What did you guys actually think of the heavy metal music in the DBZ movies in the 2000s?

[Man-Child]

I find the final product of the out of place music and the DBZ footage to be like some crappy AMV you'd find on youtube. The best example I can recall is Lord Slug. In the first act of the movie, you have Goku and Krillin being sent to blow up what they think is just a giant meteor that could destroy the earth when making impact. The scene as written is that of the heroes very seriously assessing the situation and trying to stop a threat (and failing, mind you), that could destroy the earth. Yet in the Funi version, they decided to add some random metal music that not only downplays the tone, but reduces the scene to "hardcore action is about to ensue!"

It doesn't help that up to that point, we'd had the great dub versions by Ocean that not only kept Kikuchi's memorable scores (the highlight of the movies for me, growing up), but faithful scripts as well.

[jumpshot22]

I find the final product of the out of place music and the DBZ footage to be like some crappy AMV you'd find on youtube. The best example I can recall is Lord Slug. In the first act of the movie, you have Goku and Krillin being sent to blow up what they think is just a giant meteor that could destroy the earth when making impact. The scene as written is that of the heroes very seriously assessing the situation and trying to stop a threat (and failing, mind you), that could destroy the earth. Yet in the Funi version, they decided to add some random metal music that not only downplays the tone, but reduces the scene to "hardcore action is about to ensue!"

It doesn't help that up to that point, we'd had the great dub versions by Ocean that not only kept Kikuchi's memorable scores (the highlight of the movies for me, growing up), but faithful scripts as well.

I just skimmed through the first Broly movie switching the audio back and forth and this is exactly how I felt too. With the replacement rock music, the Broly fight felt more like a fan made AMV than it did a high production Dragon Ball movie. The music feels so incredibly out of place that it is kind of hard to imagine that this is a real official release. Although I wouldn't personally enjoy it, I definitely think you could have put together a halfway decent replacement score using metal/rock music that would have appealed to a Western audience that was HUGE into that music at the time, but Funimation's audio choices and placement failed to deliver that.

[jjgp1112]

I'm more of a hip-hop guy myself, but I enjoyed the rock music in Movies 4, 5, and 8 quite a bit and those are my preferred viewing methods for those three movies. On the other hand, the rock music didn't work nearly as well in the Bardock special, but that's a whole other discussion pertaining to that special's dub quality.

Movie 5 especially had a pretty strong soundtrack, reaffirmed by how dull I find that movie's Japanese soundtrack to be.

[Soppa Saia People]

Agreed.

The heavy metal was better than Kikuchi's score?

Yes. Over 9000x better.

How ?
Personal, I didn't care for it, but I don't watch any Dragon Ball movie's.

[Draconic]

It doesn't help that whoever chose the songs has some pretty terrible taste in metal. I think instrumental metal (as it was the lyrics that ruined most of the scenes) could work with Dragon Ball if done right. However, Disturbed doesn't work with anything as it is a horrible band, much less Dragon Ball and even less with the shitty placement.
Pantera's 10s is a good song, I think, but also doesn't work with Broly's transformation sequence. Japanese soundtrack forever and always.
If you want metal in Dragon Ball get Yngwie Malmsteem or someone who can actually compose a song.

[LSSJGODSSJ4Gogeta]

The heavy metal was better than Kikuchi's score?

Yes. Over 9000x better.

How ?
Personal, I didn't care for it, but I don't watch any Dragon Ball movie's.

Songs fit the scene more and sound better. Weather in a scene or on their own. Much more energy.

[Hellspawn28]

It doesn't help that whoever chose the songs has some pretty terrible taste in metal. I think instrumental metal (as it was the lyrics that ruined most of the scenes) could work with Dragon Ball if done right. However, Disturbed doesn't work with anything as it is a horrible band, much less Dragon Ball and even less with the shitty placement.

