Ocean Studios' "Dragon Ball Kai" Dub Turns 14; Still Unreleased

[Ajay]

Any chance they may be holding out on the Buu arc so they can air/release it at once rather than having a long gap where new viewers may potentially lose interest?

[TheBlackPaladin]

I'm starting to think that this dub might never see the light of day. From what I recall, this dub was supposedly announced back in 2010 and here we are, almost four years later and there isn't even a scheduled air date for this thing.

It depends on what you mean by "announced." Let's not forget...formally, no announcement has been made. We have every reason to believe this dub is happening because several voice actors have either hinted or flat-out stated that they auditioned or recorded for this dub, but no production company has come forward and said that this dub is happening. In addition, several reliable sources have claimed that they have info on the dub, including Kirbopher and Kaiser Neko of TFS. I'm not sure how Kirbopher would know (I trust him though), but Kaiser has been a guest at cons with some of the voice actors involved, so I'm pretty sure that's how he knows.

Any voice actor who has spoken about this dub has broken their NDA (non-disclosure agreement) in order to do so. It may be worth noting that while there are many reasons that NDAs exist, one of them is because production companies often have a very specific way they want to market and reveal the existence of a show, and if the show is revealed too early...then their marketing strategy may be compromised, because potential viewers may get fearful that it won't air, they may lose excitement, or they may lose interest. Kinda like the feelings that many people on this forum have expressed.

Any chance they may be holding out on the Buu arc so they can air/release it at once rather than having a long gap where new viewers may potentially lose interest?

That's my current theory. Scott McNeil mentioned playing Jeice again, which implies that they're waiting to release the dub until the whole thing is recorded, rather than releasing it as they go along like FUNimation did. A fan spoke to Scott McNeil at a recent con though, and he mentioned that he hasn't recorded anything for the Buu saga yet.

.......Honestly, I'm beginning to have my doubts as well if we'll see this dub. I completely believe everybody who says that work on this dub has been done, but I'm beginning to wonder if there's something going on behind the scenes on a legal or technical level that is preventing it from being released.

[Blade]

I'm starting to think that this dub might never see the light of day. From what I recall, this dub was supposedly announced back in 2010 and here we are, almost four years later and there isn't even a scheduled air date for this thing.

It depends on what you mean by "announced." Let's not forget...formally, no announcement has been made. We have every reason to believe this dub is happening because several voice actors have either hinted or flat-out stated that they auditioned or recorded for this dub, but no production company has come forward and said that this dub is happening. In addition, several reliable sources have claimed that they have info on the dub, including Kirbopher and Kaiser Neko of TFS. I'm not sure how Kirbopher would know (I trust him though), but Kaiser has been a guest at cons with some of the voice actors involved, so I'm pretty sure that's how he knows.

Any voice actor who has spoken about this dub has broken their NDA (non-disclosure agreement) in order to do so. It may be worth noting that while there are many reasons that NDAs exist, one of them is because production companies often have a very specific way they want to market and reveal the existence of a show, and if the show is revealed too early...then their marketing strategy may be compromised, because potential viewers may get fearful that it won't air, they may lose excitement, or they may lose interest. Kinda like the feelings that many people on this forum have expressed.

Any chance they may be holding out on the Buu arc so they can air/release it at once rather than having a long gap where new viewers may potentially lose interest?

That's my current theory. Scott McNeil mentioned playing Jeice again, which implies that they're waiting to release the dub until the whole thing is recorded, rather than releasing it as they go along like FUNimation did. A fan spoke to Scott McNeil at a recent con though, and he mentioned that he hasn't recorded anything for the Buu saga yet.

.......Honestly, I'm beginning to have my doubts as well if we'll see this dub. I completely believe everybody who says that work on this dub has been done, but I'm beginning to wonder if there's something going on behind the scenes on a legal or technical level that is preventing it from being released.

I think the biggest question, as of January 2014, has to be: "What's the point in another English language dub?".

I mean, the Westwood dub with the Ocean cast was produced for the UK and Canadian markets - which this time around have got the Funimation dub, so what would be the point in producing another dub? Who would they sell it to? Who would buy it? It's not like the first Westwood dub was ever released on home video, either - so it's really hard to think of any sort of revenue stream that warrants a production.

[TheAldella]

Well um...I'd buy it. : o

[Blade]

Well um...I'd buy it. : o

You and the 'Rock the Dragon Boxset' hardcore fans, which in meaning no disrespect what-so-ever, hardly amounts to enough demand to financially warrant a production of this scale - let alone make it profitable.

[B]

I am completely in agreement with Blade. Even ignoring the fact FUNimation's dub is completely and utterly serviceable, where is the money for this thing coming from? You've got actors in booths recording lines, supposedly taking their time to not just get everything right, but also finish the entire (available)series before the product is put out. How are these people getting paid? What market is there for this? Yes, there are Ocean fans, but that's a small niche. Are TV ratings supposed to recoup the costs of producing this dub? Is there a home video release planned?

