Brief Summary
This podcast episode reviews the English dub of Mamoru Hosoda's film "Belle," focusing on the voice acting, script adaptation, and overall quality compared to other works by the director and similar anime films. The hosts discuss the casting choices, the impact of the music, and the film's themes related to internet culture, identity, and trauma.
- The English dub of "Belle" is praised for its music and vocal performances, especially by the lead actress, Kylie McNeill.
- The podcast discusses the film's themes of identity, trauma, and the power of internet connections.
- The hosts analyze the characters and their voice actors, highlighting both successes and shortcomings in the casting and performances.
Intro
The podcast episode is a review of the movie "Belle" and its English dub. The hosts clarify that they will be discussing spoilers for the movie and other related anime and video games. They emphasize that the opinions expressed are those of the individuals and not necessarily of Dub Talk as a whole.
Beauty and the Beast Intro
The hosts introduce the theme of the episode, comparing "Belle" to "Beauty and the Beast." They joke about casting Dub Talk members as characters from "Beauty and the Beast," assigning roles based on personality and appearance. They clarify that "Belle" is a loose adaptation of "Beauty and the Beast" with a mix of different story ideas.
Plot of Belle
The hosts describe the plot of "Belle," focusing on Suzu, a teenage girl who finds strength in the virtual world of U, where she becomes a singing sensation named Belle. Her career is interrupted by an encounter with the Beast, a troubled individual with scars. Suzu and her friends embark on a journey to uncover the Beast's identity and help him in the real world.
Directing, Scriptwriting, and Song Adaptation
The hosts discuss the directing, scriptwriting, and song adaptation for "Belle." Michael Sarah Nicholas directed the movie, Stephanie Shea wrote the script, and Ludwig Fourcell adapted the songs. The team also worked on other G Kids films like "Your Name" and "Weathering with You". The hosts praise the song adaptation, noting that it is some of the best-dubbed anime song work they have ever heard.
Overall Adaptation Quality
The hosts share their opinions on the overall quality of the English dub adaptation of "Belle." One host expresses that it was a step up from "Weathering with You," while another dislikes the use of large-name celebrities for the characters. They praise the script adaptation and the songs, considering them some of the best-dubbed anime song work.
Music and Sound Design
The hosts discuss the music and sound design of "Belle," praising the impeccable mixing and intentional use of auto-tune to enhance the performances. They note the professional quality of the audio, with dozens of layers of audio files layered against each other to sound right.
NYAV Post and G Kids
The hosts discuss NYAV Post and G Kids, noting that the dub is standard for them in terms of writing and direction. They praise the music and express that it should have gotten top billing over the people on the credits. They also mention that they wish they would have cast more professional voice actors.
The Adults in Suzu's Life
The hosts discuss the actors who voiced the adults in Suzu's life, including the women in the choir group and Suzu's dad. The choir members are Kita (Jessica G. George), Yoshitani (Barbara Goodson), Nakai (Wendy Lee), and Okumoto (Ellen Stern). Suzu's dad is voiced by Ben Lepley. The hosts praise the veteran voice actresses and their performances.
Justin and Kai's Dad
The hosts discuss Justin, voiced by Chase Crawford, and Kai's dad, voiced by Kiff Vandenhevel. Justin is the leader of an internet task force, while Kai's dad is a domestic abuser. The hosts discuss the actors' performances, with mixed opinions on Chase Crawford's portrayal of Justin.
The Best Friend Squad
The hosts discuss Suzu's best friend squad: Hiroka (Jessica DiCicco), Ruka (Hunter Schafer), Kamishin (Brandon Eggman), and Shinobu (Manny Jacinto). They praise Jessica DiCicco's performance as Hiroka and Hunter Schafer's portrayal of Ruka. They also discuss Brandon Eggman's performance as Kamishin and Manny Jacinto's performance as Shinobu.
K and Tomo
The hosts discuss K, voiced by Paul Castro Jr., and Tomo, voiced by Bentley Griffin. K is the Beast, and Tomo is his younger brother. The hosts praise the child actors' performances, noting their vulnerability and emotional depth.
Kylie McNeill as Belle
The hosts discuss Kylie McNeill's performance as Belle, noting that she had no prior acting experience. They praise her singing and her ability to convey the character's vulnerability and emotional range. They also discuss the film's themes of identity, trauma, and the power of internet connections.
Final Thoughts
The hosts share their final thoughts on "Belle" and its English dub. They praise the music, the voice acting, and the film's themes. They also discuss where to watch the movie and promote the Dub Talk podcast and Patreon.
