First Dubbed Episode of Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica to be Streamed in 6 Countries

by Florete
Feb 2, 2012 3:31 PM | 56 Comments

According to Presepe, the first English-dubbed episode of Mahou Shoujo Madoka★Magica (Puella Magi Madoka Magica) will be streamed via the Nico Nico Live Program on February 10th at 11:30 pm EST. The episode will be available in Japan, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

Also included will be a special feature with English voice-actresses Christine Marie Cabanos (Madoka Kaname), Cristina Valenzuela (Homura Akemi), and Cassandra Lee (Kyuubey).

Source: Presepe

English Dub

20 of 56 Comments Recent Comments

I actually liked the dubbed version. Probably because I never watched the subbed version so I never got used to that.

No matter how good or bad a dub is, if you hear the subbed over and over, you're more likely to hate it just because it's different.

Jun 22, 2012 8:07 PM by Zfish9

Haters gonna hate. Thank the anime gods that half these dub-haters don't pay for anything, so their opinions don't account for anything.

That being said, I don't know who any of these english VAs are, (I have heard *of* crisvee, but still don't hear any of her work.)

Jun 19, 2012 8:01 AM by highfyrebright

So... I didn't really watch the show. I just listened for the voices while reading the stream comments.

ANYWAY.

Kyuubey - Bad. Baaaaaaaadddd. Bad.
Madoka - Really hit and miss. Sometimes, she seems alright. But most of them, no. Her voice got too high at points.
Sayaka - Seems alright. Want to hear more, but I approve for now.
Homura - Undecided. Seems a little better than my first impression, but I'll withhold a final judgment.
Mami - Her voice seems like she's trying to hard; it sounds fake and forced.
Side characters - Good. Especially the teacher and Madoka's brother.

All in all: Will undoubtedly stick with Japanese. Not as terrible as I thought, but still not very good. Not worth watching.

Feb 11, 2012 11:57 PM by DraconisMarch

Couldn't watch it because it kept on saying "Loading" on mine. Guess I won't be watching any anime that is live stream anymore.
Might as well wait until Monday since I pre-ordered the DVD a while back and it's being delivered to me on that day.

Feb 11, 2012 11:00 PM by animelly

I don't have much to say about the Clannad or Madoka dubbed since I've only seen clips of each and it can take a few episodes a VA to ease into their role, but it is true that watching the subbed version first makes a big difference.

Personally I think these are all top-notch dubs, both by translations and voices. There's a lot more I enjoy, but it could just be personal preference in some cases.

Baccano!
Eden of the East
Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
Ouran High School Host Club
Fullmetal Alchemist (not Brotherhood)
Darker Than Black
Black Lagoon
Golden Boy (more of a joke dub, but it's a comedy, so it makes it even more hysterical)

Feb 7, 2012 3:56 AM by Salinga

Redfoxoffire said:

This is rather interesting since most people think Clannad's dub is bad, even dub fans. I myself think it's somewhat mediocre and disappointing from Sentai.

I thought it was actually great. Although I didn't really like this one characters voice, but she was only in one episode so it was alright. Another problem is that they pronounced names wrong here and there. Despite its flaws the dub overall is great and it still made me cry just as much as the Japanese version so Sentai must have done something right also David Matranga's voice for Tomoya is hgggggnnn. I have no regrets for refusing to buy the subbed version and waiting patiently and hopefully for the dub.

Feb 6, 2012 12:26 AM by Roloko

DraconisMarch said:
Define "new dub."

Dub comes out for a show you've previously seen subbed.

Skirt said:
This is good news for me, I was interested in the series and prefer the dubs to subs so I'll be checking this out. Thanks for sharing. :)

No problem.

Feb 5, 2012 11:51 PM by Florete

Redfoxoffire said:

destructo22 said:
lol dub hating in here

This is why I was hesitant to post it. It always happens at a place like MAL.

