19 votes

The future of anime fansubs in a simulcast world

19 comments

  1. [7]
    clepins
    Link
    I, personally, prefer a good fansub to Crunchyroll's or Funimation's subs. It's a shame that many of the sites and groups I once followed have gone by the wayside as Crunchyroll and Funimation...

    I, personally, prefer a good fansub to Crunchyroll's or Funimation's subs. It's a shame that many of the sites and groups I once followed have gone by the wayside as Crunchyroll and Funimation have grown. Funimation, I recall, was known for placing a blurry filter over their shows and for having particularly horrible subs. Now that the streaming mega-corps have fully taken charge, there's not much to do but hope they improve.

    11 votes
    1. [4]
      Whom
      Link Parent
      I do as well, not only for the superior typesetting and such but I would rather have a translator's note trying to explain a hard to translate phrase, concept, or whatever over simply localizing /...

      I do as well, not only for the superior typesetting and such but I would rather have a translator's note trying to explain a hard to translate phrase, concept, or whatever over simply localizing / removing that part altogether, which I see far too often in official CR subs.

      7 votes
      1. [2]
        smoked-euch
        Link Parent
        Early Gintama subs were especially great because of people taking the time to explain the joke.

        Early Gintama subs were especially great because of people taking the time to explain the joke.

        1 vote
        1. Deva
          Link Parent
          Omg this. Episode 50 from official sources is a complete mess with zero note regarding cultural references. The fansub team's TL are not only superior but have every single reference mentioned...

          Omg this. Episode 50 from official sources is a complete mess with zero note regarding cultural references. The fansub team's TL are not only superior but have every single reference mentioned during each scene with detailed explanation post credit.

      2. Rem
        Link Parent
        Hulu is decent about including TL notes where necessary. I do wish they were there more often though.

        Hulu is decent about including TL notes where necessary. I do wish they were there more often though.

    2. Rem
      Link Parent
      Yeah. Netflix's subs were so bad for Violet Evergarden, for example, I said fuck it and decided to challenge myself by watching the raw. Surprisingly the raws aren't too hard to catch if you've...

      Yeah. Netflix's subs were so bad for Violet Evergarden, for example, I said fuck it and decided to challenge myself by watching the raw. Surprisingly the raws aren't too hard to catch if you've got a basic grasp of Japanese. Digressing, I'm surprised there isn't someone to check the subs just to see if subtle things were missed the first time around.

      1 vote
    3. Randomacts
      Link Parent
      I would compare the current simulcast official subs to the old 'speed-subs' that no longer exist. They are often low quality and have no extra style ect but they are out faster than a proper...

      I would compare the current simulcast official subs to the old 'speed-subs' that no longer exist. They are often low quality and have no extra style ect but they are out faster than a proper fansub release. With that said I will wait a few days every time for a proper fansub release over official releases as the video quality and sub quality almost always blow the official subs out of the water.

      The video quality being awful on crunchy ect is 100% crunchy's fault and easily fixable but the low quality with no style subs including a lack of TS ect is something that official subs also suck at but there is a lot of reasons that things are like this.

      On the other hand my fansub friends say that German official subs have releases on par with fansubs so it is clearly possible and I would finally subscribe to an anime service if fansub quality stuff was offered.

      1 vote
  2. [4]
    clerical_terrors
    Link
    One thing I never understood is why companies like Crunchyroll or Netflix never managed to integrate fansubbers into their business. Crunchyroll's origins are directly tied to that scene, which in...

    One thing I never understood is why companies like Crunchyroll or Netflix never managed to integrate fansubbers into their business. Crunchyroll's origins are directly tied to that scene, which in it's heyday often had multiple groups delivering some really high-effort subtitles. How come none of these companies ever thought to simply hire these people and let them continue doing what they were already doing?

    3 votes
    1. [2]
      Whom
      Link Parent
      This article discusses exactly that happening. A lot of translators are former fansubbers, I don't think it's a lack of talent holding them back. I imagine the reasons that level of quality and...

      This article discusses exactly that happening. A lot of translators are former fansubbers, I don't think it's a lack of talent holding them back.

