VOICE ACTING WITH ANIMAX: A DREAM COME TRUE FOR AN ANIME FAN!

Next to creating a manga or an anime, anime fans dream of becoming a seiyuu or voice actor. One such fan is Louis (not his real name), who is living his dream as one of the Animax voice talents. He is a member of the core group chosen to dub the Animax shows following the network's decision to go English. Louis has voiced a wide range of characters, both young and old, starting with Ginji Amano in GetBackers, Ranma Saotome in Ranma ½ and Capt. Shwanhelt Bulge in The Galaxy Railways.

Forum critics (who have no experience in dubbing) have the erroneous belief that voice acting is easy, that the dubbers just march into the studio and record. As Louis explains, this is not true. "People have to receive some special training before they can go into the dubbing career. The basic training is how to synchronize (speak/act) with the characters’ dialogue.

Firstly, you have to adjust your own speaking tempo and response quick enough in order to speak simultaneously as the characters do. Secondly, you must have the same mood as what the characters expressed in the stories and I think this is the hardest part. Thirdly, you have to adjust your own voice in order to match the characters’ age."

Before the voice actors record their parts, they undergo a "rehearsal", which entails watching the episode first. Says Louis, "This is very important. Without rehearsal, we cannot grasp what we need to perform. We do the rehearsal inside the studio together with the script."

Recording is done either individually or together with the team, depending upon the scene and could take from a few hours to a whole day. One difficult aspect of recording is timing their voices with the character's speaking on the screen. "This is the integration of reaction: your understanding the content of the dialogue, the coordination of your brain, eyes, and mouth. The rehearsal itself can make you better adapted to the dubbing situation."

Louis explains that voice acting is a challenging profession. "I have to dub different characters. Each character is new to me. Some of them are very demanding in skills and feeling."

Of course, Louis has his own favorites among the characters he had done. "I enjoyed doing the voice of Albert in The Count of Monte Cristo because it gave me the opportunity to do a serious character who portrayed a lot of emotions. He was innocent, and was forced to grow up quickly as a result of the situation he found himself in. Which of course is quite different from InuYasha, who’s a definite favorite of mine, because he’s more brash and sure of himself even in the face of mortal danger. Doing the voice of InuYasha really allowed me to let loose with my acting, and try to represent his personality through voice alone.

"The most challenging, the most difficult, character I’ve done so far has to be Yusuke Urameshi from Yu Yu Hakusho. Like InuYasha, I really had the ability to pour myself into the role, but on the other hand Yusuke had a lot more introspection. Sometimes, especially later in the series, there was a real human side to the character. Quiet and endearing. I found it challenging to portray so many sides of such a complex character."

Among the Animax projects he had been involved with, Louis enjoyed working on Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex. "The most memorable project we’ve worked on so far is definitely Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and its sequel 2nd Gig. Unlike most of the anime I’ve worked on, this particular show is more like an animated television drama. This really gave the actors the ability to be a lot more serious about their characters in a dark, gritty show. The other great part about it is that the animation style and background that Shirow Masamune has created has both deep dramatic elements to it, as well as high-octane action. The double dose of drama and action really makes this project stand out in my mind."

The Animax dubbers have been receiving criticisms from certain fans who prefer the anime subtitled. However, for Louis and the Animax voice talents, they do not allow these criticisms to faze them and, instead, they learn from these constructive comments.

"A dubbing talent should be open and should not be afraid to face criticisms especially those constructive opinions," says Louis. "In fact this is good. It helps to improve your dubbing skills. We should be humble. If we think we are excellent and flawless, then we will make no progress. If this is the case, it would be a pity for ourselves."

(Rory would like to thank Animax Asia's Marlene Ee for her assistance in helping secure this interview with Louis. I do hope I'll get to interview the gentleman who dubs Black Jack and The Count of Monte Cristo as well.)

