The Funimation dub of Dragon Ball is absolutely marvellous!

[Iberian_Saiyan]

Hey guys, I've been multi-tasking today and while doing so I was listening to the Funi dub of Dragon Ball which I have to say is wonderful. The OP's dubbed (love the English version of Makafushi Adventure), episodes' dubbing was really well done, accurate (I'd still go back and watch with the subs used for the Japanese version to compare) and it kept the jokes (e.g. "it's impolite to swear" ). Stephanie did a stunning job.

Also, now I know why Karin's "Korin" thanks to Puahr. Here's the quotes of Puahr trying to explain the name Korin to Gokou:

Puahr: You know, Korin sounds like corn.
Puahr: That's the joke.

It makes more sense now and it's not just an unnecessary switch of the 'a' word to the 'o'.

P.S. Hope that Funimation never decides to redub Dragon Ball and seeing how DB's not their cashcow but Z it's very unlikely it'll ever happen.

[Geekdom101]

Marvelous is not really the word I'd use. Maybe... Better than the original Z?

[Bansho64]

It's certainly an improvement over the original Z dub. I'd give it a 4/10 honestly. Its combination of mediocore acting and a fairly accurate script makes it a way better dub than. It's certainly one of the good dubs Funimation did for Dragon Ball back in the 2000s. It's also the one time that I actually started to like Stephanie Nadolny a little. I still greatly disliked Tiffany Volmer though.

[ShaneisMC]

Better than Z. Z outright failed, or at best was worthy of a D during its better parts. Dragon Ball i'd say was somewhere around a D+ to a C-. It was passable. It wasn't outright awful and I certainly can watch it without feeling the need to cringe constantly. However the script adaptation was still relatively poor and the script censoring in certain parts trying to hide what was actually happening on screen would really piss me off, and the acting in general by some of the actors was still pretty meh. But some were also pretty good too. So yeah, thankfully I do find it marginally passable. Considering I doubt we will ever receive an official Dragon Ball Kai i'm happy I got that fan cut of the series so that once we finally get the Buu arc of Kai over here I can fairly comfortably watch the entire series in a Kai format in english.

[Gaffer Tape]

Also, now I know why Karin's "Korin" thanks to Puahr. Here's the quotes of Puahr trying to explain the name Korin to Gokou:

Puahr: You know, Korin sounds like corn.
Puahr: That's the joke.

It makes more sense now and it's not just an unnecessary switch of the 'a' word to the 'o'.

You know, they dubbed that perhaps six years after they'd changed his name, so I really doubt that was actually their reasoning. At least, I sincerely hope the writers weren't sitting around in 1996 and went, "Hey, I know we already called him Karin in one episode (and, yes, they did, in case anyone is not aware), but wouldn't it be so much funnier if his name sounded like corn?" "THE COMEDY WRITES ITSELF!"

[Blade]

I'd say of the three old anime's (pre-Kai) it's the most competent product on the whole, but isn't without a number of serious flaws.

Some of the acting performances of the main cast are better than others, but I guess it's then that you move into the realm of subjectivity. Some people just don't like Mike McFarland's Roshi, but I think he's a pretty good fit.

[TheKingOfKamehamehas]

I'd say of the three old anime's (pre-Kai) it's the most competent product on the whole, but isn't without a number of serious flaws.

Some of the acting performances of the main cast are better than others, but I guess it's then that you move into the realm of subjectivity. Some people just don't like Mike McFarland's Roshi, but I think he's a pretty good fit.

I like McFarland when he is doing comedy as Master Roshi, but he really doesn't know how to portray the serious side of him. He always sounds a little bit too happy when sad moments happen.

[LordCrumb]

The English version of the theme song is my favorite of all time. It's just such a nice tune and totally fits with the show.

The dubbing of the episodes is awesome imo. I love all the voice actors and really feel they put great effort and heart into their performances. Chris Sabat as Yamcha is probably the best out of the lot, followed very closely by Stephanie Nadolny.

[Kuririn Fan]

Still far from the quality and accuracy of the original and they removed almost all of the insert songs. Also, a lot of sexual content is censored and some of the voice actors are causing ear bleeding. Still, it's far better than Z dub ofc.

[LordCrumb]

Still far from the quality and accuracy of the original and they removed almost all of the insert songs. Also, a lot of sexual content is censored and some of the voice actors are causing ear bleeding. Still, it's far better than Z dub ofc.

They had no choice, they couldn't get the rights... so it's hardly a mark against them for that.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Great dubbed opening and ending songs, great narrator (who sounds like the Japanese one and not a wrestling announcer), and great Goku VA. Script inconsistencies and jokes that got lost in translation aside, it's miles ahead of DBZ.

[ABED]

I'd say the dub is about a C or C-. The script isn't as accurate as Kai, but not nearly as awful as Z. The actors had experience not just voice acting but as their characters and it all works the show's benefit. The narrator alone pushes the score up, but not enough that Nadolny doesn't bring it back down. She's awful and her Goku is even worse than her Gohan. Of all the dub voices that get praised, it's unfathomable to me why she gets any praise. There's not one thing about her performance that comes off as natural. This hurts the show so much because Goku is the main character.

I wouldn't hold jokes getting lost in translation against the dub. Something is going to get lost when adapting.

I would have to check, but I recall a handful episodes with scripts that are very close to the original.

