Fansub Group Guide
Aesir
Website: aesirsubs.wordpress.com
Subbing Style: Liberal Style. Magenta has a love for typesetting, but offers a “clean” script without those as well. Has a penchant for localization as well.
Completed Shows
Kamen Rider: Fourze
Current Shows
Kamen Rider: Gaim
Bad Apple Fansubs
Website: http://badapplefansubs.blogspot.com/
Subbing Style: Liberal Style.
Completed Shows
N/A
Current Shows
Super Sentai: Goranger
Century Kings
Website: centurykings.com
Subbing Style: Literal Style.
Completed Shows
Kamen Rider: Black, J (Movie)
Current Shows
N/A
Cruel Angel Productions
Website: Geocities Page
Subbing Style: Literal Style. Assumes audience knows something about Japanese language.
Completed Shows
Kamen Rider: Agito
Current Shows
N/A
Dead Fish Fansubs
Website: Dead. You’ll have to find this on your own.
Subbing Style: Literal Style.
Completed Shows
Super Sentai: Changeman (Close to Complete)
Current Shows
N/A
Gao Soul Forever!
Website: gaosoulforever.blogspot.com
Subbing Style: Liberal Style.
Completed Shows
Super Sentai: Sun Vulcan, Gaoranger
Other: Ecogainder
Current Shows
N/A
Go-Anonger
Website: go-onanon.blogspot.com
Subbing Style: Scrub, Literal Style (moving to Liberal)
Completed Shows
Super Sentai: Go-Onger
Current Shows
N/A
Gomen Rider
Website: gomenrider.blogspot.com
Subbing Style: Scrub, Literal Style.
Completed Shows
Kamen Rider: Agito
Other: GARO
Current Shows
N/A
Grown Ups In Spandex
Website: grownupsinspandex.com
Subbing Style: Mixed Style, but leans to Literal. Group is mostly free with cursing in their subs and tend to “overtranslate”. Noted that different projects have different staff working on it however.
Completed Shows
Super Sentai: Maskman, Liveman, Jetman, Zyuranger
Current Shows
Super Sentai: Bioman, Fiveman, Kakuranger
Metal Heroes: Spielvan
Other: Shougeki Gouraigan
Harorangers
Website: harorangers.yakusoku.nl
Subbing Style: Mixed Style, but leans to Liberal.
Completed Shows
N/A
Current Shows
Super Sentai: Carranger
Hikari-Senshi
Website: hikarisenshi.wordpress.com
Subbing Style: Mixed Style, but leans to Liberal.
Completed Shows
Super Sentai: Dairanger, Gekiranger
Current Shows
Super Sentai: GoggleV, Kakuranger, GoGoV
Other: France Five
Hi no Tori
Website: hinotori-fansubs.com
Subbing Style: Literal Style.
Completed Shows
Kamen Rider: Amazon
Current Shows
Super Sentai: Gingaman
Other: Zubat
Imagination Station
Website: anotherimaginationstation.wordpress.com
Subbing Style: Liberal Style.
Completed Shows
N/A
Current Shows
Super Sentai: Abaranger
K.I.T.Subs
Website: kitsubs.blogspot.com
Subbing Style: Liberal Style.
Completed Shows
N/A
Current Shows
Kamen Rider: Kamen Rider (1971), Stronger, Skyrider, Super-1, Hibiki
Other: Akumaizer 3
Mega Beast Empire
Website: http://megabeastempire.wordpress.com/
Subbing Style: Liberal Style
Completed Shows
N/A
Current Shows
Metal Heroes: Juspion
Other: Kanpai Senshi After V, Ultraman Gaia
Million Fold Curiosity
Website: http://millionfoldcuriosity.wordpress.com/
Subbing Style: Liberal Style.
Completed Shows
Super Sentai: Megaranger, Goseiger
Other: Zubat
Current Shows
N/A
Midnight Crew Subs
Website: midnightcrewsubs.blogspot.com
Subbing Style: Mixed Style.
Completed Shows
Kamen Rider: Kuuga
Other: GARO Makai Senki
Current Shows
Kamen Rider: Stronger, ZX (Movie), Kabuto, Den-O
Metal Heroes: Gavan
Over-Time
Website: over-ti.me
Subbing Style: Liberal Style.
Completed Shows
Kamen Rider: W, OOO, Fourze, Wizard
Super Sentai: Gokaiger, Go-Busters, Kyoryuger
Other: Akibaranger, GARO Makai Senki, Daimajin Kanon, Yuusha Yoshihiko to Maou no Shiro, Akibaranger 2,GARO: Yami wo Terasu Mono, Yuusha Yoshihiko to Akuryo no Kagi
Current Shows
Super Sentai: Timeranger, Dekaranger, Shinkenger, Toqger
Other: Ultraman Ginga
ShinkenAnon
Website: shinkenanon.wordpress.com
Subbing Style: Scrub, Literal Style.
Completed Shows
N/A
Current Shows
Super Sentai: Magiranger, Shinkenger
Skewed Studios
Website: skewedstudios.com
Subbing Style: Literal Style. Loves the use of typesetting. Randomly leaves in Japanese words in sentences at random points and keeps as much in Japanese as possible. Also loose with curses in their subs. Reliant on many translator notes.
Completed Shows
Kamen Rider: J (Movie)
Current Shows
Super Sentai: Gaoranger, Hurricanger, Abaranger
TV-Nihon
Website: tvnihon.com
Subbing Style: Literal Style. Loves the use of typesetting. Randomly leaves in Japanese words in sentences at random points and keeps as much in Japanese as possible. Also loose with curses in their subs. Reliant on many translator notes. Their extensive library of shows is impressive.
Completed Shows
Kamen Rider: Ryuki, Faiz, Blade, Hibiki, Kabuto, Den-O, Kiva, Decade, W, OOO, Fourze, Wizard
Super Sentai: Dairanger, Dekaranger, Magiranger, Boukenger, Gekiranger, Go-Onger, Shinkenger, Goseiger, Gokaiger, Go-Busters, Kyoryuger
Chouseishin: Gransazer, Justirisers, Sazer-X
Tomica: Rescue Force, Rescue Fire
Other: Akibaranger, GARO, GARO Makai Senki, Daimajin Kanon, Ryukendo, Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, Shibuya 15, Keitai Sosukan 7, Akibaranger 2, GARO: Yami wo Terasu Mono.
Current Shows
Kamen Rider: Shin (Movie), ZO (Movie), Kuuga, Agito, Gaim
Super Sentai: Zyuranger, Megaranger, Timeranger, Toqger
Other: Kodai Shouju Dogu-chan
Key Terms:
Liberal Style – Translation is more fluid and flows better. Although “some” accuracy is lost, it is not appreciable.
Literal Style – Translation is 1:1 and very dictionary. “Accurate”, but has very little flow and sometimes nuance is lost.
Localization – Making the show appeal to western audiences.
Mixed Style – Depends on translator on project. Some groups have different translators with different styles.
Scrub – Improving current subs. Usually the scrubbers will take out unnecessary Japanese and turn a literal script into a more liberal one for improved flow.
Typesettting – Flashy effects and such on subtitles.