How long does it take to dub an anime?

[link0007]

As I'm rather new to anime besides watching what is on TV, I was wondering how long it usually takes before a Japanese anime gets picked up for distribution and dubbed and then released in other regions. I'm sure it depends on the anime and how popular it was in Japan and all that stuff but what's a good average? And after how much time is it more likely that it will not get picked up? I ask this because I usually like to wait to see if the dub is any good before watching an anime.

Also as a side note, what I am really curious about is if Itazura na Kiss will ever get dubbed. What do you guys think the likelihood of that happening is?

[morrefule]

I don't think you can really gauge something like this, and I'm assuming you are talking about a US release.  Some things get dubbed pretty quickly and some don't.  2 years is a good estimate for a fast dub, because normally what seems to happen is the series finishes in Japan, A US Company decides to License it, it gets translated, a script gets written, script gets approved, voice actors are hired, production starts, post production, and then who knows what else I’m leaving out.  It isn't a quick and easy process by any means

But I wouldn't be surprised if we start seeing less and less dubs out there, because of the way the anime industry is headed during the current economic downturn.  For those of us who enjoy subs, that’s a good thing, that means we will get content quicker.  For those of us who enjoy Dubs probably will be less of a selection out there.

As far as Itazura na Kiss is concerned, who knows.  It needs to get licensed first, and I haven't seen anything out there about it, but I really didn't put it on my list of things to "watch to buy" so I’m not really tracking it.  It is a tough title to say one way or another.  But what I would really like to see released in the US is Ef, but I’ll keep dreaming

[link0007]

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping something a little shorter than 2+ years but oh well. I would rather them take time and make it good than just throw something out.

But what I would really like to see released in the US is Ef, but I’ll keep dreaming

Oh man I would love to see that licensed in the US. 

[Ayporos]

I agree with Morrefule,

Looking at the way things are going at the moment I also believe we will see an increase of subs hitting the US retail market if anything.

But I do not share morrefule's opinion that this is a 'good' thing for us sub-watchers.

My reasoning for this is as follows:
Companies doing subtitles for a Japanese anime to make it compatible for US retail market ALWAYS and ALWAYS WILL 'westernalise' them.
Companies exsist for one purpose and one purpose only.. I don't care what you might think, because it's isn't 'customer service'... it's cold hard PROFIT.
For a company to make as much profit as possible a product needs to appeal to as many people as possible.. aka, the 'dumb consumer masses'.
This means Japanese cultural structure that isn't compatible with western/US culture will get lost in translation.. this usually includes (but is not limited to): honorifics, expressions, sayings, name order (name, surname vs surname, name) etc etc etc.

This necessarily doesn't need to pose a problem... as long as fansubbers continue their GREAT work.
However the problem with this is that fansubbers might lose a bit of interrest in putting their hard work and hours into translating an anime if a bigshot company is going to do it aswell anyway..

Sorry if I turned this thread into a philosophical discussion but I just felt I had to say this

[Zalis116]

It's anybody's guess as to when titles will be licensed in this tumultuous market, and it's an equal crapshoot as to whether they'll be dubbed or not. For the time being, I recommend checking out existing titles that already have English dubs -- check out the "Best/Worst Dubs" thread in this forum if you need a place to get started.

Companies exist for one purpose and one purpose only.. I don't care what you might think, because it's isn't 'customer service'... it's cold hard PROFIT.

You're right about that -- but the same applies to the companies that actually produce the anime as well. They don't make it on a charity basis just so that people across the ocean can download it for free. So why slam overseas distributors for being profit-motivated, when the whole purpose behind anime's very existence is to make money?

This means Japanese cultural structure that isn't compatible with western/US culture will get lost in translation.. this usually includes (but is not limited to): honorifics, expressions, sayings, name order (name, surname vs surname, name) etc etc etc.

How much of this is based on assumption, and how much is based on actual experience with R1 subs? Because recently, many R1 releases have had subtitles creeping closer to "fansub-esque" as far as name order, honorifics, notes, etc. are concerned. Nozomi's Marimite releases even have an alternate "hardcore" subtitle track in addition to the standard localized subs. And really, how much is "lost in translation" by having "I'm off to school!" instead of "itte kimasu" in the subtitles? Same goes for itadakimasu, gochisou-sama, and so forth. You're right that localization takes place, but put yourself in the shoes of a newer fan picking up an anime DVD for whatever reason. If there's no dub and the subtitles are full of arcane gibberish, is that new fan going to keep on buying and watching anime? Probably not. Catering exclusively to insular fan communities is bad business.

[morrefule]

i'll take this point by point then.  And no worries I enjoy things like this.

Companies doing subtitles for a Japanese anime to make it compatible for US retail market ALWAYS and ALWAYS WILL 'westernalise' them.

Well this is true.  But I might ask you what is the real problem with that?  It makes it easy to understand for the novice watcher, and let us be honest, the more you watch subs the less you read them and the more you watch the series.  Certain words and phrases sub watchers know by heart, so even if it is westernised they will more than likely ignore the westernised translation and subsitiute thier own mentally.

Companies exsist for one purpose and one purpose only.. I don't care what you might think, because it's isn't 'customer service'... it's cold hard PROFIT.

