Is It Time For A Redub? Dragon Ball (OG)

[IAmTheMilkMan]

The Bardock and Trunks specials have possibly the worst English dubs that Funimation has ever produced.

Seriously ? worse than late Freeza and Cell arcs ?

The dub of the Trunks special is about on par with the dub of the Cell arc (which makes sense, since they were produced around the same time), but the dub of the Bardock special is pretty bad. Not only does the dub add in a lot of dialogue where it doesn’t belong, but the script was radically different from the Japanese version. In fact, it was so different that they pretty much changed the plot. Just to give an example, the dub implies that Bardock ends up going through a last minute moment of redemption, despite the fact that the Japanese version gave zero indication that Bardock felt bad about being a space pirate.

The Bardock dub is the worst dub that Funimation has ever produced. It's so bad that I will go so far as to say that a possible redub could actually happen, whether it's by Funimation righting a wrong that I'm sure they're fully aware of, or by crowd-funding à la Vision of Escaflowne (that successfully happened, right?). The Bardock special is not only desperately in need of a redub, but also the only Dragon Ball property with a realistic shot of getting one. I feel like even Funimation can't turn a blind eye to how god-awful that dub is. I'd be terribly embarrassed if I were them.

[8000 Saiyan]

Don't really see a redub of Dragon Ball happening, even though it would be great if it happened. But I think the worst dubs deserve to be redubbed more than the DB dub.

[WittyUsername]

Seriously ? worse than late Freeza and Cell arcs ?

The dub of the Trunks special is about on par with the dub of the Cell arc (which makes sense, since they were produced around the same time), but the dub of the Bardock special is pretty bad. Not only does the dub add in a lot of dialogue where it doesn’t belong, but the script was radically different from the Japanese version. In fact, it was so different that they pretty much changed the plot. Just to give an example, the dub implies that Bardock ends up going through a last minute moment of redemption, despite the fact that the Japanese version gave zero indication that Bardock felt bad about being a space pirate.

The Bardock dub is the worst dub that Funimation has ever produced. It's so bad that I will go so far as to say that a possible redub could actually happen, whether it's by Funimation righting a wrong that I'm sure they're fully aware of, or by crowd-funding à la Vision of Escaflowne (that successfully happened, right?). The Bardock special is not only desperately in need of a redub, but also the only Dragon Ball property with a realistic shot of getting one. I feel like even Funimation can't turn a blind eye to how god-awful that dub is. I'd be terribly embarrassed if I were them.

Believe me, you won’t get any argument out of me. The dub of the Bardock special was so radically different from the Japanese version that it’s just baffling. Even the dub of the Trunks special at least had one specific moment that was pretty damn faithful to the Japanese version (the scene where 17 and 18 explain to Trunks why they kill people), whereas the dub of the Bardock special had no such moments.

[ABED]

To the people saying GT is in need of a redub because it's on par with Z at its worst, I don't think you guys have actually paid attention to it because that's just not true. I have watched GT dubbed with the subtitle track on and it's on par with DB in terms of accuracy. That said, I'd rather DB get a redub. My aversion to Nadolny and Vollmer is well known so I won't go down that road, but I do hope they would keep the voice for young Kuririn. Sadly, Brice Armstrong is retired, but Kai's narrator is a good choice for replacement.

[KBABZ]

To the people saying GT is in need of a redub because it's on par with Z at its worst, I don't think you guys have actually paid attention to it because that's just not true. I have watched GT dubbed with the subtitle track on and it's on par with DB in terms of accuracy. That said, I'd rather DB get a redub. My aversion to Nadolny and Vollmer is well known so I won't go down that road, but I do hope they would keep the voice for young Kuririn. Sadly, Brice Armstrong is retired, but Kai's narrator is a good choice for replacement.

I can vouch for GT, at least nearing the end of the Baby arc. It doesn't have a lot of changes, most of them tend to be lore-based, or in a few instances putting in a super-lame pun. One instance was actually a positive change, fixing Pan's "girls are stronger when they cry" line, or explaining the giant water gushes in Baby's chamber. And they keep Goku's battle eargerness fully in tact.

[Baggie_Saiyan]

Seriously ? worse than late Freeza and Cell arcs ?

The dub of the Trunks special is about on par with the dub of the Cell arc (which makes sense, since they were produced around the same time), but the dub of the Bardock special is pretty bad. Not only does the dub add in a lot of dialogue where it doesn’t belong, but the script was radically different from the Japanese version. In fact, it was so different that they pretty much changed the plot. Just to give an example, the dub implies that Bardock ends up going through a last minute moment of redemption, despite the fact that the Japanese version gave zero indication that Bardock felt bad about being a space pirate.

The Bardock dub is the worst dub that Funimation has ever produced. It's so bad that I will go so far as to say that a possible redub could actually happen, whether it's by Funimation righting a wrong that I'm sure they're fully aware of, or by crowd-funding à la Vision of Escaflowne (that successfully happened, right?). The Bardock special is not only desperately in need of a redub, but also the only Dragon Ball property with a realistic shot of getting one. I feel like even Funimation can't turn a blind eye to how god-awful that dub is. I'd be terribly embarrassed if I were them.

