Nadia—The Secret of Blue Water (ADV and Streamline Versions)

In the mid 1970's, prior to obtaining his well-deserved status as Japan's greatest animator ever, a young Hayao Miyazaki was hired by Japanese movie giant Toho to develop ideas for TV series. One of these concepts was "Around the World Under the Sea", based on Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, in which two orphan children pursued by villains team up with Captain Nemo and his mighty submarine, the Nautilus. Although it was never produced, Toho nonetheless kept the rights to the story outline. Miyazaki would reuse elements from his original concept in later projects of his, notably the Sci-Fi series Future Boy Conan and the action-adventure feature Castle in the Sky (this explains why Anime fans often find similarities between the show I'm about to review and the latter film).   Flash forward about ten years later. Animation studio GAINAX was appointed by Toho in 1989 to produce a TV series which would be broadcast on the Japanese educational network NHK (the equivalent of PBS). Miyazaki's outline for "Around the World Under the Sea" captivated GAINAX's interest.  Under the direction of a brilliant but angst-ridden (and some might argue, eccentric) Hideaki Anno, the animation studio took the central story and setup Miyazaki had developed and touched it up with their own creativity. The result was Nadia:  The Secret of Blue Water, which has since become a longtime fan favorite with many followers of Anime. (Incidentally, Anno had previously worked for Miyazaki; his most notable credit for animating the climax from Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind.) The show was a tremendous success in its initial 1990 Japanese broadcast; the title character, Nadia, showed up on the Japanese Animage polls as favorite Anime heroine, dethroning Miyazaki's own Nausicaä, the previous champion.

The show has been dubbed into international languages around the world, but its English premiere in America was another matter.  In the early 1990's, Carl Macek and his company, Streamline Pictures, produced an English version which only got about as far as eight episodes.  Interestingly, Macek has stated that he had planned to make some cuts in the latter half of the show (notably the "island/Africa" sequence, which, aside from episode 31, fell short compared to the show's superb 22 opening episodes and final five) to eliminate what even the original producers felt was a lot of padding.  Due to numerous difficulties, however, Streamline was unable to complete the dub, and in 1996, they went out of business and their license expired.  Since then, the show has been acquired by ADV Films (now known as Section 23), and provided a new dub at their now defunct Monster Island studios in Austin, Texas.  All 39 episodes (plus the lesser-known, often maligned theatrical film -- which I will not cover here, nor will I the filler arc) were dubbed under the production period of a full year.

Although the website containing detailed information about how the present-day dub was produced is no more (one made by diehard Nadia fan Marc Hairston, who conducted interviews with the cast for a memorable article in a 2001 issue of AniMerica -- which this writer still holds onto to this day), it is a shame that Monster Island's version has never gotten the recognition it deserves.  There are naysayers who have given this dub the cold shoulder (including DVDTalk and the initial reviews of the first volumes by AnimeNewsNetwork -- the latter volumes were more positively reviewed by Allen Divers), declaring it as a dub to avoid.  However, I think that doing so would deprive you of a charming, delightful dub that matches the tone of the show. According to the aforementioned source, the dub directors, Charles Campbell and Lowell Bartholomee, cared about the quality of the show and worked hard to ensure that the dub would match its tone.  It's not perfect, but considering that this show is set in Europe, watching this show in Japanese would seem odd. No offense to the original Japanese voice actors, but there are many things about this dub which add in many ways to the show, particularly in the use of the accents for each character. While some, like Jean's, are shaky in places, others, like the crew members of the Nautilus, work in their characters' favor, as they are supposed to be survivors from around the world.

I have only heard samples of the Streamline dub on CrystalAcids Database due to the difficulty of finding it.  As such, I will be focusing mainly on the performances of the principal characters from that version and the current one in this review.

NADIA (Meg Bauman, ADV dub; Wendee Lee, Streamline dub) -- The first thing that struck me about ADV's dub is that the three young protagonists who propel the plot are all voiced by actual children.  While there is an understandable air of inexperience in their performances, it also adds an intangible aura of realism and charm to the dub.  It's also a refreshing change from hearing actors/actresses straining their voices to sound like children (no offense to said people, of course, it's just nice to hear children sound like children for a change).  Of the three, it's Bauman as Nadia who gives the stand-out performance.  This character is a very complicated one; moody, temperamental, stubborn, and suspicious about everything, yet has a kind, caring side that gradually transforms her as a result of her relationships with her new friends (notably her growing love for Jean).  There's a complex array of emotions to be had with this character while maintaining a fragile childlike innocence, and Bauman nails all these emotions perfectly... to the point where it is hard to imagine anyone else voicing her.  It is also interesting to note that, like Nadia, she was fourteen at the time she recorded the part.  She even speaks with a neutral accent--a surprising choice, but it works well.

Lee's take, on the other hand, I'm of two minds about.  I like the voice she uses, but on the flipside, it doesn't come across as convincing to be a fourteen-year-old girl.  This aspect proves to be a major plot point toward the end of the show, as both she and Jean age by about a year.  Disappointing enough, but she also doesn't emote as strongly as she should.  Especially cringeworthy is her confrontation scene with Gargoyle, "You are murderer!" she shouts, in a tone which is both lifeless and enough to make one cringe.  Unlike ADV's Nadia, Lee also uses a French accent for the character.  It's one thing for Jean to have a French accent since the boy is, after all, French, but considering the nature of who Nadia turns out to be (and essentially appears to be at the start), I don't think this is a particularly ideal choice.  Wendee Lee is a talented actress, but if there's anyone who I'd rather hear as Nadia, it's Meg; she does the better job all around.

JEAN (Nathan Parsons, ADV dub; Ardwright Chamberlain, Streamline dub) -- Okay, here's the voice which determines wheteher you like ADV's dub or not.  Like Bauman, Parsons (aged 12) has a very daunting task in his voice acting debut as Jean.  He has to be enthusiastic, genuinely charming, and express growth over the course of the show... all while speaking with a French accent.  As mentioned, this accent is on the thick side.  Viewers have made the mistake of writing off Parsons' performance alone due to the accent, as there are places in the early episodes where he obviously struggles to pull it off without sounding fake (he drops it at several points for select lines, too, at least in the early episodes).   There's also the occasional missed line, although it happens rarely. With each subsequent episode, though, Parsons grows more and more into his character... to the point where his accent sounds completely natural.  In a way, this, and a few moments where his inexperience shows, is complimentary to his overall performance at portraying Jean's innocence and naive view of the world.  This issue aside, Parsons brings an infectious exuberance and determination to the character which is impossible to dislike, coming into his own especially around episode 9.  Like Bauman, it's hard for me to imagine anyone else other than him voicing this character.  One of his best moments, if not his best, is in Episode 15, in which he bears witness to the death of a lovable sailor.  While he admits on the DVD interview that serious scenes are not his specialty, he obviously gives his all to this moment, and his breaking-down at the end is genuinely heartrendering.  Another major important factor of his performance is the chemistry betwen him and Bauman -- it's absolutely terrific and a huge plus.  Interestingly, both knew each other in real life as students at the Austin Musical Theatre; perhaps because of this, their interactions feel so natural and organic in ADV's dub.

He is also better than Chamberlain's take on the character in Streamline's version.  While this guy has more experience as a voice actor, there are several things that work against his performance as Jean.  No, it's not the French accent, which is less shaky than Nathan, but his voice sounds too mature, giving off the affect of a stereotypical French butler character.  I often steer around the argument of needing boys to sound young to represent children, especially if their acting is sound (in dubs such as Vic Mignogna's Edward in Fullmetal Alchemist and, perhaps to a lesser extent, James Van der Beek's Pazu in Castle in the Sky).  With Nadia, however, this flaw is detrimental to Chamberlain as the character is supposed to age by about a year by the end of the show, and as such, it works against the character.  Not only that, but his emoting sounds more artificial instead of genuine, a trend not uncommon with most dubs of the early 1990's.  So for that, even though Nathan rarely gets the credit he deserves for his work as Jean, he gets my vote.   To me, Ardwright and Wendee are both miscast.

MARIE (Margaret Cassidy, ADV dub; Cheryl Chase, Streamline dub) -- The third of the child trio, little Marie, is also voiced by a child actress, 11-year-old Margaret Cassidy.  That's approximately seven years older than her onscreen character, but you wouldn't even know this by hearing her performance.  From the start, she brings an intangible cuteness and charm to the character which makes her presence onscreen a delight.  For the most part, Marie gets to be happy and cheerfully childlike (especially when she's playing with King), although she also does have scenes where she has to be serious and in tears.  One such moment in particular, ironically enough, is the episode where she is introduced.  This scene, in which she describes her parents being shot (and her subsequent heartbreak from learning that they are dead) is utterly believeable, and really makes the audience share her trauma.  It must have been a lot of hard work for Cassidy to pull it off, especially since it was her first episode, but she does it beautifully.  Elsewhere in the show, she obviously relishes her character, and it pays off.  Her interactions with Parsons and Bauman also deserve a shout-out; she went to the same musical theater they did, which is why there's a genuine attachment between all three that really comes across in the ADV dub.  Since the whole show rests on these three children, Monster Island deserves commendment for bringing that extra punch of effort for their version.

