Space-Time Detective Genshi-Kun/Flint the Time Detective (Saban) Episode 39 (38 for the Dub) The Decisive Battle for the Land of Time (FINALE) | Sub/Dub Comparison
Plot: Yomi G is gunning for the great clock, and Genshi’s the only one who can stop him from destroying it. Can Genshi defeat Yomi G and save the present and future, or will the sins of the past lock all of time in a cold shell?
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Title Change: “Beyond Time and Space” is changed to “Time of Darkness”.
Originally, the first one to have a line when we cut back to the group in the sky is Putera who asks if Love-Love is dead. In the dub, Sarah has the first line where she asks if they’ll be alright down there. Pterry says, with tears in his eyes, they’ll be fine, they just have to stay back like Flint said. Yeah, Getalong the corpse will be just fine.
Yamato asks if it’s even possible for Love-Love to die……So…Space-Time Monsters were seemingly immortal before this? Goodman points out that they’re completely outnumbered.
Genshi just yells “Kyoichiro!” as he’s hit. In the dub, he yells “He knocked him out!” before Merlock even hits the ground….
The Masked Man says friendship is worthless. In the dub, he says Flint’s friends have betrayed him.
Kyoichiro asks who the Masked Man is. The Masked Man then starts to introduce himself. In the dub, he says they’re under the Dark Lord’s spell, but they love them. The Dark Lord then scoffs at love.
This is a fairly big moment in the original as the Masked Man finally tells us who he is – Yomi G. “Yomi” can mean “underworld” but the Fandom page for the character says it’s meant to be “Revive” or “Reborn” in reference to his status as a god-like character. His name is just written in katakana, so I don’t know why they act as if that’s the way his name is supposed to be read. Also, the G part is moreso meant to poke at their god-like status, isn’t it? Don’t the Gs stand for god? God of Time and God of the Underworld?
In the dub, he just says his new world will be free of love, so it’s not a cool reveal, it’s just another bad guy boast.
Following that, Toki G reacts to this reveal with a start. Sora asks if Toki G knows Yomi G. Toki G explains that the Land of Time is protected by him and the Space-Time Monsters. The Underworld is protected by Yomi G. Tokio asks what the Underworld is, and Yomi G responds to Tokio’s query by saying he’ll show him.
In the dub, Old Timer says they must protect the Great Clock at all costs. Sarah asks what the Great Clock is, and Old Timer explains that the Great Clock in the Land of Time keeps the tapestry of time in the world working properly. If it stops, the clock in the Land of Dread will start. Tony asks what happens then, and the Dark Lord says darkness will rule.
I don’t really get why this needed to be changed. All it does is remove a neat reveal and just repeats information we already learned in the previous episode.
The dub…basically keeps the explanation of the Land of Time and the Underworld in that they’re two sides of the same coin – the Land of Time is the light and the Land of Dread is the dark. What they kinda skim over is that the Underworld feeds on the darkness from the pasts of humans. In present day, humans enjoy and hope for a peaceful life while a past of lust, hatred, and conflict always sits behind them, and they always repeat the actions of the past. The Underworld is where the souls of those who committed those dark deeds in the past have been trapped.
While the dub keeps the same basic idea, they moreso talk about how humans are both good and evil. The evil that is generated by the transgressions of the humans is sent to the Land of Dread and frozen in time. It’s fine on paper, but when you take a step back, it kinda ruins the lore of the two lands.
The Underworld specifically focuses on the past, and humans have quite the history of past evils. The Land of Time, while not stated outright, focuses on the present and future, trying to keep the flow of time in check to keep the present and future in the light.
That’s why the Land of Time has a working clock while the Underworld has a frozen clock. You’re not meant to mess with the past for fear of damaging the present and future (which is honestly kinda humorous for this series given what had to have changed in the past because of our heroes) and the evil souls of that past need to be frozen in the darkness. Break the clock of the present and the future, and the past will be unleashed.
Both lands rely on the concept of time. But, in the dub, it doesn’t. It basically just acts as if the Land of Time is the embodiment of good in humans, the Land of Dread is the evil, and if you stop the good the evil reigns supreme. It makes it a little confusing because the dub doesn’t really explain why a place that’s seemingly just where all evil goes is the other side of the coin for a place that primarily controls time. Nor does it explain why the Land of Dread has its own clock.
