Kai Dub Lines

[Akumaito Beam]

I honestly think that the dub lines and Woolseyisms for Kai like "It's time I put my foot down" and "Hope your not afraid of heights" work when they are actually befitting of the characters who speak them. Those two lines of Freeza in particular fit the character since he's sadistic and is enjoying himself as he slowly tortures Gohan and begins to blow up Krillin. He's laughing to so he can clearly joke to himself.

Couldn't the exact same thing be said about all of Freeza's god awful jokes in season 3? (In fact that's the exact same excuse I hear from people who like the old dub.)

I think people don't like these lines because they're bad puns, plain and simple. Unnecessary bad puns because the Funi writers thought they were hilarious.

[matt0044]

I think people don't like these lines because they're bad puns, plain and simple. Unnecessary bad puns because the Funi writers thought they were hilarious.

Again, this is all pretty subjective. What makes you LOL might not apply to others and vice versa. I like some the humor from FUNi's writers while you wouldn't. But to say that's they're bad to everyone is a bit pushing it. Yeah, Freeza's jokes in Season 3's dub were awful but in Kai's dub, they were far and few between. Sure, there was one on occasion for the character but I'm pretty grateful that it's just that and not spammed throughout the character's screen time. It's just not in your face like the old dub. Plus, the few "cheesy" lines aren't too bad and fit the moment for what they're worth. But what do I know?

I don't quite like your tone of text. I mean, who's to say that FUNi's brand of humor (outside of DBZ, mind you) isn't appreciated by others unlike you? The quote above comes off as sorta "Stop liking what I hate" and/or "What's good for me is good for everyone else." I mean you no disrespect (if it seems that way, I'm sorry) but you kind come off like that.

[Akumaito Beam]

I wouldn't say Freeza crushing the head of a four year old and making a pun is any more fitting than Freeza ripping the arm off of a Namekian and making a backscratcher joke honestly.

I'm of the opinion there is such a thing as the "lowest common denominator" for every form of entertainment including humor but that's just me. Low effort puns in my humble opinion would totally fall into "lowest common denominator". (That isn't to say nobody can like lowest common denominator junk, this show is pretty lowest common denominator and that's why I like it.)

[matt0044]

I'm of the opinion there is such a thing as the "lowest common denominator" for every form of entertainment including humor but that's just me. Low effort puns in my humble opinion would totally fall into "lowest common denominator".

And fart jokes and nudity jokes are just as bad. I mean, what kind of series uses such low brow humor like that? As if any Manga/Anime that uses such humor could be successful, even in this day and age.

Wait, what series are we talking about again?

[Nex Carnifex]

Trying to make scenes like Kuririn's death sillier than they are is team four star's job not funimation's. Freeza is pissed and thus wants to make Goku pissed, he wasn't in the mood to make bad puns.

[matt0044]

Trying to make scenes like Kuririn's death sillier than they are is team four star's job not funimation's. Freeza is pissed and thus wants to make Goku pissed, he wasn't in the mood to make bad puns.

I don't think that mere quip made the scene sillier that TFS nor was it the intention. Believe me, nobody can or could. Plus, call me crazy but I could actually see him at that time being pissed yet still sadistic enough to say "Hope your not afraid of heights" since he's about to get his sweet revenge. The line overall wasn't totally needed but it was I think something Freeza would say. Not in Japanese but still... So crucify me all you want but I do get enjoyment out of the quips in the Kai dub. Unlike in the Z dub, they actually manage to be appropriate half the time for me. And I am going to be soooooooooo dead the minute somebody quotes me on this but *sigh* the Kai dub helped me enjoy Dragon Ball Z in a better way and *gulp* FUNimation improved the script in many ways. Not perfected but a lot of times I liked the dialogue better than in Japanese with the quips and whatnot. Yes, it's crass, yes, it seems like it's the same as the old dub, yes, I sound like I'm out of my mine for posting this but I still like it. Believe me, I like the Japanese Version and I watch it for DB and Z but for Kai, English is for me.

I give you full permission to rip me apart for my opinions. I just took one of the most sacred of Anime fandom taboos and smashed into itty, bitty pieces. And believe me, I'm more than willing to do it one more time. I know how you all feel: You hate something so much that to find someone with the polar opposite opinion is nothing short of a shocker.

[TheBlackPaladin]

Plus, call me crazy but I could actually see him at that time being pissed yet still sadistic enough to say "Hope your not afraid of heights" since he's about to get his sweet revenge.

Well, my problem with that line--apart from the fact that it didn't seem like a change that needed to be made--was that I felt "Hope you aren't afraid of HEIGHTS"...was a stupid thing to say given that this is a show about people who FLY. If Kuririn is truly afraid of heights, then God love him for summoning the courage needed to fly around at high speeds for many years of his life. Along with every other character on the show!

