Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Discussion regarding the entirety of the franchise in a general (meta) sense, including such aspects as: production, trends, merchandise, fan culture, and more.

Moderators: General Help, Kanzenshuu Staff

User avatar
eledoremassis02
I Live Here
Posts: 4153
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:40 pm

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by eledoremassis02 » Wed Aug 19, 2020 12:03 pm

I've given up trying to find the other Piccolo VA, that has a "G" in their name lol. I might try reverse searching if you will.

The article mentioned Piccolo sounding like Peter Parker from the 90's spider-man and the first one that came to mind was Michael Benyaer (Bob from ReBoot). It's possible, but I haven't been able to find any connections except that he worked with people who were involved in both Ocean and BLT dubs.

Anyone else have any other suggestions?
Last edited by eledoremassis02 on Wed Aug 19, 2020 12:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
MasenkoHA
Born 'n Bred Here
Posts: 6191
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 9:38 pm

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by MasenkoHA » Wed Aug 19, 2020 12:20 pm

JulieYBM wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 11:24 am Yeah, while Watson was focused on Dragon Ball up through the UUE days that seemed to be the extent of his involvement. I vaguely recall Justin Cook saying that Watson gave him Yuu Yuu Hakusho because of how busy he was? My brain might be making shit up.

Then for whatever reason Watson started Illumitoon? I don't know the story, although I do recall Laura Bailey not being fond of Watson.

Why my brain remembers shit from fifteen years ago and not Actually Important Things I will never know.
As some point I believe Watson gave original Dragon Ball to Justin Cook and Carly Hunter after the Pilaf saga. Iirc he stopped getting a producer credit for OG Dragon Ball starting with the Tournament saga. But I’m too lazy to check.

User avatar
Robo4900
I Live Here
Posts: 4382
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2016 2:24 pm
Location: In another time and place...

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by Robo4900 » Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:16 pm

I don't think Barry Watson actually cared about OG DB. :lol:
The point of Dragon Ball is to enjoy it. Never lose sight of that.

User avatar
MasenkoHA
Born 'n Bred Here
Posts: 6191
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 9:38 pm

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by MasenkoHA » Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:20 pm

Robo4900 wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:16 pm I don't think Barry Watson actually cared about OG DB. :lol:
Which, thankfully, meant it got screwed up with the least. (I mean relative to Z and GT)

User avatar
AlexSketchy04
Beyond Newbie
Posts: 114
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2020 6:02 pm
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by AlexSketchy04 » Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:21 pm

eledoremassis02 wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 12:03 pm I've given up trying to find the other Piccolo VA, that has a "G" in their name lol. I might try reverse searching if you will.

The article mentioned Piccolo sounding like Peter Parker from the 90's spider-man and the first one that came to mind was Michael Benyaer (Bob from ReBoot). It's possible, but I haven't been able to find any connections except that he worked with people who were involved in both Ocean and BLT dubs.

Anyone else have any other suggestions?
Do you mean Gary Chalk? idk, that's the only actor's name i could come up with

User avatar
JulieYBM
Patreon Supporter
Posts: 16491
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:25 pm

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by JulieYBM » Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:29 pm

This whole situation reminded me of this 1996 student project by Adam Campetti that was originally on YouTube ten years ago. Barry and Byron Watson are interviewed in it and it's just the quaintest thing in the world. Have fun returning to 1996! https://youtu.be/4dIW_IfhWgc
Last edited by JulieYBM on Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
She/Her💕 💜 💙
progesterone princess, estradiol empress
Lucifer's bimbo daughter

User avatar
eledoremassis02
I Live Here
Posts: 4153
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:40 pm

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by eledoremassis02 » Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:35 pm

AlexSketchy04 wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:21 pm
eledoremassis02 wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 12:03 pm I've given up trying to find the other Piccolo VA, that has a "G" in their name lol. I might try reverse searching if you will.

The article mentioned Piccolo sounding like Peter Parker from the 90's spider-man and the first one that came to mind was Michael Benyaer (Bob from ReBoot). It's possible, but I haven't been able to find any connections except that he worked with people who were involved in both Ocean and BLT dubs.

