But AICN Anime reports on the copy text in the solicitations (which I have not yet seen myself), and says that an English dub is listed for the show, which is a bigger surprise to me than the license itself. This may also explain the staggered release instead of a box set.
Now, you guys know that I'm generally a subaholic, but that I like to think I'm not a sub-elitist (I totally dug the Big Windup! dub, for example), but I'm a little skeptical of a dub of Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei. If it can be done really well it'll be awesome, but I'm just not confident that it can.
On the other hand, there are LOTS of shots within Zetsubou Sensei where the character's mouth isn't shown on screen, so maybe it'll prove more doable than I expect.
UPDATE: This news has has been retracted based on further information from Media Blasters. You can read the retraction here.
I have a feeling it will be either really good or really bad, no middle ground.
I'm not typically a sub elitist either, but in this case....
An English dub has never been a boost to push me toward a purchase, because I am perfectly fine reading the subtitles. I've enjoyed several English dubs (like Cowboy Bebop, Ouran High School, Beck), but it's no loss to me if there isn't one.
I too am not at all confident it can be pulled off, without completely bastardizing the dialog, and Americanizing it in a bad way.
I mentioned in the initial announcement thread, that I don't think an English dub will make it appeal to a larger target audience than it would otherwise. It's so full of obscure otaku references, and plays off of so many little things, that I can't imagine any sort of casual fan would buy it...and that's typically the reason for ensuring there's an English dub - to attract a wider audience. Unless, as I said, they plan on Americanizing everything in the English dialog...which would mean I would never ever watch the dub.
So someone's wrong.