In Streamline's version, Marie (Mary) is voiced by Cheryl Chase, better known to viewers as Angelina Pickles but unforgotten by many as Mei in Streamline's own dub of My Neighbor Totoro (arguably Carl Macek's finest moment ever).  The tone of voice she uses isn't that much different from her Mei, and while she doesn't do a bad job, Cassidy ultimately provides the more convincing performance, because she sounds more natural and cuter.

GRANDIS (Sarah Richardson, ADV dub; Melanie MacQueen, Streamline dub)

SANSON (Martin Blacker, ADV dub; Steve Kramer, Streamline dub)

HANSON (Corey Gagne, ADV dub; Tom Wyner, Streamline dub)

Aside from the children, the other main characters in the show are the "Grandis gang", who start off as villains but ultimately turn into allies.  And like the children in ADV's version, the three actors chosen to play their parts couldn't have been better.

From the start, Richardson simply is Grandis.  She recreates the character's fiery temper, amorous fickleness, and secret soft nature to a T and beyond.  It's an over-the-top performance which works very well in her nature, making her all the more hilarious when things goes wrong... which they often do.  It is interesting to note that while her character is Italian (or Spanish, it's debatable), she speaks with a somewhat disciplined English accent.  This was because when she auditioned for Italian and Spanish accents, it sounded too much like she was in a pizza parlor(!), according to Hairston's interview.  It doesn't matter, though; it fits her character marvelously, and her grandiose relish for the role really comes through.

Likewise, it is very obvious that Blacker had a lot of fun voicing Sanson, who, like Grandis, uses a veddy British accent.  He also has a goofy, yet vain and expressive voice that works wonderfully with the character, and he lets loose every time Sanson goes over the top.  Blacker also excels in the more quieter moments, such as a moving, tender scene where he tearfully worries about Marie potentially dying from a tropical illness.  In short, every second of Blacker's rendition is an unbridled delight.

The third member of the trio, Hanson, is voiced by the rather down-to-earth, sometimes scrappy sounding tones of Gagne.  There's a certain "nerdy" quality to his delivery which is fitting for his character.  When he raises his voice, he is a hoot, but Gagne also handles the quieter moments very well.  I also found his scenes with Electra very sweet and heartbreaking.  One other interesting aspect is that he has a somewhat neutral accent.  I'm not sure why this was done, but strangely, this doesn't detract from his character at all.

What really makes these three come alive is their chemistry; it is so natural you'd swear they were all in the recording studio together.

But what about Streamline's counterparts?  Well, I had no problems with either of them.  McQueen, Kramer, and Wyner all sound pretty good with their roles, and are roughly about on par with ADV's dub, but I think I prefer the current voice actors for these parts a bit more.  Perhaps it's because it's bias, but that isn't to discredit Streamline's actors of these guys; they're decent in their own right.

KING (Shawn Sides, ADV dub; Carl Macek, Streamline dub) -- This character is a grey-colored lion cub who doesn't speak a word at all.  Rather, he does a lot of growling noises, roars, or even purrs.  There have been lots of animated features where traditional voice actors have provided animal noises, such as Frank Welker as Abu the monkey from Aladdin and John Kassir as Meeko the raccoon from Pocahontas.  The voice actress behind this little guy is none other than Sides, who adds a bit of a high-pitched gargle to emphasize how much of a cub he is.  This is a very difficult task, and she manages it superbly.  (It is also interesting to note that she recorded all her lines before Cassidy's Marie, which is what makes their playful relationship all the more natural.)

Interestingly enough, in Streamline's version, King is voiced by none other than Carl Macek, who also serves as the opening narrator for the first episode.  Not having access to any clips of King's performance, I cannot evaluate him altogether.

AYERTON (Jason Phelps, ADV dub; Bob Bergen, Streamline dub) -- When we first meet this character in episode 3, he is a flamboyant and charismatic, but flakey and arrogant man whose main characteristic is bragging about himself.  He doesn't show up again until much later in the island arc (where the writers clearly decided they needed another character); the Ayerton portrayed there is every bit as boastful, but he also becomes a bizarre whacko, ranting about ridiculous happenings on an island and trying to act like he is a Count from England.  Phelps is clearly having fun with this character, and, for all of the stupidities Ayerton is reduced to doing in the filler arc, he really lets loose and shows enthusiasm throughout.  One oddity is that he uses an American accent--which is somewhat strange when he is revealed to be from England.

Bergen is less manic in his approach with Ayerton, but then again he's only featured in one episode in Streamline's version (which stopped at 8 episodes).  The little bit of him I heard there sounded more like a mellow, easy-going but slightly over-the-top guy.  He sounded fine, but I prefer Phelps.

CAPTAIN NEMO (Ev Lunning Jr., ADV dub; Jeff Winkless, Streamline dub) -- A professional accent coach and graduate of Yale, Lunning lends his voice to the mysterious leader of the futuristic submarine, Nautilus.  As required for the character, he brings a sense of intrigue and aloofness for his initial appearances.  It should also be noted that Lunning uses a sophisticated Indian accent, providing an exotic tilt to his performance.  This was a decision on the voice directors' part, as they were trying to link Nemo to the origin of the "Mysterious Island" story (where he's revealed to be a lost Indian prince).  It is not only an ingenious touch, it works excellently in the character's favor.  There are moments where his delivery comes across as stiff, mostly in the opening episodes, where it comes across as though Lunning is still trying to figure out where he wants to go with the character.  As the show progresses, however, Ev really gets into his role, sounding especially good in the final four episodes, whether he's belting orders to his crew, or engaging in tense debates with Gargoyle.  One other thing that deserves mention is that in real life Lunning was Parsons' director in a play the latter participated in, and he coached the boy into pulling off the accent.  Learning about this, the scenes where Nemo is educating Jean gave me the impression that I was listening to a real-life schooling session between Ev and Nathan.  I like this, as it brings a very natural touch to the performance as a whole.

In Streamline's version, Nemo does not use an Indian accent, but he still has a deep voice.  This is provided by Jeff Winkless, who has had a career of being cast for random roles with varying degrees of success.  His Muska in the older dub of Castle in the Sky was a dreadful misfire, and he sounded rather cheesy (and artificial) as the evil Count Lee in Vampire Hunter D.  However, this is one of his better roles, in that he does succeed in bringing an edge of mystery to the character.  He's also less stiff than Lunning, although it's primarily because the latter was dubbing an Anime for the first time.  Having said this, though, Ev still gets my vote; despite a shaky beginning, he nonetheless rises to the challenge. But I have nothing against Jeff's turn.

ELECTRA (Jennifer Stuart, ADV dub; Edie Mirman, Streamline dub) -- The first thing you'll notice upon hearing Stuart's performance as Nemo's pretty but multi-layered first officer in the ADV dub is that she speaks with a British accent.  Again, this was a creative decision on the part of the directors.  Since Electra is a complex character, complete with a "no-nonsense" attitude, and an overcontrolled nature she tries very hard to display, it adds a depth of dimension to the role.  This is an excellent performance throughout, sounding very natural and distinctively memorable.  There are a few places at the beginning where her accent wavers, but I emphasize the word few.  Particularly spectacular are her explosive catfights with Grandis--she and Richardson obviously relish those scenes--and her emotional breakdown in Episodes 21 and 22.  The latter, especially, is utterly engrossing and powerful.  (Interestingly enough, Stuart, who was pregnant while recording the part, was going through labor at the time she delivered this particular moment; no wonder she nails it so beautifully.)  Anyone who says that English voice actors cannot emote should hear these two examples in the ADV dub--it's the stuff of absolute excellence.  (While some may compare it unfavorably to Kikuko Inoue's performance in the original Japanese version, in my opinion, both versions excel in their own right.)

In Streamline's dub, Mirman plays the character pretty much the same way, with the same light tone and also with a British accent.  While the performances in the older dub vary, I will say that she ties with Stuart.

