Did the acting in Kai get lazy after Freeza?

[dbzfan7]

I already heard J. Michael Tatum didn't do as much writing for Kai after part 4, but i'm talking specifically about the acting. I just watched episode 98, and the whole thing just felt awful. Even Goku's voice sounded like he was dying just trying to talk, and Sean Schemmel doesn't change his voice much when doing Goku. Trunks had super rasp and at one point talked so fast when he wasn't even on screen. Around semi perfect cell's end to perfect Cell (skipping the awesome trunks moment) the acting seemed to just die. It was like no one cared anymore. Especially when they stopped using the japanese attack names. It felt so lazy. Especially compared to the first 4 parts of kai.

[ultimateemail5000]

I agree that some of the writing started to get dull, and maybe even some of the acting. There are certain lines in there I didn't like, most memorable one is Goku telling King Kai that there's a bad internet connection on the lookout. We all know Goku wouldn't even know what the internet is.

[Metalwario64]

It's been a while since I've last seen the dub of Kai (still need the DVDs), but I do remember recently seeing a "Schemmel through the years" video on Youtube, and in the scene where Goku raises his power for Karin, Schemmel's yells were very similar to his yells in the same scene in Z. It's almost as if he was referencing the old performance, as he did the exact same "car revving up" performance he used to do, but dropped in Kai for a more natural grunting sound.

Actually, watching it again, I think it could pass as an alternate recording done back for Z that they didn't use, but decided to reuse for Kai instead of getting Schemmel to redo it (not saying that's the case though).

Though, that's not to say it's not still better than their old Z dub, because it definitely is (though I genuinely think Vale was better in Z even with the worse acting due to his annoyingly raspy voice he used in Kai).

[matt0044]

Nah. It's still good and consistent for me.

[dbboxkaifan]

I agree that some of the writing started to get dull, and maybe even some of the acting. There are certain lines in there I didn't like, most memorable one is Goku telling King Kai that there's a bad internet connection on the lookout. We all know Goku wouldn't even know what the internet is.

But does Goku know what a Betamax cassette is?

[KaiserNeko]

We all know Goku wouldn't even know what the internet is.

Maybe, maybe not. You don't really know one way or the other. I mean, he can't be -completely- unaware of the world around him, no matter how dumb WE make him in our version.

[TheBlackPaladin]

I wouldn't call it laziness, but I think there was a lack of enthusiasm towards the end, which I attribute to the insanity of some of the production problems, some of which are well-known, some of which are not. 'Ya got a few things goin' on...

-The original "writer," J. Michael Tatum, wasn't working on as many Kai episodes in the second half as he was in the first.
-The newness of Kai was dying down.
-Kai sales were declining.
-A super-fast production of an uncut dub and two edited dubs.
-A super-fast production of a new mix for all three of those dubs thanks to the Music Scandal.
-Chris Sabat, the director and a main cast member, blew his voice out and had to delay production, probably necessitating a more hastily-produced dub that was already being hastily-produced.
-Sabat's first child was born while the dub was being made...and newborns have a reputation for not being easy sleepers (/understatement).
-Sean Schemmel said that he was really sick during the recording of, in his words, "the last disc." Not sure how many episodes he meant, but regardless, for the last couple episodes, he was sick. Can't say I blame him...whenever I'm sick and have to get in my booth, I have to actively tell myself not to sound like I'm dying. It's a chore, as it's hard to keep the enthusiasm up when all you want to do is lie in bed. On the other hand, I didn't notice any difference in his performance myself.

Not saying you have to like the dub, of course. I just don't know that I would call anything that happened "laziness."

[dbzfan7]

-A super-fast production of an uncut dub and two edited dubs.
-A super-fast production of a new mix for all three of those dubs thanks to the Music Scandal.
-Chris Sabat, the director and a main cast member, blew his voice out and had to delay production, probably necessitating a more hastily-produced dub that was already being hastily-produced.

I guess they couldn't just halt production. They really should have and then came back fresh. Doesn't kai mean refreshed or renewed. doesn't exactly live up when they sound tired like the japanese kai cast did at some points.

-Sabat's first child was born while the dub was being made...and newborns have a reputation for not being easy sleepers (/understatement).
-Sean Schemmel said that he was really sick during the recording of, in his words, "the last disc." Not sure how many episodes he meant, but regardless, for the last couple episodes, he was sick. Can't say I blame him...whenever I'm sick and have to get in my booth, I have to actively tell myself not to sound like I'm dying. It's a chore, as it's hard to keep the enthusiasm up when all you want to do is lie in bed. On the other hand, I didn't notice any difference in his performance myself.

I guess that explains why Goku sounded off and forced in episode 98

Not saying you have to like the dub, of course. I just don't know that I would call anything that happened "laziness."

