What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

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Majin Buu
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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by Majin Buu » Wed Jan 26, 2022 1:18 pm

Aim wrote: Wed Jan 26, 2022 1:38 am I see. When Japanese fans hear the voice cast speak, particularly Kuririn and Goku, do they recognize those voices as female, or male? Like, is it considered weird by some that a woman is playing a character like Son Goku?
Kei has already addressed this:
kei17 wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 4:58 pm Most of the DB fans in Japan do not even care about foreign versions of the franchise simply because there's no need to do so, but from what I've been seen and heard, their reactions are mainly about how Goku sounds weird with male voice actors.
So it's the other way around, based on that. Most Japanese fans think Goku sounds weird with male voice actors.
Just something that’s interesting, because most western fans hate that Goku sounds the way he does in Japanese.
Most western fans' ideas of what a fictional weirdo manchild that likes fighting should sound like are very narrow.

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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by WittyUsername » Wed Jan 26, 2022 7:30 pm

Saying that most Western fans hate Nozawa’s Goku sounds like a big exaggeration at this point. Her performance was definitely controversial among fans who were introduced to the series through the English dub in the past, but post-Super, it seems that a lot more people have warmed up to it.

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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by Aim » Thu Jan 27, 2022 12:21 am

kei17 wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 4:58 pm Most of the DB fans in Japan do not even care about foreign versions of the franchise simply because there's no need to do so, but from what I've been seen and heard, their reactions are mainly about how Goku sounds weird with male voice actors. Also I've seen a few people saying the Faulconer score has more modern feelings and is somewhat cooler. Such people's opinions are based on only short clips shown in foreign dub comparison videos, though. I bet they'd probably change their mind if they got to know its mickey mousing type of scoring.

Aside from the fandom, Blue Popo in the CW version of Kai seems to be well known in the Japanese-speaking world of the Internet through my blog, and it's sometimes cited as an extreme example of political correctness in America.
This was meant for you;
I see. When Japanese fans hear the voice cast speak, particularly Kuririn and Goku, do they recognize those voices as female, or male? Like, is it considered weird by some that a woman is playing a character like Son Goku? With the voice of Gohan and Goten, I’ve noticed myself I can tell them apart without seeing them, just by hearing them, can Japanese people do this as well?

Just something that’s interesting, because most western fans hate that Goku sounds the way he does in Japanese.

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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by Aim » Thu Jan 27, 2022 12:24 am

Vijay wrote: Wed Jan 26, 2022 3:09 am
Aim wrote: Wed Jan 26, 2022 1:38 am
Vijay wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 3:00 pm

Suprisingly yes. Few dbgt scores esp in Baby, Super 17 & Shadow Dragon Saga had some notable if not superior scores compared to japanese version with apt placing

I dont remember the score names, but Episode 22 frm dbgt had great score & outclasses its japanese counterpart durin the entire Baby's revival & action sequence

Likewise in Episode 59, Goku KHH + Dragon Fistin Omega, or Veggie & Goku power-up as SSJ4 to Omega..those sequences had amazing Funi score outclassin its japanese counterpart

But it applies only for dbgt & super. As most japanese score in dbgt & dbs were pretty jarring/weird imo due to wrong placing & unexciting score in general...even the battle theme is so-so. Guess its due to change in composer to Akihito Tokunaga in dbgt

But in og DB & DBZ, Shunsuku Kikuchi was Emperor👑 his scores reign supreme till date
I see. When Japanese fans hear the voice cast speak, particularly Kuririn and Goku, do they recognize those voices as female, or male? Like, is it considered weird by some that a woman is playing a character like Son Goku? With the voice of Gohan and Goten, I’ve noticed myself I can tell them apart without seeing them, just by hearing them, can Japanese people do this as well?

Just something that’s interesting, because most western fans hate that Goku sounds the way he does in Japanese.
Just to clarify, I'm Msian/Singaporean. Just a fan of japanese version as I've watched it for more than decade. Seems to be some misunderstandin goin om here...Unlike Kei, I'm not a Japanese fan who stayed in Japan etc.

That bein said, I absolutely adore how Nozawa-san does impeccable job as Goku, Gohan, Goten esp when those characters interact among each other.
Ah I see, thank you. I’ll have to send that reply to Kei then
WittyUsername wrote: Wed Jan 26, 2022 7:30 pm Saying that most Western fans hate Nozawa’s Goku sounds like a big exaggeration at this point. Her performance was definitely controversial among fans who were introduced to the series through the English dub in the past, but post-Super, it seems that a lot more people have warmed up to it.
For sure, but there’s still that unfortunate hate that you see spill out sometimes, and you can tell it really festers. It was way worse before Super though.

