New Dub Voice Discussion!

[Grumpy Older Man]

And I hate to sound like a broken record, myself, but uh..you folks pointing fingers at PUSA for not shelling out cash seem to be forgetting that 4Kids is well known for refusing to pony up the dough for original music, especially because they think kids won't get background music from Japan.

Hey, how about Al Kahn not wanting to sell uncut DVDs of any kind out of fear that they outsell the cut stuff, thus resulting in having to shell out more money for two kinds of dubs?

[~Shining-Metagross~]

Well, I have a apology to make to Serebii.
One of my sources told me it wasn't so bad the storyline(Exluding a few ****-ups). And I've heard a few voices, and comepered to the fact they are sound alikes, it's not so bad.
The voices still need to grow on me though, i've only heard a few clips from James/Jessie/Ash/Misty/Meowth. Ash was....terrible. Misty was fine. Jame's sound camper then normal, Jessie's suited her, and I hated Meowths. But still I can cope with them.

[NewBrock]

Hello everyone,

I am hesitant to post here as I fear that many of you are greatly upset with what you heard from this weekend’s special, but I feel that someone from the new group of VAs must speak up.

Please understand that during this tough transitional time, the new voice actors that are working on Pokemon are trying their best to fill some very big shoes. In the past, I have had the opportunity to speak with many of the original Pokemon actors. They are terrific, talented people and I have a great respect for all the work that they have done in these past eight years to bring Pokemon to television, movies, etc. Unfortunately, due to the contracts that these actors have signed with 4Kids, they are no longer able to work on Pokemon. So, no matter what letter writing campaigns you start, these actors will not be allowed to work on Pokemon outside of the 4Kids studios.

That said, the new actors that have been brought in to voice these existing Pokemon characters are trying very hard to capture the spirit of the original cast. So please, don’t look at us as horrible people who are stealing jobs away from others. Instead, try to understand that we are actors who admire those who came before us and only wish to do all that we can to produce the best show possible.

This new Pokemon project only started a short while ago and many of us have been researching previous episodes to find a way to best capture the spirit of the show. Together with TAJ Studios, we are working with producers, directors and engineers who worked on the show’s earlier seasons. These professionals are also trying their hardest to get us to the right place so that this transition will work for the fans. This will take a little time, but we are working hard to make the fans happy. Please believe me when I say that I am not involved in this project for a “quick buck”. When I was asked to take over as the voice of Brock, I was honored that I would be able to carry on a legacy, and I promise you here and now that I will do the best I can to make that possible.

My reasoning for posting to this site is twofold. Firstly, I wish to inform the fans about the process that is going on to keep Pokemon the same great show it always was. And secondly, I wish to get feedback from the fans that I can take into the studio with me to help improve whatever I can to make the show great. I welcome all the input that you have, but please be mindful that there is a human being at the other end of this dialogue. I know that everyone at TAJ studios is concerned with the outcry of the fans over what has happened. Please try to help us make this show work for you.

I will post more in the days ahead, but for now I thank you for your time and patience during this transition.
Sincerely,
The New Voice of Brock

PS – Please understand at this time I can not post my real name due to possible repercussions from all the negative energy out there on the internet and in the world outside the web.

[~*Mudkip Fantastic*~]

I just heard the new voices on YouTube and they are Horrible. ALL OF THEM! MY WORST FEARS HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED! ASH DOES SOUND LIKE A GEEK!

[stigy]

Dear NewBrock(if you really are the new voice of Brock),
The first step you should take is to make your voice less raspy, and a little bit more smooth.

[NewBrock]

Originally Posted by stigy

Dear NewBrock(if you really are the new voice of Brock),
The first step you should take is to make your voice less raspy, and a little bit more smooth.

Dear Stigy,
After reading through the hundreds of posts on this forum, I noticed that this critique seems to be the general consensus of the group.
And to be quite honest, when I finally saw the finished product this morning, I must say that this thought was also going through my mind.
Finding Brock's voice has been a difficult journey. He has an "intensity" about him, and in some earlier auditions I went through, he didn't have enough of this. I believe that when it came down to working on the final product, I may have overcompensated a little too much.
I know that some have posted on this forum stating that we have not had a lot of time to really find the characters. This is very true. I am hoping that with a little work and toning down, he will sound better.

