Brief Summary
This episode of Dub Talk discusses the third Pokémon movie, "Spell of the Unknown," focusing on the Four Kids dub and its impact. The hosts, Megan and Gigi, share their experiences with the movie, discuss the ADR staff and writing, and highlight the performances of the voice actors, particularly Team Rocket. They also touch on the music, the characters of Brock, Misty, and Ash's mom, and the overall nostalgia associated with the film.
- The episode focuses on the Four Kids dub of "Pokémon the Movie 3: Spell of the Unknown".
- The hosts discuss the voice acting, writing, and music of the dub.
- Team Rocket's performance and fourth-wall breaks are highlighted.
- The impact of the dub on introducing anime to Western audiences is acknowledged.
Intro
Megan and Gigi introduce the episode as a discussion about "Pokémon the Movie 3: Spell of the Unknown," with a focus on the Four Kids dub. Megan expresses her fondness for the movie, considering it the best Pokémon movie. They mention the introduction of the Unknown Pokémon in the Gold and Silver games and their surprisingly powerful portrayal in the movie despite being generally useless in the games.
Movie Summary and Four Kids Dub
Megan provides a summary of the movie's plot: A young girl named Molly Hale accidentally releases the Unknown, who grant her wishes by creating Entei, a legendary Pokémon, as her father figure. Lonely, Molly wishes for a mother, leading Entei to kidnap Ash's mom, Delia. Ash, Brock, and Misty must save Delia and Molly while stopping the Unknown from transforming Greenfield into a crystal wasteland. The hosts note that this episode marks the first specific discussion of a Four Kids dub on the podcast, referencing the studio's history of censorship and changes in anime adaptations.
ADR Staff and Writing
The hosts discuss the ADR staff and writing for the movie, noting that it was directed and co-written by Michael Hani, with Norman Grossfield also contributing as a writer. Both Hani and Grossfield were heavily involved in various Four Kids productions, including Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Sonic X. They acknowledge the moral ambiguity of criticizing Four Kids, as the company was instrumental in introducing many to anime, despite its censorship practices.
Availability and Dark Themes
Megan and Gigi discuss the difficulty of finding a subtitled version of the movie due to the Pokémon Company's reluctance to acknowledge the Japanese origins of the franchise. They note that the dub, while kid-friendly, doesn't downplay the film's darker themes, comparing it to other potentially traumatizing children's movies. Gigi finds the writing better than expected for a Four Kids production, highlighting funny moments, especially those involving Team Rocket.
Voice Acting and Fourth Wall Breaks
The hosts praise the voice acting, noting the double casting and the overall quality of the performances. Megan appreciates the fourth-wall breaks, particularly those involving Team Rocket, which add humor for adult viewers. Gigi points out the lack of dialogue in some action scenes, which she found lazy.
Team Rocket
Megan and Gigi discuss Team Rocket's role in the movie, highlighting their comedic presence and fourth-wall breaks. They describe the characters of Jesse, James, and Meowth, and praise the voice actors Rachel Lillis, Eric Stuart, and Maddie Blaustein (who is also noted as a trans voice actor). Megan shares her favorite line from James and expresses admiration for the iconic performances of the Team Rocket trio.
Music
The hosts discuss the music in the movie, noting that Pokémon redubbed all of the music for the American release. Megan mentions having the soundtracks for the first two movies and expresses surprise at Christina Aguilera's involvement. Gigi shares a piece of trivia about the ending song being performed by a band called Innocence, which originally included Britney Spears.
Brock, Misty and Ash's Mom
Megan and Gigi discuss the characters of Brock, Misty, and Ash's mom, Delia. They describe Brock as a "noted horn dog," Misty as the responsible one, and Delia as a single mom. They reveal that Eric Stuart voiced both Brock and James, while Rachel Lillis voiced both Misty and Jesse, which shocks Gigi. They praise the voice actors' ability to differentiate their performances.
Ash, Entei and Molly
The hosts discuss the voice actors for Ash, Entei, and Molly. Veronica Taylor voiced Ash, Dan Green voiced Entei, and Amy Birnbaum voiced Molly. Gigi expresses her disbelief that Veronica Taylor, the voice of Ash, also voiced adult women characters. Megan praises the tandem of Dan Green and Amy Birnbaum as Entei and Molly, respectively, and highlights Amy's performance as the heart of the movie.
Final Thoughts and Plugs
Megan and Gigi share their final thoughts on the movie, with Gigi noting that it was on her list of things to watch. They discuss the lack of special features and subtitles on the Blu-ray release. Megan expresses her love for the movie and the dub, despite its flaws, and acknowledges its role in introducing many to anime. They then plug their social media accounts and Patreon.
