Fran and Balthier?

[Zeromus_X]

Quina and Vivi are not canonically a couple. >_> Qus don't even have genders anyway.

[Tainted Angel]

another reason i dont think fran and balthier will be together because vieras live for around 300 years unless im mistaken.

She could be 190-220 and we'd never know. It's the nature of the fantasy/scifi species that live long. (That or pulling a Amanda style 'she got longevity enhancements' type of thing in a ultamania book. Hehe...)

Either is a possibility.

[Aria28]

I'm actually quite fond of his accent...

It's not that I think his voice is bad, per se.... Indeed, I think that Gideon Emery put in a decent performance.... It's just that, it rather pales in comparison with the Japanese voice - courtesy of one of my favourite seiyuus: Hiroaki Hirata. Balthier's Japanese voice is sooooo sexy , and his English voice...well...isn't. :-\ To me, camp = NOT sexy. I find it to be a major disappointment. Laughably camp.

Scooby, I am SO glad to read that, because I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one who thinks that, while the English VA does a good job, it's nothing compared to his japanese one. There's just a whole level of nuances he brings to the character that aren't there in English (it must also be said that the the translation misses a few things, at least during the first hours after he first appears - I haven't been too far with the English version though, so I don't know how the text turns out beyond Lhusu Mines). But yeah, he doesn't sound nowhere near as sexy as in japanese, but then, it would have been hard to do

Besides, Hiroaki Hirata also provides the japanese voice for KH2' Captain Jack Sparrow. I don't think it can get cooler than that

Again, I was speaking comparatively. If I hadn't already been so in love with Fran's Japanese voice, perhaps I would've found her English voice more tolerable. As it is, it grates on me.

I was mostly referring to the (extremely active) FFXII message board on GameFAQs. "You know what rabbits like doing..." etc.

Actually, Fran's voice is the only true departure from the japanese ones, and the only true disappointment to me. I loved her deep, slightly smocky voice that gave her something of an ethereal aura at times, an ocean of calm in the middle of all the agitation (like when (SPOILER)they decide to head for Raithwall's tomb: she's just mezmerizing then). It made her stand out. Now she sounds like a 16 y.o., which is cute, but doesn't fit the character and her history, imo.

It could be interpreted that way...or, he could've just meant that Fran likes freedom.... Balthier's pretty cheeky - so, like you said, probably a deliberate double entendre.

I agree. I think he would respect her too much to say something like that seriously, he's rather playful there (which he tends to do a lot at times of crisis :rolleyes2 )

[Tainted Angel]

I'm actually quite fond of his accent...

It's not that I think his voice is bad, per se.... Indeed, I think that Gideon Emery put in a decent performance.... It's just that, it rather pales in comparison with the Japanese voice - courtesy of one of my favourite seiyuus: Hiroaki Hirata. Balthier's Japanese voice is sooooo sexy , and his English voice...well...isn't. :-\ To me, camp = NOT sexy. I find it to be a major disappointment. Laughably camp.

Scooby, I am SO glad to read that, because I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one who thinks that, while the English VA does a good job, it's nothing compared to his japanese one. There's just a whole level of nuances he brings to the character that aren't there in English (it must also be said that the the translation misses a few things, at least during the first hours after he first appears - I haven't been too far with the English version though, so I don't know how the text turns out beyond Lhusu Mines). But yeah, he doesn't sound nowhere near as sexy as in japanese, but then, it would have been hard to do

Besides, Hiroaki Hirata also provides the japanese voice for KH2' Captain Jack Sparrow. I don't think it can get cooler than that )

smurfing wow... a sky pirate being voices by the japanese voice for Sparrow. I don't think sparrow is the right image to have in yoru head when hearing Balthier. I liked the british VA.. (I do HOPE they keep the english VA for the brit PAL version...)

However he is no Bond. Too standoffish. Bu tthen, he's not impressing anybody. (Hell.. he's already got a Vare at his side.. what's next? Nothing compatible with humes I'm sure.)

I do love his VA. It's just so neat.... but I also think he's a bit of a willow flower, a bit standoffish whenas Connery's Bond would do it differently. (not thathe's wrong but... he's not Bond.)

[Miriel]

Balthier reminds me of a squash between Jack Sparrow and V. This is a good thing.

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

Actually, Fran's voice is the only true departure from the japanese ones, and the only true disappointment to me. I loved her deep, slightly smocky voice that gave her something of an ethereal aura at times, an ocean of calm in the middle of all the agitation (like when (SPOILER)they decide to head for Raithwall's tomb: she's just mezmerizing then). It made her stand out. Now she sounds like a 16 y.o., which is cute, but doesn't fit the character and her history, imo.

