Anbu-Aone too over-rated?

[The-Wolf-Of-Mibu]

I finally got my girlfriend to watch some anime. (this may prove to be the perfect relationship yet)

Anyway, I re-watched the entire Naruto series with her over a few days and I noticed something.

When i had frist watch the series, I stuck with Anbu all the way until around episode 73 then the speed subbers got me hooked so I gave up on Anbu-Aone's delayed sub's.

When i recently watched them again, (episode 73-89) from anbu-aone subbs, i was kinda disgusted.

Although their picture quality and "impoartant conversations" are not lost, Anbu-Aone subs are just plain booooorrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnnngggggggggg gg

I think they are trying to translate too specifically and accurately from japanese. That may sound good but its not always what is needed. Youve probably heard the term "Lost in translation" If something sounds cool and the conversation flows well in japanese, it may not flow as well in English. And so precicely translating it into english will hurt how the anime reads. You need to compensate and make the subs sound good in english.

Shin-Otaku and Baka do this rather well. I vastly prefer their subs now. Although the picture quality is hurting. Even though they might slip up a coulple of times in the translation, it does matter because in general they capture the mood of the conversation well when they put it into english. Anbu-Aone translate it too literally and the on screen conversations just sound strange sometimes. Even the trash talking during fights sounds cheesy when you watch it from Anbu-Aone.

You cannot know what im talking about till you watch some episodes from different subbers then watch the same episodes from Anbu-Aone. The difference is like night and day.

Im not asking for a flame fest. Just a discussion.

[Shay]

Personally I favour S.O.

But Id never publicly bash another group in the way you just have.
You really should keep these comments to yourself in future.

[Macbrother]

While I agree that at times, bakafish (or S/O, on occasion) will translate a phrase that sounds better, I think this is rather the exception than the rule. From my personal experience, I prefer the clarity and conciseness that A&A provide over the other subs. I can't count the number of times speed-subbers have translated something that left me scratching my head, then seeing A&A's translation and saying "oh, so that's what was said."

To answer your question, I do not think they are overrated. I don't think they're the be-all end-all or anything, but if you want the overall best episodes to archive and watch over, I'd go with A&A. I think we're fortunate that Naruto is popular enough to have often several speed subs and some "quality" subs so we really get the best of both worlds.

[Blitz59]

Maybe that's personal taste, but I sorta agree too, though I never noticed it since I picked up on Naruto when it was at episode ~70. Perhaps sometimes you just have to go after what "sounds right" even if I dislike how certain aspects of japanese culture sometimes get removed by some subbers(I watch anime partially because japanese interests me tbh).

[The-Wolf-Of-Mibu]

Originally Posted by shinobi_shay

Personally I favour S.O.

But Id never publicly bash another group in the way you just have.
You really should keep these comments to yourself in future.

Im sorry if i sounded like im bashing them.

I didnt mean to do that.

Also when i say over rated , what i mean is this..

I cannot even keep track of the number of times ive seen people say "I watch xxxxxx then i delete it and wait for anbu to come out"

The real question is this.

Pin point translation accuracy that sounds flat and dull vs translation thats fairly accurate but has a little "umph" to it because it was put into an english context.

[Blitz59]

Only reason I watch Anbu-Aone is because of the better image quality and sound, why can't the others always have as high quality I sometimes wonder.

[The-Wolf-Of-Mibu]

S-O's quality of late is as good as anbu's.

Baka's quality kinda iffy.

I want good quality, I want accurate translations in important converstation AND I want the general flow of the speech to sound fluid and cool.

[Icer]

I recently tried out S-O and liked it alot, but since I've practically gone 11-80something with ANBU I'll keep using there subs.
(I used Toriyama's World 1-10)

[Macbrother]

An example of what I'm referring to is ep 87, where Jiraiya explains the difficulty of the Rasengan. Both speed-subs had a somewhat confusing and contradicting translation of the scale of the Rasengan, where A&A said clearly, "A rank jutsu, second highest out of 6 levels," (which fits perfectly on the E, D, C, B, A, S scale). Of course, there was the infamous episode 81, where no sub gave us a clue as to what was being said during the Oro/Kabuto conversation, it was A&A that precisely alluded to the organization, the strength of Itachi, etc.

While I certainly see your point, there are times where A&A can translate too precisely and we lose the "feel" of what's being said, I think the clarity of A&A and the sense that you know you're hearing what's actually said outweighs that.

[The-Wolf-Of-Mibu]

I just finished watching 82 on anbu.

Oo

Try this. Download episode 82 from s-o first.
Watch it.

Then download 82 from Anbu and watch it.

Its a great episode (sharingan vs sharingan)

Youll see ho much more exciting the fight is when translated with a little "flair"

Ill give you two examples,


(when itachi was stabbing kakashi in the underworld)

Anbu
Itachi) : This pain is not fake, This pain does not differ from one created via an illusion, though.

