Anime Accents

[jwinges]

Anybody notice that whenever a character is supposed to be from a rural part of Japan that ADV,Funimation, Manga, Pioneer, you name them...always pick a voice actor/actress with the most annoying southern accent they can find. Stuff like Love Hina, Somedays dreamers, the accents are awful. Why couldn't they be a little more subtle and have a midwest accent or something. Instead they use somebody sounding like big tom from survivor.

Most of the time I can deal with it but lately I hear this southern accent and just want to immediately change the audio track to japanese and turn on the subtitles.

Southern accents should be banned from anime!

Edited May 13, 2004 by jwinges

[Agent ONE]

I assume you are speaking of the dubbed releases, buecause if you can pick out a Southern Japanese accent, you are either Japanese and your problems are within your own culture so WE can't relate, or you watch WAY too much anime.

[JELEINEN]

The southern drawl is just bad in general. Thankfully, due to television, it's dying out. I blame country music for helping it hang on as long as it has.

[GobotFool]

Well, at least in Kenshin, to the best of my knowledge, the people they give southern accents to are supposed to be people from the south of Japan, who actually have their own distinct regional accent methinks. still, I agree it does seem awefully out of place to hear Japanese charactors speak with a southern drawl, but other than that I really have nothing against it.

Edited May 13, 2004 by GobotFool

[Isamu Atreides 86]

The southern drawl is just bad in general. Thankfully, due to television, it's dying out. I blame country music for helping it hang on as long as it has.

THE SOUTH WILL RISE AGAIN!! YEE HAAA!!!

[ewilen]

Generally, I agree that it's a bad idea to try to use an extreme regional accented form of English to represent a regional dialect of another language. The accents in English just have too much "baggage" attached resulting an a bizarre effect.

It's not restricted to anime, by the way. Translations of ancient Greek plays often use Southern English, or even Scottish, to represent the "rustic" sound of the Spartans' Doric dialect vis a vis the urbane Athenians' Attic. The effect is pretty ridiculous.

Then again, getting back to anime, I rarely like dubs. Lesseee, FLCL, Lupin III, Reign...and that's about it.

[GobotFool]

Generally, I agree that it's a bad idea to try to use an extreme regional accented form of English to represent a regional dialect of another language. The accents in English just have too much "baggage" attached resulting an a bizarre effect.

It's not restricted to anime, by the way. Translations of ancient Greek plays often use Southern English, or even Scottish, to represent the "rustic" sound of the Spartans' Doric dialect vis a vis the urbane Athenians' Attic. The effect is pretty ridiculous.

Then again, getting back to anime, I rarely like dubs. Lesseee, FLCL, Lupin III, Reign...and that's about it.

Subs only! Dubed anime should be wiped from the face of the earth!

[Mechamaniac]

Southern accents should be banned from anime!

Yes...

Southern accents should be banned.......everywhere.

[bsu legato]

What about your stereotypical Boston, or New Yawk accents? They both make my ears bleed. Can we do something about this soon? And while we're at it, what about those North Dakotan accents, what with their "Okey-dokey" and their "Dontcha know?"

Edited May 14, 2004 by bsu legato

[David Hingtgen]

About the *only* good thing about Iowa is its lack of accent. Our news reporters and radio DJ's etc are in high demand due to the lack of a noticeable accent. We lose a lot of our local news reporters to major cities like Seattle, Phoenix, etc.

Note: rural Iowans have an accent, and we mock them 24/7. It's amazing that someone can grow up 20 miles away from you, and talk completely differently. Iowa doesn't have a west/east split or anything, it's urban/rural, regardless of geographical location. Of course, we mock Minnesotans too.

[the white drew carey]

I think the southern accents, as well as any wildly outrageous accent, used in dubbed anime is simply a by-product of the American idea that all animation is "cartoons" and therefore should be as off the wall as possible.

