| Author |
Topic: Are we overreacting to the English
Shenmue voice acting? |
JcDc
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1569
Reg: Mar 2000 |
 posted 09-30-2000 02:35 AM 
 
 
You know after getting my ODCM today, I watched the movie and the
only time I thought it sounded bad was the very last scream of
"NOOOOOOOOO!!". I hope they take that out 
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Leave it to Dennis to sum up
NFL 2K1 vs Madden 2001.. (his spelling mistakes not mine)
quote:
Madden is far more realistic at the cost of controle( since I play
in coach mode controle doesn't mean anything to me.
The insight of Thomas Hardy on the X-box..
quote:
I dont have anything against MS. I would rather they stay out of
the console business.
And a quote of myself..
quote:
The DC vs PS2 issue is kinda like the Elvis vs Beatles issue. Some
people like Elvis and hate the Beatles, some people like the
Beatles and hate Elvis. Some like both. Then there are those who
can't stand either one. Damn Nintendo Fans!!
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bastardly
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1457
Reg: Aug 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 02:43 AM
My only gripe is Ryo sounds like hes from Fresno and not Japan. And
Tom is the Tails of Shenmue, OK.
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NINTENDO FANATIC SINCE CONCEPTION!!!
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Bossplaya
Member
Posts: 59
Reg: Apr 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 03:06 AM
Then again, there's Asians here in America who talk "white". No
problem with me suspending disbelief. Ofcourse dub haters and anime
otaku will overreact. Then again...otaku overstate things greatly to
call Escaflowne a great anime. F&ck them.
------------------
...as it continues.
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Shinobi
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1451
Reg: Jan 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 03:31 AM
Heh, people always overreact with things like this. I saw the movie
for the first time yesterday, and didn't even think about the fact
that the voices were dubbed until about halfway through. Which means
they sounded perfectly natural from what I was seeing and hearing.
Of course if people would rather play a game in a language they
don't understand just to get the authentic feel, then that's their
privelage.
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I don't appreciate individuals who pass
off their opinion as if it were fact.
My opinion is truth.
Futami telling on himself, like all idiots do.
Everybody's biased...deal with it.
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Mugthis777
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1486
Reg: Jan 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 03:57 AM
quote:
Then again, there's Asians here in America who talk "white".
~BossPlaya
That’s why Shenmue is set in China, not
America.
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Bossplaya
Member
Posts: 59
Reg: Apr 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 04:27 AM
Shenmue chapter 1 is set in Japan. Second, it's pretty stereotypical
to have all asians speak with accents. Michelle Yeoh from one of the
James Bond films talks with no asian accent. The voice of Ryo I
think fits the looks of the character. Hell, he already looks a bit
like tom cruise to begin with. I have seen asians speak like that,
so suspension of disbelief is easy for me. Many of the other
characters do have accents which I can see is easy for you to
ignore. Far as I'm concerned, the voice acting that I saw on that
demo disc kept the feel and maturity of the game intact.
------------------
...as it continues.
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Ihatesquirrels
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1060
Reg: Dec 99 |
posted 09-30-2000 05:00 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Bossplaya:
Far as I'm concerned, the voice
acting that I saw on that demo disc kept the feel and
maturity of the game intact.
That pretty much sums up how I feel about the dubbing, especially
about the maturity.
I downloaded the japanese intro, and one movie with the "Noooo"
bit in English, and imo, once the full intro is taken into
consideration, with all the dramatic build-up the "Nooooo" won't
sound so out of place.
------------------
'Shooting guns just makes you
horny'.
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Mugthis777
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1486
Reg: Jan 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 05:03 AM
quote:
Shenmue chapter 1 is set in Japan.
~BossPlaya
I believe Chapter 1 is set in China, but I could be
wrong.
quote:
. Second, it's pretty stereotypical to have all asians speak with
accents.
~BossPlaya
Yep, it is.
Shenmue is set in an Asian culture, has Asian characters, has an
Asian setting, has Asian artwork, and has American voices. That
doesn’t fit, for me at least. If I saw Ryo hanging out at Yankee
Stadium, or wherever, then his voice would fit for me. But he isn’t,
and his voice doesn’t fit.
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Bossplaya
Member
Posts: 59
Reg: Apr 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 05:46 AM
With that attitude, nothing on the Shenmue US disc doesn't fit.
They'd be speaking english, that's not an asian language. The
localization seems to be done in a way that respects the original
material (probably because Yu Suzuki is overseeing it all), and
that's all I can ask for. BTW, what's an example of good dubbing?
------------------
...as it continues.
