Pumpkin Scissors has an odd name, but this
anime series is very serious. It's the story of a military unit, based
on Germany's experiences between World Wars I and II. The 2006 series
is now getting its U.S. release through ADV Films, with Charles
Campbell directing the dub. Campbell and several of the dub cast
members met fans on Ikkicon's final day, speaking about their roles and
how they got started in anime dubbing -- they have backgrounds ranging
from theater to independent horror films, but they came together for
this project, which mixes some relative newcomers to dubbing with a few
veterans such as Christine Auten and Samantha Inoue-Harte. Much of
Pumpkin Scissors is the story of military officer Randel Oland, who
switches from being nearly a comical character to being a fearsome
killer. There's also the story of Alice Malvin, the intense lieutenant.
"I haven't had a hard time telling who is good and bad," Campbell said.
"Alice is always fighting with her inner feelings of what is right and
wrong. Some people have gotten hurt (by her actions), and that's what
makes it interesting -- because its not your typical good guy-bad guy
story. It's just cool, it's something different." Randall's story is of
a character who has a split personality, Campbell said. "With Randall,
we learn more about him. He's struggling with whether he wants to be a
killing machine or not.".
Alan Dudley (seen with Sarah Swofford), who
voices Randall, enjoys the challenge of playing a character who
switches from being "...slapsticky depressed (to) violent...you get a
total package. When I get up, I've got it covered." It's in the early
episodes of Pumpkin Scissors that the audience learns more about
Randall's personalities, episodes that Dudley describes as "pretty
crazy (and) pretty intense. I really like the setting a lot. It's not
often that you go between World Wards I and II and see how people
react. It's a good action show." Dudley is living a dream as an anime
actor that began when he saw the first American dub for TV of the
Battle of the Planets/Gatchaman series; "In Gatchaman, I get to do the
voice for villains I saw when I was seven years old." Swofford moved to
dubbing from independent horror films. "I have a good scream and an
innocent face - everyone wants to kill me," she said. Dubbing "...just
fell into my lap. A director said `you have a little cute girl voice,
you can do anime.' I was still able to be crazy and dramatic, and my
character didn't die."
Pumpkin Scissors has an odd name, but this
anime series is very serious. It's the story of a military unit, based
on Germany's experiences between World Wars I and II. The 2006 series
is now getting its U.S. release through ADV Films, with Charles
Campbell directing the dub. Campbell and several of the dub cast
members met fans on Ikkicon's final day, speaking about their roles and
how they got started in anime dubbing -- they have backgrounds ranging
from theater to independent horror films, but they came together for
this project, which mixes some relative newcomers to dubbing with a few
veterans such as Christine Auten and Samantha Inoue-Harte. Much of
Pumpkin Scissors is the story of military officer Randel Oland, who
switches from being nearly a comical character to being a fearsome
killer. There's also the story of Alice Malvin, the intense lieutenant.
"I haven't had a hard time telling who is good and bad," Campbell said.
"Alice is always fighting with her inner feelings of what is right and
wrong. Some people have gotten hurt (by her actions), and that's what
makes it interesting -- because its not your typical good guy-bad guy
story. It's just cool, it's something different." Randall's story is of
a character who has a split personality, Campbell said. "With Randall,
we learn more about him. He's struggling with whether he wants to be a
killing machine or not.".
Alan Dudley (seen with Sarah Swofford), who
voices Randall, enjoys the challenge of playing a character who
switches from being "...slapsticky depressed (to) violent...you get a
total package. When I get up, I've got it covered." It's in the early
episodes of Pumpkin Scissors that the audience learns more about
Randall's personalities, episodes that Dudley describes as "pretty
crazy (and) pretty intense. I really like the setting a lot. It's not
often that you go between World Wards I and II and see how people
react. It's a good action show." Dudley is living a dream as an anime
actor that began when he saw the first American dub for TV of the
Battle of the Planets/Gatchaman series; "In Gatchaman, I get to do the
voice for villains I saw when I was seven years old." Swofford moved to
dubbing from independent horror films. "I have a good scream and an
innocent face - everyone wants to kill me," she said. Dubbing "...just
fell into my lap. A director said `you have a little cute girl voice,
you can do anime.' I was still able to be crazy and dramatic, and my
character didn't die."
