An Important Letter from Japan (MSJ response)

Games Other Halo
1

- Response from Microsoft Japan -
The petition’s admin has sent an open letter to MSJ, attached the petition signed by over 300 people.
(It does sound few, but think of the amount of sales for Halo series in Japan.)
The letter is to demand a clear answer and further explanation from MSJ.
The due date for them to answer to this letter is Oct 15th in Japan timezone.
If they didn’t answer to our letter, we’ll have an evidence that “they didn’t answer to our questioning,” officially.
We hope they answer to our letter.

Updated on Oct 10:
We received a response from Microsoft Japan Customer Support.

> Thank you for contacting Xbox customer support.
> We shared the information that you asked about the replacement of voice casts in Halo 4 with a corresponding department of our company.
> Although we cannot answer to your question, we will consider your voice in the future product development.
>
> Please do not hesitate to tell us your honest opinion should you have in the future.
>
> We hope to receive your continuous support.

That’s it.

They didn’t even mention the petition signed by over 300 people (which was attached to the open letter) and just answered to us like this.
Our voice, our petition didn’t really seem to touch their minds.

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- Kotaku: One of us cosplayed as MC & climbed Mt. Fuji in protest -
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||| An Announcement of Online Petition |||
(The petition is NOT held in this forum.)
One of us has launched an online petition for this matter.
The detail of this petition is written in another post, please JUMP to this post.
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ここへ書き込む日本のファンの方へ

このフォーラムでは英語での投稿がフォーラムルールにより決められています。
機械翻訳で変換してから書き込みましょう。日本語を一緒に添えるのはOKです。

エキサイト翻訳 ／ グーグル翻訳
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Dear 343 Industries and Microsoft Japan,

Some of us are not able to write English themselves so please consider this writing as a letter from several Halo fans in Japan.

In Japan, many of fans for Halo are bewildered by hearing the news about the replacement of the voice actors for Master Chief and Cortana, and some of them are even shocked by the news.

Maybe we could have accepted the change if it was a fair decision, but the audio director works for 343 Industries, Mr. Sotaro Tojima, the one who’s responsible for this decision, has explained about this as “the decision strongly influenced by his own feelings,” and also seeing the actual voice acting in the Xbox 360 event held in Japan a few days ago, we’re feeing that his acting doesn’t suit Master Chief’s characteristic at all, it’s not even closer to the original English voice acting than the former voice actor, and from these facts, we’re really disappointed about the decision.

Please think of that how the Halo fans in the U.S. would feel if Steve Downes were replaced by some other voice actor that sounds younger than his and really doesn’t match Master Chief’s characteristic. We have strong feelings about the voices acted by the former voice actors, Atsuki Tani and Akiko Koike, and as for Master Chief especially, because of his not-shown face covered with the helmet he always wears, the voice is strongly connected to the Master Chief himself, voice acting is that much important to us for our impressions about the character.

An action we expect from you about this problem varies among us so no specific request is included in this writing.

In any case, we first wanted to let you know about these shocked feelings many of Japanese fans have, and we would really appreciate if there will be any response or even some action from either of you about this big decision to us.

Sincerely,

On behalf of Halo fans from Japan.
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[/li]- The topic one of us already posted about the problem on this forum: Master chief and cortana voiceactors change

