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Ninja Gaiden 3 To Have Japanese And English Voice Tracks

By Ishaan . February 19, 2012 . 3:30pm

Ninja Gaiden 3 To Have Japanese And English Voice Tracks

Team Ninja have been showing Ninja Gaiden 3 off with English voice work, but the final game will have both Japanese and English voice tracks, they confirmed over Twitter this week.

 

Keeping with several of Team Ninja’s other releases, Ninja Gaiden 3 will let you choose from both voice tracks and subtitles. It’s slated for release on March 20th in North America and March 23rd in Europe.


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  • nyobzoo

    that’s great news

  • Dantis

    This is the first piece of good news I’ve heard regarding this game. I love Troy Baker as a voice actor (He was completely dead on for Vincent in Catherine.), but he’s not Hayabusa at all.

    • http://www.youtube.com/user/EnvyMizuhashi Garyuu

      He’s pretty Hayabusa to me. Besides, Ryu’s english voice changes every time, so who’s to say who the real Hayabusa is.

      • landlock

        I just started playing Gothic 4 and I can’t believe that a bunch of high-quality voice actors could produce such a bad voice track. (Troy’s the main character).

        Choice is always good, though I almost always pick english.

        • http://www.youtube.com/user/EnvyMizuhashi Garyuu

          I haven’t played that game, but I’m sure it’s due to bad directing.

    • Aoshi00

      Troy is one of my fav VAs and he sounds great in the upcoming Bioshock Infinite, loved his Vincent too (and the Eng localization overall).. I don’t know who voices Hayabusa in the Eng. Ninja Gaiden or if it’s always the same actor in all 3 games, in the Jpn ver it’s Hori Hideyuki (Ikki in Saint Seiya or Captain Ginyu in DB), he’s not very active in recent yrs though, but he has an old school manly voice :)

      • PrinceHeir

        all i know is that Josh Keaton(Young Ocelot MGS3, Portable Ops) voiced Ryu Hayabusa in both Ninja Gaiden II and Sigma 2.

    • vulturesandhyenas

      And you’re not tired of hearing the same 5 guys everywhere ? I mean come on, Catherine was the worst in that respect. I think ATLUS is the last big company to give players the language option and I’m really pissed at them because of it. By the way, it would approximately cost half a day of work to code the English subs in the JP version, just saying.

      • Dantis

         You’re referring to Troy Baker, Liam O Brian, Yuri Lowenthall and Laura Bailey in Catherine, right?

        Assuming so, then no, I’m not tired of them. In Persona and in Catherine, they were perfect for the roles they played.

  • Gatchaman1

    Well thats strange. They did this with this game but they refused to do it with Warriors Orochi 3? Very inconsistent KoeiTecmo….

    • http://www.youtube.com/user/EnvyMizuhashi Garyuu

      Do you really want Koei to spend their time and money on 120 english voices for 120 characters?

      • xXDGFXx

        why bother dubbing asian characters to begin with? that is the real question.

        “OMG! I’M IN JAPAN! IT MAKES SO MUCH SENSE THAT I SPEAK ENGLISH ALL THE TIME!”

        unless the settings are drastically different(not an actual location/different world), that makes no sense at all.

        • http://www.youtube.com/user/EnvyMizuhashi Garyuu

          Settings don’t mean a damn thing when it comes to localization. A dub is required in order for a foreign media to be released in the best way possible. It’s no different in anime, it’s no different in games either. However, there are a lot of circumstances that occur when considering a dub for a game. And no, companies like Aksys Games and NISA don’t release certain games and anime respectively because they’re set in Japan or whatever. It’s because they don’t have the right budget to merit a dub. Oh, newsflash: All countries have dubs of foreign media for exact same reasons, especially Japan.

          I’ll ask you the real question here: so long as there’s a Japanese audio option, is there really any reason for you to care?

          • vulturesandhyenas

            That’s actually not true. A lot of small countries don’t dub media, and every one gets used to it.

          • Gatchaman1

             budget

          • http://www.youtube.com/user/EnvyMizuhashi Garyuu

             Again, budget. I know a dude that lives in Brunei. That country’s distribution of new anime is pretty weak. It can’t even afford good translations, let alone a dub.

        • mikedo2007

          So when an anime take place in a non-Japanese setting, they supposed to speak Japanese right??

      • Gatchaman1

         As if they never did it before right? Why start now?

        Oh wait…

    • PrinceHeir

      i think it would be too much for a Samurai Warriors or Dynasty Warriors game.

      still at least we get the original voices :)

  • Solomon_Kano

    Thank goodness.

  • OneOkami

    I don’t remember for sure about Ninja Gaiden Sigma but I do remember Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 having dual audio so I expected this game to follow suit.

    • PrinceHeir

      Sigma 1 and Sigma 2 have Dual Audio :D

      played both last November 2011, sooo good :)

    • Ravage27

      Yea i remember being pleasantly surprised by the inclusion of japanese VO in Sigma 2 :)

  • MattForsyth

    why don’t these companies save their money and forget about dubbing things in english….dubbing is always awful

    • http://www.blackxino.blogspot.com Xino

      because not everyone has the same taste has you.
      I can tell when I listen to good voice acting and terrible voice acting.