Luckily- nowadays you mostly only find this in the stuff that's played on TV. Since I prefer some of the more serious anime (which, to my benefit, is usually anime that's taken seriously), I don't really have the annoying vocal inflections that seem to plague most anime translated for TV broadcast.

[Skull Leader]

*steps on to his soap box*

Ordinarily I would let something like this slide, but it's gone a little too far. I am from Arkansas (let the jeering begin) and yes, despite the fact that I am an "educated man" (recently a college graduate no less!), I no doubt speak with a southern accent. In fact, it is most prominent when I am either angry or otherwise distracted.

So often these days, everyone equates someone with a "southern" accent as someone less-than-intelligent. It is seen as by far the least desirable accent to be blessed/cursed with. Not everyone here in the south (for some reason, despite the fact that it is geographically MORE southern than us, Texas never seems to get ribbed about it) is an ignorant-backwater-rednecked-white trash-hick-republican. That is all we are ever portrayed as.

And for the record, someone speaking with a new-england accent or a west coast LACK of accent sounds every bit as strange to us. In a few rare instances, it's almost as strange as someone speaking english as a second language to us.

I am quite proud of my accent and I appreciate each and every one of you (I won't single out names, they should be able to figure it out) for telling me I should be rid of it. It really makes me feel good. You don't see me knocking new-englanders or people from the west-coast about the way they talk. If hearing it in anime bothers you so damn bad, watch the F-ing sub then and shut up.

And if you must blame someone (despite the fact that it would make the person in question look like a TOTAL ass), blame the southern regions of England, because that is where it developed from.

Edited May 14, 2004 by Skull Leader

[Nilrem]

I'm unsure of this one, as someone who watches anime about half dubbed, half subbed (it depends on my mood, and what the anime is).

on the one hand an accent can let you know straight away the character is from a different area to the rest of the cast, but on the other hand, as already mentioned most english language accents carry too much baggage for it to work particulary well when the accent is really pushed.

It's especially true when the anime in question is very strongly set in Japan and you've got the clash of the strongly Japanese background and an equally strong accent that is bringing up mental images of a southern lady (or scruffy lad with a funny brush).

It's something that i think has to be handled very carefully (like everything in a dub;)), as when done well it can really work, but when done badly it can really reduce the overall enjoyment of the listener.

One example of what i consider to be a really badly done accent is Koalla Su from Love Hina, at least for the first disk or so (i beleive in that case it was the Japanese production company that wanted it that strong at first).

It might have worked if the accent had been played a bit more softly rather than so full on.

An example of what i'd consider a good use of accents in anime would have to be the various British accents in Hellsing, they actually managed to get english sounding VA's who didn't over do it.

It's one of the times i've actually been really suprised at how well a dub turned out, mainly because i'm from the U.K. and so used to American films and TV using the stereotypical 19th century cockney barrow boy or chimney sweep for most english accents.

It was a pleasant suprise, and the main reason i tend to watch hellsing dubbed most of the time

Having said all that, i can't really distinguish between most american accents very well unless they are pretty strong, or i'm listening carefully for a while, something which probably blunts my ire at the use of american accents in dubs a bit.

I've been told this is true of Americans when it comes to British accents, which probably explains the reason most US TV tends to only use what are nearly the extremes of British accents most of the time.

Anyway i guess i should be off to bed, it's nearly 3am

[JELEINEN]

About the *only* good thing about Iowa is its lack of accent. Our news reporters and radio DJ's etc are in high demand due to the lack of a noticeable accent. We lose a lot of our local news reporters to major cities like Seattle, Phoenix, etc.

Note: rural Iowans have an accent, and we mock them 24/7. It's amazing that someone can grow up 20 miles away from you, and talk completely differently. Iowa doesn't have a west/east split or anything, it's urban/rural, regardless of geographical location. Of course, we mock Minnesotans too.

You should move to western Iowa. Rural and urban people here both lack accents and it's an all around better place than the eastern part.

