I Think He's Right, Give Us the OAV Now! They Could Have Made Millions More If They Did A Better Job!
This page is to express my disappointment with the US version of Pikachu's Summer Vacation and Mewtwo Strikes Back, as opposed to the original Japanese version.
My main gripe: The music sucks. ANYONE WHO PLAYS FINAL FANTASY, WHETHER FIVE TO EIGHT CAN UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF GREAT MUSIC! Alright, so it's still around Disney quality but the songs definitely AREN'T. What is up with WB's choice of songs? Who's the one getting paid in the contract eh? Not to say that the artistes themselves aren't good, but the songs fail to excite, sadden or Aww-how-cuuuuute me at the required moments.
One: The starting song for Pikachu's Summer Vacation. It was the happiest thing in the universe. It still is weeeeell, kinda happy but not even a little bit near to what it originally was. I mean, the original song plus the smiling Pokémon are enough to cause one of three things to happen : 1)You go insane(the happy kind); 2)You throw up(if you're over a certain emotional age); or 3)You hold up your silvered cross and fling the holy water (in a desperate attempt to defend yourself from the evil that is Pokémon-teaches-kids-to-be-masters-over-God-and-some-of-them-have-horns). WB turned it into Punk-hey-let's-hang-out. This detracts much more than you'd know. Unless you've seen the Jap-V. Then you'd know.
Two: The theme song to Ash's (Satoshi's) starting battle against that punk guy. You might know that it is also the anime Pokémon theme song, only extended. Nevertheless, it fits the fight perfectly. And I mean that. Skip down three paragraphs for more detail. Anyway, down with its replacement! Down I say, lest it contaminate the music world once more! It fits not, excites not, TRIES not!
Three: What is this about "Brother, My Brother"? It fails to invoke any excitement or sympathy during the free for all Pokémon vs. clones fight. In my opinion, it would be a bit boring on its own anyway. In the Jap.V, this entire scene is meant to be EXCITING, with the music suitably following suit. An the scene after is really sad thanks to the music.
In general the music is of noticably lower quality. Why in the world bother to replace ALL the music, even the ones without any dangerously contaminating Japanese words? With songs no less? And they change the mood of the scene, the entire show! Pika's Vacation is meant to be FUN. When did Dramatic Action Movie become part of cute lil cuddly things? The most noticable changes are when Marril and Zeni-game (I refuse to use the name Squirtle as the US version's voice is far, FAR too uncute) stare flames; their subsequent race; Pikachu and Raichu's charge through the park; and that ALL of the themed music is gone. Sigh. It's so much less cute now. Especially the in-between scenes with the various Pokémon (e.g. The Chanseys dancing, Bellsprout mirror images, Farfetch'd, the Digletts and Dugtrios... ... ....) WHICH HAVE BECOME REALLY OBNOXIOUS! I mean, it's as if they don't even TRY to use timing, music, voice actors who actually get paid!
There is one thing however. The US version, not being made to tailor-fit has a disadvantage that can't be avoided. As with Final Fantasy on PSX, the music and cinematics are synchronized in the Japan studios. In Pika's Vacation, the starting theme is such that...well... Have you noticed the strange way Pikachu's ears, and everyone's steps and wing-flaps and leaps from the water seem to be in time to something? Well they WERE in time to the kiddies' singing. Were. Not anymore however.
In fact, with Ash's starting battle, the fight was actually made to fit the song! The song, as I said before, is an extended version of the Japanese series' theme. But in the Jap-V. of Mewtwo Strikes Back, the turning points in the battle are clearly marked by the music... Or is it the other way around? Most noticed are Bulbasaur (or prferably, Fushigi-dane) collecting solar energy then blasting it out, Machamp's flexing, Zeni-game's bubbles hitting the four-armed freakoid and even the sound of the camera shutter!
On the theme of themes: I notice several theme throughout the Jap-V. of the show. They are Mew's theme (that was so...I don't know. It reminds me of Fantasia's fairy-like bits. Mew would make a nice magician's familiar); Mewtwo's dark theme; Dragonite's theme (changes for US, I don't know why); the nurse/servant's theme (reminiscent of the music in Silver, or else mysterious bits of FF7); and of course Theme Rocket (little pun there, but they did keep it somewhat). Even the title screen bit of Mewtwo Strikes Back, which in Japanese had a version of Gameboy Pokémon's starting theme, and the scene where Ash and pals are getting ready to eat (the Gameboy game's "Polly-wolly Doodle" bit).
Something I'm sure you OAV watchers can understand: The Pokémon are so much less cute in US English! Especially Squirtle! Why go to all the trouble of replacing even Psyduck's indecipherable quacking with Psy-ing??? And who apart from...well, ME would notice the difference between screaming "Waaaaaaaal" and "Monnnnnnn"??? Honestly mates, there is one at least one Pokémon that I would consider as a family pet only in Japanese.
As for Mewtwo himself: Well, at least WB got it halfway right. Mewtwo's US voice is actually quite suitable, if a little bit not awe-imposing enough and reminiscent of The Brain. But really, I think I'm infatuated with his Jap-V. voice! It has such power, ANGER, that you can fully appreciate in the first ten minutes (the intro) alone. And quite awesome too. Very very very thankfully, they kept Mew's voice. Sometimes I wonder: What if they had translated Pikachu's name...
ASH: Hey little Pokémon, what do you have to say to that?
Pikachu: Flash-of-light-mouse!
So far the griping has centered around the sound. How about the plot? How about the HUGE, STUPIDLY CARELESS AND VERY SHODDILY OVERLOOKED MISTAKES??? I'm talking about the Pokémon names! That big, long haired bird is PIDGEOT. PIDGEOTTO is the lv.1 evoluion of Pidgey. When naming that Pokémon, Rocket name SCYTHER as ALAKAZAM which is wrongwrongwrong! (Which reminds me, FOODIN has a cool voice in its own right that is rather less Arabic flavoured.) SANDSHREW is about Pikachu's size. The big, killer-clawed evolution of it is SANDSLASH, which is the Pokémon in the clone-tube. Now, I could be wrong. PIDGEOTTO could be its nickname (you can do this in the game too). Rocket could be morons (they can get hurt for no good reason since they're the bad guys). Meowth could be so overcome with emotion that he misnames SANDSLASH. But to me these slips were not intentional.
Well, at least the rest seems to be only very slightly modified. There are some scenes that were speeded up, slowed down or had the foreground removed (the talking scene between the Prof and Mewtwo). The conversations are a little bit different too. And of course the tone is different. Out of the topic, does anyone else think Mewtwo in his suit has a tinge of My Life For Aiur! to it?
In conclusion, I can only say this : Watch the English language version if you don't understand Japanese or can't find a subtitled version. Get the overall plot (Pikachu's Summer Vacation has little need of it anyway) then thrill, awwww and sniffle at the theatrics of the Original, Japanese, Zenigame-is-still-cute-and-not-icky version. Maybe the Japanese let WB do the lousy translation and replacement of fun on purpose. After all, they're just foreigners aren't they?
Footnote: I sincerely hope that no one loses their job as a result of my opinions. Especially not me. In the end, each person is entitled to his or her own opinion. Please don't feel bad if my feelings aren't the same as your own.
Don't Vote me for local politician. Just vote for the Movie version.
No Way Man, I Love America And All Its Tastes! Down With This Kiishi Fellow Whatever It Is!
Also, please voice your opinions by sending an email to me at kiishi@hotmail.com . If I get enough I'll make a page on the feedback I got, WITH THE SENDER'S permission of course.