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

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

Post by Aim » Mon Jan 10, 2022 9:30 am

Title. Not much else to say, though I have always wondered what they thought. Are there any Japanese forums similar to Kanzenshuu where the fans discuss things as in depth as us?

I would love to know what they think of the Funi openings of Dragon Ball and dub overall.

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

Post by Dragon Ball Ireland » Mon Jan 10, 2022 1:47 pm

I'm not sure what they think about the dub casts, scripting, etc, although from what I've heard they like the Faulconer score but not the wall-to-wall placement (which is very uncommon in Japan) and they don't understand why the music was replaced in the first place.

Some of their responses have been documented on Nico Nico Douga and 2ch:
"They should have hired him for Kai." (Faulconer Productions' score)
"Sounds cinematic." (Mark Menza's score for the first Broly movie)
"It's cooler than Kikuchi's which sounds like old samurai drama music."

"Too serious sounding for a kids show." (Nathan Johnson's score)
"American people must love something different than what we got."
"They really hate silence, don't they?"
"Why music never stops?"
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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by MasenkoHA » Mon Jan 10, 2022 2:22 pm

There is going to be different opinions because Japan isn’t a hivemind. There isn’t a single opinion for all Japanese fans.

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

Post by DragonBallFoodie » Mon Jan 10, 2022 4:58 pm

This requires asking Japanese fans, either on this forum or elsewhere.

But I hope they think well of the dub.
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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by goku the krump dancer » Mon Jan 10, 2022 7:50 pm

Dragon Ball Ireland wrote: Mon Jan 10, 2022 1:47 pm I'm not sure what they think about the dub casts, scripting, etc, although from what I've heard they like the Faulconer score but not the wall-to-wall placement (which is very uncommon in Japan) and they don't understand why the music was replaced in the first place.

Some of their responses have been documented on Nico Nico Douga and 2ch:
"They should have hired him for Kai." (Faulconer Productions' score)
"Sounds cinematic." (Mark Menza's score for the first Broly movie)
"It's cooler than Kikuchi's which sounds like old samurai drama music."

"Too serious sounding for a kids show." (Nathan Johnson's score)
"American people must love something different than what we got."
"They really hate silence, don't they?"
"Why music never stops?"
Seems like they have the same general thoughts as us over here.
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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by Dragon Ball Ireland » Mon Jan 10, 2022 8:37 pm

MasenkoHA wrote: Mon Jan 10, 2022 2:22 pm There is going to be different opinions because Japan isn’t a hivemind. There isn’t a single opinion for all Japanese fans.
Yeah, while the comments I quoted above are interesting they should not be taken as any more than the voices of a loud minority at best as foreign dubs to Japanese Dragon Ball fans, by and large, are but a mere curiosity. They don't think about these things the same way people like us that grew up with, and had our initial impressions of the show influenced by the English dubs do. Japanese fans had a different experience, rather than both the English and Japanese versions being easily accessible to them they would have had to go out of their way to find the former. Granted there were clips of various dubs included on the Dragon Boxes, including the English dub, but it's not uncommon for your average DVD buyer to not look at the special features, I'd go as far as to say its the norm.

I'm sure they are out there. There are plenty of Dragon Ball fans that have seen the series in various different languages, and collect dubs. Our own kei17 is one of them. There are likely other Japanese fans that are super hardcore into Dragon Ball and would check out the English dub, but they would be more the equivalent of the American fan who watches the Tagalog, Valencian or Kurdish dubs, a niche within the fandom, not your average fan.
Last edited by Dragon Ball Ireland on Mon Jan 10, 2022 8:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by Thouser » Mon Jan 10, 2022 8:38 pm

There’s a video on YouTube that translates some of the more infamous classic Funimation dub moments into Japanese, which has some interesting comments from Japanese fans.

https://youtu.be/PTZfG-pAwt8

Some examples:

“I roared with laughter at Goku’s speech.”

“This is beyond awful lmao. I hope the gravity and coolness of Bardock’s last scene is conveyed to overseas fans 😂

“Also, the level of the Japanese voice actors is completely different.”

“So Bardock was a scientist? LOL”

“Goku’s dialogue has an American comics feeling.”

“Even so, the overseas Dragon Ball music is really good.”

“Freeza’s voice is so bad LMAO”

A few commenters said Goku’s speech made him sound “chuunibyou” (basically like a “cringy” middle schooler trying to sound cool).
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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by Adamant » Mon Jan 10, 2022 10:44 pm

Some shitty dub from one country is thankfully not "the west's version of Dragon Ball", and thank god for that.
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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by Vijay » Tue Jan 11, 2022 12:57 am

DragonBallFoodie wrote: Mon Jan 10, 2022 4:58 pm This requires asking Japanese fans, either on this forum or elsewhere.