[JELEINEN]

And if you must blame someone (despite the fact that it would make the person in question look like a TOTAL ass), blame the southern regions of England, because that is where it developed from.

It depends. In some places and among some groups, the accent is a result of hanging on to the English accent longer, as you say. But for the most part, the southern drawl descended from the accent of the Scotts Irish.

[jwinges]

Damn Iowa'ns...always causing trouble for us Minnesotans.

Seriously, I watch more dubs than subs since my Wife and I already read too much at work. I wish my eyes could take watching subs more but it gives me a headache sometimes and I also feel that I'm missing the finer points of the animes art. I actually Liked Koala Su in Love Hina...I didn't like the one with short hair that spent all her money on booze.

As far as accents around the country the worst for me are

Philly (I feel like people are trying to pick a fight with me)

Missouri/Arkansas makes my ears bleed

North Dokota cause people from Phoenix equate Minnesota with Fargo which used a ND accent,

Here's my rundown.

Best use of accent

1. Hellsing (great british)

2. Love Hina's Koala Su (can't really place it geographically but I liked it)

3. Bubblegun crisis 2040 (southern but not over the top)

4. Azumanga Diaoh's Osaka (perfect accent for the spaced out kid)

Worst use of accent

1. Witch hunter robin (horrible british)

2. Love Hina's Kitsune (god its horrible)

3. Someday's dreamers (when she talks on the phone with her mom and reverts to her southern accent

4. Noir (poor accents everywhere)

Also I do watch a ton of anime and can actually pick out a Japanese country/ southern accent as was in Love hina and some of the Ghibli films.

Edited May 14, 2004 by jwinges

[Opus]

I'm a Virginian and like all Virginians I'm proud of my gooberfied Commonwealth (not a state). That being said, I hate southern accents on TV(except for Foghorn Leghorn, that guy rules.). The accents are usually exaggerated by non-southern actors to make the characters seem stupid which perpetuates the dumb redneck stereotype.

To me most anime voice actors sound Canadian. Wierd,eh?

[JsARCLIGHT]

I think the dubbers are just doing what normal TV people do: oversimplifying the show for americans so slower witted people can grasp it. Typical TV logic: the character is "southern" japanese so ergo they must be like southern americans so we must give them a southern accent so american viewers will identify with the difference between southern and northern. Pure Genius. I'm always amazed at how much anime dubbers always try to "americanize" the subject matter they are translating believing that somehow a super mainstream American Idol watching hayseed is going to be viewing it and have such a hard time understanding the subtleties of japanese culture. They still miss the point that most of the people watching anime still to this day know it's anime, know it's from japan, know it's translated and know that massive changes are being made.

Anyway on the accent thing when I went to college in Chicago I had a southwestern accent and people thought I was from california. I was not there long enough to pick up the Chi-caa-go accent but when I was in Europe they had me pegged for what I was: American. When I got back and lived in Texas for a while they called me a Yankee because I had no drawl. Now that I'm in Missourah were everyone drives an Arnge Fard Tarus on Highway Farty Far in their Sharts I'm still out of place.

[David Hingtgen]

That'd be because a huge number of dubs are done in Canada with Canadian actors.

PS--I must say the only time I've spent in Western Iowa is when driving through it to Omaha. Don't know what the "local language" is. I'm from Des Moines, now in Iowa City. Parents from NE Iowa. BTW---how often is "warsh" encountered over there? I can't think of any other instance where there's but a single word that instantly differentiates where you're from.

PPS--Chicago has a very subtle accent. It's one of those "you can only hear it if they're doing it on purpose to prove it exists". Unless it's the word "Chicago" itself, where it's rather obvious. But far most other words, very hard to pick up. Didn't hear it at all much until college, since we get a lot of people from there.

PPPS--that reminds me---"oinge" (orange). No idea where this is from, I've only encountered it with like 3 people, but all Iowans, who don't say "warsh".