(For those who want to read the complete transcript of Rory's interview with Louis, you may visit her blog at http://animaxcafe.multiply.com)

Anime Spring Season 2007 - New Titles & Reviews

In

Japan

, spring is a season that is observed by both the Japanese and nature lovers from all over the world because of the lovely cherry blossoms. For the average otaku, however, spring means that a bumper crop of spanking new anime are sure to hit their TV screens.

Thanks to a relative living in

Okinawa

, I was able to preview some of these new anime. Believe me! If you're sick with pneumonia, what better way to recuperate than by watching these great new shows?

Anyway, the anime that you'll read here are my top picks. Hopefully, we'll get to see them on Animax very soon.

ROMEO X JULIET

Gonzo's Romeo X Juliet is certainly living up to all the hype surrounding it. Although it does not utilize the elaborate textures from Gankutsuou, the animation is still high quality as only the studio can deliver. The anime's main draw, however, is its refreshing plot, transforming Shakespeare's classic

Verona

into a breathtaking aerial city that combines Renaissance and hi-tech architecture. Another plus is the remaking of the characters, especially Juliet. If you are not a fan of the original dreamy-eyed rendition of the heroine, you will love the gutsy, martial arts assassin that she has been turned into. Little has been revealed about Romeo's character so far, but he seems to be a likeable young man who has developed a quick interest in Juliet with their first encounter. Fans (including yours truly) are eagerly awaiting the appearance of Romeo's nemesis Tybalt (said to be played with blood-chilling evil by talented Okiayu Ryoutarou). Romeo X Juliet is a definite must watch.

SEIREI NO MORIBITO

There are two anime with historical themes this spring. Production I.G's Seirei No Moribito is the first, using an Ancient Korea type setting. (The second is Koutetsu Sangokushi, which I really want to watch but, unfortunately, don't have a copy of.) The art closely resembles that of a previous offering Otogi Zoshi: The Legend Of Magatama, combining traditional animation with breathtaking CGI effects. But what leaves you hankering for more is the story.

Basra

(who looks like a gentler version of Saya from Blood: The Last Vampire) is a female warrior, who suddenly finds herself tasked with protecting a boy who has a spirit guardian slumbering inside his body. If the first episode is any indication, this anime promises a fantastic plot with a lot of action scenes. Needless to say, I am really dying to know what happens to

Basra

and her young ward as they go on their journey.

CLAYMORE

I must admit that I am not particularly fond of anime with women as lead characters (with the notable exception of Saya from Blood: The Last Vampire and Blood+), but I was truly impressed with Claymore. The plot is relatively simple: The world is being besieged by evil monsters, known as youma. These youma can only be defeated by a special breed of female warriors known as Claymores, who are half-human and half youma. I was practically blown away by the spectacular art and action scenes. Clare, the lead Claymore, is a formidable character whom you cannot help but admire for her bravery. It would be very interesting to see how this anime's story would progress.

DARKER THAN BLACK ~Kuro No Keiyakusha~

Out of the bumper crop of video games-turned-anime this season, I am thankful that there is a horror thriller among them. I must admit this anime reminds me of another series that I just finished watching recently called NightHead Genesis. Darker Than Black focuses on a psychic agent named Hei who, together with his blind partner Yin, is trying to unravel the secrets surrounding the enigmatic Hell's Gate that had given them their powers. I found myself getting glued to Darker Than Black because of the mysteries surrounding the characters and their relation to the Hell's Gate. Thankfully, unlike NightHead Genesis, it doesn't go into psychological mode, making the story still easy to follow.

LOVELY COMPLEX

I've always had a fondness for the animation style of One Piece. How appropriate that it is used for this hilarious anime that I am really enjoying immensely! Lovely Complex is a comedy about two friends Koizumi Risa and Atsushi Ootani. What makes them distinct is that Risa is a very tall girl (she's 170 cm in height) while Ootani is…well…short (at 156 cm). Because they also have a flair for comedy, they become known as the comedy duo in school. The appeal of the anime lies in that both Risa and Ootani are in a kind of duel to find a girlfriend/boyfriend, but always end up playing matchmaker to their blind dates. The question is: When will this statuesque beauty and her diminutive partner realize that they are meant for each other?