This is good news for me, I was interested in the series and prefer the dubs to subs so I'll be checking this out. Thanks for sharing. :)

Feb 5, 2012 11:30 PM by Skirt

Redfoxoffire said:
New =/= bad, not necessarily. It may even be a good thing because we've never heard the voice and have no other character to connect it to.

True, but generally, lack of experience is not a good sign. Only inexperienced VAs I've seen to date that were actually really good were Newton Pittman and Lindsay Seidel (Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom), and even then it took Mr. Pittman some time before he really started bringing Zwei to life.

Redfoxoffire said:
And come on, Kyouko had like one line in that trailer. Withhold judgement for now, sheesh.

Yeah. And it was one line that literally made me cringe at how badly delivered it was/bad it sounded.

Redfoxoffire said:
You've made your point that you support dubs, but one thing you have in common with the anti-dub fanbase is this obvious pessimism for a new dub.

Define "new dub."

Redfoxoffire said:
Would you like me to list these minor problems or leave it be?

I'm kind of scared it might ruin my opinion about it, but I'm slightly curious. If you'd like to PM me about it sure--but keep it vague/general at first and don't point out specifics (on the first go). I'll decide afterwards if I want specific examples.

Redfoxoffire said:
Ah, that would do it. I had some fun over there, too.

Yeah... Let's call it that...

Feb 5, 2012 11:06 PM by DraconisMarch

DraconisMarch said:
]Well, none yet. Because I just recently got really into anime this summer, so I haven't really been around long enough to watch something as it aired in Japan and then be released in English later.

Well then, consider that a likely possibility.

Even of the VAs have much more capability than what is shown in the trailer, the only voice that fits is Hiromi's. Everyone else just sounds retarded--especially Madoka. (And Kyouko's VA sounds like she has no talent whatsoever. *Checks resume* Yup. She's a noob. Like pretty much the rest of the cast.)

New =/= bad, not necessarily. It may even be a good thing because we've never heard the voice and have no other character to connect it to. Only if it's good, of course. And come on, Kyouko had like one line in that trailer. Withhold judgement for now, sheesh.

You've made your point that you support dubs, but one thing you have in common with the anti-dub fanbase is this obvious pessimism for a new dub.

I'm sorry to hear you feel that way. Agree to disagree.

Would you like me to list these minor problems or leave it be?

Lol no. You probably just recognize me from the Guilty Crown forum. I became rather infamous over there.

Ah, that would do it. I had some fun over there, too.

Feb 5, 2012 10:35 PM by Florete

Redfoxoffire said:
How often do you watch - and like - a dub after having already seen the show subbed? Because I find that's most of the reason people think dubs sounds terrible. They are too used to the Japanese voices. It happens to me, too. I thought the trailer sounded weird/bad at first, but the more I listened to it, the more it grew on me and now I think the dub ought to reasonably good.

Well, none yet. Because I just recently got really into anime this summer, so I haven't really been around long enough to watch something as it aired in Japan and then be released in English later.

Redfoxoffire said:
But I hope you don't think you can judge the whole thing based on the trailer. Not that I'm saying you are.

Redfoxoffire said:
It's true. I mean I love Clannad (It's only my #1 favorite anything entertainment of all time), and there are no major problems, it's just a bunch of little things that add up.

I'm sorry to hear you feel that way. Agree to disagree.

Redfoxoffire said:
Btw, I recognize your name. Did you post regularly in the Sub vs. Dub topics?

There are sub vs. dub topics? Sign me up!

Lol no. You probably just recognize me from the Guilty Crown forum. I became rather infamous over there.

Feb 5, 2012 10:26 PM by DraconisMarch

DraconisMarch said:
You obviously missed the part where I said I'm for English dubs. To expound upon that, I'll pretty much always watch in English if it's available. So no, I'm not "anti-dub."

How often do you watch - and like - a dub after having already seen the show subbed? Because I find that's most of the reason people think dubs sounds terrible. They are too used to the Japanese voices. It happens to me, too. I thought the trailer sounded weird/bad at first, but the more I listened to it, the more it grew on me and now I think the dub ought to reasonably good.