GARGOYLE (David Jones, ADV dub; Steve Bulen, Streamline dub) -- This is probably the only voice that took me a long time to get used to in the ADV dub.  Considering that Gargoyle is the major villain of the show, one would expect something menacing and vile-sounding.  Instead, Jones opts to give him a deadpan, casual sounding tone which I initially found off-putting.  As his performance develops, however, Jones begins to bring a depth of haughtiness and sarcasm, which actually works in favor of Gargoyle's arrogance and his condescending attitude about humanity.  He even gets to do some really evil cackling in the last two episodes, to the point where you'll be surprised that it's the same actor.  Nowadays, I can't imagine Gargoyle in English without Jones' voice.

And that represents the problem with Streamline's Steve Bulen, who takes on the challenge of the character.  While he has the right "sinister" tone, he plays him too much like a straightforward, run-of-the-mill villain instead of an arrogant being obsessed with restoring Neo-Atlantis to its former glory.  I don't think this would work very well for the character, particularly in the final episode where he finally drops his mask.  He also overacts, which puts his character borderline close to cartoonish territory, such as when he suddenly yells how he threatens to shoot Marie.  I found Jones' more controlled, calm approach more effective.  Bulen's Gargoyle would be fine for a supervillain in a comic action movie, but to me, the style doesn't really feel appropriate for this character.

These are all the principal characters that make up Nadia as a show.  The additional characters are similarly well-cast and give genuinely lively performances.  My favorites in particular include:  Edwin Neal as Jean's fun-loving, jovial uncle (a deliciously funny role which only appears in episode 1), Lana Dietrich as the sourpuss aunt (episode 2), Eric Henshaw as the blustering Captain Melville, Maurice Moore as the doomed sailor Ensign Fait (a genially charming one-episode role culminating with a truly heartbreaking death scene), Robert Rudie as the gentle whale Irion (his voice slightly amplified to emphasize his spirituality as a creature), and Russ Roten as the stentorian robotic voice of Red Noah, also amplified by electronic effects (this character is in the only "island" episode that Hideaki Anno would have saved, episode 31; as it ties in better with the central plot than the rest of the island/Africa episodes, I couldn't agree more).

The crew members of the Nautilus are initially stiff in their first appearances, but they gradually get more comfortable in their roles as they go on.  It should be noted, though, that Dan Bisbee as the Primary Helmsman is replaced for the final four episodes by Brian Yanish.  The voice from the latter is slightly higher, although since we don't see him again after episode 22, it doesn't really matter.  Aside from that, other crew members which show distinctive performances are Greg Gondek as the Sonar Officer (who reveals himself to be a survivor of the ship Jean's father captained), Lowell Bartholomee as the German-accented doctor, Amie Elyn as his granddaughter Ikoli, and Douglas Taylor as the cook.  Another performance that deserves mention is Billy Hardin as the Chief Engineer; he has a great character voice for this role and sounds very natural throughout.

I was unable to evaluate the performances of the supporting characters in the older dub, although most of them consist of Streamline regulars such as Cliff Wells, Michael McConnohie, Kerrigan Mahan, and Milton James... a considerably smaller ensemble compared to the dozens of actors assembled for the "walla" moments in the current dub.

One performance I neglected to mention is the disembodied voice whose gentle narration opens each episode (save for 36-39).  This voice belongs to the late Karen Kuykendall, whose elderly intonations give one the impression of a grandmother telling a child a bedtime story.  This is a nice touch and also works better than the opening narration in the first episode on Streamline's version.  No offense to Michael McConnohie, but while he does a credible job, his deadpan delivery gave me the feeling that I was hearing a typical newscaster giving a cold read.

Vocal performances aside, the script adaptation, penned by Lowell Bartholomee, warrants a shout-out.  Rather than providing a literal word-for-word transliteration, he somehow skillfully manages to transform the literal, dull subtitle script into convincing, believeable English with little touches that give the characters more personality.  Even some occasional awkwardnesses in the original script, such as Gargoyle's speech about the destruction of Sodom and Gamorrah, is corrected to fit better with the original Bible story.  There are also several moments where the characters in the original Japanese version speak English phrases.  Wisely knowing that using these phrases directly would feel out of place in the dub, Bartholomee rewords them into jokes that are still very much in line with the original intention yet pleasing to the English ear.  In other words, his script succeeds as both being smooth and natural while remaining faithful in tone to the original.

That said, I did have two minor quibbles in the final two episodes.  In previous combat scenes involving the Nautilus, a European-accented sailor sends his voice through the radio reporting the status of the submarine.  For the climactic battle between the newly supercharged spaceship and the crimson-colored flying saucer, there are lines from the Status Sailor in the Japanese version, but mysteriously they are not spoken at all in the dub.  Not that it affects the episodes too badly, but one moment in which Nemo reacts verbally to an announcement about the barrier weakening comes across as odd without the voice.  Furthermore, a space satellite, Slave Star Michael, is nuked in one blast from the aforementioned spaceship in a previous episode, but when Gargoyle and his minions decide to raise the saucer into outer space to use the more deadly Slave Star Lucifer, one technician says "transferring power to Slave Star Michael"!  This is an obvious error that will make even casual viewers scratch their heads.

Otherwise, Bartholomee's script job is a very commendable effort.  Even the songs in the (thankfully) last of the filler episodes (34, which is mostly a sequence of recapped footage accompanying character songs, although one of them serves as the focal point of this episode's "plot") are very well translated into English without diverting from the original intent.  As a nice bonus, too, the dub cast rises to the challenge of singing them!  Perhaps unsurprisingly, it's Bauman's Nadia's songs that fare the best; as with her overall performance, her reindition of the original Japanese written songs are both beautiful and very haunting.  Not that the rest of the songs aren't any well handled.  the Grandis Gang's song is a hoot (particularly Blacker's opening line), and Cassidy obviously has fun with her musical rant about grown-ups (there are a few places where she strains her notes, but I emphasize the word few).  Parsons' vocals have trouble hitting high notes, but he acquits himself very well in the final two songs, particularly in the former where he's supposed to sing off-key.  While this entire episode is not considered one of the best in the show by many (myself included), I do have to give Monster Island a shout-out for their efforts at translating the songs.

As mentioned, Carl Macek has stated that if he had been able to complete his dub of Nadia, he would have pared down the dozen filler episodes into something shorter and less time-consuming (a sentiment that even director Hideaki Anno shares).  As much as hardcore fans have detested his editing practices on previous shows (in fact, some have even termed such moves as "Macek-re"s, rather unfairly), this editing choice probably would have been one of the few decisions that even detractors of these episodes would agree with.  Since he no longer has the rights, we probably may never know how that would have turned out.  Not that it compares favorably to the ADV version overall, however.  While far from the total writeoff fans made it out to be, it falls short of greatness.  Even though it has its share of good voices, the overall weaknesses of the Streamline dub (including the miscast voices of the leads) outweigh any assets this version may have had.  It's not surprising that it isn't very well remembered.  At best, it is an average quality dub.  (Marc Hairston also recalls on his site, which you can see right here, that "many fans were highly critical of the accents in the original Streamline dub.  Carl Macek defended the dub's accents in a 1995 interview by saying 'It's a French boy and a gypsy girl who has been all over Europe.  Of course they're not going to sound like they're from Kansas!'  Still, many fans felt that the accents in the first dub were too cheesy and the ADV folks knew they had to walk a fine line with accents in their dub.")

As for ADV's dub of Nadia, reception has been mixed.  Aside from Allen Divers and Marc Hairston, there have been a share of reviewers who have provided praise (Bob's Anime Corner Store, as well as Roman Martel , Brett Barkley, and Bryce Coulter of Mania.com, Bryan Hansen of AnimeJump, and Jeremy Conrad at IGNDVD).  Unfortunately, others, such as the guys at the aforementioned DVDTalk, AnimeInferno, Digitally Obsessed, Sequential Tart, AnimeBluRayUK, UK-Anime, and DVDVerdict have been unkind.  There are few, if any, online Anime fans who elect ADV's dub as one of their favorites.  In fact, there are fans who labeled it as a dub to avoid during its first release in 2001 (despite a successful premiere at 2001's A-Kon in Texas) and even some newer Anime fans spoiled by today's efforts have been similarly negative.  This is unfortunate, because Monster Island's Nadia deserves better recognition.

