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Published by 17 December 2012, 2:25 PM EST1 Comment

Our translating machine in Japan (also known as “Julian”) continues his madman march toward world domination with another two voice actor interview translations, this time coming from the 2004 TV anime guide book, Tenka’ichi Densetsu.

The first interview is with Masako Nozawa herself, diving in to topics such as being cast in the roles of characters like Son Goku and Tullece, the overall appeal of the series, and character name puns.

The second interview is with voice actor Toshio Furukawa regarding his portrayal of Piccolo. They go on to discuss the differences between his character and Takeshi Aono’s original Piccolo Daimaō, differences from other characters Furukawa had played up to that point, and more.

Check them all out over on the “Translations” page, and remember that there are still more to come! Tenka’ichi Densetsu is chock full of additional voice actor interviews, and we plan on bringing you every last tidbit we can.

Published by 17 December 2012, 1:00 PM EST5 Comments

It’s been a while, but we’re fianlly back with yet another new animator to highlight in the “Animation Styles Guide”. This week we detail the work of Toei Animation’s talented Akira Inagami, who joined the staff of Dragon Ball Z in late 1991 as a key animator and would later become an animation supervisor in GT. Following the conclusion of GT, Inagami moved on to mainly work on the Pretty Cure! series, and unfortunately has never returned to the Dragon Ball franchise.

Look for more updates to our ever-growing “Animation Styles Guide” in the near future!

Published by 14 December 2012, 11:24 AM ESTComment

Dragon Ball Kai — under its international name of Dragon Ball Z Kai — has been in a semi-state of limbo since the “Season Three” release this past September. The “Season Four” release was the last one set to compile the previously-released 2-disc  “Part” versions into a 4-disc “Season” compilation, this one combining “Part 7” and “Part 8” covering Kai episodes 78-98.

It looks as if it will finally see the light of day early next year on 12 March 2013 on both DVD and Blu-ray, as per the standard release style:

MSRP for both hovers around the $50 mark, but these traditionally come down to around $35 once they hit retailers.

This set, as with the original “Part 8” set that it compiles, includes Episode 98 of Kai, an episode that was cut from the original Japanese TV broadcast due to tsunami coverage and the start date of Toriko back in 2011.

This would have been the “end” of the home releases necessary for Kai were it not for the impending international continuation of the series. It will be interesting to see if FUNimation resumes the “Part” releases with a “Part 9” when the Majin Boo story arc begins, or if they will jump straight to a “Season Five”. There has, of course, not actually been any official confirmation from FUNimation that they will be continuing the series, but it would take a force far greater than that of any which currently exists in the universe for FUNimation to not pick it up, if not be in full control…!

Published by 14 December 2012, 8:49 AM ESTComment

Namco-Bandai has released a new 15-second commercial for their upcoming release of Dragon Ball Heroes: Ultimate Mission on the Nintendo 3DS, due out in Japan 28 February 2013:

The commercial promotes the game’s 5-on-5 team battles and inclusion of over 900 cards. It also notes the previously-reported set of cards that come with pre-orders that can be used with the arcade version.

Big thanks to Super Saiyan Prime for the heads-up!

Published by 14 December 2012, 6:37 AM ESTComment

Yūko Minaguchi (Videl/Pan) announced a hiatus from voice work earlier this year in order to study abroad. The actress posted a blog entry yesterday stating that she returned to Japan for six days in order to fulfill work commitments. There is definitely no confirmation about Dragon Ball-related projects, but with Battle of Gods work in full-swing and a revival of Dragon Ball Kai on the horizon for the Majin Boo story arc, things certainly look promising.

実は…一時帰国して、昨日こちらに戻りました

4泊6日の中で、お仕事2本
野乃と私のアトピー病院
美容院


By the way… I came back home yesterday for a short return.

For six days and four nights, to work on two things.
Nono* and my Atopic [Dermatitis] hospital [and] the beauty salon.

*Translator’s note: Nono (野乃) is Minaguchi’s dog.

Upon Daisuke Gōri‘s (Mr. Satan, et al.) passing nearly three years ago, Minaguchi wrote in a blog post that, acknowledging it was a childish thought, the very idea of recording Videl alongside Mr. Satan without Gōri made her not want to continue playing the character were Kai to eventually make its way to that story arc. A replacement actor for Mr. Satan was hinted at with the PSP game TAG VS with Unshō Ishizuka, who was also ultimately confirmed to later play the character in Dragon Ball Kai.

