August 1, 2005
It’s been one year since the historic reformat of Animax-Asia, alienating so many Japanese dub lovers all over the Philippines and the rest of Asia. Believe it or not, ever since I have started this crappy rant, nothing very significant from Animax-Asia has ever changed. The same stellar new anime premiers and lineups every month, same excellent programming scheme, but still the same good and crappy dubs with the same lineup of voice actors.
One of the biggest changes was the separation of a unique Philippines-only cable feed from Animax-Asia. Animax-Asia headquarters are situated in Singapore, and being broadcast over some countries in Asia by cable companies. At one point, the network split a feed exclusively for Philippines viewers only. Apparently, a big voice of complaint from the Filipino fans of the Saiyuki series, having seen English dubs of the Saiyuki Reload and Gunlock series which they didn’t like, forced the network to do so. Wow, I guess you can see that in this country people power is one way to get some change. The fans complain, the network answered. The Saiyuki sequels were rebroadcast in their original Japanese language with English subtitles. In addition, the 6-7PM timeslot which used to be an English dub slot was changed to a subtitled slot to accomodate Saiyuki Reload and Gunlock, as well as other new subtitled anime like Witch Hunter Robin and Samurai 7.
That’s kinda good news right? Well, there may be more subtitled timeslots but there is a drought of subtitled anime. So many reruns aired into the few subtitled timeslots. Furthermore, some good anime such as Cowboy Bebop and Gankutsuou (yes Gankutsuou!), which I expected to be broadcast in subtitles, were broadcast in English dub instead.
They need to get their act together now. Anime is getting more and more popular over here. Many popular titles have graced the local scene lately, and I have even spotted anime merchandise in mainstream shops, something that I have not seen before. Most important of all, Animax-Asia will have competition! A Philippine broadcasting company has just released Hero, the very first locally based, predominantly anime cable channel in the country! This is a milestone here, because, well, how many countries have an exclusively anime channel?
While Hero will just have Filipino language dubs (yup, no subs too), it is still competition for Animax-Asia here. Our country is one of their biggest markets of course, judging from the way they even accommodated a separate feed for us, and having another channel eat a bit of their audience pie will be bad news for them (Hero has certainly caught my attention too). Couple that with their already battered reputation because of their English dubs… it’s a shame really. They really have a lineup to die for (some of them are listed at ANN Encyclopedia). If only they could clearly define what animes in their lineup deserved to be shown in subtitles or in English dubs… they would have a better score for me.
By the way, I like their Animax Musix slots. That program shows jpop videos! Their lineup for jpop always seems to be lagging only mere months, and the really mainstream popular stuff are there. The only caveat is that they never finish each video to the end, but nevertheless it’s a nice exposure to jpop.
As usual, their animes are great but some are not projected rightfully because of the English dubs. Cardcaptor Sakura was finally continued in its second and third seasons, but it is still the same dub as I mentioned before. It’s kinda weird that the original Mobile Suit Gundam was shown in dub while the sequels Z and ZZ were shown subbed. The once subbed Texhnolyze was reverted into dubs now. Also, two Digimon animes were shown, and guess what… they used our local English dub! They used the English dub that our own local dubbers made, resulting it into a kinda Engrish-accented dub (while we have high English literacy, some do not speak English fluently [include me in that]). I heard that they will show [Tsukihime->type-moon] in subs, and that’s something for me to eagerly await.
UPDATE: Oof, Tsukihime has some cuts. I’m not impressed (yet again).
Anyway, that’s the story so far. Animax-Asia is still hanging on. Hopefully, some radical change should make me watch the channel regularly again, but I don’t think it will happen very soon.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
[Animax-Asia… Dubbed in English – Episode 1: The end of Animax-Asia? Too sudden!?->]
[Animax-Asia… Dubbed in English – Episode 2: Cardcaptured.->]
[Animax-Asia… Dubbed in English – Episode 3: Trying to Adjust->]
[Animax-Asia… Dubbed in English – Episode 4: Towards the 1st Anniversary->]
[Animax-Asia… Dubbed in English – Episode 5: I gave up on Animax-Asia->]
[Animax-Asia… Dubbed in English – Episode 6: One year since->]
[Animax-Asia… Dubbed in English – Episode 7: Dubbed in Filipino?!?->]
[Animax-Asia… Dubbed in English – Episode 7.5: Initial D Filipino Stage->]
[Animax-Asia… Dubbed in English – Episode 8: More Pain->]
[Animax-Asia… Dubbed in English – Episode 9: Now in blue->]
[Animax-Asia… Dubbed in English – Episode 10: Fake Revival->]
[Animax-Asia… Dubbed in English – Episode 11: Something New->]
[Animax-Asia… Dubbed in English – Episode 12: Red with anger->]
That’s interesting to know. I had pretty much given up on animax when they started dubbing though recently watching again because Gankutsuou and probably Tsukihime. Hero’s line-up seems to be pretty much from ‘family’ channel so I guess that is the network which released it.
