The medium of Japanese animation had always been a part of the popular culture like glue, the idealistic vision resilient of towering achievments in artistic rendering and comic art. Something which had been a part of the majority of readers for decades. Engulfed into technical and artistic beauty, the world of Japanese animation is only surpassed by the brilliant talent bringing forth epic stories to the big-screen and television. Japanese animated features account for nearly 5% of all television broadcasted on Japanese airwaves count for animation, as well as 20 to 30% of video sales and 5% theatrical release marketing and always growing. Indeed, the vast majority of animated feature entertainment in Japan, surpasses that of it's foreign counterparts such as America and Europe. Born from the heart of Manga art in the 1950s, mega popular in their own right paving way for fantastic series to be released by anime's earliest pioneers of production. Such icons as the famed "Kawamori", Manga god "Tezuka Osamu" and the highy respected "Miyazaki" all proved to be pioneers in the animation medium. Until "Carl Macek" had helped established the plethora of translated dubs in the United States, Japanimation until deemed recently had established the somewhat unstable annotation of rendered unconventionality. However this image was sooned shattered by way of groundbreakers like "Robotech", "Akira" and "Speed Racer". The phenominal "Princess Mononoke" and "Pokémon" opened doors for anime's huge commercial success through the late 90s. Making way for more open views on this stunning art form, commercial distribution was indeed at a triumpth with various distinguished titles on a smaller scale. This was all a fraction of the long history of anime's rein overseas.
Until now, the successful "Cartoon Network" had not nearly established animes place with their typical line-up, this soon gave way for other networks to take charge in bringing forth the series which would establish the medium to be recognized. CN's efforts through the highly popular "Sailor Moon" gave young girls a new kind of hero to admire in artistic stylization rendering, something which re-established the "Power-Rangerish" plethora of television shows. Series such as "Gundam Wing" and "Pokémon" were treated with decent dubs good enough for the most ardent fans' standards. Though this was probably all unsurpassed by "CN's" great job on presenting "Tenchi Muyo", "Tenchi Universe" and "Tenchi In Tokyo"; establishing "Toonami" as a prolific and perminant t.v. spot. Through such endeavors as the brilliant dub of "Miyazaki's" "Mononoke", and the enticing syndicated various anime programs; fans would soon be able to experience a decent amount of anime on network television not faulted by misconception in presentation.
With the new array of series coming and going, it's almost too good to be true to sustain the brilliance in dubbing jobs; at least for enough time so the actors can hold out in anime's well known stamina of voice talent. This is often all too a sad fact for the preservation of anime's cultural significance. Continually being shattered through multiple bad translations and improper dialouge, which in turn fails to do justice to the original intent of the directors. Though this is not always a terrible fact, due to the aparent reality of overseas film production; films are indeed meant to be seen though the eyes pertaining to universal language. To be seen in a native tongue. But it never hurts to open one's mind to fantastical feats of imagination intended to be seen in their original form. This is something I feel America has failed to present with this animation medium. The fact that so many great series and films have to be altered is one thing, but often times anime films and series can be hacked to pieces by their American counterparts. Miyazaki's masterpiece "Nausicaa Valley Of The Wind" had been entirely altered in a later "Americanized" version "Warriors Of The Wind". Which had undergoed serious editing and faultering within the storyline intent, making it a downright disaster.
Despite often films and series translations being more than just decent, It's highly important to obtain the original storyline intent. Presenting the audience with the film's original cultural values. This is what makes anime so unique, it's stylistic fixation of it's aspects in both storytelling and technical aspects are what make it fantastic. Something which the American networks often take away for many different reasons. A great example of this is "Buena Vista's" recent Miyazaki enstallment "Kiki's Delivery Service". In a particular scene, the main character is offered some coffee by a befriended baker, but the dialouge was altered to "hot chocolate". This is an example of the sheer faulted aspects in dub presentation, done to probably one of the most respected of childrens' classics in Japan.
