DiC Dub. vs Sub, Episode 21/25 - āJupiter Comes Thundering Inā/āJupiter, the Brawny Girl in Loveā Pt 2
After so long, here is part two!!
Because of the massive break in between the two, Iāve had to switch gears a little with my explanations, but hopefully theyāll still appear coherent! Without further ado, the remainder of this episode of Dub vs. Sub!
Previously, I covered the manners in which the episode begins to establish the foundation for both diverging character arcs. Propped with knowledge from both Beryl and Kunzite, Zoisite takes his charge with perfect grace and professionalism. Meanwhile, DiC's Zoycite is introduced as being far keener, promisingly relentless, and a more dangerous adversary. If Zoisite was concealing his fangs, as it were...then we were introduced to Zoycite flashing hers.
If it sounds like I'm bashing a dead horse with this difference a lot, Ā perhaps it's also because the DiC dub seems to do so with as much vigor. Certainly, I can't assume writers' intentions when they re-wrote the character for DiC. However, DiC seemed to find as many opportunities as they can to showcase Zoycite's contrary presentation of Zoisite's original character as often as they can, even when they didn't necessarily have to...
This bit of exposition was given right at the very beginning of the DiC version when no such introduction was made in the original. Possibly, DiC made this change to ramp up the story's dramaticism. However, DiC's reputation for obvious exposition leads me to believe otherwise, especially when it starts cropping up in later episodes more frequently, and for no other reason.Ā
(For example, yes, I understand that the following screenshots are referring to Lita / Makoto. However, if you look at Zoyciteās arc as a whole, it is also an excellent setup to the infamousĀ āDisguiseā episode...and I feel it is also a great representation of why DiC so desperately wanted to sow these character changes into Zoycite. For if they hadnāt, and Zoycite remained exactly as Zoisite in all manners except gender... how different would āsheā be, a beautiful female soldier fighting for love, than another titular character we know?)
Anyways, I digress, and will return to the above bracketed point once we reach that particular episode. In the meantime, please enjoy the following comparisons remaining from the episode below...
1. Zoyciteās keenness, and further proof that DiC canāt stand empty sound space, even if itās to imply a characterās softly - and ominous - coming).
2. I wish there was a way I could put audio clips in these tumblr posts, because I do love how both these characters are still portrayed with a sense of play...Zoyciteās acrid, saccharine poison, and Zoisiteās breathy, cotton-candy kiss of death.
3. If I could put in audio clips, this is where we would hear Zoyciteās syrupĀ literallyĀ curdle - her voice rips into an edge of monstrous roughness, similar to other other monster-of-the-day characters that were also portrayed by the same actress. Meanwhile, Zoisiteās actor speaks with a softness of a snake beginning to gently suffocate you..
4. Goddamnit Zoi, you are so fucking cute, I will never get over how you call out your own name like youāre a fucking pokemon <3.
(Side Note: Zoisiteās use of his own name may seem vain, but I tend to read it less as a form of vanity, and more of a form of cute-speak. Itās yet another way he downplays the perception of his potential: to evoke the sense of adorableness, of femininity, a way to startle the opponent into a sense of lowered security. Honestly, Iām sure this isnāt so much of an actual farce he puts on and is genuinely how he expresses himself, both on the job and at home, but it works! Note that in the future, whenever Zoycite uses the same tactic, she never says it in the same, diminutive cute way. Her spell-cast is always aggressive, shouted in determination and confidence).
(Extra Side-Note: Another +1 for how many times Zoycite will say she is excited to please Queen Beryl. Iām keeping count for an explicit reason. Infer that what you will, and please imagine it with the same kind ofĀ ādingā thatās heard in CinemaSins.)
5. I mean, apart from the usual (Zoyciteās kneejerk reaction is to be antagonistic, while Zoisite is actually only politely informingĀ Makoto that she does not have to engage, etc, ...he literally does not coax, mock or challenge. We will see later that Zoisite treats physical bloodshed and confrontation as unnecessary and only as a last resort, while Zoycite is spurred by challenges) - I also love how Zoyciteās dialogue also reflects this difference. Iāve talked at length at how Zoisite is always unfailingly and elegantly polite before, and now look at Zoyciteās speaking mannerisms: uncouth, aggressive, and filled to the brim with attitude when the opportunity arises.Ā āSCUSE ME, indeed!
6.Further point regarding Zoycite and Zoisiteās divergent opinions of physical or violent confrontation: one disparages it, considering it barbaric, and that he is above it (often literally). The other laughs in the face of it, and has no qualms dishing it out as a threat...or is more than ready to follow it through.
