Will there ever be an EngDub in the near to distant Future?

[DeejonLoy]

I'm very picky on the Anime I buy, but I would definitely purchase an EngDubbed version of PH in a heartbeat as soon as I found out that there would be one available.

[lordryo]

NISA is just starting to enter the anime industry, give them time to see how they're doing, get comfortable, and find a good marketing strategy. Maybe some time in the future they will release anime with dubs. Normally I prefer dubs if they're any good and I'd love to see how NISA would dub their anime. But for now I'll support them and buy their anime as-is.

[VampireGirl]

Not to mention if they do decide to do an English dub of Pandora Hearts you will always have the option of watching the Japanese Dub if the English voice actors are not to your liking. xD My friends always prefer their anime in Japanese Dubs but I'm just used to whichever I listen to first.

[lordryo]

That's what I tell everyone who complains about dubs, there's always a Japanese track, no one of forcing you to watch it dubbed. But since there are people (like me) who prefer dubs there should always be the option.

[Yamato-san]

That's what I tell everyone who complains about dubs, there's always a Japanese track, no one of forcing you to watch it dubbed. But since there are people (like me) who prefer dubs there should always be the option.

normally, I agree with this logic and try not to argue against dubs, since I'm completely passive on them and prefer to watch the original version that's almost always given to me anyway (as anime isn't like video games, where there seem to be some space complications and other issues coming with a dual-audio track). However, to a company starting out in the field of anime-localizing, I actually would recommend the continuation of sub-only releases, as the additions of dubs do put some strain on the company as well as the release schedule.

Now, some people may argue that certain companies going sub-only (like Sentai Filmworks, formerly ADV, and Media Blasters) is a sign of being cheap and the industry dieing (and admittedly, these are pretty hard times). However, the way I see it, companies are simply releasing titles as they should be: intact in their original language with subtitles to be understood by the local culture (dubs are an extra at best). Really, it's no different from the way several other countries treat OUR media, so why should there be a problem with localizing Japanese entertainment as such? Not only that, but with the advent of the internet, subs have indeed proven very popular, to the point where streamed simulcasting is now a viable market (though its main purpose was to be an anti-piracy measure, the fact that said piracy was a huge issue in the first place certainly says something). But if some titles really are prone to losing a significant portion of its potential audience just because they can't be viewed with the voices in our native tongue, I think that might be saying something.... like maybe that our country's a lot more xenophobic than we let on (but no offense towards anyone who likes dubs but can still enjoy subs).

NISA (whose name, BTW, directly refers to the nation of Nippon, or Japan) themselves seem to be entirely in favor of the global spread of otaku culture (or they're at least well aware of its presence, as the English dialog in their games have a tendency to prove). I'd be willing to argue that, if Sony of America's policies didn't force them to do so (and maybe if they weren't continuing where Atlus/Mastiff left off upon starting out), they probably wouldn't even be bothering with dubs to begin with (their DS titles seem to indicate this, though Disgaea DS is an odd exception), so I find it to be no surprise that they're going with sub-only DVDs. But I guess time will tell whether or not NISA will do anime dubs once they've got a firm foothold in the industry.

[leinaud]

I just realized, it would solve space restraint if they just released it on Blu-ray *drool*

But in all honesty, I believe that NISA may be testing the waters for the Anime market since they are new in the field and all. Dubbing costs a considerable amount more for VAs and other production costs that are not worth the risk if there is no one to buy the complete product.

[lordryo]

Yeah, let them take a little more ground before going all out with dubs.