Thanks for those insights. It’s been over a year Animax has been launched and until now, our cable provider STILL doesn’t include Animax in their channel lineup. I only find solace in watching WOWOW (They’ve pulled out NHK BS-2 last May). They’ve got FMP and Shuffle.
BTW, if you’ve watched the dubbed anime in AXN in the past, does the Animax dubs use the same voice actors as those in the past AXN dubs. I’ve also “traced” those same voices to those in “JET-TV.”
I think its natural that Tsukihime has cuts(Its aired in Singapore sa expect its censored version).I guess we’ll see Animax get tired and boring.
Yup, they use the same line-up for AXN dubs. It’s the same team. My buddies and I have a codename for them, the “Animax-5”, LOL. Just because they sound like they’re only 5 in the team… They keep on repeating their voice-overs in every anime they’ve dubbed… it actually gets to you after a while. Probably the reason why I’ve suddenly ditched watching the channel, and reverted back to HBO, on my leisure TV time, hahaha.
Back in December, when Animax was first publicised in Singapore, the “Oh, good! A 24-hour anime channel! Now I can die happily!” thought was the first thing on my mind.
8 months on, it’s beginning to feel crap. In fact, there is another cable channel (VV Ent, if I’m not wrong) is showing more popular anime (if you can roll off FMA, YYH and Inuyasha from your tongue— catch, they’re in Mandarin dubs). So I guess my friends who subscribed to that channel would probably laughed at me for missing out more.
My brother had said to me, “Y’know, before AXN ditched the Anime timeslot, they did wanted to show Gungrave (which was his favourite anime, BTW), but no thanks to Animax, I ain’t get my fave show an-e-more!” (Accent notwithstanding)
If they wanted the entire shows dubbed, at least diversify their VAs, for goodness sake. But what can we complain, now that its headquaters is in Singapore, I can’t shake off the feeling that something is tightly censoring stuff we see on them.
Hi. I’m not a blogger but something about your animax dub caught my attention. Some anime on Animax which are shown in english dub are actually being shown in the original english dub (get what I mean?) and those are anime such as Cowboy Bebop and the OVA of Wolf’s Rain. In Cowboy Bebop, Faye is voiced by Wendlee and Spike is voiced by Steve Blum (is that right?). In Wolf’s Rain, Toboe is voiced by Mona Marshall. How these VAs sound is very much familiar to me. I can easily identify them the moment I hear their voices. The original english dub (not sure what to call it ) is pretty good, IMO.
you mean US English dub (by Los Angeles voice actors) as opposed to the “Animax-5” Singapore voice actors. Yeah, I’m actually surprised part of the licensing agreement was that the licensor can “back-port” the english track into other territories.
I just want to know where I can find the names of the English voice actors for Animax English-dubbed shows? I can’t find their names anywhere, not like in Cartoon Network anime where the English voice actors’ names and the company responsible for the dubbing (always the same company, I notice) are shown. In Gundam Seed: Destiny especially, they even went so far as to translate the ending song credits into English words and showed not only the English voice actors but even the original Japanese ones. Animax uses a different set of English voice actors though, so where can I find their names?
I know all about the dubbers. wanna know something? ask me.
Boby
brisc101@hotmail.com
hey boby can u send me the name of the dubbers. i hope its not the same people who did recca or ninku or curious
play but the one who did ghost fighter(yu yu hakusho)
or dan detective school.hitokirination@google.com
hey the adress got messed up its
hitokirination@google.com
Oh those lame dubbers?I hate those untalented people,unbearable!!!
