Bandai Entertainment's English dub for Mai HiME/Otome

You know, aside from script changes, I wasn't too offended by the Mai HiME dub. I don't know about Mai (Carol-Anne Day) and Midori (Mariette Sluyter), but characters like Mikoto (Caitlynne Medrek) and Sister Yukariko (Allyson June Smith) sounded perfect to me.

I have mixed feelings about two characters and I think we know who they are.  :tongue:

Cheryl McMaster's Natsuki sounded kinda butch. The kind of butch that enjoys the Lifetime channel (MEN ARE ALL EEEEEVIL!!!) although she fixed that slightly in Mai Otome.

Melanie Risdon as Shizuru is also a mixed bag. I love how she captured the essence of Shizuru by really putting emotion into those ShizNat moments. Everything else was kinda off though. See for yourself in the classic scene where Shizuru encounters Nao:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqXAz29_9_I

I've briefly talked about the southern belle voice they gave her on my website's FAQ section:

http://shiznat.webs.com/faq.htm

LoneWolf shared more insight with me by saying and I quote:

"Everything is slower and laid back in the Kansai region compared to Metro Tokyo and this is why US Producer Taku Otsuka, had suggested a southern accent.

It's the best representation for Kyoto-natives. Now, I noticed fans were hoping or expecting something along the lines of something more "British" but seriously...this would only further deviate from what Kyoto really is. Another misconception is that the Kyoto dialect is "proper." This is indeed incorrect as Kyoto-ben is found to be a much more soft-spoken dialect and respectable but it's not considered proper "keigo."

Thoughts?

Edit:

List of voice actors and actresses from Bandai Entertainment's dub. Credit goes to Anime News Network:

---

Caitlynne Medrek as Mikoto Minagi
Carol-Anne Day as Mai Tokiha
Cheryl McMaster as Natsuki Kuga

Allyson June Smith as Yukariko Sanada
Annika Odegard as Akira Okuzaki
Cole Howard as Takumi Tokiha
Ethan Cole as Reito Kanzaki
Graham Ko as Nagi Homura
Hazel Forman as Chie Harada
Jayna Mitchell as Aoi Senou
Jordan Schartner as Yuichi Tate
Katie Rowan as Mashiro Kazahana
Leda Davies as Shiho Munakata
Lori Barnes-Smith as Haruka Suzuhiro
Maizun Jayoussi as Miyu Greer
Marcy Lannan as Nao Yuuki
Mariette Sluyter as Midori Sugiura
Melanie Risdon as Shizuru Fujino
Morgan Partridge as
Akane Higurashi
Yukino Kikukawa
Wendy Morrison as
Alyssa Searrs
Fumi Himeno

Abby Charchun as
Kiyone
Sayuri Ichinose
Brett Bauer as Kazuya Kurauchi
Ethan Cole as Obsidian Prince
Glenn Howard as Mochizuki
Jeffrey Watson as Tatsuhiko Zaizen
Jonathan Love as Mr. Smith
Kelsey Schimpf as Miya Suzuki
Mariette Sluyter as Mrs. Tokiha (ep 3)
Melanie Risdon as Yoko Sagisawa
Michelle Warkentin as Elder 1
Noel Johanssen as Wataru Ishigami
Paul Cowling as Joseph Greer
Randall Wiebe as
Jin Munekata
Kaiji Sakomizu
Roger Rhodes as Rescuer (ep 1)
Scott Roberts as Masashi Takeda
Steve Olson as Mr. Sawada (ep 4)
Victor Atelevich as
Kuga's Aide (ep 2)
Ship Officer (ep 1)
Yamada

---

I know a worse dub than the English one: the German dub -_- I think the English dub is awful, but the German one is just more AWFUL O_O Don't ask how this is possible ;_; Okay, Nao was okay through good and Mai was okay, but all the others?? Man, I couldn't bear it for more than 3 or 4 episodes and that was bad enough -_-
The worst was Midori's TT__TT No emotion in the voice, just like by the random characters (or maybe worse).
And their wasn't any change in Natsuk's and Shizuru's voices in the last episodes, hello?? -_- And I couldn't stand Natsuki's voice long.