Sabat has been eager for it but ultimately something down to FUNi to decide. But between Kai, new movies and now DBS all happened back to back to back & now as well as FUNi's simuldubbing programme in full swing. It's no surprise there hasn't been a re-dub of it yet.

As for funding you know how nostalgic DB fans can be would a majority of them even be down for a re-dub?

[Shaddy]

Funi dubbed Z like four times and people still think Kai is the first time any voices changed, so as long as they pretend it's a dub from 1997 or maybe package it in gaudy orange it'll still probably be a success.

[Super Sonic]

The Bardock and Trunks specials have possibly the worst English dubs that Funimation has ever produced.

Seriously ? worse than late Freeza and Cell arcs ?

You guys haven't seen "Master of Martial Hearts" have you? Grant that's more to it being a terrible show with an accurate dub, but still, would rather watch the not so great old DBZ dubs than that again.

But yeah, while it could sound like an ok idea, don't see it happening. It'd be like if some guys wanted a new dub of "Go-Lion" with Voltron: Legendary Defender's cast, which wouldn't work really. Especially with how different many characters are.

[gokaiblue]

I would love for them to redub Dragon Ball, but unless Japan releases a recut/remastered version of it, I don't see it happening.

Speaking of dubs, anyone think they should'ge released the BLT dub in a Rock the Dragon style set? I mean, I know it inly aired in syndication, but it would still be cool to see.

[Dragon Ball Gus]

Okay, have you guys even read the title? I'm asking whether, you think it's time for a redub to happen, not if it's gonna happen. And besides, we all know the old saying of "Anything is possible" and "Nothing is impossible".

[WittyUsername]

Okay, have you guys even read the title? I'm asking whether, you think it's time for a redub to happen, not if it's gonna happen. And besides, we all know the old saying of "Anything is possible" and "Nothing is impossible".

I’d say the chances of a redub actually happening are impossible. Redubbing an entire series would be a very costly and time consuming endeavor, and OG Dragon Ball isn’t popular enough to justify doing something like that.

[KBABZ]

I think a great middle-ground would be redubbing the egregiously different lines only, but then that's far less marketable from a DVD/streaming perspective.

[ABED]

With rare exceptions, I'm not in favor of redubbing or "fixing" errors. I'm more like the guys behind Back to the Future and less like George Lucas. Leave it alone. The crappy dubbing happened, we all know it happened. Let it stand as is.

[gohann]

IMO there's no need for a redub, the original is good enough. Stephanie Nadolny, Tiffany Vollmer, and Brice Armstrong are no longer with FUNimation, so any redub is most likely going to be worse than the original by default.

[DragonBallKing]

IMO there's no need for a redub, the original is good enough. Stephanie Nadolny, Tiffany Vollmer, and Brice Armstrong are no longer with FUNimation, so any redub is most likely going to be worse than the original by default.

Yeah nah, we could do without those two especially Vollmer

[gohann]

IMO there's no need for a redub, the original is good enough. Stephanie Nadolny, Tiffany Vollmer, and Brice Armstrong are no longer with FUNimation, so any redub is most likely going to be worse than the original by default.

Yeah nah, we could do without those two especially Vollmer

Colleen Clinkenbeard and Monica Rial (from the Cell games onward) put out much worse than anything the former two have done, especially Clinkenbeard.

[Cure Dragon 255]

Clinkenbeard I get but RIAL? I know she's not perfect and certainly no Hiromi Tsuru but Volmer's TERRIBLE. Flat out AWFUL.

[gohann]

Tiffany Vollmer was only bad in season 3 of DBZ. Monica Rial started out good, but got more wacko and over the top, and lost a lot of her charm.

[KBABZ]

Vollmer and Rial I think serve both sides to Bulma's character. Vollmer works for Bulma's younger teenage years, while Rial nails the older, more mature side Bulma develops as she settles into the inventor character more and discards the "sometimes adventurer, sometimes spectator" role from the OG-DB era. It helps that I didn't even notice the change the first time I watched Kai.

Clinkenbeard just sounds flat-out weird since I associate her far more for her excellent performance as Gohan. Nadolny for me encapsulates Goku's country bumpkin in the stilted talking style and often not-so-smooth vocals, which I highly prefer over giving Goku an Alabama accent. Clinkenbeard tries for this but I don't think she approaches Nadolny's performance.

Regardless I did kinda feel like both lost their chops by Path to Power. As much as I love hearing more from those two (particularly as I watch GT), the PtP performance from both felt rather Flanderized and somewhat rushed actually. I also remember hearing Nadolny in Revenge of King Piccolo clips on YouTube (which as far as I'm aware is her last performance as Kid Goku) and it just wasn't the same as the 02 DB dub.

[ABED]

IMO there's no need for a redub, the original is good enough. Stephanie Nadolny, Tiffany Vollmer, and Brice Armstrong are no longer with FUNimation, so any redub is most likely going to be worse than the original by default.

Yeah nah, we could do without those two especially Vollmer

Colleen Clinkenbeard and Monica Rial (from the Cell games onward) put out much worse than anything the former two have done, especially Clinkenbeard.

Couldn't disagree more. There's zero charm to any of their performances and Vollmer never sounds age appropriate for Bulma until Bulma until around the Buu arc.