On the contrary, there are few things more wonderful to behold than a six-foot-tall no-nonsense bunny girl who sounds exactly like Björk.

[Aria28]

Actually, Fran's voice is the only true departure from the japanese ones, and the only true disappointment to me. I loved her deep, slightly smocky voice that gave her something of an ethereal aura at times, an ocean of calm in the middle of all the agitation (like when (SPOILER)they decide to head for Raithwall's tomb: she's just mezmerizing then). It made her stand out. Now she sounds like a 16 y.o., which is cute, but doesn't fit the character and her history, imo.

On the contrary, there are few things more wonderful to behold than a six-foot-tall no-nonsense bunny girl who sounds exactly like Björk.

ROFLMAO I'm laughing so hard it hurts

[scooby]

I'm sorry...but if none of you have played (or, at the very least, seen extensive sections of) the Japanese version of FFXII, I don't think you're in a position to compare Balthier's voice actors.

His Japanese VA is just far better: less affected, less foreigners'-stereotypical-idea-of-what-an-English "cool guy"-sounds-like, more natural, more nuanced, and, most importantly, MUCH sexier.

It's sad, because, by and large, I think they've done a decent job on the English localization. The lip sync is, of course, much worse; the general sound, as many others have pointed out, has a peculiarly tinny quality - as though it was recorded inside a phone box; Basch, Vaan, Penelo and Ashe have VAs that are about as good as their Japanese counterparts (though the latter three are considerably less emotional); so does Larsa; Vayne is poor - his speech to the people of Rabanastre was painfully lacking in charisma; rest of the cast is patchy; dialogue is overwritten - at times amusing, at others embarrassingly pretentious - and misses some of the subtleties present in the Japanese game, e.g. Vaan and Ashe's "don't call me you" conflict.

All in all, it's okay. The only two real sore spots for me are Fran and Balthier's voices. Fran sounds less like a centuries-old spirit-of-the-woods, and more like a poor imitation of Bjork - her every pause calculated. Balthier sounds like an errant public school boy; like Prince Charles, trying to be hip. Every time he speaks I want to knock his pompous, toffee-nosed lights out...instead of swooning, as I do when I hear his Japanese voice.

...Those are just my opinions. *shrugs*

[marysonnie]

I don't suppose we'd be fortunate enough to have a Japanese voice option? </sarcasm>

I wish that were the case, as I like giving my anime dubs a listen, then switching to Japanese voices. I love having a "true" comparison to listen to. I still think the English VAs have compatible voices, but that doesn't make them true to the characters themselves. I did listen to the English clip of Vayne's speech (pre-removal) and was really unimpressed by it.


I still have some in-game Japanese clips of the game, and I plan on holding onto them

[Miriel]

I'm sorry...but if none of you have played (or, at the very least, seen extensive sections of) the Japanese version of FFXII, I don't think you're in a position to compare Balthier's voice actors.

His Japanese VA is just far better: less affected, less foreigners'-stereotypical-idea-of-what-an-English "cool guy"-sounds-like, more natural, more nuanced, and, most importantly, MUCH sexier.

It's sad, because, by and large, I think they've done a decent job on the English localization. The lip sync is, of course, much worse; the general sound, as many others have pointed out, has a peculiarly tinny quality - as though it was recorded inside a phone box; Basch, Vaan, Penelo and Ashe have VAs that are about as good as their Japanese counterparts (though the latter three are considerably less emotional); so does Larsa; Vayne is poor - his speech to the people of Rabanastre was painfully lacking in charisma; rest of the cast is patchy; dialogue is overwritten - at times amusing, at others embarrassingly pretentious - and misses some of the subtleties present in the Japanese game, e.g. Vaan and Ashe's "don't call me you" conflict.

All in all, it's okay. The only two real sore spots for me are Fran and Balthier's voices. Fran sounds less like a centuries-old spirit-of-the-woods, and more like a poor imitation of Bjork - her every pause calculated. Balthier sounds like an errant public school boy; like Prince Charles, trying to be hip. Every time he speaks I want to knock his pompous, toffee-nosed lights out...instead of swooning, as I do when I hear his Japanese voice.

...Those are just my opinions. *shrugs*

I guess I'm just gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you completely.

I've heard Balthier's Japanese voice acting via clips on YouTube. I found his voice to be deeper and more monotone. Lacking the sly charm and humor that's in the NA version of the game. Balthier's voice shouldn't be so grave and deep as it is in the JP version. The more casual, "hip" accent as you call it, fits his personality much better in my opinion.

As for Fran, a poor imitation of björk? What are you talking about? She sounds EXACTLY like björk and it's so awesome. The accent is not one you hear everyday and it's different but it works. I find myself wishing that Fran would speak more because I love hearing her voice.

