January 7: Dub Day thoughts

[mecha3000]

Is it just me or was yesterday such a refreshing day to be a DB fan? I mean, I love the original voice cast (Masako Nozawa, etc) - but Funimation's dub just feels so nice to hear again. Also, for the first time in a long time - Yesterday felt like a day for the dub fans. I feel like many sub fans try to ruin DB for the dub fans by arguing which version is better (understandably so, in many cases), but to me: I just enjoy both so it was nice to finally have a day where I could celebrate that. I admit dub fans can also be annoying with arguing all the stuff like Faulconer and the old voices - But all of that's in the past now. It's been that way since Funimation's Kai 1.0.

From the live tweets from the proud Funimation actors to sub fans even joining in the dub discussion, it just felt nice to see everyone focusing on a dub premiere like this for the first time in SUCH a long time. I still admit the sub is the original version (which means it's the most faithful), but I really enjoyed the dub yesterday - especially since I grew up on it (which is common for dub fans, I admit).

From the added Funimation dialogue not seen in the original Super episode (Blu-ray joke, arm candy dialogue, peace being "permanitized") to Kai TFC's episode premiere and hearing the Kai-ified Buu Saga's first episode - I was just smiling so much. It was just nice to have a day for the dub fans, even if it was just one day.

Anyone else have thoughts? Doesn't matter if you prefer dub or sub, I'd still like to hear everyone's thoughts if anyone has any.

[Lord Beerus]

I think overall it's so wonderful that we live in day and age were we can watch new Dragon Ball content on a weekly basis from both a great Japanese and English cast. We've had a wait a long time to get to this stage, but it worth the wait and I'm going to enjoy every second of it.

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

I agree, I love both the Japanese and English casts and after a year and a half of only watching the former's version of Super its such a treat to have both to look forward to as well as the Kai dub. And the dub vs sub debate should die with both versions being as good as they are.

[Jinzoningen MULE]

As I mentioned on another thread, I honestly wasn't impressed by the new dub. It's not that I disliked the first episode per se, but something about the whole presentation seems less...

and that's my struggle. I have no idea what's missing, the entire chemistry just feels lopsided.

[Thouser]

I saw some people complaining about how they had the narrator in the Super dub start off with "Last time on Dragon Ball Z...." But honestly, that was the new line I had the least problem with. For those of us who started off watching Z on Toonami, that was an integral part of watching the series every day. I imagine even more so for those who only watched the dub. It was a nice nod, and not a change that affects the content of the story or characters, so it didn't bother me one bit.

[MajinMan]

"I gotta keep training, so I can keep you guys safe."

Yah, I was a little disappointed. Chi Chi was also pretty weird sounding. Other than that line and Chi Chi, I thought it was OK.

[huzaifa_ahmed]

As I mentioned on another thread, I honestly wasn't impressed by the new dub. It's not that I disliked the first episode per se, but something about the whole presentation seems less...and that's my struggle. I have no idea what's missing, the entire chemistry just feels lopsided.

One could argue that the language itself adds to the feel of the show. DB is pretty Japanese (although certainly not setting-wise, the storytelling definitely is), & much like YoI (havent seen the show, but notable) & other recent dubs, most dubs that release long after a project has been released to that audience, arent usually received well, & in anime's case, there's often a complaint of "this wouldnt be possible/would sound so weird in English!". Even shows which arent recorded in Japanese, but feel like anime, have newcomers feel this way. Example: http://i.imgur.com/5e3AlJs.png

Outside of Dragon Ball, there's far more of an issue of people disliking dubs, even good ones, just because. & it's an industry thing: the Japanese companies make more of streaming than TV, & not paying for/paying very, very little for, dubs, saves them a ton of money. That's the real deal of it. & in case I sounded confrontational, Jinzoningen Mule, I'm not saying you're being a "hater", I do just think there's something to be said about: 1. The mystique of foreign language. Naruto's dub has some of the greatest voice actors on the planet, but one could easily judge a flaw where there was one, whereas as an English-speaker it's very difficult to judge the Japanese actors.