I really don’t understand why they couldn’t have kept the full explanation. I can understand why they didn’t include the part about the evil souls, because that implies death and also that this is basically a PG version of hell, but not everything else. Also, is that implying that the Land of Time is their equivalent to heaven?
I guess that does make sense because Toki G referred to them as angels in episode 23.
In the original, Toki G continues by once again explaining that time in the Underworld needs to be frozen to lock away hatred and conflict…………Okay. I mean, Yomi G has a point, though. Hatred and conflict just exist in people. Locking away the evils that have happened in the past doesn’t prevent it from occurring in the present or future. It almost gives off a vibe like if we just forget all the evils of the past, the future and present will be better, but that’s not the best message if that’s what’s going on here. You’re supposed to learn from the terrible events of the past so you don’t repeat them in the future.
In the dub, Old Timer says “You are an empty soul. Have you no heart left? Why can’t you accept the beauty of the world and let it be?” Uh….he’s the ruler of the Land of Dread, where there is nothing but evil frozen in time. I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say that he has no reason to have a heart and doesn’t get much of an opportunity to see the beauty of the world in the present and future. It’s fully understandable why he turned out this way. Doesn’t justify what he’s doing, but it makes sense.
Yomi G responds with basically what I just said. He says he’s fed up with being trapped in this frozen place of evil just for the sake of humans, which makes Toki G finally start understanding his plight.
In the dub, they have the Dark Lord say that, while he was trapped in the Land of Dread, he made friends with war, hunger, and hatred, and they can’t blame him for wanting to help his friends.
Why would they change it from Yomi G being understandably upset at being, seeming unjustly, sentenced to an eternity of living in a frozen land soaked in evil all alone while the Land of Time and the human world live in relative peace to “I made friends with war, hunger, and hatred and I want to help my friends”? Like he’s some sort of bizarro Flint? How does one make friends with war, hunger, and hatred? They’re not living beings. I don’t understand anything of what Saban is doing with his character.
They remove the brief flashback still shots of the various times Yomi G would contact TP Lady through holograms and paintings and whatnot.
Sora asks what Yomi G means, and Toki G explains that hatred and lust will break free and war will begin. In the dub, Sarah asks “Can that really happen?” and Old Timer says “Quicker than you can say “Hickory dickory dock. The mouse ran up the clock.”
Genshi says he wishes everyone could get along. Flint asks if there’s a way to stop the future, which is worded weirdly because it’s like Flint doesn’t want a future at all.
Ototan tells the Space-Time Monsters that maybe humans have done evil things by mistake, but they have kind hearts too. Uhm, I don’t understand Japanese enough to say those subs are spot-on, but Ototan, it’s a bit misleading to add “by mistake” onto your statement because plenty of people do evil things entirely on purpose. If you classify a ‘mistake’ as just anything that isn’t good, then I guess you’re right, but eh.
Rocky tells the Time Shifters that they’re all acting against their true nature, and they shouldn’t let themselves be misguided by that “masked-wearing troublemaker.”
This would have been the absolute perfect time to have Love-Love super transform. I mean, out of nowhere, Love-Love at base form suddenly gets such a massive power boost it basically creates a positivity nuke. Why not reveal it here after so much buildup? Why NEVER reveal it? It’s so weird.
Speaking of nukes, they remove the shot of Love-Love’s power making a nuke-like smoke cloud with a sparkly heart under it……probably because putting a positive association on an image of a damn mushroom cloud is not the best idea? Especially not after showing us image after image of war in the background while they discuss the atrocities of humans over time. Really quite shocked Group TAC, the Japanese animation studio behind this, thought that sparkly heart nuclear explosion mushroom cloud wasn’t a bad idea….
Once again, the theme song plays over this big dramatic climax in the original. It’s just normal background music in the dub.
Originally, it’s just revealed that the Elite Four were Space-Time Monsters created by Yomi G. In the dub, Pterry says the Dark Lord must have thought he was really clever making evil out of nature. So, hindsight alert, any question I had about why Toki G would have reason to create Space-Time Monsters with these seemingly only evil powers is out the window with this revelation.
By the way…..are they ‘dead’ now? They’re cut roses. Certainly they don’t have sentience anymore.
Once again, there’s no eyecatch in the original. Kinda sad, really. You’d think they’d make a special one for the finale.
The clock originally, ya know, ticks like a clock. In the dub, it uses the sound of some music in reverse.
Originally, Genshi says his trademark “Ishi ishi uhho!” In the dub, his father cheers him on.
