o.o It really happened

[Serebii]

Think you may have fallen for a Red Herring guys

Although I cant be too sure

Veronica Taylor told PiPikachu at a convention in Manchester last month that they (current cast) were about to begin dubbing the special.

I think this Eric Stewart thing may be a red herring, I mean come on...on face value I could make my emails to you all look like they're from [email protected] or [email protected] and so forth...it isn't hard

 

[FabuVinny]

Thing is, it's the same e-mail adress that is on his official website.

As for 4Kids trying to keep the show, I wouldn't be surprised if it was the people in charge of the Pokémon dub rather than the top people at 4Kids. The moment they lost merchandising rights, they went to Microsoft for their new money maker.

I'm sure they won't even make an attempt to make the new voice actors sound like the old ones. The worst case scenario has happened.

Don't assume the worst. We know from Veronica Taylor that the pilot, (which we can now assume is probably the special,) was done by impersonations.

They actually believe the fans don't care.

If this is true, then there's proof that no market research is ever done.

 

[Edward Elric]

Thing is, it's the same e-mail adress that is on his official website.

Anyone can take someone's e-mail address and place it in an e-mail subject when entering a comment on a guestbook and pass it off as the genuine thing.

Hell, there's NOTHING mentioned anywhere else about this. No one else seems to have proof of this. WPM, we all know you don't have squat so quit trying to make believe that you do and are keeping it secret. :s

I still think it's nothing more than an early April Fools Joke.

 

[Cybersai]

I thought "Water Pokemon Master" e-mailed Eric Stuart about this, and he replied saying the same thing?

 

[The Big Al]

And the thing is, we haven't heard any news out of 4Kids about dubbing the Battle Frontier. And it's common knowledge 4Kids is hemorrhaging at the moment. With what we know about 4Kids, will they spend money on a franchise they don't stand to make new money on? They might have been trying to keep it hushed because they fear this uproar would happen.

 

[FabuVinny]

Strictly speaking, we have. At that same convention, Veronica Taylor said that they were already dubbing it. As for post-Saffron... well that depends on the announcement that still hasn't been made.

 

[Nekusagi]

Hoax or not, if anything, this will cause an outcry. I'm sending my fourth letter tomorrow. I can tell you that there are also going to be lots of fans sending letters along to PUSA in the near future. Here are copies of three and four.

Also, on the stationery of the letter I got in response to my second one, there was a New York address:

Pokemon USA, Inc.
1177 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036

The reply was from the PR Coordinator, so I'm guessing that's where their main offices are...

March 17, 2006

To whom it may concern:

As all of you are aware (at least I’d assume you’d be), Pokemon fans across America are celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. I commend all of you at Pokemon USA for planning events to bring us together. However, as you are doubtless aware by now, many of the same fans are also greatly concerned regarding the fate of the English anime.

This is the third letter I have sent now regarding the importance of the current voice actors, and I’m writing again to impress upon all of you the importance of this issue. I can promise that to change the voice actors in the slightest will disappoint longtime fans of the show everywhere. Speaking as a fan myself, even the slightest voice change is noticeable- especially after 8 years of the same cast. Nothing good can come out of a change of voice cast. Though it may seem to save money at first to produce the dub “in-house”, is it really what’s best for us, the fans?

About a week ago, I ordered some merchandise off the Pokemon Center website (a Skitty plushie, some Team Rocket figures, and a Meowth figure). I was happy to find the Spring 2006 issue of Pokemon Fan in the box with my purchase. As I looked through the magazine, I was given the impression that all of you at PUSA care about the Pokemon fandom. Now’s a chance for you to prove it. There’s a sense of nostalgia and comfort that comes from watching something that’s remained relatively unchanged after eight years- a sense of comfort that’s hard to find in the world today. Change the voice actors, and that all disappears.

You’ve got a big chance, on this tenth anniversary of Pokemon, to prove that you value the loyal US fans. Please, don’t mess it up.

Yours truly,

Dawn Maier (AKA Nekusagi)

P.S.: Happy St. Patrick’s Day!


And the fourth:

Dear Pokemon USA:

On Saturday I received your response to my second letter regarding the ninth season of Pokemon. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to send me a reply, and I found the enclosed XD bookmark quite cool. I have displayed it on my Pokemon collection shelf/shrine, right next to all of my Team Rocket-related items (from me, that’s quite a compliment, actually).

