Miraclemile_Terry
Baby Clam
- Joined
- Jul 28, 2020
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Hi guys, I am huge fan of SpongeBob from Japan.
(Sorry My English isn't that good... )
I need your opinion for what they made changes to Spongebob in Japan.
I just can't accept what Nickelodeon JP did to SpongeBob.
They made Squidward VERY VERY OLD for entire seasons. And this change just destroyed the character entirely.
Please check this video ,
So that first they cast this very famous voice actor, Mr. Naya, ( he is amazing actor though ) and he plays Squidward sounds like he is over 70 or something.
And they translated Squidward's quotes in the comedic and typical old people talk ( which no actually people talk in the way)
Such as he calls himself "Washi", and he says "~ja" in every end of his line, which makes him audience guess he is 70~90.
The voice actor Mr. Naya died at 84 in 2014, so a new voice actor replaced the role and people describe his voice exactly sounds like the OLD Japanese squidward.
This is not the voice actors fault but the Nickelodeon Japan's fault,
when I heard the Japanese version Squidward, I was so shocked, I even felt sick about Japanese version SpongeBob.
My thoughts for the English original Squidward is so well designed, written and Rodger Bumpass's acting is amazing,
The reason people are fascinated by Squidward is that he works as a cashier at age of 30 ~40, but he has a dream he can't give up on.
The struggle and conflict gives the character charm and depth, and it makes the character believable. Also it makes the character somewhat special and relatable to each adult audience.
If Squidward is 70s ... things are different. Audience wouldn't easily give empathy for him.
Working as cashier at 70s sounds like a post retirement job, and it actually sounds fair for him.
Not giving up his dreams and him fighting against his high school rival at his 70s ? Audience would think "Give up and get over it already..."
So that unbelievably, last 20 years, Squidward has not be liked in Japan. Like, at all. He is just so ignored.
They remove Squidward from every merchandise, and they even cut him from movie trailers while every other characters has a moment to be introduced.
Of course, SpongeBob is targeted to little girls to teen girls in Japan so it is understandable this current old Squidward is not liked in Japan.
People draw him as a old-old guy in fanart, people seems like thinking Squidward is older than Mr.Krabs.
I HATE Japanese version Squidward so much... while English Squidward is my favorite character in the show. I even think he is actually attractive in English.
I watched some part of "The Two Faces of Squidward" in Japanese, and I was so disgusted ... he even sounds like he is a pervert.
70s ~80s guy feels happy about chased by girls is just so cringe, and it is just not working.
Secondly, they casted a female voice actor to play Patrick... he has squeaky high pitched voice, which doesn't make any sense and made all the great scenes of him UNFUNNY. This is one of the example, the Mayonnaise scene.
So I think they realized the choice was wrong, and they re-casted voice actor to male and made him to have lower voice. ( Still high to me compare to the Original but got better.) And the change of Patrick 's voice has actually has good reputation.
I am so sorry it became this long.
I am an animation major student and this is very important to me.
Since Nickelodeon Japan doesn't have website, I sent them a quick message on facebook, hasn't gotten response at all.
Thought of starting a petition, but since Japanese people don't understand English, people don't know the original Squidward would be 30 ~40s.
Since they made a change on Patrick recently, I feel there is still a chance.
It is mentioned in Wikipedia in Japan that "They made Squidward old in Japan version" So it is no just me...
What do you think I should do?
(Sorry My English isn't that good... )
I need your opinion for what they made changes to Spongebob in Japan.
I just can't accept what Nickelodeon JP did to SpongeBob.
They made Squidward VERY VERY OLD for entire seasons. And this change just destroyed the character entirely.
Please check this video ,
So that first they cast this very famous voice actor, Mr. Naya, ( he is amazing actor though ) and he plays Squidward sounds like he is over 70 or something.
And they translated Squidward's quotes in the comedic and typical old people talk ( which no actually people talk in the way)
Such as he calls himself "Washi", and he says "~ja" in every end of his line, which makes him audience guess he is 70~90.
The voice actor Mr. Naya died at 84 in 2014, so a new voice actor replaced the role and people describe his voice exactly sounds like the OLD Japanese squidward.
This is not the voice actors fault but the Nickelodeon Japan's fault,
when I heard the Japanese version Squidward, I was so shocked, I even felt sick about Japanese version SpongeBob.
My thoughts for the English original Squidward is so well designed, written and Rodger Bumpass's acting is amazing,
The reason people are fascinated by Squidward is that he works as a cashier at age of 30 ~40, but he has a dream he can't give up on.
The struggle and conflict gives the character charm and depth, and it makes the character believable. Also it makes the character somewhat special and relatable to each adult audience.
If Squidward is 70s ... things are different. Audience wouldn't easily give empathy for him.
Working as cashier at 70s sounds like a post retirement job, and it actually sounds fair for him.
Not giving up his dreams and him fighting against his high school rival at his 70s ? Audience would think "Give up and get over it already..."
So that unbelievably, last 20 years, Squidward has not be liked in Japan. Like, at all. He is just so ignored.
They remove Squidward from every merchandise, and they even cut him from movie trailers while every other characters has a moment to be introduced.
Of course, SpongeBob is targeted to little girls to teen girls in Japan so it is understandable this current old Squidward is not liked in Japan.
People draw him as a old-old guy in fanart, people seems like thinking Squidward is older than Mr.Krabs.
I HATE Japanese version Squidward so much... while English Squidward is my favorite character in the show. I even think he is actually attractive in English.
I watched some part of "The Two Faces of Squidward" in Japanese, and I was so disgusted ... he even sounds like he is a pervert.
70s ~80s guy feels happy about chased by girls is just so cringe, and it is just not working.
Secondly, they casted a female voice actor to play Patrick... he has squeaky high pitched voice, which doesn't make any sense and made all the great scenes of him UNFUNNY. This is one of the example, the Mayonnaise scene.
So I think they realized the choice was wrong, and they re-casted voice actor to male and made him to have lower voice. ( Still high to me compare to the Original but got better.) And the change of Patrick 's voice has actually has good reputation.
I am so sorry it became this long.
I am an animation major student and this is very important to me.
Since Nickelodeon Japan doesn't have website, I sent them a quick message on facebook, hasn't gotten response at all.
Thought of starting a petition, but since Japanese people don't understand English, people don't know the original Squidward would be 30 ~40s.
Since they made a change on Patrick recently, I feel there is still a chance.
It is mentioned in Wikipedia in Japan that "They made Squidward old in Japan version" So it is no just me...
What do you think I should do?
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