Pokemon Origins (October 2013)

[Zaysho]

(Note: I'm not putting spoiler tags because if you've played the original games or their remakes, you know exactly what happened.)

 

Watched the first three episodes, looking forward to the fourth. Though I feel like the short format causes it suffer a bit. Episode 1 was fine, but then you start to realize how crammed everything is. Though, it's for the best. We really don't need every Gym Leader hammering away the same basic ideal for several episodes that Brock covered in the first. The compression isn't without its problems, but hey, it works.

 

I will say one thing I do and don't like at the same time is that it's closer to the games... but then it literally just follows the plot of the games by the letter and doesn't seem to offer anything particularly new or interesting. It's dull, and the compression also causes certain things to feel a little rushed, such as Giovanni disbanding Team Rocket immediately after Red refuses to take the Earth Badge from him. Sure, that's more or less how things went down in the games, but it's just so abrupt. Even odder is that Pokémon appear to lack their abilities (for example, Red's Jolteon got beaten by a Thunderbolt--which is complete bullshit in this day and age).

 

I'm impressed TPCI got a California-based voice cast, and it's actually pretty cool hearing union actors on a Pokémon production, especially since New York actors (and the occasional, rare appearance of FUNimation actors like J. Michael Tatum) have been the norm for... good lord, has it been 15 years? Damn I AM old. Too bad the the TV series or even the movies won't ever get that sort of treatment (they're likely non-union productions, like the vast majority of anime dubs), but it's still nice.

 

The localization is quite good. I saw a subbed version of the first episode about a month ago, and was surprised to see that the subs were pretty accurate, based on the fact that the English dub is practically the same. I kinda laughed how they dug themselves into a hole by referring to Green as Blue though. Yeah, that is what he was called in the US because we got the Blue version instead of the Green... but it just makes the exchange between Prof. Oak and Green even odder when he chooses his first Pokémon. Oak originally asked Green if he was going to choose Bulbasaur because his name is Green, just as Red chose Charmander because of his name. Green says he wouldn't choose his partner based on that, and decided to choose Squirtle because Red chose Charmander. In the dub, Oak asks "Blue" if he'd choose Squirtle because his name is Blue, and Blue says the same thing, but then chooses Squirtle anyway. I suppose the intent is the same, it's just funny to me knowing that. Not to mention the guy is sporting a green shirt the whole time.

 

All in all, it's not too bad. Be interesting if there was a continuation of this type of series with Gold/Silver to run alongside the main TV series, especially to see Red's and Green's growth three years later, but I'm guessing this was a one-time thing.

Edited November 21, 2013 by Zaysho

[Chaos Rush]

post

They really can't call him Green in English though, not after this:

Believe me, I agree that his name being Blue because of a some localization decision made over 15 years ago is really dumb, but the fact of the matter is, they don't care about the fact that his name is a color and such, all they know is that the Green character's localized English name in their localization database is listed as Blue, and they're going to continue calling him Blue for every time he makes a non-nameable appearance. His "true" name might be Green, but his official localized name in Nintendo/Game Freak's database is Blue.

[Tails spin]

 

 

I will say one thing I do and don't like at the same time is that it's closer to the games... but then it literally just follows the plot of the games by the letter and doesn't seem to offer anything particularly new or interesting. It's dull, and the compression also causes certain things to feel a little rushed, such as Giovanni disbanding Team Rocket immediately after Red refuses to take the Earth Badge from him. Sure, that's more or less how things went down in the games, but it's just so abrupt. Even odder is that Pokémon appear to lack their abilities (for example, Red's Jolteon got beaten by a Thunderbolt--which is complete bullshit in this day and age).

 

You will see that by the end of the 4th episode this will not follow that games to a T

[BlueTidalGamer]

Well having watched the last episode of the dub, time to give my final thoughts of the dub as a whole.

This is easily the best English dub in any Pokemon anime production. The actors do a grand job making each character sound natural. I’m really liked Bryce Papenbrook’s performance as Red who was hands down my favorite member of the voice cast along with Johnny Yong Bosch as Brock. I actually like his version of Red more than the Japanese voice. I’m also really pleased that nothing was removed or edited out. Even the dialogue is really accurate to the original Japanese script so thumbs up go to the dubbing team. The dub is completely uncut by the way so yay.

My only real nitpicks with the dub is when they altered Charmander and Marowack’s screams. I understand why this was done but it felt a lot better in Japanese. Also some of the redubbed Pokémon cries weren't as cool as the Jap ones.

If you’ve seen the Japanese version then you might like the dub just as much. I can say that it doesn’t matter wither you watch it in Jap or the dub. The dub is really well done so I can’t really deside which version I prefer. Both have their own strengths so it’s really up to you.

Now where’s my Pokemon Origins Blu Ray with both English & Japanese versions included?

Edited November 22, 2013 by BlueTidalGamer

[Zaysho]

They really can't call him Green in English though, not after this:

[image snip]

Believe me, I agree that his name being Blue because of a some localization decision made over 15 years ago is really dumb, but the fact of the matter is, they don't care about the fact that his name is a color and such, all they know is that the Green character's localized English name in their localization database is listed as Blue, and they're going to continue calling him Blue for every time he makes a non-nameable appearance. His "true" name might be Green, but his official localized name in Nintendo/Game Freak's database is Blue.

