Fansub Review: [Commie] Dagashi Kashi (Episode 02)

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This post was written by Dark_Sage. He is Dark_Sage.

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Expecting anything approaching quality from the only group that thought the king from Dragon Quest III was a “monkey” would be an unthinkable mistake. Yet somehow I’m still disappointed.

Table of Contents

Release Information

Visual Quality

Script Quality

Results

 

Release Information

Episode details.

Release format: MKV (311 MB, 10-bit)

Woolseyness: Hard woolsey.

Encoding details: http://pastebin.com/4jATCQfY

Speed: Quick (<48 hours)

Translation style: “Thank god Mori releases first, cuz we wouldn’t have a TLC otherwise.”

 

External links.

Group website: http://commiesubs.com/

IRC channel: #[email protected]

 

 

Visual Review

Karaoke.

Opening.

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_00.53_[2016.01.25_00.06.36]

Webm link Not gonna waste your bandwidth

Rating: Meh.

 

 

Ending.

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_23.15_[2016.01.25_00.06.23]

Webm link Not gonna waste your bandwidth

Rating: Meh.

 

 

Typesetting.

There’s even less typesetting in this release than Funimation’s. Fansubbing 2016 is off to a great start.

Not typeset.

Spoiler for

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_01.34_[2016.01.24_21.46.18] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_01.35_[2016.01.24_21.46.31] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_02.36_[2016.01.24_21.48.38] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_03.34_[2016.01.24_21.50.38] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_03.38_[2016.01.24_21.50.16] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_03.49_[2016.01.24_21.51.37] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_03.56_[2016.01.24_21.51.49] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_04.03_[2016.01.24_21.52.00] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_06.10_[2016.01.24_21.54.57] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_09.02_[2016.01.24_22.05.16] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_09.08_[2016.01.24_22.05.45] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_09.36_[2016.01.24_22.09.48] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_13.00_[2016.01.24_22.19.43] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_13.28_[2016.01.24_22.20.18] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_17.38_[2016.01.24_22.30.23] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_18.11_[2016.01.24_22.31.11] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_18.12_[2016.01.24_22.31.15] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_18.15_[2016.01.24_22.31.04] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_18.52_[2016.01.24_22.32.18] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_23.42_[2016.01.24_22.43.39] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_23.54_[2016.01.24_22.43.59]

 

Typeset.

Spoiler for

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_01.59_[2016.01.24_21.47.06] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_03.08_[2016.01.24_21.49.33] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_03.28_[2016.01.24_21.49.59] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_03.41_[2016.01.24_21.51.21] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_06.43_[2016.01.24_21.55.39] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_08.22_[2016.01.24_22.04.22] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_09.07_[2016.01.24_22.05.34] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_10.04_[2016.01.24_22.12.48] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_11.48_[2016.01.24_22.15.23] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_11.54_[2016.01.24_22.15.37] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_14.27_[2016.01.24_22.23.15] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_15.05_[2016.01.24_22.24.32] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_16.21_[2016.01.24_22.28.23] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_17.04_[2016.01.24_22.29.29] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_18.48_[2016.01.24_22.32.02] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_20.38_[2016.01.24_22.34.57] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_20.59_[2016.01.24_22.35.39] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_22.05_[2016.01.24_22.43.05] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_22.06_[2016.01.24_22.43.12] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_24.07_[2016.01.24_22.44.20]

 

 

 

Script Review

Karaoke.

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_00.37_[2016.01.24_23.56.39] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_00.40_[2016.01.24_23.57.06]

Calling this a translation would imply Commie’s staff have any sort of familiarity with the source language.

 

 

Main Script.

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_01.40_[2016.01.24_21.46.40]

Credit must be given where it is due: in the entirety of humanity’s history, no one has been dumb enough to call a popsicle a “pop”… until this release.

At some point you’ve gotta wonder if Commie is just trying to make some deity disgusted enough to do a hard reset on humanity. Guess indirect suicide is the only way they’d find a way to not fail at it.

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_02.34_[2016.01.24_21.48.31]

Why would Commie have QCs when they clearly don’t even have editors?

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_08.01_[2016.01.24_21.58.30]

O-to-na-ni

It’s four syllables. Commie’s is six, and doesn’t even fit the mature dialogue concept that is the entire point of the line.

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_08.03_[2016.01.24_22.00.10]

If you thought Commie couldn’t make the last line somehow even worse, you must be unfamiliar with their work.

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_08.56_[2016.01.24_22.05.06]

Stuck alone and excluded? Dollars to donuts this is a xythar script.

