@Subject-Astra I don't hate Japanese VAs nor did I imply that I do in any way. I have merely remarked that in my experience their defining trait is "exaggerate every emotion," which to me often feels gimmicky and unrealistic because no normal person is that dialed up (or at the very least, the average person is not that dialed up). The accents, to be perfectly honest, I think we can blame on the "diversity" crowd. If EVERY character in the game sounded like "a middle class white person from the midwest," Sega and the entire NA dev team would be branded as racist bigots because that's just how stupid people are. But at the same time the do have a bit of a point: it is unrealistic to depict this multi-racial (not just "race" in the ignorant sense of defining ethnicities as though they were as different as Orcs and Elves instead of being literally skin deep) organization as all being from the same tiny patch of dirt in one region of the world. The accents give the impression that these are people from all over the world or even from different planets.

Honestly the only complaints I have about the English voice actors is that the volume setting on the PA girl in the casino is WAY too freakin' high (as in deafening, easily 2.5 times the decibel level of every other sound in the game and that is just unnecessary but also not in any way a complaint against the VA so much as the behind-the-scenes sound coordinator), the Emergency Code VA guy is Shatnering it up, and not to be mean but I absolutely cannot stand the voice of the Astracite Exchange Shop girl. She sounds like she's smoked 15 packs a day for 30 years.

But for people to be essentially claiming that every non-Japanese voice actor in the industry absolutely sucks because they're not Japanese....that's garbage.

@zaffy2005 said in Dubbed Voice Acting (mild rant):

I don't hate Japanese VAs nor did I imply that I do in any way

Tell an American VA "convey fear" and they might interpret that as cowering, sniveling, begging for mercy, or just going stiff, meanwhile a Japanese VA given the exact same direction may interpret it as "absolute brain-melting panic as if the very thought of this creature/character/situation makes you feel like someone is pouring molten metal into your skull."

No hate whatsoever there.

@Subject-Astra It's not hate. It is giving an example of how two performers from different cultures will interpret how to portray the same emotion in vastly different ways. i've seen when English VAs try to mimic their Japanese counterparts. Look at the Naruto series as a prime example. One episode to use as an example, the one in which Naruto tries to impersonate Sasuke but is foiled constantly by gastrointestinal issues due to drinking spoiled milk. Consider the closing line: "am I going to spend the rest of my life on the pot?" Ignoring regional differences calling it a "pot" as opposed to "toiler" or "the john" or any other such term as those are ultimately irrelevant, put it to an English-speaking VA to say that line "with childish frustration and a hint of disdain" and you might get "Am I doing to spend the REST OF MY LIFE on the pot!?" Tell that same VA to try to mimic the Japanses voicework as closely as possible and we get what wound up in the English Dub: "Am I going to spend the rest of my life on the POOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT...!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?"

Or even something as simple as expressing disbelief. "Western style" you get "What?" or maybe even "uh.whaat?" "Japanese style" you get "UUUHHWAAHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAATT!?" And to be honest I'm hearing Jaraiya's voice as I could swear he's had that overblown reaction a few times in the series. Also I'm fairly sure the same actor voices Zeno in PSO2 but I'm not 100% certain of it.

Again, not hate, just looking at it objectively. My dislike for subs vs dubs isn't "because they're Japanese," if I spoke the language fluently I wouldn't care. my preference is based on wanting to SEE the action and HEAR the dialogue. If I wanted to READ the dialogue and have to IMAGINE the action (because I'm too busy reading to see what's happening on screen), I'd be reading a book, not watching a show or playing a game. But comparing shows I HAVE watched in Japanese, dubs that try to "Westernize" the dialogue, and shows that try to "maintain the spirit" of the original, 1 and 3 are both prone to exaggerated emotions and over-the-top expressionism while 2 generally tries to sound like how people (at least in Western culture) sound in normal conversation. Maybe in Japan what I consider "over-acting" is how they normally talk. I don't know, I've never had the opportunity to travel there but it's on the bucket list.

But, again, it isn't "hate." It's just not my preference.

@zaffy2005 said in Dubbed Voice Acting (mild rant):

"Japanese style" you get "UUUHHWAAHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAATT!?"

Not hating at all when, in most cases, a Japanese VA saying "what?" simply says "nani?" without anything odd added and only go into extremes when it's supposed to be funny or stupid. Please stop making stuff up just to keep hating on Japanese dubs, it's beyond clear you have no idea what you're talking about.

Risa does sound creepy and unhinged. It like "Woah! Hey there crazy little lady!!" ;0 ;~)

o/ =^.^=

There are two memeworthy mentions in the cast.

Young Zeno

Persona - This one is specific because I'm pretty sure at one point they started with one voice in Ep 2 and then they got replaced with another.

@Subject-Astra Again, not hate, just explaining my experience, which may be centered around different shows and/or entirely different genres than what you have experienced and upon which you are basing your perspective. It may, perhaps, be like one of us saying "American comedy is simple-minded and juvenile" while the other claims it's "complex, and equal parts entertaining and thought-provoking." The first has only watched Three Stooges or South Park, the second watches House; M.D. (which may only seem funny to me because I thoroughly enjoy the titular character's deadpan, sarcastic humor).

Having a preference for one does not mandate hatred for the other. My preference is based on my experience, just as your preference is based on your experience. We don't have to like the same things, but do not be so arrogant nor so ignorant as to claim I must "hate" something just because it's not my cup of tea.

This is fun. Everybody having fun? Here's a short message from the glorious Sister Kate.

I think that some of the voice acting could be better (like Maria) but most of the characters don't sounds too bad. I've heard worse. Two Worlds was the pinnacle of horrible voice acting. I will say, however, that Theodore annoys me to no end.