Kai Continues Outside Japan

[Cold Skin]

He was talking about dividing the Buu saga into "seasons".

I'm guessing he divides them like so:

Freeza:
Saiyan
Namek
Freeza

Cell:
Androids
Cell
Cell Games

Or something along those lines. I definitely see what he's saying there.

Cold Skin, if I were to do that, I'd probably do something like this:

Tournament (Great Saiyaman to Vegeta's sacrifice)
Buu (Post-Vegeta up to Buu's split)
Fusion (Buu's split to end)

Or something.

What you mention is exactly what I did, and probably what I'll do, thanks!
Although it doesn't seem very epic compared to previous season endings, Buu's split is probably the best way to go to have a season ending indeed: it does have that "problems were about to be solved, but suddenly there's a new threat" feel. I can't see any better moment afterwards anyway, so I'll probably use exactly what you proposed.

Saiyan Blood was the only Kai insert song Yamamoto was involved in, hence why the others haven't been cut from later releases and airings.

News of the Cell Game also is his.

I didn't care much for Saiyan Blood being taken out since it was used in a weird moment anyway (I mean a moment that has nothing really special).
But taking out News of the Cell Game did have a negative impact on the scene, cause it was really great with that song, and it seemed dull in comparison when it was set back to a classic track.

Anyway, I'm relieved to see that on the contrary of what I thought, many other people than Yamamoto can compose potential insert songs, so it doesn't rule out the possibility to have new songs in the upcoming episodes.

[Tanooki Kuribo]

Maybe FUNi will put out "Yo Son Goku and Friends Return" under the DragonBall Kai name.

...

OK, probably not, but hey, it's totally possible right now.

[dbboxkaifan]

Maybe FUNi will put out "Yo Son Goku and Friends Return" under the DragonBall Kai name.

...

OK, probably not, but hey, it's totally possible right now.

I'm hoping Namco Bandai includes it on DBZ 2013 game (whatever the yearly game is next year).

"Dragon Ball Z Kai: Goku and Friends Return" just no. Plus the animation was updated unlike Kai.

[ultimateemail5000]

Maybe FUNi will put out "Yo Son Goku and Friends Return" under the DragonBall Kai name.

...

OK, probably not, but hey, it's totally possible right now.

I would totally rather see that in between after the defeat of Buu, and the last main episodes than the party get together thing they had with Goku watching dinosaur eggs.

[Gyt Kaliba]

I'm hoping Namco Bandai includes it on DBZ 2013 game (whatever the yearly game is next year).

"Dragon Ball Z Kai: Goku and Friends Return" just no. Plus the animation was updated unlike Kai.

Ack, no, no no no. I really hope they quit doing these game-only releases for the newer animations. It makes it impossible for me to get them legally since I don't have a PS3 or a 360, and even if I did, I'd much rather have my animated products on my shelf with the rest of my DVDs, than in the drawer with my games.

[Fizzer]

2) How the hell am I going to divide this saga into three seasons like I did for the two previous arcs?

Just wondering, what are these seasons for? Some sort of fan work?

[Cold Skin]

2) How the hell am I going to divide this saga into three seasons like I did for the two previous arcs?

Just wondering, what are these seasons for? Some sort of fan work?

No, it's no big deal.

When I show Kai to other people, they tend to be easily discouraged if they see the next story will take 50 episodes, when they're used to regular shows being slightly more than 20 episodes until "the next step in the story". They'll be like "God, they finally seem close to beating Vegeta and yet there's like 35 episodes left before that part of the story is done... I don't know how much more I can take such a long story". So I have to sneakily make clear that the plots evolves very much way before the end of a whole arc, and it seems to work perfectly since then.

It makes them a lot more excited and optimistic when it's divided into less-than-twenty episodes seasons stating clearly where the main mission is at this point and when there is a major twist in the situation that "renews" the whole plot and changes some major factors. The "end of season" episode announcing everything's been settled or annoucing the next objective tends to make them excited to proceed to the "next season" too.

