4Kids Sonic X Plan - fight the hate?
The other night I was passed a link to youtube.
That's really not unusual. It was the content that was. It seems that 4Kids (The USA company that imported/dubbed Sonic X) is working on a project to SUB Sonic X. In order to check out publicity for something like that, they posted their start on youtube, with their subs so that the fans could check it out. Then, my mistake led to further knowledge? But first...
See the video here:
as proof of what they've done. They're apparently trying to gage interest, so if YOU are interested in Sonic X with official subs as some kind of box set or something, then by all means watch it and try to spread the news.
My mistake leads to further knowledge?
The next day when I went to post a Tweet about it to help spread the word...I realized I FORGOT the video link. Never pasted it anywhere, just watched n' went. Well that wouldn't do, so I had to search and put in "4Kids Sonic X" into youtube. What happened? Basically a ZILLION angry videos. Type it in, see for yourself!
That's right, it turns up pretty much nothing but rants and hate!
I really had to dig to re-find that video that's actually BY 4kids. I didn't know the hate and the bashing extended so far. There's countless people likely furious at 4kids on websites, blogs and myspaces, and they have been for years...ever since X came here. No one actually ever appriciated them bringing Sonic X to the USA. So that all boils down to...
Why the hate?
If you don't know--it's because they cut apart the show in later episodes. Sure sure there are people who will rant and rave at any dubbing because it's "non Japan" as soon as it's dubbed but that's not the issue here. The fans are mad because they really got in there, fished around and altered the plot to their own liking, even going so far as to delete MOST of episodes to make the show what they saw fit.
Why did they cut it apart and change the plot?
Because it had "violence" in it. It dealt with an issue that was serious. It might make someone sad. It wasn't all comedy and meaningless fluff, and it dared to have a plot that could be appriciated by someone over 6 years old. Incase you didn't know, that's pretty much a crime in America. Anything that's a "Cartoon" must only be fit for 4 year olds and must not ever deal with any serious issue or else it might disturb children and presumably cause them to go on a shooting rampage in school because they saw on TV a space ship firing lasers.
Does that make sense?
No it does not. Fans have been fighting against censorship ever since Anime has come to a country that is not Japan. It's because crazed parents/'watchdogs' complain about silly things they see that they think will 'frighten away children' or might make them sad. Censorship of cartoons never really made sense as it's always fumbling over some non-issue. Example:
Blurring out/cover up Japanese writing?
Who knows if it's true or not but the complaints against seeing Japanese writing started with parents thinking it was there to teach kids "Satanic Symbols". Yes all non-english letter-sharing languages (ie Greek, Russian, Japanese etc) are 'satan symbols' and must be never looked at by little kids. (wait what!)
Now you see the roots of how stupid it is?
How much time companies have to waste blotting out words and butchering up plots? No wonder it costs so much to bring anything over...if you've practically got to re-write the whole show and digital-paint up the joint you're going to be spending right and left. So that's the treatment Sonic X got. It DID get over here, which is good, but in a much abriged fashion. Naturally, people are gonna get mad.
How to see it RIGHT:
In the age of the internet everyone, yes even little kids, are fortunate enough to be able to access the truth despite what some people may want. A MOST POPULAR download from torrents and other such large-file sites are Fan-Subbed versions of Sonic X. It's the only way to know what really happened in the show---by stealing it! Anime companies had/have a huge problem with torrent sites vs their sales. Why would you spend money for some messed up, censored up, changed around piece of your favorite show when you could get the *real thing* for free? No one can compete with that.
The solution is easy:
No one will feel the need to fansub, share, spread, whatever episodes if you treat them right. Got to censor it for TV? Whatever. Use the DVD release to do it right. Give them same-time or close-time release in Japan, don't do any censoring, sub them right, stop cutting, and make them reasonably priced. 4Kids may be trying a good solution. Subbing it themselves, doing a BETTER job with it.
Seal the deal?
Box. Sets.
Guarentee to have ALL the footage in each ep.
Price it right. None of this 8 dollars per ep stuff.
They said they wanted interactivity on their youtube so comment on it!
I did, but all comments are on 'approval basis' so you'll have to wait to see it. If mine appears I'll be surprised. Most companies don't like questions...(I asked if it would be censored up or not, because if it is STILL the cut whacked footage what the hell is the point of going over and subbing trash no one wanted? And by that, it means that the only people who really want the subs are the SAME set that's so rantful about the cuts. You can plop a 4year old infront of anything and they don't care.)
All in all:
This looks like a good decision by them, an effort to get back in the good light with fans. If done properly they could re-start Sonic X interest and make a bundle in the deal. Hopefully, it'll go somewhere.
