113 thoughts on “Fansub Review: [Commie] Hyperdimension Neptunia (Episode 03)”

1. Damn, where is Shimapan when you need him?

   • Let’s be zoinks

   • He published a German troll sub on his site saying that the release contains “a lot of colloquial language, randomly changed names, terms and localization” and that “Commie does something similar in every episode of every show (if they aren’t busy publishing barely edited CR edits)”.

   • He must be sipping on sweet, sweet vindication.

     • I mean, he’ll probably take it as vindication, but he’s an abject moron

       “Zoinks!” is dumb as hell, but so is this review for pulling the plug at the first dumb edit and writing the whole thing off as trollsubs

     • Thanks for confirming what I’ve been saying all along – Commie’s subs are nothing but trollsubs.

       Smart choice of you to drop reviewing their trollsubs at the first display of massive trolling. You get to keep your sanity, and you’re not missing much there – besides many more “Zoinks”, there’s a lot more of equally (if not more) retarded trolling going on there.

       Nothing out of the ordinary though, it’s just Commie being their usual selves, trolling people with their subs as much as they can and worsening subs a lot on purpose.

       @Xythar
       It moves my heart that you missed me that much. Sorry though, I still won’t bend over for buttseks. You’ll have to keep using fnord for your buttseks needs. But hey, at least fnord really enjoys your buttseks, given how fervently he agrees with everything you post. You two really are a match made in heaven. I’m sure you two will marry soon, right? I’ll be sure to send you congratulations. You’ll have to take care though, gay marriage isn’t allowed in all states of the US. Here’s a helpful link:
       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_in_the_United_States

       • oh my

       • Sorry, but Shimapan would never post under his actual name and would *surround* at least *two* words in *asterisks* with every *sentence*. It was a decent troll, though, so you get a B for effort.

         • Nice try. But *I’m* the *real* Shimapan. *ruh roh*
           Rythar? Rdit? Rhere?

           And I would have gotten away with it too, if it weren’t for those meddling Dark_Sages.

       • kraut desu ka

         • Definitely a kraut.

2. https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=dimension+tripper&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t

3. The “Dimension tripper!!!!” thing:
   http://i.imgur.com/LtpIqV3.jpg

   • Beat me to the punch, damn you.

4. Questionable in subs for sure, but for the sake of it I’ll point it out: The official song title is indeed “Dimension tripper!!!!”.

   Looks derpy, but hey
   >Japan.

   • The song clearly contains so much excitement that a mere three exclamation points could not convey it.

5. I never thought 2 exclamation marks was acceptable – 1 or 3, but not 2.

   • I’m not sure where you got that idea. One is the usual standard, and two could be argued for in rare circumstances (though I still try to avoid more than one whenever possible). Three and above is generally not used.

     • Meh, it’s all I ever saw before I started using the Internet regularly. I think it’s a Euro thing.
       Not that I’m arguing against it, it doesn’t look bad or anything.

       • Yep, for some reason using 3!!! just looks better that 2!!

6. maybe they like shaggy so much that they used *zoinks* things :))

   • I doubt their editor’s seen Scooby Doo. Probably just heard someone referencing it once and thought “Zoinks” was a common phrase. Either that or they were trying to do a bad job. But I like to believe in the inherent good in people before I’m proven wrong.

     I’m such a romantic~

     • Or they watched the early Naruto releases from CR. They used “zoinks”, “jinkies”, and “good grief” throughout.

       • Did they really? Jesus Christ.

     • I wish I could take credit for it, but alas.

       @koku: It replaces the common, everyday Japanese phrase “Nepu!”. Neptune has a tendency to burst out with weird exclamations in the English version of the game, so the rest just kind of fell into place.

       • Okay, here’s the thing I don’t think you get: “Zoinks!” is not a common, everyday phrase. It is absolutely not even close, for it is a very specific catchphrase associated with one specific character — Shaggy — from a very well known show — Scooby Doo.

         Do you guys get Family Guy over there in Australia? If so, what you did is the equivalent of replacing all her “Nepu”s with “Giggity”s. As a catch phrase, its use immediately associates it with the character. “nepu” is supposed to be Neptune’s own personal brand. If you wanted to handle it well, you should have given her your own little twist (“Nep’d!” would absolutely have been acceptable and easy to work with while not being simply a transcription of the Japanese text).

