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In the early 2000s, when the anime industry was rising, it witnessed an unprecedented experiment in dubbing that left a stamp on localization practices. The Japanese seriesGhost Storieswas given new life through a controversial English dub that pushed the boundaries of creative licenses to their absolute limits.
TheGhost Storiesdub, produced by ADV Films, became a cautionary tale for Funimation about the importance of oversight in localization. Even then, the series has been a truly one-of-a-kind anime that turned into an unforgettable so-bad-it’s-good classic, primarily because of gigs, bad language, and humor that made for both fans and non-fans.
A Blank Cheque forGhost StoriesCreativity
The original series had already performed poorly in Japan, and its plot and unremarkable animation offered very little appeal to Western audiences. In a bid to salvage the project, ADV made an unusual decision; they gave their voice actors and writers full freedom to rewrite the script, with only minimal constraints.
All the while adhering to the basic plot structure and character names, the English dub team transformedGhost Storiesinto an irreverent parody filled with improvised dialogue, pop culture references, and humor that pushed well beyond the boundaries of what was typically acceptable in children’s programming.
The creative attitude led to a dub that was radically different from the original. The characters were given entirely new personalities; the protagonist became foul-mouthed and arrogant, her younger brother was rewritten as mentally challenged, and a psyche character was reimagined as a zealous born-again Christian. The voice actors also seized the opportunity to ad-lib extensively, which resulted in a script rife with adult humor and self-aware jokes about anime tropes.
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The dub’s content was often shockinglyinappropriate for its target audience, which included sexual innuendo, religious and racial stereotypes, and language that would make most censors blanch. Its experiment was not without its consequences. The controversy surrounding the dub might have led many distribution companies, including Funimation, to reassess their localization process.
Funimation Setting Boundaries in Dubbing
Even thoughFunimation was not directlyresponsible for theGhost Storiesdub, the controversy may have acted as a wake-up call. The company, which had been steadily growing its presence in the North American market, recognized the need to establish boundaries for its dubbing processes to avoid similar controversies.
With the inclusion of closer collaboration with Japanese licensors, it ensures that dubbed versions remain true to the spirit of the original works. Sticking to that,Funimation has given out someof the most popular Japanese anime in English, includingMushishi‘s dub,Cowboy Behopdub, and many more.
The company has recognized that while some degree of localization was often necessary to make anime accessible to Western audiences, it should not come at the cost of completely changing the original work’s intent or tone.
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Generally, it was due toGhost Storiesdubbing that gave it an enduring recognition even after so many years. Moreover, they experimented with their freedom of power to transform the project for a new Western market, they crossed every limit for a more nuanced approach. Modern-day fans may never see another dub quite like it anymore that challenges localizing the original series.
Ghost Stories Dubis available to watch on Crunchyroll.
Akihito Chakma
Articles Published :165
Holding a Master’s degree in English, Akihito is a dedicated Content Writer at FandomWire. He has a keen focus on the ongoing anime series, classic series and new releases. With his passion for anime and writing skills, Akihito keeps fans informed and entertained through his work.
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