Anyone else have any other suggestions?
Do you mean Gary Chalk? idk, that's the only actor's name i could come up with
It was way back in the early 2000s where I can across a site that mentioned Scott McNeil not being the original voice actor (specifically Dead Zone) which led me to believe for years that it wasn't him on the DVD but someone that sounded like him :lol: I recall the name having a "G" as the first letter of a first or last name but it's been at least 20 years and I don't know if I am miss remembering it :lol: but I've been trying to come across any information, which is how I stumbles across Dead Zone Vortex.

So I am going to assume there is not "g" and focus on who could sound similar to Peter Parker lol

User avatar
AlexSketchy04
Beyond Newbie
Posts: 114
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2020 6:02 pm
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by AlexSketchy04 » Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:41 pm

wjbraden wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 10:05 am
VegettoEX wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 9:53 am
wjbraden wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 4:07 am Does anyone know who this Matthew Sommer person is and if he has contact info?
I of course did my due diligence during the research and writing of the article and tried.

(Please do not keep badgering Ian Corlett, folks. It looks like you got whatever you were going to get out of it.)
I sort of figured that someone like Matthew would be hard to reach, but at least you gave it the old college try.

And yes, I didn't mean in any way to bug Ian about this, nor was I aware that others had already contacted him about this before. My bad.

So, any ideas where we might be able to go from here?

Edit:
One other thing I should mention, regarding "Dead Zone Vortex" being nane dropped. It's referenced in this article from DBUncensored, in which they discussed Cartoon Network's new DBZ episode package. http://dbzu.3gkai.com/editorial/editorial11.html Make of that what you will, I suppose.
We could search up Matt's name on different social media sites probably

Like... Facebook or Twitter, maybe Instagram

User avatar
VegettoEX
Kanzenshuu Co-Owner & Administrator
Posts: 17537
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2004 3:10 pm
Location: New Jersey
Contact:

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by VegettoEX » Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:47 pm

AlexSketchy04 wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:41 pm We could search up Matt's name on different social media sites probably

Like... Facebook or Twitter, maybe Instagram
Again, I already followed several leads that I had to no avail. Please be careful not to badger people who don't wish to be involved.
:: [| Mike "VegettoEX" LaBrie |] ::
:: [| Kanzenshuu - Co-Founder/Administrator, Podcast Host, News Manager (note: our "job" titles are arbitrary and meaningless) |] ::
:: [| Website: January 1998 |] :: [| Podcast: November 2005 |] :: [| Fusion: April 2012 |] :: [| Wiki: 20XX |] ::

User avatar
JulieYBM
Patreon Supporter
Posts: 16491
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:25 pm

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by JulieYBM » Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:53 pm

I'd imagine if anyone from the early 1990s fandom wanted to be involved in online fandom they already would be. Hunting down people thirty years later is a bit unseemly. They're literally off living completely unrelated lives.
She/Her💕 💜 💙
progesterone princess, estradiol empress
Lucifer's bimbo daughter

User avatar
AlexSketchy04
Beyond Newbie
Posts: 114
Joined: Sat Jul 18, 2020 6:02 pm
Location: Texas
Contact:

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by AlexSketchy04 » Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:56 pm

VegettoEX wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:47 pm
AlexSketchy04 wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:41 pm We could search up Matt's name on different social media sites probably

Like... Facebook or Twitter, maybe Instagram
Again, I already followed several leads that I had to no avail. Please be careful not to badger people who don't wish to be involved.
Yeah, that's the thing, we could confuse people and contact someone who doesn't know about this

And what Julie says is also true, the guy is prob around his 40's, living a unrelated life than the one he had in 96, and potentially, he could no longer have the tape

User avatar
Robo4900
I Live Here
Posts: 4382
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2016 2:24 pm
Location: In another time and place...