So it's all there, it just helps keeping the vibe up for my friends and family, make them feel they're really moving forwards in the story, just like for a regular show. It also allows them to "take a break" from the show if they want when there is a good transition for it, not in the middle of events.

So instead of huge "Freezer arc" and "Cell arc", I tend to announce the episodes as:
S1: Saiyan Invasion (ends with the victory against the Saiyan invasion that's been the subject of all episodes so far, announces the aftermath: quest on another planet). - 17 EPISODES.
S2: Quest For the Original Dragon Balls (all the alliances and betrayals on Namek to find the Dragon Balls, ends with the wishes granted, announces Freezer's bigger-than-ever battle). - 19 EPISODES.
S3: Super Saiyan of the Legend (a whole season for the final battle of the arc - and biggest fight so far -, ends with everything back to normal and Goku will return soon). - 18 EPISODES.
S4: Rise of the Cyborgs (focused on the future threat of cyborgs, ends with the mystery around Cell finally revealed in the last double-episode and his escape, changing the main mission into stopping this unexpected threat). - 16 EPISODES.
S5: Evolutions (focused on the evolutions searched and tested by the Super Saiyans as well as the evoultion of Cell - both throughout the season -, ends with the defeat of one type of evolution against the other, and the announcement of the Cell Game). - 13 EPISODES.
S6: Cell Game (a whole season for the final battle of the arc, reveals the impressive teen Gohan in the first episode, ends with peace restored and dead Goku passing on the torch to his son). - 14 EPISODES.

[penguintruth]

Bah. As far as I'm concerned, DBZ has four arcs: Saiyans, Freeza, Cell, Buu.

I don't like those "Namek"/"Freeza" divisions. Anything to do with the Namek material is Freeza-related. Freeza is the villain of that arc. It gets really annoying when people even use a "Ginyu Saga". No. It all has to do with Freeza.

With the Artificial Humans, you might have an argument for distinctions, but it all ultimately leads up to Cell. Of course, you have to ask, where does the Freeza arc end and the Cell arc begin? I say the arrival of Freeza onto Earth is the beginning of the Cell arc.

It's worse in Buu, when people do things like "Fusion Saga" and "Super Buu Saga". Or "Kid Buu Saga". It's Buu. Just Buu arc.

And the "sagas" (call it a story arc, damn it) change depending on who you ask. Even Toei can't keep it consistent.

I wish we could all agree with a naming convention on these. I'll be talking about how the Cell arc is my favorite, and somebody will say the Android (Artificial Human) Saga is theirs, and I'll tell them it's the same arc, and they disagree, and it's a big to do.

The word "saga" makes me sad. It's all one saga, guys.

[DBZGTKOSDH]

For me it's like this:

Saiyan arc
Namek arc
Freeza arc
Artificial Humans arc
Cell arc
High School arc
25th Tenkaichi Budokai arc
Majin Boo arc
28th Tenkaichi Budokai arc

But if you were to ask me for a simpler division, then it would be:

Saiyan arc
Freeza arc
Cell arc
Majin Boo arc

[dbzfan7]

Bah. As far as I'm concerned, DBZ has four arcs: Saiyans, Freeza, Cell, Buu.

I don't like those "Namek"/"Freeza" divisions. Anything to do with the Namek material is Freeza-related. Freeza is the villain of that arc. It gets really annoying when people even use a "Ginyu Saga". No. It all has to do with Freeza.

With the Artificial Humans, you might have an argument for distinctions, but it all ultimately leads up to Cell. Of course, you have to ask, where does the Freeza arc end and the Cell arc begin? I say the arrival of Freeza onto Earth is the beginning of the Cell arc.

It's worse in Buu, when people do things like "Fusion Saga" and "Super Buu Saga". Or "Kid Buu Saga". It's Buu. Just Buu arc.

