I know how that thread title sounds but hear me out for a few seconds.
A lot has been made of Viz Media’s dub of the Sailor Moon Anime, specifically the adaptation made in the nineties. Be it how it compares to the dub produced by DiC Entertainment (the first two seasons), Cloverway (the third and fourth seasons) or the original Japanese version altogether. A particular point of contention is how the dialogue is adapted in the new dub many "too" accurately. Many claim that it’s “faithful to a fault” compared to how DiC scripted their dub less as an obvious translation. However, any fan of Sailor Moon can tell that Viz Media did allow for wiggle room in their adaptation.
Yes, even Viz Media had it out for Mamoru’s abysmal fashion sense. Careful, Studiopolis. Your Saban is showing.
However, none of these liberties went any further than how certain lines were written compared to the subtitles translated from the Japanese version and fitting them with the onscreen lip flaps. Even the subs weren’t exactly word-for-word compared to more direct translations for better or for worse. So imagine the surprise many found when Episode 96 of Sailor Moon S had some significant alterations applied to the story on the whole through their various tweaks to various lines. The episode itself isn’t exactly fan-favorite as it shows Makoto showing affection for Haruka much to the Senshi’s disapproval.
It came off as more than a little homophobic for our heroines, even for an Anime in the nineties. Hell, this was a season that introduced two new Sailor Senshi in a same-sex relationship that was never really shown as bad. Cloverway’s dub even rewrote them as just cousins… without removing much of the on-screen intimacy between them. I’m sure that didn’t confuse any youngsters watching it on Toonami in any shape or form.
Viz Media’s dub team at Studiopolis could’ve easily left the script mostly well enough alone as they had with every other episode prior but an effort was actually made to rewrite a lot of the lines that came across as homophobic. One example would be how Usagi reacts to Makoto’s obvious crush on Haruka. The original Japanese version had Usagi outright tell her friend that she can’t love Haruka romantically as a girl before Makoto tries to deny it hastily, the two laughing off the idea of such a relationship. This is more than a little strange considering Usagi’s been well acquainted with Haruka and Michiru by this point.
The Viz dub rewrite Usagi’s dialogue as her somewhat teasing Makoto for obviously crushing on Haruka in a “I see how it is.” Rather than discouraging the idea, it’s mostly Usagi being more like that one nosy friend and seeing how Makoto’s getting all red in the face like with a lot of boys but with a girl here. Later, Usagi takes this up with the other girls at Hikawa Shrine. This time in the Viz dub, they are more surprised that Makoto is showing an interest in girls but not outright disapproval. Minako even ponders if Makoto’s changed her sexual orientation. They don’t see it abnormal for their friend to be, erm, a tad curious.
When they contact their friend, they’re more concerned that she’ll be a third wheel with Haruka already with Michiru rather than telling her to look for a boy outright. Again, they don’t insinuate that Makoto possibly liking girls is bad. The final scene also teases Rei and Minako have some feeling for their friend in this dub. All in all, the story overall is hardly given an overhaul like how DiC treated their dub's adaptation. However, these select line alterations clearly paint a different picture than the original did and I've found other fans voice their approval. A fascinating phenomenon given how these sorts of changes are often received.
Part of the stigma against English Dubs often involves how the script deviates from the original presented in the subtitles. Whether big or small, these changes can feel arrogant in a way to a number of fans who began with the original. Though hardly the case, it can feel as if the dub’s production staff "knows what would be better" for the Anime’s overall story. However, with how far LGBTQ+ rights have come, this episode of Sailor Moon would feel a bit distasteful in today's social climate. In addition, many feel that it's sort of out of place in a season that otherwise didn't portrayed same-sex relationships in a bad light. The script writers didn't have to but a conscious effort was made to update the dialogue.
Of course, while I applaud the change, it does raise the question as to what constitutes as the dub "improving" over the original. That has been a slippery slope since the medium of Anime was brought overseas with little care about the care put into it aside from how it could sell. The dialogue would be altered into an entirely different story altogether often. Even today, fans are sensitive to any dub changes that show up on their radar as The Cartoon Cipher (an excellent Youtube Channel that do video essays on English dubs in a fascinating presentation) details in this half-hour video:
This is likely going to incite a lot of passionate debates as I hope it will but it's one that we should allow ourselves to discuss. Please be respectful of each other's viewpoints even if you just do not agree with them full stop. Thank you.