         But by replacing her catch phrase with another character’s, not only are you failing to allow her character to be displayed, you are saying — explicitly — that her character trait is to reference Shaggy from Scooby Doo. It’s not. And that’s why it’s wrong.

         • I’m aware. It works for me.

           • This is pathetic, Xythar. If you’ve become so full of yourself you can’t even accept criticism you’ve determined is valid, maybe it’s time to evaluate exactly what you’re doing in the fansub game.

             • I’ve been saying the same right back at you for some time, you lowlife.

               • Whoa. Come on, Xythar. Let’s not resort to name-calling now. We’re buds, ain’t we?

                 To address your critique: Unless I’ve somehow managed to fool myself over these past 20 years of fansub reviewing, I’ve always accepted valid criticism and changed my reviews accordingly. Always. I do believe you’d be hard-pressed to find a single instance of me saying “Yes, I agree that I’m completely in the wrong here, but I refuse to do anything about it.” Because, frankly, that goes against the purpose of this site.

                 So it confuses me to see you acknowledge that you’re wrong and wear it as a badge of honor. Honestly, it seems to me like you’re doing it just to show your friends how cool you are that you aren’t listening to mean old Mr. Dark_Sage and that you’re an independent, sassy lady and ain’t no man gonna keep you down.

                 And that’s all well and good if you’re the only person affected by your bitterness. But you’re releasing these subs to the public. By intentionally making them worse just to spite me (since I dropped the show I’m unaffected, you should know), it makes you seem less independent so much as dependent on my feedback to validate your efforts.

                 Rather than spending your fansubbing life following my every word as gospel or trying to get revenge on me (in nose-spite-face fashion), you should focus on exactly why I think you got into this business: making the subs better for the viewers.

                 “But mah pride!” Yeah, I know, but fuck your pride; pride is cheap. Respect isn’t. And your knee-jerk “I’m wrong but fuck you” response here isn’t exactly worthy of it from anyone.

                 • You know what I’m referring to with the “you lowlife”. Don’t try to play cute.

                   I can think of few people with as an inflated ego as you in the fansub business. I don’t mind that on its own – it’s what makes your site tick, after all. It gets people coming back.

                   But it’s silly to expect everyone to take you seriously and to expect them to quit fansubbing or whatever when they don’t. I enjoy subbing this show, I’m happy with how these subs turned out, and most people I know are enjoying them as well. That’s enough for me. I’d say that I’m sorry you don’t, but since you have no intention of watching the show anyway, it seems like a waste of breath.

                   • I wouldn’t exactly say my ego’s inflated. Rather, I’m just aware of my value. You could call me a realist, I guess, though I’m not so sure that carries much use as a derogatory term.

                     Semantics aside, having you quit fansubbing isn’t my goal. But by admitting you’re making your subs worse on purpose, I think you’re straying from whatever noble purpose got you into fansubs in the first place. Unless getting congratulatory handies from co-subbers was your sole desire. Then I’d have to say keep it up because you’re doing great.

                   • I don’t consider it to be worse. You consider it to be worse. I quite like it.

                   • “I’m aware.” would generally be interpreted as agreement in the context in which you said it. If you disagree with my points, then use the reply function accordingly. Well, unless your response would have no value in a reasoned discussion. Then you can carry on instead.

                   • Your ego is inflated.

                     Maybe you’ll ignore this post thinking that it’s yet another upset comment by some fansubber who feels insulted by your marginally offensive reviews. Maybe that’s precisely why you will reply. I care not. I think this show is fucking horrible and I couldn’t be paid to watch or sub it. What you or anyone else thinks about the translation is about as important to me as a dust storm on Mars.

                     You run an amusing website. It can be a valuable second opinion.

                     You have, however, a terrible track record when it comes to getting decent subs out yourself. You are one of the few editors who has managed to get reprimanded by 8th for making a script (Medaka Box) hilariously inaccurate, and you’d be well advised to remember it. Think about why this happened.

                     You should get used to the idea that not everyone likes their subs the way you do. Comma rules, spelling and grammar are all fairly objective business, but the same is not true for a style of translation.

                     And this is where it gets important. I cannot talk for Xythar here, but I do not care at all what kind of translation style you or anybody else, watchers included, would like to see. Saying you do not like “Zoinks!” is not objective criticism, and I don’t see why referencing Scooby Doo is a problem. Do me a favor and look for the C3 episode where I quoted Bart Simpson when you review it, will’ya?

