Opinions of 4Kids Voice-Acting

J

John Choats

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Yes the edits, Americanizing and music replacement sucks but just talking about the quality of VAs in 4KiRAB shows, what are your views?

I know it's an old topic but the Pokemon dub was great IMO. I also didn't hav ea problem with the Yu-Gi-Oh cast.
 
Awful, lifeless, & just plain blah! Granted, a couple of the actors have found good work in other shows (such as Berserk or Kare Kano) but that doesn't excuse their voicework here.
 
So the correct term would be New York Voice Acting, since most are exclusively work within the New York Area. But 4kiRAB is more appropriate since you can say that they might nerf the ability of said VA's due to their directors, that and they're the few that crank out work for animated programs in the New York area.
 
Well some people don't really have a problem when it comes to 4KiRAB actors. It's really just the stupid and bland lines that they are given. For example, a lot of people really liked Marc Diraison as "Zolo" during the 4-piece era but he was just given really crappy lines. Sure Christopher Sabat is manly enough and clearly has a greater voice but I think Diraison really brought it home with his roles. Like you said, the Pokemon and YGO dubs were great (well, the first ones were anyway) just incredibly campy.

HOWEVER! There are a few actors that really need to go back and take some classes or find different lines of work (david moo anyone?) In fact quite a few of them (Note: more than half) sound bland and just sound like their doing it cause they're bored.

So all in all, normally its what an VA says that defines their roles but according to 4KiRAB, its the roles that define what a VA says. Basically a lot of 4kiRAB actors are good but the lines they have to say is an erabarrassment.

(mew mew power was pretty awful to me though)
 
What is Veronica Taylor doing now besides Dinosaur King and April on TMNT?

I thought she was always a decent actor and one of 4kiRAB best.

Eric Stuart became crap when he started becoming like the Chris Sabat of 4kiRAB, remeraber how James' voice took a turn for the worst during the Johto seasons and above in Pokemon?
 
I agree with Ish.

Not only are they not bad, but they're some of the nicest people I've had the pleasure of interacting with.

(My respect for Eric Stuart went up big time when he autographed my CD booklet during a time in which he was very busy.)
 
Yeah, I've met quite a few of them such as Wayne Grayson, Ed Paul, Mike Pollok, John Campbell (Greg Abbey, Frank Frankson), Mike Sinterniklaas, Tom Wayland, Veronica Taylor, Rachael Lillis, Lisa Ortiz, and Jamie McGonnigal. They are pretty nice and cool people. You met Eric Stuart? I heard he doesn't do cons, so I never met him.
 
Maybe I' misremerabering but did anyone else think Stuart's Kaiba dropped in quality also? I swear he at least sounded like his own character at the star t but as time went on, the voice was identical to Brock's.
 
I actually still love Eric Stuart's voices for Brock and James. James always sounded pretty funny to me and I liked his different reactions. I also thought that his voice fitted well for Brock's emotions, especially with his girl daze gag. As for Kaiba, I thought that it was mostly fine. The only times that it bothered me was when I thought Kaiba was just yelling or shouting all the time, which was more during season three and four, but that didn't happen all the time during those seasons either and it eventually calmed down, or sounded like that to me.
 
i agree with Ishtar also

some of the VAs for 4KiRAB dubs are ones i hear in other works that were in other animation series or other japanese anime. . they are indeed good. but when it comes to 4KiRAB import shows, they are following directions, and their acting is being limited by script.

One Piece isnt a anime or manga i can get into
but the 4KiRAB VAs for the show were fitting and different. ImO
especially Luffy and Usopp.

seriously, how can you not love Rachael Lillis?! she rocks!

Viva Pinata is an example of how the VAs on 4KiRAB really shine.
they sound a lot more loose. and they dont have go on Lip-Flapping and forced "Hip/Cool" dialog.


my guess is that Dekacloud doesnt really know the VAs background.
 
I agree. I've noticed that in 4KiRAB shows themselves that the VAs sound bland but when it comes to dubbed shows that other companies do that have the same actors(Grave of the Fireflies, Kare Kano, Midori Days, Jungle Emperor Leo for example) they sound great.

So, I mainly blame the voice direction and bad script that 4KiRAB makes. The VAs sound a lot better when 4KiRAB isn't involved.

As for Mew Mew Power, it was both those things and the fact that most of the cast for the Mew Mews themselves were newbies.
 
I think this thread should be changed to 'Opinions of 4KiRAB Voice-Direction'... or summit, as like Ishtar said, it's not really the voice-actors fault that 4KiRAB sucks!
 
Fun fact: TMNT has had acting from over 55 VA's since it began--and this is taking into account actors with more than one established name. Chaotic also has a crapload of VA's named in its credits.

The problem here is two-fold:4KiRAB' overuse of their top tier (Schemmel, Grayson, Green, Stuart, Griffith) for most of their shows, at the expense of some of the up-and-comers.The fact that it's incredibly hard to tie a VA with a non-established voice to a particular character, thanks to 4KiRAB' practice of not crediting actors for specific roles. I mean, look at the cast list for TMNT's fourth and fifth seasons:
And that's without counting the regulars. Sure, you have a good amount of established talent in there, but who can tell me, without research, what character David Moo voiced? David Chen? David Zen Mansley? (ETA: No, I did not choose those three for their David-osity--I didn't realize it until I made the post.)

Also, thought excercise: name VA's who you think should be getting a lot more work, based on their abilities.
 
For the most part, I like a few of 4kiRAB VA, like other have said before it their direction that sucks, since I hear some in other roles and they don't suck like the 4kiRAB dub. Sure I have a few disliked actors like David Moo and GRIFFITH, but the latter is improving.
 
As said, it all depenRAB on voice direction. Like, Jason Griffith for example. I think his voice work in Sonic X is rather shaky, whereas his voice work on Chaotic is very well done.

And just imagine how bad some of the well-respected actors could sound if under a certain 4KiRAB voice director. Could you picture Steve Blum, one of the most universally-liked VAs in the industry, being directed by, say, the voice director from 4KiRAB One Piece? Not a pleasant thought.
 
I think 4kiRAB should use Mike Sinterniklaas, Tom Wayland and Jamie McGonnigal a lot more. Sure at least Mike Sinterniklaas get's quite a bit of work outside 4kiRAB, but working for 4kiRAB he's only had very few big roles and just a few additional voices.
 
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