But I hope they think well of the dub.
I'm Japanese fan of the show. I always feel Jap version vastly outclasses western/Funimation its hilarious to even draw a comparison.

Og DB, DBZ dub in particular in hilarious. While there were significant improvement over the years with dbgt, kai, super, bog, rof, super...u get it...that doesnt excuse the fact their voice casts, pool of talent & respect towards thr character & source material (name changes/dialogue & line alterations/characterizations) by West/Funi is supposed to be lapped or appreciated by Jp fans

I kinda enjoy 1% of entire westernized version for various reasons included (1 or 2 musical scores/bgm & voices thats abt it)

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

Post by Cure Dragon 255 » Tue Jan 11, 2022 3:50 am

Kei is also a Japanese fan and as far as I can tell he doesnt like the Funimation dub.
Marz wrote: Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:27 pm "Well, the chapter was good, the story was good and so were the fights. But a new transformation, in Dragon Ball? And one that's ugly? This is where we draw the line!!! Jump the Shark moment!!"

This forum is so over-dramatic that it's not even funny.
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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by Dragon Ball Ireland » Tue Jan 11, 2022 6:40 am

Cure Dragon 255 wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 3:50 am Kei is also a Japanese fan and as far as I can tell he doesnt like the Funimation dub.
If memory serves Kei said he doesn't like the constant music playing in the dub or Funimation's history of making the show too cheesy and "badass" for teens and thinks it ruined Toriyama's more universal appeal, which is broadly how a lot of hardcore western fans feel.

I also recall Kei saying he prefers the Westwood dub because it captures the adventurous feel of Dragon Ball a lot more than Funimation's version, but he wasn't a huge fan of the score (though I think he was referring to its placement moreso than the music itself) until later in the Boo arc when Keenlyside and Mitchell started composing some original tracks.
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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by Aim » Tue Jan 11, 2022 7:13 am

Cure Dragon 255 wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 3:50 am Kei is also a Japanese fan and as far as I can tell he doesnt like the Funimation dub.
Wow! Kei apparently knows Knewsky… I really want to know more about him o.O

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

Post by Aim » Tue Jan 11, 2022 7:19 am

Vijay wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 12:57 am
DragonBallFoodie wrote: Mon Jan 10, 2022 4:58 pm This requires asking Japanese fans, either on this forum or elsewhere.

But I hope they think well of the dub.
I'm Japanese fan of the show. I always feel Jap version vastly outclasses western/Funimation its hilarious to even draw a comparison.

Og DB, DBZ dub in particular in hilarious. While there were significant improvement over the years with dbgt, kai, super, bog, rof, super...u get it...that doesnt excuse the fact their voice casts, pool of talent & respect towards thr character & source material (name changes/dialogue & line alterations/characterizations) by West/Funi is supposed to be lapped or appreciated by Jp fans

I kinda enjoy 1% of entire westernized version for various reasons included (1 or 2 musical scores/bgm & voices thats abt it)
Do you think the English scores outmatch the Japanese in anyway?

I agree with the treatment Dragon Ball has gotten. Unfortunately there’s a monopoly on dubbing basically. No variation.

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

Post by Majin Buu » Tue Jan 11, 2022 10:13 am

Dragon Ball Ireland wrote: Mon Jan 10, 2022 8:37 pm Yeah, while the comments I quoted above are interesting they should not be taken as any more than the voices of a loud minority at best as foreign dubs to Japanese Dragon Ball fans, by and large, are but a mere curiosity.
This is what I expected. If Funimation's Dragon Ball was popular over there I think we would know by now (and Funimation dub fans would surely be using that as a point in the dub's favor in dub vs. sub debates).
Dragon Ball Ireland wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 6:40 am If memory serves Kei said he doesn't like the constant music playing in the dub or Funimation's history of making the show too cheesy and "badass" for teens and thinks it ruined Toriyama's more universal appeal, which is broadly how a lot of hardcore western fans feel.
He's right. Anecdotally, one of the reasons my wife hates Dragon Ball is because she finds the WWE-esque tone of the Z dub abrasive and off-putting; and this is despite liking Dragon Quest (a Toriyama involved franchise that's just as "arch" and "traditional" as Dragon Ball) and having an interest in Wuxia films (and stylistically, Dragon Ball is basically Dragon Quest but with Wuxia instead of medieval fantasy).