Despite the divided reaction, Nadia has nonetheless proven to be something of a turning point in terms of quality for Monster Island.  Most of their previous productions have been poorly received by critics and fans alike, ranging from a bottom-barrel train wreck in Sonic The Hedgehog:  The Movie, a disappointingly wooden and often monotone undercutting of the otherwise powerfully dramatic Ruroni Kenshin:  Trust and Betrayal, and overbaked, overacted and awkwardly scripted misfires like Lost Universe.  Perhaps because of the dramatic range of its cast and the passion Campbell and Bartholomee poured into this project, being huge fans of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Nadia, in spite of the sometimes inconsistent accents and somewhat sketchy initial episodes, is otherwise thankfully free of any such major defects, emerging as one of the studio's first truly good efforts.  This would eventually be followed by other efforts such as Steam Detectives, Cosplay Complex, Jing:  Bandit of Kings, and their swan song Petite Princess Yucie, all of which are great to excellent dubs.  While debates on the effectiveness of the accents may rage on, and opinions divided, Nadia remains a grossly underrated achievement in Monster Island's repertoire.  Bartholomee and Campbell have every reason to be proud of their work on the show, as it has aged fairly well over the years.  It's also refreshing to hear from fans who have given it a second chance.

Record of Lodoss War

Nowadays it seems as though people are so accustomed to top quality dubbing; this is more of the standard these days rather than the exception, which wasn't necessarily how things were in the '90s.  Around this period, the consensus was that dubbing just wasn't very good at all, and "efforts" such as most of the output from Streamline and Manga UK often fell into truly dreary territory. However, there were some notable exceptions to the rule, and Record of Lodoss War OVA, dubbed by National Sound for Central Park Media in 1996, was one of them. That said, reactions to this dub have been wildly divided; as with another famous fantasy Anime series, Slayers, Lodoss's dub has gone on many fans' best or worst dub lists.  In spite of the naysayers, though, it has had its share of loyal fans over the years (Mike Toole on AnimeJump.com, for instance).

To fully appreciate Lodoss OVA as an overall dub, one must evaluate it as a product of its era, because, as much as I love this dub, I will admit that it does have its share of drawbacks, one of which is the uneven lip-sync. (There are times when it syncs up very well, but there are a few rare moments of gaping mouths and some instances where in the DVD master, CPM used freeze-frame to cover any moments of lipflap following a completed sentence.)  Most of this can be attributed to the technology of the time (reel-to-reel in contrast to the ProTools software we know today), but the animation sometimes results with some stilted mouth flaps which sometimes makes the flow of the dialogue sound choppy (not by much, however).  And speaking of the script, while the late Mike Alben can be applauded for staying as faithful as possible to the original Japanese, there are occasional moments when his lines come across as awkwardly written or delivered.  Then there are the performances by the incidental characters (soldiers, courtiers, villagers, etc.), which come across as cheesy sounding (although in all fairness, they're nowhere nearly as embarrassing as the minor bit players in the follow-up Lodoss TV dub).  There's also one brief goof-up in episode 6 where King Kashue's mouth is moving while we hear Fahn's instead during a conference scene.

In spite of its weaknesses, though, Lodoss OVA has its share of memorable vocal performances which really carry the dub as a whole. It's interesting to note that at the time, most of these actors were unknowns, but most would go on to have fairly successful careers in dubbing. The man responsible for bringing them in is none other than Bill Timoney, who not only voices the young hero, Parn (more on that later), but happened to help scout out the talent for the dub and even directed the first eight episodes. The previous ADR director had been called off to do another project, hence why Timoney had to fill-in.  That said, the dub starts out somewhat stiffly in the opening three episodes, but by episode 4, the actors all settle into their roles and turn in fine work.  Of the performances, here are the ones that really captivate me the most:

THE NARRATOR (Dick Rodstein) -- is the first to speak in the dub. He has a deep, authoritative voice which aptly sets the tone for the epic tale; hearing him utter "Lodoss, the accursed island" always makes the hair on my skin tingle. His role is sparse, but it is always a pleasure to hear his vocal whenever he is brought in.

PARN (Bill Timoney) -- No, it wasn't Bill's first role in Anime, but the actor claims that it was his breakthrough and one of his favorite characters. Billy has a very good "young leading man"'s voice which works well for heroic roles of this type. Unlike his television counterpart in Lodoss TV, Timoney provides range and enthusiasm; his scenes with Deedlit (particularly the dance scene in episode 5 as well as everything from episodes 11 to the end) and his action bits are among the highlights of his performance. Some might argue that his voice is a bit "rough" sounding, but this works in favor of the character as a reckless, impulsively heroic knight wanna-be.  There are a couple of places in the beginning which sound somewhat tentative, but otherwise it's a solid performance overall, and, as mentioned, it is superior to that of the TV series.

DEEDLIT (Lisa Ortiz) -- Without a doubt, the voice that everyone remembers best from the Lodoss OVA dub. This was her first voice acting role, and while there are a few places where it's obvious, note that I stress the word few. It's a lively performance, with just the right amount of emotion and sassiness. Her voice is distinctively different from that of Yumi Tohma, and yet it suits this mystical high elf very well. Her acting, too, is quite effective, whether she is flirting with Parn, casting spells, or becoming gradually weaker in the final episodes as her life force is nearly drained to resurrect the Dark Goddess.  (When she breathlessly utters, "Stay back, save yourself, Parn" one feels a tingle up their spine.)  While Lisa has gone on to be better known as Lina Inverse from Slayers, to me, she will always be Deedlit.

ASHRAM (John Knox) -- This is yet another role that really stands out. I don't think Knox has done much Anime other than Lodoss, which is a shame, because his role of this ruthless yet honorable knight is amazing. He has an appropriately deep voice which is more than appropriate for the character, and while he comes across as rather stoic sounding, this is how Ashram should be.  Only in several moments do a few lines come across as cold reading, but somehow this works in favor of the character instead of against him.

ETOH (Ted Lewis) -- Like Ortiz, this was Ed Paul's first Anime voice-acting role, and is often signaled out as the weak link of the show.  He raises his voice to a surprisingly high pitch to sound somewhat boyish.  This tone works in favor of the character being a bookish priest, although I did detect a couple of missed lines at the start (mostly the first half of the opening episode).  As the show progresses, he gets more into character and becomes more confident with his subsequent appearances.  He's mostly soft-spoken, save for the penultimate episode where he gets to fight a ghoulish wraith.  (It should also be noted that I do have a soft spot for his performance in spite of its shortcomings.)

GHIM (Greg Wolfe) -- Of course, how could I forget this guy?  Gruff, tough, and stony, Greg's burly-sounding voice lends itself well to the grizzled old dwarf with an axe to grind (pun intended). He has an infectiously hearty laugh and a wry sense of humor ("Pathetic! You can hardly even handle a sword."), but also a deep, emotional side which he often displays when reminded about the missing priestess he is searching for. There are several places where he comes across as a bit stiff, but not enough to detract from his overall performance.  The last we hear of him is in Episode 8, and the actor really hits the marks there.  (I won't get into that, however, because doing so would provide spoilers.)

SLAYN (Al Muscari) -- Mike Toole has mentioned that this was one of his favorite performances from the Lodoss dub. Muscari has a calm, yet dramatic sounding voice that is easy to visualize belonging to a benevolent magician. He delivers his lines in an understated tone without sounding monotonous (his spell recitations, in particular, are both fantastic and priceless), raising his voice only at the appropriate moments. It's a shame that we haven't heard much more from this actor.

KARLA/LEYLIA (Simone Grant) -- A sorely missed actress, fans probably remember her best for her role as Boogiepop Phantom. Her performance as Karla, the unstable witch who threatens Lodoss, is something of a precursor to that role. She intones her lines in a cold, icy monotone, which emits both a devilish aura and commanding presence that sends chills up one's spine. Her sinister cackling is spot-on, too. This lasts until episode 9, where she becomes the kind, gentle priestess under the witch's control. There are also several instances where she can be heard as several different female characters: the Zaxon mayor's daughter Liara, Princess Fianna of Valis, etc., and while this does cause for some disconcertation, there's no denying that it's unfortunate that Grant is no longer with us. Lodoss is a fine example of her talent.

WOODCHUCK (Jacques LeCan) -- Another unknown with not much of a career, LeCan gives this surly thief a smarmy, "gangster"-like voice which is distinctively different from his Japanese counterpart, but fitting nonetheless.  For the most part, he seems to be enjoying himself... although I did notice several places where he misses some of his lines.  One such case is in episode 4, when Woodchuck is trying to escape from a dark void, his "help me!" isn't as strong or emotional as the scene demands.  In all fairness, it doesn't spoil the performance and there are plenty of other moments where he gets to have fun (episodes 1 and 3, as well as the dice scene in episode 5).  When his character becomes possessed by Karla, though, he really shines.  There he sounds spooky and deeper-voiced, with a hair-tinglingly frightening sinister laugh. Note that a trace of his "gangster"-like persona remains at times in lines like "I gamble. My purpose is to preserve Lodoss."

