(L) Space Dandy (seasons 1-2)

[JKL]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

That second episode blew any episode by any new series this season not just out of the water, but out of the dimension. Not even close.

Well I disagree, but each to their own.

[Pocari_Sweat]

Don't get the hate for this series, particularly at the accusations of it being "Western pandering". Firstly, no it isn't since for example I didn't get this whole Jiro Ramen joke until someone had to explain to me and second, who cares. One anime out of thousands that is trying to appeal to westerners. Not to mention I think it's fantastic both visually and in its insanity, which unlike say Kill la Kill which looks like it's insane for the hell of looking insane, plus looking like crap.

Great 2nd episode btw, even though the Jiro Ramen parody flew right over my head. Probably would have liked the ep even more if I got it when I watched this, since having jokes explained to you is the worst way get someone to laugh.

[aohige]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

I do agree with the idea that it is rather American-seeming. That's intentional in the character design, and also in the style of some of the humour, I think. Japanese references, sure, but with a kind of American accent, to me.

It's not just reference, the entire THEME of the story for the episode was standard, straight up, Showa roman. From the "I was delinquent in my youth, then I lost my youthfulness, and a simple bowl of a simple dish moved me, that's how I ended up in this solitude", from the self-glorified delinquent days to the bittersweet yet happy resolve of finding peace in what he does, Dandy understanding the "man's roman", etc, etc, etc, etc.
The entire last segment might as well have been lifted from a showa era film or TV drama in the 80s. It's pretty much an Enka song being played out.

Not roman, or romance, but 浪漫.

[Kaoru Chujo]

Originally Posted by aohige

...The entire last segment might as well have been lifted from a showa era film or TV drama in the 80s....

All I can say is that I got an American feeling, without having any idea that Japanese viewers were saying the same thing. Why did it give me (and them) that feeling?

Japanese theme with something American-feeling about the look or the way the humour was handled? I'm not sure. But having my own perceptions seconded by a Japanese audience makes me feel there was some reason (good or bad) that I felt that way.

[MeoTwister5]

This approach to the story of finding one's self and place in life is actually quige common not just in Japan but in East Asian TV as well, at least in the Chinese and Filipino shows I've seen.

[Reckoner]

Once again, I can't help but disagree with any of the negative criticisms of the show. Obviously you're all plebeians who need to get on my level .

Okay, but really, I think this is a fantastic show so far that is probably the victim of expectation of being something else. It just has Watanabe's style all over it, and given his more comedic and surreal approach that he warned about before hand, he's done a marvelous job. I hope it continues to be as entertaining as it has been. His humor is quite witty and I loved all the references to things, both east and west, in the episode.

He's just the sort of guy that transcends boundaries of anime viewers and I'm glad he decided to partner with BONES for this. Visuals are amazing.

[aohige]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

All I can say is that I got an American feeling, without having any idea that Japanese viewers were saying the same thing. Why did it give me (and them) that feeling?

Japanese theme with something American-feeling about the look or the way the humour was handled? I'm not sure. But having my own perceptions seconded by a Japanese audience makes me feel there was some reason (good or bad) that I felt that way.

Originally Posted by MeoTwister5

This approach to the story of finding one's self and place in life is actually quige common not just in Japan but in East Asian TV as well, at least in the Chinese and Filipino shows I've seen.

Heck, you can watch a Samurai movie set in the sengoku era, and still feel nostalgic or similarity to other culture, but it doesn't make it "western pandering".
That's a completely different subject.

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

This is the first show ever in which I have found the English version at least as good as the Japanese. Some great voices there, and with none of the childishness that I find dubs of school shows to have. Sensitively and expertly localized.

Gotta disagree. I'm loving Space Dandy's dub, but I've seen other English dubs that compare better to their Japanese originals. Trigun and Watanabe's Cowboy Bebop come immediately to mind, but they're probably not the only ones. Watanabe shows in general seem to elicit great English dubs. It's been so long since I heard Samurai Champloo in Japanese that I don't remember which was better, but the English dub was very good, especially considering the massive amounts of nigh-untranslatable Japanese historical stuff in that show.

I will say some of Dandy's humor works better in English, but a lot of that humor is either Western humor to begin with, or localized to such, so that probably shouldn't be a surprise. I might say it's the best translated script I've ever seen for an English adaptation, but the voice actors and/or their voice direction isn't as good as some.

Originally Posted by Pocari_Sweat

Don't get the hate for this series, particularly at the accusations of it being "Western pandering". Firstly, no it isn't since for example I didn't get this whole Jiro Ramen joke until someone had to explain to me and second, who cares. One anime out of thousands that is trying to appeal to westerners. Not to mention I think it's fantastic both visually and in its insanity, which unlike say Kill la Kill doesn't fill like it's insane for the hell of it, plus looks like crap.

It's not like Kill la Kill doesn't have some "Western Pandering" in its intent, too. A lot of the humor and insanity in that show is right up your average American anime viewer's alley. And yes, while that insanity is intentional, there is method in its quite literal madness, which will probably blow more than a few minds before the series is over.