From a business sense, I can't really wrap my head around it. It would be one thing if it were like the Blue Water productions, where everything was rushed to get it on TV, but time is money.

[TheBlackPaladin]

I am completely in agreement with Blade. Even ignoring the fact FUNimation's dub is completely and utterly serviceable, where is the money for this thing coming from? You've got actors in booths recording lines, supposedly taking their time to not just get everything right, but also finish the entire (available)series before the product is put out. How are these people getting paid? What market is there for this? Yes, there are Ocean fans, but that's a small niche. Are TV ratings supposed to recoup the costs of producing this dub? Is there a home video release planned?

From a business sense, I can't really wrap my head around it. It would be one thing if it were like the Blue Water productions, where everything was rushed to get it on TV, but time is money.

These are great, logical questions. However, they are also questions that might as well be applicable to the Westwood dub and the Blue Water dubs of "Dragon Ball" and "Dragon Ball GT." It would appear that there was financial incentive to produce those dubs, because they did get produced, despite there being no kind of home video release whatsoever. Much like the Ocean dub of Kai.

Furthermore, it's also possible that there isn't a ton of money going into this to begin with, and therefore, not a ton of money to lose. From what Kirbopher has told us, there might be actors from both Ocean and Blue Water involved. I confess that I don't know a ton about the voice acting industry in Canada, but Blue Water, from talking to a voice actor colleague of mine on LinkedIn who is Canadian, was referred to as "a pleasant place to work, albeit non-union." In context, considering what we were talking about earlier, the "albeit non-union" part was interpreted to mean that they don't pay spectacularly well. I must emphasize that I don't know for a fact that Blue Water doesn't pay well, as non-union productions can sometimes pay even better than a union's minimum pay scale...however, that's the implication I got. So if Blue Water is involved like Kirbopher has said, then it's likely that there isn't a ton of money going into this, and therefore, not a ton of money to lose.

[Blade]

I am completely in agreement with Blade. Even ignoring the fact FUNimation's dub is completely and utterly serviceable, where is the money for this thing coming from? You've got actors in booths recording lines, supposedly taking their time to not just get everything right, but also finish the entire (available)series before the product is put out. How are these people getting paid? What market is there for this? Yes, there are Ocean fans, but that's a small niche. Are TV ratings supposed to recoup the costs of producing this dub? Is there a home video release planned?

From a business sense, I can't really wrap my head around it. It would be one thing if it were like the Blue Water productions, where everything was rushed to get it on TV, but time is money.

These are great, logical questions. However, they are also questions that might as well be applicable to the Westwood dub and the Blue Water dubs of "Dragon Ball" and "Dragon Ball GT." It would appear that there was financial incentive to produce those dubs, because they did get produced, despite there being no kind of home video release whatsoever. Much like the Ocean dub of Kai.

Furthermore, it's also possible that there isn't a ton of money going into this to begin with, and therefore, not a ton of money to lose. From what Kirbopher has told us, there might be actors from both Ocean and Blue Water involved. I confess that I don't know a ton about the voice acting industry in Canada, but Blue Water, from talking to a voice actor colleague of mine on LinkedIn who is Canadian, was referred to as "a pleasant place to work, albeit non-union." In context, considering what we were talking about earlier, the "albeit non-union" part was interpreted to mean that they don't pay spectacularly well. I must emphasize that I don't know for a fact that Blue Water doesn't pay well, as non-union productions can sometimes pay even better than a union's minimum pay scale...however, that's the implication I got. So if Blue Water is involved like Kirbopher has said, then it's likely that there isn't a ton of money going into this, and therefore, not a ton of money to lose.

The Westwood/Blue Water dubs were produced-to-air on UK television. With Kai, the UK has got the Funimation dub - as has the rest of the territories that the Westwood dub was produced for. Quite simply, the very reason for the Westwood dub being produced no longer exists.

[Super Sayian Prime]

The Westwood/Blue Water dubs were produced-to-air on UK television. With Kai, the UK has got the Funimation dub - as has the rest of the territories that the Westwood dub was produced for. Quite simply, the very reason for the Westwood dub being produced no longer exists.

As far as I can tell, the UK is the only region that previously got an alternate dub to have now received the Funimation one on TV. Canada, and the Netherlands have yet to see any kind of Kai broadcast.

[TheBlackPaladin]

The Westwood/Blue Water dubs were produced-to-air on UK television. With Kai, the UK has got the Funimation dub - as has the rest of the territories that the Westwood dub was produced for.

Not Canada, if I recall correctly (which I may not). I know about the UK, but what about Holland (they got the Westwood/Blue Water dubs with Dutch subtitles...again, assuming I remember correctly)? What about Australia and New Zealand?