OTHER ANIME TO LOOK FORWARD TO

There are still a lot of brand new anime to look forward to, and which I'm harassing my nice relative to tape for me. Blue Dragon, the anime based on the XBox video game, looks pretty interesting, especially since one of its creators is Dragonball's Akira Toriyama. If you're one of those left hanging by the six episode Saint Beast OVAs, now you can look forward to more adventures (and shounen ai hints galore) in Saint Beast: Kouin Jojishi Tenshi Tan. Of course, expect more shenanigans from Haruhi Suzumiya and co. as the second season of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya rolls in. Finally, if you're one of those disappointed by the tearful ending of Emma: A Victorian Romance, you can finally find out what happens to Emma and William's love affair as Emma: A Victorian Romance Second Act premieres this spring. I definitely know whom I'll be rooting for, and it's definitely not William. I'd really like to see Emma end up with dashing butler, Max. If you want to see what Max looks like, head on over to the official website at http://www.emma-victorian.com

Anime Encourages Creativity Among Fans

Fans are a unique breed of Homo sapiens. Once something in media catches their hearts – whether it be an anime, a manga, a video game, TV show, or a celebrity, they become living, breathing parts of its universe. When they meet individuals who share their interests, they create a thriving community known as a "fandom."

Fandoms can be seen in many different forms in the anime universe. A good example of these are the various cosplay communities, which exist in every corner of the glove. There are two specific communities that have received both high praises and criticisms, particularly from manga and anime producers and distributors. These are the fanfic and fanart communities.

Fanfic artists and fan artists are ordinary people who, inspired by their favorite anime, pay tribute to it by writing stories and drawing pictures based within the universe of said anime. While most fanfics and fanarts are fairly simple, you also stumble upon rare gems – fanfics that are exceptionally written and whose plots even surpass that of the original's and fanarts that are visually stunning that they could qualify as masterpieces. On the Internet, there are thousands of sites hosting fanfics and fanarts, and they are truly a joy to explore. A number of prominent authors – Stephen King and J.K. Rowling, just to name two – have visited such sites and even gave encouragement to these budding talents.

Sadly, many publishers and other media companies have sought to squash fanfic writers and fan artists with the full force of intellectual property laws. However, fanfics and fanarts continue to flourish, and whether the powers that be want to admit it or not, these writers and artists actually help promote an anime or manga by generating greater interest among the public. After all, if an anime could inspire these talented individuals to write these exceptional stories and draw these fantastic arts, then it really must be THAT good.

Fanfics and fanarts have become steppingstones for writers and artists to go original. In Japan, a number of artists who have done fan manga (known as "doujinshi") have gone on to become legitimate manga artists. Good examples are artists who belong to the shounen ai/Boy's Love genre. Mangakas (manga artists) like Kazuma Kodaka, Youka Nitta and Naono Bohra had done doujinshis of Slam Dunk, Naruto and Prince of Tennis, just to name a few. Even anime director Mahiro Maeda recognizes the talents of these artists. Former doujinshikas (doujinshi artists) banded together to come up with "Gankutsuou Comic Anthology" in tribute to Gankutsuou (Known in Asia and India as The Count of Monte Cristo). Mahiro Maeda himself wrote an introduction to the compilation.

This said, how could such a well-spring of talent remain unexplored?

Now, Animax is finally tapping into this pool of talent with the first ever "Animax Awards Pan-Asian Animation Competition". This time, they have expanded the area of competition to include entries from select countries in Asia.

If you are a writer or an artist, here is your opportunity to fulfill your dream of seeing your story come alive as an anime. For contest details, visit http://www.animaxawards.com. Don't let this once in a lifetime opportunity pass you by! Send your entry in now!