Ever feel like it's difficult to return to the English dub?

[Ringworm128]

Well to be more specific the Ocean dub isn't the best but the Ocean dubs for the Cell and Buu arcs are just plain shit.

[Hades]

For me, To put it in terms of credit ratings, Ocean would be CAA, Funimation 1st time would be BB- (Both "Junk" status) and Funimation Kai would be ABB ("Investment grade", but not AAA+).

[Aoi]

I prefer the Japanese version but that doesn't mean I don't like the dub. I'm not very picky so the dialog and acting doesn't bother me. I think the voices fit well with the characters (yes even Linda Young as Freeza, Sean Schemmel as King Kai and Stephanie Nadalony as Gohan). Most peoples biggest complaint about the dub is that its cheesy and watered down but for me that's more reason to sometimes watch the dub, sometimes I don't want to watch The Dark Knight while I eat a fine meal with an exquisite drink, sometimes I just want to watch Batman Forever while I eat Skittles and drink Mountain Dew (if you get my point). Even though a few scenes were changed drastically for the most part the dialog gets the same point across as the original despite being cheesed/watered down so it annoys me when people say things like "you can barely tell its DBZ from all the changes". As for the Funi/Ocean dub I haven't seen much but I stay clear of it since the voice acting is so over the top that it's like something you would hear in a DBZ parody or from a bunch of friends doing DBZ voice impressions for shits and giggles. And the dialog is over written and over cheesy even for my tastes. Though the voices them selves are pretty good if only they could have gotten a better director. The Westwood Media/Ocean dub is complete crap the less I have to watch it the better. The acting is horrible even by my standards its like something out of a mediocre fandub. All the lines either sound akward, pathetic, like they delivered it in one take or all the above. Most of the voices are bland/generic or lot their touch from the Saban era. I would go as far to say the AB Group dub (Big Green dub) is better then the Westwood dub. As for Kai its fantastic in English. It has great voice acting, great scripts and great casting. Kai in English is awesome and I will take it over Kai in Japanese any time.

I was a bot confused by what you meant with liking the dub, but then finding the "Ocean/FUNI" dubs bad to watch. Were you originally talking about Dragon Ball in another language?

[Necrosaber]

I have no problem watching the Funi's dub (Z) or the original Japanese. I grew up with them mostly side by side (Saiyan and Frieza saga more Ocean Dub, though) so both sound kinda natural to me.

I CAN'T watch Dragonball OR GT with the dub. For GT, I can't tell if it's the actually acting/script or that plus the horrendous music. The English score gives me headaches.

[Aoi]

I have no problem watching the Funi's dub (Z) or the original Japanese. I grew up with them mostly side by side (Saiyan and Freeza saga more Ocean Dub, though) so both sound kinda natural to me.

I CAN'T watch Dragonball OR GT with the dub. For GT, I can't tell if it's the actually acting/script or that plus the horrendous music. The English score gives me headaches.

Jesus, the Menza score? Yeah it makes the show unwatchable. Music is huge and it makes a 6/10 show (for me) , a 1/10 show. That is unforgivable in my eyes. Though I don't think I'd mind GT in English with the Japanese score. I don't know about Goku's voice though. Nozawa is too brilliant (even in GT).

She absolutely nails her lines. One of my favourites is when Goku lifts up with the Genki Dama, and tells Yi Xing Long that he's not going to die until he defeats him. I can't really describe it, but her delivery always sent chills down my spine. One of GT's great moments, for sure. English version can't even begin to touch this.

[Aoi]

I gotta say, I am thankful for the Japanese version. Other than the occasional episode when I lived in Japan, I never properly saw the entire series until a few years ago. When I first bought the bricks, I remember buying it to show my girl at the time "this cheesy show that I loved as a kid/teen". I expected my enjoyment of it to be much less than it originally was. I mean, to me, Transformers (G1)/ Ninja Turtles types are basically unwatchable for me.

However, the Japanese version really reignited my interest in this franchise. It made me experience it on another level. It made me fall in love with the show all over again.

[Necrosaber]

I have no problem watching the Funi's dub (Z) or the original Japanese. I grew up with them mostly side by side (Saiyan and Freeza saga more Ocean Dub, though) so both sound kinda natural to me.

I CAN'T watch Dragonball OR GT with the dub. For GT, I can't tell if it's the actually acting/script or that plus the horrendous music. The English score gives me headaches.

She absolutely nails her lines. One of my favourites is when Goku lifts up with the Genki Dama, and tells Yi Xing Long that he's not going to die until he defeats him. I can't really describe it, but her delivery always sent chills down my spine. One of GT's great moments, for sure. English version can't even begin to touch this.

I get all tingly with that scene. Even though the Genki Dama seems overdone, it was probably my favorite one. Goku holding it strong and unwavering. Everyone looking at him like a god. DAT MUSIC. Just felt epic.