[Ajay]

The narrator alone pushes the score up, but not enough that Nadolny doesn't bring it back down. She's awful and her Goku is even worse than her Gohan. Of all the dub voices that get praised, it's unfathomable to me why she gets any praise. There's not one thing about her performance that comes off as natural. This hurts the show so much because Goku is the main character.

Hit the nail on the head about how I feel about the dub.

Script issues aside (of which there are far more than most people seem to think), her voice for the character is dreadful.

Scratchy unlistenable garbage like her Gohan was. It really does blow my mind that a lot of fans seem to like her in that role.

[ShaneisMC]

I'd say the dub is about a C or C-. The script isn't as accurate as Kai, but not nearly as awful as Z. The actors had experience not just voice acting but as their characters and it all works the show's benefit. The narrator alone pushes the score up, but not enough that Nadolny doesn't bring it back down. She's awful and her Goku is even worse than her Gohan. Of all the dub voices that get praised, it's unfathomable to me why she gets any praise. There's not one thing about her performance that comes off as natural. This hurts the show so much because Goku is the main character.

I wouldn't hold jokes getting lost in translation against the dub. Something is going to get lost when adapting.

I would have to check, but I recall a handful episodes with scripts that are very close to the original.

I find that to be an interesting perspective. Personally I came at her from the opposite approach. I thought that if either role were to be presented for her that she makes a much better candidate for Goku than for Gohan due to the differences in their characters. Her voice seemed to me to be more fitting of Gokus rougher more adventurous personality whereas with Gohan being a much more mild mannered boy I really like how Colleen gave him that softer and more of a little/young boy sound to him. In either case I certainly wish she could have gotten some better training/directing/coaching, whatever necessary to help out. Idk about others but I dont like the idea of having both characters having the same voice. Ideally to me Colleen is Gohan, and Stephanie with practice and now more experienced directing would reprise Goku. But perhaps a better candidate is out there. Idk.

[Nightmare Wheel]

I would say it's more of a mixed bag. There are plenty of good performances, but plenty of awful ones as well. It also has some lingering problems from the Z dub, such as heavily overusing Chris Sabat or nonsensical names changes, like turning the Crane Hermit into Shen and turning the actual Shen into Hero.

[NitroEX]

Overall it isn't bad but I don't think DB is all that hard to dub in comparison to the scenes in Z. In regards to performances I find questionable; I think Sabat's King Piccolo is very unfitting for his early DB design. His Piccolo voice is in full ogre mode and it doesn't sound the least bit demonic or intelligent.

Had McNeil been given the chance to dub King Piccolo outside of a few flashbacks I'm sure he would have been better suited for that role.

[Nightmare Wheel]

Overall it isn't bad but I don't think DB is all that hard to dub in comparison to the scenes in Z. In regards to performances I find questionable; I think Sabat's King Piccolo is very unfitting for his early DB design. His Piccolo voice is in full ogre mode and it doesn't sound the least bit demonic or intelligent.

Had McNeil been given the chance to dub King Piccolo outside of a few flashbacks I'm sure he would have been better suited for that role.

There's always Mike Shepherd from the Blue Water dub if you're looking for a less ogre-y Piccolo. The Blue Water dub's writing for Piccolo is a little weird though.

[Deathbringer]

The dub of Fullmetal Alchemist/FMA Brotherhood is absolutely marvellous
The dub of Cowboy Bebop is absolutely marvellous
The dub of Baccano is absolutely marvellous
The dub of Dragon Ball is...erm...better than the dub of DBZ at least

I don't want to rain on your parade though, if you love the dub of DB that's fine don't let me stop you. That dub was a step in the right direction, they may have butchered some character names but they kept the original music and some of the episodes have an accurate script (I remember reading in a thread someone once mentioned around episode 14 or something they suddenly started using an accurate translation but then they stopped after a few episodes).

I also don't hate the name Korin obviously Karin would be better but compared to their dumb mistake of giving the Crane Hermit a new name (although they often refer to him as the Crane Hermit I don't know why they felt they HAD to give him a "real name") that they accidentally stole from a character that appears later on, causing them to have to pick a new name for him, it's not that bad.

[Geekdom101]

The dub of Fullmetal Alchemist/FMA Brotherhood is absolutely marvellous
The dub of Cowboy Bebop is absolutely marvellous
The dub of Baccano is absolutely marvellous
The dub of Dragon Ball is...erm...better than the dub of DBZ at least

I don't want to rain on your parade though, if you love the dub of DB that's fine don't let me stop you. That dub was a step in the right direction, they may have butchered some character names but they kept the original music and some of the episodes have an accurate script (I remember reading in a thread someone once mentioned around episode 14 or something they suddenly started using an accurate translation but then they stopped after a few episodes).

I also don't hate the name Korin obviously Karin would be better but compared to their dumb mistake of giving the Crane Hermit a new name (although they often refer to him as the Crane Hermit I don't know why they felt they HAD to give him a "real name") that they accidentally stole from a character that appears later on, causing them to have to pick a new name for him, it's not that bad.

You said almost exactly what I was thinking.

[Iberian_Saiyan]

The English version of the theme song is my favorite of all time. It's just such a nice tune and totally fits with the show.

The dubbing of the episodes is awesome imo. I love all the voice actors and really feel they put great effort and heart into their performances. Chris Sabat as Yamcha is probably the best out of the lot, followed very closely by Stephanie Nadolny.

True. Just a shame Dragon Ball's so underappreciated by the American fanbase.