What have the American/UK Dubs... DONE RIGHT?

[B]

That... doesn't make sense...

Gohan shouting "KAMEHAMEHA" whilst not doing the correct hand motion = one error.

That was also in the Japanese version... And FUNimation actually corrected that in their "Ultimate Uncut" redub, which brings another example of correcting a Japanese version error.

Gero being the RR leader and Tao being an RR general = two errors.

Did you even read my post? I said that even though the dub also made other errors, it doesn't mean that the things it corrected don't exist. Yes, if you are looking at the big picture, it doesn't make much of a difference, but to say that you can't credit them for at least fixing some things, then you are simply bashing the dub for the sake of bashing it.

Also, pointing out what the dubs "did wrong" is off-topic.

1) I know it was a Japanese error. I was using it as ONE example, while the dubcrap as TWO examples. TWO mistakes, as opposed to ONE(I know there are more, in both versions, please don't bring me exact numbers or more examples).
2) Nice accusation. Did you read MY post? I explained how FUNi's mistakes were ultimately more detrimental, and pretty much overshadow that particular error. It seems to me you're defending it for the sake of defending it, and instead of trying to make a counterpoint, you're copping out with "you're off-topic."

And, speaking of the topic, it's just a circle jerk if no one steps up and says "Hold on a second, I don't agree with that..." Also, just because someone disagrees with one certain thing said in the thread, it doesn't mean they're completely tearing down the whole thing.

[Super Sonic]

To stay out of argument, something that was ok, was that the original Ocean dub of Z gave us a memorable mostly instrumental theme song that as soon as it starts you instantly recognize. Sure it's not as good as "We Gotta Power" and "Cha-La" has grown on me, but knowing how things were back then, understand the change.

[Metalwario64]

Nice accusation. Did you read MY post? I explained how FUNi's mistakes were ultimately more detrimental, and pretty much overshadow that particular error. It seems to me you're defending it for the sake of defending it, and instead of trying to make a counterpoint

I said that one could look at the big picture, and consider the corrections to be negated by the total number of other errors they made. I'm not "defending it for the sake of defending it", I'm pointing out the fact that it doesn't mean that we can't discuss the things that they got right. Just because they made other mistakes doesn't mean that the things they corrected don't count for anything.

I don't see how it's a "cop out" for me to point out the fact that this thread is for discussing things that the dubs did right, as opposed to saying "So what if they got some things right? They did more wrong so there!" which sounds quite defensive to me. I'm not saying that you are the one who brought that up however, but my point is that this is not the place for that argument.

[Captain Awesome]

If you can't handle the fact that the dub got some things right over the Japanese version, then don't post in this thread.

Oh God..You're right!, that is exactly what I'm doing, I'm in denial! my world view has been completely shattered, how can I possibly go on? . I will never see my precious Japanese version in the same way because of that one fatal flaw where Gohan said the wrong attack name.

This thread is about discussing things they did right, not what they got wrong.

Key word there being "discussing".

As much as you want this to be a little feel good circlejerk around the campfire the entire premise of a forum is for discussion and debate, so if you're so opposed to a difference of opinion, then maybe you are the one that shouldn't be posting.

[Super Sonic]

Think we could keep this from becoming a big argument thread? Wouldn't want this being closed. That's why I put my post above on this page to keep from happening.

[Metalwario64]

Think we could keep this from becoming a big argument thread? Wouldn't want this being closed. That's why I put my post above on this page to keep from happening.

I agree, I don't want to get this thread locked and I won't argue this further.

Now to post on this topic, another thing I feel the dub did right was FINALLY adding in the Japanese music. I grew to love the Japanese music even when I was a kid, but I also preferred the American voice cast. I finally got to see the best of both worlds in my view when the Season Sets were released.

[Greenman]

Mr. Satan's voice.

That's... Pretty much it...

To me Mr. Satan is the only voice that stands out as "great." Sure, there are some other voices that I think work, but not to the level of Mr. Satan. Chris Rager was an excellent choice. It's not just that fact that Rager's Mr. Satan voice sounds pretty similar in tone to Daisuke Gōri's original. I think his acting (especially the Boo arc) is pretty good too.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

I'd say this caused more harm. Call me nuts, but FUNi's version of DBZ ultimately started the biggest splittings of different fanbases for one franchises that I've ever seen for any series. Yeah, it's great that we got the franchise here, but man oh man, it caused a lot of problems with misinformation and fans fighting amongst other fans over who's dub was better, who's music was better and so on.