However, a letter on Pikachu stationery and bookmark alone will not assure me, or any other fans, that you value us. I am writing a fourth (yes, fourth) time to ask you to please consider carefully the consequences, to both the anime fandom and Pokemon USA, of changing the cartoon’s current voice actors. As I have mentioned in my previous three letters, there is a true sense of nostalgia that develops after eight years of a (mostly) unchanged show. All that we are asking is that that precious nostalgia remains. The last thing any fan wants is to see those memories destroyed.

You said in your reply that you hope I remain a dedicated Pokemon fan for years to come. While I won’t go as far to say that my loyalty as a fan is riding on what becomes of the voice actors, it is a major factor, and the decision made in this situation will leave a serious impression upon how many fans view Pokemon USA.

To prove how much this means to me, I’ve enclosed my own small gift- a cute, but deadly serious, as far as my feelings regarding this go, drawing. Enjoy!

Indiana’s #1 Pokemon fan (as far as she knows),


Dawn Maier (aka Nekusagi)

Enclosure: super-deformed self portrait

The drawing is a super-cute SD me crying, with Jirachi, for some reason.

For the love of God people, write till your fingers bleed! (is a fan of the "annoy them to death" method)

 

[Trainer Lisa]

Okay, thanks for posting up the new address, nekusagi-chan. ^^


And I guess that's where I should send my letters to now.


Although, what about Taj Productions? What do they work on exactly? Should I send them copies of my letters as well?


And by the way, in response to Serebii's post, as far as that Eric Stuart email goes, I just don't know what to believe there. It's just really confusing me......


EDIT: I sent an email to Veronica Taylor early this morning, and apparently she replied to me.

Should I send her another email asking her if it would be okay to post it on the forums (like I did before when she replied to me)?

 

[Cybersai]

If she allowed you to post the first e-mail you sent her here, it's likely that she doesn't mind.

As long as it was nothing major, it should be ok to post.

 

[Pie]

...

I don't even know how to describe my feelings about this... outraged? Scared? Nauseous? Yeah, nauseous will work. It just upsets me in so many ways and on so many different levels.

I know it's going to sound like I'm overreacting, but this really does mean a lot to me.

This has been a part of my life for so long. I first became a fan of Pokémon when I was eight. Now I am seventeen, and as devoted a fan as ever, if not more. It has reached the point that I am planning on heading into video game development and dream of someday working on Pokémon games. Pokémon was my childhood - Pokémon may be my future. And at the very beginnings of my diehard fangirlism was watching the Pokémon anime and wishing for months to get the game.

These are the characters I've known for so many years. Just the thought of them getting new voices, attempted replicas of their old ones... it makes me feel like something horrible is about to be done to the single series closest to my heart.

I think we can safely say that if these actors are going to be mimicking the old voice actors, the best we can expect is for them to sound exactly like the old actors - and thus I can already conclude the best actors are the old actors. I don't think anyone would want to be denied the best because of companies trying to save some money. I certainly don't, and I feel insulted that they assume no one cares enough to mind this.

And quite frankly, I feel a lot of sympathy for the actors. I've done a lot of small acting things for as long as I can remember - things like school plays, homemade movie projects, or even just playing with my sisters and a tape recorder at home. I can't say I've ever had a role nearly as large as theirs, but I know what it is like to be an actor. And any good actor - which I don't hesitate to say that the Pokémon voice actors are - does not merely read a script as the character might, but in a sense becomes the character and knows much more than just what they sound like. It is very easy for an actor to develop a strong attachment to a character - and I speak this from only knowing much smaller roles myself. I can only begin to imagine just how attached the Pokémon voice actors are after dubbing the characters for so long. And I'm not sure if I could live with myself if, knowing that feeling, I sit back and watch other actors take their roles.

And the idea that they think we don't care simply makes me want to scream. I strongly believe that the majority of the people here have lost more sleep over this fandom than anyone at PUSA. I know I have.

And that's why, starting today, I will do just as I said I would - I am going to fold a thousand paper cranes to show how much I wish that they will see this as a mistake and keep the old voice actors. If that's not enough to show them that this fangirl cares, then I'll fold even more than that.

 

[Trainer Lisa]

If she allowed you to post the first e-mail you sent her here, it's likely that she doesn't mind.

As long as it was nothing major, it should be ok to post.

Oh, okay.

Yeah, you're probably right about that, Scott85.


Although, just as a precaution, I have sent her an email anyway asking if it's okay to post what she said.