2. The setting. Bojack Horseman feels weird JP-dubbed too, regardless of dub budget. I think BTAS & Last of Us sound phenomenal in Japanese, yet Bojack, despite having many talented "seiyuu", I just felt didnt fit. The acting, I felt, was fine, but it had sort of a reverse of the "English moeh/cutesy girl voice" effect - both are cringey, but it's literally abnormal in English. Approximating Bojack's performances into Japanese mannerisms & speech, just felt so weird, as it was just a style I wasnt used to hearing in Japanese. The acting was (probably?) solid, Netflix has a ton of $ & at least for American shows, pays good money to dub (we still havent gotten one union dub for the anime they produced, tho, which is lame), but it just felt rather like an anomaly to hear a sitcom in Japanese. & it is only so, because I havent heard sitcoms in Japanese. Doesnt make it bad, inherently, but it is certainly understandable if a viewer were to find it jarring. Hope this all made sense.

[Thouser]

"I gotta keep training, so I can keep you guys safe."

Yah, I was a little disappointed. Chi Chi was also pretty weird sounding. Other than that line and Chi Chi, I thought it was OK.

That line was just bad. It reminded me of the old dub in all the wrong ways. Especially now that previously dub only fans have seen the real Goku in the Super simulcast, was there really a need to call back to the much less interesting, selfless, "superhero" Goku from the old dub? I hope that won't be a recurring thing in the Super dub, but, oh well.

[sintzu]

Was there really a need to call back to the much less interesting, selfless, "superhero" Goku from the old dub ?

They did the same thing in BOG so I'm not surprised about it.

I haven't seen Kai in awhile so is that how he'd dubbed there as well ?

[Jinzoningen MULE]

Was there really a need to call back to the much less interesting, selfless, "superhero" Goku from the old dub ?

They did the same thing in BOG so I'm not surprised about it.

I haven't seen Kai in awhile so is that how he'd dubbed there as well ?

I haven't seen the entire Kai dub, but it comes off a lot better than what we saw with DBS the other night

[Baggie_Saiyan]

"I gotta keep training, so I can keep you guys safe."

Yah, I was a little disappointed. Chi Chi was also pretty weird sounding. Other than that line and Chi Chi, I thought it was OK.

That line was just bad. It reminded me of the old dub in all the wrong ways. Especially now that previously dub only fans have seen the real Goku in the Super simulcast, was there really a need to call back to the much less interesting, selfless, "superhero" Goku from the old dub? I hope that won't be a recurring thing in the Super dub, but, oh well.

It's gonna slip in time to time but Sean confirmed that the scripts are pretty accurate to JPN Goku. A few of these one off lines is fine as long as nothing is as big as "I am hope". For next weeks episode he still a jerk to King Kai.

[Yedis]

Just realized for the next year and half, we will be able to watch 3 premier episodes of DB on Saturdays

1. New Episode DB Super
2. DB Super Dub
3. DB Kai Buu Saga Dub

Off course in the dubs we will already know what's happening, but Its still a unique situation for DB Fans in America.

[Ki Breaker]

As I mentioned on another thread, I honestly wasn't impressed by the new dub. It's not that I disliked the first episode per se, but something about the whole presentation seems less...

and that's my struggle. I have no idea what's missing, the entire chemistry just feels lopsided.

I am with you on this Buddy, even though I can connect more with it because of no language barrier, it feels dub<sub
I was not like this at all, I don't even know why it wasn't as impressive as I figured it would be..

The only thing that gets me excited is the little changes they are doing in dialogues, that is something to look forward to

[Jinzoningen MULE]

I was not like this at all, I don't even know why it wasn't as impressive as I figured it would be..

It was totally fair to expect more. Similar episodes from the Kai dub 7 years ago had a far superior flow to Saturday's airing. The first episode of the Boo Kai dub far surpassed it, as well, not to mention the movies.

Now that I've had time to think about it, I'm pretty much decided that episode 1 of DBS' dub was inexcusably bad. Although I don't have the problem with the script like most detractors so far, the character interaction seems like something we'd get from a video game, incredibly disjointed. It's bizarre, this cast that has been making so much progress for years and years now seem to be undergoing regression. I'll give it time, this could be a one-episode occurrence, but I'm not hopeful for the future of this dub.

[8000 Saiyan]

As I mentioned on another thread, I honestly wasn't impressed by the new dub. It's not that I disliked the first episode per se, but something about the whole presentation seems less...and that's my struggle. I have no idea what's missing, the entire chemistry just feels lopsided.

