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DVD shop in Tokyo, English subtitles 2018/5/7 17:00
Hello,
will be visiting Tokyo beginning of June and love to bring home a few Japanese spoken DVDs with English subtitles (pleasant help for my language learning). Especially I like to buy an English spoken version of Disney's 'Frozen', with English subtitles.
Which shops in Tokyo would you recommend?!
I don't have that much time to search for it, so it would be very helpful! Thx!
Jantje
by Jantje  

Re: DVD shop in Tokyo, English subtitles 2018/5/8 10:29
Any of the large electronics retail chains, like Yodobashi Camera and Bic Camera (which have several branches in downtown Tokyo), will have a DVD section with Disney movies. Disney movies are usually released in Japan with both the original English dialogue and Japanese dubbed dialogue on the same disc, allowing you to select which you want to hear using the disc's menu. They also usually have both English and Japanese captions, again selectable from the disc's menu.

However, be aware that changes are made between English and Japanese scripts. While the story and characterizations remain the same, phrases and specific vocabulary are regularly changed to keep the Japanese dialogue a length that the Japanese actors can say within the same amount of time as the English actors said their lines. These changes are especially significant for children's movies, like Frozen.

As a simple example, a character who's feeling really embarrassed might say, in the English script "Oh please just kill me right now." In Japanese, though, people don't say "kill me" to express embarrassment, and so the Japanese script might just have the character say "Mecha hazukashii," which means "Super embarrassed."

The overall emotion/meaning of the two lines is the same, but the components don't match up at all. However, the captions will match up with the dialogue for the same language. The English captions match the English dialogue, and the Japanese captions match the Japanese dialogue. So if you're watching the movie with Japanese dialogue and English captions, you'll hear the character say "Mecha hazukashii," but the captions will say "Oh God please just kill me right now." However, not one of those individual English words is part of the meaning of "Mecha hazukashii."

Again, since the captions match the script for their language, you could watch the movie with Japanese dialogue and Japanese captions. However, that simply gives you the Japanese script written in Japanese text. So you'll hear the character say "Mecha hazukashii," and the captions will say ‚ß‚¿‚á’p‚¸‚©‚µ‚¢.

Unfortunately, there's no way to set up the disc to have Japanese dialogue and an English translation of what the Japanese characters are saying.

There are also many times where even the meanings of the English dialogue and Japanese dialogue for the same line are completely different. This often happens with jokes and cultural references, which are often swapped out for something entirely new that the writers think will work better for the Japanese dialogue.

As such, if you're hoping to learn some Japanese by watching Frozen with the Japanese dialogue and English captions, you're going to get limited results, since what the Japanese actors are saying is different from what the English captions say.
by .1 (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: DVD shop in Tokyo, English subtitles 2018/5/8 17:07
Do you own a DVD player that can play Region 2 DVDs?
by Gregalor rate this post as useful

Re: DVD shop in Tokyo, English subtitles 2018/5/8 17:10
Yes it does! (In the Netherland we also have region code 2.)
I can also use my laptop which is region free.
by Jantje rate this post as useful

Re: DVD shop in Tokyo, English subtitles 2018/5/8 17:55
Do DVDs sold in the Netherlands have Japanese subtitles? Likewise, DVDs sold in Japan do not have English.

Just buy EU editions of Japanese movies/anime DVDs; those normally have Japanese audio and subtitles in various EU languages. If those sold in the Netherlands have only Dutch subtitles, you can buy from the UK (e.g., Amazon).
by Firas rate this post as useful

Re: DVD shop in Tokyo, English subtitles 2018/5/8 18:18
Disney's 'Frozen' is not Japanese animation.

