Are Vancouver dubs going to go extinct?

[Neo Shadow King]

Originally Posted by IMB

I don't know what to think about Kohaku's recast. On one hand, it's not new territory for that character. The cons of using child actors for long-running shows reared its head with that one. However, his most recent voice actor is still working and is no longer a child, so he would've fit an adult version of the character (though, I don't know if it would've matched the seiyuu). It could (and likely does) mean nothing, but it may indicate that Kelly, Kira, Kirby and Richard are the extent of the returning Vancouver cast.

Just to be clear, from what I can gather the reason in Japanese Kohaku was recast is simply because he was voiced by a woman back in Inuyasha and since the character is older, they decided to change up his voice (Apparently the actress that played him as a child still voices him in flashbacks or something, but don't quote me on that one, I still haven't watched Yashahime). Aidan Drummond however is still very much active, and while I'm not exactly sure of how he sounds like nowadays, in theory there should be nothing stopping him from reprising.

The possibility of these guys may be the extent from the returning cast thus just kinda rears up its ugly head. I mean, he was already 17 when he was Casted as Kohaku so I don't think he should sound too different nowadays (At least I imagine, I dunno, I never saw The Final Act dubbed bar a few scenes and I'm pretty sure Kohaku wasn't in any of them), and even if he did, even the character itself has aged up so there should be no problem. It would really suck if this really was the extent of the returning Cast. I'd love to be proven wrong, but still, it is a very likely possibility.

[PacoSlimee]

Welp. That's what I get for stating things as fact. I legitimately didn't think they'd attempt to get anyone back. Definitely a neat surprise.

[IMB]

Originally Posted by Neo Shadow King

Just to be clear, from what I can gather the reason in Japanese Kohaku was recast is simply because he was voiced by a woman back in Inuyasha and since the character is older, they decided to change up his voice (Apparently the actress that played him as a child still voices him in flashbacks or something, but don't quote me on that one, I still haven't watched Yashahime). Aidan Drummond however is still very much active, and while I'm not exactly sure of how he sounds like nowadays, in theory there should be nothing stopping him from reprising.

The possibility of these guys may be the extent from the returning cast thus just kinda rears up its ugly head. I mean, he was already 17 when he was Casted as Kohaku so I don't think he should sound too different nowadays (At least I imagine, I dunno, I never saw The Final Act dubbed bar a few scenes and I'm pretty sure Kohaku wasn't in any of them), and even if he did, even the character itself has aged up so there should be no problem. It would really suck if this really was the extent of the returning Cast. I'd love to be proven wrong, but still, it is a very likely possibility.

Viz sat on TFA for a few years waiting for a TV deal. It was recorded in 2010, so Aidan would've been 14 or 15. His voice has definitely changed as he's gotten older. I sat through all of The Little Prince and it gets noticeably deeper in the third season, which was done a few years later. I wouldn't expect him to come back for any child Kohaku lines, but the adult one is a different story ... It's hard to say if it means anything since the character's gone through more recasts than anyone else. Another Kohaku is like an in-joke at this point. That doesn't hold true for the rest of the cast, though.

[Neo Shadow King]

Originally Posted by IMB

Viz sat on TFA for a few years waiting for a TV deal. It was recorded in 2010, so Aidan would've been 14 or 15. His voice has definitely changed as he's gotten older. I sat through all of The Little Prince and it gets noticeably deeper in the third season, which was done a few years later. I wouldn't expect him to come back for any child Kohaku lines, but the adult one is a different story ... It's hard to say if it means anything since the character's gone through more recasts than anyone else. Another Kohaku is like an in-joke at this point. That doesn't hold true for the rest of the cast, though.

Didn't know about the TV Deal part. Yeah, a new Kohaku voice wouldn't be anything surprising in theory, but given the circumstances... yeah...

[drakh]

Originally Posted by Neo Shadow King

Bang Zoom!, as far as LA options go, is relatively cheap. Ocean by contrast, is most definitely not by comparison by the standards of Anime Dubs. So this is basically Viz and BZ doing their best to be cheap while at the same time also not causing any major outrage by the fanbase.

In the 2000s, Animaze was the expensive one, while Bang Zoom, Ocean, New Generation Pictures, Media Concepts, Studiopolis, Elastic Medai, etc. seemed competitive with each other. Arvintel was seemingly rock bottom for LA.

Then the DVD apocalypse happened and things got tough. You had a BZ employee running around various anime forums **** talking their competition until they were exposed. And you had the Nanoha dub in late 2008, which was credited to "WGP Ltd.", but I remember hearing rumors that this was basically just Bang Zoom trying to hide that they were hiring acting students and fans at significantly lowered pay rates and that some of their established voice actors were pissed about it.

I drifted away from anime after that, but it seems like outside of GITS, very few of the old VAs still work for BZ. And they seem to have undercut and driven most of the competition out of the business. I can't imagine Les Claypool (Animaze's recording studio owner) was talking about a different company when he wrote his scathing goodbye to the industry as he shut down Magnitude 8 Post in 2015.

