Akira 'n Stuff (from anime thread)

[Skykid]

An OAV drawn entirely like, say, Golden Boy (to name not just drawn by hand, but actually well drawn one) wouldn't be easy to fund in today's climate.

So weird, whenever I think of a comparison OAV to todays modern anime, I nearly always think of Golden Boy too.

If there's one thing that's for sure, anime looked so much better then than it does now.

[GaijinPunch]

I dunno man, I think GitS with its cyber warfare and augmented reality themes has a lot more to do with our current time. Whereas I always felt Akira was more about the student protests of the 70s.

Given Japan's inevitable financial collapse, I think the Akira setting is going to get here before the GitS one.

dunno about the gits movie, but i saw the stand alone complex series not too long ago and thought they had the best use of cg i've seen in animation.

GitS has redefined tacky CG with Ghost in the Shell 2.0. Really, really awful. If you buy the Blu-Ray, just watch the original version on there.

[Skykid]

Given Japan's inevitable financial collapse

You must not talk about the Empire that way.

[GaijinPunch]

Given Japan's inevitable financial collapse

You must not talk about the Empire that way.

Everybody else is though...

Institutionalized xenophobia + demographic crisis = Neo Tokyo

[terry330]

GitS has redefined tacky CG with Ghost in the Shell 2.0. Really, really awful. If you buy the Blu-Ray, just watch the original version on there.

Man that's the truth. I had to stop it and start over with the original version after 15 min. Ugh.

[evil_ash_xero]

This is a serious necrobump, but this was the thread that showed up in my Google search. So be it.

Anyone have an opinion on the Akira 25th Anniversary Blu Ray? I had the last Bandai Blu Ray. I remember it being quite good, but I remember some of the subtitles being incorrect.

I ordered this lovely looking UK version: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Akira-Collecto ... B01J6D2ENW

Any differences between this version, and the U.S. release? What's the overall opinion?

[GaijinPunch]

The "subtitles" are, I believe the term is "dubtitles". Think close-captioning one of the English tracks, in a nicer font. So yes, it has issues. Good enough, but the timing is often distracting. They could have paid me $100 to clean it up and have it be presentable. :-/

Also, I thought there was only one BluRay, which was the 25th Anniversary one. Metal case, right? That's what I have, and the subtitles are as above.

Good bump though: everyone should read this thread.

[evil_ash_xero]

I don't think this one has a steelbook. From what I can tell, it's just rigid cardboard. But I loved the cover. I like the normal one, but this one is a nice change of pace.

So, you can't get the actual Japanese subtitles? Or am I misunderstanding you?
That was something I really hated about the last release. Weird how that wasn't the case on the previous DVD release.

[tomwhite2004]

I don't think this one has a steelbook. From what I can tell, it's just rigid cardboard. But I loved the cover. I like the normal one, but this one is a nice change of pace.

So, you can't get the actual Japanese subtitles? Or am I misunderstanding you?
That was something I really hated about the last release. Weird how that wasn't the case on the previous DVD release.

I just got it a couple of days ago (wont get the chance to watch for a while though), its not a steel book but a standard case with a nice cardboard sleeve. Not sure if the below helps with your query but its the best info I could find.

"This edition of Akira features both the original 1988 Streamline English dub and the 2001 Pioneer/ Animaze English dub. The previous Blu-ray release of Akira from Manga UK only featured the 2001 Pioneer English dub. It’s great to see a choice and while the 2001 Pioneer English dub is a more professional faithful translation of the original Japanese both have their good and bad qualities. In my opinion, though I prefer the newer 2001 English dub as it stays more faithful to the original Japanese and overall makes more sense to the story as a whole. The Streamline English dub definitely takes a more liberal approach to its translation which leads to some confusing moments. Of course, you could just watch it with the original Japanese audio track and English subtitles.

Also don't forget that Metropolis just came out on bluray a few days ago, been waiting over ten years for this one!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/TEZUKAS-METROP ... metropolis

[FinalBaton]

Yes having the original english dub is what steered me towards the 25th anniversary edition. It's a nice plus. I know i'm a BAKA! for watching this in english but eh, I like that dub. sue me.

