Funimation's Justin Cook discusses Hetalia dub

[hotaru13.livejournal.com]

The most recent episode of ANNcast (Anime News Network's podcast) features an interview with Justin Cook, the guy in charge of just about everything dub-related at Funimation, during which  he is grilled about the changes made to the Hetlia dub.

Right here, Hetalia discussion starts shortly after the 37 minute mark and discussion over similarly altered dubs (like Shin-Chan and Sergeant Frog) starts at around 31 minutes.

Basically, Zac, who likes Hetalia subbed but dislikes the dub, has a conversation about the changes made to the dub script with the guy in charge of Funimation's dubs, Justin Cook.  Zac believes that some of the changes were offensive and completely not justified (in particular, the insertion of at least one Holocaust joke), while Justin thinks that the humor was pretty offensive in the first place and their changes weren't al that major.

Sorry if I'm doing anything wrong here, this is my first time EVER using LJ, so just tell me if something needs to be changed. ^_^;; And hey, I know a lot of people are going to be upset over this, but let's keep our discussion civil here, okay? EDIT: hetalia_wank post here, thanks to seraphoftales for posting it.

Comments

[kurai-malik.livejournal.com]

*flails* I FREAKING LOVE JUSTIN COOK! THANK YOU POSTING THIS!

[dilemina.livejournal.com]

Eh. In my opinion there's going to be people who love the dub, hate the dub, and those who don't give a damn either way.

And yeah, the Japanese version is actually offensive in it's own right. We saw what happened with Korea, the controversy got so out of hand that they pulled it off tv and only put it back on until just recently, years after the incident itself.

Himaruya made characters based on several stereotypes of each country, how is that not offensive?

I've just never understood the concept of it's only hilarious until the Americans start making fun of it. :\

[hotaru13.livejournal.com]

You're very welcome ^_^ I just hope I didn't screw up somehow...

[miezen.livejournal.com]

I think I kind of love you for this. You hit the nail on the head with this. And honestly, I don't see any more need to discuss the dub controversy on this community anymore. Everything there is to say has been said, and people have already decided how they stand on it. Continuing to stir the pot with this will just end in pointless fighting and screaming that won't get anywhere.

And uh yeah, anyone trying to say the original isn't offensive needs to take a good hard look at France. Or hell, even the title! How is a title that means "useless Italy" not offensive?

[kurai-malik.livejournal.com]

You didn't mess up! The link works and you gave a good description of the talk.

[tea-for-you.livejournal.com]

To repeat things I've said elsewhere: there is a difference, to me, between a dumb series showing the Axis and the Allies beating each other with sticks, and a dumb series using the holocaust for throwaway jokes.

[reaperangelique.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[reaperangelique.livejournal.com]

I would have put this in hetalia_wank, myself, but no doubt it'll get there soon enough. *stays out of it*

[miezen.livejournal.com]

Congratulations. But where did I say that the dub and the original were equally offensive. The original IS offensive, whether you like it or not. The dub did make it worse, but uh. Those comments from both myself and I assume dilemina as well though I can't speak for her, were aimed at people who try to claim the original was all good clean fun with nothing wrong with it whatsoever. Which is not the case.

You're welcome to your opinion, but my point is that it's a waste of time to argue about this anymore. You and several others hate the dub. Myself and several others enjoy it. There are people who really don't care either way. None of us are going to change our minds at this point, no matter what arguments the other side uses.

[narwhal123.livejournal.com]

I completely agree with you. It's a freaking parody of World War II, how is it not going to be offensive? Thanks for saying this.

[pixelmicrocat.livejournal.com]

THIS.
I mean, of course there's a difference. How can anyone compare the Hetalia kind of humor with raw HOLOCAUST jokes? 0__0 I mean, this isn't about the level of offensivenes or whatever. I myself hardly find any of the dub's jokes offensive.

Since this is a subject that's been going on for so long, I started thinking about it for some time, and came up to the conclusion that this is not about the level of offensiveness, but rather about respect for the author and the fans.
Because whether I was already a fan of the series or not, I think I'd want to see the author's original work and humour, rather than some version made by a bunch of people. It's the same when you buy a book, of course you don't want to spend your money on a 'funnier' version by someone, you just want to read the thing! I'm sorry for my way of expressing myself, it is kind of difficult for me to write in English, but this is how I feel overall.