A news update on Toshio Furukawa‘s (Piccolo) official website from last week pictured him (at the right) alongside veteran voice actor and director Yūji Mitsuya (Kaiōshin) having just recorded lines for a “certain anime” in a Kita-Shinjuku studio (probably TAVAC [Toei Audio-Visual Arts Center], which is located there). The update notes that the actors were recording their lines separately, as opposed to the traditional Japanese style of recording in small groups for each scene.

furukawa_mitsuya

北新宿の某スタジオで某アニメのセリフ収録で 雄二と

12月某日。同作品だったけど、二人共ヌキ取りだった為、順番に収録で、ちよっと言葉を交わしてすぐにバイバイしたが、瞬時に2ショットを。いつでもどこでもスラップスティックのメンバーと会えるのは嬉しい。


In Kita-Shinjuku1 recording lines at a certain studio for a certain anime with Yūji

On a certain day in December. Although it was for the same work, as we were dubbing in our lines, we recorded one after another, and said our goodbyes after exchanging just a few words, but in that moment, I took a shot of the two of us. No matter where or when, I’m always happy to be able to meet up with a fellow member of Slapstick2.

Translator’s notes:
1Kita-Shinjuku is a part of Shinjuku, one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo.
2Slapstick was a band active from 1977 to 1986 that consisted of seven Japanese voice actors, including Toshio Furukawa (Piccolo) on rhythm guitar, Yūji Mitsuya (Kaiōshin) on keyboards, Tōru Furuya (Yamcha) on drums, Akira Kamiya (DBZ Movie 1 Garlic Jr.) on bass, and the late Kazuyuki Sogabe (Artificial Human No. 13, Redict, Dr. Mu) on lead guitar. Mitsuya left the band in 1984 and was replaced on keyboards by the late Hirotaka Suzuoki (Tenshinhan).

Mitsuya provided Kanzenshuu with an exclusive first hint that Dragon Ball Kai could possibly be facing trouble back in August 2010 during a Q&A session at his Otakon panel. At the time, Mitsuya was not sure if the producers would be able to afford him for the later story arc if he were to return as Kaiōshin, and noting that he would even be willing to work at a reduced rate in order to make it happen.

Big thanks to our buddy kei17 for the heads-up on both items!

Published by 12 December 2012, 9:10 AM EST5 Comments

The upcoming 2013 issue #3 of Weekly Shōnen Jump (set for release this Monday, 17 December 2012) contains new information about — as well as the first screen shots for — the previously-announced Project Versus J video game, now confirmed for release on the Sony PlayStation 3 and Vita, and is classified as a “team battle action” game.

project_versus_j_wsj_2013_3

Images in the magazine show off Toriko’s “Nail Punch”, Luffy’s “Gum-Gum Stamp”, and Goku’s Kamehameha. The magazine also asks readers to enter a new contest by choosing up to three characters they feel are the strongest and why (as well as detailing their favorite manga, which game consoles they own, their favorite game genre, and how many video games they own). Naturally, rivals and female characters are OK, too! From all those who enter, 10 people will be chosen by lottery to receive a PlayStation 3 system. Votes will be tallied to determine which characters make the game’s final roster cut. The deadline is 31 January 2013, so that presumably puts the game’s release at least at some point in time after that.

Last week’s contest asked readers to design their own character and send it in — that contest’s deadline is this month on the 28th. Prizes for that contest include:

  • Grand prize (1 person) – paper signed by Eiichiro Oda, Wii U premium set, and 5 games of your choosing
  • Second prize (20 people) – Nintendo 3DS LL (XL)
  • Effort Prize (100 people) – SONY Walkman

The game’s recently-unveiled teaser website asks visitors to look for more information on the 17th of this month, which falls right in line with the release of this particular Jump magazine release.

Unlike Nintendo’s move with the Nintendo 3DS being region-locked (which will prevent easy importing of Dragon Ball Heroes: Ultimate Mission), Sony has kept the PlayStation Vita (as well as the PlayStation 3) mostly region-free. Persona 4: Arena has been one of the only games to be specifically region-locked on the PlayStation 3, but the system otherwise remains relatively open for importers. No details regarding Cross Buy or Cross Play are listed at this time (which would allow consumers to obtain both versions with a single purchase, and/or to play each other online across platforms). It does, however, list the game’s release as “Double Hard” — we are not familiar with this particular phrase (being released on “hard-media” for both systems perhaps, or just the fact that it is available on two systems at all?), so we will follow-up on that one…

Published by 11 December 2012, 10:57 PM EST11 Comments

The recent trailer for the upcoming “Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods” film that aired on Fuji TV last week has been posted in its entirety on the Japanese website 11CH, an internet TV station in Sapporo, Japan. However, the trailer has been subsequently removed from their site for unknown reasons.