KASHUE (Chris Yates) -- Although essentially a key figure, Kashue has a somewhat small part, but Chris plays it pretty much as you'd expect: commanding, with dignity, warmth, discipline, and occasional humor. It's a very nice performance overall, particularly in his action scenes.  Only in a couple of places does his dialogue come across as somewhat unsynched, but not jarring enough to detract.

 

ORSON (Chris Yates) -- Chris also voices Orson, a "Berserker" warrior possessed by the Spirit of Rage, making him prone to burst out in vicious attacks.  His voice is considerably deeper and tone and he doesn't use much emotion, but considering the nature of his character (where he must keep all his emotions under control), it is more than appropriate.

 

PIROTESS (Meg Frances) -- The opposite of Deedlit, character-wise, Pirotess is a dark elf who serves as Ashram's love interest. Frances has a husky, sultry voice which brings a quality that is alternatingly alluring and dark.  There are a few moments that come across as cold reading, but otherwise she acquits herself fairly well, and her final scene in episode 10 is appropriately effective.

SHIRIS (Karen Smith) -- Rough and ready, with an aggressive quality and understated sassiness. That sums up Karen's Shiris, in a nutshell. There are several places where she overacts, but since her character screams quite a bit in her first appearance (and with occasionally mellodramatic dialogue), it's unavoidable.  Her exasperation provides a nice contrast to her more stoic partner's deadpan responses.

WAGNARD (Bruce Winant) -- This is another one of my favorite performances from the dub. Bruce has a voice which fits this meglomaniacal sorcerer to a tee, but what really sells his performance is the laugh: it's terrifying, overflowing with pure evil and malice that never gets boring. (Some of my friends/family members were quite scared by this laugh, effectively so.) As far as his acting goes, there isn't much depth to the performance, but there doesn't have to be. All Bruce has to do is be despicable and chew the scenery with glee as his character gets gradually crazier, and he does that wonderfully... particularly in the final episode where he gets to do a lot of maniacal laughing, shouting, and screaming.  (The actor admits he couldn't talk for weeks after recording that very episode!)

I neglected to mention the performances of Bob Barry as the raspy-sounding Emperor Beld, J.W. Gunther as King Fahn (who at times sounds a bit like Patrick Stewart), and Dick Rodstein as the great sage Wort (who is really just a more weary-sounding version of his narrator voice, albeit effective overall); all three are decent, but they don't really strike me as memorable as the guys I mentioned above.

One thing I neglected to mention is that the opening and ending theme songs for Lodoss OVA are translated and sung into English.  Mike Alben and Peter Fish somehow manage to transform the Japanese-written lyrics into something palatable (if at times a tad cheesy), but it is the beautiful voice of Lisa DeSimone that really make these new reinditions soar.  She sings with a lot of emotion and passion, giving these tunes the sort of "timeless" quality they deserve.  Like the dub, these songs are grossly underrated and always a pleasure to listen to for each episode.

No one will argue that Lodoss OVA's dub is on par with today's standards; the inconsistent lipsync being the most obvious weakness.  Overall, however, it remains (at least in my opinion) one of the better dubs from the 1990's, and certainly one of Central Park Media's first decent ones (their previous efforts to this time being misfires such as Garzey's Wing and Birdy the Mighty).  In today's light it probably doesn't compare, but as an older dub, it's above many other efforts from its era.  It also remains superior to the more problematic Lodoss TV dub, Chronicles of the Heroic Knight, which followed approximately four years later.

Castle in the Sky (Disney and Streamline Versions)

This is the most underrated and hotly debated of the Disney-Ghibli dubs.  Recorded in 1998 but delayed until 2003, reactions to Disney's dub of  Castle in the Sky (retitled from the original Japanese name, Laputa: The Castle in the Sky since "laputa"'s an offensive phrase in Spanish) have been divided.  Hardcore fans of the original Japanese were especially harsh, condemning it as a travesty to the original and that it is a dub to avoid.  On the other hand, there have been just as many who actually enjoyed the dub as a fun and interesting reinterpretation of a classic masterpiece with clever casting choices and a fully spruced up (and extended from the original by the composer) musical score. Even several websites such as DVDVerdict, DarkHorizons, DVDJournal, and Mania.com's Dani Moure have confessed to enjoying it.  To this day, the debate about the dub rages on, with a significant amount of detractors and admirers.  The most outrageous of naysayers have claimed that the voice actors in the dub are all unbearable and that Disney was just setting out to deserate a masterpiece, both of which are subjective (and some might argue ridiculous) in the extreme.  Two more realistic criticisms are that the lead characters sound older than their intended ages and that the script is talkier than necessary.  Such faults aside, Disney's Castle in the Sky is a first-rate English track when taken on its own.  In fact, viewing it today, one wonders if these detractors saw the same dub.

Prior to Spirited Away, Disney's dubs for Ghibli works were handled by Jack Fletcher, which included Kiki's Delivery Service and Princess Mononoke, both of which, like this dub, were high quality but received divided reactions. Although there are those who argue that the more recent tracks by Lasseter are more faithful, I find myself drawn to the Fletcher dubs more for their interesting mixture of Anime voice over artists, traditional voice actors/actresses, and big-name talent, resulting in something of a unique, multicultural mix that I somehow miss from these new dubs. Castle in the Sky is my favorite of the three Fletcher dubs, and one that I enjoy listening to repeatedly.

This isn't the only dub of Miyazaki's now-famous adventure tale to be made; around the late 1980's, sometime after the film screened in Japan, an unknown company called Magnum was comissioned by Tokuma Shoten to do an English version for screening on international flights on Japan Air Lines. Produced in a very rapid amount of time (a trait not uncommon with Anime which, at the time, had not yet been licensed by an American company), the dub, distributed by Streamline Pictures domestically, had a brief theatrical release in 1989 but quickly disappeared afterwards. Aside from some brief showings on television in the United Kingdom, it has only been released on the Japanese laserdisc and R2 DVD release, respectively. It should be noted that this version is more "literal" than the current version in that it doesn't take many liberties. While this older dub may have seemed to some viewers decent for its time, today it doesn't stand up very well at all. Having recently had access to this older version, I found it difficult to listen to more than 60 seconds of it. Perhaps I've been spoiled by many other dubs, but to my trained ear, this older dub of Laputa comes across as a rushed, half-baked product, as if everyone involved were doing their lines in one take. It has even been said that Carl Macek felt he could do better after listening to it. (He produced a surprisingly good dub for My Neighbor Totoro to prove his talents.)

As far as the voices for the current version go, Disney's dub has an eclectic selection of ideally chosen (and occasionally eccentric) performers to lend their voices. Fletcher does tend to make unusual casting decisions for his dubs, but he does make an effort to make sure each voice is directed well enough to not be detracting from the visuals or out of sync with the lip flaps (although there is one place where some of the lines are slightly off by about a hair, but not gratingly enough to detract). While some voices are more ideal choices than others, the overall performances are much smoother than those of the JAL/Magnum/Streamline version.

 

PAZU (James Van der Beek, Disney version; Barbara Goodson, JAL Dub) -- Casting the lead star of Dawson's Creek for a character roughly around fourteen (some mistakenly believe he's twelve years old, or even younger, like eight!) was a controversial choice in the eyes of critics and fans.  As mentioned, his voice is considerably deeper and more of an older teenager.  There are those who declare that his voice alone tarnishes the film, a fatuous criticism that I parry with two arguments.  One, boys' voices tend to mature at varying ages in their teen years, providing for a bit of flexibility for adults to play teenage boys (e.g. Vic Mignogna as Edward Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist).  Two, it's never explicitly stated in the movie how old Pazu is supposed to be, for in many ways he is young and yet acts mature (as such, it would be difficult to imagine what voice would suit the character).  Since his age is not a major plot point, it becomes less of an issue when one looks at the film as a whole.  That aside, James' actual voice acting isn't as bad as you'd expect.  In fact, his performance is surprisingly good.  Pazu is supposed to be earnest and exuberant, and Van Der Beek brings consistent enthusiasm to the part.  His best scenes are where he's talking quietly with Sheeta, notably on the Crow's nest on the Tiger Moth and during some exploration scenes in Laputa.  He is also very good at the climactic moments of the film, showing the appropriate emotions without overacting or underacting.  At various points, he cracks his voice -- perhaps a little too much so, but that's only a sign of the actor having fun with the role.  Of course, compared to the rest of the cast in the Disney dub, Van der Beek probably is at the short end of the stick, but he does a better job than what naysayers give him credit for.

