What is your favorite Ultraman film? (Heisei Era)

[Japanfan4ever]

The term is probably the most infamous in Kaiju film history. It refers to those kids that starred in a majority of Kaiju and general toku films released in the late 60s and 70s. The American companies that dubbed the films had a wide tendency of naming the kids "Kenny". Thus, the title of annoying child archetype in Godzilla/Gamera/etc. films during the kids craze, were "Kennies". They had high-pitched voice predominantly played by woman, and always caused trouble and lead films astray.

They're most infamous though, for being so frickin annoying in the films they appeared in! That's why I made that point. But honestly, in Godzilla's history, he's been hit with a couple Kennies. Godzilla's Revenge anyone?!

 

[Bad Wolf]

hmm

Godzilla's Revenge

Godzilla vs Hedorah

and Godzilla vs Megalon come to mind. but Gamera is full of them.

 

[ryuuseipro]

The term is probably the most infamous in Kaiju film history. It refers to those kids that starred in a majority of Kaiju and general toku films released in the late 60s and 70s. The American companies that dubbed the films had a wide tendency of naming the kids "Kenny". Thus, the title of annoying child archetype in Godzilla/Gamera/etc. films during the kids craze, were "Kennies". They had high-pitched voice predominantly played by woman, and always caused trouble and lead films astray.

They're most infamous though, for being so frickin annoying in the films they appeared in! That's why I made that point. But honestly, in Godzilla's history, he's been hit with a couple Kennies. Godzilla's Revenge anyone?!

Well, technically...

The original English dubs from the 60s kept the original names.

Gammera the Invincible (the semi-Americanized version of the first Gamera) had Toshio Sakurai. He was renamed "Kenny" in the 1985 Sandy Frank dub of the original film. (Note that several characters also had partial American names, too!)

Now, it was Gamera Vs. Zigra that had an actual "Kenny" in it! Kenichi Ishikawa and Helen Wallace were the two kids. (There was no international dub for this one, and Sandy Frank named Kenichi "Kenny"!)

hmm

Godzilla's Revenge

Godzilla vs Hedorah

and Godzilla vs Megalon come to mind. but Gamera is full of them.

There was only one actual "Ken" in Godzilla Vs. Hedorah. (Ken Yano)

Godzilla's Revenge had Ichirou Miki, and Godzilla Vs. Megalon had Rokurou Ibuki (Roku-chan). Ken and Rokurou were both played by Hiroyuki Kawase, incidentally!

 

[Japanfan4ever]

Despite any of that, I think you would agree that's a pretty widely known term in the Godzilla and Gamera fandom.

 

[ryuuseipro]

Despite any of that, I think you would agree that's a pretty widely known term in the Godzilla and Gamera fandom.

Well, that's what happens when you're more of a raw/subtitles person... :laugh:

 

[Lynxara]

Despite any of that, I think you would agree that's a pretty widely known term in the Godzilla and Gamera fandom.

I am pretty sure this term originates not with that fandom, but from Mystery Science Theater 3000's infamous mocking of certain select crappo Sandy Frank Gamera dubs. I never recall hearing the "Kenny" term thrown around until the late 90's, after MST3K had achieved cult status among fans.

Even then, the "Kenny" joke is really specific to one of the Gamera episodes and doesn't appear in their Godzilla episode. There is a great joke involving multiple Kens in "Fugitive Alien," another Sandy Frank tour-de-force of crappo dubbing.

 

[Nanami Tenkawa]

Super 8 Ultra Brothers.

same here desu!

 

[Japanfan4ever]

Even then, the "Kenny" joke is really specific to one of the Gamera episodes and doesn't appear in their Godzilla episode.

I don't know why everyone's overanalyzing this. :eyebrow: It's an infamous in-joke with fans of Kaiju cinema, and isn't specific to any one movie, no matter where the origin is from. I've been to countless websites and forums where the term was widely used. It's nothing new, or uncommon. And yeah MST3K is amazing for making the jokes, but they certainly didn't create it.

 

[ryuuseipro]

I am pretty sure this term originates not with that fandom, but from Mystery Science Theater 3000's infamous mocking of certain select crappo Sandy Frank Gamera dubs. I never recall hearing the "Kenny" term thrown around until the late 90's, after MST3K had achieved cult status among fans.

Even then, the "Kenny" joke is really specific to one of the Gamera episodes and doesn't appear in their Godzilla episode. There is a great joke involving multiple Kens in "Fugitive Alien," another Sandy Frank tour-de-force of crappo dubbing.

Among the 5 (of 8) Gamera films he acquired, he only actually dubbed two (Gamera and Gamera Vs. Zigra, in both of which he named the protagonists "Kenny"). The other three were international English dubs. Gamera Vs. Barugon and Gamera Vs. Gyaos were dubbed by the HK/British "but still" people, while Gamera Vs. Guiron's dub was obviously from Japan (the character of Officer Kondou was usually referred to by his nickname "Kon-chan," which I doubt anyone else would've dubbed that way!). Obviously, Sandy Frank opted not to use the US dubs from AIP/Titra Productions (which had some cuts, but the dubs were nonetheless superior), and opted for the "uncut" versions (virtually with complete footage). There were no international dubs for Gamera (which already had a semi-Americanized version) and Gamera Vs. Zigra, so he dubbed those himself.

 

[Japanfan4ever]

Like I said: I wasn't really talking specifics. Just about it being a collectively famous in-joke with the Kaiju fandom.