09-12-2002, 12:03 PM
I'm of the opinion that HK sets are glorified fansubs. While fansubs were previously available only in VHS form and ranged anywhere from 'decent' to '4th gen barely visible', the surge of DVD subs has made far more anime available to the general public than ever before, at a price that is actually *cheaper* than some VHS subbers out there.
It's always slightly irritating to see someone (not saying the majority of people who invest in HK sets, just a few here and there) ragging on a set because it has a subpar job. Sure, Anime Studio does mostly crappy jobs. Unless they're the only studio to have put out a series, though, it's no real reason to waste energy on demeaning them; just get it from MI or AV instead.
As for incorrect translations, one really should remember that the people who do the work usually aren't native English speakers. They're on the other side of the Earth, and the fact that English subs even exist is something that should not be taken for granted. Looking through HK sets has given me at least three or four new favorite series which I never would've known about or have been able to afford had it not been for their existence.
But on the other hand, just because one can get sets for cheap doesn't necessarily mean one should. I firmly believe that one should support the companies who strive to actually bring a good translation of anime to the States. Yes, they have priorities, and one of them is to make money. However, if a domestic release is well-done, investing in it should be something that takes priority over complaining about the fact that a good HK set of the series doesn't exist.
To sound terribly old, I remember when HK DVDs weren't as prevalent, and anime fans had to scour obscure websites and trawl through VHS lists to try and find fansubs of a series they were interested in - let alone the ten or twelve more that were aired in the same block that no one had heard about (has *anyone* heard of Crush Gear Turbo?) Not to say that the coverage these days is complete - far from it, actually, given the number of series I take interest in which have no translation at all - but things have been made a lot easier and convenient than before. With HK DVDs good subs are a privilege, not a right. =P That's something that's reserved for domestic releases.
Now if a domestic company puts out a crappy release (*cough*ADV*) then by all means, bitch about it. After all, those people are in the business to bring professional translations and adaptations to a paying audience. But HK sets will remain glorified fansubs (minus the one or two R1 rips, which I think are wholly unethical) for the time being, as they should be.
It's always slightly irritating to see someone (not saying the majority of people who invest in HK sets, just a few here and there) ragging on a set because it has a subpar job. Sure, Anime Studio does mostly crappy jobs. Unless they're the only studio to have put out a series, though, it's no real reason to waste energy on demeaning them; just get it from MI or AV instead.
As for incorrect translations, one really should remember that the people who do the work usually aren't native English speakers. They're on the other side of the Earth, and the fact that English subs even exist is something that should not be taken for granted. Looking through HK sets has given me at least three or four new favorite series which I never would've known about or have been able to afford had it not been for their existence.
But on the other hand, just because one can get sets for cheap doesn't necessarily mean one should. I firmly believe that one should support the companies who strive to actually bring a good translation of anime to the States. Yes, they have priorities, and one of them is to make money. However, if a domestic release is well-done, investing in it should be something that takes priority over complaining about the fact that a good HK set of the series doesn't exist.
To sound terribly old, I remember when HK DVDs weren't as prevalent, and anime fans had to scour obscure websites and trawl through VHS lists to try and find fansubs of a series they were interested in - let alone the ten or twelve more that were aired in the same block that no one had heard about (has *anyone* heard of Crush Gear Turbo?) Not to say that the coverage these days is complete - far from it, actually, given the number of series I take interest in which have no translation at all - but things have been made a lot easier and convenient than before. With HK DVDs good subs are a privilege, not a right. =P That's something that's reserved for domestic releases.
Now if a domestic company puts out a crappy release (*cough*ADV*) then by all means, bitch about it. After all, those people are in the business to bring professional translations and adaptations to a paying audience. But HK sets will remain glorified fansubs (minus the one or two R1 rips, which I think are wholly unethical) for the time being, as they should be.
-- "Your victory will be our bravery."