[Categories: Specials]
Miyazaki’s Laputa: A Tale of Two Dubs
Nine times out of ten I’m a subs-only guy. In rare cases (Cowboy Bebop for instance) I listen to the English language dub and Miyazaki’s Laputa is one of them. There are however two different dubs for this film and since I have two copies I have both versions so thought I’d share my comparisons with you.
The 1986 film was originally dubbed by Streamline Pictures in the 1980s but, for whatever reason, Disney redubbed it when it was distributed under their Buena Vista label. The Disney dub (which is what I’ll refer to their version from here on in) is the one that’s on the official region 1, 2 and 4 DVDs; the Streamline dub is on the region 2 Japanese DVD discs that are available on import. Confused? Ok, the Disney dub is on more or less every Western release and the old Streamline one on the Japanese import release only. Unless you have a bootleg (in which case, burn it NOW lest you not learn the error of your ways), there should be the original Japanese dub as well, with English subtitles. With all this out of the way, on with the review bit.
The script
The Disney dub features a lot of background ‘chatter’, ad-libs and loosely translated dialogue. On the other hand the Streamline has a few bits of dialogue of its own that sound forced and out-of place. The naming of the crystal as ‘etherium’ is mentioned in the Disney version only so overall the Streamline dub is a little more convincing and sticks closer to the original script, as far as I can tell (my own Japanese is limited to literally a dozen phrases).
The Lead Characters
This is where the Streamline dub wins hands-down. The VAs for Pazu and Sheeta in the Disney version aren’t badly acted, they just sound too old. The characters are intended to be in their early teens: the Streamline dub portrays them as being much younger than their Disney counterparts and crucially closer to the original Japanese VAs. In both dubs the quality of the acting isn’t too bad at all though.
Supporting Characters
Disney wins by a nose on this one. The pirates in the Streamline version sound a bit ‘goofy’ and the old guy in the mines is a little hammed up. In addition the VA for Dola in the Disney version sounds a little more convincing and Mark Hamill (yes, the Mark Hamill!) plays Muska to perfection. Although such things are subjective, the Disney dub’s supporting VAs sound a little more professional and polished.
Other factors
The Western DVD editions all have dubtitles which means there’s no real way of avoiding the mistranslations and moments of Japanese text/English dialogue that don’t match up. In terms of sound quality the Disney sounds better but purists will favour the original score of the Japanese audio track. UK folks should note that while the Japanese discs are region 2, they use the NTSC format instead of PAL. You won’t notice the difference but your TV might!
Conclusions
I watched the Streamline dubbed version on TV years ago and it was this that I remember (it was also my first ever anime, but that is another story). I even went to the trouble of importing a Japanese DVD to hear the film as I remembered it, just to recapture the fond memories and see if my view of the older dub was as rose-tinted as I’d feared. Overall I do prefer the older Streamline version but there are one or two aspects of the Disney dub that prevent me from getting rid of that edition entirely. Unfortunately the dubtitles irritate the hell out of me so my pricier import version will be getting more play in future.
Extra Notes
The newer version with the Disney dub as the English language track is, in the UK at least, now distributed by Optimum Entertainment instead of Buena Vista. I could give links but I’ve taken up enough space already. It is also important to note that, regardless of my criticisms of Disney’s handling of their distribution of Miyazaki’s films, any change they make has been officially approved by Studio Ghibli themselves before it is out in the cinema or on DVD.
Posted on May 4th, 2008 @ 7:01 pm
I have a lot of old Miyazaki movies in chinese(cantonese) dub, and they’re all done excellently without any of the heavy flaws most english dubs carry. Yeaaaah japanese with english subtitles is still the best, though. xDD
Yay for Miyazaki films! n-n