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2

> Some of us are not able to write English themselves so please consider this writing as a letter from several Halo fans in Japan.
>
> Dear 343 Industries and Microsoft,
>
> In Japan, many of fans for Halo are bewildered by hearing the news about the replacement of the voice actors for Master Chief and Cortana, and some of them are even shocked by the news.
>
> Maybe we could have accepted the change if it was a fair decision, but hearing Mr. Tojima explained to us that “the decision was made being strongly affected by his own personal feeling,” and also seeing the actual voice acting in the Xbox 360 event held in Japan a few days ago, we’re feeing that his acting doesn’t suit Master Chief’s characteristic at all, it’s not even closer to the original English voice acting than the former voice actor, and from these facts, we’re really disappointed about the decision.
>
> Please think of that how the Halo fans in the U.S. would feel if Steve Downes were replaced by, say, Nolan North who’s acting for Nathan Drake from Uncharted series, (maybe he would act greatly for the Master Chief character, but I hope you understand the idea that their acting styles and voice impressions really feel different.) Some of us even possess <mark>strong intimate feelings</mark> for Master Chief and Cortana with their voices acted by the former voice actors, Atsuki Tani and Akiko Koike, and as for Master Chief especially, because of his not-shown face with the helmet he always wears, the voice is strongly linked to the Master Chief himself, voice acting is that much important to us for our impressions about the character.
>
> An action we expect from you about this problem varies individually among us so no specific request is included in this writing.
>
> In any case, we first wanted to let you know about these shocked feelings many of Japanese fans have, and we would really appreciate if there will be any response or even some action if possible from either of you about this big decision to us.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> On behalf of Halo fans from Japan.
>
> —
>
> The topic one of us already posted about the problem on this forum:
> https://forums.halo.xbox.com/yaf_postst108217_Master-cheif-and-cortana-voiceactors-change.aspx

I understand you but you lost me there.

3

I’m sorry for that but these kind of things happen a lot. Ther’s not much to complain about that. If 343i made that decision, there’s a reason of course, now don’t ask me waht decision because i wasn’t even aware of the Japanese voice actors change.

4

Maybe I picked wrong words for what we want to say, sorry :confused:

hmm… how about this?

Some of us even have strong feelings for their voices because their voices are linked to Master Chief and Cortana in our impressions for those characters, and we’re feeling that this feeling of familiarity to those characters invented by playing Halo series for long years will be lost by changing the voice actors, especially because the new voice acting doesn’t suit Master Chief’s characteristic.

5

We understand how frustrating this is but unfortunately the game is going to ship in a couple of months and its too late to change the voice actors. Honestly, I really am sorry to hear this :frowning:

6

Thanks for the word of sorry, I know it’s impossible to make a replacement again so I personally thought they could at least make sure Japanese edition of Halo 4 have the original English dub besides the jpn one, so we could switch if we don’t like it, because Japanese localized foreign games don’t have original dubs sometimes.

7

日本語で失礼します。

Halo4日本語版の声優変更の件ですが、私からも意見させてください。
今回決まったマスターチーフ・コルタナの声優は日本でも有名で実績のある方です。
しかし、halo1から10年慣れ親しんだチーフ・コルタナの声優変更の理由にはなりません、日本のHaloファンは10年間慣れ親しんだチーフやコルタナと別れる事は望んでいません。

Halo4は日本人のスタッフが翻訳を担当しているようですが、彼が我々とHaloとの10年を理解しているとは思えません。今までのHaloの思い出を捨てては新しいマスターチーフの冒険を楽しむことはできないのです。日本語版翻訳の担当者にはファンの心情を理解した上で適切な翻訳をして欲しかったし、それが出来ないまま自分の感情を押し通すなら日本語版の翻訳に関わるべきではないと思います。

日本のHaloファンは今までの声優でHalo4を楽しみたいのです。今からの声優変更が望めないなら有料DLCで構いません、以前の声優の吹き替えを追加で配信できませんか？

なにとぞ、ご検討ください。

I am rude in Japanese.

It is a Japanese voice actor of change Halo4, please let me also to comment.
The voice of Master Chief Korutana was determined this time whichever is proven also famous in Japan.
However, it will not be the reason for the change leave voice of Chief Korutana familiar 10 years halo1, Halo fan in Japan is familiar Korutana chief for 10 years and I do not want to.

The staff of the Japanese Halo4 it seems responsible for the translation, I do not think I know 10 years of Halo with us and him. Discard the memories of Halo until now, but it still can not enjoy the new adventures of Master Chief. I think it should not be involved in the translation of the Japanese version of the person in charge of the translation Japanese version I wanted to be the appropriate translation on the understanding the feelings of the fans, they push through their feelings without being able to have it you.

Halo fans want to enjoy Halo4 Japan is in the voice of the past. Are you unable to deliver additional DLC can be the voice of change pay from now if not expected, the dubbing of the previous voice actor?

By any means, please consider.

