Kodocha finally arriving: Is it worth it?

[Bobtheduck]

New Licenses - Kodomo no Omocha (Spring/Summer 2005)



That's right. We will finally be seeing a real release of this offbeat and, dare I say, Genius anime on our shores. A strong cult following has been waiting for this day... And waiting... And waiting... And... Well, you get the picture.

Only problem: Do you know who's getting it? Funimation (of DBZ, Blue Gender, Furuba fame) Now, I know there are worse companies that could have gotten it, but there sure as heck are better ones... Besides that, I had quite a thing going with my Kodocha fandom... If funimation's picking it up, it has one obvious final destination: Toonami... Ok, so maybe that's not gonna happen... Kodocha isn't "action" so it won't fit that scene. It may even go straight into afternoon Pre-toonami Cartoon Network. It certainly won't make it on Adult swim! I am scared of the butchering that will have to be done to get it on normal Cartoon Network... It's a very frightening and sobering thought... Even more frightening is the fact I'm going to have yet another show I like for valid reasons that people will view as immature. They'll be able to look at the hack job on CN and say "See, I know what I'm talking about"

Granted, KnO is a children's show, but it's a complex one. Very few shows have had the ability to make you feel several emotions in rapid succession over the period of a few minutes... It's incredible, really.

I have waited for this moment for a long time, but




"not like this... not like this"

[Saint]

Funimation???... too bad...

[CDLviking]

Finally! I've wanted to see this for a long time. It's interesting that this was done by the same man who did Now and Then, Here and There. He must be one extremely talented man to do two shows on opposite ends of the spectrum.

[Bobtheduck]

Well, much must be said for the manga ka as well, though the anime is DECIDEDLY crazier than the manga...

[shooraijin]

What's wrong with Funimation? For a primarily action vendor, they did do a fabulous job on Furuba (surprisingly, I thought).

[Gypsy]

Poor Switch! I think that effectively communicates your feelings on the matter, Bob.

[MasterDias]

Oh, come on...
I echo shooraijin.
The only FUNimation dubs that I've really ever heard people complain about are DBZ and DBGT.
I haven't heard any complaints about their other dubs.
And I seriously doubt Kodomo no Omocha is going to air on Cartoon Network as some of their animes (like Fruits Basket and Kiddy Grade) haven't been put on TV.

And even if, by some chance, it does wind up on TV, you can be sure that the DVDs will be 100% unedited.

I don't see what the problem is.

[Bobtheduck]

And even if, by some chance, it does wind up on TV, you can be sure that the DVDs will be 100% unedited.

I don't see what the problem is.

Not necissarily. Unedited is one thing, but faithfull translation is another entirely. The unedited DBZ and DBGT don't cut any scenes out, but they're definately not faithfull to the original dialogue because they only really do one dub. I'm affraid it will be the same with this. Of course, it may never get on CN, but there is that chance. I just don't want my fandom to be, uh, lost to 10 year olds (no offense meant to the 10 year olds out there, but think about your fandom being lost to 5 year olds and you should see where I'm coming from) even if it was 10 year olds (about) that were originally fans in Japan... It's at least a slightly older crew to appreciate it in the US at the moment.

Also, DBZ and DBGT are the only really logical comparisons, since the others aren't children's shows like Kodocha. SO, one would assume a children's show would be treated like their other children's shows.

[MasterDias]

Also, DBZ and DBGT are the only really logical comparisons, since the others aren't children's shows like Kodocha. SO, one would assume a children's show would be treated like their other children's shows.

Eh, I really wouldn't consider DBZ, in it's original form, to be a kids show either.
But anyway...

I really don't think that there is any need to worry. I seriously doubt it will be aired on Cartoon Network at any rate as primarily shonen/action/adventure/etc. shows are the ones that wind up on TV.

[BlueLily]

Funimation DID do a great job with Furuba, but they MAY "Americanize" the names of the characters, as they did with Detective Conan, or, Case Closed. If in fact they do, I shall be very sad to hear Sana call Akito, "Alan" (or something to the similar effect) and Akito call Sana, "Sarah" (again, or something similar).
But yes, I am still very glad that Kodocha will be coming ^_^ as this means more fandom! However, I shall be sticking to my loyal manga set...

[CDLviking]

As long as it has a subtitled version I don't care what they do with the dub. And I doubt that they'll change Sana's name considering how it is right there on her shirt.

[Twilly Spree]

Aww man...I've got 35 eps fansubbed. It's so funny! Except I hope they get up in the higher eps. Most of them have never been fansubbed due to the speed at which Sana talks.

[awsam007]

This sounds interesting, but I've never even heard of it. What's this anime/manga about anyway? All I know is, if it's true that the dude who did Now and Then, Here and There is involved in this, I'm seeing it no matter what.

[neoassassin2078]

The manga was one ofmy favorites. I look forward to seeing the anime someday.

Now I just want to know, they sure are releasing a lot of good anime nowadays that normally would'nt quite make it, SO WHEN THE HECK ARE THESE GUYSES GONNA LISCENSE KANON HUH!!!

Linky loonky.

http://www.csusm.edu/anime/uguu/index.htm

[Aka-chan]

It's nice it's licensed, though. I've heard good stuff about the series and have been wanting to look into it. I just hope they don't change the names; that's one of my pet peeves.

[AngelSakura]

What's wrong with Funimation?

:rant:
What's wrong with Funimation? WHAT'S WRONG WITH FUNIMATION!?!?!
They almost literally TORE Dragonball Z to PIECES! In my opinion, DBZ is one of the best anime out there! Maybe DB was a bit better, but still! Getting picked up by FUNi is probably THE worst thing that could happen to an anime!!! They will take out the music, rip apart the dialouge, censor the CRAP out of it, and leave it in a little pile for Cartoon Network to clean up.

Gen Fukunaga, on why DBZ's music was replaced:
The replacing of the music was a FUNimation decision. With our own soundtrack, we could charge royalties for every second it's heard.

Gen Fukunaga, on why characters never truly go away:
It looks like they die, but they are really passing on to a new dimension, and they can be summoned back at a higher power.

Jimmy Fowler, talking to Gen Fukunaga and Barry Watson about DBZ's violence:
Watson and Fukunaga defensively use the word "action" rather than violence, and both contend Dragonball Z is a "moral" show with a nerdy hero who says such things as "That's not playing fair."

THIS is the man that your show is in the hands of. Gen Fukunaga, Japanese-born butcher of anime. Shame on you, Gen.
*off rant*

[Bobtheduck]

I don't think any non-japanese people know what DBZ was really like... You can see it in Japanese, or you can watch teh fansubs, but you'll get a better Idea of what they are saying by watching it in raw Japanese than you will in those horrible fansubs... And, yes, DBZ was a children's show... Even in its original form. It was a very violent children's show, and one that never would have seen the light of day in the US, but it's still a children's show.

There are things in Kodomo no Omocha that would never be shown in a children's show in the US, espcially not when it first came out in '96. Even innocently, Sana's term for Rei would raise the hair and fiery pitchforks of watchdog groups all over the US. The Abuse that Hayama takes, and the infamous groping scene, as well as the "immitatable acts" like cleaning ears with sticks and setting up their own bungee cords... This show isn't near as violent as DBZ, but it's fertile ground for controversy... Maybe they'll give it a 13+ rating, and alleviate my worries, but they may not...