So, Kaito convince the port authorities in charge with quarantining ships in their bay, that at least him and Jeoffrey should be allowed to enter the town, though the rest of the crew have to stay onboard. the bad water is doing a number on them! :C There’s some fun conversation here between Jeoffrey and Kaito and some flirting on Jeoffreys part as they make their way toward the pier!
They’re not alone in entering the port, but a Flandern ship also makes its way into the harbor, bringing up the complex relationships port towns like La Rochelle had with all fighting countries, basically making business with all of them. (not sure why Kaito is chocked by this news, as I’d have assume that as normal ^^; Am I spotting the Japanese isolation mentality? Dunno?) I think his inferiority complex is also highly Japanese. While I’m sure this idea exists elsewhere, it’s defo a post WWII thing to talk about “muda meshi” = a human that doesn’t help toward the household. If you don’t understand what I mean by that, try watching Grave of the Fireflies and you’ll be shown just how cruel and destitute life was in post-war Japan and how it’s affected Japanese culture as a collective trauma really, and yeah, people that didn’t work literally didn’t get to eat! :cry.
Once ashore, they make their way to the markets. i just love how lively they make this place. You can literally smell the foods and feel the buzz of food stands. Jeoffrey is immediately very accommodating to Kaito’s needs and wishes, not just for delicious looking food but also allowing him to sleep on the one bed at the inn that they find for the night All the while keeping his hands to himself! And Kaito becoming aware that he’s a bit jealous of Cyril! Keep on tormenting each other! XD
Well, after that, we’re transported to somewhere outside of La Rochelle where Vincente is still thinking about bringing Kaito back to Spain after he got his orders from Philip II in BLCD 1. Vincente’s is regreting how things went down upon the Hoe with him attacking Kaito. We also get to meet Leo, Vincente’s young knight in training. ^>^ I’m a bit unsure about his position, but he’s doing butleresque duties, while also being someone that’s battle-ready to save his master. Anyway, they both, arrive in town and there meet up with someone with news about the going-ons around La Rochelle. And so, they learn about rumors about a red-headed young man arriving in town in the company of an Englishman…dun dun dun
Track 5, scene 4
They’re back on the streets of La Rochelle doing shopping and procuring supplies for Gloria. Jeoffrey, being real weak to Kaito’s demands allows him to buy something for himself and Kaito immediately goes for soap! Good choice lad! Would have been my own as well! Seems like Nigel is a stickler as to “unnecessary” expense, so it’s all going to be a secret! XD
Well, they get back to the inn and Kaito can finally get as clean as he wants to in a proper bath. Jeoffrey is not shy to make use of the situation, getting clean himself (with Kaito not being able to stop looking A more serious subject arise though, about what would happen if Jeoffrey died (his body has several scars). Kaito brings it up, but Jeoffrey has clearly already thought about it and how Nigel would be the able to take care of Kaito if anything did happen to him. Kaito realize that Jeoffrey fully relies on Nigel, as his closest partner. Compared to his own fighting with Kazuya, Kaito’s overwhelmed with sadness about not being able to reconciliate. Jeoffrey does a good job trying to comfort Kaito - though some of his methods might be questioned by some. XD But, for now, Kaito doesn’t seem to mind it much.
I’m giving the karami so far 2/10 so far. It’s not great and I suspect that this might have been the first time/series/production Suwabe had to do anything of the sort. I know for a fact (from interviews and free talks) that he had no experience of doing this with a female counterpart before doing karami for BLCDs. And, it’s quite confusing I think to know how and what to do. I wished there was more than what be get here, but, I guess it suffices to convey the scene. it’s just very dry in execution and feels. The bare necessities really. ^^’
Track 6, scene 5
Again, they’re back on the streets of La Rochelle. They’re getting back to Gloria, walking toward the port. Once there, they see the supplies being delivered, but, as they do, suddenly they’re faced with Vincente’s + henchmen! They’ve been keeping an eye on the dock, waiting for anyone wanting to leave the town by sea!
I just love this scene so much! Sure, we don’t have visuals here, but you don’t really need it to “see” the altercations between Jeoffrey and Vincente going at each other, play for play. The insult battle before/during is pretty great as well! :pirate: I just love how Jeoffrey owns the situation.
Eventually Jeoffrey and Kaito jump into the water to get back to Gloria. Jeoffrey saves the soap, but rip beautiful lavender smelling mantle!
Track 7, scene 6
So, they’re back onboard Gloria and they’re moving out of the harbor. But, since they didn’t get to properly repair the cracked mast, they don’t have full speed and Vincente is closing in fast! So, Jeoffrey needs to outsmart Vincente, rather than just taking him face on. So, he thinks up a way to get Vincente’s ship to navigate over shallow waters (the sea between the island and the coast) as the tide is going out, so that he doesn’t have full maneuverability. The intensity of this sea battle is great! We have Ewan checking the water depth so they can finally make a sharp turn to face their cannons toward Vincente’s ship, firing those cannons, while Vincente can’t return fire, but instead runs aground. Jeoffrey: 1. Vincente: 0 after this showdown!
I’m a tad behind as always, but this CD schedule is so short I can catch up easily. Crazy to think this is the last week already…
Anyway, most of the reason I’m behind is I’ve been trying to listen → listen with the transcript → listen again. It seems to be working well; I’m catching very little the first session, can keep up with all but the fastest talking during the second, and can actually pick out, like, 20% or something the third! So not bad at all!
Some thoughts on week 2’s listening after my first pass:
Man, overlaying the Japanese over the French is What a mess.
