Anyone else think it's done down after they stop doing single releases?
If you go back and watch series that were put out in singles and they way they release stuff now. I find the acting much better with series that were put out as singles. Hell, with people complaining about Bandai still sticking with single releases (well, not singles, but they weren't doing what Funimation and Sentai are) They might've not been releasing in half seasons (or whatever), but their dubbing or shows were better because they weren't doing rush jobs.
If you go back to the commentary, on Cowboy bebop and Saiyuki, they said they took 3-4 days recording 1 episode and only let the actors record for 2-3 hours straight. Now, from when I asked Chris Patton, they takes 2 weeks to dub those 11-13 long episode series. That's a huge increase in recording speed. So, you fans didn't want singles anymore...you got the outcome of it now...poor dubbing.
What is considered a "poor" dub is subjective. I find their dubs fine. In fact, I liked them more now than they did in singles. The singles I have, I had to switch to Japanese because I couldn't stand watching them in English (Black Cat, Tsubasa Chronicle), but now, I find myself watching everything I get from them dubbed.
FYI, Black Cat & Tsubasa Chronicle were originally released as singles, not in half sets. But you only listed 2 titles. Holic, DNAngel, Saiyuki, Get Backers, Yu Yu Hakusho, Hell Girl, Noir, Code Gease...so many more singles releases
How many people are bitching about medicore dubs? A shit load. saying Sentai screws up dubs because they "rush" them. Funimation doesn't do a better job, either. Using the same people over and over. People not using their acting skills as much as they could, hardly changing their voice, when they can. If I recall, people still birches about the dubbing for that whatever Gate anime that was released not too long ago.
And also look at the whole picture, which you didn't seem to do. Series that were back in the single release days had more time to work on, giving them more time to work on the dub...and now, they don't. They rush the job, cutting corners to save money, it results in not giving it the best treatment that it could if it was released in singles.
Ever wonder why, "why do they sound so dull?" or whatever. it's because they're working their VAs 4-5 hours straight. Back in singles, they only did the most of 2 because it puts strain on the actors and having a hard time staying in character after those 2 hours (that's why plays don't run into 2 hours long productions). I the end, singles had better treatment, then these now half season releases. As much as I love D.gray-man...the dub could've been so much better if they didn't up and do half season releases (this was their 1st anime to get into the half season treatment), and that's when they started to use the same people for productions and not bothering to give new actors a try.
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What I'm saying is that the older stuff I watched in Japanese more than the dub because I found them mediocre....especially DNAngel, xxxHolic and Hell Girl. Nowadays, I like watching more dubbed stuff that comes out in the half sets because I find them better voiced than the previous "single" generation. You're saying that the new dubs are mediocre cuz of rushed jobs....but it can also be bad the other way around. They could take too much time on the episodes that they lose the "character" they voice. IMO, this is what happened with Daisuke in DNAngel....no dislike for Kevin Corn or anything but he got worst as the series progressed, I couldn't stand his voice. The same for Sven in Black Cat. I had to switch to Japanese because they just didn't fit the characters at all. To me, it sounded mediocre compared to the stuff out today.
And the reason more people are complaining now is because the "new" crowd of anime fans are sub-elitist who want everything to sound exactly like the Japanese. Back in 2000, anime barely was on the web, so there was not really anything to compare it to until fans got the DVDs of both the dub and sub, giving it equal exposure. Now, people can watch the Japanese first almost always and then complain when the dub doesn't sound exactly like the original.
The acting isn't any better with releases these days, either.
Chris Patten acted better in his older stuff, then he does now. Now, he just uses the same old voice. Greg Aris doesn't even bother changing his voice anymore, Todd hardly changes his voice he did a deeper voice for 2 roles. They now stereo type cast, they don't take the time to go out and cast the right roles, but instead, just keep using the same people that know that can do the job (Greg even said in commentary that there are a lot of good actors, but they don't have the time to deal with them as they learn a new form of acting behind the mic...we would have more talent if they grow a pair and take a risk)
Can say this now, as much as I hate Vic, his earlier roles were better. He acted, changed his voice, tried...now, he doesn't even do voice changes. I watch everything in a dub (no Japanese, only watch sub if that's how it comes out), I listen to the quality of the English voices and acting. I would've like the Tsubasa dub better if Chris Patten continued his Fai role (yes, he dubbed 20 episodes, got sick and Vic replaced him).