And what is wrong with that?  A profitable company will be successful and will turn out more high quality products that you and I enjoy.  And unprofitable one will ether reorganized or go bankrupt.  The more profitable the company the bigger the benefit for everyone in the anime community.  The more titles they will import from japan and the more those japanesse companies will produce.  In-turn giving us the anime or manga we love so much on our shelves.  This is sort of why i have a distaste for people who get annoyed when a series is licensed, getting licensed is a good thing, that means one can go out and buy it if you truely enjoy it, and we will get more content in the future because of it.

For a company to make as much profit as possible a product needs to appeal to as many people as possible.. aka, the 'dumb consumer masses'.
This means Japanese cultural structure that isn't compatible with western/US culture will get lost in translation.. this usually includes (but is not limited to): honorifics, expressions, sayings, name order (name, surname vs surname, name) etc etc etc.

"Dumb Masses" you have been listening to Neal Boortz LoL.  This is true, i consider about 80% of the people i meet cold hard stupid when it comes to a lot of things.  But nobody was a professional at the beginning.  Some things do get lost in translation, but i would pose this arguement to you.  If you didn't understand something, would you not go look it up.  We have a large community here on BxT that would be more than willing to help, and there is always Wikipedia and bable fish(as bad as it is) to help.  It would be hard for me to agree with your arguement because if someone who didn't really care but just wanted to follow the story line is something like that going to stop them from enjoying the series?  Probably not.

I didn't know that Zalis, but that's pretty cool, more power to them for doing a "hardcore" sub track!

[Ayporos]

You (zalis and morrefule) both make good point.

Zalis, I did indeed not know that some animes that have been licensed lately have had 'closer to true nature' subs and reading about those 'hardcore subs' track almost gave me an erection.
If that is the way it is going to be (a regular subtitle track and a 'hardcore anime fan' subtitle track) I guess I wouldn't have any problem with it

You are both right in saying it is a good thing that licensing gets more people into anime and makes anime not just for the hardcore otaku's like us that roam torrentsites like these.

Somewhere in my post I believe I lost track of my true intention with that post, which comes down to the fact that I believe
all of this licensing and dubbing/subbing (and now even those 'hardcore' subs) will demotivate fansubbing communities.

I was very lucky with my first 10 anime's that I watched, because atleast 3 or 4 of them had fansubs that did not translate stuff like onii-chan or itadakimasu.
Instread they made a comment line on the top of screen (subs at bottom ofc) explaining the meaning of those phrases the first time they appeared in the anime.

I just loved the way how it made me and the fansubbers feel connected to the japanese, and not just the series.
A fansub that tried to teach you about Japanese itself throughout the anime... I ate it up and yelled OKAWARI! (means "I want seconds/more!", if I spelled the romanji correct anyway )

[link0007]

Damn economic downturn! 

And I like the idea of adding a 'hardcore' sub track as well as a normal sub track and had no idea anyone was doing that.

For the time being, I recommend checking out existing titles that already have English dubs -- check out the "Best/Worst Dubs" thread in this forum if you need a place to get started.

I think I have plenty of dubbed anime to keep me busy at the moment but when I get done with my backlog I will defiantly check this thread out. I was actually more interested in figuring out when a couple of animes would come out with dubs, if they do at all. Some of them include Itazura na Kiss, Lovely Complex, To Love-Ru, ToHeart2, Spice and Wolf, Special A, and Torodora!, also waiting for Seto no Hanayome which should start airing pretty soon.

Sorry if I turned this thread into a philosophical discussion but I just felt I had to say this

No problem as long as starts a good discussion. 

[morrefule]

I was actually more interested in figuring out when a couple of animes would come out with dubs, if they do at all. Some of them include Itazura na Kiss, Lovely Complex, To Love-Ru, Spice and Wolf, Special A, and Torodora!, also waiting for Seto no Hanayome which should start airing pretty soon.

I have no clue about any of those but Lovely Complex, Special A, and Torodora! are on the list of titles I’m watching to see if they are picked up.  As of right now I haven't heard of anything on it.  But I try to keep my ear to the ground.  We probably have a good while for Toradora! because it just finished airing not to long ago. 

To put things in perspective for you Clannad just finished it's US release today (5/5/09) and aired in 2007.  And it was a Subtitle release only.

From Ayporos
I was very lucky with my first 10 anime's that I watched, because atleast 3 or 4 of them had fansubs that did not translate stuff like onii-chan or itadakimasu.
Instread they made a comment line on the top of screen (subs at bottom ofc) explaining the meaning of those phrases the first time they appeared in the anime.

I just loved the way how it made me and the fansubbers feel connected to the japanese, and not just the series.
A fansub that tried to teach you about Japanese itself throughout the anime... I ate it up and yelled OKAWARI! (means "I want seconds/more!", if I spelled the romanji correct anyway )

I think that is a normal transition for people who enjoy anime.  I don't consider myself an otaku or anything, nor do i go around trying to speak Japanese (I’m not that disdainful and contumelious to bastardize a language besides my own).  But picking up little words here and there helps you understand the meaning a little better, and allows you to watch more than read, which i feel, allows one to understand the story just a little deeper.  What really separates dubs from subs to me, is the passion behind a lot of the acting.  I my honest and bias opinion i feel a lot of English voice actors do not hold true to the characters true nature in some dubs.  But there are dubs out there that, are immaculate like "Cowboy Bebop", amazing work.  If all dubs were like that.  I would only watch dub, but alas they are not.