[Leandro]

I like the dub in my native language, but the audio mode is simple stereo. Only the original japanese track is mixed in a supersonic format with otherworldly audio as advertised in the Bluray... Anyway, I don't have the audio equipment to take advantage of it

[GaijinPunch]

I

So, you can't get the actual Japanese subtitles? Or am I misunderstanding you?

Dunno -- never tried. Only the English. I was only referring to their quality, which is not great, since it's not a direct translation of the Japanese text, rather a transcription of the English dub. At least I have heard so much. Never bothered w/ the Pioneer dub and I have luckily forgotten most of the Streamline one.

[evil_ash_xero]

I

So, you can't get the actual Japanese subtitles? Or am I misunderstanding you?

Dunno -- never tried. Only the English. I was only referring to their quality, which is not great, since it's not a direct translation of the Japanese text, rather a transcription of the English dub. At least I have heard so much. Never bothered w/ the Pioneer dub and I have luckily forgotten most of the Streamline one.

Oh OK. I'll give it a look-see, whenever it gets here.

[copy-paster]

I saw the movie few weeks ago and it was good, the animation is near perfect and love the soundtrack though there are some plot holes.

I know it's kinda off topic but, is the english dub of 1995 GitS worth to watch?

[GaijinPunch]

I saw the movie few weeks ago and it was good, the animation is near perfect and love the soundtrack though there are some plot holes.

Interested in hearing these plot holes you speak of.

I know it's kinda off topic but, is the english dub of 1995 GitS worth to watch?

I remember it being horrible. Not sure why anyone would ever bother with a dub though, TBH. I guess the Disney ones can work when they hire real actors, but for the most part most are still complete shit. So much lost in the translation.

[evil_ash_xero]

I saw the movie few weeks ago and it was good, the animation is near perfect and love the soundtrack though there are some plot holes.

Interested in hearing these plot holes you speak of.

I know it's kinda off topic but, is the english dub of 1995 GitS worth to watch?

I remember it being horrible. Not sure why anyone would ever bother with a dub though, TBH. I guess the Disney ones can work when they hire real actors, but for the most part most are still complete shit. So much lost in the translation.

Yeah...one of the only dubs that come to mind that I think is really good, is probably the Princess Monanoke dub. Other than Billy Bob Thornton, I prefer it to the JP version.

[Skykid]

I love the OG dub. Cam Clarke FTW. It's nostalgia I know, but I dig it all the same. Kaneda has never been as cool.

[GaijinPunch]

I love the OG dub. Cam Clarke FTW. It's nostalgia I know, but I dig it all the same. Kaneda has never been as cool.

You just nullified every argument for or against cinema you've never made.

[FinalBaton]

I love the OG dub. Cam Clarke FTW. It's nostalgia I know, but I dig it all the same. Kaneda has never been as cool.

yep

[GaijinPunch]

Two things that stand out w/ the Streamline dub (and from what little I've seen the Pioneer qualifies as well).

1) There's basically no sense of urgency delivered in any line
2) No geographic depth -- everything sounds like it's read from a script in a studio

Painfully obvious very quickly. Just after the bicycle accident, when one of the guys confirms that the wrecked bike isn't Tetsuo. Again, when the soldier stops the others from machine-gunning the guy that helps Takashi escape, because "he's got a kid with him". Flip the audio back and forth, if you dare.

Third thing:
3) McGruff the Fucking Crime Dog.

[evil_ash_xero]

I have let 3 people watch the film after had watching the Streamline dub and barely liking it (or just not liking it at all). And with the new dub, they liked it a lot.
It honestly doesn't make a lot of sense, in that old dub.

I prefer the JP audio...but anyway...

I got this in today, and I did a test to see if it had the JP Subtitles that were in the old DVD, or if it has the JP Subtitles that were in the last Blu Ray (which were actually the subtitles from the English dub).

It seems like it's the subs from the DVD. Which means they corrected the mistake of the last Blu Ray.

An easy way to tell is that in the English dub, Tetsuo says "fuck", when he wipes out early in the movie. In the JP version, he says "shit". The last Blu Ray had him saying "fuck" in the subs. Obviously there are lots of other differences, but that's the one I always find easy to spot.

And there you have it.

