What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

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TheBlackPaladin
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What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by TheBlackPaladin » Wed Apr 06, 2016 11:59 pm

So, it would seem that for a while now, there has been a rise in popularity with the terms "Kai 1.0" (referring to Kai before the Buu arc) and "Kai 2.0," (referring to the Buu arc of Kai). Since the intended "tone" of an internet post is not always clear, let me be perfectly clear, the terms "Kai 1.0" and "Kai 2.0" truly don't bother me that much in the grand scheme of things. I don't mean to sound like I'm making a huge deal out of something trivial, and I'm not offended by them at all...

...But I have to admit, while I'm not offended by them, I do find them kind of odd. I don't hate them, I'm just confused as to how they caught on, for several reasons. Among them...

-It's the same show. It's not like they're dramatically different shows. To hear them differentiated that way almost implies that they're different shows.
-The only thing that was that different was the fact that Toei handled the restoration process for the Buu arc themselves, resulting in that weird green tint. Even the introduction of a different score from a different composer is (ironically enough) not new for Kai.
-What's with the inclusion of a decimal point? It's not like there's a "Kai 1.82." If one wanted to go that route, why not just "Kai II"? Sure, it implies that it's a different show, but that's still a problem one would have with the 1.0/2.0 naming scheme.

Now, of course, I'm not at all opposed to "fan slang." I know I (and countless other Dragon Ball fans) have casually tossed around the term "Ocean dub" before, even though it incorrectly implies that FUNimation had no involvement with the dub when it used the original English dub cast in Canada. Like I said, though, I'm just surprised this particular fan slang caught on.

Do you find yourself using those terms? If so, what do you like about them?
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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by Doctor. » Thu Apr 07, 2016 12:11 am

I don't particularly like it. 2.0 implies improvement over the first edition, Kai 2014 is in no way an improvement. I use it for convenience's sake.

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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by kei17 » Thu Apr 07, 2016 12:57 am

"Kai 2.0" sounds like an upgraded version of the first batch of Kai, but it isn't.

So then, how should we call the second batch of Kai? The Buu arc of Kai? Buu Kai? The Final Chapters? KFC? Just sayin' It'd be better if there's distinct terms for the two different versions: The international version aka Kai the Final Chapters and the Japanese version. Maybe version numbers would work for these, like "Buu Kai 1.0" for the international version and "Buu Kai 1.1" for the Japanese version.

For your information, Toei seems to have once used the title "Dragon Ball Kai 2" during the production, which can be seen in JASRAC's database.

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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by thaman91 » Thu Apr 07, 2016 2:10 am

I think "Kai 2.0" works. The numbering could just mean that it comes after Kai 1.0, not that it's necessarily an improvement. After all, many people considered Windows 8 to be worse than Windows 7, but the numbering still worked because 8 came after 7.

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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by kei17 » Thu Apr 07, 2016 2:42 am

thaman91 wrote:I think "Kai 2.0" works. The numbering could just mean that it comes after Kai 1.0, not that it's necessarily an improvement. After all, many people considered Windows 8 to be worse than Windows 7, but the numbering still worked because 8 came after 7.
The problem here is that version number is used to identify a specific generation of the same product/content. Buu Kai is a sequel. Not the same content with updated features. Windows 8 was named so because it's a new generation of the same OS as Win 7.

Kai as a whole can be called "Dragon Ball Z 2.0," though. In that case, "Dragon Ball Z Millennium Edition Alpha version" would suit better to me 'cause it's fucking unstable.

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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by Ajay » Thu Apr 07, 2016 6:35 am

It was first used long before we ever saw it, so I guess it was just a convenient way of referring to the next update of content.

Like... Here's Kai v1 or 1.0, it comes with episodes 1-98, now here's the content patch to bring it to completion i.e. Kai v2 or 2.0, as patch numbers generally work.

If we'd known the Boo arc was going to be wildly different in every conceivable way, I doubt it would have caught on.

I used to use Kai 2.0 religiously, but I've started using Boo Kai more these days.
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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by Iberian_Saiyan » Thu Apr 07, 2016 11:44 am

Kai 1.0 - The Original Kai Series
Kai 2.0 - The Final Chapters

It's not an improvement of any sort but a way to refer to the second part of the show because in no way did it receive the same treatment as the first half did. So, yes, my preferred way to refer to it is either "Kai 2.0" or "Kai: The Final Chapters". Rather go with the former just because it's shorter.

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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by thaman91 » Thu Apr 07, 2016 11:54 am

kei17 wrote: The problem here is that version number is used to identify a specific generation of the same product/content. Buu Kai is a sequel. Not the same content with updated features. Windows 8 was named so because it's a new generation of the same OS as Win 7.

Kai as a whole can be called "Dragon Ball Z 2.0," though. In that case, "Dragon Ball Z Millennium Edition Alpha version" would suit better to me 'cause it's fucking unstable.
I get what you're saying, but lots of things use numbers that aren't necessarily trying to imply a version upgrade, like movie titles. "Terminator 2" was a sequel to "Terminator", not an upgraded version of the original movie. This can apply to any movie with a number in it like: "Star Wars - Episode II", "Toy Story 2", "Halloween II", and the list goes on.

