I have an old email from someone who emailed Enoki looking for answers. I never could figure out where to put it on the site. If you want, I'll post it up here when I get home.

I'd love to read that. I mean... did Ursula's Kiss ever actually exist? I wondered about that briefly, before moving on to more entertaining things.

Last edited by ShatteredMirror (05-19-2007 02:08:56 AM)

Yasha wrote:

I have an old email from someone who emailed Enoki looking for answers. I never could figure out where to put it on the site. If you want, I'll post it up here when I get home.

Yeah, that was me, but I think I pushed too hard... they didn't get me in touch with whoever wrote the Ursula's Kiss page, so I wasn't able to find out what the heck the plan was for Silver Mask and company (I still just can't picture what they were expecting to do, footage-wise). Unfortunate. Strangely, past the first story arc, the episode summaries on that page switch back to Japanese names and were clearly written by someone who genuinely watched the show. I find it difficult to believe that the same person would try to force in Silver Mask, Pazollini, and Lady June (...the Shadow Girls?) I suppose it will remain a mystery, though if someone else wants to get in touch with Enoki, go for it. (Politely.)

Sevelle wrote:

The Seeker's Armageddon . . . wow- So there is more than one Akio, apparently. I need to see this dubbing of the show!

But does it even exist anymore?

Foolish lifeform.

There never was such a thing as Ursula's Kiss anywhere in the world in the first place.

(/Akio)

Seriously though, that dub doesn't exist. I was confused too, but apparently Enoki is the company that sells distribution rights of serieses like Utena to companies in other countries (for TV specifically, I think... but *maybe* also DVD?), and the series sites on their web page are kind of solicitations for companies to look at to convince them to buy the rights... sort of a teaser, I guess?

Obviously, Enoki is assuming that English-speaking countries will want to at the very least dub characters' names, and at most mangle the shows ruthlessly for local release. I guess they're just helpfully giving them a convenient head start.

Dallbun wrote:

Sevelle wrote:

The Seeker's Armageddon . . . wow- So there is more than one Akio, apparently. I need to see this dubbing of the show!

But does it even exist anymore?

Foolish lifeform.

There never was such a thing as Ursula's Kiss anywhere in the world in the first place.

I did not know this, and I am kind of sad it doesn't. The names killed me.

Last edited by Sevelle (05-19-2007 12:05:27 PM)

Actually it exists... is the spanish dub of Utena that was aired on mexico... (dubbed in los angeles it seems)

All those names... were used int the dub... well not all no silver mask or Tori Ohtori but Kevin and Tommy were used among many others

Here is the long-awaited email. Many thanks to Dallbun, and also, if anyone cares to follow up on this, it might be interesting to hear what Enoki has to say.

Dallbun's Email to Me wrote:

Unfortunately, I never got a response from that second e-mail. In retrospect, it was definitely too specific; I should have just asked if I could be put in contact with the person who wrote that page, and left it at that. It might be worthwhile for one of us to give that another shot, because I'm still really curious about Silver Mask, Pazolini, and Lady June.
I mean, judging by the episode summaries (the later ones in particular!) the Ursula's Kiss site was written by someone who watched the show pretty carefully. It's bizarre...

Dallbun's Email to Enoki wrote:

Hello, I wandered into your website (that of Enoki Films USA) and wanted to ask you some questions, because there are some things about your company that confuse me.

Your company profile says that you are basically in the business of distributing animated television series. The implication is that the series listed on your website... under such headings as "Action Adventure," "Animation Features," and "Drama Classics"... are series that you are distributing in the U.S. or in the process of arranging to distribute.

However, several of the series that you list have already been released in the U.S. by entirely different companies. Take, for instance, "Ursula's Kiss" (or Shoujo Kakumei Utena), which has been released on DVD by Central Park Media, and "Tales at North Hills High," (or Kareshi Kanojo no Jijou), which has been released under the considerably more accurate name of "His and Her Circumstances" by The Right Stuf International.

What exactly is your role? Are you preparing these series for release on U.S. television? That would explain the odd "dubbed" descriptions and such.