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Mugthis777
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1486
Reg: Jan 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 05:58 AM
quote:
With that attitude, nothing on the Shenmue US disc doesn't fit.
BossPlaya
Huh? The whole game has Asian culture except for
the voices. Thus the voices don’t fit.
quote:
BTW, what's an example of good dubbing?
~BossPlaya
For a game like Shenmue, in my opinion, it isn’t
possible to have a good dubbing. I think they should of kept the
original voices, with subtitles.
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Mugthis777
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1486
Reg: Jan 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 06:00 AM
One more thing I have to add:
One of the reasons why the voices seem so off to me is that I've
already seen and played the Japanese version. I already have a
certain voice associated with the characters, especially Ryo.
[This message has been edited by Mugthis777 (edited
09-30-2000).]
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matouya
Novice Member
Posts: 106
Reg: Aug 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 06:10 AM
Mugthis,
Chapter 1 is set in Yokosuka, Japan.
Chapter 2 will be in
Hongkong.
I have completed this game so I can guarantee that
chapter 1 is in Japan.
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The Radiant
One
Novice Member
Posts: 134
Reg: Sep 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 06:24 AM
1. Yes, we are overreacting.
2. If you don't like the voices, turn them off and switch to
subtitles.
Sigh...The Radiant One
------------------
"Congratulations! It's a bouncing baby
fanboy!"
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Solid
Snake
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 4170
Reg: May 99 |
posted 09-30-2000 07:36 AM
I personally love the US Shenmue voices even though I thought i'd
hate them.
Ryo's voices is the best imo. The voice fits him perfectly. I
didn't find the voice "too American" like either. Now Ryo's brothers
voice (Fuku-san) is absolutely horrible. It sounds like he was
voiced by a girl who tried to talk like a guy..Just awful.
The one thing I am happy about is that they got Shai's voice to
sound like his Japanese voice. Shai had the absolute coolest voice
in the Japanese version (slightly better than Toms). Speaking of
Tom, I really don't like his US voice. In the Japanese version he'd
speak a blend of Japanese and English which made him funny, now he
speak fluent English which is BLEH imo.
Overall I think they did a great job with the voices.
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bastardly
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1457
Reg: Aug 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 07:59 AM
First off yes all Asians have an asian accent, unless they were born
and raised in America which Ryo isn't. Michelle Yeoh does have an
accent, and considering just how much you're going to be hearing
speech in this game, the voices do matter. You wouldn't wanna hear
Urkel for 6 hours would you? Maybe you would.
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NINTENDO FANATIC SINCE CONCEPTION!!!
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Shinobi
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1451
Reg: Jan 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 08:06 AM
I think Muthgis' point about voice association is the way it is for
most people. Basically, you like what you're used to. So when a
voice is changed for a character, it's likely that you won't care
for it much even if it's no worse then the original voice. I
understand that type of thinking completely.
------------------
I don't appreciate individuals who pass
off their opinion as if it were fact.
My opinion is truth.
Futami telling on himself, like all idiots do.
Everybody's biased...deal with it.
|
The Radiant
One
Novice Member
Posts: 134
Reg: Sep 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 08:12 AM
No, voices absolutely, positively DOES NOT MATTER! I have never seen
or heard of anyone not liking/playing a game because of bad voice
acting. Good voice acting simply ADDS TO AN ALREADY SOLID GAME!
Jeez! Get off this already! If you're going to pass up what is
assuredly going to be a next-level gaming experience beacause of
voice-acting, maybe you should find a new hobby.
The Radiant One
------------------
"Congratulations! It's a bouncing baby
fanboy!"
|
bastardly
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1457
Reg: Aug 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 08:38 AM
Yeh the VOICES DO NOT MATTER, neither does the STORY, or the
CHARACTER DESIGN, or ATMOSPHERE. And who the hell is skipping the
game? People are just giving their positions on the voices, geez,
everyone acts like they are the Gaming Jesus these days.
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NINTENDO FANATIC SINCE CONCEPTION!!!
|
Solid
Snake
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 4170
Reg: May 99 |
posted 09-30-2000 08:44 AM
Well for one thing, Shenmue's voice acting is good..So no one should
be bitching in the first place.
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|
The Radiant
One
Novice Member
Posts: 134
Reg: Sep 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 08:49 AM
Hmm...exaggerating to make a point? THAT'LL never happen on this
board...
Charachter design, plot etc. are INFINITELY more important than
voice acting. Especially when you have the option to TURN IT OFF!
And my point is that wasting energy to niggle and nitpick over
stuff that in the end just doesn't matter(box art, the way an ad
looks) is simply baffling to me.