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_10.28_[2016.01.24_22.13.17]

From having met a lot of Commie devs IRL, even if they looked like sugar tits here (lol), I’d only ever associate with them if that meant they were taking a shovel to the back of the head.

So no, we’re not friends.

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_11.15_[2016.01.24_22.14.25] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_11.29_[2016.01.24_22.14.50] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_11.42_[2016.01.24_22.15.09]

I get the sneaking suspicion Commie doesn’t know how to /comma.

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_15.37_[2016.01.24_22.26.29] [Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_24.00_[2016.01.24_22.44.09]

What convenient confirmation.

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_14.17_[2016.01.24_22.22.15]

“Something’s about to happen.”

It’s a simple editing change that would require more effort to explain than it’s worth, but this writing is so egregiously bad I couldn’t help myself.

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_14.31_[2016.01.24_22.23.36]

Just try reading this without despising whoever wrote it.

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_15.19_[2016.01.24_22.25.02]

Line doesn’t fit the time allotted. …or the scene, really. But that’s to be expected when you get guesslations from a group solely staffed by that guy.

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_15.20_[2016.01.24_22.25.07]

With lines like this, it’s no wonder people would rather wait to watch Funimation than fansubs.

Killing the scene like their parents’ dreams: Commie Fansubs 2016.

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_15.55_[2016.01.24_22.27.46]

I don’t think Commie knows there’s a difference between “catch a cold” and “catch cold”. Either that, or they don’t know what an umbrella is.

You’re right, it’s probably both.

[Commie] Dagashi Kashi - 02 [50A6FC8A].mkv_snapshot_19.37_[2016.01.24_22.33.22]

Ah yes, cartoon characters.

In good conscience, I can’t even hold this against the kids. With Commie, it’s reasonable to believe that their translator doesn’t even know what anime is.

 

 

 

Results

Watchability: Watchable.

Visual grade: C

Script grade: C-

Overall grade: C-

With just a cursory glance, basic spelling, grammar, and translation mistakes have been made in each of Commie’s Dagashi releases. Technically their releases are tolerable, but you’d have to be pretty stupid to consider them good.

ESLs, especially, should avoid Commie’s offerings, as they only teach bad English. Or maybe y’all could join Commie instead. Certainly would be an improvement over whatever bed shitters they’ve got now.

 

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49 thoughts on “Fansub Review: [Commie] Dagashi Kashi (Episode 02)”

  1. We all know Commie only picked up the show because they were jelly of Mori getting a metric fúcktonne of downloads and accolades for his release.

    Reply

  4. Have you never heard of ice pops? Popsicle is a brand name for that. It’s like if they wrote “sour candy” and you called them the dumbest in history for not calling it “Warheads”. In a series about Japanese snacks.

    They also didn’t mess up the adults part; that’s just you not remembering the immediately previous line, which was “Shall we become adults as well?” Hence the “adults?” reply. Perhaps you would have preferred a more literal translation? “Us, too… don’t you want to try becoming them? A-du-lt-ssssssssssssss?”

    Several of the signs pointed out really aren’t worth typesetting either. They’re basically background noise that you might passively take in. It’s like if you were Japanese and demanding 500 signs whenever a movie/show does a rotating sweep of Times Square.

    The excluded line is poorly written, but she does say “with your soft drink or tea, you alone can’t seem to fit in, and feel lonely”.

    Leaving “manga” or “anime” untranslated is generally less accurate than translating it unless they’re talking about the otaku segment rather than the mainstream market (or otherwise evoking “otherness” rather than natural familiarity). Not that you’d know the difference, uhohohoho.

    Other than that, though, another QUALITY review.

    (I haven’t actually watched the ep yet)

    Reply

    • Never heard of a Popsicle referred to as just a “pop” though. It always goes with the ice, hearing it as an “ice pop”. Though that may just be how we talked in the suburban north.

      Reply

    • Nobody in the history of ever has called a popsicle a pop. Pop is a carbonated beverage, like Dr. Pepper, or that Faygo shit that people of your ilk drink.

      I didn’t forget about the previous line, the issue is script continuity. Which they often try to overcorrect by unnecessarily repeating dialogue.

      You can sidestep that Funimation has more typesetting in this show than a fansub group all you want. Doesn’t change a damn thing about it.

      If even you are capable of accepting something is poorly written, I’m not getting why you think it’s going to be a smart idea to defend their failure.

      You can talk about translation decisions all you want, but I’m gonna need to hear an actual argument, elsewise you may as well just scream at a mirror for all the good it’s gonna do.