In JAL's version, Pazu is played by Barbara Goodson, and as such, sounds higher pitched than James.  There have some occasions when boys can be voiced by women without the audience realizing it (in fact, in Japanese, a woman plays Pazu).  Goodson has shown skill at voicing boys prior to this role and under better circumstances, it might have turned out decent.  The problem, however, is that her Pazu sounds a bit too harsh, lacking the warmth that I felt from James.  Poor direction, too, might be a culprit.  As mentioned, the dub was recorded at a very fast pace, and as such, she comes across as though she doesn't know where to go with Pazu, as evidenced by the lack of enthusiasm in her delivery.  Her attempts at conveying emotion, even during the most intense scenes, sounded very forced and unnatural, too.  (She even disappoints during the calls of "Sheeta!" toward the end; they lack context and don't really fit the intensity of the scene.)  Even the few times when she excels come across as mediocre at best.  Had more time been spent on this old dub, I'm sure that Barbara could have turned in a much better performance; as such, this is one of her weakest roles, which is disappointing considering her resume.  (She has turned in considerably better work in other dubs like A Silent Voice and Weathering With You, for instance.)  James may be the more eccentric choice of the two, but he at least succeeds in bringing enthusiasm and believability to the part, the occasional (minor) missed lines aside.  And for that he strikes me as the better of the two by far, performance-wise.

 

SHEETA (Anna Paquin, Disney dub; Lara Cody, JAL dub) -- Like Van Der Beek, Paquin sounds a bit too mature for the female lead, but a childlike, sweet quality still remains with her voice, making her more of an appropriate choice.  For the most part, she aquits herself fairly well, but there is one problem with her performance—her wishy-washy accent. At times it sounds American, while at others, it veers to British dialect.  This "problem", however, actually works in favor of her character, considering that she is from "far, far away."  There's also a further reasoning behind this—Paquin was born in Canada and moved to New Zealand; I'm willing to bet she was still in this "mixed-up" phase when she recorded it.  My only real quibble is that Paquin doesn't always nail her lines -- there are a few moments that come across as a bit stiff at times and sometimes not as effective.  That said, the bits where she excels far outweigh such weak moments by far, especially her recitation of a spell (that triggers one of the film's most exciting and thrilling sequences).  She also handles herself well in the climactic scenes toward the end; my guess is that she got a lot more comfortable as the film went on.  (Interestingly, this wouldn't be her only voice acting role in Anime; about sometime after this film was released, she was the lead in Steamboy, but that's another story.)

Lara Cody, meanwhile, tries to copy the vocal tone of the Japanese voice actress by raising her voice to an unnaturally high-pitch.  There have been some cases where actresses can get away with this approach, but in this case, Cody comes across as a bit too strained to my ears.  She also suffers from the same problem that Barbara's Pazu does:  a lack of genuine emotion -- even more so than Paquin and arguably Goodson.  She also offers lots of whiny and over-stylized delivery during moments such as the one where Muska shows her the robot.  Even her moments of desperation and screaming felt more forced instead of natural.  This is especially evident at the climactic scene where she shrieks "RUN EVERYONE!" during the Thunder of Laputa scene.  The franticness is overdone on Cody's part in that scene.  Even during the climactic chase scenes she sounds remote from her character.  Cody also misfires during her final speech to Muska toward the end of the film; she comes across as overly aggressive and lacking in nuance, emphasizing the wrong words, to the point where she sounds very all over the place.  Paquin is a bit more low-key by comparison, but there's a tenderness and calm quality to her version of the speech that I really liked; of course the only negative is that the last part of the speech is unfortunately altered (see below), but having said that her version still surpasses Cody's by far.  I'm sure that Cody could have done a much better job if she was given the time to develop her character more properly; Paquin may have a few issues with her performance, but overall she makes the role more believable and less grating on the ears to me (the occasional iffy moment not withstanding).

 

MUSKA (Mark Hamill, Disney dub; Jeff Winkless, JAL dub) -- Hamill's role as the film's central villain, a treacherous government agent with a secret agenda for the titular structure, is nothing short of a delight.  Since his youthful days as a Jedi Knight in Star Wars, Hamill has proven himself to be quite an accomplished voice actor, with one of his most famous roles being the Joker from the Batman series. But with this film, Luke Skywalker finally crosses over to the Dark Side of the Force. His vocalization of Muska is a mixture of Luke and the Joker, and it matches the character so well (especially at the climactic moments when he reveals his true identity) you'd swear he wasn't the same whiny but lovable hero moviegoers remember him best for. Whether he is sly and smooth-talking at one moment and devilishly insane at the next, Hamill runs wild with this character, oozing with genuine evil throughout. In addition, his villainous laughter is bone-chillingly awesome and echoes through the speakers with a purely malicious aura. Ditto for his final scream at the end of the film. Not only is Hamill perfect for the role, his performance is the highlight of the show. (He also is arguably one of the finest choices for any Ghibli dub.)

The late Jeff Winkless, however, is another matter.  His Muska sounds more like he's cold-reading off the script in an uncharismatic, monotonous voice. In doing so, he never comes across as genuinely evil or frightening, but rather detached from the part.  That he speeds through most of his lines makes him sound laughably stilted as well (the scene where he shows Sheeta the robot being a notable example).  Even during the climactic moments does Winkless disappoint.  While Mark goes all out during his psychopathic final guise (even showing hints of the Joker, to good effect), Jeff puts absolutely no energy or enthusiasm, still sounding as monotonous as ever.  Case in point: after demonstrating Laputa's power and knocks Sheeta aside, he simply says "You little brat" very flatly, and his subsequent "Now you die" had me wincing; it was just like a bad episode of Mystery Science Theater 3000.  The subsequent scenes where he destroys the army's airship are riddled with lines such as "How very dumb, these earthlings," "Not much shows better than THAT one!  They're dropping like dead sparrows!"  The final confrontation scene is even worse; not only does Winkless continue to drone emotionlessly, he utters "Now say bye bye!" while pointing his gun at Sheeta.  Not only is the end result embarrassing, it brings unintentional humor to what should be a frightening moment.  And the only laugh to be gained from that line is the "so bad it's funny" kind.  (The same is true with his dragged out "There's no WAAAAAAY you can escAAAAAAPE!" as he chases Sheeta -- it's really hard to take seriously.)  Hamill sounds much more natural and genuinely threatening with his "Now get over here!" Lastly, Jeff's final scream struck me as non-existant, and he doesn't put enough emotion to convey Muska's eventual fate; it simply sounds weak and ineffective. In the end, there really is no question over who is the better Muska (it's Hamill).  As with everyone else in this older dub, Winkless was unfortunately weighed down by both poor direction and dialogue.

 

DOLA (Cloris Leachman, Disney dub; Rachel Vanowen, JAL dub) -- Unquestionably one of the very best performances in the cast, Leachman simply is Dola, the cantankerous pirate mother who prefers to be called captain. Not only does she have the right voice for the role, her vocal delivery and comic timing is impeccable.  Whether she is barking orders to her three cartoonishly likeable sons or making droll comments about anything that disgusts her, Cloris is obviously having fun—every scene that Dola's in is a delight and hysterically priceless.  Also noteworthy is how she handles Dola's transition from villain to comrade; it is totally natural, full of grudging warmth and respect.  Compared to her more paltry role in Ponyo (where she doesn't get anywhere nearly as much lines as she does here), this is a deliciously juicy role for Leachman.  As with Hamill, her performance warrants a listen to Disney's dub and ranks among the best choices for a Ghibli dub.

The same cannot be said, however, about Rachel Vanowen's take in the JAL dub.  Her voice — which sounds like a scratchy June Foray as Granny from Looney Tunes — came across to me as unconvincing and unnatural; she simply screams her lines without any real personality.  Her scream of "THE LEVITATION STONE!" at the beginning of the movie when Sheeta falls from the airship is especially obnoxious and grating.  (Leachman's delivery of "Oh no!  There goes my CRYSTAAAL!  Oh no!" is simply more natural and even funnier.)  Even when Dola is supposed to be not so abrasive, there's still something about Vanowen's performance that sounded very off; it just sounds so stilted, almost as if she's reading off the page instead of acting.  The overall effect of her performance was very hard on my ears and totally devoid of the charm that Cloris provides.