One could argue that the language itself adds to the feel of the show. DB is pretty Japanese (although certainly not setting-wise, the storytelling definitely is), & much like YoI (havent seen the show, but notable) & other recent dubs, most dubs that release long after a project has been released to that audience, arent usually received well, & in anime's case, there's often a complaint of "this wouldnt be possible/would sound so weird in English!". Even shows which arent recorded in Japanese, but feel like anime, have newcomers feel this way. Example: http://i.imgur.com/5e3AlJs.png

Outside of Dragon Ball, there's far more of an issue of people disliking dubs, even good ones, just because. & it's an industry thing: the Japanese companies make more of streaming than TV, & not paying for/paying very, very little for, dubs, saves them a ton of money. That's the real deal of it. & in case I sounded confrontational, Jinzoningen Mule, I'm not saying you're being a "hater", I do just think there's something to be said about: 1. The mystique of foreign language. Naruto's dub has some of the greatest voice actors on the planet, but one could easily judge a flaw where there was one, whereas as an English-speaker it's very difficult to judge the Japanese actors.

2. The setting. Bojack Horseman feels weird JP-dubbed too, regardless of dub budget. I think BTAS & Last of Us sound phenomenal in Japanese, yet Bojack, despite having many talented "seiyuu", I just felt didnt fit. The acting, I felt, was fine, but it had sort of a reverse of the "English moeh/cutesy girl voice" effect - both are cringey, but it's literally abnormal in English. Approximating Bojack's performances into Japanese mannerisms & speech, just felt so weird, as it was just a style I wasnt used to hearing in Japanese. The acting was (probably?) solid, Netflix has a ton of $ & at least for American shows, pays good money to dub (we still havent gotten one union dub for the anime they produced, tho, which is lame), but it just felt rather like an anomaly to hear a sitcom in Japanese. & it is only so, because I havent heard sitcoms in Japanese. Doesnt make it bad, inherently, but it is certainly understandable if a viewer were to find it jarring. Hope this all made sense.

I don't speak Japanese, but I'm able to judge good acting in Japanese.

[huzaifa_ahmed]

I was not like this at all, I don't even know why it wasn't as impressive as I figured it would be..

It was totally fair to expect more. Similar episodes from the Kai dub 7 years ago had a far superior flow to Saturday's airing. The first episode of the Boo Kai dub far surpassed it, as well, not to mention the movies.

Now that I've had time to think about it, I'm pretty much decided that episode 1 of DBS' dub was inexcusably bad. Although I don't have the problem with the script like most detractors so far, the character interaction seems like something we'd get from a video game, incredibly disjointed. It's bizarre, this cast that has been making so much progress for years and years now seem to be undergoing regression. I'll give it time, this could be a one-episode occurrence, but I'm not hopeful for the future of this dub.

What do &/or don't you like &/or dislike about the Super dub? As someone who likes dubs as a general thing (despite my irritation at a lack of a good dub for this show, & "all animu subs 'cept DBZ"), from what I understand you don't like dubs. What don't you like, & what do you think you might like better?

I don't speak Japanese, but I'm able to judge good acting in Japanese.

I dunno, to an extent sure, but not nearly as easily nor to the extent of a Japanese-speaker. That's part of a pretty common sentiment from dub fans, that people automatically jump on the dub dogpile because you are now able to notice the details of the performance, whereas you dont really notice it in a foreign language as much.

[Jinzoningen MULE]

What do &/or don't you like &/or dislike about the Super dub? As someone who likes dubs as a general thing (despite my irritation at a lack of a good dub for this show, & "all animu subs 'cept DBZ"), from what I understand you don't like dubs. What don't you like, & what do you think you might like better?

Episode 1 of the dub sounds like a patch-work of audio clips where only half of the actors even know the context behind their lines. It's disjointed, just like I've said. My idea of how it could improve? It could be like the Kai 1.0 dub. The first episode of Boo Kai has a pretty good dub, too, even though I'm not a fan of Videl's VA.

[HourglassIndigo]

Goten's voice was horrendous, it was way too babyish for my liking. It's a shame too, he's one of my favorite characters

[mecha3000]

Goten's voice was horrendous, it was way too babyish for my liking. It's a shame too, he's one of my favorite characters

I think that was more of a creative choice for Kara Edwards because she stated somewhere that the new voice for Goten is what she feels like is what Goten should've sounded like from the start of her voicing him. I respect that from a creative actor standpoint, but it was kind of jarring to not hear the rasp or the way he sounded like in Battle of Gods. But hey, Goten looks like a toddler almost - So, I'm not complaining too much.

However, it is weird when you take into account that Goten and Trunks are supposed to be older in Super.

[Baggie_Saiyan]

Seen Kai and DBS again dubbed again. Quality absolutely quality, both lived up to expectations. 10/10 for both. Can't wait until we get to the action heavy stuff!