Japanese Voices Vs. English Voices

I've been playing the International version of FFX a bit lately, and just having the Japanese voices makes a HUGE improvement on the game. It really puts into perspective just how horrible english-speaking voice actors are. A good example would be when the group (Tidus, Yuna, Lulu, Wakka and Kimahri) get to the stairway leading to Kilika Temple, after fighting the sinspawn. Lulu goes on that rant about Chappu when Wakka starts thinking that maybe he was transported 1000 years into the future by Sin. In the english version, there's virtually no emotion in her voice, which I just took as her trying to sound firm or cold which kinda fit. However, in the Japanese version, she actually sounds angry, bitter, like she actually lost somebody she cared about, and it fit PERFECTLY. Even simple conversations like when Yuna and Tidus first speak to each other around the camp-fire. As "innocent" as the exchange is, the emotion in Yuna's voice doesn't make her seem like the childish and inexperienced girl that the english version makes her out to be. Unfortunately, the english-subtitles are still the same as the dialogue in the english-version, and I've even had to use my limited experience with Japanese a few times, to figure out what is actually being said because the translated version isn't quite accurate enough to carry the emotions properly. Anyways, I guess my advice is that if anybody has hated this game for the crappy english dialogue, play the original version through and see if the Japanese voices improve your opinion of it, they have with mine and I even liked the game before. The other two redeeming qualities is that the voices are in synch with the lips, and the original Spheregrid has more quite usefull abilities that were left out of the translated game.

I'm more interested in the different abilities! Explain plz.

It wasn't the voice acting that ruined the game for me. Saying there's more emotion doesn't help considering I thought there was a bit too much emotion spewing out of Tidus needlessly

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Originally Posted by Moon Rabbits

I'm more interested in the different abilities! Explain plz.

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yes

Honestly, most Japanese voice acting annoys me. So I'm not terribly keen to try it.

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Originally Posted by Vyk

It wasn't the voice acting that ruined the game for me. Saying there's more emotion doesn't help considering I thought there was a bit too much emotion spewing out of Tidus needlessly

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Uhh, it seems like you just contradicted yourself, but oh well. The good news is, that the Japanese voice of Tidus is more toned-down than James Taylor's Tidus. Like I said, the voice acting has made a BIG difference. A bigger difference than one might think. His lines seem to be the reason I have to revert to deciphering the Japanese myself, because the majority of his line(s), in english, just don't fit the situation.

As for the additional abilities on the SphereGrid, EoFF DOES have a section on it.

PAL-Specific Features - Final Fantasy X - FF10

I haven't gotten far enough through the grid to confirm most of it, but I HAVE unlocked the 4 "Extract ..." abilities. Which is a good thing, cuz I need more Ability spheres. :rolleyes2

Another cool thing is that I can play Blitzball, with all the filtering and anti-aliasing, at the full 60fps. Which is AWESOME! :p The Mi'ihen Highroad really slows down though, cuz of how freakin' big the sections are. I'm playing it with an emulator, JFYI.

[edit] AND I CAN'T BELIEVE I FORGOT IT! But even the immensely bad "laughing" scene, isn't as bad in Japanese as it is in English. I think it just has more to do with the way James Taylor and Hedy Burress laugh though. It isn't way over-done with the Japanese actors.

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and the original Spheregrid has more quite usefull abilities that were left out of the translated game.

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Wouldn't it be proper to say that those abilities were added in to FFX PAL/International? They aren't really being taken out from the original Japanese release if they were added into a later version.

Anyway, I don't think the laughing scene was as "bad" as most people say but we've already had threads on that.

Is it not true, then, that the lipsynch isn't accurate in the Japanese dub either? I recall reading a translation guide for the Jap version on GameFAQs and it said that was in fact the case.

