Re: The Official BBS VA Discussion Thread
Well this is assuming tetsuya nomura wanted Willa holland and worked with her. The english cast being star-dubbed is not my choice. It feels they were trying to show off. star-dub cast seems to work best in a comedy.
To me, if the VA's on the trailer sound good, it would give us an impression on how they will be voiced later on. I'm hoping they re-do Aqua's voice, but for now i'm going by the trailer. two lines were enough for me. there was a difference when megumi tayoguchi said she wanted to try on the glass slipper than when willa holland did. With megumi you can feel what she was trying to get at. The first time i heard that line, i felt aqua wasn't doing it out of shyness, but out of stalling, or being actiouss (however you spell that). In the englsih version, she simply sounded shy.
I dislike aqua's voice simply because she seems to be playing her role a little to feminine, and i have yet to hear some strength in her voice. You can disagree with me, or agree. but really, let's not complain about opinion itself.
You remember that in the BBS Ultimania that Nomura commented that he thought the english voice acting was good right? As pointed out via Derek Stephen Prince (Quinton Flynn was predetermined for Axel) that Kingdom Hearts goes auditioning style. Which means that some person including Nomura would be there to judge a voice to fit the right characters. So if Aqua's grunts sounded great you'd assume she'd be great? That's a real double standard considering we've only had about 5 minutes worth of Aqua scenes compared to the entire game length that is 45+ hours.
Wat? Have you SEEN/HEARD of the movie "The Expendables"(Bruce Willis, Jet Li, Terry Crews, Stallone Schwarzenegger, Statham)? (A.K.A. THEE BADASS MOVIE OF THE SUMMER!!!!???)
BOT: Star studded cast has always been a grand line of SE. Just look at how well they had done the Final Fantasy series. Of course there is going to be a difference between Megumi, and Willa. Different perspectives of characters go a long way, as with SE/Willa might've wanted to mold Aqua to her more strong feminine lead rather than that cutesty voice Megumi had Willa could be presenting the stronger side of Aqua. There are plenty more scenes in this game that are emotional that asking for a slipper, and that god awful fruit speech.
Doesn't her being "shy" point out that Willa isn't being a flat, deadpan, emotionless VA? Literally if you want emotionless, deadpan, and flat go watch/listen to Mena Suvari as Aerith. There are 2 side to every personality Megumi the cute Aqua, and Willa the strong badassery Aqua pulls off in this 45+ hour game.
Just look at the Final Fantasy XIII first english trailer: Everyone though it was dirt in voices, bu i turned out to be an earlier recording. Not o mention as I said before o he Jesse McCartney scenario. When people heard Roxas in english at first they cried, died, and moped. Nowadays it's a blood oath practically that must play him.
EDIT: Not all JRPG have good dubs. just look a Baten Kaitos, and.....ugh Chaos Wars. (I'd even throw a Tales of game in there, but Vesperia says no.)