NAMES OF ANIMAX DUBBING ARTISTS
I do know the names of the animax voice actors
The Veteran : ANDREA KWAN
She did:
Andrea Kwan:
Kagome Higurashi and Kikyo (Inu Yasha)
Ranma Saotome [female] and Kasumi Tendo (Ranma ½)
Ayako (Slam Dunk)
Ai Enma (Jigoku Shojo Seasons 1 and 2)
Miyu, Santa (UFO Baby)
Sakura Kinomoto (Cardcaptor Sakura)
Hagumi Hanamoto (Honey and Clover Seasons 1 & 2)
Sergeant Keroro (eponymous)
Momoka Nishizawa and Koyuki Azumaya (Sergeant Keroro),
Kayko Yukimura, Shiziru Kuwabara and Young Genkai (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Nina Sakura (Ultra Maniac)
Megumi (Detective School Q)
Sat Suu Kyi (Ghosts at School)
Mokkun (Shonen Onmyoji),
Miwako Sakurada (Paradise Kiss),
Miko Saegusa, Tama, and Shoukichi Hitotsubashi (Kamichu!),
Nao Ueshima (Windy Tales),
Solty Revant (SoltyRei),
Mikan Sakura (Alice Academy),
Ringo Noyamano, Akito/Agito Wanijima (Air Gear),
Anna Rochefort, Belle and Marquise de Pompadour (Le Chevalier D’Eon)
Shigeru Kanmuri and Sophie Balzac Kirisaki (Yakitate! Ja-pan)
Princess Sakura (Chronicle of the Wings Season 1)
Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, S.A.C. 2nd GIG and Innocence
Cheza and Cher Degré (Wolf’s Rain)
Makubex (Get Backers)
Lily, Kahoko’s friend,the reporter (don’t remember her name) Azuma’s grandmother and younger sister (La Corda D’oro Primo Passo)
Princess Comet (Princess Comet)
Princess Sarah (Princess Sarah)
Remy (Nobody’s Girl)
Peat, Ruu (Princess Tutu)
Young Goku (Dragon Ball Z)
She also happens to be a director
The one who left Animax and went back to his country Canada
DARREN PLAEVIN (HE’S MY FAVORITE)
Inu Yasha (eponymous)
Ginji Amano (Get Backers)
Kiba (Wolf’s Rain)
Yuta Takemoto (Honey and Clover Season 1)
Ranma Saotome [male] (Ranma ½)
Yusuke Urameshi (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Ayumu Aizawa (Absolute Boy)
Kenji Ninomiya (Kamichu!)
Hiroyuki Tokumori (Paradise Kiss)
Syaoran (Chronicle of the Wings Season 1)
Robert Haydn (The Law of Ueki), Seichiro Sano (The Law of Ueki; eps 1-33)
Yusuke Kamoshita (I’m Gonna be an Angel)
Seiji Sawamura (Midori Days)
Togusa (Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex and S.A.C. 2nd GIG)
Cho Hakkai (Journey to the West Parts 1 and 2)
Kinta (Detective School Q)
CANDICE MOORE
Sango, Kaede and Shippo (Inu Yasha)
Kanata (UFO Baby)
Nabiki Tendo, Ukyo Kuonji, Shampoo and Kodachi Kuno (Ranma ½)
Kurama, Koenma, Genkai, Yukina (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Honne Onna (Jigoku Shojo Season 2)
Aki and Fuyuki Hinata (Sergeant Keroro)
Ayu (Ultra Maniac)
Fancy Lala (Fancy Lala)
Abe no Masahiro (Shonen Onmyoji)
Matsuri Saegusa and God of Poverty (Kamichu!)
Jun (Windy Tales)
Yukari Hayasaka (Paradise Kiss)
Kazuma Azuma (Yakitate! Ja-pan)
Shiraume “Ume” Noyamano, Emily Adachi (Air Gear)
Marie Leszczynska (Le Chevalier D’Eon)
Rin Tosaka (Fate/Stay Night)
Ayumi Yamada (Honey and Clover Season 2)
Fai D. Flourite (Chronicle of the Wings Season 1)
Hiwou (Hiwou War Chronicles)
Natsume Hyuga, Misaki Harada (Alice Academy)
Toboe (Wolf’s Rain)
Hevn (Get Backers)
Kousuke Ueki (The Law of Ueki).
Claudia Thompson:
Honne Onna (Jigoku Shojo Season 1)
Momoka (UFO Baby)
Daisuke “Isabella” Yamamoto (Paradise Kiss)
Hotaru Imai, Sumire Shoda and Ruka Nogi (Alice Academy)
Yurie Hitotsubashi (Kamichu!)
Helga (Fantastic Children)
Akira Sukawara (Absolute Boy), Miki (Windy Tales)
Akane Tendo and Cologne (Ranma ½)
The Dimensional Witch (Chronicle of the Wings Season 1)
Empress Elizabetha (Le Chevalier D’Eon)
Ayumi Yamada (Honey and Clover Season 1)
Midori Kasugano (Midori Days)
Himiko Kudo (Get Backers [upto and including Makubex arc]).
DAVE BRIDGES
Durand (Le Chevalier D’Eon)
Shinobu Morita (Honey and Clover Seasons 1 and 2)
Arashi Nagase (Paradise Kiss)
Yashima (Kamichu!)
