Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-3392084-20130707145759/@comment-1971498-20130709202348

42.98.41.40 wrote: hey, let's try this too http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDyaANQiwhQ, it's MGS4

I do think the English casts do a better job. The Japanese (not their language but their tone and pace and emotion) just never fit in... Despite the fact that I obviously first heard MGS through the English cast, I'll admit I actually disagree with this having researched into the dialogue and comparing the delivery of some of the lines myself. Some scenes in English felt awkward (notably MGS4) and looking at the Japanese pacing/tone I can see what the intention was behind certain lines. It's definitely a mixed bag for me. As side note, what the English version loses in regards to script is the clever writing of the Japanese version that actually incorporates a lot of double-meaning in their choice of words. In English, following such a style can seem so stupid, but it makes more sense in Japanese (it's why some of Naomi's lines border on random pondering and overdramatization, as a lot of it actually makes more sense in Japanese, in which you can definitely tell that they had a hard time translating her lines into English just to make sense out of her). They seem like I'm just arguing semantics, but having watched certain Japanese shows that incorporate such a writing style, it's actually key to get such lines right as it can definitely sound awkward in English if the translation is done haphazardly.

The English may sound "better" for some by virtue of nostalgia or it simply being one's local language, but looking back on some of the tone of voices provided by the Japanese cast gives a somewhat different impression, and provide various archetypes that one wouldn't normally assume from the character (specifically, Raiden's deeper VA in Japanese). Not that I'm arguing which one is better, but it's certainly something to take note of.