Omni Productions

2012-01-05T04:11:15Z

1.162.83.68: /* The dubs */

[[Image:Rtmdub titlecard.jpg|right|300px|thumb|"Darnit! I'm gonna send them to Hell."]]
'''Omni Productions''' is the [[Hong Kong]]-based company responsible for the hilariously bad English-language dubs of the Japanese [[Generation 1 (franchise)|Generation 1]] animated series: ''[[The Headmasters (cartoon)|The Headmasters]]'', ''[[Super-God Masterforce (cartoon)|Super-God Masterforce]]'', and ''[[Fight! Super Robot Lifeform Transformers: Victory (cartoon)|Victory]]''. Their other "work" includes the 70's and Heisei era [[Godzilla]] movies, '70s through mid-'80s Shaw Brothers films, Jackie Chan's ''Police Story'', ''Riki-Oh: Story of Ricky'', and ''Dragonball: The Magic Begins''.

==The dubs==
{{quote|Fortress Maximus has come himself! Okay! Then I shall get Fortress Maximus to fight me! Heh heh huh!
|[[Scorponok (G1)|Scorponok]] says terrible things|"[[I Risk My Life for Earth|Life Can Be Sacrificed for Peace on Earth]]"}}

Known variously as the '''"RTM 1 dub"''' (from the Malaysian TV channel on which the dubs were first discovered) the '''"Star TV dub"''' and the '''"Singapore dub"''' (from the Singaporean TV channel STAR TV, on which they grew to prominence), Omni Productions' dubs of these three series have gone down in infamy for a combination of reasons. Clearly produced by a small number of people with little knowledge of the source material, the English translation is...''rudimentary'' at best. Although it is often touted as being wholly inaccurate, it actually manages to render the intent of the dialog correctly more times than not. It is, however, the way in which it proceeds to ''mangle'' the translation so much with clumsy English, run-on sentences, non sequitur lines and just generally inappropriate language that creates its distinctively surreal, not to mention ''hilarious'', qualities. Of particular note is the replacement of Japanese swear words and curses with ''incredibly'' tame English accusations such as the recurring "Darn" and "You are an evil man!"

===Characteristics===
{{quote|'Billy, are you okay?'<br/> 'Not really... Find the Power Pack!'
|[[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] and [[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]]'s touching final conversation|"[[The Mystery of Planet Master|The Tale of Master Star]]"}}

Generally speaking, the dub employs American names and terminology, but in some instances, the scriptwriter(s?) were apparently unable to find the correct equivalent, leading to the dub's single most famous attribute: its collection of new names for various characters and concepts. Some of these names are based on a misinterpretation of the Japanese pronunciation of the names, and some are just pulled straight out of thin air. These ludicrous instances include:

*[[Blaster (G1)|Blaster]] as "Billy"
*[[Metroplex (G1)|Metroplex]] as "Phillip"
*[[Jazz (G1)|Jazz]] as "Marshall"
*[[Blurr (G1)|Blurr]] as "Wally"
*[[Spike Witwicky (G1)|Spike Witwicky]] as "Sparkle"
*[[Matrix of Leadership|The Matrix]] as "The Power Pack"
*[[Chaar]] as "Jollo"
*[[Energon cube|Energon cubes]] as "Power Packs"
*[[Fortress Maximus (G1)|Fortress]]'s battleship, ''Maximus'', as "Spaceship Bruce"
*[[Hot Rod (G1)|Hot Rod]] as Rodimus Prime (pronounced "Roadimus Prime")

The process proved especially difficult for the writers when the characters had no American equivalents. This only affected a few members of the ''Headmasters'' cast, who all wound up with new names. The ''Super-God Masterforce'' cast, on the other hand, were all re-named as their American toy-equivalent characters ([[Ginrai]] as [[Optimus Prime (G1)|Optimus Prime]], [[Minerva (Masterforce)|Minerva]] as [[Nightbeat (G1)|Nightbeat]], etc.), while the Japanese-exclusive characters either managed to retain their original names ([[Overlord (Masterforce)|Overlord]], [[Metalhawk]]) or followed tradition by winding up with loony new ones. The ''Victory'' characters, meanwhile, mostly managed to keep their Japanese names, but a few still managed to slip through the cracks. Wacky examples include:

*[[Soundwave (G1)|Soundblaster]] as "New Soundwave"
*[[Blaster (G1)|Twincast]] as "Blaster"
*[[Raiden]] as "Grimlock"
*[[Jack (Headmasters)|Jack]] as "Sappo"
*Both [[Sixknight]] ''and'' [[Greatshot]] as "Sixshot"
*[[Browning]] as "B.M."
*[[Jean Minakaze]] as "Meekon"
*[[Dashtacker]] as "Batchtaster"
*[[Holi]] as "Fixit"
*[[Deathsaurus (Victory)|Deathsaurus]] as "Deathsanras"
*[[Grand Galvatron]] as "Unicorn"

It doesn't end with the names...
*Characters who have a [[mouthplate]] are given "muffled" voices, evidently produced by the actors covering their mouths with their hands.
*"Wally" speaks ''unusually'' slowly.
*Both Soundwave and "New Soundwave" speak with a single, normal voice, as opposed to the Soundwave effect we're used to, even in the original Japanese show.
*The word "idea" is consistently pronounced like "idear" by several characters.
*[[Decepticon]] is sometimes pronounced by the narrator as "Decepticun".
* Characters seem unable to show even the most basic emotion convincingly

We could go on like this forever.

===Ownership===
[[Sunbow Productions]] legally acquired ownership of the Omni Productions dubs at some point, branding every episode with the ''Victory'' opening sequence (with the English word "Transformers" masked in over the title card) and English-language closing credits. These credits were rendered in the traditional font of the [[The Transformers (cartoon)|Generation 1 cartoon]] series, and even featured the original closing theme tune. All 115 dubbed episodes are included in this Sunbow-modified form as part of the [[Hasbro]]-owned ''Transformers'' rights package for licensees.

==Home video releases==
After circulating in the fandom for years via bootleg VHS tapes, the Omni Productions-dubbed episodes saw several official DVD releases in the 21st century.
===United Kingdom and Ireland===
[[Image:Maverick Takara DVD.jpg|thumb|150px|]]
:''Main articles: [[Maverick Entertainment]] / [[Metrodome]]''
*''Transformers: Takara'' (2002)
*The Takara Collection Vol 1 — ''Transformers: Headmasters'' (2005)
*''Transformers'' — The Complete Takara Collection (2007)

===Australia===
{{main|Madman Entertainment}}
*''The Transformers: Headmasters'' (2007)
*''The Transformers: Super God Masterforce'' (2008)
*''The Transformers: Victory'' (2008)
*''The Transformers: Japan Generation 1'' — Complete Collection (2009)
{{-}}

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Omni Productions