Anime Excel Saga

[TheGodlyME]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Turkey [/i]
[B]Don't worry, I love you too.;)

Look, if you are a purist, good for you. The dub was in no way damaged. Hell, if it is, I want some examples. [/B][/QUOTE]

You want examples? here's a few:

1.) the voices of Excel, Ilpalazzo, and many, many other characters are wrong for the roles that they play. Excel's voice in particular...it sounds like gravel rubbing against a bag of annoyed cats... the voices are supposed to sound normal not completely obnoxious! That's one of the big jokes...the people are dignified in speech, and morons in action.(the only one I have no problem with, strictly tone-speaking, is Hyatt)

2.) The american voice actors try to make the characters sound too stupid by using different words...Pufu constantly says "Poopey"...ha funny...if I were to get a full frontal lobotomy...
In most(all)anime that I have seen, "poopey" is not used, therefore should not be used in a spoof...what they say is supposed to be parodied, not remade into something that is alienating and at the level of a 3 year old.

3.) Dubbing is also a bad thing in itself... It's called anime over here because it's from Japan. By removing the Japanese dialogue, you remove one of the things that make it japanese, thereby americanizing it. When things are americanized, they lose most of what was originally meant.

4.) Seriousness was also lacking...everything sounded like a joke...nobody could keep a straight voice. (Yes, I know that The ES was a completely non-sensical thing, however, there is supposed to be a level of seriousness in order for that which is not serious to be distinguished by comparison...this is how we tell a joke from normal conversation, boys and girls...)

--Mind you, this is just the stuff off the top of my head...I could very well watch both again and add to this list...easily...I havn't watched either version for about 3 months...--

NOW, I suggest that you watch the subbed version as well, so you can understand the simple matters of which I am speaking...and remember;how they talk is also part of the comedy.


OH YEAH!!--to all of you that just came it to talk about one of your favorite animes and mine, the Excel Saga, sorry for the essay-length messages.

[Turkey]

I have the DVDs, so I've heard both versions.

Points 1 to 4 (which were the exact same thing)"
It's obvious you don't like the voices, and that's an opinion in the purest sense. I obviously can't argue with that part, but I find the voices to fit the characters very well.

However, I wholeheartedly disagree with you "americanizing" comment. Those purist comments are ignorant and close-minded. What does it matter were the anime is from? Will hearing someone say "Atashi wa atashi" instead of "I am me" suddenly change the story to a point where it becomes impossible to understand? Geez, you purists bash a show for the silliest things...

[TheGodlyME]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Turkey [/i]
[B]I have the DVDs, so I've heard both versions.

Points 1 to 4 (which were the exact same thing)"
It's obvious you don't like the voices, and that's an opinion in the purest sense. I obviously can't argue with that part, but I find the voices to fit the characters very well.

However, I wholeheartedly disagree with you "americanizing" comment. Those purist comments are ignorant and close-minded. What does it matter were the anime is from? Will hearing someone say "Atashi wa atashi" instead of "I am me" suddenly change the story to a point where it becomes impossible to understand? Geez, you purists bash a show for the silliest things... [/B][/QUOTE]

I'm not bashin' the show...I LOVE the show...I HATE the dub...and what's with the close-minded stuff...I am the furthest from having a closed mind as is possible(almost to the point of insanity). If anyone can't realize things because they choose not to (and is thereby closed mind)It's you. You can't realize that america does things to that which the general public sees that some other places wouldn't..when people in the union of the United States(or Canada, N/S America) do something with something, no matter what it is, it has been americanized. Censoring is the first thing that comes to mind, and not just the vulgar stuff and nudity either. I'm talkin' about getting rid of some of the character development AND the original personality of the character, (the original voice actor put the words to mouths a lot differently than the english one in most instances) which is itself a small part of the voice actor/actress who is the original character voice.

And with the dub stuff...yeah, I know I said I didn't like dubs; but some are actually pretty good(but the majority isn't), it's not that i have a problem with language or something, it's just that I like to see what was originally there before I let someone else tell me what's there.

[Turkey]

Okay....Would you mind reparaphrasing the first paragraph? I couldn't really get what you meant.
No comment on the second paragraph, since I can't argue with that.

Hell, I think we might as well end this argument right here and now. You are a purist, I'm not. We'll just keep arguing until the topic is closed.

[pbfrontmanvdp]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by TheGodlyME [/i]
[B]I'm not bashin' the show...I LOVE the show...I HATE the dub...and what's with the close-minded stuff...I am the furthest from having a closed mind as is possible(almost to the point of insanity). If anyone can't realize things because they choose not to (and is thereby closed mind)It's you. You can't realize that america does things to that which the general public sees that some other places wouldn't..when people in the union of the United States(or Canada, N/S America) do something with something, no matter what it is, it has been americanized. Censoring is the first thing that comes to mind, and not just the vulgar stuff and nudity either. I'm talkin' about getting rid of some of the character development AND the original personality of the character, (the original voice actor put the words to mouths a lot differently than the english one in most instances) which is itself a small part of the voice actor/actress who is the original character voice.