And of course I'll wait a little while to see if she replies back.

 

[Herakurosu]

On the other side of the spectrum, what happens to the dub at this point doesn't especially matter to me one way or the other. I haven't watched a new dub episode since last June and I don't expect I'll ever begin to do so again if the quality of the dub stays at it's current level. I do feel sorry that the voice actors will no longer be able to work with the characters they've become attatched to, but that's about it.

 

[The Big Al]

I can say that I'm not too impressed with dub either. I personally would like it if Ash, James, and Meowth reverted to the voices from the beginning of the anime when Ash sounded like a boy, Meowth sounded like a cat, and James didn't sound like a idiot.

And May not randomly squeaking would be a plus too. And maybe even think of something to dub her "kamo" habit. Maybe saying "ey" at end of her sentences.

 

[Limerick]

Well, in response to the statement that it's easy to fake an email, that's both true and false. Yes, it's easy to fake the from address, any mail server can do that. However, it's quite difficult to fake the headers.

[08:13:38] <PPN> Return-path: <[email protected]>
[08:13:38] <PPN> Envelope-to: [email protected]
[08:13:38] <PPN> Delivery-date: Thu, 09 Mar 2006 12:31:40 +0000
[08:13:38] <PPN> Received: from [205.188.144.207] (helo=imo-d21.mx.aol.com)
[08:13:38] <PPN> by wobbuffet-202.pokemonpalace.net with esmtp (Exim 4.52)
[08:13:38] <PPN> id 1FHKIo-0000Ii-UF
[08:13:38] <PPN> for [email protected]; Thu, 09 Mar 2006 12:31:40 +0000
[08:13:38] <PPN> Received: from [email protected]
[08:13:38] <PPN> by imo-d21.mx.aol.com (mail_out_v38_r7.3.) id t.d7.376c6938 (16086)
[08:13:38] <PPN> for <[email protected]>; Thu, 9 Mar 2006 07:31:26 -0500 (EST)
[08:13:38] <PPN> Received: from MBLK-M22 (mblk-m22.mblk.aol.com [64.12.136.66]) by air-id10.mx.aol.com (vx) with ESMTP id MAILINID103-3ed64410201e3bc; Thu, 09 Mar 2006 07:31:26 -0500
[08:13:38] <PPN> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
[08:13:38] <PPN> Date: Thu, 09 Mar 2006 07:31:26 -0500
[08:13:38] <PPN> From: [email protected]
[08:13:38] <PPN> Message-Id: <[email protected]>
[08:13:38] <PPN> Received: from 70.107.128.122 by MBLK-M22.sysops.aol.com (64.12.136.66) with HTTP (WebMailUI); Thu, 09 Mar 2006 07:31:26 -0500
[08:13:38] <PPN> X-MB-Message-Source: WebUI
[08:13:38] <PPN> X-MB-Message-Type: User
[08:13:38] <PPN> In-Reply-To: <[email protected]>
[08:13:38] <PPN> X-Mailer: AOL WebMail 15106
[08:13:38] <PPN> Subject: =?iso-8859-1?Q?Re:_The_Pok=E9Community_Forums_Contact_Us_Form_-_Pokemon_U?=
[08:13:38] <PPN> =?iso-8859-1?Q?rg_ent_news?=
[08:13:38] <PPN> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"; format=flowed
[08:13:38] <PPN> MIME-Version: 1.0
[08:13:38] <PPN> To: [email protected]
[08:13:38] <PPN> X-AOL-IP: 64.12.136.66
[08:13:38] <PPN> X-Spam-Flag: NO
[08:13:38] <PPN> X-NAS-Classification: 0
[08:13:38] <PPN> X-NAS-MessageID: 33367
[08:13:38] <PPN> X-NAS-Validation: {31391EF3-B3AC-4F12-94D8-DC2DA45E9526}
[08:19:27] <PPN> pool-70-107-128-122.ny325.east.verizon.net [70.107.128.122] appears to be located in the United States ISP Location: IP Block: 070.104.000.000 - 070.111.255.255 Verizon Internet Services Inc. 1880 Campus Commons Dr Reston VA US

Long story short, it would be very hard to get it properly to route through AOL and get it to pass all the anti-fake header scanners involved. Doable? Maybe. But it would require extensive knowledge and would be hardly something I'd expect from a random person trying to fake us out.