I kind of liked the French one (or was it Spanish??) in this one Shizuru and Natsuki scene in epi 19: Best Japanese, second French (or Spanish), third English and last German. Komugiraffe shitty Beez (the ones who did the dubs).

Goddess, if I think about it...... Please kill me TTT___TTT

Never heard the German dub, but I'll take your word on it. ^_^ In the English dub, there was no emotion in Midori's voice (during dramatic moments). It seemed forced during her comedy skits, like in Cake Wars and the HiME karaoke.

I agree that the Spanish dub is excellent, I got to listen to it a few years back. Nothing beats the Japanese original of course, but I like variety. XD Even if it's painful to listen to. lol

LMAO! NOTSKI! That's exactly how she says it! I still enjoy Melanie's performance as Shizuru, but only to a degree. Depends on the scene. ^^;;;

I'm always right. ;P You and Kino-chan should know this by now.

I still want them to dub Mai-Otome 0~S.ifr~ and release it in the States. T_T

I really didn't care for the dub until I made my younger sister watch it and she only agreed to watch it in english. So, of course, being the amazing older sister i am, I decided to watch it with her and explain things to her. And I had so many complaints in the beggining. Many of them were:

-Natsuki sounded like a man. Especially when she called for Duran haha. That's why when Kenz (my younger sis) does her Natsuki impression, she uses a very deep voice and goes, "I'm so girly."

-Mai's voice made me want to gouge my eyes out with a sharpened pencil because it was so annoying and reminded me of Kagome's english voice actor (from Inuyasha)

-Shizuru sounds like she should be out back milking the cows.

-Reito' voice was just...no. I had to laugh the first time I heard it. Idk why, it just didn't seem to fit to me.

- Nao sounded a bit older than she should have, but they were going in the right direction.

- Shiho's voice just....ugh. I hated it. I wanted to staba child.

Haha, but it grew on me and now I kinda like it. Especially Shizuru's voice, but I think it would've been more epic if she had a southern ghetto black voice. I would just laugh. So. Frickin. Hard.

But on another note, I saw the german dub too (even tho i don't speak it) and have you heard how they say Shizuru's name?! In that scene where Shizuru was about kill Nao, I couldn't take Natsuki seriously when she called out for Shizuru, it sounds like, "Shizwu!" Like she's speakin baby! I replayed that about 10 times! haha!

Kara wrote:But on another note, I saw the german dub too (even tho i don't speak it) and have you heard how they say Shizuru's name?! In that scene where Shizuru was about kill Nao, I couldn't take Natsuki seriously when she called out for Shizuru, it sounds like, "Shizwu!" Like she's speakin baby! I replayed that about 10 times! haha!

Really?? Didn't notice it (oh well, I didn't see this scene in German). I think they say Natsuki's name a little bit strange, but I can be wrong, too. I can't remember, that's amazing! *__* (no irony here)
Anyway. Except from Mai's German voice they all fail at call "Kagutsuchi" XDDDDD

[/quote]Really?? Didn't notice it (oh well, I didn't see this scene in German). I think they say Natsuki's name a little bit strange, but I can be wrong, too. I can't remember, that's amazing! *__* (no irony here)
Anyway. Except from Mai's German voice they all fail at call "Kagutsuchi" XDDDDD[/quote]



Haha, I know! It sounds so weird! Germans shouldn't dub things, they sound too weird lol

Kara wrote:I really didn't care for the dub until I made my younger sister watch it and she only agreed to watch it in english. So, of course, being the amazing older sister i am, I decided to watch it with her and explain things to her. And I had so many complaints in the beggining. Many of them were:

-Natsuki sounded like a man. Especially when she called for Duran haha. That's why when Kenz (my younger sis) does her Natsuki impression, she uses a very deep voice and goes, "I'm so girly."

-Mai's voice made me want to gouge my eyes out with a sharpened pencil because it was so annoying and reminded me of Kagome's english voice actor (from Inuyasha)

-Shizuru sounds like she should be out back milking the cows.

-Reito' voice was just...no. I had to laugh the first time I heard it. Idk why, it just didn't seem to fit to me.

- Nao sounded a bit older than she should have, but they were going in the right direction.