That's really not unusual. It was the content that was. It seems that 4Kids (The USA company that imported/dubbed Sonic X) is working on a project to SUB Sonic X. In order to check out publicity for something like that, they posted their start on youtube, with their subs so that the fans could check it out. Then, my mistake led to further knowledge? But first...
See the video here:
as proof of what they've done. They're apparently trying to gage interest, so if YOU are interested in Sonic X with official subs as some kind of box set or something, then by all means watch it and try to spread the news.
My mistake leads to further knowledge?
The next day when I went to post a Tweet about it to help spread the word...I realized I FORGOT the video link. Never pasted it anywhere, just watched n' went. Well that wouldn't do, so I had to search and put in "4Kids Sonic X" into youtube. What happened? Basically a ZILLION angry videos. Type it in, see for yourself!
That's right, it turns up pretty much nothing but rants and hate!
I really had to dig to re-find that video that's actually BY 4kids. I didn't know the hate and the bashing extended so far. There's countless people likely furious at 4kids on websites, blogs and myspaces, and they have been for years...ever since X came here. No one actually ever appriciated them bringing Sonic X to the USA. So that all boils down to...
Why the hate?
If you don't know--it's because they cut apart the show in later episodes. Sure sure there are people who will rant and rave at any dubbing because it's "non Japan" as soon as it's dubbed but that's not the issue here. The fans are mad because they really got in there, fished around and altered the plot to their own liking, even going so far as to delete MOST of episodes to make the show what they saw fit.
Why did they cut it apart and change the plot?
Because it had "violence" in it. It dealt with an issue that was serious. It might make someone sad. It wasn't all comedy and meaningless fluff, and it dared to have a plot that could be appriciated by someone over 6 years old. Incase you didn't know, that's pretty much a crime in America. Anything that's a "Cartoon" must only be fit for 4 year olds and must not ever deal with any serious issue or else it might disturb children and presumably cause them to go on a shooting rampage in school because they saw on TV a space ship firing lasers.
Does that make sense?
No it does not. Fans have been fighting against censorship ever since Anime has come to a country that is not Japan. It's because crazed parents/'watchdogs' complain about silly things they see that they think will 'frighten away children' or might make them sad. Censorship of cartoons never really made sense as it's always fumbling over some non-issue. Example:
Blurring out/cover up Japanese writing?
Who knows if it's true or not but the complaints against seeing Japanese writing started with parents thinking it was there to teach kids "Satanic Symbols". Yes all non-english letter-sharing languages (ie Greek, Russian, Japanese etc) are 'satan symbols' and must be never looked at by little kids. (wait what!)
Now you see the roots of how stupid it is?
How much time companies have to waste blotting out words and butchering up plots? No wonder it costs so much to bring anything over...if you've practically got to re-write the whole show and digital-paint up the joint you're going to be spending right and left. So that's the treatment Sonic X got. It DID get over here, which is good, but in a much abriged fashion. Naturally, people are gonna get mad.
How to see it RIGHT:
In the age of the internet everyone, yes even little kids, are fortunate enough to be able to access the truth despite what some people may want. A MOST POPULAR download from torrents and other such large-file sites are Fan-Subbed versions of Sonic X. It's the only way to know what really happened in the show---by stealing it! Anime companies had/have a huge problem with torrent sites vs their sales. Why would you spend money for some messed up, censored up, changed around piece of your favorite show when you could get the *real thing* for free? No one can compete with that.
The solution is easy:
No one will feel the need to fansub, share, spread, whatever episodes if you treat them right. Got to censor it for TV? Whatever. Use the DVD release to do it right. Give them same-time or close-time release in Japan, don't do any censoring, sub them right, stop cutting, and make them reasonably priced. 4Kids may be trying a good solution. Subbing it themselves, doing a BETTER job with it.
Seal the deal?
Box. Sets.
Guarentee to have ALL the footage in each ep.
Price it right. None of this 8 dollars per ep stuff.
They said they wanted interactivity on their youtube so comment on it!
I did, but all comments are on 'approval basis' so you'll have to wait to see it. If mine appears I'll be surprised. Most companies don't like questions...(I asked if it would be censored up or not, because if it is STILL the cut whacked footage what the hell is the point of going over and subbing trash no one wanted? And by that, it means that the only people who really want the subs are the SAME set that's so rantful about the cuts. You can plop a 4year old infront of anything and they don't care.)
All in all:
This looks like a good decision by them, an effort to get back in the good light with fans. If done properly they could re-start Sonic X interest and make a bundle in the deal. Hopefully, it'll go somewhere.
posted by AzureBlaze at 1:44 PM
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