Stop complaining. At least we got it released uncut and with the original voices on DVD. If 4kids or Nelvana had licensed the series, it would be a different stoty.

[Velasa]

Though in response to the first post- I really never got the point of dubbing songs. Either you do the tempo right or the lyrics right, it's just not possible to do both.

How is it impossible?

Music is much more complicated than speech, because of the implications of tempo and syllable amounts and rhyme that come into play. It's like translating poetry- do you go for the most accurate words or the thing that's actually singable and works as a song? It's very difficult to do even in languages that are similar, but in ones that are drastically different... I just never saw the point.

Oh, and on the bickering- we all know all the stupid crap they do. This thread's more a curious look at the little things that actually went right- rarer and more interesting as a small discussion. Stop fighting already and complain somewhere pertinent.

[IncompetentOverlord]

Raditz VA is probably a billion times better than his japanese counterpart. That guy just embodies the Dragonball villain voice to me.

Chris Sabat did an OK job as Vegeta. Nothing that compared to the original though.

The Faulconer tracks make excellent video game music.

"The Game" playing in one of the movies(I think it was 5?) was pretty cool, and indeed the only really good choice of insert music by Funi, even if it didn't fit the series as a whole.

I really like the choice of VA for Emperor Pilaf. That guy did a great job of totally emphasizing the goofiness of the character. Reminded me of Meowth's VA from Pokemon.

And finally, I think that most of the Majin Boo arc dub, when played with the original Kikuchi music, is actually a serviceable dub on the whole.

[Super Sonic]

I'd say this caused more harm. Call me nuts, but FUNi's version of DBZ ultimately started the biggest splittings of different fanbases for one franchises that I've ever seen for any series. Yeah, it's great that we got the franchise here, but man oh man, it caused a lot of problems with misinformation and fans fighting amongst other fans over who's dub was better, who's music was better and so on.

Stop complaining. At least we got it released uncut and with the original voices on DVD. If 4kids or Nelvana had licensed the series, it would be a different stoty.

Come to think of it, did Nelvana do any other anime besides Cardcaptors and Beyblade? Grant it was understandable why Beyblade didn't get a dual-language release but still...

[Greenman]

I'd say this caused more harm. Call me nuts, but FUNi's version of DBZ ultimately started the biggest splittings of different fanbases for one franchises that I've ever seen for any series. Yeah, it's great that we got the franchise here, but man oh man, it caused a lot of problems with misinformation and fans fighting amongst other fans over who's dub was better, who's music was better and so on.

Stop complaining. At least we got it released uncut and with the original voices on DVD. If 4kids or Nelvana had licensed the series, it would be a different stoty.

Come to think of it, did Nelvana do any other anime besides Cardcaptors and Beyblade? Grant it was understandable why Beyblade didn't get a dual-language release but still...

They also did Medabots and Bakugan.

[Dark Vegeta-Sama]

Years later, the blatant errors stated in the original FUNi/Ocean dub (like Bardock being a brilliant scientist) are pretty hilarious and entertaining.

Even the "next dimension" stuff is awesome just for the entertainment value.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

Funimation did a great job with the original Dragonball.

Sonny Straight, Kyle Hebert, Damian Clark, Eric Vale, Justin Cooke, Mike McFarlin, Laura Bailey, and Chris Rager are some of my favorite voice actors to come from Funimation and they all did a great job handling there characters for all three parts of the Dragonball series.

Also, this is my totally biased opinion but, Funimation got it right when they used "Scenes from a Memory" for The History of Trunks. Without Funimation I wouldn't have become a fan of Dream Theater, nor would I have really gotten into drumming so for that I have to thank Funimation even if in the end, it wasn't the right thing to do.

[Puto]

Originally in Z, while Gohan's fighting Vegeta, he stops and prepares to launch a Masenko...and then shouts Kamehame-Ha.

When FUNi redubbed the scene, Gohan says Masenko instead. Toei made sure to use the correct name in Kai.