Thanks for your time... I hope to hear back from you soon.

Enoki's Reply wrote:

We are the original rights holder from Japan and we license the titles on our website to tv stations and video distributors worldwide.  Some of the titles have been altered just for marketing purposes, not all international buyers have the understand of the Japanese titles as you do.
Thanks for asking.
Enoki Films USA

Dallbun's Second Email wrote:

Hi, I sent you another e-mail to your company a few days ago (attached below). Your answer does clear up the purpose of Enoki Films USA... but I'm still confused about the details of some of the series that you market. Please, bear with me, because I'm genuinely curious about some of the choices made here.

Take Utena, again, for instance... the characters are renamed (and, in some cases such as Juri/Julie, somewhat reimagined), despite the fact that no English dub exists that uses those names (and, where applicable, concepts). Is the idea that, if a tv station or video distributor was interested in releasing the series in that form, a dub could be made after this fashion?

Even more interestingly, at the end of the character list for "Ursula's Kiss," three characters appear for which no counterparts exist in "Utena"... namely, Silver Mask, Pazolini, and Lady June. Is the intent that footage could be inserted with these characters, a la Robotech? Or are they the reimagined identities of the (otherwise absent from the character list) Shadow Play Girls, A-ko, B-ko, and C-ko (that would be a stretch that the mind boggles to comprehend!)

I apologize for the specific fan-type questions; I don't imagine that you're the one who wrote the "Urusla's Kiss" site, but would it be possible to put me in contact with the person who did? Because this is really interesting.

Thanks so much for your time! I appreciate the fact that you're answering my questions.

And they never did answer.

..I am so confused, but the link Shattered (almost typed Shadow again) posted clears up some things for me.. but Ursula's Kiss is just a parody, right?

..right?

You know I am really sad now, because for so long I thought that there was an actual Ursula's Kiss. Oh well, I guess you can't win em all.

Necro-ing for lulz.

Dallbun wrote:

Sevelle wrote:

But does it even exist anymore?

Foolish lifeform.

There never was such a thing as Ursula's Kiss anywhere in the world in the first place.

In that case, this was the most epic case of trolling I have ever seen. I keep coming across this and was wondering if there was a thread on it somewhere here. Guess I found it. This explains things.

Dallbun wrote:

Obviously, Enoki is assuming that English-speaking countries will want to at the very least dub characters' names, and at most mangle the shows ruthlessly for local release. I guess they're just helpfully giving them a convenient head start.

Eh, sort of happened anyway with the Utena dub. No name changing, but the AD directing was awful. Casting choice was awesome, but I feel it was badly executed. Particularly name pronunciation. (Which I happen to know many of the actors for Utena are, at least now, not so inept as to pronounce Ten-JOU as Ten-JU or Sye-on-ji as Say-on-ji.)

ShatteredMirror wrote:

Ursula's kiss exists here: Link

That is all.

...Ashitiqua?
BRB LOLING FOREVER.

chrisb wrote:

Azure wrote:

...Ashitiqua?
BRB LOLING FOREVER.

Oh man thanks for reviving this thread or I would never have been able to partake in this eternal lol with you guys.

I KNOW, RITE?

Now I need to draw Ghetto-Fabulous!Anthy. It must be done.

Sweet zombie Jesus, that fake Opening had me in tears--ESPECIALLY the 'holding hands' bit.

There's a couple of Utena abridged(some of which are dead)--and I really wish one of them would take it on as if they were a dubbing company who had the task of cleaning up all the insanity ala 4Kids. Can you just IMAGINE how they would UTTERLY DESTROY so many of the complex themes of the series? As it is, that Tumblr is my favorite thing ever.

codeblackhayate wrote:

Once upon a time I wrote half a parody script based on Ursula's Kiss. Those were dark days


It would be a fun thing to do for the movie! Given the rate of SKU:PID episodes, it'd happen in 20 years.

Was that parody piece over at the SKU fanfic repository your work?  Wow, that was a GREAT humor piece!