It's just so weird hearing Goku curse.

[Sun-Wukong]

Watching the Japanese version, I see a curse word written in the subtitles and know that it's being spoken by him, but in my mind his voice will always be Sean Schemmel so it never phased me. Up until Kai, Goku had never cursed in the English dub (unless I'm mistaken), so it caught me completely off guard the first time I heard it. Did this happen to anyone else?

[VenomSymbiote]

Yeah, its been happening to me too. Whenever I watch the dub, and Goku curses, its just really awkward. I mean, it never goes beyond "Damn," but for Dragonball, that is really out of place. I wouldn't put it past Freeza to curse, but hearing it from the main character is just... wrong.

[VegettoEX]

Well, you've never really heard Goku speaking properly as Goku in English before, the same way no-one had ever heard Freeza speaking properly as Freeza in English before.

And even now, I'd wager it's still not entirely there for Goku, but it's certainly closer than it's ever been before.

[Coola Yagami]

Just like we never heard Goku call himself Son Goku in English before... and we finally did.

[Codarik]

Hearing English dub Goku curse really irritates me, I don't know why, and I don't mind if any other characters curse but it just doesn't feel right coming from Goku.

Isn't he pure hearted? Aren't pure hearted people not supposed to curse?

Also, it seems like FUNimation adds in extra unnecessary cursing just to promote the DVDs uncut or something. They use "Damn" and "Bastard" way too much.

[TripleRach]

Isn't he pure hearted? Aren't pure hearted people not supposed to curse?

Cursing in Japanese doesn't work quite the same as it does in English, but Gokuu has had very rude speech from the very beginning, prior to getting Kintoun. So speech mannerisms clearly aren't a factor in determining purity in Dragon Ball.

[Tanooki Kuribo]

I actually have no problem with (FUNimation) Goku saying "damn". I think anything past that would be awkward for me. Also, I don't think "damn" is really a curse. It might be harsh language for a cartoon but, to say it's a curse.... I don't know.

Isn't he pure hearted? Aren't pure hearted people not supposed to curse?

Well since he's so innocent and pure hearted, he has no idea the language he's using would be considered vulgar. He pretty much says whatever's on his mind, totally oblivious to manners. He just dosen't know any better. Like a child.

[JacobYBM]

I think the problem is Schemmel's delivery. Whenever Gokuu drops 'kuso', 'chikushou', 'yarou', et cetera she plays it straight. Schemmel's delivery a lot of the time is just too heavy-handed.

[DemonRin]

Hearing English dub Goku curse really irritates me, I don't know why, and I don't mind if any other characters curse but it just doesn't feel right coming from Goku.

Isn't he pure hearted? Aren't pure hearted people not supposed to curse?

Also, it seems like FUNimation adds in extra unnecessary cursing just to promote the DVDs uncut or something. They use "Damn" and "Bastard" way too much.

You're working on the fallacy that cursing is immoral. They're just words, what is considered "Cursing" changes depending on culture and time.
Did you know that in Charles Dickens' time, "Humbug" was a bad curse on the level of "bullshit" by today's standards.

It is in his character to be rude and a bit crass. He's a hick, with no formal education. That is Son Goku. That is who he is.

Superman in an orange Gi was the bastard son of FUNimation. Its not The real character, it is as false as Chatku.

[Fionordequester]

Isn't he pure hearted? Aren't pure hearted people not supposed to curse?

No, actually, I think swearing can be very useful when you're say, fighting a bad guy who's attacking your family or something. Swearing can put fear in his/her heart and shows them that you're not a wuss. Goku never really swears outside of a fight (from what I can remember), so I don't think he's really wrong for using them outside of those circumstances.

I wondered the same thing when he apparently let Vegeta go, not out of mercy, but because he wanted to fight him again, knowing full well that it was selfish. Part of the reason I still consider mercy to be his primary reason, even if Goku didn't put that into words. Because otherwise, it just doesn't make sense (because he still gets to ride the Nimbus afterwards).

[Cipher]

Goku is raised in the woods and regularly fights universe-threatening super villains. Why is it unrealistic for him to bust out a "damn"?

I suppose it sounds odd because you're aware you're essentially watching a children's cartoon, but as long as it doesn't go too far past "damn," I can't imagine it standing out at all. You know what sounds really weird? Everyone saying "darn," a la the old dub.

[penguintruth]

He's a crass hillbilly manchild.

Why do people still have difficulty understanding this character?

[jpdbzrulz4sure]

Why are people complaining about Goku saying "damn"? It's not that bad of a word.

[Akumaito Beam]

He's a crass hillbilly manchild.

Why do people still have difficulty understanding this character?

Because it was literally never shown to anyone that exclusively watched the English dub cartoon. That Goku talks about light in the darkness and swords of injustice.

While I'm here it would have been cool if Gohan never swore during the Raditz stuff and only started doing it during and after training with Piccolo, did they do that?

Edit: Hell, did the Japanese version do that?

[Jackal puFF]

it's not weird to hear Goku curse.. Cause he doesn't even CURSE.. All he says is "DAMN". It makes me kind of mad.. You can't say fuck to the enemy who killed your closest friends? LOL.

[TheGreatness25]

I'd actually expect Goku to curse before Freeza. Goku is a "hick" and isn't exactly educated. I wish DBZKai made him talk the way he apparently does in Japanese... you know, the, "ain't," "wanna," "gonna," all those slang phrases.

[DemonRin]

I'd actually expect Goku to curse before Freeza. Goku is a "hick" and isn't exactly educated. I wish DBZKai made him talk the way he apparently does in Japanese... you know, the, "ain't," "wanna," "gonna," all those slang phrases.

That's probably the best way to present it in English without having Schemmel go full redneck. "Ahm Gawnha go Fait that thur Freeza Bastard Ah' Reckun!" would sound just a tad ridiculous...

The way he talks is pretty all-encompassing, It is literally like an accent. For example, he says "Ora" instead of "Ore", and that's really the tip of the iceberg (though his speech noticeably changes to the typical "Ore" when he goes SS for the first time)

Clark Kakakent however, would never speak that way. Clark Kakakent is a big orange boy scout who fights for truth, Justice, and the Saiyan way. And Clark Kakakent is, unfortunately, the character they put into the Dragon Ball Z dub in place of Son Goku. The Kai dub, however, has restored the once and future Son.

[penguintruth]

Clark Kakakent however, would never speak that way. Clark Kakakent is a big orange boy scout who fights for truth, Justice, and the Saiyan way. And Clark Kakakent is, unfortunately, the character they put into the Dragon Ball Z dub in place of Son Goku. The Kai dub, however, has restored the once and future Son.

Eh, sometimes.

[kei17]

In Japanese language, cursing isn't a big deal unlike English. Goku says many abusive epithets like "chikushou", but such words are even used by primary school teachers. There is no word that found as much dirty as fuck or shit in Japanese.

[thedarkuniter]

I actually have no problems with any Dragon Ball Z characters swearing. If anything, it tell me they're sticking more closely to the characters. Just if you living in your parent's home, it could be awkward hearing and watching a cartoon with swears. Luckily, I haven't gotten in trouble over it, despite me being 18.