      • MattForsyth

        I’m sure the modern warfare dubbing in Japanese is terrible as well.

        When someone creates art(films,animation,tv shows, video games, music, etc.) there are many different mediums used to create that art. Among many others, framing, lighting, color, editing, sound and acting. When the sound/acting is altered or over dubbed, the entire work of art is changed. This doesn’t just apply to Anime/video games, that goes for everything no matter what language it’s in.

        When you change an important aspect like the sound and acting. It changes the creator(s) vision. It also does a disservice to the original actors, who many times put their heart and soul into the project. Dubbing also has a notorious reputation of changing the dialogue, dumbing down the story, and just getting things wrong.

        These companies could take their limited budgets out of hiring foreign actors and put that money into creating new content or importing new content.
        This is my opinion, no one says you have to agree with it or fly into dub-nerd rage.

        • http://www.blackxino.blogspot.com Xino

          still disagree with your theory. (I don’t get half of it anyways:/)
          Just because a company dubs a movie/games/anime/art, doesn’t mean it would turn out bad or it’s simply a waste of time.

          All of Jet Li’s classic movies disturbed by Newline Dimensions had dubbing, and my god the person who dubs Jet Li’s voice is a tremendous actor, everytime I watch these movies I always think it must be Jet Li’s voice.

          And then watching a dub movie of Ong Bak shows how the company doesn’t care about the dubbing, anyone who watched the dubbing of Ong Bak would know the garbage dubbing I’m talking about.

          Apart from having a good voice that matches the character for dubbing, the actor/actress also needs to have a good timing when to speak, hold and stop to match the original character’s voice lisping and syncing. Also to add to good voice acting, actor/actress should not put too much exaggeration to the acting like trying to be “dramatic”. They need to be original so audience can believe this is the character’s voice and not to obvious that someone is translating/dubbing that character’s voice.

          And 90% of people of the world will still disagree with any theory you will come up with. why? because people don’t like reading subtitles!

          • MattForsyth

            like I care what 90% of the world thinks. lol
            and it’s not a “theory” it’s called an “opinion”. look it up

          • Locklear93

            Your original question asked why companies bothered with dubbing.  You may not care what 90% of the world thinks, but companies investing small fortunes in localization HAVE to care what 90% of the world thinks.

        • mikedo2007

          Yes but today’s dubbing don’t dumb down stuff like it was long time ago (even Japan did this too like Beast Wars: Transformers when Japan dub it).  Also let me ask you this do you watch anime based on western properties like Halo Legends, Batman: Gotham Knights, or stuff like that.  How are people suppose to watch this: subbed or dubbed?  Yes it would make sense to watch these anime sub because they’re made in Japan, but wouldn’t Master Chief and Batman sound strange in Japanese (wouldn’t it turn you off).  It would also make sense to watch it in dub, because Master Chief and Batman speak English but here’s the problem, you’re watching anime in English and you said you don’t want hear anime dubbed in English.  See what I mean, that’s why you can’t hate dub.  Mass Effect, Dragon Age are getting anime adaptation.  What happen if your favorite western game get a anime adpatation, how would you want to hear their character’s voice Japanese or English??  Also, several Japanese games has English dub recorded first then Japanese later like Lolipop Chainsaw, and No More Heroes (the Japanese dub came out on 360 and PS3 for Japan only).  Also do you have a favorite voice-actor, what if they do dub.  I found out several Japanese VAs that do anime do dub on western video game too.  Like I found out Mie Sonozaki who voiced Gertrude in Strike Witches voiced Dr. Tannebaum in Bioshock for the Japanese version and I was impressed how she captured the character for the dub.  Nolan North who voiced Nathan Drake voiced Madara in Naruto and I was proud for him of getting his first anime role. 

          • MattForsyth

            Apparently you didn’t read/understand my comment. I don’t want to see/hear someone elses interpretation of a performance. I want to see the original performance, unaltered. I don’t care if it’s Batman from USA or Akira from Japan, I want to see the original unaltered work of art. As the director and actors intended it to be. Get it? This is my preference, my opinion. All you dub fans prefer to watch your movies/anime dubbed, I don’t.

          • mikedo2007

            I don’t think you understand my last comment, I’m talking about anime that are of US-Japan coproduction, how do you watch a anime based on western properties, Japanese or English. What’s your favorite American superhero, what if that get an anime and it was dubbed in both English and Japanese? How do you watch it? Because you said anime should be watch in Japanese, but hearing your favorite superhero in Japanese would be weird and maybe a turn-off for you. I’m trying to tell you that dubs are not bad, as a matter of fact. What if your favorite VA (English or Japanese) does dub, don’t you want to hear their voice.

          • MattForsyth

            reply to mikedo2007
            I understood your comment and I think I addressed it but I’ll give you some examples. Princess Mononoke was dubbed in english by some big name hollywood actors (and I’m sure they did the best job that they could) I still watched it in Japanese because that’s how it was originally created.
            If an animated Batman show was made in Germany, I would watch it in German first.