Also, each gender in Japanese voice acting only has about five different voices each. Saying that, the Japanese probably think the same of English voice acting :p

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Originally Posted by ReloadPsi

Is it not true, then, that the lipsynch isn't accurate in the Japanese dub either? I recall reading a translation guide for the Jap version on GameFAQs and it said that was in fact the case.

Also, each gender in Japanese voice acting only has about five different voices each. Saying that, the Japanese probably think the same of English voice acting :p

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Believe me, the lipsynching is definitely something I've been paying attention to. Whether it's spot-on or not, the Japanese script is more accurate to the lip movements. Sometimes the audio is just plain out of synch with the animation (by about a half second), but the lip movements still match more than the english. I'm sure there are some subtle aspects of the lip movements that were intentional because they knew they'd have to translate it into other languages. Generally though, Japanese does fit the best.

I'm still trying to figure out what you were trying to say with regards to the genders of the voices, so I won't respond to that yet.

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Originally Posted by Cyric

I'm still trying to figure out what you were trying to say with regards to the genders of the voices, so I won't respond to that yet.

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When I'm a bit less tired, I'll grab a mic and record myself trying to impersonate at least the male vocal archetypes that appear in anything Japanese so that you understand what I mean, but they are:

Cheerful young adult male (Atsuma from Enchanted Arms, Axl Low from Guilty Gear series)
Deep voiced adult male (Wolzard from Mahou Sentai Magiranger, Sol from Guilty Gear)
Gruff voiced adult male
Slightly crazy sounding evil adult male with obligatory echo if the sound department's budget allows it (Eddie from Guilty Gear series)

The examples were just the first ones I could think of... if I could even think of an example and not just remember hearing it in squillions of placed.

Has anyone got a request for me to use any sample Japanese sentence I could do this with? (In other words, someone please suggest one) Don't even think of making me profess to be some kind of back alley dude giving handjobs for cash because I'll know >=(

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Originally Posted by ReloadPsi

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Originally Posted by Cyric

I'm still trying to figure out what you were trying to say with regards to the genders of the voices, so I won't respond to that yet.

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When I'm a bit less tired, I'll grab a mic and record myself trying to impersonate at least the male vocal archetypes that appear in anything Japanese so that you understand what I mean, but they are:

Cheerful young adult male (Atsuma from Enchanted Arms, Axl Low from Guilty Gear series)
Deep voiced adult male (Wolzard from Mahou Sentai Magiranger, Sol from Guilty Gear)
Gruff voiced adult male
Slightly crazy sounding evil adult male with obligatory echo if the sound department's budget allows it (Eddie from Guilty Gear series)

The examples were just the first ones I could think of... if I could even think of an example and not just remember hearing it in squillions of placed.

Has anyone got a request for me to use any sample Japanese sentence I could do this with? (In other words, someone please suggest one) Don't even think of making me profess to be some kind of back alley dude giving handjobs for cash because I'll know >=(

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Ahh! Now I know what you mean. How there only ever seems to be a few different levels of emotion in any voice acting? Well, that may be true, but as fellow Canadians can confirm with me, there may be only certain levels, but how it is said at each of those can make all the difference. A perfect example would be the Liberal Party leader Stephane Dion. He speaks french and heavily accented english. He may only have a few levels of emotion, but because he puts emphasis on the wrong parts of the english words, anglophones have a hard time understanding what he's saying. For the sake of an example, say "sympathy" and the most pronounced part of the word is the 'Y' at the end: sympathEE. However, if you put the emphasis on the middle of the word instead, it takes a few seconds before you realize what was said: symPATHy. Apply that to the difference between Japanese and English voice-acting.

I prefer to hear things in a language I'm fluent in. Unless it's HORRIBLE. Then I prefer to hear it in something that sounds like gibberish to me. I loved FFX, so I like it in English better :D!

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Originally Posted by Jessweeee♪

I prefer to hear things in a language I'm fluent in. Unless it's HORRIBLE. Then I prefer to hear it in something that sounds like gibberish to me. I loved FFX, so I like it in English better :D!