                   • A scathing indictment with more logical fallacies than a Wikipedia article on the subject. You wound me, fnord.

                     1. I don’t recall releasing Medaka Box. http://www.crymore.net/2012/04/15/actually-were-not-doing-medaka-box-after-all/
                     2. I don’t think you actually know what I’ve subbed. We never rolled in the same fansubbing circles, for obvious reasons. (Please don’t take offense, but I generally work with people who can do more than just translate songs. One-trick ponies only have use in larger groups.)
                     3. If you want reviews where I solely take grammar and spelling into account, you’d best be served by my 2010 reviews. There’s value in discussing phrasing — editing is more than just spellcheck and deleting honorifics from a Crunchyroll script.
                     4. If you understand what a “catchphrase” is, you might understand the point of my argument. If not, google will be happy to serve your special needs.
                     5. I don’t take episode requests. Nor do I think it will matter which episode gets reviewed from someone who translated “airsoft” as “mock battles” in a show about airsoft guns.

                   • I’m aware [of the origin of the phrase] [but its usage here] works for me.

                   • That’s cute and all. But if you disagree with me, I’d like to hear your (presumably valid) reasons.

                   • It fits her role as the comic relief character and I can easily imagine it fitting right in to the games’ English scripts (which previously have included lines like “Holy drumsticks!”, “Crumb my cookies!”, “Awesomepants!” and the like – further examples, http://hyperdimensionneptunia.wikia.com/wiki/Neptune )

                     I know where it’s from, but I think the word is funny enough on its own that I don’t object to its usage in the subs.

                     Also, if I wrote out my reasoning every time I disagreed with you, I’d be writing novels on every review, so it’s probably not gonna happe in general.

                   • So basically you’re dropping character traits for the lulz. I guess there really wasn’t any value in pressing you for your reasons.

                   • About as much value as there is in reading yours, really. But yes, I think the most important thing is for a comic relief character to be funny, so if it’s funny and not horribly out of character, I’m keeping it.

                     For what it’s worth, a search of the /a/rchive reveals what is overall a more favourable reaction to the phrase “zoinks”:
                     http://archive.foolz.us/a/search/text/zoinks/

                     than to the phrase “dark_sage”:
                     http://archive.foolz.us/a/search/text/dark_sage/

                     If that’s not validation, what is? :)

                   • Your time may be better spent doing anime abridged videos on Youtube then.

                     Also, I’m not sure what I’m supposed to be looking at here. Pride over astroturfing? An honest belief in argumentum ad populum? A sincere lack of understanding over how relevant /a/ actually is? Whatever it is, your helmet’s on too tight. Loosen it up, buddy.

                   • 1. D_S ego is overly large.
                     2. That link collection shows that Dark_Sage is more accepted than Zoinks.
                     3. Only old people care about Scooby Doo anyway.

                   • I dunno man. It’s not enough to sub to my own satisfaction, because I release it publicly. But it’s also not enough to sub for my friends’ satisfaction, because they’re all fansubbers. But it’s also not enough to sub for random /a/non’s satisfaction, because that’s astroturfing or argumentum ad populum or whatever. What’s left as a valid reason to sub? Your personal satisfaction?

                   • Regardless of motivation (and I guess I’m old school about this), I believe you have a duty to the leechers to give them the highest quality release you can manage. I think even you can understand that core principle.

                   • It should go without saying that I aim for that with every release I make.

                     What is quality for me may not be quality for you, and you’re free to hold that opinion. In the end, I work to my own standards, because if you can’t be satisfied with your own assessment of quality, why bother?

                   • Jinkies, I never knew this was all such serious business.

                   • @Xythar
                     > I don’t consider it to be worse. You consider it to be worse.

                     Anyone with at least two working braincells considers it to be worse.

                     You can’t possibly be thinking that fucking up scripts badly (as you generally do) makes them better. People can’t possibly be that stupid.

                   • @Mikoto

                     No, you consider it to be worse, and you’re free to do so – just as I’m free to laugh at your own hubris in thinking you speak for everyone. Or, for that matter, in thinking that I put “Zoinks” there.

                     So yes, people can be that stupid, and you’re living proof.