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by Robo4900 » Wed Aug 19, 2020 2:05 pm

MasenkoHA wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:20 pm
Robo4900 wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:16 pm I don't think Barry Watson actually cared about OG DB. :lol:
Which, thankfully, meant it got screwed up with the least. (I mean relative to Z and GT)
Ehh. It was still scripted by basically all the same people, with all the same attitudes to dubbing, so it's still on the same level as those two, even if it is the least-unfaithful of the three.
JulieYBM wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:53 pm I'd imagine if anyone from the early 1990s fandom wanted to be involved in online fandom they already would be. Hunting down people thirty years later is a bit unseemly. They're literally off living completely unrelated lives.
Yep.

I think the thing to do is to try reaching out to friends who may have gone to anime cons in the '90s to see if they know anyone who might have got a bootleg tape of it back then.
The point of Dragon Ball is to enjoy it. Never lose sight of that.

User avatar
MasenkoHA
Born 'n Bred Here
Posts: 6191
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 9:38 pm

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by MasenkoHA » Wed Aug 19, 2020 2:28 pm

Robo4900 wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 2:05 pm
MasenkoHA wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:20 pm
Robo4900 wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:16 pm I don't think Barry Watson actually cared about OG DB. :lol:
Which, thankfully, meant it got screwed up with the least. (I mean relative to Z and GT)
Ehh. It was still scripted by basically all the same people, with all the same attitudes to dubbing, so it's still on the same level as those two, even if it is the least-unfaithful of the three.
Ehh keeping the music, not trying to turn Goku into Silver Age Superman, and having an appropriate narrator puts it a level above the other two series.

Not being overly concerned with dialog accuracy, pointless screws up, mediocre voice acting and non stop talking prevents it from being a good dub.

If the Z and GT dubs are someone trying to serve you literal crap on a plate, OG Dragon Ball’s dub is being served undercooked food.

User avatar
Robo4900
I Live Here
Posts: 4382
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2016 2:24 pm
Location: In another time and place...

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by Robo4900 » Wed Aug 19, 2020 2:35 pm

MasenkoHA wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 2:28 pm Ehh keeping the music
I'd call that a small victory, but fair enough.
MasenkoHA wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 2:28 pm not trying to turn Goku into Silver Age Superman,
They did, though. They constantly added lines like episode 1's "I really don't like to hurt anybody but he gave me no choice!"
MasenkoHA wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 2:28 pm and having an appropriate narrator puts it a level above the other two series.
Eh. Again, I don't think this is a big one. It helps make sure the tone isn't completely wrong like it is in Z and GT, but it's still a very unfaithful dub that constantly gets basic plot and characterisations wrong (anyone else remember Goku's "Sometimes my head doesn't know what I'm saying. Good thing my heart does." from the 23rd Tenkaichi?).
MasenkoHA wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 2:28 pm If the Z and GT dubs are someone trying to serve you literal crap on a plate, OG Dragon Ball’s dub is being served undercooked food.
Ehh.

Z and GT are someone serving you a steak that's been burned to a crisp and then covered in shitty American cheese. DB is a steak that's burned to a crisp, served with a rather nice blue cheese sauce. Yes, it's actually served with an appropriate sauce unlike the other one, but it's still an inedible bastardisation of something that should be really great.
The point of Dragon Ball is to enjoy it. Never lose sight of that.

User avatar
eledoremassis02
I Live Here
Posts: 4153
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:40 pm

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by eledoremassis02 » Wed Aug 19, 2020 2:44 pm

Robo4900 wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 2:35 pm Z and GT are someone serving you a steak that's been burned to a crisp and then covered in shitty American cheese. DB is a steak that's burned to a crisp, served with a rather nice blue cheese sauce. Yes, it's actually served with an appropriate sauce unlike the other one, but it's still an inedible bastardisation of something that should be really great.
Shredded with the finnest brick of cheese at that
Image

I'm sorry, its the first visual that popped in my head lol

User avatar
MasenkoHA
Born 'n Bred Here
Posts: 6191
Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2017 9:38 pm

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by MasenkoHA » Wed Aug 19, 2020 2:58 pm

Robo4900 wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 2:35 pm
I'd call that a small victory, but fair enough.
It shouldn’t be a victory at all, but when Funimation not only replaced the music for the other two series but gave them musical ear rape soundtracks? Thank Heavens for small favors that they left the music alone