Unless you're saying that the decimal is what's implying a version upgrade. In that case, I guess you're right. Maybe we can call it "Kai 2" since it's a sequel to the original Kai.

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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by Lord Beerus » Thu Apr 07, 2016 12:12 pm

Doctor. wrote:I don't particularly like it. 2.0 implies improvement over the first edition, Kai 2014 is in no way an improvement. I use it for convenience's sake.
Yep, that's pretty much my stance on it too. Kai 2014/2.0/Majin Boo/Whatever-the-fuck is awful. And I only use that term for the sake of differentiation and convenience. Because zero fucks were given about that show.

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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by Kuririn Fan » Thu Apr 07, 2016 12:13 pm

Lord Beerus wrote:
Doctor. wrote:I don't particularly like it. 2.0 implies improvement over the first edition, Kai 2014 is in no way an improvement. I use it for convenience's sake.
Yep, that's pretty much my stance on it too. Kai 2014/2.0/Majin Boo/Whatever-the-fuck is awful. And I only use that term for the sake of differentiation and convenience. Because zero fucks were given about that show.
Zero fucks were given about Kai in general.

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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by Iberian_Saiyan » Thu Apr 07, 2016 12:21 pm

kei17 wrote:So then, how should we call the second batch of Kai? The Buu arc of Kai? Buu Kai? The Final Chapters? KFC?
No, it would be TFC.
Kuririn Fan wrote:Zero fucks were given about Kai in general.
Sadly that's the truth. Even when Funimation releases Kai 2.0 on Blu-ray/DVD not many will care.

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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by LuckyCat » Thu Apr 07, 2016 12:27 pm

Since the dawn of the information age, it's become a pop culture phenomenon to name the second version of a product 2.0. That's likely rooted in software/hardware release schemes, but popular usage throws the system, and therefore the intended meaning of the numbers out the window.

For example, Coffee 2.0 could be a clever way of marketing instant coffee to a younger crowd, although you're really selling an inferior form of regular coffee. Is Buu Kai Dragon Ball's instant coffee? I'll let you decide that.

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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by Kuririn Fan » Thu Apr 07, 2016 1:02 pm

Iberian_Saiyan wrote: No, it would be TFC.
Kai Final Chapters - KFC
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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by Iberian_Saiyan » Thu Apr 07, 2016 1:14 pm

Kuririn Fan wrote:Kai Final Chapters - KFC
Its a joke...
I know it was supposed to be a "joke" but no one would actually call it that.

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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by kei17 » Thu Apr 07, 2016 1:26 pm

As Doctor. pointed out, I too dislike the improved feeling that "2.0" has. It'd sound right if "Kai 2.0" referred to...

1) Kai with 159/167 episodes as a whole
2) A new edition of Kai with more upgraded features like 4K footage
3) The international version only (the JPN ver. as "Kai 2.1")

"Kai" used to refer the series with 98 episodes which lacks the Buu arc that Z and the manga have, so, with the completion, now Kai as a whole can be considered an upgraded version and referred to as "2.0". But calling the Buu arc alone "2.0" still bugs me a lot. I know I'm kinda stubborn here, but still. Let me suggest you that you call it simply "Kai 2" if you want numbering.


And Iberian_Saiyan, thank you for your harsh reaction. It really embarrasses me.

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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by DemonRin » Sat Apr 09, 2016 10:09 am

I tend to call it "Boo Kai" or "The Boo Arc of Kai", don't tend to use "2.0" here because... yeah, it's a continuation of the same product and was clearly handled differently.

I still appreciate the filler cutting, less filler in general is still a plus IMO, so overall like it as a result, but it's obvious less care was taken in the remastering and cutting of materials.... so yeah, I can see the "2.0" being misleading lol.

I really think it's just people wanting a quick and easy way to reference the two different versions. Someone must've coined "2.0" at some point and it just stuck somehow.
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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by Kuririn Fan » Sat Apr 09, 2016 10:53 am

Boo arc of Kai removed exactly fourth of the filler (92 to 69), compared to half of it in Saiyan - Cell arcs (199 to 98). You had one job, KFC, one job...

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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by Iberian_Saiyan » Sat Apr 09, 2016 9:49 pm

And Iberian_Saiyan, thank you for your harsh reaction. It really embarrasses me.
I'm sorry I don't find fast-food jokes funny.

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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by Ringworm128 » Thu Apr 21, 2016 11:22 pm

Am I the only one who just calls it all Dragonball Kai?

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Re: What's with the term, "Kai 2.0"?

Post by Kuririn Fan » Fri Apr 22, 2016 12:23 am

ringworm128 wrote:Am I the only one who just calls it all Dragonball Kai?
Of course not, i call it Dragon Ball Kai and Kanzenshuu calls it Kai.
Its real name IS Kai, Toei just added Z for international release.

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