                   • I feel you’re missing one very important point while debating the inclusion of “Zoinks!” in a script, which is that it’s actually also referencing Pinky from Pinky and the Brain. And that’s a whole different kettle of fish, amirite? :D

                   • Well, it does kind of poke holes in the argument that it’s specifically only used by Shaggy and nobody else.

                   • I feel for this character if you’re trying to make her sound like Pinky though. As hilarious as that is :)

                 • 

                   • You’re a national internet treasure.

                   • Damn son. I missed the wall of text party, but this image makes up for it.

                   • Was that another Commie release?

               • > I’ve been saying the same right back at you for some time, you lowlife.

                 Oh noes, “lowlife” is such a nasty swearword, and you even used it twice!
                 I’m sure Dark_Sage is terribly hurt now.

                 Really now, Xythar, if you’re already resorting to name calling because you ran out of arguments, couldn’t you at least pick something interesting instead of this kindergarten insult? This is too lame to laugh at, even for you.

                 Same goes for your kindergarten trollsubs. They never were good subs to begin with, but they’re not even good trollsubs. In the first episode, one could at least laugh a little at your stupidity with all that “Zoinks” and stuff. In the second episode, you would’ve already needed to be seriously sauced to laugh at that, and from the third episode on, it’s just incredibly unfunny, lame and stale, and not even being really sauced would help there. You need to be at the mental level of a three-year-old to laugh at that.

                 Hey, I know! Instead of flogging a dead dog (Scooby Doo), why not put in some lines from Teletubbies? I’m sure you’re an avid fan of Teletubbies, so that shouldn’t be a problem for you. Or put in some lines from Sesame Street, which is certainly also one of your favorites.

                 • I was making a rather specific reference with my use of “lowlife” there. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, I would recommend either asking or keeping your mouth shut instead of butting into a conversation that has nothing to do with you and making a fool of yourself. I’m pretty sure D_S is a big boy and is capable of responding to comments directed at him on his own.

                   • I actually had to look that up just now — thought you were just playing out of character. You gotta be more specific with your references.

                 • Shimapan strikes again!

                 • http://pastebin.com/grEYjnry
                   Scroll down to FFFine, you lowlife.

   • I wonder what Japanese word would inspire a “zoink”?

     • Okay, I see. The original Japanese word(?) is just as stupid.

7. But I’m watching commie’s anyway

   • Who wouldn’t? Funi even use internet abbreviations.

     • Meme infested shitsubs, those are.

8. >Visual grade: Probably okay.

   http://puu.sh/4jCVu.png

   I guess it works for me.

9. You haven’t made it to Iris Heart yet…

   • Eh. Maybe I’ll play the games one day.

10. But what about all the clever, subtle references to vidya???

    • That’s the point of this show.

11. I thought that Xythar finally fucked off after he got assblasted over a review?

    Why is he still here if all he does is damage control; just fuck off already.

    • I don’t believe you’re a part of the discussion we’re having here.

      • Fallacies and name-calling does not a discussion make.

        If you want to talk about how great Commie is and ignore criticism and opinions of other people go somewhere else.

        • I’ve been responding to comments and questions directly made to me. If you have something you’d like to ask me, feel free. If not, you’re adding nothing yourself.

          If you’re not interested in my conversation with D_S, don’t read it.

          • Okay then, here’s a question:

            Why do you come to this site just to complain about other people’s opinions, get overly butthurt over very minor things, publicly display how mad you are, and start drama for no reason?

            • I haven’t been doing any of those things.

              Why do you come to this site just to complain about me commenting here?

              • Your posting history and inane ramblings indicate otherwise.

                • You’re free to disagree if you wish; makes no difference to me.

12. Haven’t read this debate, but I still want to throw this in.

    I usually hate subs as liberal as this. Really really hate them. HOWEVER, the video game this is obviously based upon is just as liberal. I’m much more concerned about consistency here than I am about the liberalness of the script.

    • Does Nepgear talk like the Scooby Doo crew in the games? Cuz that’s the issue here.

      • I don’t remember if she actually says “zoinks,” but Commie’s scripts read/feel exactly like the games. Like, I could totally see Neptune using “zoinks” in the games, especially when they used crazy words like “thundertits.” Nisa would definitely use it.

        • “Zoinks” as her catchphrase? Bullshit.

          Not that NISA should be considered a paragon of excellence anyway. They’re in the business of selling pretty boxes rather than what’s in them.