And the "sagas" (call it a story arc, damn it) change depending on who you ask. Even Toei can't keep it consistent.

I wish we could all agree with a naming convention on these. I'll be talking about how the Cell arc is my favorite, and somebody will say the Android (Artificial Human) Saga is theirs, and I'll tell them it's the same arc, and they disagree, and it's a big to do.

The word "saga" makes me sad. It's all one saga, guys.

I personally would call the Cell arc the Android arc since he is an android. Also Cell wasn't introduced until later, which is why I think the Androids arc makes the most sense since it is about all the androids until Cell headlines.

[omegalucas]

Consider a season beggining the moment they change the music for the title cards. I noticed they did it in the beggining of the Cell Games (in the Kikuchi version). I don't know if they did it before or not but I only started to watch Kai closely during the Cell arc (when the Portuguese subs went from absolutely abysmal to really accurate).

[dbboxkaifan]

Kai originally ended in 2011, so returning in 2013 and with the new DBZ film this Kai arc might actually be completely new (new animation + new music).

It would be disappointing if it had the same limited amount of Kikuchi tracks it did for Saiyan-Cell.

[Cold Skin]

Kai originally ended in 2011, so returning in 2013 and with the new DBZ film this Kai arc might actually be completely new (new animation + new music).

It would be disappointing if it had the same limited amount of Kikuchi tracks it did for Saiyan-Cell.

It would be disappointing if it had some old Kikuchi tracks at all.

Kai is supposed to have new music, it's part of its concept, the Kikuchi old score was an emergency situation.
But now they have time, there's no excuse for them to not hire a composer and have new music (I'd like Takaki, but I won't mind Kikuchi or other composers, as long as it's not the old score...).

[DBZGTKOSDH]

As much as I love Kikuchi's score, I don't want it in Kai. Having is in it gives the feeling of watching same old DBZ, and not to mention it sounds old for the "new" DBKai.

[Cold Skin]

As much as I love Kikuchi's score, I don't want it in Kai. Having is in it gives the feeling of watching same old DBZ, and not to mention it sounds old for the "new" DBKai.

Exactly!
That emergency replacement was already a pain in itself, taking out one of the new aspects from Kai.

[dbboxkaifan]

If Toei Animation is going to use Shunsuke Kikuchi, hire him for new DB BGMs or use the Synthesized BGMs from RB1-UB.

[penguintruth]

I think the problem of Kikuchi music placement in Kai is wildly exaggerated. It's actually really good in many episodes. But I can understand why people would want new music.

But imagine if there was new Kikuchi music! Though I don't think Kikuchi has done a new score for anime in quite awhile. Not really holding my breath. Remember, this is Toei we're dealing with.

[Ringworm128]

On the subject of "new Kikuchi music", most thought Buu Kai would never happen. So it goes to show you should never stop believing.

With the Artificial Humans, you might have an argument for distinctions, but it all ultimately leads up to Cell.

I consider the Saiyan portion part of the Freeza arc for pretty much the same reason.

[TheBlackPaladin]

The rumor is Funimation, Ocean, and Saban all chipped in to fund it. In Saban's case, that makes sense. Exclusive new Buu!Kai episodes would do well to boost the profile of their somewhat-struggling Vortexx block.

While this explanation would make sense, is there a source for this?

[Metalwario64]

As much as I love Kikuchi's score, I don't want it in Kai. Having is in it gives the feeling of watching same old DBZ

But that's the exact reason I prefer Kikuchi in Kai. I thought the point of Kai was to improve the pacing, not make it a "new" show.

I think the problem of Kikuchi music placement in Kai is wildly exaggerated. It's actually really good in many episodes

Yeah, I feel the same way. There are moments with awkward pieces at times, but it's not over 50% of the time as most people would suggest.

I highly doubt we'll be getting new music, but it would be nice if Toei would secure the rights or whatever for the rest of the music that they have access to.