Interestingly, almost every other dub kept the mistake. Are dubbing companies really that blind?

Well, technically the portuguese dub didn't keep the mistake, or rather they did, but they actually renamed the Masenkô to "Kamehameha", so the mistake was made irrelevant. Never mind the fact that it was a dumb renaming to begin with, but whatever.

[MajinVejitaXV]

I don't have the actual episode on hand, so I can't check for accurate subtitles. But Cell does mention his head (atama) and something small (chiisai) within it during the explanation, so it is actually a flub in the original.

This turned out to be a fortunate miscalculation, even for me. Inside my head, there is a small lump. That is what serves as my nucleus. As long as that is not destroyed, this body can continue to regenerate itself.

Personally, and I was 15 when I first saw these episodes, I didn't see an error. Cell states it's a small lump, which I took to mean "microscopic." Which fits with his calling it his nucleus. Then, a couple of episodes later, when Gohan kills Cell it makes a point of showing him being obliterated on the cellular level.

Or am I missing the "flub" here?

[jjgp1112]

I don't have the actual episode on hand, so I can't check for accurate subtitles. But Cell does mention his head (atama) and something small (chiisai) within it during the explanation, so it is actually a flub in the original.

This turned out to be a fortunate miscalculation, even for me. Inside my head, there is a small lump. That is what serves as my nucleus. As long as that is not destroyed, this body can continue to regenerate itself.

Personally, and I was 15 when I first saw these episodes, I didn't see an error. Cell states it's a small lump, which I took to mean "microscopic." Which fits with his calling it his nucleus. Then, a couple of episodes later, when Gohan kills Cell it makes a point of showing him being obliterated on the cellular level.

Or am I missing the "flub" here?

The flub is that his head got blown off by Goku yet he still regenerated. Therefore, Funi's explanation made everything make a lot more sense.

And not only that, but both Toriyama and Toei pretty much left Cell still being perfect even without Android 17 unexplained, whereas Funi said it was because his Cells had a memory of his Perfect form.

[MajinVejitaXV]

Personally, and I was 15 when I first saw these episodes, I didn't see an error. Cell states it's a small lump, which I took to mean "microscopic." Which fits with his calling it his nucleus. Then, a couple of episodes later, when Gohan kills Cell it makes a point of showing him being obliterated on the cellular level.

Or am I missing the "flub" here?

The flub is that his head got blown off by Goku yet he still regenerated. Therefore, Funi's explanation made everything make a lot more sense.

And not only that, but both Toriyama and Toei pretty much left Cell still being perfect even without Android 17 unexplained, whereas Funi said it was because his Cells had a memory of his Perfect form.

His head/torso was blown off, sure. However, it wasn't completely destroyed on a cellular level. Which, like I said, is the significance of that little scene of his eradication on a cellular level when Gohan kills him. I mean, maybe it's just me, but I never saw an issue at all. *shrug*

As for the "regenerating into his Perfect form" thing...it's a comic. Or a cartoon, depending on the medium. I mean, Wolverine regenerated from a skeleton, which makes no @#$!ing sense, but I took it for what it was. I didn't really give it too much thought when it happened, Cell himself just takes it as an extraordinary turn of luck. I don't find either of these changes that FUNi made egregious or anything, but I don't find them to be a "Oh, thank God! Now it makes sense!" instance either.

As for the thread question, I'll give props for dubbing the OP/ED themes that they did. While I may not have ever watched the shows with them, I do give them credit for the effort and for trying to make the original score more accessible on that level. I also enjoyed the Pioneer/Ocean productions of Z movies 1-3. They weren't perfect, but they seemed to have their heart in the right place.

[penguintruth]

I thought Cell explained it as it being the result of his Saiyan cells, which is why he was even more powerful than his previous Perfect form.

If the dub indeed said that he was able to do it because of cellular memory of his Perfect Form, though, I have to hand it to it to Funimation. That is pretty good.

[MajinVejitaXV]

I thought Cell explained it as it being the result of his Saiyan cells, which is why he was even more powerful than his previous Perfect form.

He mentions that his Saiyajin cells and having been near death caused his power increase, but I always took that as merely meaning his "SSJ2" form, not his Perfect form. Who knows though. ;p