(Also: buzz off omfg)
In fact, we see their opinions play out beautifully below:
7. After being punched, compare these reactions: one promising brutal threat, and the other fucking gobsmackedĀ it even happened. Also, their differences in priorities.
While that may sound like Iām making a dig at Zoisite, I am legitimately not. I know this scene tends to be one of the ones that famously evoke the idea of Zoisiteās vanity, but I tend to read it another way. Yes, Zoisiteās face is precious to him, and yes, it could also be read as a stereotypical portrayal of a feminine gay character.Ā
However, this scene is not meant to illicit laughter. Nor it is not meant for us to startle with incredulity of how silly it is that he is upset his face his hurt. In this scene, Zoisite is truly shocked - his words are less an angry tantrum and more a statement of startled fact. He hadnāt anticipated Makoto could get that close to him, could actually touch him, much could actually strike him. And, in a place that is fiercely protective of, not because of his vanity...but because it is a precious commodity in the main force that drives his arc. (Yes, itās Kunzite.) Itās no surprise that Zoisiteās beauty and ābeautiful faceā gets mentioned so often at key moments in his character development. His arc starts with a punch in the face, rises with gentle caresses, and - after a similar injury - crashes.
All of these subtleties, however, are swapped entirely in Zoyciteās case. Her face is not a fragile commodity by which she holds dear...in fact, it is of little importance to her. Her immediate concern is vengeanceĀ - more so than the injury on her face, it is her ego is bruised, and damn anyone who dares to make that mark.
Anyways, before I digress further, letās round back up to the remainder of the episode. These last few scenes only continue to consistently show the differences in Zoyciteās and Zoisiteās professional approach. There isnāt as deep to note, with one exception at the very end...
8. If you havenāt already caught on, Zoycite really wants this fucking crystal.
9. Up above, DiC makes as much of an effort to showcase how much joy Zoycite derives from her job. Being a Negaverse warrior is an excellent honour - your true self - and boy, is she enjoying exerting her power over those below her. Zoyciteās ambition is demonstrated not as an ideal professional characteristic, but the potential in her to throw a coup if she wanted to. She is power hungry, and that grows recklessly to dangerous heights as her arc progresses. Notice that Zoisite says none of these things...because it isnāt power he seeks. He approaches his subject with almost professional indifference: he seeks no more than the objective of his task. And donāt worry, āit will only take a momentā.
10. This has always been one of my favourite scenes. I just love how Zoisite politelyĀ ānopesā out, while Zoycite - and I fully believe it - has a fucking victory celebration.Ā (Donāt think for a moment Zoycite is just jesting, she probably told Malachite to set out the champagne before she left on the mission!)
And again, note the increased victorious laughter, where there was none before...
And FINALLY, the one ODD thing that happens a LOT throughout DiCās version of this character arc. Remember how I mentioned in a previous instalment that DiC seemed to like to inject extra dialogue and laughs that could exposit Zoycite as a fundamentally meanerĀ character than Zoisite?
Hey look, it happened again:
Like, this may not seem like much of a deal, but think about it. We had a scene earlier where Zoisiteās words basically remained the same in conversion (theĀ āorderā scene). Weāve had many instances where the original dialogue/script did not need to be changed, and yet was tweaked in just certain places. This seems like a wholly unnecessary change, so why do it?
The answer is: in changing Zoisiteās gender, DiC encountered a whole other problem. And that problem was: a female solider character, whoās primary motivation was love, a love that could be read as more complex, established, and equally both inspirational and problematic ...could end up becoming an unintentional role model for DiCās demographic. Figuratively speaking, the tragedy by which we all love Kunzite and Zoisiteās humanity for carried a message that DiC feared might be misconstrued as another example of a miracle romance - because at that point, superficially, the character would no longer be any different than Sailor Moon. iIf Zoycite also fought for love, then her motivations would blow a hole right in the Power of Love message that DiCās Sailor Moon stood for. And, if she was as dedicated to Malachite as Zoisite was to Kunzite - questionably so - it would also rip a massive hole in DiCās message of Girl Power.Ā
Iāll talk more about this in greater detail as those essential scenes crop up throughout the arc. For the time being, letās simply observe that for all the animosity Zoycite gets in the DiC version (even by other characters in the same universe), that Zoisite was never perceived in the same way, even by his enemies. And thereās a reason for that.
a commission for @fadesinthesun šš¼ yes that's more or less zoisite, zoycite, and mako, in more-or-less midcentury british co-ed school uniforms, yes that's v specific, yes there's a reason
commissions open and appreciated at http://ko-fi.com/kamen :)
