The dubbed version of The Persuaders!
英文はグリーブ氏にチェックしていただきました。正しい英語です。
About [Dandy2]
"Kenka nya tuyoi ga onna ni yowai.
playboy no Dandy2" (We are good at fighting but we have a soft spot for the ladies)
This is the preface which accompanies the theme tune.
In October 1974 “The Persuaders! (Dandy2)” was broadcast on Japanese television. For almost 30 years, the series was not screened again. But in 2003, The Persuaders! Once again returned to the television screen.
Strange as it might sound, the Japanese-language version was enormously enjoyable - even without watching the picture; and after each episode, the dialogue still soared. While we couldn’t recall the names of the actor’s, we distinctly remembered their lines.
(In 1974, Tony Curtis was popular in Japan but Roger Moore was unknown - until he gained fame after playing “007”)
In the Japanese-language version, the two characters call each other by nicknames (not Daniel or Brett). Additionally, the Japanese dialogue differs from the original, English-language, dialogue.
Danny speaks in a frequently unintelligible country dialect. The effect, throughout most of the series, is that audiences are entertained by a near-encyclopaedic catalogue of puns, adlibs and skillful wordplay.
As an example, observe the following interchange from “Greensleeves”:
ENGLISH-LANGUAGE ORIGINAL
Danny: (to Brett) can I ask you a question? Why do we have to break into your own place?
Brett: All in good time
JAPANESE-LANGUAGE DUB
Danny: Nandatte konna mane surunda?
Kokonchi ha tonosamanchi nandesyo.
(why do we have to do this? This is your place)
Brett: Uraguchinyuugaku ha konogoro hayaridesyo.
(We enter school by the backdoor these days.)
The change in dialogue is a comment on Japanese social conditions.
Now, to the contribution of the “voice” actors.
Taichiro Hirokawa, the voice of Danny Wilde, is one of the most experienced Japanese voice actor’s. He has often dubbed Tony Curtis throughout his career. Many people think that his voice is perfectly suited to Tony Curtis. But compared with Tony Curtis own voice, Hirokawa’s is of a higher pitch. His voice is a typical handsome man‘s voice. He speaks in dialect and often delivers “gag” lines in a high, sweet register.
Isao Sasaki is the voice of Brett Sinclair. Though Sasaki is now accepted as the voice of Roger Moore, he was an unknown voice actor in 1974. His voice shares many of the characteristics of Roger Moore’s. Brett Sinclair is a personage of noble blood who’s nickname is “TONOSAMA”. As implied by the name, his manner of speaking sounds ‘old world’ and archaic.
(As an aside, if any readers have ever seen the Japanese anime called “Space ship Yamato”, Isao Sasaki sings the theme song of the movie; Taichiro Hirokawa, dubbed Mamoru Kodai. (Isao Sasaki dubbed David Hasselhof in “Knight Rider” and Sylvester Stallone’s “Rocky”)
about YAMATO,Click the following URL
http://www.bandaivisual.co.jp/yamato/
Isao Sasaki website: http://www5c.biglobe.ne.jp/~isao/
Taichirou Hirokawa;
http://www.movienet.co.jp/QK/waist/voice.html
(he is on woman's left)
Of course, neither Danny or Brett are Japanese. But despite the characters being of American and English origin, Japanese audiences happily accept them as natives.
Place names, food dishes and descriptions unique to Japan are skillfully and successfully worked into the scripts to lend a truly-Japanese flavour to the series. Danny mentions “Konnyaku” (alimentary yam pasta), “Setonaikai” (Seto Inland Sea) and “Kappa” (creature of fancy that has a dish on its head) - which are only a few of the many examples which firmly set Dandy2 within the geographical and cultural boundaries of Japan. Of course, we as an audience know that American Tony Curtis would not actually say such things, but Taichiro Hirokawa’s delivery is so perfectly suited to Tony’s angelic expression and comic turns, that audiences more than willingly suspend their disbelief over such an apparent incongruity .
As a result of their excellent voice talents, Hirokawa + Sasaki actually became more popular in Japan than Curtis + Moore.
I’ve heard that quite a few people tried to imitate Danny’s way of speaking.
In Japan, Dandy2 has been hailed “the legendary dubbing”, “monument of dubbing” and “greatest of all dubbed version”.
A few critics have dismissed the programme as a loose translation and lament the decline of the Japanese language. I disagree. For my part, I think the dialogue, especially the ad-libs, exhibit a marvelous usage of language, a uniquely Japanese figure of speech and a strong appreciation and respect of, and for, our native tongue.
I’d like to convey the meaning of these words,phrases.
For their lines,please read the following page.
It is indeed difficult to fully translate the flavour of Danny and Brett’s interchanges.
I'd like to try my best to extend the nuances of the Japanese language. I hope that this page is of some use.
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