Chocolate, Vanilla or Swirl?

[sinnesspiel]

So as I work with the Kakizawa video, I have a few problems. First and foremost, I don't know who to credit for the video; is the 4GB version a condensed version of the one by Magnet from AsiaFull? I used the torrent (and am uploading the 4GB version for DDL presently since I don't think one exists yet) but I don't know who originated the torrent to credit either. Got them credited properly now!

But the more pressing one at the moment is the translation matter.


It's natural you'd try to translate a line to the feel. But Kakizwa-Light happens to do the same lines with a notably rougher feel than Urai who was a preppy Light. I'm torn between leaving the lines the same unless it's a distinct script change and shifting them to fit this Light's verbal inflection. The latter is obviously highly subjective, but word choice for the initial script was too. Must I try to just think of the lines completely removed from either delivery and make a middle-of-the-road sub as I would with a novel? (Even with Manga, you get a feel from visual cues--which of course isn't always a perfectly safe choice as sometimes you get cases like Allen from DGM who picked up another character's speech style and whose speech style does *not* actually match his personality--and it's a plot point!) Or should I make SIX scripts; middle road (+Otaku), Urai Tone (+Otaku) and Kakizawa Tone (+Otaku)?

For a list of actual changes in what's explicitly said in the script, look here. Otherwise, changes are only about tone.

Here you can view Light's solo song and the scene leading up to it first with neutral subs, then with subs slanted towards each actor's portrayal (and also those same subs on the other actor for good measure).

"Death Note Musical Actor and Translation Comparison." (Watch on YouTube)

I don't know that the middle of the road rewrite would be doing a disservice or if translating an admittedly subjective (more so than even the impression of the "flavor" of purely written word) take on the show ultimately helps on some level a translator is responsible for helping on. Is it overstepping a translator's bounds, or is there something linguistic in their delivery that a translator can bring to the table that IS related to an auditory familiarity with the language? Maybe that sense of preppiness in Urai comes from a familiarity with the language to have a jist of what's slurred and what's ennunciated clearly, what words he emotes on, of stereotypes in speech styles, etc. Maybe it's something viewers with functioning eyes and ears can get for themselves.

While I want to do what I can to help fans appreciate the flavor each actor brings across the language barrier, I do not want to add my own flavor to the script more than absolutely necessary.
So my question is, are translations which consider auditory and visual cues in picking the translated tone...

A. Necessary? (For example, does failing to do so mute the impression of the performance to the reading audience, even with the same visual and auditory cues available?)
B. Helpful? (For example, does it provide information those not as familiar with the original language might not pick up, such as word emphasis, speed, or pronunciation differences?)
C. Invasive? (By nature of being ultimately the translator's subjective impression forced on the translation viewing audience, unnecessarily or inaccurately affecting whatever impression they may form?)