- Shiho's voice just....ugh. I hated it. I wanted to staba child.

Haha, but it grew on me and now I kinda like it. Especially Shizuru's voice, but I think it would've been more epic if she had a southern ghetto black voice. I would just laugh. So. Frickin. Hard.

You know what really pisses me off?

"NOTSUKI"

That's right. Notsuki Kuga. That's how they pronounce her freakin' name and now it's stuck in my brain. xD There are times when I have to correct myself, thanks to the dub. Like you, the dub also grew on me. It certainly isn't the worst dub in existence, but they could of done a lot better. lol Shizuru's voice actress, Melanie Risdon, improved somewhat in Mai-Otome. ^_^

I strongly agree on Mai's voice actress, Carol-Anne Day. Sounds too much like a whiny Regina George, ala Kagome. :lol:

Luu Sky Sapphire
You know what really pisses me off?

"NOTSUKI"

That's right. Notsuki Kuga. That's how they pronounce her freakin' name and now it's stuck in my brain. xD There are times when I have to correct myself, thanks to the dub. Like you, the dub also grew on me. It certainly isn't the worst dub in existence, but they could of done a lot better. lol Shizuru's voice actress, Melanie Risdon, improved somewhat in Mai-Otome. ^_^

I strongly agree on Mai's voice actress, Carol-Anne Day. Sounds too much like a whiny Regina George, ala Kagome. :lol:

Haha, sadly that's how I've said her name even before I watched the dub lol

I think Shizuru's voice actor said 'Natsuki' but she said it weird and she pronounced the 'a' weird haha

Kara wrote:Haha, sadly that's how I've said her name even before I watched the dub lol

I think Shizuru's voice actor said 'Natsuki' but she said it weird and she pronounced the 'a' weird haha

Are you cereal? That's okay, I guess I'll have to accept it. :lol:

Yeah, but it still sounds like Notsuki to me. lol Only one of the characters said it correctly, forgot who though. I'll need to rewatch it, but I think it was Mikoto.

Haha, you can kiss my apples if you think I'm gonna say it any other way

Kara wrote:Haha, you can kiss my apples if you think I'm gonna say it any other way

What if I have have Miyu kick your bum for a few minutes, you will still say NOTSUKI? ^_^

Yes. I will still say Notsuki. Because Miyu doesn't scare me, all I have to do would be throw magnets at her!

Kara wrote:Haha, I know! It sounds so weird! Germans shouldn't dub things, they sound too weird lol

That's not true ;P They can dub things, but they fail most of the time by dubing animes (there are exceptions like NOIR or Elfenlied).

And I like your idea to "fight" Miyu XD Made me laugh.

That's not true ;P They can dub things, but they fail most of the time by dubing animes (there are exceptions like NOIR or Elfenlied).

Haha, I'm sure they have the German dubbers have some good dubs, just...HiME wasn't one of them lol

Kara wrote:Yes. I will still say Notsuki. Because Miyu doesn't scare me, all I have to do would be throw magnets at her!

xD Yeah! You can start by throwing this at her:

Luu Sky Sapphire wrote:

Kara wrote:Yes. I will still say Notsuki. Because Miyu doesn't scare me, all I have to do would be throw magnets at her!

xD Yeah! You can start by throwing this at her:

Hahahaha! Yes!! Miyu will never be able to beat me when I have...THAT THING on my side!!

Kara wrote:Hahahaha! Yes!! Miyu will never be able to beat me when I have...THAT THING on my side!!

xD I'll find some way to take you down. Maybe I'll send out the panty-stealing Orphan to raid your collection. :lol:

Luu Sky Sapphire wrote:

Kara wrote:Hahahaha! Yes!! Miyu will never be able to beat me when I have...THAT THING on my side!!

xD I'll find some way to take you down. Maybe I'll send out the panty-stealing Orphan to raid your collection. :lol:

O_O That is soooo not fair! You can't do that because....um....YOU'RE JUST NOT ALLOWED!

That's right Megan. ^_~ Protect your drawers, ladies. That naughty Orphan could be in your room right now.

Don't let him destroy your collection, unlike silly Natsuki who failed at protecting hers. xD