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Well, I liked FF7:AC with the english voice-overs, and I liked it even more with the japanese voices and english subs...I guess it really depends on the person though. Some people just can't stand having to "read" a movie.

This is how I rate the Japanese voices (in order of appearance):

TI-DA:
this isn't Tidus, it's Ti-da - I consider them two completely different persons.
Ti-da generally sounds much better than Tidus, but he can also sound more annoying at times.
Ti-da sounds really beautiful when he speaks softly, but horrible when he starts shouting.
However, sometimes even his yelling sounds refreshing. XD

A-RON:
A-ron and Auron are really different, but somehow they still feel like the same character.
A-ron is rough and badass, which is reflected in his constant casual speech (he doesn't even show politeness to Seymour and Tromell!).
A-ron's voice needs some getting used to - it sounds weird at first, but gets a cool ring with time - hoarse and rough, yet deep and wise.
Auron's voice holds a higher class, though.

RYUKKU:
More childish and fragile than her fairly mature American voice, but also really cute in a different way.
Ryukku tends to shout more than in the American version, which honestly becomes annoying sometimes, but both voices tie with each other; I like them both a lot.

WAKKA:
In the Japanese version Wakka never says "ya?" at all, but otherwise he's very similar to his American character.
I like him a lot in this version, can't decide which one is best here either.
Another tie, I guess.

RU-RU-:
Sharper and more high-pitched than in the American version, and fits her character perfectly.
She sounds more aggressive and less mysterious in the Japanese version, though, but yet again I can't really decide.
Yet another tie.

KIMARI:
I think I prefer his American voice.
However, there's nothing wrong about his Japanese voice either, it just doesn't sound quite as pleasant - it's more high-pitched, and kinda aggressive at times.
Still pretty good, though.

YUUNA:
Much better than her American voice.
Yuuna actually sounds naive in an energetic way, and she feels much more alive than in the American version.
For example, while the American Yuna mumbles "I've done it. I have - become - a summoner.", the Japanese Yuuna is more like "I DID it! I have become a summoner!" instead.
It's pretty much the exactly same sentence in Japanese as well, although the Japanese version is closer to a polite "I could do it!".

English VA > Japanese VA.
Why?
The laughing scene in Japanese.
That is all.

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Originally Posted by HolYuna

English VA > Japanese VA.
Why?
The laughing scene in Japanese.
That is all.

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If that's true then I feel really sorry for the Japanese, because the English VAing was . Apart from Auron. Although I kinda liked Wakka as well.

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Originally Posted by Vivisteiner

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Originally Posted by HolYuna

English VA > Japanese VA.
Why?
The laughing scene in Japanese.
That is all.

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If that's true then I feel really sorry for the Japanese, because the English VAing was four skulls. Apart from Auron. Although I kinda liked Wakka as well.

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I can't see anything wrong with Lulu's and Rikku's voice acting; actually, I found them outstanding.

However, Auron is actually pretty cool in the Japanese version as well, but he takes some getting used to.

^Actually, Lulus was quite good I guess. Rikkus was a bit annoying. Tidus and Yuna were the main culprits tbh.

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Originally Posted by Vivisteiner

^Actually, Lulus was quite good I guess. Rikkus was a bit annoying. Tidus and Yuna were the main culprits tbh.

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I actually thought that too.
Tidus does become better and better during the game, but Yuna just sounds boring all the time.

^Funny thing is, I didnt notice it when I first played the game. And I really enjoyed it. But later on, after the quality of VAing improved, I went and replayed it, and some of it sounded really bad.

>>> I can stand japanese voices in my anime but in videogames they get really annoying so the american voices in any FF (or game) will be always the most suited.

Tidus's real laugh during the Japanese laughing scene is pretty funny. With Yuna, her English VA had trouble matching the English lines to her Japanese lips. I think it had more to do with how Yuna speaks than the actress herself. Notice how it isn't an issue when Yuna's personality changes in FFX-2.

