Times when a Dub > Original

[xmysticgohanx]

In what scenes would you guys say this happens? For me personally I prefer the "It's Over 9000" part in the English dub (was it Ocean or Funimation?) over the Japanese even if it was unrealistic because Vegeta wouldn't be that exaggerated when he's at 18,000.
(BTW this discussion can be for any dub.)

[VegettoEX]

(was it Ocean or Funimation?)

It was always FUNimation. Until it gets to the "alternate" English dub produced simultaneously alongside FUNimation's English dub based out of Texas, even the earlier work (1996-1998) was still produced by FUNimation.

[Ringworm128]

Despite some corny acting I still prefer Funi's take on the opening to the Trunks TV special.

[TheBlackPaladin]

It depends on which of the animes we're talking about. I think the English dub of Kai overall was more enjoyable than the Japanese version. Which is not to say the Japanese version was bad, that's not the case at all, it's just that a lot--not all--but a lot of the voices struck me as having this "been there, done that" feeling in their delivery...which is probably because they had been there and done that. With the English dub, there was a certain life behind it, which I attribute to the fact that for the new voice actors, it was legitimately something new for them, and for many of the returning voice actors, they were eager to do a more faithful dub of DBZ, and they finally got their shot.

As far as DBZ is concerned, I think there are points at which the dub was on par with the Japanese version--especially if one is listening to the Kikuchi score--but I can't think of any moments that surpassed the Japanese version.

Well, OK, except for one. It was an extremely odd instance of the dub actually correcting an error on the Japanese end. When Gohan is fighting Vegeta on Earth, there's a scene where he starts firing back-to-back masenkohas* at Vegeta. They have the color and the hand gesture of the masenkoha...but for some odd reason, in the Japanese version, Gohan yelled, "Kamehameha!" In the dub, they changed--and in effected, corrected--this to, "Masenkoha."

*Is that spelling correct? Wasn't sure about this...

[Ringworm128]

I've always assumed the "Kamehameha" thing was intentional, as if it was Gohan's way of saying "I can be as brave and tough as my dad."

[Kamiccolo9]

The Funimation Dub came up with an explanation for Cell's regeneration that makes sense, so kudos to them for that.

[Fizzer]

Fixing the Cell plot hole.

"I don't care if you're a million times stronger than me, I'm not going to let them down!"

Basically all of Kai.

DB: "No, I can't give her that, the wheels fell off" gets me every time. Quite a few of the funny lines in DB, especially from Roshi, were improved upon in the dub in my eyes.

[Ringworm128]

Yeah it's corny and probably something Goku wouldn't say but I've always liked the "million times stronger" line. It's one of the dub lines I would love to hear delivered by a more experienced Schemmel.

[NitroEX]

Despite only seeing a portion of the anime in Japanese I noticed one or two times during the later part of the Freeza arc that the lip flapping animation would sometimes continue even after an actor was speaking. It's only a minor nitpick but I remember being quite jarred by it at first and I can't recall anything like that happening in the English dubs so there's that I guess.

This second one might be more to do with personal preference but I wasn't a fan of everyone (besides Goku and the majority of the villains) sounding very normal and plain in comparison to the English dubs more character driven voices. The Japanese takes were often more subtle and while this does help in taking the show more seriously I can't help but miss the more theatrical performances from certain talented English VAs. There is a balance to it though as admittedly the English performances can seem a little too over dramatic in the context of the scene they're in but I can appreciate both.

[TheBlackPaladin]

Despite only seeing a portion of the anime in Japanese I noticed one or two times during the later part of the Freeza arc that the lip flapping animation would sometimes continue even after an actor was speaking. It's only a minor nitpick but I remember being quite jarred by it at first and I can't recall anything like that happening in the English dubs so there's that I guess.

I think that might be a cultural thing, because I've noticed in a number of animes that the lip-syncing on the Japanese end isn't always perfect. As I understand it, Japanese audiences aren't tremendously bothered by that because there's just this general cultural understanding that that's how cartoons work over there. To other cultures, it can be a tad distracting when the lip-syncing is off...and indeed, when I tell people outside anime fandom that I watch dubs, their first reaction is, "Oh, you mean that weird thing where the lips don't match?" I of course go on to explain that dubs have been vastly improved on every front since the Godzilla days, but that response of theirs is rather telling of how people perceive the word "dub."

[ABED]

Does the show record before, after, or at the same time as the animation is being done?

[DBZAOTA482]

Does the show record before, after, or at the same time as the animation is being done?

Most anime do the recording after the animation is being done so I assume that's the case.

[SSJ3_Zack]

I did like the fact they used the Ginyu Transformation theme for when Cell dies and the Super Saiya-Jin 3 scene is decent in the Funi-dub. I really enjoyed how the Westwood dub handled Vegetto in the Boo arc as well.

[NitroEX]

I really enjoyed how the Westwood dub handled Vegetto in the Boo arc as well.

This reminded me that I much prefer Vegetto and other potara fused characters having one fused voice like in the westwood dub as opposed to the 2 voice used in Japanese. I do prefer Gogeta having two voices though but Gotenks I'm undecided as I like both portrayals.

[Ajay]

In the original Z, sometimes lines would start after a mouth flap or end prematurely due to working with sometimes unfinished clips and I assume, a lack of technology to ensure everything was perfectly synced. With the redub of Kai, it was nice to have everything timed perfectly to the mouth flaps.

[Metalwario64]

"I am the hope of the universe, I am the light in the darkness, I am truth. ALLY TO GOOD, NIGHTMARE TO YOU!"

That wasn't even IN the Japanese version, so props to the writers for putting that in.

[Ajay]

Pahaha, I love you.

[Kid Buu]

When Gohan said Masenko instead of Kamhemahea.

[Hades]

goku's "Birthright" speech to vegeta. Basically took all of Vegeta's whinging about "Saiyan Pride" and turned it against him.

[penguintruth]

"I am the hope of the universe, I am the light in the darkness, I am truth. ALLY TO GOOD, NIGHTMARE TO YOU!"

That wasn't even IN the Japanese version, so props to the writers for putting that in.

Oh you.