I love the Kai dub. I am not coming out as a hater. I am just worried that things died down. The first half was spectacular, while the second half had more noticeable problems. I love the Kai dub, it is a miracle it was done so well compared to what we had before (Thank Justin Cook and J. Michael Tatum).

[TheBlackPaladin]

-A super-fast production of an uncut dub and two edited dubs.
-A super-fast production of a new mix for all three of those dubs thanks to the Music Scandal.
-Chris Sabat, the director and a main cast member, blew his voice out and had to delay production, probably necessitating a more hastily-produced dub that was already being hastily-produced.

I guess they couldn't just halt production. They really should have and then came back fresh. Doesn't kai mean refreshed or renewed. doesn't exactly live up when they sound tired like the japanese kai cast did at some points.

Yeah, halting production would have been better for the sake of getting good performances, but unfortunately they couldn't halt production. They were dealing with deadlines. Firstly because many licensing contracts stipulate that the properties need to be released by a certain time, and secondly because whenever you're dealing with a TV network, the episodes need to be sent into TV network execs for approval, editing suggestions, and then the inevitable re-dubbing, re-drawing, and re-editing according to those editing suggestions. Sabat said on his Facebook page that he delayed production of the dub for as long as he could when his voice blew out, but then had to go back to work before his doctor told him it was safe because they had legal deadlines to meet.

Not saying you have to like the dub, of course. I just don't know that I would call anything that happened "laziness."

I love the Kai dub. I am not coming out as a hater. I am just worried that things died down. The first half was spectacular, while the second half had more noticeable problems. I love the Kai dub, it is a miracle it was done so well compared to what we had before (Thank Justin Cook and J. Michael Tatum).

Oh yeah, I wasn't saying you hated or loved the Kai dub. I was merely clarifying on my end that I don't believe one necessarily has to form a different opinion on their enjoyment of the dub based on the production problems...I was just saiyan.

[penguintruth]

Hm. I know some of the scripting got a little lazier as time went on, but I didn't notice the voice acting taking a downturn. Colleen Clinkenbeard's Gohan was more on fire than ever during the Cell Games.

[Jackal puFF]

Yeah I didn't really like their voices during the last part of episodes. It was kind of on par with Z.. Sabat's Vegeta really sounded off. I'll never forget that "Hiya!". And I have to agree with Goku and Trunks voices. I've only watched those eps like twice though..

[Gozar]

To me, the worst offender in the post-Freeza Saga of Kai is Vale's Trunks. The voice is just plain annoying and completely wrong for Trunks. Frankly, I blame the direction. Sabat tones down both his Vegeta and Piccolo. Bergmeier toned down his Tenshinhan. But Vale was just horrific. I don't think that the acting as a whole got lazy. I think it was still top notch. My feelings are that the direction took a downturn. The first 50-something episodes had such perfect direction. It's like FUNimation wasn't afraid to change things up from what they used to do in Z.

[linkdude20002001]

Yeah, that's my major problem as well. I was excited to hear Trunks with an accurate script and even better acting, but then he went and gave Trunks this raspy Sabat-Vegeta voice. :/

[TheBlackPaladin]

Yeah, that's my major problem as well. I was excited to hear Trunks with an accurate script and even better acting, but then he went and gave Trunks this raspy Sabat-Vegeta voice. :/

On the other hand, Vale's Trunks does sound more like Sabat's Vegeta now, which from one angle might be appropriate considering that the characters in question are father and son. In Z he sounds more natural, but in Kai he sounds more like Vegeta........I go back and forth over which one I prefer.

[Gozar]

I'll never forget that "Hiya!".

I'm sorry. What is this referring to?

[dbzfan7]

I'll never forget that "Hiya!".

I'm sorry. What is this referring to?

I think this

[matt0044]

I didn't hate Vale's Trunks in Kai but a more Sanji-like delivery would've been better.

[linkdude20002001]

On the other hand, Vale's Trunks does sound more like Sabat's Vegeta now, which from one angle might be appropriate considering that the characters in question are father and son. In Z he sounds more natural, but in Kai he sounds more like Vegeta........I go back and forth over which one I prefer.

Well then, I definitely would have preferred them change VEGETA'S voice to make him sound less raspy.

[Jackal puFF]

I'll never forget that "Hiya!".

I'm sorry. What is this referring to?

I think this

That's the one, Lol!

[dbzfan7]

On the other hand, Vale's Trunks does sound more like Sabat's Vegeta now, which from one angle might be appropriate considering that the characters in question are father and son. In Z he sounds more natural, but in Kai he sounds more like Vegeta........I go back and forth over which one I prefer.

Well then, I definitely would have preferred them change VEGETA'S voice to make him sound less raspy.

Vegeta had one of the best changes of all. He sounds much better now imo. Freeza holds #1 for best change.