That "line" was orignally just a laugh, and Chris Ayers has demonstrated that he can do a cool-sounding, "pscyhotic evil laugh." If they really had to change it, I would have to think they could have thought of something more sadistic than that. Heck, the line in the DBZ dub was, "This time you won't come back"...even that would have worked.

Ah well. I'm nitpicking. That was one of the very few lines that, if given the opportunity, I would rush to change. The Kai dub truly was a great dub as far as I'm concerned, and that line was among the few minor dents in an otherwise great dub.

[ringworm128]

I actually don't mind the "hope you're aren't afraid of heights" line simply because Chris Ayers nails the delivery.

[matt0044]

Plus, call me crazy but I could actually see him at that time being pissed yet still sadistic enough to say "Hope your not afraid of heights" since he's about to get his sweet revenge.

Well, my problem with that line--apart from the fact that it didn't seem like a change that needed to be made--was that I felt "Hope you aren't afraid of HEIGHTS"...was a stupid thing to say given that this is a show about people who FLY. If Kuririn is truly afraid of heights, then God love him for summoning the courage needed to fly around at high speeds for many years of his life. Along with every other character on the show.

Not that Freeza would care in his pissed beyond belief state. I know wouldn't. Yeah, the line wasn't needed, I admit, but it wasn't bad since Ayres's nailed the delivery as ringworm said before and I'm not about to jump down the script writers throat for a mere off-hand line.

[matt0044]

Plus, the adapted dialogue sounds like what real people would say (these days). Well, most of the time unlike the old Z dub. Plus, the better vocal delivery help the lines shine.

[theoriginalbilis]

Many anime fans would (hopefully) agree that the best dubs are the ones that succeed in remaining true to the source material, while adapting the dialogue to flow well /make sense to an English-speaking audience. Two of the best studios in terms of anime dubbing are Animaze/ZRO Limit Productions (who produced gems like Cowboy Bebop, Macross Plus, Ghost in the Shell: SAC among many others) and New Generation Pictures (Hellsing Ultimate, R.O.D. the TV, and Paranoia Agent.) Their dubs tend to follow this principle very well, and leads to them getting solid performances from their talent pool as well being overall accepted by dub skeptics.

It's a very fine line to walk, but I think FUNimation overall follows this principle as well with most of their dubs. Though with some of their titles (especially their Dragon Ball dubs), they do seem afraid to part with their established "dub terminology" like Destructo-Disc, Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Tien, etc... and adding the little one-liners and modern American references don't help the experience. But I'd still say the Kai dub is still damn impressive, and despite some over-adapting, I can easily say I'd rather watch Kai dubbed over the Japanese dub of Kai most of the time.

As for Kai dub lines I like: any thing from Chris Ayres' Freeza. His work on Kai is one of the best dub performances I've heard in a long time. Screw the haters...

[matt0044]

^For me, Krillin's dialogue really helped me love the character more. He reminded me of Ziggy Grover from Power Rangers RPM and Sonny Strait gave it his all to make the dialogue work for the big hearted baldy. Plus, there was none of that "Mondo Cool" crap.

[DBZAOTA482]

Awww...but I liked 'mondo cool'.

[ringworm128]

I didn't like some of puns for the King Kai training episodes. Some were pretty funny like "Slowku" but others like "as hard as a naked piano" made me go "huh?"

[matt0044]

I didn't like some of puns for the King Kai training episodes. Some were pretty funny like "Slowku" but others like "as hard as a naked piano" made me go "huh?"

Well, his sense of humor is meant to be bad or of low standards on purpose.

[TheBlackPaladin]

I didn't like some of puns for the King Kai training episodes. Some were pretty funny like "Slowku" but others like "as hard as a naked piano" made me go "huh?"

Well, his sense of humor is meant to be bad or of low standards on purpose.

Exactly. I'm extra-forgiving with regard to adapting King Kai's dialogue. So many of his original pun jokes just wouldn't make sense at all if translated directly into English. My thought is that as long as the point gets across that he's not talented at comedy due to his frequent usage of lame puns, that's good enough for me.

[TheAldella]

I didn't like some of puns for the King Kai training episodes. Some were pretty funny like "Slowku" but others like "as hard as a naked piano" made me go "huh?"

I always thought the latter joke was "A harp is a naked piano." Seemed to make more sense to me that way, but meh. I'm always the type to inspect wording.

[Metalwario64]

I always thought the latter joke was "A harp is a naked piano."

Because that's what it is.

[matt0044]

I always thought the latter joke was "A harp is a naked piano."

Because that's what it is.

Really?

[Super Sonic]

One line I REALLY hate is the part when Freeza is stepping on Gohan.

"I think it's about time I put my foot down"

Ugh, I'd expect that type of dialogue from the 1999 dub, not Kai.

That sounds like classic card-carrying villainy.