[Super Sayian Prime]

IIRC the alternate dub of DB/Z/GT never aired in Australia or New Zealand. They've always received the Funimation version.

[Eddie]

I am completely in agreement with Blade. Even ignoring the fact FUNimation's dub is completely and utterly serviceable, where is the money for this thing coming from? You've got actors in booths recording lines, supposedly taking their time to not just get everything right, but also finish the entire (available)series before the product is put out. How are these people getting paid? What market is there for this? Yes, there are Ocean fans, but that's a small niche. Are TV ratings supposed to recoup the costs of producing this dub? Is there a home video release planned?

From a business sense, I can't really wrap my head around it. It would be one thing if it were like the Blue Water productions, where everything was rushed to get it on TV, but time is money.

If I had to take a guess, this could be a product of that weird Canadian content rule. A certain percentage of broadcasts have to be Canadian produced.

[Blade]

If I had to take a guess, this could be a product of that weird Canadian content rule. A certain percentage of broadcasts have to be Canadian produced.

I'm not sure how true this was in regard to Canada getting the Westwood dub on YTV, or whether it only applied in certain regions of Canada.

[Valentine]

We got the same Broadcast as the US here in Australia, Ocean cast for the first 56 then Funimation in house for the rest.

However we Have not had Kai air here on Cable TV I'm pretty sure, I remember being excited for DBZ Kai to air then discovered it wasn't airing over here on Nicktoons.

I guess I can day dream this dub happens despite it has no rationale for existing nor and possible profit to be made.

[Blade]

I guess I can day dream this dub happens despite it has no rationale for existing nor and possible profit to be made.

I think as fans, we'd all like to see it! It's just... yeah, seemingly asinine from a business point of view.

[Valentine]

I guess the idea of finally having an English version of DBZ I'd like is what keeps me hoping

(I really can't stand the Funi cast, I dont feel they capture anyone very well IMO minus Mr. Satan he is spot on perfect)

[dbboxkaifan]

So is the Ocean Dub of Kai actually being produced or what? It's 2014 and it's been discussed ever since 2011 from what I remember.

[Super Sayian Prime]

I am completely in agreement with Blade. Even ignoring the fact FUNimation's dub is completely and utterly serviceable, where is the money for this thing coming from? You've got actors in booths recording lines, supposedly taking their time to not just get everything right, but also finish the entire (available)series before the product is put out. How are these people getting paid? What market is there for this? Yes, there are Ocean fans, but that's a small niche. Are TV ratings supposed to recoup the costs of producing this dub? Is there a home video release planned?

From a business sense, I can't really wrap my head around it. It would be one thing if it were like the Blue Water productions, where everything was rushed to get it on TV, but time is money.

If I had to take a guess, this could be a product of that weird Canadian content rule. A certain percentage of broadcasts have to be Canadian produced.

Unless someone is planning a Canadian Dragon Ball TV Channel I'm not sure why that would apply. There's plenty of entirely foreign produced television on Canadian networks, and frankly, a Canadian dubbed Dragon Ball Kai is no less likely to land a broadcast deal up here than a US one. Unless it has a direct product line anime doesn't see television in Canada anymore.

[TheBlackPaladin]

So is the Ocean Dub of Kai actually being produced or what? It's 2014 and it's been discussed ever since 2011 from what I remember.

I mean, we don't know for a fact that it's being produced since there has been no formal announcement or clips posted online, but I have no reason to doubt that it has been produced. Why would Sean Schemmel, Kirby Morrow, Scott McNeil, Lee Tockar, Subzero Ice, Attituefan, Kirbopher, Kaiser Neko, and another prominent Ocean voice actor (whose name I'll spare in the interest of protecting the fact that they broke their NDA)....all lie about this? If it isn't being produced, it's an incredibly massive, well-coordinated lie.

Whether we'll actually see this dub, that's another story. I'm not so sure about that anymore. It's getting a tad odd, considering how long it has taken. Part of me wonders if there's something going on behind the scenes, either legally or technically, that's preventing this dub from being released.

Also, on a slightly related note, here's a video of Scott McNeil confirming (at least on August 19th of 2013) that they haven't gotten around to dubbing the Buu arc yet in Kai (McNeil, besides being the voice for Piccolo, also provided the voice for Buu in the Westwood dub). Notice how (playfully) evasive he is about saying "Dragon Ball Kai." As time has gone on, he's been less and less open about the fact that he worked (or is working) on it, which I'm interpreting to mean that he must have gotten an angry phone call or email about breaking his NDA on more than one occasion. For example, in an earlier instance, when asked at a con what he was working on, he prefaced his answer with "...I'm gonna get in so much trouble for this...but we're working on..." He then mouthed the words "Dragon Ball Kai."

[TheAldella]

Dat Buu though, haha.