And with the dub stuff...yeah, I know I said I didn't like dubs; but some are actually pretty good(but the majority isn't), it's not that i have a problem with language or something, it's just that I like to see what was originally there before I let someone else tell me what's there. [/B][/QUOTE]

Im sry but i have to disagree with you. Sure its from Japan and we so called "Americanize" it here in America, but i didnt get half the jokes that were they even sayin in the subbed version. I know it was supposed to be "strictly" a spoof on the Japanese anime, but since im not completely fimilar with the customs and events that entire go on in Japan that this was coming from, i felt it was better that it was more based on the American culture(for the dub). Without trying to criticize you cause everyone has there own opinion, i thought the voice actors for the subbed verison sucked...I couldnt stand Excels voice. I guess im just more of a dubbed person type.....of course i always watch both anyway, but most of the time i enjoy the dubbed verison a hell of a lot better then the subbed.

[Manic Webb]

Personally, I enjoyed both versions.

What you seem to be forgetting here is that when a dub re-writes a joke, they're doing it for the American viewers who know next to squat about Japanese culture. I watched the series subbed, and had to turn on the ADV Notes to understand what half of the jokes meant. Even then, I wasn't laughing at them. I just went "oh. So that's what it means, huh?"

You may be well versed in Japanese customs and humor, but not every anime fan from America is going to go out of his/her way to understand the jokes found in an anime. Watching television is supposed to be a right-brain escapism activity which involves as little critical thinking as possible. If it takes lengthy studying of Japanese culture and language for an American like me (who doesn't get Japanese word-play jokes) to watch an anime as wacky as Excel Saga, then I don't see the point in watching it at all.

That's why ADV re-wrote some of the jokes that we wouldn't get for the dub. The subtitled version remains true to the original in nearly every aspect (jokes and all), but the dub was made specifically for those who:
1. Don't want to read the show while watching it.
2. Don't want to learn to speak Japanese.
3. Don't understand Japanese humor/culture.

Honestly, I [i]do not[/i] see the point in why purists complain about dubs so much. It's not like the DVDs come in the English dub only. You're given a choice. If you want to hear it in the original recording, switch on the Japanese. If you want subtitles, switch on the subs. Nobody is forcing you to watch the dub. Get over it. Ignore it, even.

Why do you find it so necessary to tell people who [i]couldn't possibly[/i] find the original Japanese jokes that funny, that the dub is bad? So I'm supposed to watch Excel Saga in Japanese, pull out a Japanese Cultural Encyclopedia, and hope that I actually find the jokes funny? It's not gonna happen. ADV knew this. That's why both versions are included on the DVD. You have a choice, and you can choose to completely ignore the dub.

[Kinoko Shima]

Has anybody seen Excel Saga? It's kinda new, but kinda not. I'm wondering because it seems like no one I talk to has ever seen it. In my opinion it's awesome. I want to know what other people think of the show.

[Queen Asuka]

[color=hotpink][size=1]Me and my sisters have watched a few episodes of Excel Saga and we thoroughly enjoyed it. I think we got ourselves pretty pepped up to watch it because on one of our other DVDs, there was a preview for it, and I swear, we watched that preview over and over and over and just DIED laughing. Man, that show is so funny! ^_^[/color][/size]

[wiccansamurai]

I love that show! Especially Excel's odd ramblings... I was so tired I started to do something like that in geometry class. "Perpindicular is a funny, funny word, that needs to.... DIE!! lalalalalahaha!" People stared to stare... :) I like Hyatt best! Next to LORD ILLAPAZO!!! (probably spelled wrong)

[instantramen14]

[color=red] I love Excel Saga and the fact that it has parodies of many different animes (ie: Nabushien is a cross between spike speigel from cowboy beebop and Arsane Lupin from Lupin the third) When i got it i was laughing for hours. [/color]

[Kinoko Shima]

My fav. dvd is the 1st one. Probably my fav episodes are the 1st and the fourth. I also love Nabeshin's song at the end of the 5th episode. His afro song. ^_^

[Xai]

[color=crimson]Although I haven't seen all of it yet, I love ES.:) It's definitely one of the funniest anime shows I've seen. My favorite episode would have to be #4(the date sim one). Man, I've just gotta see the rest of it![/color]

[OtakuSennen]

[color=midnightblue]Heh, weird, I just bought the first DVD the other day.

For two years I had seen little mentions about top anime series on the internet about Excel Saga, and I didn't have a clue that it was a comedy series. To me, it sounded like a giant mech anime.