      Overall I get this weird sense like you don’t want to be here, but desperately require some — any — sort of validation that you really are the special snowflake you wished your alcoholic, inbred parents thought you were. Maybe try another site, cuz your ill-informed, poorly reasoned arguments ain’t earning you shit here.

      Reply

      • tl;dr No u; details follow

        I don’t think anyone would introduce the subject of ice pops by just calling them “pops”, but when the subject of conversation is already about them, as it was between Kokonotsu and the kid, it’s not an issue. If they were talking about sodas and he said “Go ahead and take another can”, would you have an issue with it? No one just calls sodas “cans” out of the blue and expects people to know what they mean. Speaking of which, no one calls soda just “pop”, either, except from whatever crappy part of the US you’re from (read: somewhere that isn’t the Master Race East Coast).

        I dunno, I don’t see why you’re hung up on the word “adults”. In the Commie script, she asked a question, then emphasized the idea in a different way, then he repeated her original question back to her because that’s the first thing she asked. I don’t see the issue here. You might not like the route they chose to adapt the Jp word order and syllable thing, but there’s nothing overtly wrong about it, and they didn’t at all miss the “entire point of the line” as you claimed. Unless you don’t understand the connotations of “becoming a man”.

        Re: signs, while this release is certainly far from the pinnacle of anime subtitling work, I wouldn’t look to Funi as a gold standard for anything in general, let alone the number of signs they added subtitles for. There are plenty of signs in the Funi release that add basically no value to your understanding because either they are incompetent or they were handed down incompetent decisions from above.
        – For example, the summery-looking “ice” signs, which signify in the summer that shaved ice/ice pops are available for sale here. Did you get that meaning just from the word “ice” floating somewhere on screen for a moment?
        – “You won a free GoriGori-kun”, which is a reference to GariGari-kun (roughly, meaning something like “Crunch Kid”) ice pops. Did you get that from the subs? Or was it just noise? Did you want a TL note to that effect onscreen too? If not, what other value did the sign add? Were the dialogue and actions not clear enough to impart the important knowledge of the scene, which is that he won a free ice pop?
        – “Aji Curry” is already onscreen in English.
        – “Fue Ramune” (whistle lemonade [candy]) is entirely untranslated even though it comes up later in the same episode as a plot point. I guess maybe because it’s a real product name, but surely an explanation of what it means is in order if you’re going to clutter the audience’s viewing experience with a subtitle for it? Especially if it actually comes up again later in the same episode and the meaning of the name is very relevant to its role in the plot?
        – Similarly, “Bou-Kinako Ataru” (roughly, it means “soybean powder lottery sticks”). And there’s no excuse for “kinako” or “kinako-bou”, which are generic words rather than brand names. Commie fucked this up too but at least they *attempted* to translate it.
        – Similarly, “Namaiki Beer” (roughly, “naughty beer”).
        Do I need to go on?

        Re: excluded, I mentioned it because you appeared to take issue with the repetition or something. I just wanted to point out that this mirrors the Jp dialogue, even if it was poorly executed. If you were just ripping on Xythar, then never mind, that’s between you two :)

        Re: “anime”, I’m not sure why you think little kids in the West more typically watch “anime” rather than “cartoons”. Anime literally refers to animated works like, say, cartoons, and manga literally refers to comics. We’ve been over this before. Is your argument that since kids in Japan use the word anime to refer to their animated TV shows, it should be called anime in the translation? Is that your argument for any other word Japanese kids use that is usually translated into English? Or is anime such a special word with special meaning that it can’t be translated? Perhaps like “dagashi” or “kinako”, which Funi also decided was Too Special to Translate? Or are you just under the impression that “anime” is the best English translation, what with kids’ Saturday Morning Animes and all?

        Just to be clear, I’m not defending (most of) Commie’s multiple failures, but some of your criticism is misplaced or unfounded. I read your articles for the sick burns, and the burns sort of lose their sickness, if you will, if they’re not on target.

        Reply

        • Errata: My bad, I thought Commie referred to the powder as mochi powder. It seems they didn’t, so my criticism of them regarding that translation is unwarranted.

          Reply

        • There ain’t shit I can do for you if I give reasons for why lines are bad and you respond with “no cuz they’re not”.

          1. 1. Repetition without rhyme or reason is not quality writing.
          1. 2. Failing to beat officialsubs on one of the few marketing points that fansubs still had remaining is not laudable.
          1. 3. Nonsensical translation choices (that don’t even meet the dictionary standard that Commie once claimed to follow) do not benefit viewers in any way.

