Episode #0412 (11 September 2016)

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VegettoEX
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Episode #0412 (11 September 2016)

Post by VegettoEX » Sun Sep 11, 2016 3:21 pm

Episode #0412 (download MP3) (rss feed) (subscribe in iTunes) (YouTube version) (SoundCloud version)
47:56; 96 kbps, mono; 33.1 MB

Episode #0412! Mike and Meri reflect on twenty years of Dragon Ball Z in America. In September 1996, FUNimation's English dub of Dragon Ball Z began airing in syndication, and it has only grown in popularity since then. How does that dubbed production stand the test of time? What can we learn from history? And what exactly was this Ocean dub, anyway? All this and a dive into our new "Press Archive" coming in your ears!

SEGMENTS:
00:14 - Introduction (what's on deck, etc.)
04:00 - Topic 1 (20 Years of Dragon Ball Z in America)
37:34 - Topic 2 (New "Press Archive" section on Kanzenshuu)
44:39 - Episode wrap-up and website project teases

REFERENCED SITES:
20 years is a long time.
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Re: Episode #0412 (11 September 2016)

Post by Ajay » Sun Sep 11, 2016 4:51 pm

Despite not being American or even old enough in 1996 to know what anime was, that was a fun listen.

The UK didn't get Dragon Ball Z until March 2000, but we kinda went through all the bizarre nonsense the US did, if not even more so (dear god, how many Gokus do you want?!). Like you both, I have a huge love for that early cast, and it's stuck with me thanks to the large majority of them returning once we hit the Android stuff. I really do think everyone was a cut above the rest and it absolutely does hold up when looking at it as a product of its time, especially with Shuki Levy's score in the mix. Even though we had brief moments with the in-house FUNi cast, I just don't think they left the same impression on me as the Ocean/Westwood/Stupidnameything dub/cast did.

I don't think that's to do with me experiencing them more than FUNi's own cast since I cannot appreciate their Faulconer-clad version of the show in any capacity, much like you guys. I'm probably drawing on nostalgia here, but even with the bizarre recycled music that sat under Westwood's lesser-directed performances later on, it seems to fit in this bizarre western-focused package in a way that actually feels like something of passable quality. It has 90s written all over it, and damn does it feel authentic!

It's funny you mention how you'd probably react if you were to experience this version for the first time in 2016. I was actually thinking about this just yesterday when Ocean Kai came up in a video I was watching. I was wondering whether I'd be able to tolerate changes, even if I do have a ridiculous love for many of the returning cast members there. Would a mix of nostalgia and genuine love for certain voices trump my current 'purist' mindset of wanting everything as close to the source material as possible? I...think I would probably give it a pass!

It feels so wrong talking about loving a dub on this website. I'm afraid a phantom of young Mike is about to swoop in and obliterate me.
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Re: Episode #0412 (11 September 2016)

Post by Gokitalo » Sun Sep 11, 2016 8:56 pm

20 years since the Dragon Ball Z Ocean dub first aired? Amazing! Definitely a realization that makes it feel like time's just flown by. The voice acting in that dub was probably one of the strongest things going for it. I haven't seen it in quite a few years and remember the voices for Recoome, Kaiō and Vegeta (among many others) quite vividly. Even when you factor in the censorship and editing, I agree Ocean did a pretty solid job with those episodes.

I do have a slightly different take on the Ocean music, though. You could definitely tell it was scored to the series, but I do think the Faulconer music was, as well, and I actually found that the music in the Levy/Wasserman episodes had less range than the Faulconer tracks. I liked it, but the music did sometimes feel like the same song being played at different speeds during certain parts of the episode. Faulconer, on the other hand, created a lot of distinct sounds: many characters, like Garlic Jr., the Ginyu Force, Pikkon, Piccolo, and most famously Vegeta, were given their own themes, for example.

Tough topping "Rock the Dragon," though! :p

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Re: Episode #0412 (11 September 2016)

Post by Cipher » Sun Sep 11, 2016 9:11 pm

This was so good. One of my favorite podcasts in a while. Very informative, simple breakdown of Z's early U.S. history and all the parties involved.

Kind of wish I'd bought the "Rock the Dragon" set, despite not having a ton of nostalgia for that cut of the series. Also agree that, censorship aside, the editing in the first several episodes is extremely effective, arguably making for better pacing than either Japanese Z or Kai.