 

DOLA'S BOYS aka Louie, Charles and Henri (Mandy Patinkin, Mike McShane, Andy Dick, Disney dub; Dave Mallow, Barry Stigler, Eddie Frierson, JAL dub) -- McShane and Dick both have had previous acting experience (in fact Mike was heard as a minor role in Princess Mononoke), but this was a first-timer for Mandy.  All three are perfectly cast as the pirate triumvirate, and tear into their roles with the sort of comic campiness that these characters require.  Their best moments are when they celebrate over Pazu and Sheeta joining them, asking for food, and later on, when they each approach Sheeta, offering to help her in the kitchen. One cannot help but chuckle along with their one-liners; extraneous though they may be at times, the exuberance in which they deliver them make this trio a lot of fun.  The additional lines help distinguish their personalities, too, particularly in the aforementioned kitchen scene.  Mandy, the whiskered one of the trio, acts somewhat shy, while bearded, burly Mike (whose character is oddly named Shalulu in the dub even though Disney's cast credits him as Charles) is obviously forward "I'm in love with you!", and freckle-faced Andy is more casual in his approach ("Hi, is there anythin' I can do?").   Earlier, all three display their preferences for food just after Pazu and Sheeta agree to come along; Charles asks for pudding, Louie wants to lick the spatula, while Henri wants chocolate cate with a frosting he describes as "pink and swirly".  (Dola finally silences them and gets to have a juicy one-liner about how her boys "really like dessert.")  It's touches like this that really make their characters a delight in the new dub.

Dave, Barry, and Eddie (who, oddly enough, gets to have minor roles in Disney's redub, thankfully with better results), on the other hand, opt to give their characters goofy-sounding cartoon voices.  In doing so, however, all three forget to embue their characters with personality, and as such, they come across as rather generic and not even remotely funny.  (Eddie in particular sounds rather shrill compared to even Andy, and both Barry and Dave's dopey takes for their roles are hardly charming.)  And this is from someone who generally likes these three guys.  So for me, Mandy, Mike, and Andy excel as these characters for giving them more personality and not making them goofballs.

 

UNCLE POM (Richard Dysart, Disney dub; Ed Mannix, JAL dub) -- The kindly old miner who lives in the caverns with glowing stones has a small, but very memorable part.  It also happens to be one of the most underrated performances in Disney's dub.  Dysart has a gentle, warm voice and gives a performance of grandfatherly charm which is perfect for the character.  Plus, his first lines where he mistakes Pazu and Sheeta for goblins are both priceless and beautifully delivered, especially, "I can't see you clearly yet, goblin, but you sound like Pazu! And if these old eyes of mine don't deceive me, there's a she-goblin with you."  His relaxed tone also lends itself very well to the scene where he describes Sheeta's crystal and the glowing cavern.

Ed Mannix, on the other hand, is grossly miscast, sounding distractingly cartoony.  One could almost mistake him as one of Dola's boys from hearing this!  That his delivery lacks the charm Dysart provides is also a problem.  ("You sound like Pa-zuuuuu," he slurs, for instance.)

 

GENERAL (Jim Cummings, Disney dub; Mike Reynolds, JAL dub) -- The brutish yet not very smart general of the military who Muska manipulates to set up a voyage to Laputa is voiced in Disney's dub by uber veteran Jim Cummings.  His performance is as gruff and scratchy as you'd expect (which really isn't that much different from Razoul the Palace Guard from Disney's Aladdin--very fitting, in fact, since this character is similar), but it's in his scenes with Muska where he really shines.  He also gets a memorable one-liner, "Blast! I really hate that man." If anything, Disney's dub is more about the supporting characters than the leads.

As for Mike Reynolds, he sounds less scratchy, but appropriately gravelly.  For the most part, he acquits himself very well, but I still detected some stale dialogue and delivery, particularly "I... really hate secret agents!" which sounded strangely choppy and unnatural.  His calling of "Where are you Muska?!" toward the end is also surprisingly lifeless and detached.  If not for that, I would say that he's the best voice in the JAL dub; Cummings may be more recognizable, but he sounded smoother and less stilted from the start.

 

BOSS (John Hostetter, Disney dub; Cliff Wells, JAL dub) -- One of the things that I've always loved about the Ghibli dubs is how they use famous names with traditional voice actors and Anime voiceovers, giving them something of a multi-cultural feel.  This role is an example of the latter.  I've always liked John Hostetter's work (you can hear him in several other Jack Fletcher dubs, particularly as the airship captain and minor roles in Kiki's Delivery Service as well as Ji-San and other citizens of Iron Town in Princess Mononoke), and to hear him in this film was a treat.  The gruff tone he uses for the character is very appropriate, and the chemistry between him and James van der Beek is also very believable; one can imagine the two actually communicating with each other.  There's also a bit of a warm quality to his voice when he is bidding Pazu goodbye at the end of his first scene.  Hostetter should seriously consider doing more Ghibli dubs; he's always a pleasure to listen to.

Cliff Weils, unfortunately, doesn't fare anywhere nearly as well.  I can imagine the character having the tone of voice that he uses (even then he's less "effective", not that it's saying much, than Mike Reynolds' General), but there just isn't any character or life to his actual performance.  Then again, that isn't the actor's fault; like everyone else in the JAL dub, he was probably cast at the last moment and did his lines in one take, because that's what it came across as to me.  Chalk this as another point in favor of Disney's dub.

 

Aside from Tress MacNeille (who has become quite the Ghibli dubbing veteran), who turns in a cameo role as the wife of Pazu's boss, and Corey Burton (who is quite notable as one of Muska's agents) other roles in the Disney dub are played by names such as John DeMita, Andrew Philpot, Michael Sorich, Matt Miller, Scott Menville, Eddie Frierson, and Debi Derryberry (who has a notoriety for playing high-pitched little girl's voices) as the obnoxiously funny, pint-sized daughter of Pazu's boss and a little softer and nuanced as young Sheeta in a flashback sequence. Admittingly, some of the incidental voices verge on sounding somewhat "cartoony," but considering that the movie has some equally cartoonish action, I don't consider this a bad thing at all. (I should mention, too, that whoever voices Sheeta's grandmother in the small flashback sequence is perfectly cast and acted.)

As for JAL/Magnum/Tokuma's dub, I found the incidental background voices to be either generic, arguably even more brash or goofy-sounding than anybody in the Disney dub, or, in several other scenes, completely non-existent, particularly in the case of the crowd noises (also known as "walla").  For instance, in the sequences where the coal miners witness a punching match between Pazu's boss and one of Dola's boys, there are obviously mouths moving from the crowd characters, but they don't make any sound, resulting in a bare, empty scene.  (In all fairness, the Japanese version of this scene is similarly silent except for the very end, but it's still very distracting to me as a viewer.)  The same is true for the scenes where the soldiers are attacked by both the robot in the army fortress and the armada of robot soldiers at the film's climax.  Even with the argument that the Japanese version was less chattier than Disney's, these obviously bare scenes only succeeded in emphasizing that the creative staff involved didn't really spend as much time as they could have; as such, I felt as though I was watching a badly dubbed kung-fu movie.  (Granted, Disney's version does lay the walla on a little thick at times, but at least it doesn't sound anywhere nearly as "empty" as this old dub.  Even the Japanese version of the robot attacking the fortress as well as the soldiers escaping from the robots has shouts from the soldiers.)

That isn't to say that Disney's version is without its shortcomings; aside from the leads, a common criticism of the current version is in the inclusion of extra dialogue.  Sometimes this approach works, notably in expanding on the pirates' personalities and in Sheeta's relationship with Dola (there's one hilarious exchange where the former tries to practice "pirate talk" to the latter); other times, however, it tends to go overboard and comes across as padding, particularly in a flashback sequence where Sheeta explains about how she was kidnapped, and some additional commentary that feels better suited to a radio drama where there aren't any visuals onscreen.  It doesn't spoil the film by any means, but at times it does feel, well, extraneous.  (As will be mentioned later, a lot of these extra lines were dialed out for subsequent reissues -- such bits as Pazu and Sheeta commenting on the obvious during the exploration scene being the only ones I can approve of losing.)

This brings us to the script adaptation, supplied, as with Kiki, by John Semper and Jack Fletcher. For the most part, it is fairly faithful to the original, but it's also a bit of a liberal script, where a few terminologies are tweaked. The crystal Sheeta possesses is called "aetherium crystal" as opposed to "levitation stone/volucite", for instance (this alteration works well in the same way that Neil Gaiman's "forest spirit" substitute for "Deer God" in Princess Mononoke, conveying a sense of importance to the audience that the literal translation does not). There are also references to two literary classics in the Japanese script, "Gulliver's Travels" and "Treasure Island", which are inexplicably omitted (replaced by lines which work in favor of the characters, but noticeably different from the original intent). These are fairly minor changes. Probably the only alteration I'd call into question is at the final confrontation in the throne room, where the last part of Sheeta's speech is changed from "You can't survive from Mother Earth" to "the world cannot live without love". On one hand, this changes the ecological message of Miyazaki's original screenplay; on the flip side, it could be left open to ambiguous interpretation. (I suppose, though, that this change is no more debatable than Kiki regaining her ability to speak to Jiji at the end of the Kiki's Delivery Service dub; either way it's a bit of an odd change.)  Even so, where Semper and Fletcher's script ultimately succeeds is in the overall flow of the dialogue. This provides for a fresh, lively appeal for American audiences that still retains the adventurous tone of the original, with witty lines and smooth, natural writing. (It should also be noted too, that, with the exception of the aforementioned speech, every new line, adlibbed or altered, is not out of context with Miyazaki's signature and the actual plot is unchanged.)