Edited May 14, 2004 by David Hingtgen

[JsARCLIGHT]

PPS--Chicago has a *very* subtle accent, compared to most of Nebraska/Iowa/Illinois. It's one of those "you can only hear it if they're doing it on purpose to prove it exists".

If you've lived in Chitown for more than a year you can tell what parts of the city people are from just based on their subtle accents... kind of like Europe just sans the whimsy. Most big cities are like that. But in today's modern world were travel and (most of all) nation wide "single accent" television and entertainment prevail many areas are slowly losing their accents. When I was in N'yark (New York) in the '90s for my shipout to Europe you could hear the thick accents everywhere. Last time I was there they seemed to be in lesser number. Same with Atlanta... last time I was in Atlanta on business I only met one man, one single man, who had a drawl. Everyone else spoke propper whitey english like they were on a detergent ad or something.

[Panon]

I'm always amazed at how much anime dubbers always try to "americanize" the subject matter they are translating believing that somehow a super mainstream American Idol watching hayseed is going to be viewing it and have such a hard time understanding the subtleties of japanese culture.

Amazing, that they would make their product more suitable for it's target audience.

It's as if they want it to be successful. Sheer madness!

They still miss the point that most of the people watching anime still to this day know it's anime, know it's from japan, know it's translated and know that massive changes are being made.

You could not be more wrong.

[David Hingtgen]

I was last in Atlanta in '96. Only in and around the airport (though a 36 hour layoever), but heard drawls everywhere. 2004's notably different? Wow.

(I agree with the whole "TV influence" thing---eventually everyone will dress and talk the same, and listen to the same music, etc)

[Sundown]

PPS--Chicago has a *very* subtle accent, compared to most of Nebraska/Iowa/Illinois. It's one of those "you can only hear it if they're doing it on purpose to prove it exists". Unless it's the word "Chicago" itself, where it's rather obvious. But far most other words, very hard to pick up. Didn't hear it at all much until college, since we get a lot of people from there.

"Chicaahgo." "Baahx. (Box)" "Saahx. (Socks)"

We like giving our Chicago-grown friends a hard time about that. =D

-Al

[JsARCLIGHT]

Accents are also all about your own personal ear. Some people are tuned to hear them and others are not. Hence why people with a certain accent cannot "hear their own accent". Unless someone is talking to me directly I tend to not pick up on accents too well, but when they are I can peg a region they come from in seconds.

(I think it should also be noted that I drove to Atlanta, parked at the building I had the meeting at, spoke with a bunch of New Yorkers there, went to my hotel where I was greeted by a very friendly native at the counter, went to bed and drove home.)

[JsARCLIGHT]

Amazing, that they would make their product more suitable for it's target audience.

It's as if they want it to be successful. Sheer madness!

Yes but to rewrite and rescript things changes their true intent on several levels. I'm not the world's biggest anime fan but you can tell that some shows (Yu-gi-oh, Pokemon, etc.) have gone through the ringer and had almost all traces of japan removed and in their place the show gets americanized. Those shows are custom built to do one thing: sell toys. They are not there to entertain or educate... just sell sell sell!

Anime is successful in america mainly because it is an alternative to american shows. Anime has a stigma to it, a stereotype if you will. People know anime from other types of shows. Even little kids know it is not american. I can understand the translation and dubbing of a program so people of a different language and culture can watch it but changing the original cultural elements and replacing them with your culture's jokes and elements sometimes ruins the true intent of the show. 90% of anime in america is marketed not on television to a wide audience but on VHS and DVD to a thin ribbon fanbase who are mostly interested in the shows "staying faithful" to the original material. Anime fans do watch mainstream TV but the mainstream TV audience, the people that would need the show knee-capped for them to consume it, tend not to watch anime. It seems to me that the wide majority of anime consumers, the people buying the goods, want unaltered material.