I think Funimation just saw whatever type of rock band that was popular with today's market at the time and pick bands like Disturbed and Drowning Pool because they where big during the 2000's decade. In 2001 and 2002, songs like "Down With The Sickness" and "Let The Bodies Hit The Floor" where huge and almost every rock radio station played those songs. I know Disturbed still does pretty well today, but they are not as big as they used to be. I do feel bad for any parent that bought "The Sickness" for their kid because of DBZ and end up listing to "Down With The Sickness" .

[Draconic]

It doesn't help that whoever chose the songs has some pretty terrible taste in metal. I think instrumental metal (as it was the lyrics that ruined most of the scenes) could work with Dragon Ball if done right. However, Disturbed doesn't work with anything as it is a horrible band, much less Dragon Ball and even less with the shitty placement.

I think Funimation just saw whatever type of rock band that was popular with today's market at the time and pick bands like Disturbed and Drowning Pool because they where big during the 2000's decade. In 2001 and 2002, songs like "Down With The Sickness" and "Let The Bodies Hit The Floor" where huge and almost every rock radio station. I know Disturbed still does pretty well today, but they are not as big as they used to be. I do feel bad for any parent that bought "The Sickness" for their kid because of DBZ and end up listing to "Down With The Sickness" .

Yeah, you are probably right

[Rubens]

As a metal fan (and I love Disturbed too), I actually didn't like the inclusion of it in Dragon Ball Z movies mostly because the lyrics distracted from the characters dialogues. I mean, sure, when I feel like watching a specific fight I enjoy listening to metal while they're at it.

However, if the soundtracks were exclusively instrumental and specifically composed for DBZ movies, I'm sure I would love it.

[Straw]

Anyone who says the metal music just added a more "epic" feel is clearly not impressed enough by simple things like a muscular dude with golden hair launching a fucking alien into the sun.

[Cipher]

It's the most early 2000s thing ever.

[Spencer_23]

I liked it tbh lol but I see that's not common on this site

[Xeztin]

I loved it growing up actually, that disturbed and change song really gave me goosebumps when Goku and Broly were powering up. I just thought it captured the moment perfectly especially the cooler and Broly movies. I think I'm one of the few that likes both this and the original.

[jjgp1112]

Also, the two Breaking Point tracks they used for the Movies 4 and 5 credits are pretty incredible songs. I still listen to Movie 5's Phoenix every now and then.

[LordCrumb]

I liked the music used in 'Lord Slug'.. Thought it was great and it's usually the track I use when watching it.

[Sshadow5001]

I enjoyed it at the time, I still enjoy some of the songs on there own. I don't really care for it in the movies anymore though.

[MetaMoss]

I only remember noticing it with the first Broly movie (because that was one of the few DB movies I actually owned), and back when I was first watching it as a kid, I thought it was good. It seemed like a natural extension to what the Faulconer score was doing, and what better way to accompany the beat-down Broly was laying with some rocking tunes? Nowadays, I don't think it's awful, but I also don't think it's exactly good, either. I do find the tracks more enjoyable than, say, most of the Faulconer score, but, in my spot-checking of some scenes of the dub with the Kikuchi score, I found that the lack of constant noise makes for a more eerie-feeling experience, which pleasantly surprised me.

[Super Saiyan Swagger]

Dragon Ball Z Movie 5 introduced me to Deftones and I'm now a big fan of that band. That is the only good thing that came out of the heavy metal music in the movies.

...And Broly transforming to Pantera was actually pretty cool.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

I dunno, I don't think it was that out of place in the first Broly movie at least. The music is quite serious in tone, and the whole movie was basically Broly punching people through buildings, which seems to kind of vibe with aggressive rock music.



Correct me if I'm wrong, but early 2000's rock music seems to have a bad rep. Maybe it is was too commercial, maybe it was too "dumb", but people tend not to look back on it fondly. That might change, as these things do.

Also, the two Breaking Point tracks they used for the Movies 4 and 5 credits are pretty incredible songs. I still listen to Movie 5's Phoenix every now and then.

The Movie 4 one has always been a favorite for me.

[ABED]

What does it mean to be "too commercial"?