Reddit AMA Recap: Kyle Colby Jones

Writer anime director/Writer for Sentai Filmworks: Kyle Colby Jones recently did an AMA for the fans. And to give you an idea of his track record, he’s been writing/directing/producing ADR for anime and live-action films for quite a while now. Starting with his early years at the now-defunct ADVFilms and now working for Sentai Filmworks on shows such as Parasyte, Akame Ga Kill, Food Wars, Hello Kitty, Monster Musume, Princess Principal, My Love Story, and Gintama just to name a few…

On how he got into the industry.
While working in advertising, I did a lot of radio and tv spots. That translates very well into what is done in the studio. Also, RTF classes didn’t hurt either! Thanks for chiming in!

On finding out the shows he directed managed to make it to Toonami.
I know TV viewership is somewhat dying in the age of streaming, but a lot of us still love to watch Toonami to see his dubbed premiere and/or feel nostalgic by watching anime on TV like how we did in the ’90s and 2000s. Finding out about Toonami was very exciting. I learned about Akame ga Kill first, and once I finally got my head wrapped around that – BANG, they tell me that Parasyte will be running as well. And they’d air back-to-back! I was freaking out. Parasyte is super cool. The big trick was the casting. We landed on Adam Gibbs as Shinichi rather quickly. But, finding the right Migi took some time. And Brittney Karbowski was right under our noses the whole time. (She’s very short.)

On finding ways to translate a Japanese joke into English to be equally as effective in humor.
Always tough. If the words are written on-screen, then we’re stuck. We go with the very Japanese joke. Otherwise, you have to build a joke around what the animation gives you. Mouth flaps and reactions can dictate the delivery. But mainly, I try to find a joke that fits the meaning. A Japanese idiom about butterflies and rivers could be the exact same message as, “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”

On the creative process of writing an Anime.
That’s not an easy answer. I was an advertising copywriter first. Writing for advertising is a great way to learn how to write in a million different voices. It comes in very handy when trying to do characterizations. An old lady from the pueblo speaks very differently than a spoiled prince in the palace.

On the current “Remote Recording” method that’s currently being used by Bang Zoom Entertainment and Funimation to crank out dubbed episodes during the COVID19 Pandemic.
The remote recording has been happening for a while now. And given the current circumstances, it has become even more necessary and well, creative. The possibility of this depends upon the show itself. If a show is a small ensemble cast of actors who have home equipment, great! That makes it much easier. But, let’s say you have a show with 40 one-liner characters. It becomes much more difficult to coordinate that. Plus, it can make creators nervous to have multiple copies of their show all over the cloud.

On choosing character accents for Dubbed Anime shows.
That can be tricky. We try to match the cultural equivalent to the reference. That doesn’t mean that if someone is from a rural area they get a hill-billy accent. Sometimes we try to do it with simply the interaction between the people – similar to how we handle the honorifics.

That said… Princess Principal needed to be very regionally specific.

On the knowledge of writing something from Japanese to English.
I don’t know much Japanese. But we have fantastic translators from whom I constantly mine or insights.

On the colorful insults used in the dub of Food Wars.
…For a lot of translations, the go-to insult is either ‘idiot’ or ‘brat’. Now, that gets kinda repetitive after a while. So, the actors and writers and I need to get creative. And have some fun – as long as it keeps in character.

On the unusual “Orgasm” sounds characters make in Food Wars.
In the studio, we call them ‘Foodgasms’. I’ve played a few goofballs here and there. My favorite was the screaming priest who was willing to give up his religion for some Yukihira goodness.

On certain people preferring the Sub over Dub.
Some folks just prefer subs. And that’s their prerogative. The comparisons can sometimes be wonky. The two scripts are derived from the same translation. Subs are changed to be more concise for a quicker read. The dub script is changed to match the mouth movements. Neither is a literally exact translation. Because that would sound terrible.

On the difference between working for Sentai and Funimation.
Not much. There are little things here and there, but the basic method is still the same. Many of the actors know the drive up and down I45 pretty well. That said, most would mention the ‘beeps.’ Funimation has beeps before the lines. Sentai does not.

On the localized censorship that’s unnecessary in anime and shows in general. 
Censorship can be tricky. It can be done for many reasons. For example, many of the streaming services have no way to manage who is watching what. So, some shows have the most inappropriate elements covered or removed – but, the Blu-rays have all everything. Either way, I don’t get to make that decision. That stuff is usually pre-determined before it gets to me.

On what the decisions that are made to alter or omit things in an English translated script.
The recording process is very fluid. Lots of things can happen. The line might not fit, the animation may have been changed, the actor might throw something out there that just sounds better, or more genuine.

On how much creative input he has as an ADR director and writer, and the attempts to remain faithful to the original script or make necessary changes.
One of my favorite dubs is live-action. They’re just really difficult. The writing, the acting, the mixing… They’re all very different. Guns and Talks, Dark Water, and of course, Lake Texarkana Gamera! Creative input varies wildly between shows. Sometimes I cast and write all on my own. Other times the casting goes through a small committee. And on some shows, the original creators ask for a final say.

On how much input/control does an ADR director have in the casting processing for different roles.
Every project is different. So this can vary wildly. Some shows I get to cast entirely myself. Others need to go through a small committee. And every now and again the original Japanese creators get the final say.

On the decision of Sentai Filmworks made to dub older shows recently, and the process of writing, directing, and producing newly made dubs.
Well, the main thing I try to focus on is the timing of the series. It should still feel like the time period it’s coming from. Legend of the Galactic Heroes is a good example of this. Matt Greenfield was keen to make the whole thing ooze the fact that the show is a throwback to a different style.

On the possibility of pushing Sentai to dub more of their back-catalog.
Call your Senators. Okay, seriously, your comments and requests can sometimes lead to these things happening. If enough people show interest, it can be done.

On his words of wisdom for those trying to get into the Anime writing scene.
I would say keep writing. Not just anime, but all forms of writing. It’s a lot like what I tell actors who ask the same thing. Don’t just try to be an anime actor or an anime writer. Be a writer. That way you’ll have a skill set that you can apply in many ways, in many places.

And finally how much has his current job within the Anime Industry changed perspective on anime since he started directing/writing.
Going to conventions really changed my perspective. Meeting the fan-base and seeing all the costumes and dedication. I learned how caring and genuine the whole experience is.