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Re: Episode #0412 (11 September 2016)

Post by NeverRamza » Mon Sep 12, 2016 1:42 am

Enjoyed the heck out of this episode. I remember being incredibly confused when I first saw Dragon Ball Z on TV. I was young and I was used to watching the first 13 episodes air on TV week after week. Every time they got to episode 13 and teased the next episode and spoke of a martial arts tournament, I'd get really excited hoping they'd finally air it rather than start all over again at episode 1. When Dragon Ball Z finally hit, I had no clue what the hell was going on. Everyone was much older, tons of new characters, and crazy guitar music. It blew my mind. And I was also kind of pissed because I wanted to see that martial arts tournament!

Luckily at my dad's, he had the internet rather early. And eventually I decided to look the series up. And then research and research and research and read and read and read.

I have the same odd appreciation for the music, agree on the cutting to help out the pacing (in terms of this release for its time), and the strange angry young-person sentiments toward FUNimation/Saban/whoever-the-heck while still watching their product because of course I'm going to.

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Re: Episode #0412 (11 September 2016)

Post by Kakacarrottop » Mon Sep 12, 2016 4:58 am

That was a good listen. I find those early days of the DBZ dub to be really fascinating, just because there were so many different companies and people involved.

Also, i'm not sure if you're aware, but the music in FUNimation's 1996 dub was actually performed by Ron Wasserman, back when he was still working for Saban. He even mentioned in an interview that he purposefully tried to make the soundtrack really dark and heavy. Shuki may have also been involved to some extent, although i doubt it.

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Re: Episode #0412 (11 September 2016)

Post by VegettoEX » Mon Sep 12, 2016 9:13 am

Kakacarrottop wrote:Also, i'm not sure if you're aware, but the music in FUNimation's 1996 dub was actually performed by Ron Wasserman, back when he was still working for Saban. He even mentioned in an interview that he purposefully tried to make the soundtrack really dark and heavy. Shuki may have also been involved to some extent, although i doubt it.
Yeah, that's my fault. Despite all the talk I did earlier in the episode about properly crediting folks, I do know this yet tend to gloss over it as "the Levy score" like people do with "the Faulconer score" despite other folks being involved. Thanks for noting that here, though.
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Re: Episode #0412 (11 September 2016)

Post by Puto » Tue Sep 13, 2016 9:04 am

90s Saban typically didn't allow a lot of their behind-the-scenes staff to be credited because they were afraid other companies would then try to hire said staff away from them. Hence, everything Ron Wasserman ever did was credited to Shuki Levy.

This, by the way, is why the Power Rangers movie score wasn't composed by Wasserman: he was going to do it initially, but the movie was a union production which meant everyone HAD to be properly credited, and Saban refused to allow Wasserman's name to be in the credits.

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Re: Episode #0412 (11 September 2016)

Post by TKA » Tue Sep 13, 2016 12:34 pm

This was such a nice jaunt down memory lane. I knew I wasn't going insane for remembering there was DBZ on tv BEFORE Toonami and Cartoon Network. I was 3-4 in 1996 and have vague memories of watching it back then (I want to say it was on Fox).

Only thing I can remember from the Raditz stuff in the ocean dub is "Keep your eyes on the birdie..."

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Re: Episode #0412 (11 September 2016)

Post by Hellspawn28 » Thu Sep 15, 2016 1:16 am

Great podcast. Very fun nostalgia of the old DBZ dub days.

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Re: Episode #0412 (11 September 2016)

Post by SaiyaSith » Wed Sep 28, 2016 1:18 am

Very good and I'm excited for the next one!

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Re: Episode #0412 (11 September 2016)

Post by omaro34 » Sun Oct 02, 2016 7:04 pm

I'm Canadian so from what I know, Ocean Dub was based in Vancouver, and the Blue Water studios was in Calgary.

Most of the VA's didn't even know much about Dragonball when they were recording their lines; they were given a brief synopsis on their character, sometimes even without a picture. Brian Drummond and Scott McNeil among others were pioneers in anime voice acting here in Canada.

As for the American Funimation dub, there were literally open auditions in Dallas Texas for Dragonball Z, and it was a long tedious process.

Such great stories. Anime here in the Western hemisphere during the 90's was a time of trial and error, they really had to learn on the fly.

Great podcast. Thanks for sharing.

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