Thank you for your input,
NewBrock

[Grumpy Older Man]

NewBrock, I appologize for any rude behavior on behalf of some of the members of this forum. I'm glad to see that it is true that those with ties to the recent staff do indeed look to see what the fans generally think. Although it disappoints me that it's generally in a rude manner.

Being someone who's mainly watched the original, Japanese version for a number of years now, I must say that I am actually interested in seeing the future work of you and the other voice actors as I have been slightly..hesitant, to say the least, to watch an English dub that's changed around to conform to 4Kids' ways and am interested in seeing how you guys go about it.

I wish you the best of luck and am glad you're taking the time to hear and respond to what the fans have to say. This is one of the benefits to change, seeing as the previous narrator has visited our forums once and had unfortunately informed us that 4Kids' staff (voice actors aside) did not care to listen to anyone, even if they were a fan, unless they held shares with their stock.

[NewBrock]

Originally Posted by Serebii

People, I know I'm going to be a broken record...but I don't think you're looking at the voices objectively. Almost everyone who hasnt seen the anime in a while likes them or can at least tolerate them.

You guys went into the special saying you were going to hate it and now with this mega thread, anyone who looks will think they'll hate it

So I ask this of you all, when Season 9 starts, just take a moment and listen to the voices properly, they aren't bad, they are close to how they were, they just seem older. I don't see a problem. So please, do that for me and my sanity

Thank you for giving us a chance Serebii. If everyone promises to stick with us and allow us the time to grow into the parts, I promise to make every effort to not to grow into a "70 year old man" going forward.

[Magical Leaf]

Well, after seeing clips on YouTube, I didn't actually think the new voices were that bad.
Misty, Jessie and Max sounded pretty much the same, Ash took a little while to get used to, but by the end the voice seemed to settle with me, I had no problem with Oak or May either. James, Meowth and Brock did irk me a little (although Brock did make me chuckle with his rambling over Jenny, he seemed a little more pervy than usual XD), but this is only the test run after all, there's still plenty of time for improvements.
Actually, it kinda got me interested in the dub again....

[The Power of Pika]

Good on you for posting new Brock for posting. So now we can help you with the voices.=)

I only saw a clip on Youtube and you guys do sound different. I might watch the clips over a few times more in the next few days to see what I can help you guys with to improve.

Unfortunately, due to the contracts that these actors have signed with 4Kids, they are no longer able to work on Pokemon. So, no matter what letter writing campaigns you start, these actors will not be allowed to work on Pokemon outside of the 4Kids studios.

I thought that was the reason because that's what happens sometimes. My dad use to watch an old show years ago around my age and when that show swapped hands most of the old voice actors were kept except for one. That character with the different voice had such a different voice that it freaked my dad out. He hated the new company for a while. Then he found out the surprising information years later. The old company wouldn't let go of the original voice actor for that character. So the new company was forced to put a new voice on the character. This was a show that went on for a good number of years before the voice change.

My dad told me this when I told him about the voice changes. He told me that it may be hard to get used to at first but over time you'll get used to it. He even said it might even surprise you that you'll probably get so used to the new voice actors that the old ones will start sounding strange.

So I'm confident I'll get used to them if my dad got used to his shows voice change.

Okay one thing that's come to mind. New Brock from watching the clip, the voice that made me laugh because it wasn't terribly great was James voice. Seriously I hate to admit it but I was laughing too hard that tears were coming down my eyes. I'm very sorry it's just the truth. I don't want to offend you guys though. To be honest I didn't hate what I saw, I just understand you need a bit more work. I just shrugged it off as more of a comedy.

Here's something you can tell the James VA. The problem with James voice is that he sounded really posh like he was some rich guy or something. Though if you realise that's the life he wanted to get away from. Tell the VA doing his voice to try to get rid of the posh accent. My other suggestion is watch the special you voiced and play an old episode at the same time. Preferably the Hoenn saga. This way you can see what differences people are noticing.