Not too long ago, though, I saw the DVD in stores and decided to do more thorough research. The series was, to my surprise, a comedy, and the only things holding me back from purchasing the series was the 17+ rating (Yeah, up until about two weeks ago, I didn't buy anything over 13+) and the fact that my top priority was Neon Genesis Evangelion. Instead of the anime, I decided to buy the manga. It wasn't quite as funny as I thought it would be, but I later found out that the anime and the manga were not very similar at all.

So anyway, my way-too-generous-but-not-in-a-bad-way neighbors gave my brother and I gift certificates for Barnes and Noble, and the words "Excel Saga for thirty dollars" flashed in my head. After some convincing, we bought the first DVD, and I was thoroughly impressed.

The character design in the manga, I felt, wasn't too faithful to Rikdo Koshi's manga in a lot of the scenes, particularly in the facial department. Their noses were rather different, which gave the characters a less appealing feel, in my opinion. The dub was displeasing, but then again, it's ADV. That's not to say Excel's voice was the entire problem. I can't imagine her voice really being any different while still portraying the character well. Excel is intentionally annoying, I think. Despite my brother's protests, I set it to Japanese with subtitles and found the series much easier to get into my brain without a headache produced by annoyingness.

The humor, though, was so much more entertaining than the Koshi's manga in a less subtle way, and I laughed more watching the animation than I did reading the manga. The overall wackiness and parodies galore were truly well-done, I think, and I am looking forward to buying the rest of the series when I can.

My favorite half-hour segment out of the first five is probably either the B-rated action flick episode or the dating simulation game one. Both were parodying genres I am familiar with, and I appreciated the humor because of that aspect more than, say, the primetime Japanese drama series episode..

Nevertheless, each episode was laugh-out-loud funny with good animation, and the ADVidnotes were a total godsend, particularly in the fifth episode.

[size=1]The menus could be a little better, though..[/size][/color]

[Verykawaiineko]

YAYYYYY EXCELLLLL hail ILLPALLAZZO-SAMAAAAA....oh..sorry but i love that show...Excel is soo halarious and the beginning song is soo cool not to mention that KAWAII MENCHI!!!!!!..what was really suprising was that it had a PLOT!!

[Queen Asuka]

[color=hotpink][size=1]What aggrivates me to no end is that they say Menchi is a dog, but I swear that is a CAT! There is no denying that it's a cat! Just look at it! Tell me, when have you EVER seen a dog like that?

And lol at OtakuSennen for thinking it was a Mecha anime. ^_^[/color][/size]

[WW2]

I own the entire series on DVD, and have to say its one of my favorite anime shows.

I love the way they managed to parody just about every anime and movie genre there is.

The series is also full of interesting characters, each with their own story lines.
My favorite part of the series has to be the Watanabe, Iwata, and Sumioshi storyline.

But thats just my opinion.:D

[Kinoko Shima]

[quote]What aggrivates me to no end is that they say Menchi is a dog, but I swear that is a CAT! There is no denying that it's a cat! Just look at it! Tell me, when have you EVER seen a dog like that?[/quote]

It took me forever to figure out that Menchi was a dog. She seriously DOES look like a cat. ....She's a strange dog.....
In the manga, Menchi's name is Mence. I don't know why they changed it, but I like the name Menchi better. Don't ask why. ^_^

[Erika]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=purple]*starts hugging people* Sweet! I completely forgot there was an Excel Saga thread around!

I've only seen about five or six episodes. My friend has the series (or most of it), but I'm planning on buying the whole thing myself sometime this summer! :cool:

Everytime I watch the series, I can't help busting my gut over the stupid things Excel does and the characters, like the floating macrocosm and Nabeshin, doing all sorts of random crap.

The scene that burns vividly in my mind still would have to be the first episode, where she's a crossing guard and makes the cars dance around the street and spin on their bumpers.

And then there's the guy with the blond drainage-pipe hair, who looks as if he could knock out everyone within the vicinity with just a twitch of his head.

This's such a great series! It's my favorite anime, and I think it's funnier than Furi Kuri. Whoever hasn't seen it is missing out.[/color][/size]

[Manic Webb]

"NO!" --Pedro

I finished buying the series just a few weeks ago. One of the funniest anime I've ever seen. The characters are completely insane. Even the "straight-man" serious characters get a little stupid every now and then. And it's funny how the anime's director (Shinichi Watanabe) just emerged himself into the storyline as Nabeshin. Everytime he shows up in an episode, it's hard to tell if he's there as "the action hero with an afro" or the director.

