Dub vs sub people are missing the point with Akira

I keep seeing everyone say the original Japanese voice cast is the only way to watch Akira. But honestly the Pioneer English dub from the 90s is way better for the energy of the movie. The voice actors really sold the punk attitude of Kaneda and the gang in a way the Japanese version feels more restrained. Maybe it's just me but I think people write off old dubs too fast based on bad examples from that era. Has anyone actually compared both versions side by side recently or am I alone on this?

2 comments

2 Comments

elizabeth_ramirez16d ago

Hell yeah, someone finally said it. The Pioneer dub has that raw, gutter-punk edge the Japanese track just doesn't hit. Kaneda's "KANEDAAAA!" scream at the end carries way more desperation in English, like a real kid losing his mind. Most people probably never heard the 2001 remix either, it fixed the audio quality without losing the grit.

nina_lane1615d ago

Have you ever heard that story about how the Pioneer crew actually brought in real street kids to do the voice acting for some of the background characters? I swear I read that somewhere and it totally explains why the whole thing feels so authentic... like they weren't just actors in a booth, they actually had that edge. The 2001 remix is definitely the way to go though, the original had that weird tinny sound that took me out of it sometimes. But man, that final scream still gives me chills no matter how many times I watch it.