I hope things improve in the future and I wish you guys the very best of luck. I'll be back to give more tips.

[NewBrock]

Originally Posted by Edward Elric

NewBrock, I appologize for any rude behavior on behalf of some of the members of this forum. I'm glad to see that it is true that those with ties to the recent staff do indeed look to see what the fans generally think. Although it disappoints me that it's generally in a rude manner.

Being someone who's mainly watched the original, Japanese version for a number of years now, I must say that I am actually interested in seeing the future work of you and the other voice actors as I have been slightly..hesitant, to say the least, to watch an English dub that's changed around to conform to 4Kids' ways and am interested in seeing how you guys go about it.

I wish you the best of luck and am glad you're taking the time to hear and respond to what the fans have to say. This is one of the benefits to change, seeing as the previous narrator has visited our forums once and had unfortunately informed us that 4Kids' staff (voice actors aside) did not care to listen to anyone, even if they were a fan, unless they held shares with their stock.

Thank you Ed.
Being an anime fan, I can understand why many have been up in arms about this change. But I think you summed it up best in an earlier post where you said that this is a lot like when DragonBall Z changed studios. I remember being bummed out when that happened, but it passed over time and some of the actors from the newer cast have gone on to do some really great work.

People just need to be mindful of the fact that the actors on both sides of this transition face many hardships. The previous actors lose the roles that they have grown to love, and the new actors have to stack up to the previous actors work. Hopefully, we'll be up to task.

[Bulbatordile]

I've just seen it and I must say I eventually got used to the new voices.
I thought Misty's was good from the begining.
Max and Jessie's are ok.
With the others I just think that a little work is need, in particular May who sounds too old.
Now the voice actors just need a little time to get used to the voices-which is true for any actor in a role-(studying acting I shold know).
So everyone should just give them a chance, and a little time.

[Fullmetal_Alchemist]

Since I haven't seen the special in full I can't really say too much about the voices, but at least the background music was pretty decent for once. It did feel a bit weird hearing the new voices, but at least you guys should give them a chance before ranting about them, since they have only just started. Yes, it's a real shame that PUSA felt it necessary to ditch the old VAs like that, but still, in the long run the new VAs might be better. How many people here are complained about the old VAs yet now feel the need to say that they were the best things ever? Just remember this *is* just a cartoon, so I hardly think the world is going to end over it.

However, there's no excuse for the extremely crappy intro - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCVER4m9Hlo

[Heracross]

Well, this is quite an interesting development, to say the least. First of all, NewBrock, let me just say that I was very impressed by the calm tone of your posts, given the circumstances. It takes courage to emerge amidst such harsh criticism, and in many cases outright hatred, and though I may be a critic myself you have earned my respect for that.

I'm no actor, but I do understand that it's hardly the walk in the park many fans would make it out to be, especially with the immense pressure of starting out with such a popular and established franchise. Also, while I'm afraid I can't offer any constructive criticism aside from what has already been mentioned, I will say that after having not watched the dubbed animé for nearly a year due to my increasing displeasure with 4kids' production, I am interested to see how things turn out under new supervision and am trying to keep an open mind about the voices at this point. So take that for what it's worth, I suppose.

[Torkoal Stu]

Originally Posted by Fullmetal_Alchemist

However, there's no excuse for the extremely crappy intro - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCVER4m9Hlo

I was searching for that for hours! Thanks for the link Fullmetal :O Atleast Aggron got some screen time XP "First you kick it in Kanto" *has it stuck in head now* Also "Pee-kay-choo" and "Kan-too" XD! That intro is a good laugh. No offense to anyone.

Anyway NewBrock I understand what you mean but you must know that you can't except all fans to be happy with the change either, you know having the same voice for Misty, Brock, Ash, Oak ect for 10 Years (Even though Max and May a shorter time, we still got use to them) but people tend to get connected and adjusted to the new voices so its very annoying/upsetting and so on to hear that they are changing. I'm sorry for any way I acted about the voice change but its not easy when you get so use to them.