S-O
(Itachi) : Its true that this is only an illusion, but the pain your feeling in your heart is real.


When Gai makes his dynamic entry

Anbu
(Gai) : Konoha's proud blue beast , Mite gai
(Kisame): Look at yourself before you speak, perhaps you meant to say dodo.

S-O
(Gai): Konoha's proud blue beast, Maito Gai
(Kisame): I mistook you for some kind of wild beast.

The s-o translation made me laught out loud. The anbu one sounded cheesy.

This instances are everywhere in anbu translations.

Again i am not bashing anbu. I am trying to see what people prefer. Pinpoint accuracy with flat speech or good accuracy with engaging speech.

[Macbrother]

Heh, it's funny you mention 82, as that is the sole episode of S/O's I have archived. I think that was their best episode ever, and they needed one to bounce back after 81. Would be interested to see some other instances.

[wnkryo]

Hell yah anbu-aone is over rated. I say fuck you!!! to all the fanboys who just can't realize that other fansubs groups are just as good, if not better then AA at subbing this anime.

[Darth_E_]

Hehe, fansub comparison again

Anyways, I think its a matter of preference. We have our way, Anbu-Aone have theirs,..at the end its up to the watcher what version he/she likes I personally prefer Toriyama's World, too bad they stopped though.

I ll just note that S-O first version of ep81 was messed up, we released a second version of it, if you are curious to see how it should have been like. Also those comparisons Wolf-of-Mibu posted are (mainly) differences in editing and the way each fansub's editor chose the words

Yours,
-Elly

[The-Wolf-Of-Mibu]

Lol pls dont start the bashing.

I was just so curious at why everyone is always singing anbu's praises when other sub groups are subbing in a better fashion in my opinion.

Their not simply translating word of word japanese into english, instead groups like s-o are translating and at the same time making it sound good in english.

Imagine this scenario.

Two english fighters are talkign trash to each other.

The keep using phrases like "your going down" , "watch your back" , "you sissy momma's boy" etc etc etc

If you try to translate this pinpoint into japanese word of word, it would likeyl sound really stupid.

But if you translate it into japanese using the japense equiviletns for these insults, then you are still transtaling accurately but you are also making sure ntohing is lost in translation.

[ninja massacre]

I've been thinking of this too, I mean what is the correct translation? Will we ever get to know?
I must say it's impossible to translate exactly, because in the anime they talk with words that aren't written in any book. So then you have to use an english word which gives many hard reactions here in the west and use a japaneese word which people in Japan react on, on the same level

so I THINK it's very hard to tell wheter anbus translation is right or wrong

[Macbrother]

Unless you speak japanese, there's no way of knowing if what you're reading is correct. However, certain translations do sound more logical/clear/concise/better than others, which is generally what you go by.

[Shay]

Originally Posted by The-Wolf-Of-Mibu

I just finished watching 82 on anbu.

Oo

Try this. Download episode 82 from s-o first.
Watch it.

Then download 82 from Anbu and watch it.





When Gai makes his dynamic entry

Anbu
(Gai) : Konoha's proud blue beast , Mite gai
(Kisame): Look at yourself before you speak, perhaps you meant to say dodo.

S-O
(Gai): Konoha's proud blue beast, Maito Gai
(Kisame): I mistook you for some kind of wild beast.

The s-o translation made me laught out loud. The anbu one sounded cheesy.

This instances are everywhere in anbu translations.

Again i am not bashing anbu. I am trying to see what people prefer. Pinpoint accuracy with flat speech or good accuracy with engaging speech.

In my beloved S.O version of ep 82, Gai enters with the phrase, "I am Konoha's green sprouting flower of acceptance",......."Maito Gai!".
And even if it isen't an exact translation, I find it most fitting for his charecter.

[PathofNightshade]

I agree. Although I appreciate the job Anbu-Aone do, I must say, i no longer download they're subs once i've seen the speed ones.

[Cort]

I don't really mind which subs I watch, I haven't really noticed any huge video or sound quality difference between ANBU or the "speed subbers", at least not enough to make it really matter which one I'm watching. I watch it straight off my PC on normal PC speakers, and none of the fansubbers have extremely bad quality so its never a big deal. I don't usually rewatch stuff though unless I just have nothing better to do, and I wont be rewatching any of it now since I just reformatted and lost about 100GB in anime

[Shay]

Originally Posted by Cort

I don't really mind which subs I watch, I haven't really noticed any huge video or sound quality difference between ANBU or the "speed subbers", at least not enough to make it really matter which one I'm watching. I don't usually rewatch stuff though unless I just have nothing better to do, and I wont be rewatching any of it now since I just reformatted and lost about 100GB in anime

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