After quite a bit of Maker’s Mark, I found putting my BD player back into my computer to be a bit of a challenge. But I wasn’t about to skip this review, so I decided to forget the drive and just take pics of my TV instead. The results are… well, they’re results.

Table of Contents

Release Information

Visual Quality

Script Quality

Results

 

Release Information

The entire BD-DVD set only cost me $20. Good on Funimation for sensible pricing.

And uhh… that’s the release information. Pirate the show if you aren’t a buyfag, I guess.

Figure I can also use this section to throw in the disclaimer that I only took one (half-assed) shot of each screen, and the colors are completely off. If you want to blame Funi instead of me though, that’d be much appreciated.

 

 

 

Visual Review

I took video of the karaoke, but my filming skills make it look like the OP and ED were recorded to VHS. So let’s pretend this never happened.

Funimation takes the interesting path of providing English subs for the karaoke in one episode, and then a Japanese transcription in the next. They’ve been doing it like that for a while now and I still struggle to think of what audience they’re trying to pander to with that tactic. The easily bored? Help me here; I’m drawing a blank.

 

 

Typesetting.

With Funimation, typesetting’s limited to shoving a translation at the top of the screen, and then letting it linger for way too long.

This sign lasts for three screens, for example.

These were the only two signs I thought were cool, but they aren’t Funi style, so I imagine they were done on the Japanese team’s side.

Overall, the screens are pretty unprofessional — they distract the viewer from the subs, and dirty up the screen. I honestly don’t understand how Funi thinks this will help convince people that their releases are worth buying.

 

 

Other.

As far as timing goes, his release has more scene bleeding than a Tarantino flick. In the last two screens, none of the characters are even speaking.

 

 

 

Script Review

Main Script.

Don’t usually have too many problems with non-simulcast Funi scripts, but some of the phrasing/localizations here were awkward.

“Can’t be…” isn’t a line that her character would ever speak, let alone in this context. Try “That can’t be…”

What the hell’s a Junior Doctor?

When localizing honorifics goes wrong.

would/wouldn’t -> will/won’t

Me so comma deprived. Also, you’re looking for someone else here.

*Sotoba Village

He’s learning to speak, not learning to think.

“He won’t rise up?”/”He didn’t rise up?”

 

In general, nothing too big, but it coulda used a bit more polish. Not that I care too much, since I only switched from the English dub to the subs for this review.

 

 

Stupid Standards.

My main problem with Funi’s releases has always been their stupid fucking standards. They’re still following style guidelines made in the 90s.

Showing multiple speakers with double dashes? It’s not that hard to differentiate between lines with fucking font choices.

Using double dashes, while ignoring that they’re supposed to only be used as placeholders for an em-dash? Why would you keep doing this?

Italicizing Japanese words… Come on, what fucking purpose does this serve?

There’s a whole bunch of other generally stupid style choices in their releases, which makes it difficult to find the motivation to watch them. This picture symbolizes that, or something.

 

 

 

Results

Watchability: Watchable.

Visual grade: F

Script grade: B

Overall grade: N/A.

It’s not like you have a choice in subtitles when you’re buying a copy, but if you’re interested in archiving/watching the show in the best quality, I suggest something other than straight Funi blu-ray rips.

And yeah, Shiki’s well worth watching.

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