 

Yeah, I understand the logic behind it, I just think it's silly. And it just makes his conversation with Prof. Oak in the first episode odd. "Will you choose Squirtle because your name is Blue?" "No, I wouldn't pick my Pokémon for such a stupid reason!" *proceeds to pick Squirtle* I will say the intent is largely the same, since Blue basically picked Squirtle to spite Red, it just makes that bit of dialogue awkward to me knowing what the original line is. I'd rather they kept his name Green, but it's certainly not a deal breaker. I'm actually surprised they never "fixed" the name when the GBA remakes came out, since Nintendo stuck with "LeafGreen" for all regions instead of changing it to "WaterBlue" or something for Western territories. They could've retconned his name to "Green" and had that carry over into the Gold/Silver remakes and beyond, but they just didn't. Again, not a big deal, I just think the whole thing is silly.

 

You will see that by the end of the 4th episode this will not follow that games to a T

 

Yeah, I think I've heard a couple things, but I've tried to avoid spoilers. I'll see how things play out.

 

Now where’s my Pokemon Origins Blu Ray with both English & Japanese versions included?

 

Oh man, I've been dying for a proper bilingual release of a Pokémon production in the US for years. Honestly, TPCI has little reason not to do it with the current movies at least, and there's no reason for Origins to not get this kind of release right now (especially since it's unedited and much closer to the original source than any Pokémon dub before it). And really? Charmander's and Marowak's screams were changed? I know Marowak was dubbed with an English voice, because she speaks a couple lines of dialogue, but I wasn't aware there were other changes.

Edited November 22, 2013 by Zaysho

[BlueTidalGamer]

Charmander's and Marowak's screams were changed? I know Marowak was dubbed with an English voice, because she speaks a couple lines of dialogue, but I wasn't aware there were other changes.

The scream of Charmander is much tamer and shorter. Marowack's sounds like it's getting hit multiple times.

Edited November 22, 2013 by BlueTidalGamer

[Zaysho]

The scream of Charmander is much tamer and shorter. Marowack's sounds like it's getting hit multiple times.

 

I see. I've only seen the first episode in both languages, but didn't notice any differences at all in the English version. I might give it another look.

[BlueTidalGamer]

I see. I've only seen the first episode in both languages, but didn't notice any differences at all in the English version. I might give it another look.

Charmander's scream comparison

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GiDbjGmVNM

[Zaysho]

Ah, I hear it now. Yeah, I think the Japanese version shows how much pain Charmander is in, the English sounds like he's struggling to get Squirtle off of him. Either version works for me, honestly, but I can see the edge going to the Japanese version.

[Spin Attaxx]

Seen it, it feels exactly like what the regular animé should've been like, especially in the voice and anmation department. I love the build-up to Mewtwo's appearance, especially with how they treat it like a malicious being who you do not fuck with ever, as well as what I think is actually the first time any official Pokémon medium explicitly suggested Dr. and Mr. Fuji were the same guy.

 

I've heard X/Y have Origins's animation style, but I'm still not fully back into the series. After all, BW changed the quo a bit at first, but by the end (and M16)... you know what they say, fool me once...

[Eternal EX]

Well having watched the last episode of the dub, time to give my final thoughts of the dub as a whole.

This is easily the best English dub in any Pokemon anime production. The actors do a grand job making each character sound natural. I’m really liked Bryce Papenbrook’s performance as Red who was hands down my favorite member of the voice cast along with Johnny Yong Bosch as Brock. I actually like his version of Red more than the Japanese voice. I’m also really pleased that nothing was removed or edited out. Even the dialogue is really accurate to the original Japanese script so thumbs up go to the dubbing team. The dub is completely uncut by the way so yay.

My only real nitpicks with the dub is when they altered Charmander and Marowack’s screams. I understand why this was done but it felt a lot better in Japanese. Also some of the redubbed Pokémon cries weren't as cool as the Jap ones.

If you’ve seen the Japanese version then you might like the dub just as much. I can say that it doesn’t matter wither you watch it in Jap or the dub. The dub is really well done so I can’t really deside which version I prefer. Both have their own strengths so it’s really up to you.

Now where’s my Pokemon Origins Blu Ray with both English & Japanese versions included?

 

 

With that said, the only real nitpick I have with the Dub version was the squirtle vs charmander battle. In the Sub version, you could at least tell that charmander was in true pain when he was bit. Yeah the scream was......pretty bad for a kids show/anime, but it's nothing compared to....say suicide or self sacrifice. (Season 1 of LOK). In a way, it's good and bad that they removed it in the Dub. But just like the SUB version, nothing hyped me more when Charizard X punch the shit out of Mewtwo. That was by far the best thing to ever come out of the anime. Besides the black power ranger voicing Brock. I mean seriously. That was too much win for a PR and Pokemon (brock) fan.

 

All in all. Both versions were amazing. And the only reason I would prefer the sub version this time was because of the emotional tole it put me through. The dub did a good job of trying, but nothing in the pokemon anime will beat charmander's scream. That was truly gruesome in so many good and bad ways.