          • NISA is run by mentally handicapped gorillas on a bad crack trip.
            With such an abysmal translation, it’s no surprise if the games got a bad rep. No sensible, thinking being could watch more than five minutes of their translation without setting a new record for projectile vomiting.

            It’s no surprise Commie loved it, cuz it reminded them of their own misbegotten subs.

13. One thing that I find really questionable in Commie’s Neptunia subs is how they can’t seem to decide between CPU and Goddess. Yes, the Japanese script says Megami and the American release of the games says CPU, but just pick one. I’ve seen both used in a single episode. Consistency, people.

    • i’ve noticed this inconsistency also in HorribleSubs release, sadly. Best choice for this show is to watch raw, subs don’t add much content anyway ]:>

      well, i like this show, but only as something to watch after a week of programming ^_^

    • I use “goddess” to refer to the general class of being and “CPU” in the specific context of a goddess who rules over a nation. There is a difference (Arfoire, for example, is a goddess but not a CPU) and there are cases where one makes sense and not the other. I know it’s all “megami” in the Japanese, but there’s no reason the same word can’t be translated as several things depending on context.

      • IIRC, that is pretty much how the games have it.

        I might have to double check the games to make sure. (And while I’m at it, I might check for zoinks-level stuff.)

14. >commie defense force

    Sickening.

15. Wow. This sure is a lengthy and heated argument over a show that nobody should watch. I mean, is the watchability of Commie’s subs a real issue when the watchability of the show itself is already extremely low? Why should any of us care about a Scooby-Doo word when we wasted bandwidth downloading any episode of this? I mean, it’s like watching 25 minutes of “you wouldn’t download a car” anti-piracy advertisement. Hell no.

    • It’s actually a pretty fun show but yeah, that is the best part about it. The show itself is so light and easy to sub but it somehow manages to cause more anguish across the internet than anything else I’ve worked on lately. Pretty incredible.

16. In the current episode 9 of Neptunia, Commie once again bestows their superior English upon us. The best line is this one:

    http://imgur.com/1ooyob9
    “I hate people who the play the victim.”

    Only Commie can do such a masterpiece! I bet even Hadena is green with envy now.

    Oh, and they were too lazy to translate the title of the next episode and just put the title of the episode proper instead. Way to go, Commie!

    • I guess it’s was too much to expect of us pea-brined rednecks.

      • >it’s was

        GASP

      • You mean “It’s expected too much of…”

        • Damn, I knew I’d gotten something wrong there.

      • “brined”?

        • http://www.crymore.net/review_queue-summer-2013/comment-page-1/#comment-68919

          From the hilarity that happened the last time Shimapan/Noir/Lenin/Scully/Ana/various-other-names tried to “sub” in English.

    • If Commie only had even remotely capable editors who could recognize such glaring abuse of the English language…

      But alas, they only have people like Xythar and Margaa. Guess it can’t be helped.

      http://imgur.com/XJptyo8

      • Clearly you need to start releasing your own English subs again to show us how it’s done.

        • >you have to be a chef to know what bad food tastes like

          • I’ll just say that people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

            • Yeah, but you’re the one in the glass house and he’s shooting you with a paintball gun.

              • No, not really.

            • >Implying glass houses are built of out thin, easily-breakable glass panes.

              Commie’s stupidity never ceases to amaze me.

              • Yep, you certainly showed that saying who’s boss.

              • are you kidding me dude

            • What if that house is made of acrylic glass, or a similar material that won’t break?

              • Please. Acrylic glass isn’t even real glass; it’s plastic.

            • Otaku in glass dojos shouldn’t throw ninjas.

    • “Oh, and they were too lazy to translate the title of the next episode and just put the title of the episode proper instead. Way to go, Commie!”

      That was my fault. I had gotten them mixed up while shifting it to the current episode. The translated episode title is still actually in the script just commented out. Working in the heat all day before trying to typeset wasn’t my best idea.

17. Watching this has taught me a couple things:
    1. That I should probably check Commie’s staff list before downloading (sorry Xythar, never touching anything by you again).
    2. That I should probably avoid any games “translated” by NISA.

    I can’t believe I downloaded something with such an god-awful script. I’m usual good at avoiding these things…

    • No problem. Hit me up on IRC or Twitter or something and I can give you a list of shows to avoid each season.