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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by TheGreatness25 » Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:03 am

I never got the Nozawa hate. I was first exposed to her performance as Goku in 1999 through Dragon Ball Z: The Great Dragon Ball Legend and Final Bout. I knew that the series was Japanese, but I never heard anything from it until then. And I was a kid at the time. My reaction? "That's how Goku sounds? Hm." And then I got used to it after playing for like 20 minutes.

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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by Majin Buu » Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:07 am

Aim wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 12:24 am For sure, but there’s still that unfortunate hate that you see spill out sometimes, and you can tell it really festers. It was way worse before Super though.
True, it's definitely better now; but it still exists (and unfortunately, probably always will).
TheGreatness25 wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:03 am I never got the Nozawa hate. I was first exposed to her performance as Goku in 1999 through Dragon Ball Z: The Great Dragon Ball Legend and Final Bout. I knew that the series was Japanese, but I never heard anything from it until then. And I was a kid at the time. My reaction? "That's how Goku sounds? Hm." And then I got used to it after playing for like 20 minutes.
This was my experience to a tee, right down to my first real exposure to Japanese Goku being the PS1 video games (Ultimate Battle 22 and Legends for me). "This is how Goku sounds in Japanese" was as much thought as I gave it, and I was a kid that knew nothing about anime or Japanese culture at the time.

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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by MasenkoHA » Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:12 am

TheGreatness25 wrote: Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:03 am I never got the Nozawa hate. I was first exposed to her performance as Goku in 1999 through Dragon Ball Z: The Great Dragon Ball Legend and Final Bout. I knew that the series was Japanese, but I never heard anything from it until then. And I was a kid at the time. My reaction? "That's how Goku sounds? Hm." And then I got used to it after playing for like 20 minutes.
I don’t think it was really a thing until around 2008 maybe? The Granny Goku comments is always those fans telling on themselves they’re never heard her performance and just base their opinions on seeing a picture of Masako Nozawa.

My first time hearing Nozawa’s Goku was watching Dead Zone subbed when I got that 5 movie pack and I never thought it sounded off. It was just Goku’s Japanese voice.

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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by Dragon Ball Ireland » Thu Jan 27, 2022 10:17 am

WittyUsername wrote: Wed Jan 26, 2022 7:30 pm Saying that most Western fans hate Nozawa’s Goku sounds like a big exaggeration at this point. Her performance was definitely controversial among fans who were introduced to the series through the English dub in the past, but post-Super, it seems that a lot more people have warmed up to it.
Yeah, I think for fans who were eager to see the Goku Black stuff and had no reference point for how that character should sound, hearing Nozawa's portrayal before any other did wonders. When they heard how Nozawa's Black sounded they loved it and ended up being disappointed with Schemmel's portrayal, especially the British accent he used for the Rose form.

I do still hear some fans saying they can't stand Nozawa's portrayal, and they are the kind who otherwise near exclusively watch anime subbed. Though they are not as prevalent as they used to be.
Do you have any info about international non-English broadcasts about the Dragon Ball anime or manga translations/editions? Please message me. Researching for a future book with Dragon Ball scholar Derek Padula :thumbup:

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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by TheGreatness25 » Thu Jan 27, 2022 12:51 pm

Ultimately, I don't think that someone could build an opinion on something like that based on a small sample size. This works both ways (Japanese people hearing parts of the Funimation dub). It's easy to dismiss something that's unfamiliar as "inferior." For me, my very first exposure to Dragon Ball was through the Ocean dubbed really portion of Z. And I always loved it. It's not great--particularly the dialog, the replacement music, etc. But, I think that the acting is great.

And then, we got the Funimation in-house dub and I watched that for so long, that when I heard the Canadian/UK Ocean dub, it sounded "weird." End I dismissed it as "rushed" and whatnot. But honestly, having sat down and watched it all the way Enright, I like it more than Funimation's in-house dub for Z. And now, as so much time passed without watching Funimation’s Z, I went back to check it out and it's almost unbearable and now, there's no doubt that I prefer the Ocean dub to Funimation's.

In any event, that's my super roundabout way of saying that I think that it's a human trait to gravitate to the familiar thing. That's natural. But, where we can be better, is recognizing that in us and giving ourselves an opportunity to really take in the different thing.

I bet that most people who have a problem with Nozawa's voice haven't watched 10 episodes in Japanese.

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