      I imagine the reasons that level of quality and style haven't stayed around or improved with those people going pro are some combination of:

      • The strict limitations CR and others have on what they can actually do with their web players due to the tight grip of the licensors. CR couldn't even move away from flash until just recently.

      • The simulcasting grind really does not allow for extra time and flair. They've gotta pump that shit out fast, and from what I've read elsewhere, getting the scripts and video from licensors often has a lot of hiccups that make that schedule even tighter.

      • Device and (in the case of Netflix) service parity. Particularly in the case of Netflix, their service is on everything with a screen not called the Nintendo Switch, and I imagine they can't reliably assume these platforms will display anything other than text in one font and one size in one location, very little to work with.

      • Sub groups have heavily opinionated and distinct approaches to their work that don't fit the consistent, professional-looking experience that CR and the like want to show off. Translator's notes and other things look unprofessional even if they're more useful in some instances, so they sadly get ditched.

      6 votes
      1. Rem
        Link Parent
        Whatever happened to form follows function? A shame...

        Whatever happened to form follows function? A shame...

        1 vote
    2. moocow1452
      Link Parent
      I'd imagine if it was up to Crunchyroll, they would, but the production houses probably have a say if Fan Subbers were put on the payroll since an argument could be made that they are facilitating...

      I'd imagine if it was up to Crunchyroll, they would, but the production houses probably have a say if Fan Subbers were put on the payroll since an argument could be made that they are facilitating piracy.

      3 votes
  3. [2]
    Jealot
    Link
    A lot of the time Fansubs are better, tbh. For instance, Crunchyroll didn't sub Symphogear's songs initially, while Commie had them subbed. (And Crunchyroll didn't bother with the fourth season at...

    A lot of the time Fansubs are better, tbh. For instance, Crunchyroll didn't sub Symphogear's songs initially, while Commie had them subbed. (And Crunchyroll didn't bother with the fourth season at all, leaving everyone with no option but fansub)

    Fansub also releases when the show releases, meaning you don't wait months/years after release when Netflix has bought the rights to it.

    3 votes
    1. Randomacts
      Link Parent
      In Crunchyroll's case I believe the lack of insert songs and OP/EDs is normally for 'legal reasons'. Fansubs simply do not need to wait for permission to translate songs so that is a non-issue for...

      In Crunchyroll's case I believe the lack of insert songs and OP/EDs is normally for 'legal reasons'. Fansubs simply do not need to wait for permission to translate songs so that is a non-issue for them.

      It is worth noting however even if official subs do get past the legal barrier they are always plain compared to what fansubs do with kara. Symphogear's insert songs are a great example of how great a fansub can make an insert song's kara and you just won't see that in official subs.

  4. [3]
    masochist
    Link
    Forgive the newb question here, but is it basically required to torrent your anime or have physical copies (and use a player like mpv / vlc) to use fansubs? i.e. I can't do fansubs with streaming...

    Forgive the newb question here, but is it basically required to torrent your anime or have physical copies (and use a player like mpv / vlc) to use fansubs? i.e. I can't do fansubs with streaming services, yes?

    1. Randomacts
      Link Parent
      Yes this is true. Web players are not powerful enough to playback the stuff that fansubs do and it would be expensive to host ect. Some sketchy sites may sometimes use a shitty re-encoded version...

      Yes this is true. Web players are not powerful enough to playback the stuff that fansubs do and it would be expensive to host ect.

      Some sketchy sites may sometimes use a shitty re-encoded version of the fansub release but other than that it will almost always basically just be horribe subs like rips on those sites.

      1 vote
    2. collapsedblock6
      Link Parent
      Depends. I often see that older shows in streaming sites have fansubs (though of lower quality), but anything post-2010 seems to be CR rips.

      Depends. I often see that older shows in streaming sites have fansubs (though of lower quality), but anything post-2010 seems to be CR rips.

  5. Yome_sai
    Link
    Are kidding me? Amateur fansubbers.Look at commie and gjm then talk.You need to need which group do the right translations.

    Are kidding me? Amateur fansubbers.Look at commie and gjm then talk.You need to need which group do the right translations.