the DVD or BD of Disney's Frozen has the sounds and the subtitles of Japanese and English.
unfortunately, I only find an expensive one,
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00KLBPS1Y/ref=emc_b_5_i
Œ¾Œê: ‰pŒê, “ú–{Œê
Žš–‹: “ú–{Œê, ‰pŒê

there is another version of DVD
https://www.amazon.co.jp/%E3%82%A2%E3%83%8A%E3%81%A8%E9%9B%AA%E3%81%AE...
Œ¾Œê: ‰pŒê, “ú–{Œê
the site does not mention about subtitles.
by ken (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: DVD shop in Tokyo, English subtitles 2018/5/8 18:39
Hi,
thank you all for your effort.
I see I wrote my question wrong: I like to have DVDs with Japanese audio and English subtitles. (Dutch subtitles would also be perfect but that almost doesn't exist.) I am interested in Japanese movies and drama, but especially looking for a Japanese spoken version of Disney's Frozen although I of course know that it isn't a Japanese anime!
Normally I also try to order them but
1. couldn't find an affordable Frozen on the internet and
2. I happen to be in Tokyo,
so I thought my problem could be solved by going to shops there.
I wonder now, if no-one (yet) recommends shops, does that mean there aren't?
Thanks again,
Jantje

by Jantje rate this post as useful

Re: DVD shop in Tokyo, English subtitles 2018/5/8 18:47
Right, it seems Disney movies are an exception. Others are sold in the same format as well (2 discs, Blu-ray and DVD each with English and Japanese audio and subtitles). No need to hunt for DVD stores, you can just buy on Amazon and deliver to your hotel or a convenience store.

Still, learning Japanese language from American media seems odd...
by Firas rate this post as useful

Re: DVD shop in Tokyo, English subtitles 2018/5/8 20:05
Okay, I'll do it that way!
Good suggestion to let it be sent to my hostel!
Don't worry, I am watching Japanese dorama and movies since 8 years all te time!
Would be the first that isn't Japanese.
Very nice clear Japanese voices, lovely titelsong in Japanese, wonderful reviews, so I am looking forward to it.
And why wouldn't anything do that helps your language skills?
Best,
Jantje
by Jantje rate this post as useful

Re: DVD shop in Tokyo, English subtitles 2018/5/8 20:27
For hostels, you should probably confirm with them that they will accept package deliveries for guests. If they don't, you can have it delivered to a convenience store nearby.
by Firas rate this post as useful

Re: DVD shop in Tokyo, English subtitles 2018/5/8 20:31
Thank you, very practical advises!
by Jantje rate this post as useful

Re: DVD shop in Tokyo, English subtitles 2018/5/8 21:46
If you're interested most Miyazaki movies also have an English subtitle track in Japan, or at least they did in the mid 2000s when I bought my copies. I bought mine at Animate. They were not cheap, but at the time many of the films didn't have a R1 release.

I would think Tsutaya or any DVD store sells Frozen or Miyazaki films, I just personally find Japanese DVDs more expensive than DVDs I could purchase in the USA.

For Dramas, I enjoyed the Professor and his Beloved equation. I suspect that most films they show with subtitles on ANA/JAL/Hawaiian flights with subtitles are available with subtitles on DVD, since it would be odd to sub things just for airlines. I am pretty sure that is how I found out about the Professor. If this is true, I also have seen Poisonberry in my Brain (Hawaiian) and a whole slew of other movies on ANA/JAL., but I can't remember every single one For me personally, most Japanese movies end up being real tear jerkers but I also cry easily. I just saw Close Knit on my last trip to Japan.

Good luck!
by rkold rate this post as useful

Re: DVD shop in Tokyo, English subtitles 2018/5/9 00:54
Thank you! As I see the website I might also like to wander around in a Tsutaya shop.
by Jantje rate this post as useful

Re: DVD shop in Tokyo, English subtitles 2018/5/9 22:35
Forget about that. It is not worth the effort and the time you will waste. Japanese DVDs are very expensive and rarely have English subtitles. I own lots of Japanese movies on DVD and Blu-ray and most of them are Hong Kong or Taiwan editions bought online from a Hong Kong seller called YesAsia. Buy online from Hong Kong and you will save money and time.

by mafepero rate this post as useful

Re: DVD shop in Tokyo, English subtitles 2018/5/10 16:54
Because DVDs are very expensive in Japan, I almost always buy second hand from Book Off and the like. Still not cheap, and selection varies, but at least a little bit more affordable...
by vlumi rate this post as useful

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