Dragon Ball Super English Premiere on Toonami Asia!

[Cure Dragon 255]

Some movement on the Dragon Ball Super front: Toonami Asia has apparently scored a deal to televise the show in English mid-2016, and before anyone else to boot.

http://toonamifaithful.com/press-releas ... all-super/

This announcement specifically says "It will be an exclusive first-run premiere on Toonami in Southeast Asia and India, which will also be its English-language world premiere." Naturally this raises the question of what other deals may be in the works for other regions. The timing is certainly apt, note the 52x30 reference. That's to mark 52 half hour episodes, the literal first year of the run starting about a year after the start of the Japanese broadcast.

I also wonder if this means there will be more than one English dub for Super. FUNimation could be involved, but it strikes me as strange that an anime dub done in the USA would not make its first-run premiere here. It could be a player like Ocean Group instead, maybe?

Whatever the case, I don't doubt other arrangements for outside of Asia are in the works. My money's on Fall 2016 at the latest. Perhaps a streaming debut for areas outside of Asia mere weeks or days after the first run there, if we're lucky. Or, maybe we'll start out with the series in Japanese with English subtitles before then. We will see.....

Credit to Mr GWOtaku on Toonzone!

[Chuquita]

Does this mean we could potentially have two English dubs of Super? One by Funimation and one by whoever does English dubs for Toei in Asia? What are the odds of it? What are the precedents?

*I realized I asked this in the official Super thread just now, but I don't know which of these will be ultimately the place to talk about this, so...

[Cure Dragon 255]

I REALLY hope Toei fixed the animation mistakes for international release but something tells me they havent.

[TheBlackPaladin]

I bet what they mean is an English-subtitled release, not a separate dub.

[Super Sayian Prime]

I bet what they mean is an English-subtitled release, not a separate dub.

Toonami Asia is a channel for kids. I don't think they run shows in Japanese.

Does this mean we could potentially have two English dubs of Super? One by Funimation and one by whoever does English dubs for Toei in Asia? What are the odds of it? What are the precedents?

*I realized I asked this in the official Super thread just now, but I don't know which of these will be ultimately the place to talk about this, so...

Every single Dragon Ball show has had at least two partial (if not complete) English dubs, so ...

[kei17]

I bet what they mean is an English-subtitled release, not a separate dub.

Southeast Asia received two unique English dubs of the original DB, so it wouldn't surprise me if this turned out to be a non-FUNi English dub. Strange things do happen when it comes to this franchise.

[Hellspawn28]

Hong Kong English dubs of Super would be awesome !

[OmegaRockman]

Due to being skeptical, I did a quick search and ANN seems to have reported on this, so this may be legit. Gonna still take this with a pinch of salt until Mike and the guys are able to confirm themselves. But still, a few discussion points:

1. The press release mentions that the original Z and Kai aired on Toonami Asia. In what language did they air? If in English, was it the respective Funimation dubs? If so, then we may have a precedent to possibly evidence whether or not Funi is behind the dub.

2. If Funi IS behind the dub, could this be part of a compromise with Toei to get the TV deal they want so Funi can start releasing the show on home video? It's a stretch, but hey, strange things always happen when it comes to DB.

[Super Sayian Prime]

Due to being skeptical, I did a quick search and ANN seems to have reported on this, so this may be legit. Gonna still take this with a pinch of salt until Mike and the guys are able to confirm themselves. But still, a few discussion points:

1. The press release mentions that the original Z and Kai aired on Toonami Asia. In what language did they air? If in English, was it the respective Funimation dubs? If so, then we may have a precedent to possibly evidence whether or not Funi is behind the dub.

2. If Funi IS behind the dub, could this be part of a compromise with Toei to get the TV deal they want so Funi can start releasing the show on home video? It's a stretch, but hey, strange things always happen when it comes to DB.

Both of those were Funimation's dub, but it's important to remember that Toonami Asia began in 2012. That was well after both of those dubs were completed. When an already existing English dub doesn't exist, it's not uncommon for channels in South East Asia to produce their own. For example, Toonami Asia's Yo-Kai Watch run isn't using the dub airing on Disney XD in the US. It's a separate dub produced in Hong Kong that's been on the channel since June.

The reason some of us are humouring the thought of it being an Ocean dub is because they've produced some shows for TV in that market. While it wouldn't be as good for laughs, it would help Toonami Asia from becoming a meme.

