Clannad to be sub-only

[TriezGamer]

... Subject basically says it all. Clannad will be released in two half-season sets (first one on March 3rd), sub-only, at $40 MSRP.

... I honestly can say this is incredibly upsetting to me after seeing how ADV did an amazing job with both Air and Kanon.

[KhakiBlueSocks]

[font="Trebuchet MS"][SIZE="4"][color="RoyalBlue"]I've read a bit about this series, and I must say, the storyline intrigues me. It's very deep and rich. I see three possibilities as to why they decided to go sub-only:

1. They couldn't find anyone to do justice to the characters as the original Japanese actors did.

2. They decided that an english dub would distract viewers and take away from the original richness that the Japanese version did (Instead of wondering what's happening to "Character A" or "Character B", we're more concerned with (Dang, "Vic sounds like he has a cold" or "How could Johnny Young Bosch take a role like that?!")

3. Budgetary reasons--they spent a crapload of money getting the series, that hiring and paying an english cast would prove too expensive.[/color][/SIZE][/font]

[Radical Dreamer]

3. Budgetary reasons--they spent a crapload of money getting the series, that hiring and paying an english cast would prove too expensive.

Considering the recent economic crisis, I'm betting on #3. XD As long as people keep complaining about dubs like they tend to do, though, I see this happening with a lot of the more "under the radar" series that get licensed. If it appeals to a more niche audience, it's a smart move for the companies to forego the costs of dubbing, instead of dealing with the rabid loyal fanbase.

[KhakiBlueSocks]

Considering the recent economic crisis, I'm betting on #3. XD As long as people keep complaining about dubs like they tend to do, though, I see this happening with a lot of the more "under the radar" series that get licensed. If it appeals to a more niche audience, it's a smart move for the companies to forego the costs of dubbing, instead of dealing with the rabid loyal fanbase.

Exactly. They're probably thinking "Why spend XYZ thousands of dollars on a massive dub project when we can just add subtitles and call it a day?" While it would be nice to think that the production company didn't do an english dub for artistic purposes, we have to face the harsh reality that it may have been motivated by money.

[blkmage]

You know, I'm considering buying these now. Of course, that's dependent on how After Story turns out and whether or not they do the same thing for After Story.

[minakichan]

Considering the recent economic crisis, I'm betting on #3. XD As long as people keep complaining about dubs like they tend to do, though, I see this happening with a lot of the more "under the radar" series that get licensed. If it appeals to a more niche audience, it's a smart move for the companies to forego the costs of dubbing, instead of dealing with the rabid loyal fanbase.

I only partially agree. Sub-only releases predate the economic crisis. Clannad is the kind of bishoujo anime that only appeals to certain people, just like a lot of the yuri titles that also get sub-only releases. I'd go more for "it's a niche audience" than "we're in an economic crisis."

But it's definitely not an artistic thing. No one cares abou that =3 And come on, it's freaking Clannad, moe fodder for erogamers everywhere. I just went to a maid cafe yesterday and they had a Clannad set meal XD

[TriezGamer]

Eh, I'm thinking it's a financial issue. If it was an issue of being a niche title, Air and Kanon probably wouldn't have been dubbed either. Air and Kanon seem to have sold at least decently, and both had amazing dubs.

As far as I can tell, ADV's in deep, financially. The amount of licenses they have right now is remote, and Clannad is probably the most popular one they have.

[KhakiBlueSocks]

Eh, I'm thinking it's a financial issue. If it was an issue of being a niche title, Air and Kanon probably wouldn't have been dubbed either. Air and Kanon seem to have sold at least decently, and both had amazing dubs.

Yep. When ADV got the license for "Air" and "Kanon" they probably didn't think twice about getting a dub cast. Now that we're in a recession and money is tight, you'll find a lot more anime companies (not just ADV) will think twice before shelling out XYZ ammount of dollars for a dub.

[blkmage]

I don't see this as a consequence of the recession. I was under the impression that even before the recession, a number of R1 companies were doing fairly badly. In this new format, the price is essentially halved, and suddenly much more affordable. Personally, I think price is a far more common complaint than dubs. Considering that the desire for dubs is about as strong as the indifference or hate for them, I think they've solved two problems at once.

[MasterDias]

Clannad is a niche title, but it is one of the most high-profile of the niche titles.
The economy aside, I believe ADV's choice surprised a lot of people anyway.

Also, the indications a few months ago were that ADV was going to dub Clannad and was starting to hold auditions. I'm somewhat concerned about their in-house studio. Production facilities without anything to do aren't going to exist for very long.

[minakichan]

No seriously, the other titles that get sub-only releases are like, what, Strawberry Panic, Simoun, Sukisho, True Tears...? Clannad SO fits in with these. I mean, it's bigger in Japan, but eroge anime generally is.

[TriezGamer]

Except that Clannad has about as much exposure as all of those titles combined. It's part of a genre that tends toward being in a niche, but it goes beyond that as well. I'd also point out that being based on an eroge is nothing new, and tons of shows with that basis are dubbed. Tsukihime, Fate/Stay Night, and Rumbling Hearts, to name a few off the top of my head.

[blkmage]

Yeah, I'd say that Clannad is bigger than Kanon. I believe it's Key's most popular game. And technically Clannad isn't an eroge. But I also wonder whether they considered the fact that Clannad, together with After Story, is really 48 episodes, since After Story is considered the real story of Clannad.

And dang, how did True Tears get licensed so quickly? I didn't think it was that impressive.

[Roy Mustang]

ADV had previously announced that it would release both series in single-volume 4-5 episode discs in both English-dubbed and subtitled versions and now they are have change it.

This is due to the financial issue that ADV is facing and now with the recession, its not helping. But I do wounder if Sentai Filmworks may have force ADV to go a head and release it with the sub only as part of their deal.