I prefer the voices in my head...

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Originally Posted by Peter_20

This is how I rate the Japanese voices (in order of appearance):

TI-DA:
this isn't Tidus, it's Ti-da - I consider them two completely different persons.
Ti-da generally sounds much better than Tidus, but he can also sound more annoying at times.
Ti-da sounds really beautiful when he speaks softly, but horrible when he starts shouting.
However, sometimes even his yelling sounds refreshing. XD

A-RON:
A-ron and Auron are really different, but somehow they still feel like the same character.
A-ron is rough and badass, which is reflected in his constant casual speech (he doesn't even show politeness to Seymour and Tromell!).
A-ron's voice needs some getting used to - it sounds weird at first, but gets a cool ring with time - hoarse and rough, yet deep and wise.
Auron's voice holds a higher class, though.

RYUKKU:
More childish and fragile than her fairly mature American voice, but also really cute in a different way.
Ryukku tends to shout more than in the American version, which honestly becomes annoying sometimes, but both voices tie with each other; I like them both a lot.

WAKKA:
In the Japanese version Wakka never says "ya?" at all, but otherwise he's very similar to his American character.
I like him a lot in this version, can't decide which one is best here either.
Another tie, I guess.

RU-RU-:
Sharper and more high-pitched than in the American version, and fits her character perfectly.
She sounds more aggressive and less mysterious in the Japanese version, though, but yet again I can't really decide.
Yet another tie.

KIMARI:
I think I prefer his American voice.
However, there's nothing wrong about his Japanese voice either, it just doesn't sound quite as pleasant - it's more high-pitched, and kinda aggressive at times.
Still pretty good, though.

YUUNA:
Much better than her American voice.
Yuuna actually sounds naive in an energetic way, and she feels much more alive than in the American version.
For example, while the American Yuna mumbles "I've done it. I have - become - a summoner.", the Japanese Yuuna is more like "I DID it! I have become a summoner!" instead.
It's pretty much the exactly same sentence in Japanese as well, although the Japanese version is closer to a polite "I could do it!".

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Nice way of putting it. But hearing them is better. I just fraps'd all the voices while running it on my emulator. Here's the sample.

FFX-International voice demo

The voices it has are Auron, Kimahri, Rikku, Lulu, Wakka, Rin, Tidus and Yuna. He isn't in it, but I really like Maester Seymour's voice in the japanese version too. Although I like the general Guado voice in the english version more than the Japanese. Too bad there isn't a mix'n'match version. :greenie:

I thought that the voice acting in X was pretty good, the laughing scene was the only questionable part and even that I don't think the characters were being all that serious to began with. I haven't heard the japanese voicing acting so I really can't comment on it, but I can safely say I'd still prefer the english dialogue considering its easier for me to understand the tone and emotion of the dialogue when its in my native language.

The laughing scene is pretty misunderstood.
It seems like most people think Tidus and Yuna are supposed to laugh "for real" and the voice-actors miserably fail, but the truth is that they are just doing it to make themselves feel slightly better.
That's why it sounds so forced - they aren't in the right mood to begin with.

Besides, if you listen to Tidus and Yuna right AFTER the laughing scene itself, they suddenly sound natural - because they start laughing for real at that point.

My general impression from this discussion and also listening to the demo (thanks for that link BTW) is that there isn't so much difference in quality in the VA between Japanese and English. Nobody's voice in the Japanese sounds particularly annoying, and Lulu, Wakka, Rikku and Yuna sound pretty much like I'd expected them to. (Auron perhaps a bit different).

I think we should give a bit more credit to the voice actors in both languages. Not for what they occasionally got wrong, but for what they often got right (its a pretty popular game worldwide, isn't it?) After all that's an awful lot of dialogue they had to do.

:choc::choc::choc:

Tidus sounds like a big fag in Japanese. I hate using that word, but it's the only one I can think of to describe Tidus in Japanese.