But I hope you don't think you can judge the whole thing based on the trailer. Not that I'm saying you are.

http://i.imgur.com/P05dz.gif

It's true. I mean I love Clannad (It's only my #1 favorite anything entertainment of all time), and there are no major problems, it's just a bunch of little things that add up.

The other dubs you listed are all good, though.

Btw, I recognize your name. Did you post regularly in the Sub vs. Dub topics?

Feb 5, 2012 9:34 PM by Florete

Redfoxoffire said:
It doesn't sound amazing, but terrible? That's overreacting (but normal for anti-dub fans). And it's just a trailer anyway. It doesn't have any of the "big" scenes.

You obviously missed the part where I said I'm for English dubs. To expound upon that, I'll pretty much always watch in English if it's available. So no, I'm not "anti-dub."

Redfoxoffire said:

Clannad's English dub is probably the best English dub I've ever seen.

This is rather interesting since most people think Clannad's dub is bad, even dub fans. I myself think it's somewhat mediocre and disappointing from Sentai.

Feb 5, 2012 8:55 PM by DraconisMarch

DraconisMarch said:
Nonononono.

I'm normally all for English dubs, but this sounds fucking terrible.

It doesn't sound amazing, but terrible? That's overreacting (but normal for anti-dub fans). And it's just a trailer anyway. It doesn't have any of the "big" scenes.

Clannad's English dub is probably the best English dub I've ever seen.

This is rather interesting since most people think Clannad's dub is bad, even dub fans. I myself think it's somewhat mediocre and disappointing from Sentai.

Feb 5, 2012 7:58 PM by Florete

destructo22 said:
lol dub hating in here

Redfoxoffire said:

destructo22 said:
lol dub hating in here

This is why I was hesitant to post it. It always happens at a place like MAL.

Anyway, ANN's early review gave the dub a pretty good score, so I'll do my best to go in with an open mind. It won't be easy after having already watched it subbed twice.

Nonononono.

I'm normally all for English dubs, but this sounds fucking terrible.

Good blog post about the R1 release in general.

Omniknight said:

Salinga said:
It sounds like you're watching mediocre dubs.

That very well might be the case. Can you point me to some good ones?

Clannad's English dub is probably the best English dub I've ever seen. Also:

Baccano!
Kanon
Final Fantasy Advent Children
Code Geass
Spice and Wolf
Lucky Star
Haruhi Suzumiya

Just to get you started.

Feb 5, 2012 7:34 PM by DraconisMarch

I wonder how this will turn out?

Feb 5, 2012 7:19 PM by funkotaku

Omniknight said:
That very well might be the case. Can you point me to some good ones?

I will have to poke your argument that most dubs are average-good. Most of the mainstream anime series not on American television have dubs that want to bash your head into the wall and keep your head in there.

These don't work well coming from the same person. One thing is true: most dubs these days are average-good; most people on the internet just won't see them that way because the internet is heavily biased towards weeaboos and anti-dub fans. Someone like you can usually be shown a legitimately good/decent dub and you'd call it crap just because it's in English. And I don't mean that offensively (though it obviously isn't very flattering), it's just what I've come to know from my years on the internet. Anti-dub fans always go in already believing it's bad and just don't let it be good.

Feb 5, 2012 6:11 PM by Florete

Salinga said:

Omniknight said:
I'm sorry. But I'm just against dubs. It's not that the American voice actresses don't try, but they just can't pull off the same character vibe as their Japanese counterparts. What irks me the most is how the say Japanese names in English phonemes and it just sounds so unnatural...

Frankly, the Japanese voice actors convey far more emotion in their scenes. It's OK for anime like K-ON, but it destroys the atmosphere in a more plot-oriented, serious anime like Madoka.

It sounds like you're watching mediocre dubs.