[font="Book Antiqua"]
[color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

[ShiroiHikari]

So it's sub-only. What's the big deal about that? XD Frankly I wish more companies would do sub-only-- maybe it'd help keep their costs down so they could pass the savings on to us.

[Roy Mustang]

So it's sub-only. What's the big deal about that? XD Frankly I wish more companies would do sub-only-- maybe it'd help keep their costs down so they could pass the savings on to us.

There are a few problems with just a sub only release at times. You have to think about who you are going after. In some cases, they want newer views to see it and in most cases, most will not sit down and want to read.

Also, you have people that have eye problems that just can't keep up with words and a dub is very helpful as they can hear it.

The only time that I see a sub only release works is a niche title. Now Clannad is a bit of a niche title but so was Air and Kanon and they dub it.

When it comes down it, they may save on dub, but you may lose about 1/3 of the people that you are trying to market after. Believe me, there is more people that do watch dub then they are letting on, other then your die hard fans. When you think about it, the anime market will not make it alone just with die hard fans.

The other factor is, ADV has in house studio and so the cost to dub it would be much lower then it would, if they went and had contract with a dubbing company.

In this case, it makes you wonder what is going to happen to the people that work on the dubs there?

I mostly like to have a sub and dub on the release, so the you have a choose on what format, you want to read or see.

There have been some subs that I have had a hard problem reading, because the text is screwy.

[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

[TriezGamer]

Also, you have people that have eye problems that just can't keep up with words and a dub is very helpful as they can hear it.

While I have no problems personally with subtitles, I really enjoy dubs too. Some of my friends cannot keep up with subtitles because they are very slow readers. Try watching something with a friend who constantly asks you to either rewind or pause because they can't keep up with the text, and gets **** if you don't. It's not very fun.

Dubs solve that problem.

I'm also a bit sensitive about it because a good friend of mine has a girlfriend with a degenerative optical condition and cannot see very well. To her, even watching anime on a nearly-theater-sized projection screen and sitting quite close isn't enough. She simply cannot read at any pace that's watchable. We watch on a theater sized screen just so she can see what's going on.

And Air and Kanon were two of her most favorite shows. She's extremely upset with ADV's decision not to dub Clannad.

[blkmage]

They'll lose the people that absolutely must have dubs. But they'll be offering their product at a substantially lower price and I imagine that will attract more people to it. I think price is a much higher barrier than having to learn to read subs.

[ShiroiHikari]

For me personally, price is a huge barrier.

Anyway, just like everything else, no matter what these companies do, someone's going to be unhappy, so I figure they could at least cut their costs a little.

[KhakiBlueSocks]

For me personally, price is a huge barrier.

Ditto. Besides, I've been watching the dubs with the subtitles on screen for as long as I've been watching anime on DVD. I know I'm weird, but that's just the way I like to do things!

[Heronwing]

I personally think that new voices wouldn't do the characters justice, especially for Nagisa and Fuko's voices. It wouldn't sound right.

[jjmabe]

I personally think that new voices wouldn't do the characters justice, especially for Nagisa and Fuko's voices. It wouldn't sound right.

I agree with that. the original voices tend to sound better.

[Falx]

Uuuh...

You realize this is almost 2 years old?

[TWWK]

Yay, resurrected Clannad thread! Ha! Before this gets...something or another'd by admins, I'll put in my two cents.

The new dub sounded strange to me...but the more I listened to it, the more I liked it. Still, I thought the original voicework was terrific. And I'm one who often prefers the dubs to subs.

[battletech]

[2. They decided that an english dub would distract viewers and take away from the original richness that the Japanese version did (Instead of wondering what's happening to "Character A" or "Character B", we're more concerned with (Dang, "Vic sounds like he has a cold" or "How could Johnny Young Bosch take a role like that?!")

3. Budgetary reasons--they spent a crapload of money getting the series, that hiring and paying an english cast would prove too expensive.[/color][/SIZE][/font][/QUOTE]


It has to be the 3rd reason. I'm watching the dub on Netflix and it sounds like it is dubbed very nicely. I guess they could have been concerned that they could not get the same actors. That the actors could not sound like they did when they first dubbed it.

[Tsukuyomi]

I don't see any reason why we can't continue discussion here ^^ It's already here and there's people willing to discuss it ^^

I've recently seen Clannad and I thought the voice acting wasn't as bad as others may have said ^^ Perhaps, it was a bit choppy (?) towards the beginning, but smoothed out (?) later on.

I'm looking forward to seeing (I should really say hearing lol) if they choose the same voice actors ^^

Hmmm, Clannad was dubbed after all, so perhaps this thread can be used as a discussion thread for Clannad overall ^^? The title can always be changed if everyone does agree on making this the Clannad Discussion Thread ^^

One condition though. Not everyone has seen Clannad, so anything close to even being spoilerific be put in spoiler tags ^__^

[TWWK]

If this is a general discussion about Clannad now, I'd like to direct everyone to my entry in the "Diary of an Anime Lived" series...

The Selfish/Selfless Daddy

There are definitely a lot of spoilers from Clannad and Clannad: After Story in the post, so beware!

[blkmage]

Man, and here I was writing up an extensive OP for a new Clannad thread.

Welp, time to throw all that out I guess.

(ノ ￣へ￣)ノ彡┻━┻

[MightiMidget]

I liked the dub of Clannad. My only initial issue was David Mattranga (Tomoya) and Greg Ayres (Sunohara) playing characters that have a very similiar relationship to their characters in Saiyuki. Having b-rated spoofage character association with Clannad at first was a bit...weird.

[Atria35]

You know, I have yet to watch this show. I think I should now.

I'm just worried that since I've watched the movie, I'm not going to enjoy it as much.