Then there's Pedro. You gotta love Pedro and his side-story. For a while there, [spoiler]it seemed like Pedro's story was completely separate from Excels. But then they kept crossing paths for no reason. Like when they met Sandora.[/spoiler]

Both versions are really funny, but I'm gonna have to lean toward the dub version. It's mostly the cultural barrier. A lot of the Japanese dialogue is hilarious, but I have to turn on the ADV Notes every once in a while. And word puns aren't as funny when you have to be told what the pun is. Excel's voice is annoying in the dub, but Excel is just an annoying character. Half-way through the series they changed voice actresses, but the second one still had to make Excel sound annoying. I mean, can you imagine someone that wacky with a pleasant voice? Even the Japanese voice actress makes her sound annoying.

[pbfrontmanvdp]

Great comedy type anime. Like Asuka said, i couldnt stop watching the opening because it was just to damn funny. Probably Hyatt is my fav. character since she has such a quite but unnatural type voice and just says something random out of nowhere.

Plus the whole concept of the anime is pretty cool. In the beginning the plot seems like it would be like the members of ACROSS would destroy the world eventually. What happens is [spoiler] Excel has to stop Ilapalazzo from destroying the world which was a pretty cool twist but kinda perdictable. [/spoiler]

Can't forget about Menchi.....yummy Menchi that should have been eaten at the end of the series. Great dog though since it always would try to figure out some complex way of escaping from the house and failing time after time.

My favorite episode is probably either episode 4 or I think the other one is 14 the one when the two androids in it....forgot the # of it.

[ElrickOtaku]

This is a fantastic series. Slow to release in the UK, but all the more eagerly awaited here (that said, Sci-Fi will be showing it at 5:30am from 6th or 8th February onwards).

Unfortunately, with my views I've been given the nickname 'Il Pallazzo' at college. But that is not so bad as he is a fantastic character, a benchmark evil villain...most of the time (but for trying to learn the guitar, playing dating games, etc.)

My favorite episode is number 4, 'Love Puny'. It is just great all the way through with the entertaining format, the Watanabe-Il Pallazzo dating cross-over, and the infamous 'Civil Servant' lie scene. Another of my favourite episodes has to be episode 9, the bowling one with the superb cameos by Spike Spencer and Allison Keith (of Shinji and Misato fame), not to mention the incredible battle at the end.

An all round fantastic series with unbelievable comedy. About the only series that seems to come near Excel in continuous laughs is the horrifyingly short-lived Dragon Half.

[Turkey]

I finished the series last Fall, when I just lost it and bought the last 4 DVDs almost at once. I feel that the show hit a slump during the 3-5 volumes (with the exception of some genius here and there). But the last volume is pure gold. And NOTHING can prepare you for the last episode. It's so random, offensive and perverted, the 17+ rating seems small. Also, I believe the Dub totally outclasses the Sub, but I'm not getting into an argument about it (again).

If anyone's interested, the OVA Puni-Puni Poemi (which takes place 10 years after Excel Saga) is going to be released in the next few months.

[AthenAltena]

Meh heh...

My friend and I rented Excel Saga on new years eve and got totally trashed on caffeine. ^ ^

The opening theme song is just funny, especially the random places they go while singing. (A bathouse, come on!) My favorite episode is the one where they go to America.

Excel: Mi amo Excel. Felise navidad. You're my bitches!

(Laughs histerically and rolls around on floor)

It always amused me that in the manga they had various holes filled with things, such as cave crickets, water etc. The closing credits nearly made me pop a vein I was laughing so hard the first time I saw them.

Btw, Excel Saga has a plot? My impression was it was random silliness. Oh well, need to watch it again. ^ ^

[Panda]

I love Excel Saga! It has to be one of my favorites. Puuuuu chuuuuu!

If you are otaku you will get most of the jokes in the series which is what makes it sooooo funny. If you don't watch alot of anime it may not be as funny. I love it and highly recommend it.

I think Menchi is suppose to be a Pomeranian. They changed the name to Mince to be more like Mincemeat....so it would be more widely know that she is a food sorce.

Elrick, my hubby would be sooo happy to hear you mention Dragon Half. He loves that anime. He thinks Mink is cute. LOL

If you haven't seen Excel Saga....go now...watch it!!!

Hail Illpalazo!!!!!

Oh, and one of my favorite quotes from Excel Saga:

"Look it's a Panda!"
"Pandas are cute"
"Pandas are black!"
"No pandas are white!"
"Pandas are black and white!"

[ElrickOtaku]

I quite like the continuation of that panda scene, with Excel's rather stilted defence of the panda's throwing of bystanders.

"Aw...look at the cute panda...throwing that small child."

Hooray, the panda also blew up the supposedly cute, but more annoying than anything else; Rapponmatsu 2. Like Menchi, I just find 'cute' characters annoying.

I like the civil servants, the lovestruck Iwata and Watanabe, the silent Sumoyoshi, and of course the hazardous (quarter-British) Matsuya. Kabapu and Shimoji are entertaining as well. That snow-training episode was just fantastic...

And I've only just gotten DVD 4, just another month until No. 6 is released in the UK...roll on March...