Anyway I wish you luck on finding Brock's voice (<--- wow that sounds weird o.o;). You could I guess find the old guy who did it and get tips from him, but Bock's VA does alot of other 4Kids shows so I doubt thats a possiblity to even get in contact with him.

Well good luck, i'm sure over time all fans will get use to all the new voices. Even though we hadn't heard other such character's voices Drew, Tracey, Harley those might cause some trouble with fans to when they get round to getting appearences in the new dubbed PUSA episodes.

[STJ]

Well, I'm also glad that there is a response to the feedback

The thing is, people have been used to the old voices for quite a while, so it's understandable that they would object to the change, and that's particularly the case if they like the voices, so it might take quite some time before people get used to it.

Still, having seen that clips myself, since you guys have just started, there's room for improvement. Personally, in the case of Brock, I also happen to think that he should sound less 'nasal' and perhaps have a higher pitch. But that's just me, I guess

[NewBrock]

Originally Posted by Fullmetal_Alchemist

Since I haven't seen the special in full I can't really say too much about the voices, but at least the background music was pretty decent for once. It did feel a bit weird hearing the new voices, but at least you guys should give them a chance before ranting about them, since they have only just started. Yes, it's a real shame that PUSA felt it necessary to ditch the old VAs like that, but still, in the long run the new VAs might be better. How many people here are complained about the old VAs yet now feel the need to say that they were the best things ever? Just remember this *is* just a cartoon, so I hardly think the world is going to end over it.

I believe that a lot of the music was from the original Japanese soundtrack. Again, since the show was just produced recently and then prepared for the American market, a lot of elements remained unchanged.
Also, I have noticed that many have asked about Pikachu. Pikachu has and (as far as I can tell) will always be the Pikachu from the Japanese. The audio for Pika is taken from the Japanese track and placed in the English track as is. So if you didn't like Pikachu in the special, buy a plane ticket to Japan and yell at the original seyiuu for having an "off" day.

[Grumpy Older Man]

Okay, now hold on. I'm hearing the intro clearly saying Pikachu and Kanto's names properly. Where are you folks hearing the improper pronounciations? o_O

And it's not THAT bad. Granted, rap doesn't work. But it's not as bad as you all made it out to be. One Piece's intro definately holds the title of worst rap opening.

Say NewBrock, not to impose or anything, but do you suppose you could pass the word along to the higher ups that it'd be nice if we could hear more of the original Japanese soundtrack for the background music? One of the bigger problems with 4Kids was the refusal to use the original background music and replace it with their own, which would generally not fit the scenes entirely. We missed out on a lot of original background music that were remakes of game music, and it's really a shame they felt children wouldn't understand them (in Al Kahn's words), even though they contained no lyrics.

[Magical Leaf]

Originally Posted by The Power of Pika

Here's something you can tell the James VA. The problem with James voice is that he sounded really posh like he was some rich guy or something. Though if you realise that's the life he wanted to get away from. Tell the VA doing his voice to try to get rid of the posh accent. My other suggestion is watch the special you voiced and play an old episode at the same time. Preferably the Hoenn saga. This way you can see what differences people are noticing.

When you think about it really, James is a rich guy. He comes from a rich family who own several mansions, and had a very "proper" upbringing. Thinking about that, James' voice doesn't sound too bad now, since even if he is in Team Rocket, it'd be hard to break away from his roots completely. It makes more sense than him sounding like a hysterical flamer (Not that I didn't enjoy that voice either XD)

And now that I really think about it, I don't have a problem with any of the new voices at all.

[Heracross]

Originally Posted by Edward Elric

Say NewBrock, not to impose or anything, but do you suppose you could pass the word along to the higher ups that it'd be nice if we could hear more of the original Japanese soundtrack for the background music? One of the bigger problems with 4Kids was the refusal to use the original background music and replace it with their own, which would generally not fit the scenes entirely. We missed out on a lot of original background music that were remakes of game music, and it's really a shame they felt children wouldn't understand them (in Al Kahn's words), even though they contained no lyrics.

I second that. The music was the one major issue that caused me to give up on the 4Kids dub.