8

I’m really sorry to hear about the voice actor change guys. I kind of know how you feel - I don’t watch anime or read manga, but I do really like Evangelion. When they released the new movies and changed all the English voice actors, it felt like I didn’t know the characters anymore, and it sucks

Unfortunately with the game so close to release there’s nothing that can be done, but I hope 343i have made the right decision with the new actors and again I am really sorry that this has happened. All we can do is just hope the new voice actors do their best

Anyway, just wanted to say that it’s always great playing with Japanese halo fans, you’re all good sports and I hope to play with you guys when Halo 4’s out

9

That’s really a sad point of news for JP Halo fans. Sorry to hear this happened to you Japan.

10

Hi, I’m one of the fans of Halo series and dissapointed this absurd decision.
I like new voice actor himself (he acted Jack Bauer’s voice in 24 Japanese version)
,but his voice dosen’t suit Master Chief’s character.
I think Master Chief’s voice is the most important factor that expresses his character, since his face is sealed by an armor.
And the (previous) voice has made what Master Chief is in Japanese version for ten years.
What do you think of if your old friend appears with different voice?
If this change happend in English version? A riot would occur, I guess.

What I want is a DLC that enables previous voice actors.
It is the only way to convince Japanese old fans, I think.

11

i mean the important thing is the gameplay so i wouldnt be too worried…

12

Adding DLC just to change the voice actors in the Japanese Dubs sounds like it would be a pain in the -Yoink-. I don’t think that would happen :frowning:

13

Why don’t you guys just roll with the english voices and japanese subtitle?

Maby that’s not even available?

14

too bad … but Microsoft Japan are the ones responsible for this not 343i try speaking to them

> i mean the important thing is the gameplay so i wouldnt be too worried…

so you’re not going to freak out if they replaced Downes and Taylor with another voice actors !

15

> too bad … but Microsoft Japan are the ones responsible for this not 343i try speaking to them
>
>
>
> > i mean the important thing is the gameplay so i wouldnt be too worried…
>
> so you’re not going to freak out if they replaced Downes and Taylor with another voice actors !

I’d be pretty angry if the replaced the original voices for MC and Cortana in english.

16

Yes
Japan version isn`t available english dub with japanese sub.
New Japanese dub with japanese sub only.

17

Rampant Monitor: The English voices weren’t included in Halo 3 and Reach, so we’re assuming 4 will be the same, and we’ll be forced to hear the new voices if they don’t make 4 to have eng one. As one of them I hope I will have it included.

But some of the fans are not feeling that it would be enough with just switching to Eng voices and they really miss Master Chief with the former voices, since reading subtitles during the combat in shooter is a pain, that is one reason, and another reason is that they were with Master Chief & Cortana for ten years hearing the voices acted by those former actors. The change in voice makes them feel like Chief & Cortana have changed in personalities. That much the new voice acting is different from the previous ones.

Mythic Pilot: but the one who made this decision is a Japanese staff working for 343i, in a position of audio director. I think the localization usually done by Microsoft Japan, as they did for the previous titles, but for this Halo 4 this audio director Sotaro Tojima got involved in the localization and then, this decision was made because of him.

18

It could be a really good opportunity to learn English?

You don’t have to say “Killtacular” too much in conversation, but you never know when it might come in handy

19

> > too bad … but Microsoft Japan are the ones responsible for this not 343i try speaking to them
> >
> >
> >
> > > i mean the important thing is the gameplay so i wouldnt be too worried…
> >
> > so you’re not going to freak out if they replaced Downes and Taylor with another voice actors !
>
> I’d be pretty angry if the replaced the original voices for MC and Cortana in english.

As would I.

It’s as if they would have replaced Masako Nozawa with somebody else for a new Dragonball Movie because they thought Son Goku needed a new characterization.

I’d be ready to flip a table over.

I’m sorry Japanese fans. I would think Microsoft would want to do as little as possible to alienate it’s Japanese following what with the XBox’s pitiful market penetration there.

20

> Mythic Pilot: but the one who made this decision is a Japanese staff working for 343i, in a position of audio director. I think the localization usually done by Microsoft Japan, as they did for the previous titles, but for this Halo 4 this audio director Sotaro Tojima got involved in the localization and then, this decision was made because of him.

I don’t know but I haven’t expected that Tajima is involved in such a decision

sorry to hear that