They did, though. They constantly added lines like episode 1's "I really don't like to hurt anybody but he gave me no choice!"
There was definitely instances of Goku being given dialog that Goku would never say but none of that “sword of injustice” or “Hope of the universe” crap. For the most part Goku’s character was left as it “a bumpkin whose naive to the world around him who just wants to fight and get stronger” it was a far better representation of Goku’s character than Z and GT.
Eh. Again, I don't think this is a big one. It helps make sure the tone isn't completely wrong like it is in Z and GT, but it's still a very unfaithful dub that constantly gets basic plot and characterisations wrong (anyone else remember Goku's "Sometimes my head doesn't know what I'm saying. Good thing my heart does." from the 23rd Tenkaichi?).
Again, I would never call it a good dub just not as bad as the other two. It’s relatively better, but, judged by its own merits it is pretty bad and certainly worse than even Super, which itself panders way too much to the Abridged crowd. If we’re ranking the dubs Funi did with no help from BLT or Saban or Ocean or Pioneer

1. Kai

2. Kai TFC
3. Super



4. Dragon Ball


5. GT
6. Z


Z and GT are someone serving you a steak that's been burned to a crisp and then covered in shitty American cheese. DB is a steak that's burned to a crisp, served with a rather nice blue cheese sauce. Yes, it's actually served with an appropriate sauce unlike the other one, but it's still an inedible bastardisation of something that should be really great.
Better analogy than mine :)

Kakacarrottop
OMG CRAZY REGEN
Posts: 935
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2014 11:34 pm
Location: Australia

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by Kakacarrottop » Wed Aug 19, 2020 9:09 pm

JulieYBM wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:29 pm This whole situation reminded me of this 1996 student project by Adam Campetti that was originally on YouTube ten years ago. Barry and Byron Watson are interviewed in it and it's just the quaintest thing in the world. Have fun returning to 1996! https://youtu.be/4dIW_IfhWgc
They mention that the show is moving to Cartoon Network in September, so those interviews would have taken place in 1998 or late 1997. The guy who originally uploaded it must have gotten the date confused.

Also, Barry Watson sounds completely different to how I imagined him sounding.
"I will literally dress as Goku and walk around jumping up and down, pretending to fly, in public if this ever gets an official release"

- ShadowDude112 on Ocean's Kai dub

User avatar
Robo4900
I Live Here
Posts: 4382
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2016 2:24 pm
Location: In another time and place...

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by Robo4900 » Thu Aug 20, 2020 12:29 pm

Kakacarrottop wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 9:09 pm
JulieYBM wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:29 pm This whole situation reminded me of this 1996 student project by Adam Campetti that was originally on YouTube ten years ago. Barry and Byron Watson are interviewed in it and it's just the quaintest thing in the world. Have fun returning to 1996! https://youtu.be/4dIW_IfhWgc
They mention that the show is moving to Cartoon Network in September, so those interviews would have taken place in 1998 or late 1997. The guy who originally uploaded it must have gotten the date confused.
Also, Barry Watson sounds completely different to how I imagined him sounding.
I noticed that too.

I also noticed that they said they received film from Japan, had it transferred to digital beta tape in Dallas, and worked from that...

So, did Funi actually receive film of DBZ in the early days?... It would certainly explain why the pre-in-house digibeta episodes had a certain filmic crispness that the in-house digibeta episodes are lacking. Particularly, it would explain why the Ultimate Uncut DVDs look so much like standard-def Levels.
The point of Dragon Ball is to enjoy it. Never lose sight of that.

User avatar
eledoremassis02
I Live Here
Posts: 4153
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 5:40 pm

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by eledoremassis02 » Thu Aug 20, 2020 1:40 pm

Robo4900 wrote: Thu Aug 20, 2020 12:29 pm
Kakacarrottop wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 9:09 pm
JulieYBM wrote: Wed Aug 19, 2020 1:29 pm This whole situation reminded me of this 1996 student project by Adam Campetti that was originally on YouTube ten years ago. Barry and Byron Watson are interviewed in it and it's just the quaintest thing in the world. Have fun returning to 1996! https://youtu.be/4dIW_IfhWgc
They mention that the show is moving to Cartoon Network in September, so those interviews would have taken place in 1998 or late 1997. The guy who originally uploaded it must have gotten the date confused.
Also, Barry Watson sounds completely different to how I imagined him sounding.
I noticed that too.