NYAV gets the occasional project from from RightStuf, but other than that they and Studiopolis are left fighting fighting for whatever Netflix shows VSI and Bang Zoom don't grab.

Originally Posted by IMB

It would've been nice to see some lesser-known talent get the spotlight, but it is what it is. At least we dodged having to hear an Inuyasha soundalike. SAG's foreign dubbing rate is what, $70/hr? IIRC even Blue Water's Alberta actors (who are not under ACTRA) get paid more, exchange rate included. That's probably the answer as to why Bang Zoom's the lead.

IIRC, in the 2000s the SAG rate started at 60, and then got bumped a few times a few dollars.

Currently, it seems Netflix is the only one doing union dubs, and they have their own dubbing agreement with SAG currently at $83 an hour. Remains to be seen if the older "generic" dubbing agreement still is in effect.

Originally Posted by IMB

There's still lots left unknown. Did Viz hire a studio in Vancouver to record this, or are they doing it at home? I only mention that because it might impact who's allowed to come back. The four announced today have all been (relatively) prolific in the Vancouver scene for years, so it wouldn't be a surprise to find out they have at home setups. Some of the more obscure cast members, though? Then again, COVID has pioneered quick home booths, so... I'd be impressed if they manage to get Willow Johnson back as Kikyo. I think that would be likelier (but still far from a guarantee) if they had a local studio involved. She's presumed to be retired, but wouldn't be the first actor to come back for a reprisal. Heck, this year alone we've had at least two Vancouver VAs return from nowhere.

To do this all on their own BZ would presumably have to sign up with ACTRA, and adapt their workflow ACTRA contracts (like how the actors are paid per line rather than per hour.) I expect they need some kind of local partner, though it's possible that can limit that to paperwork and payroll. I do wonder how this works out financially... If the savings from BZ, even unionized, are so significant that it will always be worth it. Or if it will start to eat into the profits if too much of the old cast shows up on a regular basis.

[Neo Shadow King]

Originally Posted by drakh

In the 2000s, Animaze was the expensive one, while Bang Zoom, Ocean, New Generation Pictures, Media Concepts, Studiopolis, Elastic Medai, etc. seemed competitive with each other. Arvintel was seemingly rock bottom for LA.

Yeah, I do remember hearing something about that a long time ago. It was concerning the compilation films for Ghost In The Shel:l Stand Alone Complex and how the reason it was apparently sent to Ocean instead of Animaze like usual was due to Animaze just being too expensive at the time for what was ultimately a fairly minor project. Oh how the times have changed...

[IMB]

Originally Posted by IMB

If this is a "bare minimum to avoid mass complaints" type of production, that + the 2 expats is all they'd need. I would be disappointed to not hear Don Brown as Jaken, Brenna O'Brien as Rin, Scott McNeil as Koga, Paul Dobson as Naraku (should the latter two appear), but today's announcement would probably satiate most social media users.

The first episode is out and because it's a speed dub, there aren't any English credits. I hope this gives them the opportunity to revise their work for the home video release. The attack name callouts lack the echo effect Ocean applied.

Brenna O'Brien is teasing on Twitter, so I guess she's back as Rin. Jaken, on the other hand ...

[IMB]

While only Brenna O'Brien and Cathy Weseluck have confirmed their involvement, Bang Zoom has gone above the bare minimum with Yashahime. Paul Dobson is back as Myoga and Willow Johnson has returned as something resembling Kikyo. Allegedly, of course. For whatever reason, none of the companies involved are announcing these things, so there is a chance they're soundalikes.

Kagome's grandfather has apparently been recast, but French Tickner is 90 years old, so ... It does make me wonder what's up with Don Brown. I feared that having the Vancouver cast record from home (also not confirmed) might've eliminated the actors who didn't have professional setups. I thought that could've been the case with Don since he's really only worked with Ocean over the last decade. However, if they got back someone who seemingly hasn't done any VO work in ten years ...

There's obviously a new elephant in the room, but that'll be addressed when the time comes. I've heard that so far, Miroku hasn't said anything since his appearance in the first episode.

[drakh]

Originally Posted by IMB

t does make me wonder what's up with Don Brown. I feared that having the Vancouver cast record from home (also not confirmed) might've eliminated the actors who didn't have professional setups. I thought that could've been the case with Don since he's really only worked with Ocean over the last decade. However, if they got back someone who seemingly hasn't done any VO work in ten years ...

Hasn't Don been moonlighting for Blue Water for the last decade? If he's in Alberta, and BZ is using someone other than Ocean to record in Vancouver, they might just have written him off as no longer available.

[IMB]

Originally Posted by drakh

Hasn't Don been moonlighting for Blue Water for the last decade? If he's in Alberta, and BZ is using someone other than Ocean to record in Vancouver, they might just have written him off as no longer available.

He was credited as "Don Brown" in last year's Asterix movie, which only mentioned the Vancouver studio. Mike Shepherd is also in that, but I don't know if he's relocated to Vancouver. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