I think I'm running out of happy to go around. After this article came out, that English dubs for the Aniplex of America licenses were highly-unlikely. Hideki "Henry" Goto said "Making an English dub takes a long time and costs a lot, so we may miss the release timing for future releases. If a title has a chance for TV broadcasting, it is possible to create an English dub, however, we don't plan to make a dub version and release it later." Personally, I figured that meant, unless the anime is going to be on TV, there won't be an English dub.
Well, perhaps not as Durarara!! has been licensed. This was expected after sources in the UK stated it was getting a US release but that same source informed us the release would be sub-only. This information seemed to be partially confirmed by ANN in this article. Now, new sources are saying Durarara!! is a "special case."
Perhaps the fan reaction changed someone's mind? Perhaps Durarara!! will be on TV?
Who knows and who cares, we have yet another English dub happy moment here! Durarara!! will get an English dub! (One hopes they could cast those Baccano cameos with Funi's help but that might be asking too much.)
Details on the release come from Japanator.com:
The show will release in three parts, each one containing 8 to 9 episodes, which seems to indicate the inclusion of the yet-to-be-released bonus episodes (12.5 and 25).
Well now, that's an interesting release format. It harkens back a bit to the old singles style, only with more episodes. Perhaps this release method will help the show be more profitable? I hope they have two discs per part, so we don't have to listen to videophile's complaining. (It would be ironic that we English dub fans won't have a reason to complain but they might.)
I'll be honest, I'd given up on this one. After reading the UK news, I figured this was yet another case of a new company saying "English dubs are the opiate of the masses" and ditching them in favor of sub-only releases. Not that all companies can even get that right.
I'm very pleased that Aniplex of America has at the very least realized the potential of this series and that an English dub matters. Very pleased. And very happy I and so many others were wrong about the UK news. (Well, at least we have the excuse of believing something that was believable.)
I hope to report more joy as the madness continues! Like the confirmation that Funimation will NOT be censoring Dance in the Vampire Bund when it comes out on DVD! As this info comes from Bal-anime, a great follower and a great fan! You can trust it.
No censored Mina. Thank God.
Bye-ni!
Ha. Thanking God for uncensored Mina registered so wrong in my head. It's just wrong.
ReplyDeleteAs for those Bacanno! cameos, isn't Glass going to retire for a few years? Maybe she'll make an exception for this role if she liked it that much. I'm very happy that Aniplex is giving it a dub, but I hope they don't do a half-hearted attempt. Probably the biggest thing from the dub watching crowd (and I consider myself part of it) is the notion that *any* dub will do, even if it's done by a bunch of fandubbers with crappy microphones. Have some standards people.
I was following the Aniplex panel courtesy of bayoab' live blogging. When they mentioned Durarara I was sure that its sub-only fate had been sealed.
ReplyDeleteThen... suddenly... "We ARE dubbing it."
I was like waitWHAT?!
I was shocked, I was happy, I was proud.
2011 is the year of dubs. And I am happy. :)
@ braves: Caitlin is going to be teaching English overseas for a few years with her husband (which is cool but also sad for fans in some ways) but she's still going to be visiting family in the States. Plus I don't think she's started teaching yet, just in the process of getting the certification.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I don't see anything wrong with thanking God for uncensored Mina. My belief is that God wanted humans to enjoy sexual things so long as we recognized that they are a way to share love and affection rather than merely animal lust. It is when sexuality becomes animalistic or pursued in a way that causes harm and suffering that it becomes sinful.
Well, that's may view at least. I think a lot of religion has gotten twisted over the years into something it's not. God is creation, love and happiness, not some lunatic screaming at people about how they're all going to hell.
Again, this is how my belief system interprets things.
@ bal-anime: Yes, I think you are right. 2011 is the year of dubs. (Maybe we'll get lucky and it will also be the year Washington get's it's act together!)
I'm starting to think that Durarara, might make it on TV. Don't ask me why, it just a gut feeling. For the SUDDEN change. I'm just thinking with SyFy almost being done with Monster, that Durarara might take over that slot. I'm probably wrong, but just using hope. It's mainly what they said about the TV.
ReplyDeleteI know little about Durarara, but it looks interesting. All I know about is what Bal-kun was talking about it to me.
All I will say, is this has been on of the best anime cons I've seen in a while for releases.
And Sentai seems to finally be getting money now, and the dub market is getting stronger. Its just too bad, that anime fans are limited to purchasing anime more online. I just wish Best Buy would make more room again.
@ wilhelminaanime: It does seem given their past statements that Durarara might be headed for TV. Still, it could just be that they got a deluge of negative fan reaction. People have been aware of the license and the belief it would be sub-only for quite a while.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to see the dub market apparently recovering and, yes, I wish Best Buy would improve things.
Richard, I do agree with you on your overall philosophy, but I guess I wasn't so used to people articulating that kind of opinion in public. Social mores still overriding one's inclinations and all that. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteAnd Durarara! could be a fairly big hit if it were marketed properly but just dumping it on TV isn't enough. Much less on SyFy.
Good to hear! I heard a bit of this at AX. I missed their panel because I didn't think anything was going to be worth hearing, boy was I wrong! Can't wait for Durarara!
ReplyDelete@ braves: I hope I didn't come across as preach or anything, I just thought I'd explain my view a bit.
ReplyDelete@ ExcelGenerations: Yeah, I think a lot of people, myself included, got things wrong about Aniplex. I do think we're going to see sub-only from them unfortunately but at least this series is safe from that fate.
Now if they can just get back Caitlin Glass and J Tatum for those cameos. . . .