In the end, when they rush their work, they come out with a lack luster dub (3 days on an episode gave them room to try and make it perfect and not rush. 3 days being everyone records their roles, not just 1 person and doing quality check) That extra time also gives new actors time to get used to being behind the mic, they can't afford to do that these days.
And FYI, Kevin Corn, he was a 13 year old recording for ADV, his voice was going their puberty (the DNAgnel cast even commented he only had a few more years before the voice went away), so yes, his voice was changing their the recording...and they had to work their asses off with his role. If you voice cracks when recording you have record the line again, that's what happened with Narumi in Spiral, he was a teenager boy and his voice keep cracking because of puberty.
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Your correlation between singles and "good" dubs is circumstantial. The real problem is that fewer people are purchasing less anime than they used to, despite the generally more economically friendly price points. Therefore, there is less incentive to put quite as money into studio work than their once was. Though turnaround time for R1 releases has shortened, I don't believe time is quite the deciding factor in dub quality that you make it out to be.
Time has to do with a lot of things.You think the Cowboy Bebop dub would've turned out as well as it did if they tried dubbing it all in a month? No, I doubt it would be. They took their sweet time doing it. People complain about lack luster dubs and crap, it started right when singles stopped, if anyone happened to notice...when they started to cut corners. And actors just don't seems to care because they record for 4-6 hours straight (seriously, that's over kill) and their performers suffer if they do it for so long.
“In order to protect something precious, you must find it first.”- Vata Raven
Do you think the performance may not be "as good" due to not the actor but the director? I think the official job title of someone directing the voice over process is "ADR Director" and maybe if a line/performance isn't up to par or done "justice" maybe it was how the director told the voice actor to say the line? Also, in terms of taking their time with the dubbing process, the production either takes place at a recording studio either owned by the actual anime dubbing company or the studio rents the use of a booth/studio for the recording session (which they did this option more so in the past than over recent yrs I think.) Because of this, time is money. I'm sure they are on a limited budget for the recording session, so the more time an actor spends in the booth, the more money has to be given to the actor/studio. Maybe with some productions, they just rushed through the recording session due to this or if a take/delivery was "good enough" at the time, they won't wanna keep at it and just get to the next line/delivery. Again, this is just all my guess from what I've picked up from talking with voice actors and how recording sessions can go, but anyways, all I can say for sure is being a voice actor is def. one of those "its harder than it looks" cases and we're all gonna have our opinion on what was a good/bad dub performance (that is one of the aspects/roles we as fans of anime take on for ourselves, after all lol)
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To be honest, I think a lot of the dubs are very well done, just as good as any other time, well, not a long time ago where the recording and acting weren't so good, but I have to say many of the dubs are quite good. I honestly really can't complain, I think the english dubs have been very well done, since the early 2000's they have been good, it's unfortunate they're not some people's cup of tea.
I will admit this though, with Geneon, sort of gone - I don't know their deal, are they owned by Universal or something? I saw that on my Hellsing Ultimate Blurays. I do miss hearing guys like Steve Blum and Kirk Thorton.
Another thing, and Funimation do get made of fun of for this, and I have laughed at some of the jokes - after a while you really do being to know the voices too well - oh, I'm hearing Karbowski, oh, now Rial(it's pretty much a 9/10 chance if it's a little kid character), Haberkorn, Sabat, Tipton, Marchi, oh, now it's Tatum (rock and roll!!) etc. They have a lot of voice actors, but for some reason, it feels like they only have a small number, I'm not sure why. Don't get me wrong, all these people are great, but it was nice to watch Hellsing Ultimate and hear some other people, like Crispin Freeman, or Kari Wahlgren.
I know Sentai use a lot of the same actors as well, I know Chris Patton does a lot of work for them - and he's amazing as well.
But yeah, I seriously don't feel English dub quality has diminished in the last few years, I really can't agree otherwise.
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I'm lazy today so i'ma just say I agree with Neon.
I really don't get Vata's logic here, seems like a personal thing. The quality of dubs in no way correlates in the format of the release, its the ability and competence of the director & VA's involved, and how much time they have to work on the project. Weather its released as singles or a season set has no effect on the quality. Dubs overall have stayed about the same you have some good, some bad, some just "Meh, thats OK" Always have, always will.
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I'm with Neon. Yeah maybe a voice or 2 doesn't fit a character every now and then, to be expected though, but other wise the quality doesn't seem to havedroped if you ask me.
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