Azumanga Daioh [US Release]

[REG]

Compared to most dubbed Osakan characters, I actually like Osaka's. It's not as painful as, say, Kitsune from Love Hina (there's $30 I'll never get back). It's rare to find a really solid dub. Hell, I just think Osaka is the greatest. Go team Sea Slug!

[AaronChance]

I'll never be able to watch the dub, because it is simply impossible to dub Osakaben, and I've got too much love for Osakaben to hear it get killed in translation.

I'm not going to lie to you, it's hard to get used to. The VA is obviously trying really hard to make it a light and non-obnoxious accent, but it still sounds wrong... but I still think 'Kero-chan!' everytime Nyamo opens her mouth in the original Japanese so I'm basically screwed either way. There's no voice track I'm completely comfortable with.

If you can forget for a moment what Osakaben sounds like, then the dub track is nice to listen to.

PS - Anno loves Cutey Honey. Not only did he direct the live action movie, he also has a giant inflatable Honey he makes sweet love to every night while floating in the blood of many innocent kittens.

[salmonax]

I'll never be able to watch the dub, because it is simply impossible to dub Osakaben, and I've got too much love for Osakaben to hear it get killed in translation.

(Though, thankfully, things aren't as bad, at least manga wise, at this point as they were back with vol 1 of the manga. Seeing Osaka turned into some stereotypical Italian goon was horrific.)

And then, in the later volumes, they added a dash of ebonics. Fuck you, ADV translators.

The dub voice is surprisingly effective, though. I think they captured her "duh-duh" aspect pretty well with the Southern fried accent.

[mollipen]

I just picked up the first volume of the anime today. Haven't really tried the dub yet, and only watched the first three episodes.

But hot damn, Osaka OWNS this show. I mean, I loved her in the manga, but she's on a whole new level in the anime. I also find myself really liking Tomo in the anime version, where I wasn't the biggest fan of her in the manga.

I'm liking the anime so far - it's fun, and some of the characters really come to life in the anime. (Osaka, Tomo, Yukari) My only real beef is that some of the jokes either didn't translate over well, or they just didn't do them right. The scene in Episode 1 with the teacher hitting the students on the head for forgetting their homework, for example. They screwed that joke up, AND left off the punchline.

[Zenigata]

Right Stuf has the box edition for $35, which, when combined with their ADV sale detailed here, ends up around $21. Most ADV stuff is eligible, from what I can tell.

[AaronChance]

But hot damn, Osaka OWNS this show. I mean, I loved her in the manga, but she's on a whole new level in the anime. I also find myself really liking Tomo in the anime version, where I wasn't the biggest fan of her in the manga.

You can tell they really pushed Osaka into the forefront for the anime, even from her long introduction alone. I'm sure she was the most popular character from the manga so they spent a lot of time with her. I don't think Tomo has really changed, but that her spastic energy comes across a lot better in the anime format.

And yeah, they messed up a number of jokes, dropping a lot of punchlines for some strange reason (another one is when Yukari calls Chiyo-chan a brat and there's no reaction to it), but they did include a number of new jokes that were really funny and well done, so my only complaint is the fact they haven't introduced Kagura yet, though she's been in a few scenes.

[mollipen]

You can tell they really pushed Osaka into the forefront for the anime, even from her long introduction alone. I'm sure she was the most popular character from the manga so they spent a lot of time with her.

No complaints from me.

I don't think Tomo has really changed, but that her spastic energy comes across a lot better in the anime format.

No, that's it exactly. I love manga, but it can't express certain things fully. Tomo's energy is one of those things. When you get that energy in motion, and add a voice to it, her character really comes across.

On the other hand, a character like the pervy teacher (forgot his name), I think he comes across better in the manga. I think he works better in still panels as opposed to animation.

And yeah, they messed up a number of jokes, dropping a lot of punchlines for some strange reason (another one is when Yukari calls Chiyo-chan a brat and there's no reaction to it), but they did include a number of new jokes that were really funny and well done, so my only complaint is the fact they haven't introduced Kagura yet, though she's been in a few scenes.

I just wonder why some of the jokes didn't come across properly. It's strange. Another examples is Sakaki's panties with the cats on them - if you didn't read the manga, and see the joke there, it would be easy to not have a clue what the joke was about, because of the difference in one line between the anime and the manga. But I am glad to see that it isn't a direct translation of the manga, and that there is some new material.

I'm loving the show, and I'm finding that I really love the way the characters come across in their anime form. However... it isn't as funny as the manga. Well, no, that probably isn't true - the problem is that I already know the jokes. I just think that it's hard to change a four-panel manga joke into an anime joke. Not that they didn't do their best, though, and the creators even admitted that it was a difficult task.

I'm certainly glad that they tried, though. Azumanga is, seriously, IMHO, one of the best anime/manga titles to come out in some time.

[AaronChance]

On the other hand, a character like the pervy teacher (forgot his name), I think he comes across better in the manga. I think he works better in still panels as opposed to animation.

I think that's because his reaction shots have more of an impact in stills then seeing them animated, though his heavy breathing in one scene was hilarious, I thought, and not something that works in a manga.

I also think Sakaki suffers a bit in the anime. There's something really strange about hearing her speak, even though I think the voice matches her. She's also a character that's mostly still so animation doesn't do much for her.

I just wonder why some of the jokes didn't come across properly. It's strange. Another examples is Sakaki's panties with the cats on them - if you didn't read the manga, and see the joke there, it would be easy to not have a clue what the joke was about, because of the difference in one line between the anime and the manga. But I am glad to see that it isn't a direct translation of the manga, and that there is some new material.

Yeah, I forgot about that one. It's completely baffling too because there's no way someone who hasn't read the manga would know what just happened. Even in the manga I was a little confused when I read it the first time. The shot really should have the edge of the panties visible or something.

I'm certainly glad that they tried, though. Azumanga is, seriously, IMHO, one of the best anime/manga titles to come out in some time.

I told a friend that the manga was the best thing to come out of Japan since ninjas. Even though I was joking, I still believe it.

His new manga is pretty good, but not really on the same level.

[Brotherman]

Since I've been budget conscious as of late, I started buying the manga as I thought it would be a better value than the anime for now. Boy this is great. I have to thank the TNL community for hyping this anime/manga up so. If not for that, I would have easily passed this up. And as Shidoshi said, Osaka is comedy gold. I've got vol. 1-3 of the manga now. How many vols. are there total.

Also, based on the Newtype DVD there seemed to be some new content in episode 1. Is there enough new content over the manga to warrant a purchase?

[Freeter]

How many vols. are there total.

Four.