On that note, Joe Hisaishi's rerecorded score, like most of Disney's version, is underrated.  Originally performed on electronic instruments dating back to 80's standards, Hisaishi expertly reorchestrates his sparse tunes into a 90-minute symphony for a performance by the Seattle Music Orchestra.  Interestingly, Miyazaki is reported to have applauded this revamp, with Hisaishi expressing similar enthusiasm.  And no wonder:  the original score was a classic of its time, but this new incarnation takes it to a whole new level.  Musically, the compositions and melodies are true to the original, with the exception of some embellishments and additional instrumental (or vocal) accompaniment.  The robust performances from the orchestra also give the score a bigger punch, providing for a full, rich-sounding quality that makes even the original synthesized score seem dated by comparison.  As beautiful as Hisaishi's melodies were back in 1986, it was very hard for me to listen to their original counterparts after experiencing this revamped version.  There are those who say that it is too intrusive for a film which initially had periods of silence, but Disney's dub does manage to leave some intact (the sequence where the robot is attacking before blasting through the fire door, the lookout in the clouds scene, and at the pivotal moment where Pazu slowly walks to embrace Sheeta after Muska gives him a minute to speak with her).  Only one or two cues came across as somewhat superfluous to me:  the previously silent scene where Pazu and Sheeta pass through the storm cloud, for instance, is actually less effective with the (still appropriately composed) underscore, and although the accompaniment of a lyre to Pazu's trumpet solo is a nice touch, it feels strangely out of place in the film.  That said, there are many other pieces which actually improve over their original counterparts, particularly "Stones Glowing in the Darkness", the fortress attack scene, "The Dragon's Nest", and "The Collapse of Laputa."  Hisaishi is no stranger to Hollywood style scoring, and his reworking showcases how much he has progressed over the years as a musician.  Whether this new score was made out of a corporate decision or artistic motivations is irrelevant; what matters is that it is a beautiful score which not only works well with the movie, but sounds even lovelier to listen to on its own.  (To those who would like to hear the extensive new score on album, it's available on a soundtrack CD from Tokuma. Its catalog number is TKCA-72436.)

One thing I forgot to mention that in the dub, the ending song, "Kimi wa nosette" is the only vocal track in the Fletcher-Ghibli dubs that remains un-translated. Kiki handled its opening and ending songs by replacing them with sprightly pop/rock ditties by Sydney Forest (due to rights issues), while Mononoke seamlessly translated its two vocal tracks into English. Castle in the Sky does not attempt to translate the song into English, but, like Hisaishi's music, it received a major musical upgrade. The vocal is untouched, but the accompaniment has additional instruments, like a piano, and some xylophones, providing a richer and fuller sounding aura.  In fact, after listening to this revised version of the song, the original feels somewhat empty (although still beautiful overall). Too bad they didn't include this upgrade on the soundtrack album of the USA music; it would have made for a lovely way to close off the album just as it does the film.  I can only wonder why they didn't bother to translate the song.

Interestingly, the sound effects for the film also get a bit of a major workout; that is to say, although most of the SE from the Japanese track are still included, there are places where some crisper, high-quality new effects are thrown in.  As much as I love this dub, I'm a bit fifty-fifty over the new sound design.  Sometimes it works well; the flapters' wings sound less goofy and more thrilling in the new dub, but some other moments, like the scene where the army shoots at Pazu and Sheeta as they try to race across a chasm and a brief portion of the final destruction scene feel somewhat muted and less couch-shaking than the original.  That said, this (in addition to the last part of Sheeta's speech) is really is a small price to pay for everything else Disney's dub offers.

By contrast, JAL/Magnum's dub doesn't have either the rescore or sometimes overdone extra dialogue.  On the other hand, though, the ADR script is not very smooth and comes across as very stilted, with some of the most inept-sounding lines I've ever heard in any dub.  Just to give you an idea, let me provide you examples of the dialogue from this older dub and compare them to Disney's version:

JAL Pazu:  "I'm as hard as a brick moppet if moppets were made out of bricks!"

Disney Pazu:  "If my head were any harder, you could use it as a cannonball!"

JAL Muska:  "The light is pointing to the center of the whirlwind.  Laputa is in that wind.  Did you hear me, we go straight forward.  We're sure to find an entrance."
Disney Muska:  "The light is pointing to the center of the whirlwind.  Laputa is in that storm.  I won't retreat.  Now go straight ahead!  And that is an order, Captain."

JAL Muska:  "This room is where the throne was, isn't that appropriate?  Now say bye-bye!"

Disney Muska:  "How appropriate that we've ended up in the throne room.  Now get over here!"

At one point, too, one of the pirates utters "Just like in the movies!" -- a rather bizarre, baffling addition nowhere to be found in the Japanese version that couldn't be more out of context with the rest of the movie.

In all fairness, the JAL dub script gets points for preserving the last part of Sheeta's speech, but the overall choppy flow of the dialogue and lack of thought for clarity ultimately kills that asset.  Straightforward faithfulness alone does not a good script make.

The recording quality is also a major problem with the JAL dub.  Of course that may seem like an unfair criticism considering that most dubs back then were done on the cheap, but compared to the obviously more crisper sounding Disney dub, the voices in the older dub all come across as trebly and lacking in aural clarity.  It's mono, as well; the original Japanese version of Laputa was clearly recorded for stereo sound.  (To be fair, the older dub of Totoro was recorded in mono as well, but that version is far more appealing than this Magnum version of Laputa.)  Disney's version controversially amps the mix up to 5.1, but given the bigger budget, it's just as well.

Some older dubs do stand the test of time, but JAL/Magnum's Laputa, sadly, isn't one of them.  Despite being more faithfully adapted and with younger-sounding leads, it still falls short compared to Macek's own My Neighbor Totoro and dubs of today, period.  It even pales to both the current dub and the Japanese version.  There are a number of fans who stand behind the JAL dub, but I was very disappointed with it.  Needless to say, it's not worth the trouble of importing the Japanese DVD to own it unless you're a diehard fan.

So in short, aside from at least one controversial script alteration and occasionally unnecessary additional lines, Disney's version of Castle in the Sky is the better English dub, not only in production values, but in overall flow.  It's not a purist's dub, and it'll probably play better to people who are unfamiliar with this movie, but despite its faults, it's still a very listenable and competently-produced effort that offers charms of its own.

As an amusing little easter egg, on the "Storyboards" disc of the 2003 DVD, there is a portion of recorded extra dialogue that for some odd reason isn't even included on the feature disc.  This happens right at the beginning of the film where Sheeta is a prisoner in the airship.  Muska's agent (Corey Burton) approaches her and says, "Something to eat, miss?"  "No," Sheeta replies.  "Are you sure?" he asks.  Then Muska intones, "She doesn't want it."  "As you wish," the agent replies.  Interestingly, when the dub screened at the festivals, this exchange could be heard (and is nowhere to be heard on any other release of the 2003 cut of the Disney dub).

Disney re-released the film on DVD in 2010 with modifications to their dub.  The extra dialogue, and more disappointingly, the rescore, were both cut.  While this makes it closer in tone to the Japanese version, I feel Disney's version just doesn't sound as fresh or vibrant without the new music.  That there are also some missed audio cues that work against scenes such as when Pazu is being tickled by his pigeons (he says nothing in the new edition, whereas he previously said "Wait guys, I'm trying to talk to the lady").  That it also results for some moments where character's mouths are moving with no sound is also an issue.  It also gets in the way of one of the more exciting scenes toward the end where Hamill's Muska seethes, "Goodbye!  Enjoy the ride!" as he sends the general and his soldiers falling to their deaths.  Taking out that latter line only lessens the awesomeness of that particular scene.  Since then, GKids has taken over the Ghibli library and reissued the movie again on Blu-Ray and DVD, but this time with a significantly better option.  There are two mixes available for the Disney dub track:  one with the original synthesizer score and one with the rescue, providing users the option to choose.  This is the best of both worlds, and the way it should be.  On both mixes the extra lines are still cut and the JAL dub, for better or worse, is not on that version, but as it is, GKids' BD will have to do for now.