'm still jarred by voices that have been around for like a decade). Example: "Catching Pikachu is but one of our numerous yet glorious goals" (Jessie), though "forming a formidable army" wasn't too bad a pun but puns are tiresome; "We'd better retreat" (I get that Clemont is nerdy but what young (pre?)teenager ever says that?). Point is, there's a lacking naturalism to people's dialogue, which is a major issue I have with this dub writing, and I'm disappointed that it hasn't been remedied at least a little.

Anyway, Clemont's dub voice is great, Bonnie's is nice too, but they make some old, badly done voices like Ash, Meowth and James' bug me even more in comparison, some dub actors need to up their game or get replaced, seriously. Serena sounds a little like Iris, but her mother sounds nice. As other people have said, the music changes suck too. Wobbuffet is fucking awesome, and it's funny that a Dig like Bunnelby's wouldn't get the kids in trouble for destroying public property, but I guess that's never been an issue.

Man, dem great camera angles. I'm sad that innovation hasn't even, for the most part, lasted until episode 13 or wherever we're at now.

 

[Kool-aid man]

You people are trying so hard to turn this thread into to a 4kids vs TPCI debate


Where are the mods?

 

[garrison-san]

You people are trying so hard to turn this thread into to a 4kids vs TPCI debate


Where are the mods?

I'm right here. And, as I see it, the only one causing any real trouble in this thread is you with your insistence upon mini-modding.

In the future, if you see a potential issue with any post, please use the report feature instead of trying to stir things up in public.

 

[Yash]

You people are trying so hard to turn this thread into to a 4kids vs TPCI debate

Where are the mods?

lol?

Both of their dubs are highly flawed.

 

[DracoMan]

Am I the only one here who doesn't consider the dub music to be borderline make-or-break? True, it's not as good as it was back in the early seasons, but that's a side issue for me.

More important (to me) is the fact that Ash & Pikachu haven't been completely reset this go-round. Ash actually used some clever strategy for his first Kalos battle, and Pikachu didn't get his lago-ass kicked. On that note, I must say that the attack animation's improved, especially for Quick Attack. Less buildup, faster attacking. Actually, it's better overall than it's been recently. The TR motto still looks over-the-top, but not as much.

 

[Meowstic]

If you watched the sneak preview first, you'll know how awful this new music is. And the thing is, I didn't mind the older dub music, but this new stuff sounds like complete garbage.

 

[charizardmaster125]

I've seen the episode now to see what the heck has gone wrong with the "re-dub" of this episode and to give my thoughts. While I appreciate that they've gone to the trouble and improved on certain lines, I don't appreciate the fact that they had to also replace most of the BGM after making such a perfectly good job in the "Preview" by just leaving the score as is.

At the end of the day, TPCi are just continuing 4Kids practice by producing their own BGM for their artistic reasons as well as keeping the composers like Manny Collaro in a job at the end of the day. Another thing I don't like is how quiet the BGM actually is, music is an essential part to the anime just like the games and do they really think that kids these days are going to get their hearing damaged with the levels they are in the Japanese version or is it to do with the dubbing process?

The BGM in episodes such as Doctor Who and even Sonic X (4Kids dubbed anime) is louder than this and you can still hear all the dialogue. Also, if they do end up replacing the entire score with 100% dub music, why do they even bother to credit Shinji Myazaki and the other Japanese composers. Its inconsistent and it doesn't make sense!

Sometimes I wish TPCi would just listen and actually let people provide feedback on stuff like this like Sega does sometimes. To be fair however, I did actually expect for them to start using their own music again at some point though It did come as a massive shock that they went back to re-score dubs that were perfectly fine to begin with, If it isn't broke don't fix it!

Anyways, I very much like that they have gone back and re-mastered the "Pokémon Theme", it does sound really good and is extremely refreshing to not here the "oh-oh we belong together" crap (pardon my language) we got during Season 16 and they actually used a real guitar for this theme, much better than a Casio Keyboard Synth that it sounded like they were using in the past few themes.