Ryota Miyagi, Hikoichi Aida (Slam Dunk)
Shinji Mato (Fate/Stay Night), Kurogane (Chronicle of the Wings Season 1)
Kyosuke Kawachi and Yuichi Kirisaki (Yakitate! Ja-pan)
Cleo Aiolos Corbeille (Legend of the Glass Fleet)
Hiei (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Hikaru Gosunkugi and Ryoga Hibiki (Ranma ½)
Phyllo (.hack//Roots)
Narumi (Alice Academy)
SEND HIM A FRIEND REQUEST ON MYSPACE.COM
David Lee McKinney:
Kiminobu Kogure and Kaede Rukawa (Slam Dunk)
ShirÅ Emiya (Fate/Stay Night)
Yuta Takemoto (Honey and Clover Season 2)
Pete Pumps (Ginban Kaleidoscope)
Abe no Seimei and Toshitsugu Fujiwara (Shonen Onmyoji)
Saburo and Lance Corporal Dororo (Sergeant Keroro)
Kazu and Sora Takeuchi (Air Gear)
D’Eon de Beaumont (Le Chevalier D’Eon)
Ryo Kuroyanagi (Yakitate! Ja-pan)
Fumihiko Matsumaru (REC)
Ray Lundgren (Gun X Sword)
Suguru Kashiwagi (Maria Watches Over Us)
Haruo Yoshikawa (Magikano)
Dietrich von Lohengrin (Trinity Blood)
HE HAS AN OFFICIAL WEBSITE JUST GOOGLE HIS NAME
Emily Woo Zeller:
Haruko Akagi (Slam Dunk)
Kahoko Hino (La Corda D’Oro: Primo Passo)
Saber (Fate/Stay Night)
Carmen 99, Priscilla and Joshua Lundgren (Gun X Sword)
Tazusa Sakurano (Ginban Kaleidoscope)
Mari “Tom” Tomita, Mikan and Rika Noyamano (Air Gear)
Yukino and Tsukino Azusagawa (Yakitate! Ja-pan)
Lia de Beaumont and Robin (Le Chevalier D’Eon)
Michael Pizzuto:
Narrator and Sergeant Major Kururu (Sergeant Keroro)
Vorontsov and Louis XV (Le Chevalier D’Eon)
Hisashi Mitsui (Slam Dunk), Pierrot Bolneze (Yakitate! Ja-pan)
Kurogane (Chronicle of the Wings Season 2)
Rik Thomas: Narrator (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Totosai (Inu Yasha)
Daisuke Aramaki (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, S.A.C. 2nd GIG and Innocence)
Detective Dan (Detective School Q)
Wanyudo (Jigoku Shoujo Season 1), Paul Wan (Get Backers)
Quent Yaiden (Wolf’s Rain)
RUSSEL WAIT
Sesshomaru, Myoga and Naraku (Inu Yasha)
Black Jack (eponymous),
Takumi Mayama (Honey and Clover Seasons 1 and 2)
Takaya Abe (Big Windup!)
George Koizumi (Paradise Kiss)
The Claw Man and Nero (Gun X Sword)
Kazuma Kuwabara (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Hajime Shibata (Jigoku Shoujo Season 1)
Sven Vollfied (Black Cat)
Archer (Fate/Stay Night)
Roy Revant (SoltyRei)
Seiran Shi (Colourcloud Palace)
Dr. Dokkiri (eponymous)
Space Pirate Captain Herlock: Endless Odyssey (eponymous)
The Count of Monte Cristo (eponymous)
Genjo Sanzo (Journey to the West Parts 1 and 2)
Ban Mido (Get Backers)
Soun Tendo and Tatewaki Kuno (Ranma ½)
Batou (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, S.A.C. 2nd GIG and Innocence)
Jinno (Alice Academy).
Sarah Hauser:
Botan (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Ahiru (Princess Tutu)
Yumi Fukuzawa (Maria Watches Over Us)
Akira (Cardcaptor Sakura)
Mitsue Shijo (Kamichu!)
Mokona Modoki (Chronicle of the Wings)
Kitaro (Spooky Kitaro), Tabby (.hack//Roots)
Natsumi Mizuki (Get Backers)
Himiko Kudo (Get Backers [episodes after the Makubex arc])
Yu Tobita (Alice Academy)
Blue (Wolf’s Rain).
Scott Evans:
Hanamichi Sakuragi (Slam Dunk)
Toda (Shonen Onmyoji)
Van (Gun X Sword)
Corporal Giroro (Sergeant Keroro)
Train Heartnett (Black Cat)
Seichiro Sano (The Law of Ueki ; eps 33+)
Itsuki “Ikki” Minami (Air Gear)
Teillagory (Le Chevalier D’Eon).
Victor Lee:
Seiryu (Shonen Onmyoji)
Takumi Nomiya (Honey and Clover Season 2)
Takenori Akagi (Slam Dunk)
Suwabara (Yakitate! Ja-pan)
Yomi and Elder Toguro (Yu Yu Hakusho)
Tsume (Wolf’s Rain)
Dr. Jackal (Get Backers).