          Look, I’m glad you wanna ride my dick for my disses. I think any literate could understand the attraction. But if you’re this committed to defending bad English for the sake of what I can only determine is purile contrarianism… well, I think you may be overestimating your own position here.

          Have a nice vacation. And when you get back to read this, know that Saturday Morning Cartoons haven’t been a thing for years, my irrelevant friend.

          Reply

        • No actually anime is actually a valid translation of anime.
          You see in Japan anime just means cartoons but in the west anime refers to a specific genre of cartoons so when a character says anime and he’s clearly referring to japanese cartoons you are translating by using anime in your subs. Or you can be a retard and go for a literal translation which is what commie did.
          You can just read the above paragraph again for manga and comics. (The way you do that is replacing cartoons by comics and anime by manga in case you’re confused)
          I guess since you’re a retard the concept of loanwords is probably foreign to you so I anticipate you defending the translation of tsunami to ‘huge fucking wave’ soon.

          Reply

          • Damn weebs never learn.

            ‘Samurai’ should be translated as ‘knight’.
            ‘Ninja’ should be translated as ‘assassin’.
            ‘Karaoke’ should be translated as ‘Sing Along with Mitch’.

            Get it together, shitbird. We didn’t win no WWII just so’s we could pretend we’re all Japs now.

            Reply

    • >Several of the signs pointed out really aren’t worth typesetting either. They’re basically background noise that you might passively take in. It’s like if you were Japanese and demanding 500 signs whenever a movie/show does a rotating sweep of Times Square.

      P.S. This only applies to commie releases, we’ll criticize and bitch about anybody else not typesetting everything

      What is it with commie apologists always judging commie by a completely different set of standards. Is commie subbing the equivalent of special Olympics or something?

      Reply

    • Technically, I have all fansub releases in-scope for this season. Realistically, can’t say what I’ll actually get around to. Only wrote this one on a whim if that gives you an idea where my priorities are.

      Reply

  6. They were my group to go in the translation party and I don’t really mind shark and skiddiks translation style but Jesus, even if you ignore all your shitty nitpicking this is plain awful.

    That said, I don’t watch the show so whatever.

    Reply

  8. I think the third episode was the worst Commie had even though I spent laughing more over how stupid the subs were with stuff like “Even Satan couldn’t live in this heat!” and the dad going “Fuck my life.” It was a fine episode but somehow the subs had me just crackin’ in the worst way.

    Reply

  11. I wish you’d chosen ep3 for Commie instead. The script was even better (worse) as far as unnecessary characterization added to characters who are plenty interesting on their own and memes.

    Reply

  12. I don’t get the issue with writing “cartoon characters”. An anime IS a cartoon, unless you’re just being one of those elitists that gets offended if you even so much as suggest that.

    Reply

    • Exactly why use specific language when you can just be generic, right? After all isn’t that the whole point of translating and localizing? Being as literal and generic about it as possible to stay true to the Japanese?

      Reply

    • That might make sense but given the context of the scene, the Pogs(or whatever) have Japanese(or Japanese-looking?) cartoons on them, it would only be anime.

      The character could also have said “American anime” or “foreign anime,” etc.

      That’s just my interpretation off noticing the same thing you did, if you were watching it they wouldn’t be talking about cartoons or animation in general, they’d be talking about a specific subset of cartoons in the context of the scene.

      Reply

  13. DS, whenever (or if) you feel up to it, can you review Ajin episode 2v2 from Ganbarou. It’s my first time proofreading in subs and I think I did rather well… unless your verdict differs, of course.

    Reply

    • It’s way too easy.
      1) Ganbarou had many… and I mean MANY mistranslated lines, no typeset normal, no real correction.
      2) TenchouSubs is the same exact result as 1).
      3) Kami-FS has timing issues, sometimes certain sentences or parts doesn’t belong to where the appear. And sometimes they mess up the lines too.
      4) Underwater is pretty neat and well played, but sometimes lines are off. Not really belongs to there, because of the use of expression.

      Reply

  15. Try to take a sneak peek in Commie’s Dagashi Kashi episode 8’s comment section, how herkz defending the use of Fahrenheit instead of Celsius degrees.

    Otherwise, I’m pretty fed up with the Commie. Localising is one thing, but going full retard isn’t. I’m talking about using Twitch memes drawn in and the 6th episodes *khm-khm* extra line decorations. Unique but utterly disturbing. It’s more like jerking off to the “look what we can and will do” mentality.

    Reply

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