Fushigi no Umi no Nadia: Original Movie Episode 1 Discussion

What did you think of this episode?

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Mar 18, 2017 4:02 PM

ButtermeupScotty

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Dec 2016

THIS IS AN ANIME ONLY DISCUSSION POST. DO NOT DISCUSS THE MANGA BEYOND THIS EPISODE.
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Overall, it was somewhat enjoyable to see the characters again, but boy did they rush this movie. The animation quality was much worse when compared to the series, and most of the new characters and even some of the returning ones were really bland. Disappointed at how generic the movie was, I wonder if Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water will ever get a new installment in the franchise.

Mar 18, 2017 10:32 PM

JTurner

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Jan 2008

537

There was no major reason for Nadia to have a major movie sequel at all. The series had reached a proper conclusion. The fact that they didn't put any major effort into it was even worse. Wasting 25 minutes on just recaps (edited out of order) was a mistake, and the actual storyline feels pointless. In all fairness, this is MARGINALLY better than the Africa episodes and ep 26 (the worst episodes in the show IMO), but that isn't saying much at all. It's damning it with faint praise in every way.

I will say the dub remains great, though; inconsistent accents aside, I always liked the ADV dub cast -- they put a lot of effort and life into their characters. (The children and the Grandis gang, especially, are very well cast.) There's even a joke on Jean's admittingly shaky French accent, which is honestly the only time I genuinely laughed in the film.

HANSON: What is it about Jean that draws all the ladies?
SANSON: If you ask me, it's the accent.
GRANDIS: That accent's phonier than a three-pound note!
HANSON: I kinda like it.

Mar 19, 2017 12:44 PM

ButtermeupScotty

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Dec 2016

JTurner said:
There's even a joke on Jean's admittingly shaky French accent, which is honestly the only time I genuinely laughed in the film.

HANSON: What is it about Jean that draws all the ladies?
SANSON: If you ask me, it's the accent.
GRANDIS: That accent's phonier than a three-pound note!
HANSON: I kinda like it.

Now I'm kind of disappointed that I didn't watch the dub for the movie. Also, in a review I watched, the reviewer said that both the dubs for the series Nadia aren't that great, which is why I watched the show subbed. What is your opinion on this, and do you think the dub is worth watching?

Mar 19, 2017 1:32 PM

JTurner

Offline

Jan 2008

537

ButtermeupScotty said:
Now I'm kind of disappointed that I didn't watch the dub for the movie. Also, in a review I watched, the reviewer said that both the dubs for the series Nadia aren't that great, which is why I watched the show subbed. What is your opinion on this, and do you think the dub is worth watching?

Which review was that?

If you want to know a more detailed opinion on the dub, here's a link: http://animeenglishdubreviews.blogspot.com/2009/09/nadiathe-secret-of-blue-water-adv-and.html

But for the short version, yes, I do think the dub is worth watching. It gets flak from sone people since the accents are shaky in places, but the approach is understandable and the acting is very lively and exuberant, especially from the leads and the Grandis gang. Gargoyle and Nemo take some getting used to, as does Jean's French accent, but all three improve from day one. I actually prefer this to the Japanese version. The first eight or so episodes are sketchy as the actors try to decide where they want to go with their characters, but it gets much better as it goes on.

The Streamline dub, on ther other hand, isn't all that great -- the leads are nowhere nearly as convincing and while some voices are decent, I think the ADV dub gets the upper hand in terms of the casting of the leads. ADV's version used actual kids to do the lead roles, while the Streamline dub does not.

Again, the sometimes iffy accents are the only stumbling block, but the ADV dub is, in my opinion, underrated.

Also, there have been other critics that DID praise the ADV dub at the time. Here's some I dug up from the archives.

https://web.archive.org/web/20040423125438/http://www.akadot.com/article.php?a=33

http://namsoc.org/nadia-the-secret-of-blue-water-a-g-e-1/

https://web.archive.org/web/20081205190745/http://www.mania.com/nadia-secret-blue-water-collection-1-wcd_article_76107.html

So whoever told you the dub wasn't great... there are naysayers, yes, but there are fans as well.

