The Voice Acting. . .

[Cidel]

I said it was "meant to" which pretty clearly indicates that I mean that it appears that it was a conscious choice in this specific case to use it for contrast in his characterization.

You don't know what they actually "meant to" do. That's your personal narrative about "characterization contrast" that you insert for justification of a differing quality of delivery. A character could be voiced in the most bored-sounding voice throughout most of their lines that we hear, but when they clearly are animated to be displaying joy, insanity, anger etc, by your logic thus far, it's completely justified for them to continue to sound "bored" because that's how they've been portrayed thus far. An extreme example, maybe, but that's the implications I'm getting from you.

Actually, you don't get it, or you'd have picked up on the fact that I think both work (as far as I can determine*) and that I've been trying to explain why the English version happens to work to those who continue to assume that only their interpretation is valid.

No, actually, I do get it. You've pretty much said as much earlier:

The English voice there better fits the English text than the Japanese voice does.

The Japanese version just sounds like...

And before you backpedal and say "I said the voice better fits the English text-" what does that even mean? That the Japanese delivery doesn't suit the sentence structure of the translation? That Asahi going "You cannot, of course" in a triumphant and mocking tone while waving his arms somehow fits less than his calm indoor English voice to the same gesture? You say you think both work even though you've already shown your hand with your bias to the English delivery. Newsflash: both "work", they both get their point across. The argument was originally something about which one fits better. That's how you entered this thread.

You know, the kind that assumes that waving the hands in the air in a certain way can only mean they are engaging in an insane laugh that requires a louder voice

Oh noooo, it's totally more natural to talk with an indoor voice while flailing your arms up, throwing your body back and giving someone a wide-eyed thousand-yard unblinking stare with the biggest grin on your face than raising your voice in a mocking tone that sounds like you want to laugh at any second. I shouldn't have to tell you that there's more to a character's emotional state than just their hand gestures, because if I did, then we're done here.

-and that there's no way that it could at all be the character exaggerating his movements in a moment of melodrama that isn't matched by the tone that he is using as he mocks and gloats.

I don't think you even quite know what melodrama is if you truly believe that he can exaggerate his movements, eyes and face that doesn't match his voice tone. If you think he is purposely being melodramatic with everything but his voice, then I know you are grasping at straws to try to make a point.

Rather than look at the physical action and assume that it means a specific other aspect of the scene should have played out a certain way, I look at the entire scene and the characterization of those in it. He's soft-spoken, melodramatic at times, and has a tendency to mock, goad, and gloat. All of that allows for that kind of animation sequence to fit the character.

Except both physical action and facial expression are pretty good indicators of a person's "characterization." Just because you can create your own narratives to justify performances where the voice actor forgoes both, doesn't suddenly make you someone enlightened to some imaginary intricacies of a characterization you think you understand. And all of those attributes you listed are present in the Japanese version as well (except maybe "soft-spoken," which becomes "polite/faux politeness"). The difference is the Japanese voice in this scene clearly played to his psychopathic nature in not only his body gestures, but facial features- while you're here practically saying "he's staying true to being soft-spoken, so the other two don't matter."

[Nestama]

I still feel the delivery is fine (to me; it gave off the impression that Asahi has to keep his cool while within 'Garlean territory,' so that other Garleans don't catch on that this was his idea all along), but I'll agree that it's jarring that Asahi is doing his cliche anime villain wiggle flail dance laugh with a soft voice/cackle. I personally feel that maybe the English localisation team should have requested the "animators" (designers? idunno) to change Asahi's poses to better match his voice. So in English, there wouldn't be arms spread far and crazy wiggle-flails for laughter.

Of course, after the whole incident with Haurchefant, I doubt anything like that will ever happen (again).

Edit: after watching the two cutscenes again, the laughter is really unnecessary (in English. I have no idea what is said/written in Japanese). Also, before Asahi starts laughing, I think this is one example Berethos meant where "The English voice there better fits the English text than the Japanese voice does." I'm really curious what the dialogue/text is in Japanese for that part.

[Razard]

Lmao! I already told you what I was expecting in a response before that, you chose not to respond to it. I gave you a modern day japanese youtuber as an example. Read. Read. Ironic considering you quoted me. If you don’t have the common sense to realize I’m using FFXII as an example, because the English localization team diversified the accents which proves it can be done, then you should bow out of the conversation. And we already addressed that the Domans only really have a slight accent when saying each other’s names, so why must the point be repeated because you evidently can’t be bothered to read?

Your one example was irrelevant. So because 1 person has that accent that means all Japanese people have to speak in that accent?

Between what you said in this thread and the other thread you started I'm starting to wonder who is the real racist around here. Just activates those almonds doesn't it.

[BluntGamerChick]

I just started playing again after about a year and a half, and I can't help but notice that people from Doma literally have the exact same accent as those from Eorzea. In fact, generally everyone has the same accent regardless of where they're from. In real life, people that are geographically separated speak differently, even if they happen to share the same country, and this difference is more so pronounced if they live on separate continents.

If you were to close your eyes, you couldn't distinguish a Doman like Hien from your typical Eorzean NPC. Like given the whole far eastern theme, wouldn't it have made more sense to use a Japanese man with a Japanese accent? To be honest, it doesn't even have to be Japanese, per se, just different.

Using Elder Scrolls as an example, there was a distinction between a Khajit or Argonian compared to the rest of the populace when they spoke. So, shouldn't Miqo'te, Elezen, Roegadyn, and Au'ra sound different?

I Agree. And more over, as elaborate and interesting as the main story line is, there is so much being said and so much that has to be read that I get a headache trying to get through it all. If i wanted to read that much id read a book. When i play a game i want to hear the voices of the characters with my game play. But reading so much especially in the style of speaking that sounds like the Writers went nuts using a thesaurus to use every minimally used archaic words in the English language. It was cool leaning new words but I'm telling you I've had to look it up more then once, a word, used in the dialog just because I've never heard it before and I got a little lost LMAO. Feckless, and Indolence being two examples of words i learned playing the game. but please... MORE VOICE ACTING!!!! Thank You LOL

[jameseoakes]

I Agree. And more over, as elaborate and interesting as the main story line is, there is so much being said and so much that has to be read that I get a headache trying to get through it all. If i wanted to read that much id read a book. When i play a game i want to hear the voices of the characters with my game play. But reading so much especially in the style of speaking that sounds like the Writers went nuts using a thesaurus to use every minimally used archaic words in the English language. It was cool leaning new words but I'm telling you I've had to look it up more then once, a word, used in the dialog just because I've never heard it before and I got a little lost LMAO. Feckless, and Indolence being two examples of words i learned playing the game. but please... MORE VOICE ACTING!!!! Thank You LOL

I've never had to look up a word, I actually like that the play with english language rather than dumb it down

[CrystalRainbow]

I like the voice CS because it brings me more in to the world but it is so poorly done they should really leave it out.
They need to Voice 100% of the main story CS or non of it at all. The thing I dislike the most is when there is a Voiced CS directly followed by a non Voiced CS.

[Nestama]

You can tell a cutscene is going to be voiced if the cutscene appears more 'cinematic.' Like, characters move around more naturally and have unique poses and maybe facial expressions. Granted, sometimes these cutscenes also lack voices, but they're rare these days (it's usually because there might be an incredibly unimportant NPC about, or in HW's case, Goblins). Back in 2.0, some non-voiced cutscenes wouldn't even remove your chat box, so you knew right away there wouldn't be voices (of course, that's if the "clearly still in-game" cutscene didn't tip you off. Characters are more stiff and do regular emotes more often)