I also noticed that they said they received film from Japan, had it transferred to digital beta tape in Dallas, and worked from that...

So, did Funi actually receive film of DBZ in the early days?... It would certainly explain why the pre-in-house digibeta episodes had a certain filmic crispness that the in-house digibeta episodes are lacking. Particularly, it would explain why the Ultimate Uncut DVDs look so much like standard-def Levels.
Interesting to see they got film for Z! Didnt they also get the first 13 or 15 episodes of Dragon Ball on film as well (maybe even the first film also)? I wonder why they got Dead Zone so early on.
Interestig comparing
Dead Zone extra vs. UUE
http://www.framecompare.com/image-compa ... n/91B2FNNU
World of DBZ vs Single
http://www.framecompare.com/image-compa ... n/91BMCNNU

User avatar
Robo4900
I Live Here
Posts: 4382
Joined: Mon Oct 03, 2016 2:24 pm
Location: In another time and place...

Re: Unreleased "Vendar" English dub of Dead Zone (Funimation/Ocean, 1996)

Post by Robo4900 » Thu Aug 20, 2020 3:00 pm

eledoremassis02 wrote: Thu Aug 20, 2020 1:40 pm Interesting to see they got film for Z! Didnt they also get the first 13 or 15 episodes of Dragon Ball on film as well (maybe even the first film also)?
This quote would certainly suggest that. And indeed, the look of Funi's masters of DB change suddenly in the early tournament arc to something far less filmic.
eledoremassis02 wrote: Thu Aug 20, 2020 1:40 pm I wonder why they got Dead Zone so early on.
Probably they had Toei send them a bunch of the movies. IDK. It's certainly weird. Clearly they had DB movies 1-3 and Z movies 1-3 very early on.
eledoremassis02 wrote: Thu Aug 20, 2020 1:40 pm Interestig comparing
Dead Zone extra vs. UUE
http://www.framecompare.com/image-compa ... n/91B2FNNU
World of DBZ vs Single
http://www.framecompare.com/image-compa ... n/91BMCNNU
Yes... I think Dead Zone and Arrival were produced in lower quality, basically mastered for VHS. Whereas World Of DBZ and UUE were mastered well into the dominance of DVD. So, I think the earlier releases were mastered on poor-quality analogue tape copies of their DigiBeta material, whereas the later releases were digital to digital, and thus higher-quality, and more filmic-looking.

Though, I suspect, assuming they received film for all of the 68 episodes used for Saban footage, that they downgraded to shittier transfer equipment after the first Z episode, as the quality goes down a few notches. But it's not as grain-free or generally shitty as their in-house episodes would be.

It's known that their in-house episodes were sourced from Spanish tapes shipped from Mexico, whereas their Saban and BLT episodes, they got video from Toei (which, now, seems to have been from film).
The thing I now wonder is whether their film of Z 69-291 came from Mexico?... Perhaps they realised they have the first 68 and asked the Mexican distributor if they still had their film of the other episodes, and bought that so they could get new transfers of all 291 episodes, which -- sadly -- ended up being botched to make the Orange Bricks, and the other, later, sets. That, or perhaps they just had new prints struck by Toei. Either way, it would explain why Funi's film past the Saiyan/Namek saga seems to be of lower quality than the earlier stuff; it was sent to them completely separately from the earlier stuff!

Anyway, all this info would suggest Funi at least have film of DB 1-15 lying around, so they could have done those in HD. And probably they could have acquired DB 16-153 on film alongside Z too, and had all of the Toriyama-based run for HD release... But they chose not to. >_<
The point of Dragon Ball is to enjoy it. Never lose sight of that.

Post Reply