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

Post by Cure Dragon 255 » Tue Jan 11, 2022 10:25 am

Have you tried Kai?
Marz wrote: Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:27 pm "Well, the chapter was good, the story was good and so were the fights. But a new transformation, in Dragon Ball? And one that's ugly? This is where we draw the line!!! Jump the Shark moment!!"

This forum is so over-dramatic that it's not even funny.
90sDBZ wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2019 2:44 pm19 years ago I was rushing home from school to watch DBZ on Cartoon Network, and today I've rushed home from work to watch DBS on Pop. I guess it's true the more things change the more they stay the same. :lol:

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

Post by Majin Buu » Tue Jan 11, 2022 10:30 am

Cure Dragon 255 wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 10:25 am Have you tried Kai?
If you're referring to me, I haven't even watched Kai and personally don't care for it, let alone shown it to my wife.

Even then, I think the dub has fundamentally poisoned my wife's perception of Dragon Ball to the point that she'll never give any version of it a shot. I personally believe she would find original Japanese Dragon Ball less abrasive at minimum, but even then she likely still wouldn't love it.

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

Post by PurestEvil » Tue Jan 11, 2022 10:41 am

Majin Buu wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 10:30 am
Cure Dragon 255 wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 10:25 am Have you tried Kai?
If you're referring to me, I haven't even watched Kai and personally don't care for it, let alone shown it to my wife.

Even then, I think the dub has fundamentally poisoned my wife's perception of Dragon Ball to the point that she'll never give any version of it a shot. I personally believe she would find original Japanese Dragon Ball less abrasive at minimum, but even then she likely still wouldn't love it.
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Re: What does the Japanese fandom think of the West’s version of Dragon Ball?

Post by TheGreatness25 » Tue Jan 11, 2022 11:21 am

I tried getting the wife into Dragon Ball, but I don't think it would be easy to sell her on watching the whole thing in subtitles. As it were, we got through to the Red Ribbon stuff (the dub) and she tapped out. She seemed to like the story, but it was too much of an ask to go through the whole series. I get itrecently, I tried sharing some key emotional moments like Goku sacrificing himself against Cell and Vegeta blowing himself up. This was, of course, through the dub. Now, I haven't watched the Z dub in some time and... jeez. I can't believe that I ever watched it like that. Even worse, I can't believe that someone let it get released. It's just so... bad. Maybe it would've been more fitting with the Faulconer score as intended, but damn, it was bad.

It's kind of sad that this is the legacy we leave behind for this great series in the west, but you know what? It will never change the Japanese version.

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

Post by MasenkoHA » Tue Jan 11, 2022 11:38 am

TheGreatness25 wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 11:21 am I tried getting the wife into Dragon Ball, but I don't think it would be easy to sell her on watching the whole thing in subtitles. As it were, we got through to the Red Ribbon stuff (the dub) and she tapped out. She seemed to like the story, but it was too much of an ask to go through the whole series.
Understandable. The original Dragon Ball by itself is 153 episodes. That’s an investment of anyone’s time especially if they never watched the series before. These days most shows I get into don’t go past 80-90 episodes. Given the shows that get the most attention tend to be 8-13 episodes a season it’s understandable someone would tire of Dragon Ball nearly 70 episodes in.
Maybe it would've been more fitting with the Faulconer score as intended, but damn, it was bad.
.
Common opinion is the dub works best with its music but I always felt the exact opposite. The American score is so loud and screaming for your attention and not…good that combined with the amateur acting of the Texas cast in the Freeza and Cell sagas it creates a symphony of ear bleeding cringe. But since I just plain don’t like 98 percent of the music Funimation came up with, I’m not the best person to ask compared to a fan with more neutral opinions.

Majin Buu wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 10:30 am
Cure Dragon 255 wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 10:25 am Have you tried Kai?
If you're referring to me, I haven't even watched Kai and personally don't care for it, let alone shown it to my wife.
Fans really do need to stop acting like an improved English dub makes Kai good or worth watching. Gohan and Freeza having more appropriate English voices doesn’t cancel out everything wrong with Kai as a shallow recut

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

Post by Dragon Ball Ireland » Tue Jan 11, 2022 12:25 pm

I brought my wife (then girlfriend) to see Super Broly when it was in theatres. Probably not the best introduction to Dragon Ball because its such a fan service fest, she's also very much a girly girl (kinda ironic but I always more attracted to them than nerdy girls) so there wasn't much to like. She said she will give it a go, so will try again with something different, like Path to Power.
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