JTurnerMar 19, 2017 2:08 PM

Mar 19, 2017 2:39 PM

ButtermeupScotty

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Dec 2016

[quote=JTurner message=50038115]

ButtermeupScotty said:

Again, the sometimes iffy accents are the only stumbling block, but the ADV dub is, in my opinion, underrated.

I agree with that.
I watched some of the 1st and 18th episode dubbed, and I can conclude that the dub is not terrible, but it does slightly change the personalities of some of the characters. If I ever watch the show a 2nd time I'll probably watch it dubbed.

Mar 19, 2017 8:06 PM

JTurner

Offline

Jan 2008

537

[quote=ButtermeupScotty message=50038840]

JTurner said:

ButtermeupScotty said:

Again, the sometimes iffy accents are the only stumbling block, but the ADV dub is, in my opinion, underrated.

You should. It's a very good effort for an ADV dub made in 2001-2002. IIRC, Marc Hairston did an extensive article on it detailing the decisions the folks behind it made in terms of casting the children and drawing the line of the accents. When I read that article, my respect for the dub shot up dramatically. Sadly, I've seen a fair amount of fans slamdunk it on account of the sometimes shaky accents, but this is a show that I've always loved dubbed unreservedly. (The island/Affrica episodes, on the other hand, I disliked, but that's another story.)

Still, glad to see someone else giving the dub a chance.

May 24, 2018 3:29 PM

RafaelDeJongh

Offline

May 2012

25828

As expected this really did not had any value towards the actual story and with the first third minutes also being a recap it's more like an extended ova episode than a movie. In general it was nice to see the characters again but I wasn't a fan that the Grandis team was profiled as being evil again even though we saw what went actually down in the future with all the members of this.

Still an okay movie in general, but nothing really that has added value to the main series.

Dec 30, 2018 11:32 AM

HibiChika

Offline

Jan 2013

2315

as someone who watched the motion picture first and skipped the actual series, i was at a complete loss with how they handled this mess of a recap and even questioned its necessity due to how i couldn't care less about the main story. however what ensued afterwards was okay and i don't see why people rate it soo low like their lives depended on it. in spite of the initiall mess of a beginning, i enjoyed the remainder parts of this movie and can strongly recommend it to any newcomer to the nadia franchise.

Dec 30, 2018 12:14 PM

ButtermeupScotty

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Dec 2016

The reason people rate it so low is because compared with the tv show it's just way worse and really does not need to exist as the story is concluded in the show.

Jan 4, 2021 5:57 PM

#10

Fukitsu

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Oct 2012

467

Please, Seriously I need to know how did you watch! I know it's no big deal, still I'm so curious to watch this!

Jan 5, 2021 11:23 AM

#11

ButtermeupScotty

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Dec 2016

Fukitsu said:
Please, Seriously I need to know how did you watch! I know it's no big deal, still I'm so curious to watch this!

https://9anime.to/watch/nadia-the-secret-of-blue-water-the-motion-picture.y3v1/ep-full enjoy dude

Jan 9, 2021 4:26 PM

#12

Fukitsu

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Oct 2012

467

@ButtermeupScotty

Thanks a lot, bro!! :)

Jul 17, 2021 11:42 PM

#13

Berry-Vodka

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Nov 2015

2044

omg this is awful... godawful. and also keep the tradition of showing up the girl's naked body =/ 1/10.

💢

Jun 30, 2022 9:37 AM

#14

Crack

Offline

Feb 2021

2347

No better way to start off a disaster than with a shitty 30 minute recap...jeeeez

Jul 4, 2023 10:50 AM

#15

ydhamuteki

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Feb 2021

After this movie, I'll probably have to rewatch episodes 35-39 so I can part ways with Nadia on good terms. 3/10

Mar 15, 4:34 PM

#16

AzafuseKingTora

Offline

Jul 2021

454

Story and animation feels like a mediocre Scooby Doo or Mazigner Z episode, atleast they kept everyone in character and I prefer Nadia as a journalist and writer than a housewife but they wasted so much time on a recap instead of developing the new characters who look like Lupin the 3rd rejects, we didn't even see Marie and King.

AzafuseKingToraMar 15, 4:39 PM

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Fushigi no Umi no Nadia: Original Movie Episode 1 Discussion

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