Of all the Space-Time Monsters that exist to help out in this place…..not a damn one is helpful climbing this endless flight of stairs up the clock.
Putera, in a concerned voice, yells to Genshi, “Genshi! Hang in there!” as he lies on the floor after tumbling through the doorway. In the dub, he yells “This is no time for a cat nap!”
Originally, Yomi G says it’s time to settle this. Ototan tells Genshi this is the final confrontation. In the dub, the Dark Lord asks Flint if he beats him will be ticked off. Then Rocky calls him a bad punster. Not only was this a stupid line change for the sake of a pun, but, like I pointed out before, the dub clock DOESN’T TICK.
Now that I think about, the Masked Man’s whole backstory doesn’t make much sense. So he’s been trapped in the Underworld, which is why he doesn’t go on missions himself and why he communicated with TP Lady purely through holograms and whatnot. But once he gets the Space-Time Monsters all back together, he’s able to go to the Land of Time to destroy the clock. How did they get him there if he’s basically imprisoned in the Underworld?
Plus, he already attacked the Land of Time once before. He blew up the dome protecting the Land of Time, which is what scattered the Space-Time Monsters in the first place. He was THERE. IN THE DOME. He clearly doesn’t need the Space-Time Monsters’ help to destroy the Land of Time besides staving off Genshi and the others, and they wouldn’t be a problem if he just attacked the clock as soon as they were lost in the time stream.
That plot hole could have been avoided if they just showed TP Lady attacking the Land of Time instead and explained that Yomi G needed the power of the Space-Time Monsters to finally break free of the Underworld. Additionally, he could be the only one with the ability to destroy the clock, which is why TP Lady didn’t do it when she was there. It just doesn’t make sense this way.
Yamato just says “Now!” when he activates Putera’s camera on the Ridon’s screen. In the dub, he says “Look! It’s them!” before the screen even activates.
Genshi points out that Ototan saved him. In the dub, he tells Rocky he wouldn’t believe the view up here, which is weird because A) Flint is below Rocky, and B) Rocky can see the same view.
Putera says “Keep it up, Genshi!” as she flies by. In the dub, she yells to Yomi G to look at him as a distraction.
Ototan’s Strongest Fighting Spirit is changed to Ultra Hammerhead Rock.
They add a white flash when Flint knocks the Dark Lord’s mask off and when he falls to the ground.
Genshi asks if he’s Yomi G. In the dub, he says he looks so young to be so evil.
Tokio just says there’s a lot he still wants to do. In the dub, he and Sarah both say they want to be official Time Detectives some day.
Yamato yells out that he’s still unmarried. In the dub, he says he wants to have just one day with Jillian.
Yomi G asks what the sparkling things in his hand are (I think they’re meant to be tears.) In the dub, he says he’s feeling friendship.
Genshi says he became Yomi G’s friend. Flint says the….is he still called the Dark Lord in the dub even after he becomes good? I feel like he needs a new name. Anyway, Flint says the Dark Lord may only have one expression, but he likes it.
The final message of the show is sweet. People may do evil things, but as long as you remember to have and spread love, you can make the present and the future a wonderful place.
Just for the record, Barbara Goodson grew on me a lot as Petra Fina throughout this series. Definitely shook off the Rita Repulsa vibes and grew into her own as a character as time went on. Great work.
Ammon tells Kyoichiro to protect her too, and Kyoichiro doesn’t respond. In the dub, Bindi asks if Merlock will protect her too, and he loudly proclaims that of course he will. I like the dub’s version better.
The ending theme plays over the final scenes in the original. In the dub, they use an instrumental version of the opening theme since they don’t have an ending theme.
The dub removes the closeup shots of Sora, Tokio, Yamato, Dyna, Mite, TP Lady, Ammon, Kyoichiro and a bit where Kyoichiro imagines Sora for a second and then Ammon smacks him as they go through the time stream.
They remove all the screenshots from previous episodes.
Can I just say that the cardboard cutout animation is on full blast in this final sequence? I get that they probably had no budget after the end, but still. Wow.
Without a full-on song and all those extra clips, the dub’s final sequence is kinda boring.
They suddenly change to a very dramatic music sting for the final shot in the dub, and they remove “The end” from the bottom corner of the screen as it fades out.
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And that was the grand finale of Space-Time Detective Genshi-Kun/Flint the Time Detective.
