ryuganji: film news from japan

Not long after I wrote my recent piece on the dubious Japanese voice casting for the “The Simpsons Movie”, California-based film critic and Patrick Macias’ pal Machiyama Tomohiro expressed his disgust via his blog. He was particularly upset with these comments by Tokoro Joji at the press conference announcing the cast:

“The recording session was tougher than I thought it’d be. But I couldn’t help laughing when I was watching the movie, so the staff must have thought I was happy doing it. It was tough, so pay me more.”

Considering TV star Tokoro’s no doubt being paid several times what 78-year-old voice actor Ohira Toru, the original voice of Homer, would be getting, Machiyama took umbrage at his apparent lack of respect for his sempai and proceeded to rake his previous half-hearted efforts at voice acting over the coals. Incidentally, Ohira was also the Japanese voice of Darth Vader and Telly Savalas.

The campaign to bring back the original voice cast even has its own blog now, and someone’s translated their call to arms:

Welcome to my blog.

This blog’s name is “The Simpsons Movie Voice Actor Change Opposition Blog”.

The voice actors will be changed by FOX Japan.

This situation is too bad. We Japanese fans want to stop it.

Could you tell this news to many Internet sites or media as soon as possible?

Please help Japanese The Simpsons fans and save The Simpsons!!

I’m collecting signatures of The Simpsons fans to oppose the idea of FOX Japan.

I would like you to sign it.

Please go to this page, http://b4.spline.tv/serizo/.

And write your name, e-mail address and comments.

Nobody can see your e-mail address.

I really appreciate your coming. Thank you.

All power to them, but the only way I can see them really getting any traction is by petitioning Matt Groening directly. It worked for Japanese “Lord of the Rings” fans who brought Peter Jackson around to their way of thinking about the poor job that veteran subtitler Toda Natsuko was allegedly doing, resulting in her being dropped for the two remaining films in the trilogy. Let’s hope fan power wins out again.