[OmegaRockman]

Due to being skeptical, I did a quick search and ANN seems to have reported on this, so this may be legit. Gonna still take this with a pinch of salt until Mike and the guys are able to confirm themselves. But still, a few discussion points:

1. The press release mentions that the original Z and Kai aired on Toonami Asia. In what language did they air? If in English, was it the respective Funimation dubs? If so, then we may have a precedent to possibly evidence whether or not Funi is behind the dub.

2. If Funi IS behind the dub, could this be part of a compromise with Toei to get the TV deal they want so Funi can start releasing the show on home video? It's a stretch, but hey, strange things always happen when it comes to DB.

Both of those were Funimation's dub, but it's important to remember that Toonami Asia began in 2012. That was well after both of those dubs were completed. When an already existing English dub doesn't exist, it's not uncommon for channels in South East Asia to produce their own. For example, Toonami Asia's Yo-Kai Watch run isn't using the dub airing on Disney XD in the US. It's a separate dub produced in Hong Kong that's been on the channel since June.

The reason some of us are humouring the thought of it being an Ocean dub is because they've produced some shows for TV in that market. While it wouldn't be as good for laughs, it would help Toonami Asia from becoming a meme.

You have a really good point, but I still have a feeling that Funi; considering how much they must be salivating to get the rights to Super, I don't doubt they'd jump through any hoops they have to in order to get it. Plus, Toonami Asia may try to work with Funi to maintain consistency with what they've already aired. Of course, this is merely speculation nad guarantees nothing; maybe it will turn out to be Ocean dubbing it after all. Much stranger things have happened with this franchise, so I won't rule out any possibility. In the end, only time will tell.

[Super Sayian Prime]

The Ocean option is more my personal hopes than something I think will actually happen. It'll most likely be a locally produced dub or Funimation's.

[ParkerAL]

They should get the Malaysian actors on board for this.

[danielsan_190196]

They should get the Malaysian actors on board for this.

Da supaa saiya peepulhz God.

[jelleline89]

I don't think for a second Ocean will be producing this English Dub when they couldn't even get their dub of Z Kai on the air.

I imagine an Asian English dubbing company will produce a mediocre dub of the series. This isn't the first time it's been done, if I remember correctly, and Asian English dubbing company produced the entirety of Inuyasha: The Final Act for broadcast years before Viz Media got around to it. It wasn't anything to write home about, but it certainly got the job done. If someone (somehow) manages to record this particular dub and share it, I would probably give it a try but I want the FUNimation dub.

[Gozar]

SWEET!!! Big Green Dub of "Super" CONFIRMED!!!

All joking aside, I think that there's a distinct possibility that FUNimation could be behind this. I still find it very strange that they had a whole panel for/hyping DragonBall Super at NYCC. I think that there's something brewing down in Texas, but only time will tell for sure.

[SilverPlaqueVII]

It should be interesting if they utilize Blue Water cast for DBS if Ocean does not have they money to air it in Southeast Asia. FUNimation would have to wait sooner than expected but they haven't almost finished dubbing the Buu arc yet.

[Blade]

An interesting development indeed...

I think the biggest question I'd raise would relate to the 52x30 - is this our first real confirmation of Super's intended length?

That is, of course, assuming the previous figure of 100 was just an abstract placeholder, as is widely accepted.

[VejituhTheWarriorGuy]

The fact that it doesn't specify that it's a dub made in Asia makes me think that Funi is going to do it. Someone ask Schemmmel if he can say anything about Super, that usually let's us know what's going on.

[Blade]

The fact that it doesn't specify that it's a dub made in Asia makes me think that Funi is going to do it. Someone ask Schemmmel if he can say anything about Super, that usually let's us know what's going on.

Even if he did know the answer he'd probably be barred from talking about it.

Moreover, he has a track record of being really cantankerous when asked about this sort of thing. Even if the production had nothing to do with Funimation and it was news to him, he'd probably react in a less-than-happy fashion about the idea of another English Goku. Let's just say there's a history.

[Chuquita]

Are there any cons coming up? Maybe someone could ask Sabat there? Asking at a con is different than asking on Twitter (I know Sabat has a twitter.) I feel he'd be a good choice for who to ask. He's higher up than Schemmel and he still works directly at Funimation. Schemmel's freelance now (I think?).
Everyone at Funi is probably barred from talking about Super though; I'm willing to bet.