Brief Summary
This episode of Dub Talk reviews the English dub of the anime series "Space Dandy". The hosts discuss the show's unique simultaneous dubbing process, the ADR staff, the performances of the voice actors, and the show's overall impact on the anime dubbing industry. They also share their personal experiences with the show and its characters.
- Simultaneous dubbing process
- Voice actor performances
- Impact on anime dubbing
Intro
The podcast episode begins with a humorous skit and disclaimers, setting a lighthearted tone. The hosts introduce themselves: Jamal, Megan, and Jet, and announce that they will be discussing the 2014 anime series "Space Dandy". Jamal mentions that the episode is special because it's his birthday. He reflects on how "Space Dandy" stood out during a difficult period in his life due to its unique simultaneous dubbing.
About Space Dandy
"Space Dandy" is described as a show about a dandy guy in space who travels the galaxy in search of new alien species. The hosts note that the plot is not the primary focus of the show. They compare the show's chaotic and referential nature to "Cowboy Bebop" after everyone got high from rotten food in the fridge.
ADR Staff
The hosts discuss the ADR (Automated Dialogue Replacement) staff for "Space Dandy," which included two directors, Joe McDonald and Zach Bolton, and five scriptwriters: Bonnie Clinkenbeard, Jamie Marchi, John Burgmeyer, Margarita Winkle, and Patrick Seitz. They mention some of the other notable works of the directors and scriptwriters.
General Thoughts on the Dub
The hosts share their general thoughts on the English dub of "Space Dandy." They agree that Funimation did a good job with the cyberdubbing, but note some inconsistencies in quality and direction between episodes directed by Zach Bolton and Joe McDonald early on. They praise the script and the use of multiple writers to capture the show's different moods. They also discuss the fast-paced production schedule and the challenges of auditioning actors without much footage to go on.
Maggie's Perspective
Maggie, who had never seen the show before, shares her perspective. She appreciates the casting choices for the main characters and the supporting cast. She notes that some of the writing may not have aged well, but overall, she enjoyed the series. She also points out that the English dub was often released a day before the Japanese version, making it technically the first version of the show.
Crew of the Aloha Oi
The hosts begin a character-by-character discussion, starting with the crew of the Aloha Oi: Dandy, QT, and Meow. They describe each character's personality and role in the series. They mention the voice actors for each character: Ian Sinclair (Dandy), Alison Viktorin (QT), and Joel McDonald (Meow).
QT Discussion
The hosts discuss Alison Viktorin's performance as QT, the robot vacuum cleaner. They appreciate the auto-tune filter used on QT's voice and how QT is portrayed as equally stupid as Dandy and Meow, despite being a robot. They mention QT's love for fishing and the episode where QT falls in love with a coffee maker.
Meow Discussion
The hosts discuss Joel McDonald's performance as Meow, the Betelgeusian. They describe Meow as a horny loser who wears Crocs everywhere. They mention the episode where Meow gets stuck in a time loop at his house and the episode where he gets eaten by an alien. They also discuss Joel's female cat girl voice and the episode with the cosmic strings and depressed Dandy universes.
Dandy Discussion
The hosts discuss Ian Sinclair's performance as Dandy. They mention that Joe McDonald was very enthusiastic about being cast as Dandy and that he described his voice as a combination of Zap Brannigan, Matt Berry, and Robert Goulet. They also discuss the research that the ADR team did at Hooters and Twin Peaks to prepare for the show. They note that Ian does a good job of portraying Dandy's goofiness and his serious side in certain episodes.
Core Cast Members
The hosts move on to discuss the core cast members, including Dr. Gel, Bea, Admiral Perry, and the Narrator. They describe each character's role in the series and the voice actors who played them: J. Michael Tatum (Dr. Gel), Micah Solusod (Bea), Kent Williams (Admiral Perry), and R. Bruce Elliott (Narrator).
Narrator Discussion
The hosts discuss R. Bruce Elliott's performance as the Narrator. They appreciate his dry and bored delivery and how he breaks the fourth wall. They mention the cosmic string episodes where the Narrator has different voices.
Admiral Perry Discussion
The hosts discuss Kent Williams' performance as Admiral Perry. They like the reverb effect used on his voice and how he is portrayed as a mean and stingy boss. They mention the episode where he tries to blow up a planet because of an overdue library book.
Bea and Dr. Gel Discussion
The hosts discuss Micah Solusod's performance as Bea and J. Michael Tatum's performance as Dr. Gel. They mention that Micah was approached in the hallway to audition for the role of Bea and that the twist in episode 26 was kept secret from both Micah and J. Michael. They appreciate how J. Michael portrays Dr. Gel as boisterous and confident, but also only having one brain cell.
Honey and Scarlett Discussion
The hosts discuss the two main female characters, Honey and Scarlett, and the voice actors who played them: Alexis Tipton (Honey) and Colleen Clinkenbeard (Scarlett). They describe each character's personality and role in the series.
Honey Discussion
The hosts discuss Alexis Tipton's performance as Honey. They describe her as a seemingly ditzy blonde who is actually smarter than she appears. They mention that the idea for Honey's character came from the local Twin Peaks restaurant.
Scarlett Discussion
The hosts discuss Colleen Clinkenbeard's performance as Scarlett. They describe her as a no-nonsense redhead who is the most mature character in the show. They appreciate how Colleen is able to convey the pathos that Scarlett emits and how she is able to make her a genuine love interest for Dandy.
Anthology Episodes
The hosts discuss several of the anthology episodes of "Space Dandy," focusing on the one-off characters and their voice actors. They highlight the performances of Grant James as the old ramen shop owner, Trina Nishimura as the Betelgeusian, Jade Saxton as Adelia, Eric Vale as Prince, and Caitlin Glass as Pup.
QT Falls in Love and High School Musical Episode
The hosts continue their discussion of the anthology episodes, focusing on the episode where QT falls in love with a coffee maker and the high school musical episode. They highlight the performances of Christy Kang as the coffee maker, Bryce Papenbrook as the ukulele man, and Ashley Burch as the transfer student.
Johnny and Final Dandy
The hosts discuss the final anthology episodes, focusing on the character of Johnny and the final episode of the series. They highlight the performances of J. Michael Tatum as Johnny, Kyle Hebert as Ferdinand, Elizabeth Maxwell as Poe, and Major Attaway as Todra Voltra. They also discuss the show's overall themes and its impact on the anime dubbing industry.
Final Thoughts
The hosts share their final thoughts on "Space Dandy." They agree that it is a unique and enjoyable show with a great dub, but that it also had a significant impact on the anime dubbing industry, for better or for worse. They encourage listeners to check out the show for themselves and to support the Dub Talk podcast.