I don’t for sure know of the circumstances of the show’s ending. I don’t know if it was canceled or if they planned it to end here. I feel like it had to be canceled, but this was a pretty fleshed out final arc, so maybe it was planned from the start. Odd final episode count of 39 if true. It also would make more sense if it was canceled because that would explain why we didn’t get Super versions of every Space-Time Monster.
It should also be noted that there are numerous Space-Time Monsters that appeared in episodes 1, 2, and 23 when flashing back to when they were jettisoned into the time stream that are never shown properly in the series. That implies that they might have planned for additional episodes focusing on these monsters but were canceled before they could.
I felt like Yomi G’s turnaround was pretty schmaltzy and quick. It’s also basically just the same thing we’ve seen a ton of times already – Genshi befriends the enemy, and now they’re good. Friendship wins. I suppose I can say that it’s a little better because he finally had people who knew of his tragic situation and sympathized, but I don’t buy into that very much.
It’s a shame because Yomi G IS a pretty interesting villain, especially for a series like this. It’s totally understandable that he’d be pissed. His life is completely unfair. He ‘stuck’ in a dark, cold world with the spirits of all those who have committed terrible acts throughout time frozen with him. He’s completely alone down there, and his feelings and expressions are frozen. How would he have any sense of friendship or respect for kindness and love or for the present and future?
Toki G at least has all the Space-Time Monsters keeping him company. Yomi G has no one.
But they don’t really explore that much beyond just saying “Aw, I feel bad for him.” Like….Toki G….how did you not know of Yomi G’s situation? You’re basically the yin and yang of the universe.
I kinda wanted the Elite Four to stick by him as his friends. Like revert to actual normal Space-Time Monsters so he has a group of his own to keep him company, but no. They’re flowers now.
It is confusing that they said he was stuck down there when he clearly attacked the Land of Time, though. That’s a pretty glaring plot hole.
Despite it being a very quick and cheesy turnaround, it is very sweet the effect Genshi continues to have on others. He just wants everyone to get along and be friends. He has a very pure heart, and it’s legitimately heartwarming to see how everyone around him is touched by it.
Did Yomi G get off too easily?……Probably. But also, he kinda got screwed. He still doesn’t have expressions, and he still has to live in a frozen, dark land of evil alone. The only difference is that he has more faith in humans now, and he has friends he may or may not be able to visit.
TP Lady, Dyna and Mite turning back around and getting up to their old tricks so we can have a “Guess our adventures are gonna continue” ending was…..eh….I didn’t dislike it, but I wanted her to just stay good. She acted as if they were going to arrest her if she stayed, but if Yomi G didn’t get arrested, why would TP Lady, Dyna and Mite?
What is she even going to do from here on? Just travel through time and steal random things?
I appreciated the real-world imagery in the background as they discussed the evils that humans commit throughout time and how it’s frozen in the past. For a show that sometimes went so hard in washing some morally-dubious historical figures free of crimes as much as possible, it’s nice that they at least low-key acknowledge that some people in history were monsters.
For the record, this was a pretty solid series finale overall. It tied up most of the loose ends, it was somewhat tense and exciting, and it was sweet. Not the biggest grand finale in the world, but it did the job fairly well. When I started this SDC, I was so worried the series would just end on another episodic entry and there would be no wrap-up due to cancelation, but nope. It is a full, contained series for anyone who wants to give it a go.
The dub fared alright. The biggest issue here was simply not giving the Dark Lord a name. I know they changed Toki G, so keeping Yomi G probably wasn’t an option, but surely there was some way to give him an actual name. They didn’t even try. Thus, one of the biggest moments of the series just isn’t a moment at all in the dub.
They also changed his motivations a tiny bit, which was confusing and misguided.
Finally, like I said, the final sequence just doesn’t work nearly as well without keeping all the clips and having some sort of lyrical song in the background. It comes off as boring, and the final shot becomes jarring as they switch to a dramatic music sting out of nowhere.
I will be wrapping up my thoughts on this entire series and this SDC in a separate post, but for now this is another SDC in the bag….after eight years….yikes.
Thanks for sticking with me all this time (hehe)!
…..Previously
…..Hmmmm….I feel like I’m forgetting something…….Oh yeah, we never learned who Genshi’s mom was. Not that it matters much.
Nah, that wasn’t it. I feel like we’re forgetting something more important…..like uh….
……Wait….Ototan…..THEY’RE ENDING THE SERIES WITHOUT CHANGING OTOTAN BACK TO A HUMAN?! He’s just a stone axe for all eternity? That’s just awful. Wow…..
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