Funimation acquires Slayers TV series

Jumbled Thoughts · Post by **MarioKnight** » Fri May 20, 2005 9:32 pm

Here's something big that slipped from my radar due to the hecticness of the past week or so. It appears that Funimation has acquired the rights to all three Slayers TV series with CPM's license to the show running out. They seem to plan to maintain the popular brand by cleaning up the video and audio, as well as partially redubbing parts of the series. There might even be a good chance that we could see it air on Cartoon Network, as Funimation has appeared to pick up TV airing rights to the show as well (which were originally held by Fox Kids starting in the late 90s).

This news is huge, and unprecendented I believe, outside of old Streamline properties way back when (Akira, and other movies). I don't think this has ever been done with a series before. Slayers is getting a well-deserved rebirth in a big way, and I am very excited about this. Seeing a great show get picked up by a great company is always a good thing, and seeing this happen for the sole purpose to keep the show alive is amazing. I know that Funimation will treat this series well and can't wait to see their work on it come 2006. If Slayers can get a rebirth like this, there might be a chance that this can happen with other shows like SM (new thread on that in a few minutes).

Sailorasteroid · Post by **Sailorasteroid** » Sun May 22, 2005 6:15 pm

Having Slayers done by Funimation=not good. Having Slayers aired on CN=Good. Overall, call that a push.

Malachite · Post by **Malachite** » Sun May 22, 2005 9:09 pm

Oh, hell no. FUNi is redubbing it?! Wonderful... Slayers as I know it is screwed...

Starscream · Post by **Starscream** » Mon May 23, 2005 6:52 am

What's with the FUNimation bashing lately? Their work on Full Metal Alchemist, Fruits Basket, and Yu Yu Hakusho should be an indication that they've gotten a LOT better with their dubbing work.

jupiter23 · Post by **jupiter23** » Mon May 23, 2005 8:28 am

Well, I don't mean to add to the Funimation bashing, but while they have become better at dubbing, they still have problems with changing parts of the scripts, even in the uncut versions of their shows. This, as you know, can be detrimental to the overall quality of the show itself, as some of Funimation's changes just makes something in the show make no sense at all.

Starscream · Post by **Starscream** » Mon May 23, 2005 10:24 am

Really? I've never heard of any such complaints from their newer acquisitions...

Malachite · Post by **Malachite** » Mon May 23, 2005 12:58 pm

Wow, I guess I wasn't paying enough attention to realize FUNi did some really good ones. Okay, there's still hope left. I suppose the question should be the age group they're going to gear it towards. If this is something that'll be shown on, say Adult Swim, or at least geared towards the older demographic, then I have faith it'll be fine. Come to think of it, there were a few parts in the original dub that needed work (such as Amelia's high, squeeky voice in the first few episodes she was in, and I thought Cynthia Martinez did better as Lina than Lisa Ortiz.) Thanks, Starscream, I might have jumped to conclusions back there as I immediately thought "FUNi = Dubbed DBZ". Maybe it'll be better than I thought...

jupiter23 · Post by **jupiter23** » Mon May 23, 2005 2:22 pm

Starscream wrote:Really? I've never heard of any such complaints from their newer acquisitions...

Well, to use Yu Yu Hakusho as an example, early on they did a lot of unnecessary script changing, even in the uncut dub, which sticks closer to the script than their edited release. As the series goes on, though, it does even out and is closer to the script, but there are still some minor things that they change in the story, which in the longrun of the story itself adds up to a plothole and causes it to make no sense. Sorry if I sound a bit cryptic here, I'm just not good at describing anything.

Starscream · Post by **Starscream** » Mon May 23, 2005 2:40 pm

LOL that's ok; I've just heard - and seen - so many good things with some of their other releases, and didn't make note of any differences between the English and Japanese versions of "Yu Yu" ^^

Post by **Tiff** » Mon May 23, 2005 5:03 pm

Malachite wrote: and I thought Cynthia Martinez did better as Lina than Lisa Ortiz.)

TOTALLY agree with you, there. Lisa Ortiz did a horrid job as Lina, whereas Cynthia Martinez didn't do a bad job at all. I thought her voice was pretty damn good for Lina.

I really don't have any feelings whatsoever about this announcement. I've seen and own all of Slayers subbed, love it that way, and really don't care if someone else is dubbing it, becuase I don't watch the dub anyway.

Sylphiel · Post by **Sylphiel** » Sat Jun 11, 2005 10:36 pm

Sorry for the old thread bump but this was the only thread discussing Slayers fairly high up that I could find

The Slayers dub is one of the absolute worst dubs I have ever seen, and I've seen a lot of bad ones.

I could barely sit through a couple episodes, and I absolutely despised the series, until seeing the subbed version which totally changed my mind.

Lina's actress made me shudder, and Sylph... dear god... don't even get me started with her in the dub...

Although the original seiyuu were so talented, I think it would be really hard pressed to find anyone who could match them.

So... whatever happened with this, did it ever get shown or anything? I'd be happy if Slayers was getting exposure, but I guess I have mixed feelings...

Malachite · Post by **Malachite** » Tue Jun 14, 2005 12:43 pm

I guess I too have mixed feelings about the Slayers dub. If you compare the English and Japanese script, the dub comes very close to matching it almost 100%. In fact, there are a few places where a dub line actually sounds better. But yes, the voices themselves aren't always on par.

I agree with Tiff completely; Cythnia Martinez did way better as Lina than Lisa Ortiz. She came much closer to sounding like her Japanese VA; a very cute voice, but becomes loud and threatening when you piss her off (and that isn't hard to do

). Ortiz's Lina was just loud and obnixious almost all the time, and almost sounded kind of butch.

I cringed the first time I heard Amelia's dub voice. If anyone remembers the first few episodes she appeared in, she sounded absolutely horrid; a very high-pitched, squealy voice that got on my nerves really fast. She improved as time went on, but I don't think she ever got quite as good as the Japanese VA.

Crispin Freeman was simply awesome as Zelgadis. He gave him a great voice that far outstrips Dan Cronin's Zel. I did think Freeman stumbled on a few lines early on, but once he got going, he was a force to be rekoned with, and became part of the reason Zel is my all-time favorite Slayers character.

And finally, Xellos. I thought he had the same problem as Lina, having this really obnoxious voice wheras his Japanese voice came across as much more mature. When I heard his new voice in Slayers Premium, I thought "this is more like it". While his role was limited, his voice sounded much more true to the original voice.

So all in all, if FUNi redubbs Slayers with at least a similar script as the original dub, and uses the voice casting that was used in Slayers Premium, I'll be tickled pink.