[dragononwing.livejournal.com]

"the controversy got so out of hand that they pulled it off tv and only put it back on until just recently, years after the incident itself."

They're putting it BACK on TV? You mean on Korean TV?

...Wow. I mean, that's a good step forward and everything, but wow.

[kurai-malik.livejournal.com]

They're putting back on Japanese TV.

Korea didn't want it aired on Japanese television because it was originally going to be on a kids' programming and thus teach Japanese children stereotypes of Korean people. They found Korea's character very offensive.

[juandalyn.livejournal.com]

Nah, it's some kind of announcement - we have all the Pash scans and stuff who feature Hetalia so I think this is okay, too.

But one thing you may hint at is right: Before the wank starts here, go over at the wank community.

[neuronautica.livejournal.com]

I don't know...after years of watching South Park, it takes quite a bit to offend me, now...

But let me say, just because it's no longer Japanese, that doesn't mean it's not funny or somehow overly scandalous; they're both pretty damn offensive. Poking sticks? Most of the time, the creator is denouncing big wars that cost millions of lives and turning it into a slapathon! Really, the dub is just more upfront.

But everyone has their own opinion. This is merely my own.

[seraphoftales.livejournal.com]

(http://www.sparklee.com)



Please post all your wanking here.

http://community.livejournal.com/hetalia_wank/12557.html

Please keep all wanking within the wank community at all times, buckle in, and enjoy your wank session. Thank you, :D

[kyoko215.livejournal.com]

I like both. For different reasons. Just like Sgt. Frog.

For Sgt. Frog, I watch the dub if I wanna laugh my ass off. I watch the sub if I want something a little softer and the characters taken a bit more seriously.

It's gonna be the same for me in reguards to Hetalia. I'm gonna laugh my ass off at the dub, and if I want to gush over the cute cute CUTE! of the sub, I'll switch over. But I love both versions, so I'm happy. *shrugs*

[saturndjinni.livejournal.com]

Yes this. PLEASE.

[hotaru13.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I'll be putting that link up in the main post, if you don't mind.

[kumikoala.livejournal.com]

THIS.

My thoughts exactly!!

[saturndjinni.livejournal.com]

And this here is the right attitude to have. <3 I agree 100%.

If you don't like one, ignore it and watch the other. Simple.

[koyuki-azumaya.livejournal.com]

I agree. Although I've never actually watched South Park, to me, the Hetalia dub isn't much worse than South Park. Not denouncing either one of them since I'm still buying Hetalia and I simply don't care for South Park, it's just that I don't understand why there are people making such a big deal over the dub.

[koyuki-azumaya.livejournal.com]

Dude, that is so my thoughts on it too! :D /HIGH FIVE!

For both Hetalia and Sgt. Frog.

[saturndjinni.livejournal.com]

You know what? I can't bring myself to care anymore. All this arguing over what people *SHOULD* be offended by is killing my enthusiasm over this whole fandom, seriously.

Right now the only thing that really bothers me anymore is people acting like the ENTIRE SHOW was re-written to be nothing but wall to wall all nazi jokes, all the time! when... it really wasn't. Hell, with how people have been blowing it out of proportion and giving the impression it's a complete 100% rewrite I was actually almost surprised by how much was kept as-is when I actually sat down and watched the dubbed episodes. :/

And I'm not going to let the small handful of things that weren't done right ruin my enjoyment of the many, many things that, IMO WERE done right.

And with that, I'm out of this whole argument.

[bokimu.livejournal.com]

Yes.

YESYESYES to this!!

Count me in.

[aurezai.livejournal.com]

Glad to know people who feel same the way~

[lovelycudy.livejournal.com]

I... uh... enjoy both the sub and the dub? In a different way?

+100

[solar-bittersun.livejournal.com]

Oh my God, THIS.

Ever since the dub clips started coming out, my love for the fandom has been diminishing. Every time I see a post concerning the dub, I start feeling cranky because I know of the wank and trolls waiting inside. Not to mention said wank making me feel like a total dick about loving the dub so much. It's kind of stressing me out.