 

[jigglypaul]

Oh Pie, I am glad you posted.
I feel just as you do but did not know how to say it! Even if the 'new' actors can copy the original and 'proper' actors it still wont be the same.
After playing a certain character for so long I am sure you would feel like you have gone through certain things, I certainly would!!
My fear is that the new actors will be too 'new' and will not sound like they have experienced the things we all have for so long! ...
...Such as the battle on St. Anne and the sight of a pink Rydon on Pinkin Island and 'all those times we were blasted off by the twerp's Pikachu'!
Don't worry Pie we will all be here for each other.
I know how you like Brock and I just wish we could keep Eric out of all the actors and maybe Rachael. I just hope that even though the voices may change the history and characters will stay true. We'll have to wait and see.

ps All that nonsense about children not noticing things-my younger brother when he was 6 or 7 could tell when something was not right on an episode of some anime or something I don't remember but he kept saying "that's not right!" so kids notice things like that much more than people realise!! It is the little things they pick up on.

 

[Pie]

Oh Pie, I am glad you posted.
I feel just as you do but did not know how to say it! Even if the 'new' actors can copy the original and 'proper' actors it still wont be the same.
After playing a certain character for so long I am sure you would feel like you have gone through certain things, I certainly would!!
My fear is that the new actors will be too 'new' and will not sound like they have experienced the things we all have for so long! ...
...Such as the battle on St. Anne and the sight of a pink Rydon on Pinkin Island and 'all those times we were blasted off by the twerp's Pikachu'!
Don't worry Pie we will all be here for each other.
I know how you like Brock and I just wish we could keep Eric out of all the actors and maybe Rachael. I just hope that even though the voices may change the history and characters will stay true. We'll have to wait and see.

ps All that nonsense about children not noticing things-my younger brother when he was 6 or 7 could tell when something was not right on an episode of some anime or something I don't remember but he kept saying "that's not right!" so kids notice things like that much more than people realise!! It is the little things they pick up on.

You're welcome. I have often been told I have a way with words. ^^o

And yes, we will work together in this! One fan may only be one fan, but the more fans that show how much they care about this, and the more likely we are to save the voice actors!

And yes, kids are much more aware of little details than most people give them credit for. Back when I was a little kid, one of the things that bothered me most was that we never really got a point where they were definitely in the Safari Zone and playing the game, and I kept wondering if maybe they missed it somehow. And I definitely noticed all the little mistakes, everything from the problems with using a Haunter against a Kadabra to the mis-naming of Pokémon in the first movie. And it took no time at all for me to note that some voices in the earliest episodes sounded distinctly different from voices in some later ones... I watched the show religiously, and I could tell you everything about every episode. And at that time, I considered my Pokémon knowledge just a little above average.

In fact, I think young children may notice the difference more distinctly than anyone else, regardless of how many of them will know why there is a difference in the voices.

 

[Cybersai]

If the new Officer Jenny voice is any indication (her new voice is absolutely horrible, and sounds nothing like her old one), then these companies just don't care.

4kids themselves didn't even care enough to hire a new VA for Officer Jenny that sounded like the old one, why would Pokemon USA care?

I'd like the big 3 (Veronica Taylor, Rachael Lilis, and Eric Stuart) to stay, since between them Ash/May, Misty/Jessie, and Brock/James would be saved. They should be the three we push for, the others aren't that important.

 

[Pie]

I'd say the big 4 - can't forget Maddie Blaustein, who has done and always will do an awesome Meowth!

But yes, we need to push for them much more than the others. And I do mean push - we can't expect this to matter to them until we show them that it matters to us.

And by the way, I agree with you on the Officer Jenny note. If that voice is supposed to sound like the old Officer Jenny, then I don't really think I want to hear what the new Brock sounds like. And I doubt you want to hear what the new May sounds like.

I think even you and I can set aside our differences for this, Scott. We need to all start making our voices heard, great or small.

 

[Unregistered]

And yet, Pie, you continued to watch despite all the discrepancies. Will other fans be different?

 

[Pie]

And yet, Pie, you continued to watch despite all the discrepancies. Will other fans be different?

That was when the series was young. And quite frankly, the only difference that ranked at this level was the difference between the earliest voices and the later ones - and I thought the earliest voices were worse, and figured they had taken a bit of time to find the right voice for each of the character. It does take practice, after all.

If the voices changed now, I'd move to only watching the raws and fansubs. I'm not interested in watching a show with a corrupted version of my favorite character.