11-channel

However, once something like this is posted on the internet these days, it inevitably makes it way to YouTube.

UPDATE: We have dutifully included a full transcription and translation of the text and dialog in the trailer!

東映・20th Century FOX
[Toei / 20th Century FOX]

ナレーター「この世には、」
Narrator: “In this world,”

全人類待望
[All Humanity Has Been Waiting]

ナレーター「星や生命を生み出す神様がおられる。」
Narrator: “There are gods [/is a god] who bring[s] stars and life into being.”

創造と
[Creation And]

ナレーター「そしてまた反対に、星や生命を破壊する神様がおられる。」
Narrator: “And also, in opposition, there are gods [/is a god] who destroy[s] stars and life.”

破壊
[Destruction]

ナレーター「創造と破壊…」
Narrator: “Creation and Destruction…”


[God]

ナレーター「この世界のバランスを保つためには必要なのじゃ。」
Narrator: “They are necessary to maintain balance in this world.”

悟空「オッス!ちょっとオラと戦わねえか?」
Goku: “Heya! Wanna fight w’ me for a bit?”
界王「バカモン!神様に喧嘩を売るヤツがおるか!?」
Kaiō: “You fool! Who would pick a fight with a god?!”

原作・ストーリー・キャラクターデザイン
鳥山明
[Original Work / Story / Character Designs:
Akira Toriyama]

ミスター・サタン 「おい、化け猫!俺と勝負しろー!」
Mr. Satan: “Hey, Monster-Cat! Square off against me!”

ウイス「地球を破壊なさいますか?」
Uisu: [in honorific register] “Will you destroy the Earth?”
ベジータ「アイツ、とんでもないぞ!」
Vegeta: “He’s unbelievable!”
ビルス「創造の前に破壊あれー!」
Birusu: “Before creation, let there be destruction!”
亀仙人「神様が破壊じゃと!?」
Kame-Sen’nin: “A god would destroy?!”
悟天・トランクス「オレたちが相手だ!」
Goten & Trunks: “We’ll be your opponent!”
クリリン「地球はもう、終わりだ!」
Kuririn: “The Earth is doomed!”
ピッコロ「いや、銀河系がなくなるぞ」
Piccolo: “No, the entire galaxy will cease to be.”

悟空「か…め…は…め…波ーーー!」
Goku: “Ka… me… ha… me… HAAAAA!”

悟空「映画『ドラゴンボールZ 神と神』!
Goku: “The movie ‘Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods’!”

最強、始動。
[The Mightiest Make Their Move.]

2013.3.30
超拡大ロードショー!!
[2013.3.30
Super-Wide Release]

悟空「映画館で待ってっぞ~!」
Goku: “I’ll be waitin’ at the theater!”

Published by 11 December 2012, 10:16 PM ESTComment

The new merchandising push in anticipation of the upcoming 2013 Dragon Ball Z film, “Battle of Gods”, has officially begun with the listing of a new single-disc compilation CD on Amazon Japan. The album, under the tentative title “Dragon Ball Z: Best Song Collection”, is scheduled to be released 27 February 2013 for ¥2,310 with a catalog number of COCX-37869. No complete track listing is available yet, but the Japanese description notes that the album’s 16-17 tracks will include the series’ two opening and ending themes:

  • “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA” — 1st Dragon Ball Z Opening Theme
  • “WE GOTTA POWER” — 2nd Dragon Ball Z Opening Theme
  • “Come Out, Incredible ZENKAI Power!” — 1st Dragon Ball Z Ending Theme
  • “We Were Angels” — 2nd Dragon Ball Z Ending Theme

The description also notes that the tracks have been remastered to bring you the best theme songs, insert songs, and movie themes from the former series.