This very well may be my last comment on this topic for a long time. :/

Re: +100

[saturndjinni.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately I can't seem to be able to REALLY tear myself away from this whole mess like I want to. *sob*

[arial-destiny.livejournal.com]

I love both, the dub's voice acting makes me laugh out loud, though I do think the "Jew" reference was kind of unnecessary, and well...it didn't really make that much sense either and wasn't funny. My biggest complaint about the dub is that the heavy accent + fast speech makes it seriously hard to understand what the characters are saying. =|

[colonel-alqui.livejournal.com]

Poor FUNimation, taking all this nonsense from bitchy 'fans'.

It's all good, everyone, I promise you that the world isn't going to end because a few script changes were made. If Hetalia doesn't offend you at some point, then it's not doing its job. Like with SoutPark/Borat/Bruno. It's crude humor.

Rock on, English dub. And keep up those fantastic, sexy accents.

[wickedlady101.livejournal.com]

This actually made me like the dub again! Which is good cause I was one of those who always loved the DUB <3...and really ...epoiside 13...with England's spell...makes up for everything!

[hystree.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the link! I'm really glad someone brought this up with them and got an answer (even if the answer is kinda...)

meh~ I still equal parts like and dislike it. If I want to watch Hetalia I'll watch the sub, if I want to make fun of Hetalia or listen to Spain's sexy voice I'll watch the dub.

[qualapec.livejournal.com]

Himaruya made characters based on several stereotypes of each country, how is that not offensive?

I'm just going to direct you to my meta on the subject. This pretty much sums up why I don't think that, just because the characters were created from stereotypes and famous actions throughout history, they are not in fact inherently racist.

http://community.livejournal.com/hetalia_wank/7970.html

I've just never understood the concept of it's only hilarious until the Americans start making fun of it. :\

I talk about this in my meta, too.

For me, it's the way they went about it, and I think that, yes, that has to do with the fact that it's an American perspective. Here, when stereotyping, the goal is to make fun of only bad characteristics. The reason this is such a shock to Hetalia fans is that Himaruya and the Japanese staff have always made it obvious that the characters are, essentially, good people who happen to represent their country. Each character is given good AND bad qualities, just like good characters are supposed to have. It's "offensive" in the dub because they have applied the American rule of stereotyping to the series, in which good aspects of characters must be denied.

A prime example from the dub is when Italy is propositioning an alliance to Germany. In the sub, he talks about them having a very even relationship- when I get into trouble, you can come save me, and when you're in a tight spot, I'll pull you out of it. He has heart, he tries. In the dub, it's entirely one-sided. Basically, they removed anything that gave the characters, independent of their creation, depth. That's why people are upset, and I think that it does have to do with the way the American team looked at it.

[lanie100.livejournal.com]

I love you.

[li-vox-il.livejournal.com]

It was rated M for a reason...

how could they not expect those sorts of jokes?
I don't mind them but I know (few) people who take it seriously.

[rosewolfie.livejournal.com]

Alright... This was very enlightening... O.K. The dub is getting a bit less...well, yeah.... Do I still completely agree? No way. Am I able to move on and overlook pieces? Yes, especially since hearing this.

[kuzai.livejournal.com]

Why can't people just look at themselves and laugh eh? I don't find it offensive at all I just look at it like poking fun at stereotypes of each others countries and just getting a good laugh out of it.

For Example: I'm from Canada and Hetalia made fun of Canada being a maple syrup loving kind hearted peaceful cute grown man holding a teddy bear an I even laughed when America slapped his flag on his forehead. People take things to seriously and need to just enjoy things and look at it in a funny way...Well dat's my opinion

[pip-kin.livejournal.com]

These were exactly my thoughts on the subject. I don't think it's a thing to deny that Hetalia is offending in its nature, but the original version provides both good and bad sides of all characters, and that provides us with the sensation that some things might be offensive, but then after Germany has whacked Italy over the head and told him he's useless, he comes to his rescue because in the end they're friends. That shows both good and bad, and the characters clearly express that in their words and mannerisms.

I think, that when such things are taken out of context in favor of a more direct approach to the aspect of "fun", it simply becomes offensive.