Accents in Dubs
One of the most touchy subjects of dubbing is the use of accents. Just like there are fans who object to dubbing of any kind, there are those who also have a fuss to make whenever a character is given an accent, for any reason whatsoever.

This argument is not totally worthless. In some programs, like "Demon City Shinjuku", where there are clearly only Japanese people, then it would seem disastrous to give each characters accents for any reason, as the dub by Manga UK does. Likewise, for a series that sets only in one European country, then accents can be distracting.

However, there are certain shows that set in more than one region of Europe. Some of them may involve traveling around the world, getting involved with people of different nations. In such a show, the use of different accents is more than justified, and, if done well, can add an extra depth of color to the series. One such series is "Nadia--The Secret of Blue Water." Its characters come from all different corners of the world. As such, giving the characters accents is more than ideal; it's appropriate. This works especially well for the crew of the Nautilus, who are all survivors around the world.

It's also important to note that there are two different dubs of "Nadia". One was produced by Streamline, but only the first eight episodes were dubbed, and the accents, notably that of young hero Jean (the French kid with the glasses and the good heart), often verged on the cheesy side. Needless to say, fans were very negative.

The other dub is the one which is currently available, provided by ADV's much missed Monster Island studios in Austin, Texas. In this dub, the accents are more polished and genuinely believable, but what ultimately makes the dub a treat is the casting of actual children in the roles of the three young protagonists. And while the boy who plays Jean still has to put on a French accent, as the show progresses, it grows on you, either because he improves or you just grow accustomed to it. This issue aside, the dub exudes an intagible charm of realism and liveliness; the actors relish their characters and give delightful performances.

That said, "Nadia"'s dub by ADV often doesn't get the recognition it deserves. While the dub received a successful premiere at A-Kon in Texas and has its fans (me included), there are those who believe that it is inferior to the Japanese track and should be avoided. (One such example is in a recent review by DVD Talk.) This is unfortunate, because I have found the dub to be one of the finest ever made, and in many ways, it goes beyond its native language track.

This isn't to say that there aren't any dubs where accents can be annoying; [i]Love Hina[/i] and [i]Demon City Shinjuku[/i] were unfortunate victims of careless accents.

But sometimes this adverse reaction of accents can go too far; it can often lead to an unjust maligning of a good dub.

I write this because I sometimes find the idea of dismissing dubs simply because of accents in shows that require them ludicrous. What do you guys think?