Published by 11 December 2012, 9:00 PM EST1 Comment

Hot off the heels of the recent theme song announcement, the official “Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods” website has unveiled its new “Story” section. Unfortunately at the moment it’s merely a recap of the original Dragon Ball series, but it appears that they may be slowly updating the page with new information as we approach the film’s theatrical debut on 30 March 2013. Here’s what has been posted thus far:

むかしむかしのこと、7つ集めるとどんな願い事でも叶うという伝説のドラゴンボールがあった

都からはるか彼方の山奥に住む不思議な少年・孫悟空とドラゴンボールを探し求める少女・ブルマ。地球の片隅での小さな出会いから不思議な旅が始まった。地球を征服しようとするピッコロ大魔王、宇宙の支配を目論むフリーザ、時空を超えて人類を脅かす人造人間セル、そして全宇宙で悪の限りを尽くす魔人ブウ。ドラゴンボールを巡って悟空と仲間たちの前には次々と強敵が現れた。そして長い長い戦いの日々の末、いつしか地球には平和が訪れた…のだが…


Long, long ago, there were the Dragon Balls of legend, which were said to grant any wish when the seven of them were gathered together.

The mysterious boy living up in the mountains far away from the big city, Son Goku, and the girl searching for the Dragon Balls, Bulma. From this small encounter in one corner of the Earth, began a mysterious adventure. Piccolo Daimaō, who tried to conquer the world; Freeza, who plotted to rule all of space; the artificial human Cell, who transcended time and space to menace humanity; and Majin Boo, who did the utmost of evil across the entire universe. One after another, powerful foes appeared before Goku and his companions over the Dragon Balls. And so, at the end of long, long days of battle, peace abruptly came to Earth… and yet…

We’ll be sure to keep you updated with the most accurate information as more sections of the website become available!

Published by 11 December 2012, 4:13 PM EST5 Comments

Japanese indie/pop/rock band FLOW has been announced as the performer for the theme song to the upcoming 2013 new theatrical Dragon Ball Z film, “Battle of Gods”.

The song itself will be a cover version of “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA” (originally performed by Hironobu Kageyama), the first of two opening themes to the Dragon Ball Z TV series (used in episodes 1-199), as well as the first nine Dragon Ball Z movies and miscellaneous other features.

2013年3月30日公開の映画『ドラゴンボールZ 神と神』の主題歌をFLOWが担当することが決定!!!

主題歌となるのは「ドラゴンボールZ」の代名詞とも言える「CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA」!!!
FLOWならではの、スピード感を増したリアレンジであの名曲がよみがえる!!!
FLOW流「CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA」に是非ご期待ください!!!

『ドラゴンボールZ 神と神』オフィシャルHP:http://www.dragonball2013.com/


It’s been decided that FLOW will handle the main theme of the film “Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods”, opening 30 March 2013.

The theme will be what could be called a byword for Dragon Ball Z, “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA”!!!
That famous song will come back to life in a rearrangement with FLOW’s distinctive increased sense of speed!!!
By all means, please look forward to the FLOW-style “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA”!!!

“Dragon Ball Z: God and God” (“Battle of Gods”) official homepage:
http://www.dragonball2013.com/

The reveal was preceded by band member Takeshi Asakawa taking to Twitter to essentially announce an announcement for later in the day.

The original version of “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA” was used as background music in the promotional trailer shown on Fuji TV earlier this week.

Since the band’s founding in 1998, FLOW has performed various anime theme songs, most notably perhaps being the fourth Naruto TV series opening theme, “GO!!!”

UPDATE:
The official “Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods” website has since been updated with the decision that FLOW perform the new film’s main theme, a rearrangement of “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA”. The news update also includes an exclusive comment from the band concerning this “exciting” decision:

今回、僕らFLOWが「CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA」をカバーさせていただくことになり、本当に嬉しいです。「ドラゴンボール」は小学生の頃から見続けてきたアニメなので、 メンバー全員テンションが上がっています!しかも「CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA」はカラオケでもよく歌っていた曲で、まさか自分たちがカバーさせていただけるとは! 僕らもこの映画をすごく楽しみにしているので、みなさんも映画はもちろん、FLOW流の「CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA」を楽しんで聞いて頂ければ嬉しいです。


We, FLOW, are truly happy now to have been given the honor of covering “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA”. “Dragon Ball” is an anime that we’ve watched since we were in elementary school, all the members are in high spirits! And on top of that, “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA” is a song we’ve often sung at karaoke, so to think we’d have the honor of doing a cover! We’re also incredibly excited for this movie, so we’d be glad if everyone would enjoy not only [watching] the movie, but listening to the FLOW-style “CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA” as well.