[GaijinPunch]

You confused the shit out of me. When I hear "JP Subs" I would expect to see something like
やっとモーターのコイルがあったまってきたところだぜ。

[Skykid]

I love the OG dub. Cam Clarke FTW. It's nostalgia I know, but I love it all the same. Kaneda has never been as cool.

You just nullified every argument for or against cinema you've never made.

lol, how's that. Slight exaggeration for effect methinks.

I grew up with the streamline dub, it was my introduction to the movie and there was nothing else available for years. It ain't accurate much, but I like it's 80s-ness and solid quoteability factor.

Ultimate Akira is of course in JP with subtitles, no contest.

[evil_ash_xero]

You confused the shit out of me. When I hear "JP Subs" I would expect to see something like
やっとモーターのコイルがあったまってきたところだぜ。

Sorry for the confusion.

It was a weird mistake on the last Blu Ray. I don't think I had run into that before.

That being said, the "Triple Play" pack is very nice. Comes in a thick cardboard sleeve. It doesn't say "Akira" on it, but the clear plastic sleeve that slides over it does. And then the actual BluRay package has all the artwork together. Comes with some cards and a poster.

I've been getting a few UK edition BluRays lately. I got this, I had to get Perfect Blue (as it's not available in the US on BD), and I have a "steelbook" Metropolis coming in.
I'm glad I got that region free BD player.
I always thought it was odd that the U.S. is the biggest market (or is that China now?), and we get so little of the swanky editions of things.

[evil_ash_xero]

I love the OG dub. Cam Clarke FTW. It's nostalgia I know, but I love it all the same. Kaneda has never been as cool.

You just nullified every argument for or against cinema you've never made.

lol, how's that. Slight exaggeration for effect methinks.

I grew up with the streamline dub, it was my introduction to the movie and there was nothing else available for years. It ain't accurate much, but I like it's 80s-ness and solid quoteability factor.

Ultimate Akira is of course in JP with subtitles, no contest.

Any version that doesn't say "That's Mr. Kanaeda to you, punk", is sub par.

[GaijinPunch]

lol, how's that. Slight exaggeration for effect methinks.

I grew up with the streamline dub, it was my introduction to the movie and there was nothing else available for years. It ain't accurate much, but I like it's 80s-ness and solid quoteability factor.

Ultimate Akira is of course in JP with subtitles, no contest.

I did too, but I had an a-ha moment when I watched the subtitled version... then had more a-ha moments as I learned more of the language and culture. An about face to the a-ha moments of nearly every other anime after learning Japanese, where I was like, "God this is lame..."

Any version that doesn't say "That's Mr. Kanaeda to you, punk", is sub par.

That's actually not a bad translation. A J-friend of mine specifically asked me once how they translated it from Japanese. Somewhat memorable.. It even auto completes in Google.

[GaijinPunch]

So, Milan Records released the soundtrack on vinyl today. Mine arrived. I'm at work still but figured I'd get in the mood by playing it on Youtube. First reaction is "they are slightly remixed". Upon listening closer, the voices are different. I think they re-recorded at least some parts of this. I guess that would make sense as there's likely no good master tape lying around. You can hear Requiem here.

Thoughts?

[Leandro]

So, Milan Records released the soundtrack on vinyl today. Mine arrived. I'm at work still but figured I'd get in the mood by playing it on Youtube. First reaction is "they are slightly remixed". Upon listening closer, the voices are different. I think they re-recorded at least some parts of this. I guess that would make sense as there's likely no good master tape lying around. You can hear Requiem here.

Thoughts?

Exodus from the Underground Fortress sounds great...

About the different voices, I can't recognize it, comparing this Requiem to the 2002 DVD-A Symphonic Suite Requiem, but I don't doubt you

[GaijinPunch]

About the different voices, I can't recognize it, comparing this Requiem to the 2002 DVD-A Symphonic Suite Requiem, but I don't doubt you

I've found some of it quite muddy, and it is at least 2 levels lower than the original vinyl (which is unfortunately only half the soundtrack). Dunno... I don't hate it but I'm definitely hugging my original pressing even more now. Some people prefer quiet records (there's tons of shit that's way too hot) but I don't think this hits zero ever on my mixer... and this is compared to it's 30 year old parent.