Interesting Censorship Thread - Yipee Ki Yay Mister Falcon

[IdaRita]

In Polish version of Sailor Moon there was very little censorship (mostly unintentional mistranslations), but there is one hilarious thing - Zoicite feelings for Kunzite are still pretty obvious, but not the other way. When Zoicite is dying, Kunzite line was changed from "I love you" to "I loved you as a brother" so Zoicite, in his last moments of existence, is friendzoned by his crush.

 

[A Grey Cat]

Tremors was originally going to be released in the holiday season of 1989 but the first cut came back with an r rating despite being relatively bloodless and having almost nothing sexual in it (that lady in her underwear aside)

Apparently it got the r rating because it broke the rules about the f word in a pg13 Movie there was more than one and it was the "mother fucker. " variant which is like an automatic R.

So tldr the film makers had to go back and sound mix of cut out all references to the f word so have awkward lines like "be advised we still count "mother humpers" and it's painfully obvious it was redubbed in post, almost like a made for TV edit.

 

[MysticMisty]

Apparently it got the r rating because it broke the rules about the f word in a pg13 Movie there was more than one and it was the "mother fucker. " variant which is like an automatic R.

Sometimes they get away with more than one. Twister had two, but you can't really hear the first one.

 

[Thiletonomics]

There was a specific scene in the Total Drama series that had some notoriety due to it being completely removed in the US version of the show:

 

[TungstenCarbide]

In Polish version of Sailor Moon there was very little censorship (mostly unintentional mistranslations), but there is one hilarious thing - Zoicite feelings for Kunzite are still pretty obvious, but not the other way. When Zoicite is dying, Kunzite line was changed from "I love you" to "I loved you as a brother" so Zoicite, in his last moments of existence, is friendzoned by his crush.

Polish censors are just a lot of talk and a badge. I'll see your friendzone and I raise you "Zoisite is a woman" (in the Italian version they did this...).

 

[Trombonista]

The 4Kids version of the third episode of Yu-Gi-Oh GX adds really obvious swimsuit straps to the girls in the bath scene, even though the water level is high enough in the original that you can't see their breasts.

 

[Guts Gets Some]

But nah, the 4KIDS level of censorship/editing for that episode was when they ruined the shock factor by slowing down an earlier shot of Wizardmon throwing the Crest of Light to "five-second foreshadow" his sacrifice lol.

And it was before 4Kids was even as notorious as they were, or even really a thing too past Pokemon.

Early Saban put 4Kids to shame with lame dubbing and bad censorship. Nimoy almost exclusively to blame for the former, since once he was let go, the quality of the dubs improved dramatically.

 

[Kari Kamiya]

So tldr the film makers had to go back and sound mix of cut out all references to the f word so have awkward lines like "be advised we still count "mother humpers" and it's painfully obvious it was redubbed in post, almost like a made for TV edit.

That's interesting, actually. "Mother humpers" I think is funny, though, doesn't feel out of place for the movie. But now I'll have to read their lips more closely now like with Sigourney Weaver in Galaxy Quest when they had her dub over herself "Well, screw that!" because she blurted out "Well, fuck that!" in that scene.

And it was before 4Kids was even as notorious as they were, or even really a thing too past Pokemon.

Arguably, Pokémon's censorship was handled worse in comparison even from the start. Digimon (eventually) on-screen at least had to admit Japan was an actual country, Pokémon's dub has always tried to hide the culture.

Early Saban put 4Kids to shame with lame dubbing and bad censorship. Nimoy almost exclusively to blame for the former, since once he was let go, the quality of the dubs improved dramatically.

I think Nimoy was only involved in the script for Digimon, Saban's earlier dubs followed the same FCC guidelines 4KIDS did (although they got away with more stuff in Samurai Pizza Cats except for the gender-bender butterflies episode not airing on TV). There's also a rumor that the guy performing SPC's theme song was actually drunk, but I haven't been able to find proof.

Given Nimoy went on to help write the English script for Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo, it was probably just hit-or-miss on his part. It apparently was worse for 02 than it was for the first season because he didn't like Davis' character so that's why the characters pick on him in the dub. Though apparently that backfired since Davis has his share of fans even for the dub version (I think he had some good moments in the dub).