The "FOX Kids" network had recently obtained their share to rights on showing "The Vision Of Escaflowne" as part of their normal "Saturday Morning" line up. Fans would indefinitely fear the inevidable, for FOX's highly atrocious translation would be a definite nightmare for anticipation of anime fans. Despite the fact that many fans of "Escaflowne" up to this point would have already seen or own the series on home video, it never hurt to see the makings of anime's further success become a reality. Though we had already seen a considerable amount of success and faults in "CN's" "Tenchi", "The Anime Overview" had definately not seen this one coming. Sadly, what felt to be one of the most successful and most recognized animes in the last decade would face a terrible "cut n' paste" nightmare upon an extremely terrible dubbing job. Not ever capturing the character depth of "Escaflowne". FOX version would have to face harsh criticism, however not considering the many unaware fans; those whom have never witnessed this masterwork cut to bits by the FOX network.
In mere retrospect, FOX's version was most prominentely a terrible editing job; while not even displaying the first episode in any distinctive sense (Which is greatly confusing to me) Escaflowne starts from episode 2, recaping on previous experiences of "Hitomi Kanzaki" (The Main heroine). It's a wonder that FOX even got the name pronunciations correct, because everything else of storyline aspect seems like a small disaster. It's a cut n' paste job of the most dire, one plauged to false incremints of artificial plot hole elements. FOX has single handedly re-written the script, altered character personalities and producing artificial images as they see fit; this never does justice to an already fantastic series. Though by far, what must be the most painful of these changes is indeed the altering of "Yoko Kanno's" wonderfully haunting and brilliant score; which has been altered and destroyed into a techno "cut-n'-paste" nightmare. One transformed into the seamingly ridiculous and typical toon-network renderings of a pass-off opening sequence. But alas, rather than being able to witness "Kanno's" beautiful opening sequence amidst great lyrics and wonderful animation, FOX has single-handedly created the image/editing atrocious opening animation. Which is already enough to make any familiar fan of the series angry. At least "CN" has the nerve to do away with their anime opening-sequences all together. It's difficult to grasp why they even attempted to do so in the first place. Perhaps FOX felt they hadn't had their work cut out for them just yet, that "Escaflowne" wouldn't work out of the blue as a stand alone presentation. The main problem with this idealization in American animation commercialism is it's targeted audience. They feel they will not easily accept the cultural aspects and unorthadox techniques, so they feel they must change the anime as they see fit. Adjusting to suit typical "Saturday Morning Audiences" (Mainly children and fans of FOX kids') who could not easily grasp the aspects. The difference between FOX and Cartoon Network is that "CN" trusts the series they are given, hoping that they will be accepted by it's intended audience. Anime works as a stand alone to entice the audience, and "The Vision Of Escaflowne" would probably had worked; if they hadn't worried so much about making success in the first place. But the success of "Escaflowne" would have inevidably come result of great aspects which the series already had to begin with. It took a tentative FOX to add those aspects which were unnecesary to a series like "Escaflowne". The most painful part of accepting this fact is that FOX didn't already realize this in the first place. After a painstakingly B-grade "Digimon", Escaflowne would have perhaps been the back door for FOX to re-establish itself in "CN's" shadow as anime king on Network T.V. It's a sheer disappointment and utterly terrible mistake, just how much will it take for the networks to realize that anime is a competative medium, and is as great or even better as anything seen of "Saturday Morning" or outside late "Uncle Walt's" plethora of commercialism and film making. A big gamble which would have involved the masterpiece "Princess Mononoke" could have paved the way for the success like that seen on networks like CN. That aspect was painstakingly and most disappointingly given to WB's lackluster "Pokémon: The First Movie" in 1999.
And alas after all that, it may not have even taken the endeavors of productions like "Perfect Blue", "X" or even "Escaflowne" to break this barrier made by people like the ones who work at networks like FOX. For once, unless I'm not mistaken; why can't these people take the time to actually examin the potential brilliance of series like "Escaflowne" or "Productions" like "Mononoke"; brilliantly rendered into Japan's popular efforts through this incredible 40 years of artistic fantasy. It's probably made many impatient, frustrated and taking a long while. If "Escaflowne" can't cut it on networks like this one, I really don't know what will. But we can be sure of one thing. If this kind of thing keeps up, anime's popular success could and easily will deteriorate into the painful "Saturday Morning Image" it's been gradually transformed into (had it not been for more some proper marketing in the U.S.). I hope it never happens, but I fear I'm beginning to see the tip of the iceburg over the horizon. Speaking of horizon, worst comes to worst; I could always move to Japan for a while and watch anime over there. For now, I just hope it gets a little better; for my standards anyway. If you really and truly want good anime, I highly recommend going to the nearest video store and purchasing a few yourself.