I mean, you go to the movies right? Do you and your friends sit
outside the theater and nitpick the movie posters? Do you argue
about CD covers? NO! You don't give a sh!t about it, you just wanna
see the movie or hear the music and then talk about THAT.
This "aw that ad sucked" and "I didn't like that voice" is really
just taking up space. Of course, that's MY opinion.
And no, not Jesus(who is?) but I am omnipotent...
The Radiant One
------------------
"Congratulations! It's a bouncing baby
fanboy!"
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Mugthis777
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1486
Reg: Jan 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 08:56 AM
It's not that I think the voices are bad, I just don't think using
English will fit the game for me.
That's why I wish they kept the original voices and just had
English subtitles.
And thanks for clearing that up for me, matouya. 
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Mugthis777
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1486
Reg: Jan 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 08:57 AM
Why do you care what we discuss?
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bastardly
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1457
Reg: Aug 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 09:02 AM
I do nitpick movie ads I find lame like anything else, this
discussion with you is lame. What is this forum we are at? GAMING
AGE, WE TALK ABOUT ANYTHING RELATING OR PERTAINING TO GAMING, NO
MATTER HOW TRIVIAL, OR WOULD YOU LIKE A COMPLETE OT THREAD?
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NINTENDO FANATIC SINCE CONCEPTION!!!
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Solid
Snake
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 4170
Reg: May 99 |
posted 09-30-2000 09:02 AM
Well Mugthis, if you were Sega you'd do a voice translation too.
There's alot of people who wouldn't even get Shenmue if all the
characters spoke Japanese. If they had Japanese voice and English
subs, then i'd play it that way. But since it probably won't, i'll
just play with the English voices because they aren't that bad. It's
not like the voices are RE quality or anything.
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[This message has been edited by Solid Snake (edited
09-30-2000).]
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Mugthis777
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1486
Reg: Jan 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 09:06 AM
quote:
Well Mugthis, if you were Sega you'd did a voice translation too.
There's alot of people who wouldn't even get Shenmue if all the
characters spoke Japanese. If they had Japanese voice and English
subs, then i'd play it that way. But since it probably won't, i'll
just play with the English voices because they aren't that bad.
~Solid Snake
I don't care whether more people would buy it or
not. 
[This message has been edited by Mugthis777 (edited
09-30-2000).]
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The Artful
Dodger
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 2199
Reg: Oct 99 |
posted 09-30-2000 09:29 AM
actually mug, this is one game where you SHOULD care, because you
won't see the resolution of the plot unless Sega does all of the
Shenmue game. It's Shenmue chapter 1, not Shenmue, so commercial
success IS sorta important here.
I agree: we're overreacting. It's certainly better than most of
Sega's efforts to day, and the controversy over it shows that it's
not awful, just considered bad by some. The fact that it IS
translated doesn't make it bad; how uninterested in a game do you
have to be to have the presence of english voices blow away your
suspension of disbelief?
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"Fanboy" seems usually another word for
"you disagree with me; you're dumb" :P
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Bossplaya
Member
Posts: 59
Reg: Apr 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 10:11 AM
quote:
Bastardly: First off yes all Asians have an asian accent, unless
they were born and raised in America which Ryo isn't. Michelle
Yeoh does have an accent, and considering just how much you're
going to be hearing speech in this game, the voices do matter. You
wouldn't wanna hear Urkel for 6 hours would you? Maybe you would.
First off, not all asians have asian accents as you have so
clearly stated. I don't know who the hell you think you're talking
to but there's no need for you to even imply I'd settle for Urkle's
voice as Ryo. I'm going to tell it to you like this, you're out of
your goddamn mind if you think Ryo's US voice is as immature (and
shitty, and corny, and whatever) as Urkle's voice. Just even hinting
at that is overexaggeration. BTW, the only other way (other than
having japanese with english subtitles) to satisify these otaku
folks is to have Ryo speak in broken english and a thick japanese
accent. That's japanese enough for ya. TYPE S EMOTION....EMOTION
ENGINE! To quote snoop doggy dogg..."Bitch Please".
------------------
...as it continues.
[This message has been edited by Bossplaya (edited
09-30-2000).]
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bastardly
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1457
Reg: Aug 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 10:20 AM
Well seeing as how I am Vietnamese and spend a lot of time in
Westminster, every person I ever met born in Japan, China, Korea
etc. has an accent, like anywhere else in the world. Second, my
Urkel comment wasn't related to Ryo's voice, I was using it as an
example of why voices matter. Third, am I asking for an
over-emphasized japanese voice? No, listen to that one shop owners
voice in Shenmue, he has a subtle accent, and it works beautifully,
it seems like everyone has an accent but Ryo. And fourth, this is my
most anticipated DC title, probably the only one I'll buy this year,
so no the voices aren't that bad to make me say 'f*ck it', but like
with all things I must criticize.