            These creators/directors/actors took the time to make a film and the least I can do is give the original version a chance. It doesn’t matter that my favorite actor may have provided his/her voice for the english version. I will always try to see the original first.

            I’m not trying to piss people off, just giving my point of view.

    • mikedo2007

      Japanese voice acting has their share of horrible voice acting too.  Modern Warfare 2 when Square Enix dub it in Japanese was not well-received.  You can watch it on Youtube.

      • Aoshi00

        It depends.. for Hollywood movies, most of the dub are quite good, and one movie is usually dubbed multiple times, when being shown on TV or released on DVDs.. If you watch the Seven blu-ray, it has 3 ver of Jpn dub.  I don’t know about the MW Jpn dub, but the MGS series has always been awesome w/ its veteran cast.

      • xXDGFXx

        you should re-read what he said: ”
        dubbing is always awful”

        he never specified a language. he previous statement was for companies that bother to dub at all, or japanese companies that dub.

        • mikedo2007

          When I meet people like him, these people piss me off when they say English dub suck, yet they never criticized JApanese voice acting.  There’s no such thing as best acting ever.  bad voice acting exist everywhere, no exception that include Japan.

      • venomryu

        wow some one to who things that Japanese can gave bad voice over it piss me off who people think all eng dubs are bad

    • Triforce of the Gods

      Because I prefer to actually watch things and hear in my native language. I use subtitles anyway, but I don’t want to concentrate on them more than just for when I can’t hear a line because other people think the Japanese voices sound better.

    • Locklear93

      Simply put, because dubbing is not always awful.  Dubbing may always rub you personally the wrong way, or it may never be to your liking, but that doesn’t mean it’s awful.

      To more directly answer your question, “Why don’t companies save their money and forge about dubbing things in English,” because it moves units.  There are people who prefer dubs, and there are people who will flat out not watch something subtitled.

      • MattForsyth

        “Dubbing may always rub you personally the wrong way, or it may never be to your liking, but that doesn’t mean it’s awful.”

        Actually it does. That’s why it’s called an opinion. Another way to say it is “I think it’s bad and a waste of money.”

        Have you ever looked at how many people it takes to dub film/anime/game?
        It takes a lot of resources.
        It’s a lot of time and money that could be used to make more content.

        If Ninja Gaiden 3 was in Japanese only, would you return it? Or boycott Tecmo because they made you read a few lines in the cut scenes?

        • Locklear93

          A lot of people wouldn’t buy it in the first place if it weren’t dubbed. Plain and simple. To people who are buying it JUST for the plot, and don’t value the original recording, not having a dub track is often a deal breaker.

          I’m not saying you’re wrong not to like dubs. I am very comfortable, however, saying you’re wrong that it’s a waste of money. If just doing the subs improved margins, more games would be released Japanese only. I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve heard say, “I don’t want to read what I’m watching.” I don’t have access to hard figures, but it’s not hard for me to believe publishers who choose to spend the time and money on dubs, and manage to stay in business doing it, have some clue in the matter.

          On a personal note, I don’t care for dub tracks in anime. In games, especially action games, I prefer them. It lets me pay attention to what I’m doing, and I never have to worry about a missed line. That said, I turn subs on even in games that were English in the first place.

  • http://www.facebook.com/sebastian.n.insua Sebastiàn Gómez Insúa

    Both Sigmas had dual audio, and If I remember correctly, even the original NG for xbox had japanese audio…so…

    • PrinceHeir

      yup2 :)

      im glad this is the case for this game.

      judging by Ryu’s voice in DOA5. he’s definitely the same guy that voiced the original xbox games and sigma series :)

      i wonder if DOA5 will have Dual Audio too(it should be)

      definitely a wonderful news :)

      • Aoshi00

        I prefer the Jpn cast being more consistent though, Hayabusa has always been voiced by Hori Hideyuki (original Ikki from Saint Seiya, Captain Ginyu, he’s actually kinda semi-retired).. and Jpn Sonic has always been voiced by Kanemaru Jun’ichi, in Eng it’s like a different actor for every Sonic game..  but yea, Ninja Gaiden has always been dual audio just like all the Sonic games..

        • z_merquise

          I always remember Hideyuki Hori as Schwarz Bruder of G Gundam (first heard his voice in Super Robot Wars F in PS1) then as Sho the Ninja Commando in Namco x Capcom. And recently, as Ryu Hayabusa of Ninja Gaiden / Dead or Alive.

          Man, that’s 3 different bad-ass ninjas in a same voice.

  • Souji Tendou

    Having Dual audio won’t save the game. :p

  • Nitraion

    For Ninja gaiden I prefer Jap Dub..
    But for MGS I prefer Eng Dub…
    Yep depending on Story setting i guess

    • http://www.facebook.com/sebastian.n.insua Sebastiàn Gómez Insúa

      exactly, nobody wants a ninja, a samurai or a yakuza speaking english…just like nobody wants a… let`s say… a cowboy… or any occidental looking guy speaking japanese.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PUYAXZXJPCELCC2CI3OZUN5NDA jak

    Well good to hear i prefer Jap dub it makes me believe im playing an anime

  • eilegz

    hope its an option in the game and not something to be “unlocked” with DLC

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