Oh, a good question. It’s from 絡み からみ meaning entanglement, entwining which is literally what the seiyuu do with their voices when acting out sex scenes, kissing etc. It’s scripted to a degree, but also requires improvisation from the actors. Making it seem like you’re kissing someone, when you’re not, that’s pretty hard and while some actors are great at it, others struggle. There is nowhere to hide with karami, good and bad performances are immediately noted.
Oh, do I get this right that they are recording the whole scene together with everybody, while usually they would record each seiyuu separately (like when a music band is doing a studio recording)? That makes sense.
Well, as a last resort, they could always … kiss?
I mean, movie actors also kiss, no?
Movie actors do, but voice actors never do. They usually use their hands in creative ways.
One of the reasons why Japanese voice acting is so much better than the stuff I hear either in Swedish or from dubbing in English, is exactly this: while it’s common to record separately in the US or here in Sweden, it’s not in Japan.
Unless there are scheduling issues where you simply cannot make it work, you put all actors into the same recording booth to record all the conversations and interactions. That’s how you create a great scene - actors reacting to each other, building the scene together. Karami especially needs to be done this way to create that magic of realness. I know there are examples when they don’t, again, due to scheduling issues, but it always shows in the lack of connection you feel between the actors - it just doesn’t quite work.
…I’m conjuring up some very interesting images with this piece of information, haha. Do you have any examples? Are they using their hands to modify how their voice sounds?
I’ve listened to a LOT of free talks and some behind the scenes drama CDs! XD
So, from my understanding of it, they would either use the palm or back of your hand to kiss to create that lips sounds. Or, even, between the fingers for some more Frenchy sounds! XD
Try it yourself.
But, yeah, there are many techniques and basically, they usually don’t get any instruction in how to make it happen which is weird to me, but Japanese shame culture might have a play in how their managers don’t do more to prepare them for their challenge ahead! And it IS a challenge. The hardest you can encounter as a voice actor for sure!
Usually, there is the distinction between the voice actor and the foley artist creating the sound effects - here the voice actor is making the sound effects as part of the acting.
Sure, the foley artist will be involved with anything sort of penetrative action going on, but yeah, the kissing is all the voice actors themselves - hopefully managing to create unity and a scene that is as convincing as it is erotic! XD
Well, as I initially said, they don’t actually kiss. That’s not what voice acting is about or sound effects are about. The sound you hear, is not what actually happens - most of the time. Walking in snow is squeezing of potato starch or similar. The foley artist work is to make different sounds sound like completely other sounds!
It’s the same for when voice actors sound like they’re smoking - they’re not. They’re likely putting any type of pen or pencil or marker into their mouth while talking! ^>^
Like putting a marker at the side of your mouth, you’d imagine someone talking with a cigare in the left or right end of their mouth!
In any case, the sounds of the penetrative act of sex will always be the foley artist, while anything to do with mouths are the actors themselves, female and male alike! ^^
I should have posted earlier this week, but’ve been too caught up in packing/preparing for a trip next week. Anyway, I have indeed listened to all of drama CD 2; I’ve listened both with and without scripts. The last two scenes, scene 5 and scene 6, were awesome! The Geoffrey vs Vicente fight, and then the pursuit on ship… Super awesome stuff. Of course my listening finally kicked in only when I got to Jim’s deterioration and death in Scene 6 and the Epilogue.
There was so much energy in those last couple of scenes; I feel like this is the first time in the CD series so far where I’ve truly been taken away and lost myself in the scene. Normally the language barrier keeps me slightly distanced, and I wasn’t getting much here without a script, granted, but everything else came together beautifully.
I feel like this is such a wonderful series really. the production values are amazing really. You really feel like you’re there. Granted, what sort of events are there matters for immersion for sure, but that they somehow managed to play out a full sea battle just with sounds and dialogue - that’s why I keep coming back to this series. it’s just great through and through. ^>^
I forgot to post my comments for the last scene/track.
Basically, it’s just very sad! But, you can also feel the shift in attitude already of Nigel toward Kaito I feel, as well as Jeoffrey that also see a much more competent side of Kaito where he’s appreciated and good at what he does.
All the while keeping his hands to himself! 
And Kaito becoming aware that he’s a bit jealous of Cyril! 
Keep on tormenting each other! XD 
Good choice lad! Would have been my own as well! Seems like Nigel is a stickler as to “unnecessary” expense, so it’s all going to be a secret! XD 
A more serious subject arise though, about what would happen if Jeoffrey died (his body has several scars). Kaito brings it up, but Jeoffrey has clearly already thought about it and how Nigel would be the able to take care of Kaito if anything did happen to him. Kaito realize that Jeoffrey fully relies on Nigel, as his closest partner. Compared to his own fighting with Kazuya, Kaito’s overwhelmed with sadness about not being able to reconciliate. Jeoffrey does a good job trying to comfort Kaito - though some of his methods might be questioned by some. XD But, for now, Kaito doesn’t seem to mind it much. 
it’s just very dry in execution and feels. The bare necessities really. ^^’ 
They’ve been keeping an eye on the dock, waiting for anyone wanting to leave the town by sea! 
Crazy to think this is the last week already…
What a mess.
It’s scripted to a degree, but also requires improvisation from the actors. Making it seem like you’re kissing someone, when you’re not, that’s pretty hard and while some actors are great at it, others struggle. There is nowhere to hide with karami, good and bad performances are immediately noted. 
But, you can also feel the shift in attitude already of Nigel toward Kaito I feel, as well as Jeoffrey that also see a much more competent side of Kaito where he’s appreciated and good at what he does. 