[XxSephirothxX]

I agree. When I first heard Fran's voice, I was a bit put off. But after a few minutes I was over the surprise, and now I really dig it. Balthier's great, too. He sounds EXACTLY like a European Han Solo. I want more dialogue from both of them.

[Aria28]

I'm sorry...but if none of you have played (or, at the very least, seen extensive sections of) the Japanese version of FFXII, I don't think you're in a position to compare Balthier's voice actors.

His Japanese VA is just far better: less affected, less foreigners'-stereotypical-idea-of-what-an-English "cool guy"-sounds-like, more natural, more nuanced, and, most importantly, MUCH sexier.

It's sad, because, by and large, I think they've done a decent job on the English localization. The lip sync is, of course, much worse; the general sound, as many others have pointed out, has a peculiarly tinny quality - as though it was recorded inside a phone box; Basch, Vaan, Penelo and Ashe have VAs that are about as good as their Japanese counterparts (though the latter three are considerably less emotional); so does Larsa; Vayne is poor - his speech to the people of Rabanastre was painfully lacking in charisma; rest of the cast is patchy; dialogue is overwritten - at times amusing, at others embarrassingly pretentious - and misses some of the subtleties present in the Japanese game, e.g. Vaan and Ashe's "don't call me you" conflict.

All in all, it's okay. The only two real sore spots for me are Fran and Balthier's voices. Fran sounds less like a centuries-old spirit-of-the-woods, and more like a poor imitation of Bjork - her every pause calculated. Balthier sounds like an errant public school boy; like Prince Charles, trying to be hip. Every time he speaks I want to knock his pompous, toffee-nosed lights out...instead of swooning, as I do when I hear his Japanese voice.

...Those are just my opinions. *shrugs*

I guess I'm just gonna have to go ahead and disagree with you completely.

I've heard Balthier's Japanese voice acting via clips on YouTube. I found his voice to be deeper and more monotone. Lacking the sly charm and humor that's in the NA version of the game. Balthier's voice shouldn't be so grave and deep as it is in the JP version. The more casual, "hip" accent as you call it, fits his personality much better in my opinion.

As for Fran, a poor imitation of björk? What are you talking about? She sounds EXACTLY like björk and it's so awesome. The accent is not one you hear everyday and it's different but it works. I find myself wishing that Fran would speak more because I love hearing her voice.

Having completed the game twice in Japanese (well, ok, not really twice, I have yet to finish the game for the second time, but I'm getting closer ), I must agree with Scooby, although I wouldn't go as far as she does in her assertion of both Balflear and Fran's English VA. I am disappointed with Fran, because even prior to hearing her for the first time in a japanese trailer, I had always imagined her with a deep, rather mature voice, and not with a teenager one. But I can live with it, it's just that since the japanese version seemed to go exactly the way I had thought was the most appropriate given the character's history, I find it weird that they'd do a 180° and give Fran a voice that's the opposite.

Balflear is another story because I like his English voice very much (but then maybe I don't react as strongly as Scooby because English isn't my language, so some nuances may be lost on me, or I just don't hear them the same), it's just that his Japanese VA does such an outstanding job that you're better off not comparing maybe (but you just can't help anyway ).

Maybe the reason why some people feel his Japanese voice lacks humour (you're not the only one to think that Miriel, I've read other similar comments on other boards ) is that first, you need to hear the whole thing - every single person I know who's said that had only seen clips. Based on that, I can understand the feeling, but the performance is outstanding because Hirata provides so many nuances throughout the game that I've lost count. In English so far (I'm past Lhusu Mines now in English), I think he pretty much always has the same way of speaking, a little pedantic and tongue-in-cheek at the same time. Don't get me wrong, it does work in a good way, imo! It's just that there aren't all the variations in voice and language depending on who he's addressing that you could originally find (also maybe due to the fact that you don't use levels of speach in English the way you do in Japanese?)

I think the other reason is language. Unless you're really used to listen to japanese VAs in games or animes at least (or better, that you understand somewhat the language), I guess it's normal not to enjoy the japanese VAs, not just because of the language barrier (duh!) but also because Japanese have a whole different way of speaking when acting, traditionally, which comes from their wildely different theater traditions. Of course, those differences have been erased slightly with the influence of western cinema, but they're still there, and even more so in voice acting. Maybe one of the reasons why Balflear, and Hirata in most of his VA perfomances, stands out, is because the voice acting sounds different from most you can hear in Japan (at least, that's my opinion).