I hope that this paves the way for songs that are solely about Ash's dream and his journey in the future. Heck we might even get a re-mastering of "It's a Whole New World" by Gen 7 though I may actually finish with the anime by the end of XY, it depends how good things get in the future but I'm quite impressed with the writing so far so only time will tell.

A 30 Second cut was expected but a bit odd on CN's part since they recently aired a couple of episodes from Season 1 the other week with no cuts what so ever, TPCi really need to do some sort of deal with them to get the full minute. One thing I didn't like about the remix was the final "Gotta Catch 'em all" bit, it sounded quite jarring and I thought if it was going to be a 30 Second edition, then it would sound like the 30 Second edit that 4Kids made back in the day to add time for "Pikachu's Juke Box".

Sorry if I have seemed to have ranted a bit in this post but there were allot things I needed to get off my chest.

 

[Team Gaara]

Well, I just watched both the Preview and the Premier and I honestly can't see why everyone thinks the music in the Premier is un-watchable crap. I mean, it sounded fine to me. There was at least one instance when I preferred the changed music (Ash seeing Kalos' new Pokemon) and I didn't think the other music was bad either. Maybe it's just me, but I really don't see a reason to make such as fuss.

 

[VideoGamer54321]

I just wish that some people would stop complaining about the music change and just enjoy the episode. I just watched it yesterday and it was very good. I could care less about the music change because I don't even watch the Japanese version.

 

[matt0044]

I'll give the dub BGM this: it sounds like they're trying... even if they hardly ever hold a candle to the JPN BGM.

BTW, does it sound like the acting's improved from the preview? Like certain lines were changed yet the actors did a retake on the whole thing?

 

[kantoskies]

I mean I'm guessing the MO of TPCI's Pokemon dub has always been to just keep rolling with whatever 4Kids was doing, and you can at least commend them for being consistent, except they seem to be more concerned with retaining their worst elements than their best.

It was one thing when they did it back during season 9 when they wanted to make the dub transition as smooth and unnoticeable as possible, but it's season 17 now and I think most people watching either a) know it's a new company and don't care or b) don't remember the 4Kids dub. I mean yeah I guess now they're doing some of the early 4Kids stuff like the first theme, Who's That Pokemon (as opposed to calling it something else), and even "Gotta Catch 'em All" (which I don't think was 4Kids but they still used that slogan quite a bit), but replacing music shouldn't be one of these things.

Did they keep the lumoise city theme that always be playing in the game and played in some parts of the anime. Because that BGM is my favorate from the XY era.

They did, thankfully.

 

[Moe]

I'd suggest the most logical reasoning for the music would be that it would come as a package with the composition of the opening theme.

 

[DoctorWhy]

I really liked the "new" opening. I was psyched as soon as I found out they were doing a remix of the original dub theme. A little disappointed that a couple verses from the original were cut out, but it's definitely the best opening since Gen 1 and 2 anime in my opinion. I've never cared for any openings since gen 3 really until now. Honestly, I've listened to the remix opening like 20 times and I still love it. I just really hope they release an extended/full version of it.

The episode was...decent I suppose. I never watched the japanese version, so I can't really compare to it with changes and such. Froakie was awesome. The episode made Bunnelby look really good, even though it really isn't XD

I haven't decided whether or not I'll watch the original japanese versions on youtube or if I'll just be patient and watch the english dubs week by week. Also not sure whether or not I'll go ahead and spoil myself on everything I don't already know. XD

 

[Yash]

Am I the only one here who doesn't consider the dub music to be borderline make-or-break? True, it's not as good as it was back in the early seasons, but that's a side issue for me.

Well for one they've already aired these first two episodes with all of the music intact, so that they went back and changed it is kind of a dickpunch.

Also the music in the Japanese version is special because for the most part, it's lifted straight out of the video games. The music in the dub is humdrum crap that has no connection to Pokemon.

 

[Misty Calls Masquerain]

I saw both versions - I liked some of the replaced music. I thought the track used in the last scene in the redub beat the one used in the original.

The redubbed lines don't sound much better, though.

 

[Sweenix]

One good thing about TPCI changing the OST. Now i don't have to listen to that god awful soundtrack from the 15th movie.