matt0044
Well-Known Member
On Bulbagarden, I posted a thread where Pokemon Anime fans could discuss the good things and the bad things about 4kids' English Version of Pokemon. I tried to post it here on Serebii but a mod deemed it too controversial (not exactly but sort of) and locked it.
Here, Pokemon Manga fans can discuss the good and bad points about the main American distributor of Pokemon Manga, Viz Media. The reason is because I see some (key word being "some") similarities between 4kids and Viz in terms of translating and adapting Pokemon series and fan reception. Both companies are infamous among fans here for their various screw-ups (wrong names for wrong characters), censorship (be it sort of necessary or totally unnecessary) and more.
However, Pokemon Anime fans on Bulbagarden showed that they acknowledge the things that 4kids done right with the Pokemon Anime and gave credit where credit was due while also pointing out their mistakes. I think we should do the same for Viz Media here in this thread. Not that people haven't but I've seen too many people giving Viz more hate than they deserve. I don't love the company but I do appreciate them bringing us great Pokemon Manga.
Anyways, allow me to go first:
Pros:
1. Good translation and writing. With some exception, Viz manages to not only stick to their Manga's original story like superglue but they also manage to spruce up the dialogue for kids to enjoy. I enjoy it since the dialogue writers for Special or DPA can be very witty with a few lame joke here and there. This is essential for Pokemon series with plenty of comedy like DPA or the DP chapter of Special where Japanese jokes might not translate well into English. It also helps me like the characters more. I could go on but let's not and say we did.
2. They do their homework (most of the time). With a screw-up once in a while, Viz does manage to give the Manga characters their proper English names from the Pokemon games right down to even the minorest of characters like Joey, Elm's assistant in Special. They even get most of the game items' names right. They get things wrong, of course, but we'll get to that.
3. The things they let slip pass the radar. Viz has a tendency to let violent things slide, usually when it involves Pokemon getting hurt or hurting others. This does later make them seem hypocritical but we'll get into that soon.
There's more but I'm getting impatient and want to post this thread faster.
Cons:
1. The blatant errors that even a blind person could see. While most times Viz's editors manage to get things right, other times it seems like no one noticed the things they get wrong at the time. Maybe someone forgot to drink their coffee those times, maybe someone pulled too many all-nighter and was too tired to bother or maybe someone got stoned of his/her ***, who knows? The people there really need to run a more tighter ship. The mistakes are minor enough to cut Viz some slack but a mistake is still a mistake.
Examples: Not giving Red's Pokemon nicknames, mixing up names (be it Pokemon or people), the list goes on.
2. Translated the DPPt chapter early and before the RS/FRLG/E chapters. If they're not going to translate the latter first, why translate the former (given the spoilers with Sird)? I mean, come on! Need I say more?
3. The censorship (this is gonna be a big one). I'd like to believe that Viz censors certain things because they either fear getting sued by overzealous parents or just *****ed at by them, ruining their public image, and not because they actually think that censoring things like Crys getting slapped by her mother is necessary. They know how hypocritical and ridiculous these parents can get but also how they tend to get there way no matter what based on past events involving censorship.
Of course, this was a double-edged sword: on one hand, they prevent a possible lawsuit but on the other hand, they got fans of Pokemon Adventures/Special from these forums at their throats (not that they actually give a crap about us). But that's the nature of business: you just can't please everyone. There's always going to be someone who doesn't like something you do.
However, it's not really why they do it that bothers me but rather how they do it.
Like Crys getting a snap-out-of-it slap from her mom (who I honestly think is Crys's dad crossdressing) being changed to getting a glare: They should've instead edited the mom's mouth open and added a speech bubble to make her say "SNAP OUT OF IT, CRYS!" if they were going to the trouble of censoring the scene anyways. THAT would've been much better. That or keep it as it is.
Nonetheless, I dislike the censorship. Not as much as others who have ranted about it but I hate it nonetheless.
Sorry, I took so long but there was a lot to talk about. So, discuss away.
Here, Pokemon Manga fans can discuss the good and bad points about the main American distributor of Pokemon Manga, Viz Media. The reason is because I see some (key word being "some") similarities between 4kids and Viz in terms of translating and adapting Pokemon series and fan reception. Both companies are infamous among fans here for their various screw-ups (wrong names for wrong characters), censorship (be it sort of necessary or totally unnecessary) and more.
However, Pokemon Anime fans on Bulbagarden showed that they acknowledge the things that 4kids done right with the Pokemon Anime and gave credit where credit was due while also pointing out their mistakes. I think we should do the same for Viz Media here in this thread. Not that people haven't but I've seen too many people giving Viz more hate than they deserve. I don't love the company but I do appreciate them bringing us great Pokemon Manga.
Anyways, allow me to go first:
Pros:
1. Good translation and writing. With some exception, Viz manages to not only stick to their Manga's original story like superglue but they also manage to spruce up the dialogue for kids to enjoy. I enjoy it since the dialogue writers for Special or DPA can be very witty with a few lame joke here and there. This is essential for Pokemon series with plenty of comedy like DPA or the DP chapter of Special where Japanese jokes might not translate well into English. It also helps me like the characters more. I could go on but let's not and say we did.
2. They do their homework (most of the time). With a screw-up once in a while, Viz does manage to give the Manga characters their proper English names from the Pokemon games right down to even the minorest of characters like Joey, Elm's assistant in Special. They even get most of the game items' names right. They get things wrong, of course, but we'll get to that.
3. The things they let slip pass the radar. Viz has a tendency to let violent things slide, usually when it involves Pokemon getting hurt or hurting others. This does later make them seem hypocritical but we'll get into that soon.
There's more but I'm getting impatient and want to post this thread faster.
Cons:
1. The blatant errors that even a blind person could see. While most times Viz's editors manage to get things right, other times it seems like no one noticed the things they get wrong at the time. Maybe someone forgot to drink their coffee those times, maybe someone pulled too many all-nighter and was too tired to bother or maybe someone got stoned of his/her ***, who knows? The people there really need to run a more tighter ship. The mistakes are minor enough to cut Viz some slack but a mistake is still a mistake.
Examples: Not giving Red's Pokemon nicknames, mixing up names (be it Pokemon or people), the list goes on.
2. Translated the DPPt chapter early and before the RS/FRLG/E chapters. If they're not going to translate the latter first, why translate the former (given the spoilers with Sird)? I mean, come on! Need I say more?
3. The censorship (this is gonna be a big one). I'd like to believe that Viz censors certain things because they either fear getting sued by overzealous parents or just *****ed at by them, ruining their public image, and not because they actually think that censoring things like Crys getting slapped by her mother is necessary. They know how hypocritical and ridiculous these parents can get but also how they tend to get there way no matter what based on past events involving censorship.
Of course, this was a double-edged sword: on one hand, they prevent a possible lawsuit but on the other hand, they got fans of Pokemon Adventures/Special from these forums at their throats (not that they actually give a crap about us). But that's the nature of business: you just can't please everyone. There's always going to be someone who doesn't like something you do.
However, it's not really why they do it that bothers me but rather how they do it.
Like Crys getting a snap-out-of-it slap from her mom (who I honestly think is Crys's dad crossdressing) being changed to getting a glare: They should've instead edited the mom's mouth open and added a speech bubble to make her say "SNAP OUT OF IT, CRYS!" if they were going to the trouble of censoring the scene anyways. THAT would've been much better. That or keep it as it is.
Nonetheless, I dislike the censorship. Not as much as others who have ranted about it but I hate it nonetheless.
Sorry, I took so long but there was a lot to talk about. So, discuss away.
