Dragonball Kai (FUNimation English) Dub: General Discussion

[VegettoEX]

It's better than being voiced by Masako Nozawa. Seriously, the most freakin' badass character in all of DBZ is voiced by a girl!!!

R... really...? That's the kind of comment you want to go on record and make? That's... well, that's just about one of the most intolerant and ignorant statements you can make.

Anyone who thinks he sounded like a "hero" must be completely blinded by their FUNimation "Season 3" hatred.

You realize there are several people, dub fans included, that have just stated that there's something "off" about that dub voice for the character, right...? I mean, you're actually reading the posts you're responding to, correct, rather than being "completely blinded" by your... whatever blindness it is you have...?

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

R... really...? That's the kind of comment you want to go on record and make? That's... well, that's just about one of the most intolerant and ignorant statements you can make.

I wasn't being sexist, if that's what you meant. All I was saying is that for a violent, bloodthirsty person like Barduck, a female voice just doesn't suit the character at all.

[Puto]

I kinda see where Daimaoh is coming from. People often defend Nozawa's voice for Gokû because he has a childlike innocence, and having a high pitched voice kinda reflects that. I'm with ya. But Bardock? There's certainly no childlike innocence there..

[VegettoEX]

And yet Bardock's voice is nowhere near the same performance as Goku's voice performance. If you're saying it is, you have not actually sat and listened to it. You just haven't.

If you're saying that you, for whatever reason, seem to inherently dislike the actual wavelengths that come from that person's throat reproduced as sound with your noggin'... I might be able to accept that. I have that same issue with some of the worldly dubs of the series, too.

But the performance is not the same. The tone and delivery are entirely different. The types of words used are entirely different.

As I've very plainly conceded, though, her Kai performance was awful... though I chock that up to the pace of the scene rather than the actress, herself. There was no freakin' time to deliver the lines. It was the right voice, but the wrong delivery.

I don't know that I can say the same for FUNimation's version, but it's impossible to tell without resorting to the old YEAR 2000 DUB... and good lord, no-one wants to do that...

[MCDaveG]

Every time I pop in the fifth Dragon Ball Z movie with that intro where in complete silence there is Bardock's speech.... Damn, I start to shiver.

[JulieYBM]

I think most fans are stuck on the 'voice' aspect rather than the 'acting' aspect. The Japanese version has always focused on acting over a character voice, as opposed to the dub, which clearly has it's actors trying to act through a filter, said filter being a character voice. To use one of my favorite phrases "Too much voice, not enough acting." I don't think Nozawa did her particular best as Bardock in Kai, but I also don't think Strait did all to well either. He's never really even played the character before, considering the travesty that was the dub of the special. Being that I know what Strait's natural voice sounds like I can instantly tell his performance as Bardock has him trying to do a tough guy voice. That just doesn't work, because it's obviously getting in the way of his actual performance. Like Sabat's Piccolo, he's restricting himself to certain ranges in his voice and it's pretty blantant when you listen to the performance.

[DbzFanboy]

For future shows funimation should start hiring actors who already have character to their voice so that all they are doing is acting and not multitasking between holding their character voice and acting.

[Mewzard]

And yet Bardock's voice is nowhere near the same performance as Goku's voice performance. If you're saying it is, you have not actually sat and listened to it. You just haven't.

If you're saying that you, for whatever reason, seem to inherently dislike the actual wavelengths that come from that person's throat reproduced as sound with your noggin'... I might be able to accept that. I have that same issue with some of the worldly dubs of the series, too.

But the performance is not the same. The tone and delivery are entirely different. The types of words used are entirely different.

As I've very plainly conceded, though, her Kai performance was awful... though I chock that up to the pace of the scene rather than the actress, herself. There was no freakin' time to deliver the lines. It was the right voice, but the wrong delivery.

I don't know that I can say the same for FUNimation's version, but it's impossible to tell without resorting to the old YEAR 2000 DUB... and good lord, no-one wants to do that...

And the same could be said of those who just pass off the voice as a hero voice (which it does not sound like any hero voice I'd ever choose). Of course, people will have different views, and it didn't help that not only was the dub years old (with Sonny Strait not even near his prime), and had some off dialog, which could lead to an impression of a hero voice. But, it's hero dialog at best with a voice that doesn't scream as such.

As for Sabat's Piccolo, it's one of the closest voices to his own natural range (and was the closest before Zoro, iirc). His ranges come more from the fact of just how many characters he voices. If he was more loose, he might go into other characters a bit. The way you describe it, though, sounds like voice actors should only stick around their own natural range, otherwise, it's too different. I disagree, it's part of the acting challenge. A good voice actor needs to run through his range in different roles.

And Sonny had the character for Krillin, a voice I always did enjoy in the series. Using a different voice doesn't mean he can't act in it. With Sonny's Bardock, we've seen amused, indifferent, enraged, saddened. Not under a perfect script, admittedly, but hey, it's a start.

There's a surprising amount of debate over such a minor role in Kai. I find it to be quite fun.

[Kaboom]

Whatever the voice sounds like, I'm glad that English Bardock is at least finally saying the dialogue he should be saying.

[ohaimynameiserik]

Anyone who thinks he sounded like a "hero" must be completely blinded by their FUNimation "Season 3" hatred.

You realize there are several people, dub fans included, that have just stated that there's something "off" about that dub voice for the character, right...? I mean, you're actually reading the posts you're responding to, correct, rather than being "completely blinded" by your... whatever blindness it is you have...?

