Brief Summary
This episode of Dub Talk reviews the English dub of the beloved 2011 anime series, Nichijou (My Ordinary Life). The hosts discuss the localization history, the show's humor, and the performances of the English voice actors. They praise the scriptwriter, Howard Wang, for his adaptive writing and ability to translate the show's unique humor into an American context. They also discuss the voice direction and the casting choices, highlighting standout performances and the overall quality of the dub.
- The dub is praised for its adaptive writing, voice acting, and overall quality.
- Howard Wang's script is highlighted for its ability to translate the show's unique humor into an American context.
- Standout performances from the voice actors are discussed, including Morgan Garrett as Yuko, Leah Clark as Mio, and Anthony Bowling as Sakamoto.
Intro
The episode begins with a reminder that the show may contain strong language and situations that may make some listeners sheepish, so listener discretion is advised. Spoilers for Nichijou and other series may be present. The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the individual participants and do not reflect Dub Talk as a whole.
Introduction to Nichijou
The hosts introduce the topic of the episode: the English dub of Nichijou. They discuss the show's history, including the fact that Bandai was originally going to release it on home video a decade ago before the company was shut down. The show is described as a cult hit and a fan favorite.
Localization History
The hosts discuss the weird localization history of Nichijou. Bandai was originally going to release it, but they were shut down before they could. Crunchyroll later acquired the rights and streamed it for a few years, but then their license lapsed. Funimation then picked up the rights and released a sub-only Blu-ray in 2016. In 2019, Funimation announced that they would be releasing an English dub of the show.
Show Summary
The hosts provide a summary of the show, describing it as a slice-of-life series packed with absurd antics and hilarious high school predicaments. The show follows the adventures of three ordinary girls as they make life's awkward moments a thousand times worse. The summary also mentions a pocket-sized professor who makes life difficult for a robot who just wants to be normal.
Staff and ADR Direction
The hosts introduce the staff behind the English dub, including ADR director Jade Saxton and scriptwriter Howard Wang. They mention that Jade Saxton was assisted by Felicia Angelle, Morgan Garrard, and Tia Ballard. The hosts encourage listeners to read about the careers of the staff on Anime News Network (ANN).
Megan's Initial Thoughts
Megan shares her initial thoughts on the dub, mentioning that she had never watched the entire show before in English. She praises Howard Wang's script and says that it is one of her favorite written scripts of the year. She also mentions her favorite joke in the entire show, which happens in episode 1.
Aman's Thoughts on Translation and Direction
Aman discusses his expectations for the dub and praises Howard Wang for keeping the integrity of the non-comedic moments as well. However, he is not as huge of a fan of the direction, mostly because a lot of the actors are keeping their normal speaking voices, making it a little hard to differentiate some of the characters from each other.
Noah's Perspective and Praise for the Cast
Noah shares his experience with the show, noting that it still holds up after many years. He praises the English cast and the directors for their work, highlighting the unique and interesting cast of characters. He also mentions that everyone in Funimation was likely in the booth to be an extra at some point.
Favorite Scene and Adaptive Translation
Noah explains his favorite scene that was changed in English, which made him realize that the dub is a masterpiece. He describes the scene as an almost no-win situation in the translation, but the English version made it even better.
Andrew's Overall Impression
Andrew declares that Nichijou is the best comedy dub he has heard in less than six months. He loves the dub so much and finds the show endlessly watchable. He praises the writing and direction, stating that everyone is perfectly cast and plays their characters super well.
Minor Characters: Yoshino, Miyoshi, and Kotetsu
The hosts discuss some minor characters in the show, including Yoshino Nanahara, Miyoshi Tachibana, and Kotetsu the crow. They mention the voice actors for these characters: Maxi Whitehead, Emily Neves, and Sonny Strait, respectively.
Megan's Thoughts on Minor Characters
Megan shares her thoughts on the minor characters, praising Sonny Strait's performance as Kotetsu and Maxie Whitehead's portrayal of Yoshino. She also mentions Emily Neves as Miyoshi, noting that she usually associates Emily's voice with older, sultrier characters.
Noah's Analysis of Minor Character Performances
Noah analyzes the performances of the voice actors for the minor characters, discussing the comedy and charm of Sonny Strait as Kotetsu, the older sister character played by Maxi Whitehead, and Emily Neves' portrayal of Miyoshi.
Andrew's Appreciation for Minor Characters
Andrew expresses his appreciation for the minor characters, highlighting Sonny Strait's sweet and dapper crow, Emily Neves' snarky and sassy Miyoshi, and Maxie Whitehead's delightful and charming Yoshino.
Students: Kojiro, Masato, Annaka, and Nakanojo
The hosts discuss some of the students in the show, including Kojiro Sasahara, Masato Tachibana, Annaka, and Nakanojo. They mention the voice actors for these characters: Seth Magill, Madeline Morris, Kristen McGuire, and Kyle Igancio, respectively.
Megan's Thoughts on the Students
Megan shares her thoughts on the students, praising Kristen McGuire's performance as Annaka and Kyle Igancio's portrayal of Nakanojo. She also discusses Madeline Morris as Masato and Seth Magill as Sasahara.
Noah's Analysis of Student Performances
Noah analyzes the performances of the voice actors for the students, discussing the vocal ranges and comedic timing of Kristen McGuire, Kyle Igancio, Madeline Morris, and Seth Magill.
Andrew's Appreciation for the Students
Andrew expresses his appreciation for the students, highlighting Kristen McGuire's cuteness, Kyle Igancio's good-boy portrayal, Madeline Morris' explosive gun darre, and Seth Magill's pompous and snuck-up Sasahara.
Go Soccer Club: Daiku, Sekiguchi, and Sakurai
The hosts discuss the Go Soccer club and its members: Kenzaburo Daiku, Yuri Sekiguchi, and Makoto Sakurai. They mention the voice actors for these characters: Steven Fu, Afi