 

[Guts Gets Some]

I think Nimoy was only involved in the script for Digimon, Saban's earlier dubs followed the same FCC guidelines 4KIDS did (although they got away with more stuff in Samurai Pizza Cats except for the gender-bender butterflies episode not airing on TV). There's also a rumor that the guy performing SPC's theme song was actually drunk, but I haven't been able to find proof.

Pokemon was more fantasy based, so the fact they were or weren't in Japan really didn't matter, at least not to me.

Call me crazy, but I'd rather take a slightly censored for content dub over pointlessly changing everything for the worse.... just because.

The Yu Yu Hakusho dub, despite being uncut, is a prime example of this. And why it's one of the worst dubs in human history.

 

[Kari Kamiya]

Pokemon was more fantasy based, so the fact they were or weren't in Japan really didn't matter, at least not to me.

True, but the infamous "jelly-filled donuts" aired before Digimon came to the States, so...

Call me crazy, but I'd rather take a slightly censored for content dub over pointlessly changing everything for the worse.... just because.

Nah, I get you. The early episodes of dubbed Digimon are pretty cringey since they were pulling stuff out of their asses to either tone things down or lighten the mood so in the dub it does cause some continuity snarls (and it still continued a bit, but not as much as before). Then the Myotismon arc hit and they didn't butcher the atmosphere as much as one might've expected. They mainly just tried to avoid mentions of death or tried to soften the blow when they realized "Oh shit, can't hide it forever", and they also didn't (couldn't, most likely) show fists making contact with faces, but didn't hide the fact characters got into scuffles.

But I dunno, personally I like it when characters make wisecracks. It was probably the norm for dubs back then, but there's kind of a reason the dubs for Pokémon, Digimon, Yu-Gi-Oh and even Sailor Moon and Yu Yu Hakusho are still remembered to this day even though they have the same issue with "change in dialogue". But in Digimon's case, I noticed pretty much every character at least once has said something in a joking manner or made an odd comment, but it rarely changed their set-in-stone personalities and keeps a character's "sense of humor" (if they have one) fitting/unique for themselves. In some cases, it enhanced the characters like with Joe and Gomamon. Joe's the worrywart and his wisecracks are self-deprecated humor while Gomamon's already a goofball, but he takes those jokes/phrases at face-value and goes into la la land over it. Balances each other out.

 

[Guts Gets Some]

True, but the infamous "jelly-filled donuts" aired before Digimon came to the States, so...



Nah, I get you. The early episodes of dubbed Digimon are pretty cringey since they were pulling stuff out of their asses to either tone things down or lighten the mood so in the dub it does cause some continuity snarls (and it still continued a bit, but not as much as before). Then the Myotismon arc hit and they didn't butcher the atmosphere as much as one might've expected. They mainly just tried to avoid mentions of death or tried to soften the blow when they realized "Oh shit, can't hide it forever", and they also didn't (couldn't, most likely) show fists making contact with faces, but didn't hide the fact characters got into scuffles.

But I dunno, personally I like it when characters make wisecracks. It was probably the norm for dubs back then, but there's kind of a reason the dubs for Pokémon, Digimon, Yu-Gi-Oh and even Sailor Moon are still remembered to this day even though they have the same issue with "change in dialogue". But in Digimon's case, I noticed pretty much every character at least once has said something in a joking manner or made an odd comment, but it rarely changed their set-in-stone personalities and keeps a character's "sense of humor" (if they have one) fitting/unique for themselves. In some cases, it enhanced the characters like with Joe and Gomamon. Joe's the worrywart and his wisecracks are self-deprecated humor while Gomamon's already a goofball, but he takes those jokes/phrases at face-value and goes into la la land over it. Balances each other out.

The first Adventure at least kept the out of place jokes to a minimum (until the ending at least), but season 2 until the very end was a dumpster fire of taking itself so unseriously, it was flat out obnoxious. They went way overboard, to the point every character was cracking jokes at the most inopportune time. I can't believe Ken even got one serious episode to himself at all. Or moment, actually.