That very well might be the case. Can you point me to some good ones?

mitch3315 said:

Omniknight said:
It's OK for anime like K-ON, but it destroys the atmosphere in a more plot-oriented, serious anime like Madoka.

If the K-ON! dub was ok by your standards I'd hate to hear a dub you think is bad.

Sorry, I need to correct myself here. I meant that for animes without much emotional pull to them, the quality of the voice work in my opinion is less important. It's hard to feel emotionally engaged in a scene when they say it in the most monotonous voices..

shadowtsunami said:

Omniknight said:
What irks me the most is how the say Japanese names in English phonemes and it just sounds so unnatural...

Frankly, the Japanese voice actors convey far more emotion in their scenes. It's OK for anime like K-ON, but it destroys the atmosphere in a more plot-oriented, serious anime like Madoka.

Just like how Japanese VAs almost always screw up english names right????

And Sometimes they convey TOO MUCH emotion. For example HOTD. The japanese VA try to make it way too serious for an anime that isn't in the slightest "serious". The english dub made it way more funnier and laid back which suited HOTD much better. There's a lot more examples like this.

Some people are way to bias and think most dubs suck because they pail in comparison to the original, without comparing them on their own. Dubs are for most of the time average to good, and most people complaining about that they suck haven't seen a badly dubbed anime before lol.

For instance I remember on Fairy tail scene, a guy complained saying that Erza said ""Ahhhaa" instead of "Kya", and another person came and said who says "Kya" in english, on top of that the whole entire scene was pretty much the same. But he focus on that one aspect saying that the dubbed suck. See what I mean, bias for no reason whatsoever.

Yes, most Japanese VAs make me cringe when they speak in English. But, often times, as we are watching Japanese anime, it is done for a particular reason such as highlighting a particular character trait, situation or simply for laughs. Also, we are talking about Madoka, an anime which has some pretty heavy emotions and themes. How the story is conveyed is important. Voice work is as important as anything else to pull the viewer into the world and to make it believable. In an anime like HOTD (ugh...), it was meant to be a giant joke so the VAs could do whatever voice they wanted to and it would not have detracted from it a single bit. I'd assume poor voice work made the anime "more funny" in this degree as you have mentioned.

I will have to poke your argument that most dubs are average-good. Most of the mainstream anime series not on American television have dubs that want to bash your head into the wall and keep your head in there.

Feb 5, 2012 5:23 PM by Omniknight

I'll watch it out of curiosity.

Feb 3, 2012 1:03 PM by soulless4now

shadowtsunami said:

octal9 said:
totally agree - h.o.t.d. seiyuu were amazing! one of the best anime in recent history - great mix of sexy, funny, and scary as hell!!!

I didn't say the weren't amazing. I'm just saying in some ways english dubs are superior especially during the funny scenes such as the bath scene in hotd lol. The only way in my opinion a dub is going to suck is when they completely change the animation, use VAs that wouldn't suit a paper bag or change the story *cough* 4kids *cough*

And I have been saying that for years, that we should have an anime channel dedicated to subs, I don't like watching them online because of the subpar quality (streaming), and I don't like downloading either lol. Takes me about 17 minutes to dl 1 ep on an average connect, which just sucks because I could have the whole ep by then.

sub channel idea truly aweso

shadowtsunami said:

octal9 said:
totally agree - h.o.t.d. seiyuu were amazing! one of the best anime in recent history - great mix of sexy, funny, and scary as hell!!!

sub channel idea would be wonderful! i'm in the same boat with slow downloads and/or low quality, or unplayable-on-my-dinosaur-computer 10-bit encodes - also have to admit there are VERY occasionally some fairly decent dubs (i.e. - fullmetal alchemist, inuyasha, cowboy bebop, etc.) but only watched them in the past because of non-access to computer viewing + japanese language is the most beautiful and musical sound (just makes me happy to hear!)..........

Feb 3, 2012 9:06 AM by octal9

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