Saturday 18 August 2012

Happy Hunger Games~!

I was able to restrain myself from writing about Hunger Games before, and I was trying to refrain from writing about it now after hearing the recent news...... but in the end I could not resist any longer.

First off, I would like to start with stating that I really love the Hunger Games books. The writing style and story are so gripping, that I was completely hooked from the moment I picked up the first book till the moment I set down the last one. I was so absorbed in the story that I felt very empty inside after it ended. And these, ladies and gentlemen, are the things that determine what is an amazing book in my eyes. I really recommend that everyone should read the books and also would like to comment that bickering about the idea being very similar to Battle Royale is foolish. Sure there are similarities, as there is also between both of those and 1984, Lord of the Flies and even some movies, but let's face it - this same thing happens between many other books/stories as well. Like for example Matched and Delirium, which both sound to me like they have a very similar idea behind them, but one of my workmates has told me that both books are brilliant and I have no reason to doubt her (she is Miss Fantasy after all ;D). As a more radical example we could take the whole genre of murder/detective stories. I mean, most of them are about someone, who works out the culprit behind the murder or crime, that happened at the beginning of the story. Very similar I would say, but even so, the stories end up being very different and some are good and some are bad. Anyway, enough of my rant, let's get back on track..



The movie. I have to say that most of the time I dread movie adaptations of great books, as more often than not, the movies do no justice to the books at all and I feel very let down and disappointed after seeing them. The worst I have seen so far is the movie for Eragon, which honestly was as far from the book as it possibly could be (I am still traumatized). And thus, I always am very doubtful when going to see such movies. The movie adaption of Hunger Games was, however, one of the best I have seen. It was very loyal to the original story (apart from a couple of things that rubbed me the wrong way, but that was just a couple of things!) and the style it was filmed in fit well with the style of the book. 


And now considering all of this, just imagine how I felt when I heard that.........

...... Nana is voicing Katniss Everdeen in the Japanese dub of the Hunger Games movie!!



Nana Katniss!

Wow! I find this awesome and really amazing. Nothing makes me more happy than when I can link Nana to yet another thing I love. I have to say that I am not a friend of dubs at all, but (surprise, surprise) I do enjoy them if Nana is involved. So yeah, I couldn't come up with a better role than this for Nana's first main role in a dub! I seriously am ridiculously excited about this. xD Though I really cannot imagine Katniss with Nana's voice. I get a syntax error. BUT! That's a good thing, because that means Nana will once again amaze me with her superb skills when I do watch this movie again with her starring in it. I do agree with Kadokawa pictures, Nana and Katniss really are alike with their determination to keep going even when life kicks them in the face. I am sure if anyone can bring out Katniss' emotions and personality it is dear Nana-chan!

Nana wrote about this in her blog yesterday herself too. She seems to be quite excited about getting to voice Katniss considering how she is eagerly explaining the main storyline and about Katniss herself. It just makes me feel really happy for her.

Eager Nana has been working on Hangaa geemu!

Also, one of the best things about Nana voicing Katniss.... is the fact that there are at least two more movies coming! \o/ Yay! So presumably I will be receiving even more Nana x Hunger Games awesomeness in the future. I am definitely buying these DVDs from Japan so I can get the original and Nana version in one package. Fufufufufufu.....

Oh and one last thing. There is one thing I have noticed, which I find really odd. The original, Hunger Games, is in plural yes? But in Finnish it is singular, Nälkäpeli (instead of being Nälkäpelit, the plural) and the same seems to be the case with the Japanese version, ハンガーゲーム - Hangaa Geemu (instead of ハンガーゲームス - Hangaa Geemusu). I haven't researched other languages, does the same keep occuring?

6 comments:

  1. For once, French didn't translate Hunger Games. Even French Canadian didn't translate it (which is kind of surprising).

    I wrote something before deleting it because I realized you answered it somehow in your post, but I didn't read it whole by fear of getting spoiled. XD

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    1. That is surprising. Now when reading your comment, I just realized I was aware of one more language, which I forgot yesterday. xD The Swedish version is Hungerspelen and that does actually use the plural like the original.

      Well I didn't talk about the plot or anything in my post so no spoilers to be afraid of. :D And since my e-mail told me what you wrote before.. I'll just say, yes, if you loved Battle Royale, I am sure you'll enjoy Hunger Games too. :P

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  2. never watched hunger games, I was working in thailand wine it came out. I'll be back in Japan wine this movie comes out there, so i'll go see the japanese ver! NANA!

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    1. I think I'll probably go see it too, good Japanese practice for me (because ofc I am not just going for Nana... no way... <.< >.>)! \o/

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  3. What a coincidence. I wanted to watch Hunger Games at the movie theater. Due to technical problem, it was The Avengers instead. But I am still curious abt Hunger Games storyline.

    Now even our dear Nana-sama can do the voice of MC girl. I am even more interested. I am willing to buy the japanese version or hoping the BD version will have both English as Japanese dubs. Does it mean that the world of movie dub has recognized Nana-sama voice? I hope she will do more movies in the future.

    Back on Hunger Games, what kind of genre are the books? Adventure? Thriller? Even by looking at the movie trailer, I didnt got any wiser.
    I think I will it a shot for the books (if I can find it translated in Dutch) Is the whole story covered in series or in 1 single book?

    Anyways I am too curious www >_<


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    1. The Japanese BD/DVD should have both. I bought Minority Report and Ultraviolet DVDs from Japan exactly because Nana was in the dubs, and the DVDs came with original audio too, and it also included English subs so could use those when watching the Jap dub. \o/

      Hmm, I guess thriller and sci-fi could be closest. It is a sort of cruel depiction of the future, where the districts are forced to participate in the Hunger Games every year as punishment for a past revolution. It is the sort of story that keeps you in suspense and makes you think. It is a trilogy, so there are three books - Hunger Games, Catching Fire and Mockingjay. You really should give them a read! ^^

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