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NINTENDO FANATIC SINCE CONCEPTION!!!
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lilbastard
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1014
Reg: Dec 99 |
posted 09-30-2000 10:26 AM
Also responding to what Bastardly said, I'm asian and was born here
in the US. I don't have an asian accent like people born from over
there but my voice sure sounds different from "white" people. Same
with all my friends. Ryo is obviously done by a white person...
Asian people do sound different then white people... born in asia or
not.
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nfl2k1 handle: retardboy
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The Radiant
One
Novice Member
Posts: 134
Reg: Sep 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 10:27 AM
My, my, MY! Such defensivness. Sensitive little thing aren't we. So
I'll take part in this inconsequential topic.
It would've been awesome had they left the Japanese voices and
did subtitles. Worked WONDERS for adding to the mystique and
ambiance of Panzer Dragoon Saga(japanese and its own alien
language).
The Radiant One
------------------
"Congratulations! It's a bouncing baby
fanboy!"
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Mugthis777
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1486
Reg: Jan 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 10:37 AM
quote:
actually mug, this is one game where you SHOULD care, because you
won't see the resolution of the plot unless Sega does all of the
Shenmue game. It's Shenmue chapter 1, not Shenmue, so commercial
success IS sorta important here
~TAD
Grrrrrr...I just knew I’d get a reply similar to
that.
What I mean by me not caring is that when I do play Shenmue, I’m
going to be thinking, “Man, I wish this was in Japanese with English
subtitles” not “Man, I’m glad Sega used English voice-overs so Sega
can get a 10% increase in sales which will allow Yu Suzuki to create
the rest of the series.”
quote:
I agree: we're overreacting.
~TAD
I’m not over-reacting; I’m just talking about it
because that’s what this thread is.
quote:
It's certainly better than most of Sega's efforts to day, and the
controversy over it shows that it's not awful, just considered bad
by some.
~TAD
I’m not saying the dubbing was bad, because I don’t
think it is. All I’m saying is that no matter how good it is, as
long as it uses strait-up American voices, the voices won’t fit with
the setting.
quote:
The fact that it IS translated doesn't make it bad; how
uninterested in a game do you have to be to have the presence of
english voices blow away your suspension of disbelief?
~TAD
I’m not saying it makes it bad; I still want
Shenmue a lot.
And I agree with bastardly; I’ve never seen anybody raised in
Asia and not have an accent.
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Kenny
McCormic
Member
Posts: 295
Reg: Aug 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 10:44 AM
re: Japanese people have accents.
Well, Japanese people don't talk in mostly in English, in their
homeland, either.
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Kenny
McCormic
Member
Posts: 295
Reg: Aug 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 10:45 AM
The Characters in Alladin don't have accents either. Either did the
monkey in 'The Lion King'.
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|
bastardly
Gaming Aged
Member
Posts: 1457
Reg: Aug 2000 |
posted 09-30-2000 10:52 AM
Exactly thats why we should get a subbed version, but we won't. And
since when did Disney give a crap about anything but subliminaly
suggest teenagers to take off their clothes.
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NINTENDO FANATIC SINCE CONCEPTION!!!
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SickBoy
Expert Member
Posts: 808
Reg: Sep 99 |
posted 09-30-2000 10:55 AM
I completely disagree with the premise that the voices should
necessarily have accents.
Wait.
Now I can understand that some people (Mugthis, for example),
would rather hear an accent or simply have subtitles. I can respect
that. But I don't fault Sega for what they've done with the game. As
an aside, I might have if the ODCM movie hadn't convinced me the
voice acting is solid -- did anyone hear the voices in the E3 demos?
Yuck!
As far as authenticity goes, it doesn't throw me out of whack
knowing that I'm in Japan and hearing a plain English voice. It
doesn't bother me when I hear unaccented dubbed voices in Iron Chef,
and to use another fairly well-known example, it didn't bother me
watching Princess Mononoke. A dub is fine, is what I'm saying.
Subtitles would have been super-cool (a special edition featuring
7 discs - one set with subtitles - would be amazing), but I'll take
this game however it comes... and so far it looks like it's going to
come with a pretty good dub.
-SB
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"Yes" - Al Gore
"Ben-der" - Leela
"Tigris" - Dennis Miller
"and" - Folken
"I am" - Duane
"the" - Shigeru Miyamoto
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Kenny
McCormic
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