There can be something "off" with the voice. But sounding like some kind of hero? Well, no.
Not even opinion "no". Factual "no".

There's no trace of that whatsoever.

I agree that Nozawa's voice is what I most definitely prefer for Bardock,

but I'm also saying his dub voice is not all that bad. They could have done a LOT worse.

Sonny Strait has become a great actor, and I think it shows in the newly dubbed Kai episode.

[Big Momma]

And yet Bardock's voice is nowhere near the same performance as Goku's voice performance. If you're saying it is, you have not actually sat and listened to it. You just haven't.

If you're saying that you, for whatever reason, seem to inherently dislike the actual wavelengths that come from that person's throat reproduced as sound with your noggin'... I might be able to accept that. I have that same issue with some of the worldly dubs of the series, too.

This is how I feel. The performance is fine. It's just that...Nozawa's voice just isn't right for Bardock. I know they were probably going for the whole "Son Family" deal...but...it just doesn't fit Bardock's personality and image.

[Gaffer Tape]

As for me, while the thought of Nozawa playing so many similarly-looking people in the Son family (and Tullece) does become somewhat annoying just at the sheer repetition, and I wouldn't have minded if they had brought someone else in to do a couple of them, I can't deny that I absolutely LOVE Nozawa's Bardock and Tullece. They both sound awesomely badass to me.

[penguintruth]

Hearing Nozawa's voice come out of Bardock is a little unsettling, and that's coming from me (who loves Nozawa's performances in DB/Z). I understand the voice theme of having her do the voices of the males in the Son family (as well as a guy who looks like Goku), but with Bardock it's a little strange, even if she is doing his voice differently. Not that I don't think she does a great job.

Sonny Strait, I haven't really heard enough of his Bardock to have much an opinion. It doesn't seem too out of place, at least.

[yummypixels]

As for me, while the thought of Nozawa playing so many similarly-looking people in the Son family (and Tullece) does become somewhat annoying just at the sheer repetition, and I wouldn't have minded if they had brought someone else in to do a couple of them, I can't deny that I absolutely LOVE Nozawa's Bardock and Tullece. They both sound awesomely badass to me.

I completely agree!

[Puto]

And yet Bardock's voice is nowhere near the same performance as Goku's voice performance. If you're saying it is, you have not actually sat and listened to it. You just haven't.

If you're saying that you, for whatever reason, seem to inherently dislike the actual wavelengths that come from that person's throat reproduced as sound with your noggin'... I might be able to accept that. I have that same issue with some of the worldly dubs of the series, too.

This is how I feel. The performance is fine. It's just that...Nozawa's voice just isn't right for Bardock. I know they were probably going for the whole "Son Family" deal...but...it just doesn't fit Bardock's personality and image.

Yeah, this is pretty much how I feel.

[Undercooked Sausage]

Nozawa's Bardock in the special is the best acting Nozawa ever did. The final "fate" speech. Tense, in the back of his mind, knowing he is completely outmatched, the situation is hopeless, but a single shred of him wanting to change it all with one blast. The delivery perfectly encapsulates the sound of a man who just lost his entire crew, and is facing the tyrant that he has seen wipe out his entire race over and over in his head.

Oh man, and that expression on Bardock's face when, right before he dies, he sees his son standing before Freeza. BRILLIANT. I can't believe the people who did the "Bulma's Bad Day" filler were the same people who wrote that shit.

[Gaffer Tape]

Wow, really? Awww, if only the giant crab had been one of Bardock's nemeses in this. We can only imagine the awesomeness that would have ensued.

[dragondyle]

I know I'm late with commenting on the Nicktoons clips but I had to plug in my thoughts on it 'cause that's just me. Honestly, from what I saw on the Nicktoons website, Sonny Strait acted terribly as Bardock. It's not his voice that's off, the acting was horrible. But what I saw from Goku, it looks like FUNimation is being a little more faithful to the original character of Goku by making him more naive, which I really loved after seeing. Schemmel's Goku is getting really good. He seems to know Goku more as a character and get comfortable with him. His acting is SUCH a step up since 1999. I hated Raditz (I think it's because I like Justin Cooks acting and portrayal of the character in the UUEs instead) and didn't care about Bulma's new voice (she's annoying as hell anyway), but I did like Gohan's new voice. Sounds like a little boy and less annoying. I was excited since the news that his voice was changed because I've always hated Stephanie as Gohan. So that was nice to see. Everyone else (Piccolo, Krillin, Vegeta, and Roshi) was the same to me. Oh yeah, I like the new narrator too. He reminds me of the narrator from Dragon Ball. Can't wait to see it!

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

And yet Bardock's voice is nowhere near the same performance as Goku's voice performance. If you're saying it is, you have not actually sat and listened to it. You just haven't.

If you're saying that you, for whatever reason, seem to inherently dislike the actual wavelengths that come from that person's throat reproduced as sound with your noggin'... I might be able to accept that. I have that same issue with some of the worldly dubs of the series, too.

But the performance is not the same. The tone and delivery are entirely different. The types of words used are entirely different.

I never said Barduck's voice sounded like Goku's voice. They're different, but it's still very easy to tell that Nozawa is voicing the character.


As I previously said, the voice just doesn't fit the character for me. A more masculine voice like Tenshinhan's or Yamcha's would've been better.


BTW, I have seen the Japanese version of the T.V special. That dub just sucks.

[DemonRin]

Saying this now.

Shigeru Chiba shoulda played Burdock.

Then you get Nozawa as all of the Earth-bound members of Son's family, and you get Chiba as all of the Saiyan Space-bound ones.