Tuesday, Dec 6, 2005
This is an issue which constantly perplexes me.
I see on many game boards gamers not only hoping, but DEMANDING for
Japanese VA to be left in place. Just in case you didn't know, I don't
understand Japanese, and the sad thing is, neither do the majority of
these people demanding for the "superior" Japanese VA.
Personally, I would like to be able to actually UNDERSTAND what is
being said in the game, as compared to hearing random words I cannot
understand in the slightest.
It really annoys me how so many "gamers" try to be elitests by claiming
Japanese VA is better. Sure, sometimes it is "better", but
understandable? No.
I simply find this a crazy debate to even have to have with people. Of
course the developer is going to change the VA to English, the vast
majority of American gamers would actually avoid games that only had
Japanese VA, and leaving Japanese VA in is a strain on disc space.
Please, someone explain to me what is so great about playing a game in a language you cannot understand.
As for importing, I also find this a vexing issue. Example, I was on
board for some Japanese RPG, don't even remember which one any more,
and asked if it would come to the states. Someone said "Well if it
doesn't, just import it, duh!"
WTF? I mean, I don't know about you, but I'd rather play a game I don't
have to buy a JAPANESE SYSTEM for, and a game I can understand the
storyline in is highly preferential.
Does anyone understand this lunacy?
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Posted Dec 6, 2005 12:49 pm PT
Here is my take as a gamer and an anime fan. The reason people prefer japanese audio with subtitles (myself included) is because we have no idea how japanese is supposed to sound, we don't know how annoying the voice actors are, so we pass it off as being normal. When we hear it in english, we can tell how bad the voice acting is. As long as it's in japanese we can assume it's great because we don't know any better. personally, i like watching anime, and playing games with japanese audio on and english subtitles because i can't stand how annoying english voice actors are. I have no problems with reading my video games while i'm playing them, same thing with reading my anime while i'm watching it.
Posted Dec 6, 2005 8:31 pm PT
Oh yea forgot about you mentioning import games ... Tne games I import are usually the ones you dont' need to know Japanese to play, or they just aren't available in north america. Games like shootem'ups and 2D fighters mostly. If i knew japanese i'd go for othrer games as well.
Posted Dec 7, 2005 7:21 am PT
I import all the time. RPGs are really tough to play without translateing. here is a fun fact for you americans who don't know japanese. 99% of the time, what is being said is NOT what is written in the subtitles. I used to be pretty fluent in japanese and know this for a fact. pyro, that works for anime too. you don't nessisarily need to import a system. unfortunitely, that is usually what I do..... so to answer your VA question, I like to hear it in english so I can pay more attention to other things (background, sound effects, action of some sort) I know someone who complains when games don't have jap VA but he is a huge FF7 fanboy so nothing he says means anything to me. especially since when I import a game he complains that he can't understand a G.D. thing in it....
that guy is so annoying...... a 23 year old that acts like a 10 year old..... well, I guess thats why he lives with his mom and never got a license, job or college aplication......
that guy is so annoying...... a 23 year old that acts like a 10 year old..... well, I guess thats why he lives with his mom and never got a license, job or college aplication......
Posted Dec 7, 2005 9:44 am PT
The thing is, randar, that sometimes localizers pick the most annoying voice actors do portray the characters. For example, the main male character in the anime Nadesisco (sp?). His voice is absolutely horrible. I switch to Japanese language track just so I could be spared from hearing his voice.
I listen to English language track unless its really annoying. I usually prefer RPGs with voice acting only in cinemas. I like reading what they are saying otherwise.
I listen to English language track unless its really annoying. I usually prefer RPGs with voice acting only in cinemas. I like reading what they are saying otherwise.
Posted Dec 8, 2005 6:30 pm PT
I would be against just having Japanese audio, but I am all for Japanese audio AND English subtitles. Honestly, I have never encountered an English translation that I liked except for Hayao Miyazaki films. The differences in Japanese and English make it difficult to put the English into the same time frame as Japanese while capturing the meaning of the Japanese words. Usually, there are awkward pauses and the mouths don't move with the English words, and so you lose authenticity.
Posted Dec 9, 2005 8:56 am PT
Remember Tidus' and Yuna's voice acting in FFX? Awkward pauses. Rushed sentences. Baaaaad acting. I can see why some people would like to leave the Japanese VA in, I mean, in most cases, it's better. But there are some exceptions, like the Metal Gear Solid series.
I'm sure disk space won't be an issue at all for the next-gen systems.
I'm sure disk space won't be an issue at all for the next-gen systems.
Posted Dec 10, 2005 6:19 am PT
I agree mostly with what radar23 said about the Japanese language. I do not want to play a game or watch an anime in a language I do not understand one bit.
I have encountered many people that said things like "Japanese is always better, because it is the original." First of all no; the Japanese version cannot always be better. I think, it is not possible to tell how well done the Japanese voice performances are, if one does not know the language.
BTW: Digital Devil Saga 1 & 2 are two very fine examples of how well the English version can be.
I have encountered many people that said things like "Japanese is always better, because it is the original." First of all no; the Japanese version cannot always be better. I think, it is not possible to tell how well done the Japanese voice performances are, if one does not know the language.
BTW: Digital Devil Saga 1 & 2 are two very fine examples of how well the English version can be.
Posted Dec 12, 2005 6:55 pm PT
if i was allowed to make my own games in the japan ,i would at least translate the games in english,because some of the games that they make are written in japenese so u really like don't understand a single word
Posted Feb 2, 2006 1:26 pm PT
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