A lot has been made of Viz Media’s dub of the Sailor Moon Anime, specifically the adaptation made in the nineties. Be it how it compares to the dub produced by DiC Entertainment (the first two seasons), Cloverway (the third and fourth seasons) or the original Japanese version altogether. A particular point of contention is how the dialogue is adapted in the new dub many "too" accurately. Many claim that it’s “faithful to a fault” compared to how DiC scripted their dub less as an obvious translation. However, any fan of Sailor Moon can tell that Viz Media did allow for wiggle room in their adaptation.
Yes, even Viz Media had it out for Mamoru’s abysmal fashion sense. Careful, Studiopolis. Your Saban is showing.
However, none of these liberties went any further than how certain lines were written compared to the subtitles translated from the Japanese version and fitting them with the onscreen lip flaps. Even the subs weren’t exactly word-for-word compared to more direct translations for better or for worse. So imagine the surprise many found when Episode 96 of Sailor Moon S had some significant alterations applied to the story on the whole through their various tweaks to various lines. The episode itself isn’t exactly fan-favorite as it shows Makoto showing affection for Haruka much to the Senshi’s disapproval.
It came off as more than a little homophobic for our heroines, even for an Anime in the nineties. Hell, this was a season that introduced two new Sailor Senshi in a same-sex relationship that was never really shown as bad. Cloverway’s dub even rewrote them as just cousins… without removing much of the on-screen intimacy between them. I’m sure that didn’t confuse any youngsters watching it on Toonami in any shape or form.
Viz Media’s dub team at Studiopolis could’ve easily left the script mostly well enough alone as they had with every other episode prior but an effort was actually made to rewrite a lot of the lines that came across as homophobic. One example would be how Usagi reacts to Makoto’s obvious crush on Haruka. The original Japanese version had Usagi outright tell her friend that she can’t love Haruka romantically as a girl before Makoto tries to deny it hastily, the two laughing off the idea of such a relationship. This is more than a little strange considering Usagi’s been well acquainted with Haruka and Michiru by this point.
The Viz dub rewrite Usagi’s dialogue as her somewhat teasing Makoto for obviously crushing on Haruka in a “I see how it is.” Rather than discouraging the idea, it’s mostly Usagi being more like that one nosy friend and seeing how Makoto’s getting all red in the face like with a lot of boys but with a girl here. Later, Usagi takes this up with the other girls at Hikawa Shrine. This time in the Viz dub, they are more surprised that Makoto is showing an interest in girls but not outright disapproval. Minako even ponders if Makoto’s changed her sexual orientation. They don’t see it abnormal for their friend to be, erm, a tad curious.
When they contact their friend, they’re more concerned that she’ll be a third wheel with Haruka already with Michiru rather than telling her to look for a boy outright. Again, they don’t insinuate that Makoto possibly liking girls is bad. The final scene also teases Rei and Minako have some feeling for their friend in this dub. All in all, the story overall is hardly given an overhaul like how DiC treated their dub's adaptation. However, these select line alterations clearly paint a different picture than the original did and I've found other fans voice their approval. A fascinating phenomenon given how these sorts of changes are often received.
Part of the stigma against English Dubs often involves how the script deviates from the original presented in the subtitles. Whether big or small, these changes can feel arrogant in a way to a number of fans who began with the original. Though hardly the case, it can feel as if the dub’s production staff "knows what would be better" for the Anime’s overall story. However, with how far LGBTQ+ rights have come, this episode of Sailor Moon would feel a bit distasteful in today's social climate. In addition, many feel that it's sort of out of place in a season that otherwise didn't portrayed same-sex relationships in a bad light. The script writers didn't have to but a conscious effort was made to update the dialogue.
Of course, while I applaud the change, it does raise the question as to what constitutes as the dub "improving" over the original. That has been a slippery slope since the medium of Anime was brought overseas with little care about the care put into it aside from how it could sell. The dialogue would be altered into an entirely different story altogether often. Even today, fans are sensitive to any dub changes that show up on their radar as The Cartoon Cipher (an excellent Youtube Channel that do video essays on English dubs in a fascinating presentation) details in this half-hour video:
This is likely going to incite a lot of passionate debates as I hope it will but it's one that we should allow ourselves to discuss. Please be respectful of each other's viewpoints even if you just do not agree with them full stop. Thank you.