And I agree: his performance sounds definitely more natural than the English one. There's a whole notion of "cool" that has been lost in the translation somehow, unless you automatically consider English accents as "cool", no matter what. He never sounds affected, unless he's joking. And yeah, his voice is sexy But apart from the sexiness, I imagine nuances are hard to tell unless you're used to hear japanese, as I tried to explain above

So, I'd say, apart from Fran where, for me, it's more than a question of language or quality of voice acting, but rather the voice that doesn't fit, I'd say all the English VAs did a great job in their own rights. Sure, a few things are missing from the original text (like the famous "you" running joke) but that was to be expected and, for a video game, I think there's been a lot more effort put into the translation than for most "text-intensive" games (as far as I can judge - I'm not perfectly fluent in Japanese either ). So don't feel bad for not having heard the wonder that Balflear's jap VA is Especially since there are chances you'll throw tomatoes at us because you'll go "What's so special about it in the first place?". But if you've got a chance to catch the story in Japanese for some reason, and that you're curious, give it a try

[Kawaii Ryûkishi]

I am disappointed with Fran, because even prior to hearing her for the first time in a japanese trailer, I had always imagined her with a deep, rather mature voice, and not with a teenager one.

It's not a teenager voice. Björk is a grown woman.

[Dynast-Kid]

I just heard Balthier's Japanese voice on Youtube and it is very sexy. Fran's voice is good too. I thought that the English and Japanese voices are both very good.

Anyways, I just have to comment on this...
Don't Look Here!!!!!11!!!1!!!shift!!!1 The scene where they leave Eruyt Village was so hilarious there are no words in the English vocabulary that can accurately convey how funny I found that scene. Vaan is such a clueless little nerd!xD And Fran's face was just priceless. I'm glad SE added in a little humor to such a dark and mature story.

Kudos to Square!

[nobuteru]

(SPOILER)Yeah, Fran and Balflear does seems more like working partners in the game. The way they talk to each other doesn't indicate much deeper relationship. But then Balflear always would talk like that. There are hints at Ashe/Balflear though, especially in the ending.

Have you played the game?

(SPOILER)There are hints that Ashe - a lonely bereaved queen - has developed a crush on Balthier by the end of the game, but there are no hints that he reciprocates her feelings at all. In fact, he acts rather blasé about her perceived crush - as though having women, including queens, fall for him is nothing new. I expect it isn't; Balthier is good-looking, charming and charismatic - it's natural that women should fall for him.

Fran made a HUGE sacrifice to be with Balthier; the choice she made - to leave her village to be with him - has had irrevocable consequences for her: she will never be accepted back into her village, or see her family and friends again. She is now an outcast; all she has is Balthier.

Of course, Fran longed for freedom and adventure - but the dialogue in the scenes in Fran's village/Golmore Jungle suggest that Balthier himself was the main reason that Fran abandoned her past (which is NOT something you do for just anyone):

FRAN WALKS WITH BALTHIER.

Balthier: Taking the shortcut?

Fran: Yes.

Balthier: Didn't you abandon your past?

Fran: There's no other way. I'm doing this for you, too.

Balthier: Hmm?

Fran: You're anxious, aren't you? The Nethicite's making you that way. It shows on your face more than you think.



YUTO LISTENS TO THE VOICE OF THE FOREST.

Yuto: It only feels nostalgia for you who left the village.

Fran: I'm happy even for the lie.

Yuto: Be careful. What the forest hates is the Hume who took you away.

Fran: I'm the same as a Hume now. Isn't that right? Goodbye, sister.


There is also a scene that I found to be very shippy.... It was up on YouTube, but it's been taken down.

Here is a description of said scene:

Fran is lying on her back, talking to Balthier, who bends over her. Her words are slow, pained (is she wounded?), and one of her hands is cupping his cheek. She smiles weakly up at him. The camera cuts to Balthier, who gazes down at her lovingly. He gently pulls her hand from his face and clasps it with his own. He smiles sadly and closes his eyes - looking both deathly afraid and "blissed out".


This is the dialogue from that scene:

Penelo: Fran!?

Fran: The mist is burning... the cocoon...throbbing... burst!

Fran: The cocoon will explode... get out of here... as fast as you can.

Balthier: Hey, Fran....

Fran: Show me how fast you can run... You're Balthier, the quickest sky pirate of all... aren't you?

Balthier: Don't leave me now.


The look in Balthier's eyes in this scene cannot be said to be anything but deep, burning love.

In addition to this, Balthier is rather possessive of Fran at times. He tells Vaan off for gawping at her when they first meet.

How could the small amount of physical chemistry between Ashe and Balthier possibly compete with the long history and deep love and trust that Fran and Balthier share?

Most everyone who's played the game thinks that there is something "more" between Fran and Bal.

is the scene detailed at the very end in referance to the happenings on Shiva? if so, this portion is not only woefully translated, visual elements seem to be cut out entirely. i hope that it is not the shiva scene that is being detailed here.