[Mechamaniac]

I have to admit, my hatred for the southern accent has stemmed from my job. For the last 4 years, I have been doing PC support for Insurance agents, most of whom are from the DEEP south. Some of those dudes, I can't even understand what they are saying their drawl is so deep.

Add to the fact that most of them are constantly breaking my machines, and that most of them are just chronically unwilling to learn, and you'll see why I cringe every time I hear a "Y'all" or something like it.

But I am an equal opportunity a-hole, I live near Baltimore, or as they say it around here, Bawlmer, usually adding a HON to the end of it . So, really, what I hate is ignorance, it's just that usually the ignorant people I encounter also come equipped with an accent.

[Greyryder]

Ah think y'all just needs ta settle yaselves down, now. Ya here?

*runs*

[J A Dare]

For you Americans: Try spending some time outside of the US, and you'll know what I mean when I say Americans have a distinct "accent", whether if you are from NY, south, mid-west, Cali, Texas, etc. Although, they may all sound different to you now, after coming back to the US you'll notice the general underlying accent common to all. It's a throaty "nasal" sound (think of it as a mild version of "Revenge of the Nerds" speak). Any of you MWers in Europe/Asia/Oz know what I mean? I spent 5 months studying in Germany. Never met another American for the entire time, until the very end. I could spot (hear) him from a mile away. It sounded gawd awful to me. Yet, my Spanish gf at the time, loved my voice. Weird.

BTW, I learned French girls can make ANY language sound attractive, even Deutsch.

Edited May 14, 2004 by J A Dare

[JELEINEN]

4. Azumanga Diaoh's Osaka (perfect accent for the spaced out kid)

But she's not supposed to have an accent.

[JELEINEN]

PS--I must say the only time I've spent in Western Iowa is when driving through it to Omaha. Don't know what the "local language" is. I'm from Des Moines, now in Iowa City. Parents from NE Iowa. BTW---how often is "warsh" encountered over there? I can't think of any other instance where there's but a single word that instantly differentiates where you're from.

I'm in Council Bluffs and for all intents and purposes, we might as well be a part of Nebraska. People in the Eastern half the state barely seem to be aware that the Western half even exits.

No one I know uses "warsh" that I can think of offhand.

[Nightbat]

So....

when are you guys finally gonna drop the fake english accent and learn to speak dutch?

[dna]

I'm in Council Bluffs and for all intents and purposes, we might as well be a part of Nebraska. People in the Eastern half the state barely seem to be aware that the Western half even exits.

No one I know uses "warsh" that I can think of offhand.

Warsh seems to be pretty midwestern - very common here in "outstate" NE.

I find that people in the East of NE hardly want to believe that the Western half exists

[Panon]

4.  Azumanga Diaoh's Osaka (perfect accent for the spaced out kid)

But she's not supposed to have an accent.

Erm.. yes she is. She has one in the original Japanese, which is why she's been given one in English.

[Blaine23]

As a Tennessean, I have to say to those dissing the Southern accent - "y'all can come down here and kiss my ass." Now, I'm gonna grab my shotgun and fire a few rounds in the air, 'cause I'm excited. Okay, I'm back.

As an anime fan - for the most part, the only "southern accented" voice is overexaggerated Hillbilly speak and yes it is lame. It's a dumb creative decision that can be squarely blamed on whichever company is putting out the release.

But I wouldn't go around blaming the South for it.

Rural folk in every state in the union speak poorly, watch Nascar, drink beer on the front porch shirtless, and listen to country music. I've seen it from New York to California.

So again, "y'all can all kiss my ass"

But this causes me to wonder if Dukes of Hazard has ever been dubbed in Japanese and if the voice actors had rural Japanese accents.

[JELEINEN]

Erm.. yes she is. She has one in the original Japanese, which is why she's been given one in English.

No she doesn't. In fact they comment on the fact right away in the show. She speaks standard Japanese, not with a kansai accent, which someone from Osaka would have.

Edited May 14, 2004 by JELEINEN