You all seriously don't know what you're missing.

[bzoppa]

EK and I watched the Fullmetal Alchemist movie tonight with, I’m afraid to say, “crap speedsubs.” Bad grammar and some really awful translation that confused a lot of what is probably clearer with an endorsed subtitle.

However, I am here tonight not to talk about the movie, but to pimp the FMA series again. dr_rock, you especially pay attention here

Comments

[facehead2k]

I kind of like the series. This may be one of two shows we both watch. SCORE!!!

While the themes underlying the show aren't subtle, they still make the show enjoyable to watch. This and Lain are probably the only two anime I've really liked.

[bzoppa]

How far are you in it? And, I have to make sure, you're watching it in order, right? It's not a show you can really watch out of order... I suppose you could miss an episode, but why would you want to?

The lack of subtlety may be because you're not that far into it... or just because it's your first viewing. I'm in my second, and I'm fascinated how the threads pick up throughout the series. Like, when he ran into his teacher again, she was actually there two episodes before, randomly, at the train station. They'd gotten there a couple of days earlier. It was a quick glance and I didn't notice it the first time, mostly because they were randomly drawn characters we hadn't met yet.

Maybe it's because I know what happens with Wrath, and what Greed does, so to me it's significant that Greed is released during the whole 5th laboratory thing but doesn't really make any moves until 10 eps or something later because there's other stuff going on.

Also... "lack of subtle themes"... are you watching subtitles or dubs?

[facehead2k]

ack, I'm watching dubs on Cartoon Network. I've watched it in order, and probably missed two episodes total. I'm probably behind now. The last one I saw was 39.

[bzoppa]

Ok... I'm going to have to say that the "lack of subtle themes" then comes from the dubs. I'm sorry, but dubs are the worst ever. Whoever writes them thinks that American audiences are idiots and cannot grasp the concepts of foreshadowing or hints. We have to be bashed over the head each time a theme rears up because we'd never understand it woven in.

I've gone into my Princess Mononoke rant a few times so I'll refrain (I could link to it if I had time to find it, I've written it out before), but I will say that I won't even watch dubs of the shows I own on DVD. I've tried, because I'd like to have my shows on while I clean or something, but I can't exactly just listen when I'm in the kitchen and understand what's going on. I've never made it through more than one episode or so before giving up, laying down on the couch, and watching it in Japanese.

And it's not the voice actors, it's the way the brilliant and, yes, subtle dialogue is translated into blocky, ham-handed, "Let's make absolutely everything obvious because you're

Beatriz Kiddo

[anonymous]

Ah, small one, you have much to learn before you ascend to my exalted level of Cynical Jaded Old Fart Master.

When you can dismiss an entire series after merely glancing at it on a bar teevee for two seconds, only then will it be time for you to leave the temple.

--Master Pai Mei Pronto

Re: Beatriz Kiddo

[bzoppa]

I was wondering if you'd realize I was referring to you if I didn't actually say "Mr. Quick." Apparently I was doing the same thing the translators of anime do.

[anonymous]

That's a damn good example, because I have tried to watch an episode of a few different series that I haven't yet seen on adult swim and that's exactly what it feels like. I'm not even sure why I try to because it always ends the same way, by me changing the chanel about 10 min. in because I have no idea what the hell is going on. I've never tagged anything as something I wouldn't like though because I know there is no way to get a feel for how the series would, so that's a plus.

I DO need to watch FMA soon. I'm getting kind of sick of everyone telling me how good it is and not having seen it myself.

This is off topic, but I started watching Masters of Horror last night. I only watched the first episode so far and I thought it was pretty damn good. If I remember correctly, you were less impressed with the next few episodes after 1. How has the rest of the series been? Did it pick back up or take a dive?

[dr_r0ck]

OOPS! That was me.
Not sure why I was logged out.

[bzoppa]

Ah ha! I wasn't sure if you were a D.C. person I know so I didn't know much else to say. Yes, please, watch FMA and insist on the subtitles. I think you'll find the themes a lot more subtle rather than watching them with the loud American script.

[dr_r0ck]

insist on the subtitles

Always. At least when possible and I do have the subtitled version of this.