Well, this is just a trip down memory lane…
So…Warriors of The Wind came out in '89? I was 13, visiting my Grandma and favorite cousin in Virginia; we went to the local Blockbuster and my cousin picked that very video. Since the cover (haha) had very little to do with the actual movie; he was uninterested. I was entranced.
I had already whet my teeth on Robotech/Star Blazers/BotP…but here was something different. The next day we went back to return it…I asked if they had a copy for sale. The cashier gave a noncommittal ‘I doubt it’ but went in the back to check and came back with a new one. That cost $15. And this was a time so long ago children, that VHS tapes actually cost real money: but I could afford it, and bought it. And watched it incessantly: literally driving them both out of the house and singing the ‘lalala’ song until my poor cousin was apoplectic.
Worst dubbing…ever? No…can’t be. Worst ‘edit for American audiences’…ever? With apologies to Carl Macek who brought lots of happiness to my early years; I first experienced real nerd rage when discovering the ‘Fauxtoculture Connection’…and I’m not saying that Robotech was bad at all…but there were editing shenanigans. WotW is pretty blatant: but the source material is so damn good…for a neophyte like me, at the time…it was incredibly awesome. There must be…something worse out there.
Akira. The Streamline Pictures dub. Hate it? Not me. Because I saw that version, in the theatre, multiple times, at a most impressionable age. New dub…too dull. Even the original Japanese doesn’t have the same effect. Took years to find a DVD with it. An Australian group has the rights, DVD comes with multiple dialogue tracks…bought a region free player just for it.
I realize there were some questionable attempts to bring anime to the masses in the early days; but because they were ‘my days’…I’m inclined to be more tolerant in recollecting.
Keep 'em coming, Bani Garu!