Also, enough about KLK looking like crap. They're working with bubblegum and shoelaces over there. MacGyver is a budgeting consultant. It would look twice as good as Space Dandy if it had half Bones' production capabilities. There's a lot of love going into that lack of budget over at TRIGGER.

[Esclair]

The 2nd episode was absolutely hilarious and a huge improvement upon the first episode. Although I wonder how they paid for anything after they ran out of money.

[Pocari_Sweat]

Originally Posted by quigonkenny

It's not like Kill la Kill doesn't have some "Western Pandering" in its intent, too. A lot of the humor and insanity in that show is right up your average American anime viewer's alley. And yes, while that insanity is intentional, there is method in its quite literal madness, which will probably blow more than a few minds before the series is over.

I never said it didn't?

Then again, why does "western pandering" get a free pass there? The only reason I can think of for this is hype backlash or a misreading of expectations. This show was explicitly stated as a silly comedy and not the next Cowboy Bebop. It's CN's fault for promoting it that way in the first place. Also "western pandering" is a stupid phrase in the first place yet I've been seeing it everywhere (not necessarily in this forum, though there is some). We don't get anywhere near the amount of "western" material in anime anymore anyway so how can it be pandering in the first place.

Also, enough about KLK looking like crap. They're working with bubblegum and shoelaces over there. MacGyver is a budgeting consultant. It would look twice as good as Space Dandy if it had half Bones' production capabilities. There's a lot of love going into that lack of budget over at TRIGGER.

I'm aware, but there's shows that hide it and/or make use of it well like some Shaft shows or most notably in Shin Sekai Yori last year. I appreciate the effort, but really quite -annoying-, particularly since that show is so in your face all the time.

[Guardian Enzo]

It's also selling BONES and Watanabe way short to say that the only reason SD looks fantastic is money. Trigger is doing the best they can with what they have to work with, but Watanabe is a visual maestro and he has a legendary team working on this show. I don't think Kill la Kill would look better than Space Dandy if they had the U.S. Mint at their disposal.

[JKL]

That's heading into conjecture territory.

No point even arguing about that stuff. The reality is that BONES have money and TRIGGER don't, and they've both got to make the most of what they've got in their own way.

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by JKL

That's heading into conjecture territory.

Indeed it is, but I was replying to the notion that "Kill la Kill would look twice as good if it had half the budget".

[Kaoru Chujo]

Originally Posted by aohige

Heck, you can watch a Samurai movie set in the sengoku era, and still feel nostalgic or similarity to other culture, but it doesn't make it "western pandering". That's a completely different subject.

I never used the word (or thought) "pandering." And I still don't know why I got that "American" feeling. Are you saying it's just because of Western-seeming characters?

Originally Posted by quigonkenny

Gotta disagree. I'm loving Space Dandy's dub, but I've seen other English dubs that compare better to their Japanese originals. Trigun and Watanabe's Cowboy Bebop come immediately to mind, but they're probably not the only ones....

No doubt you're right. I simply don't watch dubs, so I haven't seen that many. Those I have seen, I have turned off within a few minutes. Perhaps it's grittier, more violent shows that suit American voices. I know that when I've seen dubs of shows with younger people in them, the voices sound too kiddy-like, moreso than how I hear the Japanese voices.

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by Kaoru Chujo

Perhaps it's grittier, more violent shows that suit American voices. I know that when I've seen dubs of shows with younger people in them, the voices sound too kiddy-like, moreso than how I hear the Japanese voices.

Hah, if anything I've found the opposite to be true. A lot of English-speaking voice actors have a hard time sounding like children to me, and it comes off as fake-sounding. Are you a native English speaker? Maybe that's causing the difference in our perspectives?

As for a grittier show meaning a better English dub, there's probably some truth to that. Grittier settings are more mainstream in the US than anime settings, so there are more good performances for thd voice actors to emulate. Black Lagoon (as gritty as they come) also had a very good English dub.

[Guardian Enzo]

I do find that the usual suspects for English dubs tend to be really bad at comedy and really bad at sounding like children. It's degrees of badness, really, but those areas do stand out.

I would agree the SD dub is pretty good, thank goodness (Watanabe shows usually are). But I definitely prefer the Japanese dub. Very strong cast.

[ReddyRedWolf]

Originally Posted by Pocari_Sweat

I didn't get this whole Jiro Ramen joke until someone had to explain to me and second, who cares.

Great 2nd episode btw, even though the Jiro Ramen parody flew right over my head. Probably would have liked the ep even more if I got it when I watched this, since having jokes explained to you is the worst way get someone to laugh.

Ramen purists are like Jon Stewart to his pizza.

YouTube

https://youtu.be/n8IKxbOpt0E

Sorry; dynamic content not loaded. Reload?

[Guardian Enzo]

"It's not ramen, it's Jiro."

[ellifeedn]

Did anyone catch that Fullmetal Alchemist reference in episode 2?

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by ellifeedn

Did anyone catch that Fullmetal Alchemist reference in episode 2?

In English as well as Japanese. ^_^