Just like how 1 got really bad at the end and led into 2, 2 finally took itself seriously at the very end (MaloMyotismon) and from Tamers onward, it was censored and dubbed for Americans, sure, but it was still fairly accurately dubbed.

 

[Kari Kamiya]

The first Adventure at least kept the out of place jokes to a minimum (until the ending at least)

WHY DO YOU ALWAYS GET THE PIZZA WHILE WE'RE LEFT WITH THE CRUST

Although hilariously enough that made sense to me as a kid, for some reason the crust didn't sit well with me when I was small and I had to grow to like the entire pizza. But in Apocalymon's case, he was upset he had to settle for crumbs when he just wanted what everyone else was getting (the ability to Digivolve). His way of wording his grievances was unconventional, but I think his message still managed to get through for the most part. But he was too much for American TV to handle, that's for sure.

but season 2 until the very end was a dumpster fire of taking itself so unseriously, it was flat out obnoxious. They went way overboard, to the point every character was cracking jokes at the most inopportune time. I can't believe Ken even got one serious episode to himself at all. Or moment, actually.

I honestly have to do a full rewatch (was in the middle of one, but the *new* discs had gotten fucked up for some reason and had to ship it back), I have a feeling they were taking more cues from Pokémon's playbook when they shouldn't have, but for sure, least what I noticed, most of the issues came from how Davis was treated and the attempt at making Ken more of a cartoon villain than he really is. In terms of Davis, I had to grow to appreciate him and realize that he is exactly like someone I know in that you can't live with him, but you honestly can't live without him, and I came to love his dorky nature the dub gave him. It just seems like he can just brush off any insult his friends give him to better/prove himself, and it's no wonder he earned his goggle-head status by the end.

and from Tamers onward, it was censored and dubbed for Americans, sure, but it was still fairly accurately dubbed.

Still had its goofy classic Saban dub moments (mostly from the Digimon themselves, especially with Henry and Terriermon's interactions), but whether it was from Nimoy leaving or just coincidental on their part, Tamers being treated with the respect it deserved couldn't have come at a better time. Think they realized pretty quickly how much different it was compared to the previous seasons and knew they had to change their approach to it and fast. But apparently they made things worse in trying to hide Rika's mom's "teenage" (yeah, 18 in the original, but still) pregnancy by aging Rika up a few years but without changing her mom's age. Oops.

Also Henry's sister shares the same name as a fictional prostitute. More oops.

 

[Guts Gets Some]

most of the issues came from how Davis was treated and the attempt at making Ken more of a cartoon villain than he really is. In terms of Davis, I had to grow to appreciate him and realize that he is exactly like someone I know in that you can't live with him, but you honestly can't live without him, and I came to love his dorky nature the dub gave him. It just seems like he can just brush off any insult his friends give him to better/prove himself, and it's no wonder he earned his goggle-head status by the end.

Pretty sure I heard somewhere that one of the writers, possibly Nimoy, disliked the character, hence why he was always portrayed as the dumb one or with the least respect and all that.
I mean, unless you're a terrible child writer and he's your self-insert (IE, he's funny only to you), you probably wouldn't make Davis the character he was and then make fun of him unlovingly, so I wouldn't doubt if this was true.

 

[Kari Kamiya]

Pretty sure I heard somewhere that one of the writers, possibly Nimoy, disliked the character, hence why he was always portrayed as the dumb one or with the least respect and all that.
I mean, unless you're a terrible child writer and he's your self-insert (IE, he's funny only to you), you probably wouldn't make Davis the character he was and then make fun of him unlovingly, so I wouldn't doubt if this was true.

I wouldn't be surprised if it there was a probability of it being shipping related, too, since Davis had an obvious crush on Kari and was kinda portrayed in the dub to being obsessive to jerkass levels about it. Actually, I wonder what their thoughts were on Sora ending up with Matt instead of Tai like they were pushing for in the dub.

I dunno, I actually have to wonder if maybe the movie being put together first before the second season was being dubbed had something to do with it. They might've had the wrong first impression of the character(s) as a result of an otherwise-mediocre movie. Especially since in in their attempt to censor the hitch-hiking the dub set up that Yolei apparently has uncles living all over the place lol.