[Ringworm128]

I was a bot confused by what you meant with liking the dub, but then finding the "Ocean/FUNI" dubs bad to watch. Were you originally talking about Dragon Ball in another language?

When I said I like the dub I was talking about the in house Funimation dub. When I put Funi/Ocean I was talking about the old 1996 dub, the one that was made by Funimation (with help from Saban) but used Ocean Studio voice actors.

[Akumaito Beam]

Ironically as...pumped up as Funi made the dub I feel the best way to enjoy it is not to take it too seriously (just like the original version.) I totally think Funi's script was winking at the older crowd at a fairly regular rate. I understand why someone wouldn't like it, for sure. I just think it's fun in a silly, ironic kinda way.

[Aoi]

Does anyone else here feel that Ocean's dub seemed more serious than Funimation's? I haven't seen enough of Ocean's dub lately to make a decision on this but got that impression after watching a few clips. I love my dragon ball serious with the jokes being spread out appropriately. This is why I love Funi's Kai dub. However, I can't put my finger on why I feel Funi's dub sounds so wacky.

[Corporate_Nothing]

Again, are we talking about Ocean's dub of the first 53 edited episodes, or episodes 123/108 onwards?

[Aoi]

Again, are we talking about Ocean's dub of the first 53 edited episodes, or episodes 123/108 onwards?

First batch actually. Though I did watch their inferior dub (eps 123/108) and they seemed to take the FUNI scripts more seriously than FUNI. Generally, except for Vegeta, it always seemed like their characters were less "cartoony" than FUNI's, who were all exaggerated versions of the Ocean voices. There are many examples.

FUNI: Piccolo, Krillin, Frieza- they all seemed so over the top.
Don't get me wrong, I actually love FUNI's VA for Krillin, but his performance is still seemed geared towards kids more than Ocean's version of the voice. Even Ocean's King Kai was a "subtle wacky", while FUNI's King Kai is basically an all out clown. Same goes for the Ginyu Force too, but that's an obvious example of how FUNI and Ocean got it different.

The interesting thing is that the Spanish version of the show still kept the "wackiness" in tact, but the characters sounded like normal people. Most dubs did actually.

[bkev]

I'm sorry but I fail to see how you find Sonny Strait more over-the-top than Terry Klassen. The latter Ocean dub episodes seemed incredibly cartoony to me, at least from the clips I've listened to. Then again, for that matter, FUNimation's does too. Just I think Ocean moreso.

Examples: Mr. Satan, Videl, Adult Gohan, Trunks (for sure... generic macho-man), the Androids, but... mainly Terry Klassen as Kuririn is the most cartoony voice.

[Fionordequester]

Honestly, I have to agree with the above poster. The Ocean dub had it's moments, especially with the soundtrack, but some of the acting was just painful. Every time I think of the dub, I think of this clip...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFx95Gi_j-I

[Aoi]

Honestly, I have to agree with the above poster. The Ocean dub had it's moments, especially with the soundtrack, but some of the acting was just painful. Every time I think of the dub, I think of this clip...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFx95Gi_j-I

Jesus, that is bad; painful actually.

However, for every scene like that one, you get this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfczmK2w8Oo

Same with FUNI. For every good scene, you get Sabat screaming: "Gohan's dead Goku. He's DEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAD".

[samuraix123]

I love watching the first 53 episode of the ocean dub plus their first 3 movies. and I love watching the entire series sometimes in Japanese sometimes in English. My friends ask me all the time ''How do you watch all those versions and not pick your favorite version to stick too?'' If anyone knows me on here then they know I like the Funimation dub. I don't see nothing wrong with that. But I also like to switch it up, I've watched the entire Z franchise in Japanese, and I love it just as much as I do the English if not more. but here lately I have been watching more of the Japanese side than what I have the English.

[GS7X7]

(Points to quote)

What's funny is that even Funimation's head VA isn't fond of the first DBZ dub.

[BlazingFiddlesticks]

Same with FUNI. For every good scene, you get Sabat screaming: "Gohan's dead Goku. He's DEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAD".

I thought that one was pretty good, all things considered.

[NitroEX]

Honestly, I have to agree with the above poster. The Ocean dub had it's moments, especially with the soundtrack, but some of the acting was just painful. Every time I think of the dub, I think of this clip...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFx95Gi_j-I

Jesus, that is bad; painful actually.

I don't see what's so painful about it. The guy can scream which is more than I can say for Sabat.

[Majin Buu]

Difficult? It's flat out IMPOSSIBLE for me. I pretty much underwent a permenant baptism once I found out about the original Japanese version.

As for the question Aoi posted. No. I don't think the Ocean dub was any more serious than Funimation's. Both had several instances of godawful punch up humor and terrible voice acting, taking away any ability to take them seriously.