What's with this Beerus "The Destroyer" Business?

[Thanos]

So, it's rather clear that FUNimation has taken to having accurate translations for quite some time now. The one thing, however, that I'm puzzled by is this title, "Beerus the Destroyer". I've never heard anything like that in the Japanese version, and it isn't mentioned really outside of the movies or the dub of Super. I assume it's some kind of adaptation of "God of Destruction", but I don't see why they'd change it--after all, they reference Gods all the time these days. In fact, he's referred to as God of Destruction in US versions of the video games. Seems like the kind of thing they would've done back in 2001 or something. As faithful as they've been, this one's a bit of a head scratcher.

[Danfun64]

I could have sworn that he was called "the Destroyer" in some subbed versions.

[Ajay]

The common thought is that "God of Destruction" was reduced to "Destroyer" to better fit the mouth flaps - after all, "Hakaishin" isn't as big of a mouthful for the Japanese cast as "God of Destruction" is for the English.

The Hindu god Shiva is referred to as 'Shiva the Destroyer'. In Japanese, his name is 'Hakaishin Shiva', so I assume somebody at Funimation looked into how 'Hakaishin' had been translated historically and rolled with what fit best.

I'm personally okay with it. It's not really as overtly 1:1 with the godly themes in the show, but it gets the point across well enough.

[Baggie_Saiyan]

The episode title for 5 has GoD in full. But as far as I am aware they flip flopped between the terms in BoG movie I guess for Super they wanted to be little more consistent and with mouth flaps being a thing it was probably wise trying to be consistent with "the Destroyer".

[Thanos]

Well, maybe it is lip-flaps, but really, "God of Destruction" is only one more syllable than "The Destroyer". It's curious that that might be why they chose to change the title of the character... or at least create a new one to be interchangeable in various media with "God of Destruction". "The Destroyer" just doesn't sound very good at all. Frankly, who in this series hasn't destroyed shit? It's just not very evocative at all. Oh well.

[precita]

It's just more FUNI dub nonsense. Embrace it or ignore it, it doesn't really matter. The dub will always have name changes and I think by now people should be used to it.

[Baggie_Saiyan]

It's just more FUNI dub nonsense. Embrace it or ignore it, it doesn't really matter. The dub will always have name changes and I think by now people should be used to it.

"King Kai" is nonsense but "Beerus the Destroyer" is not as I am pretty sure the latter is a valid interpretation.

I could have sworn that he was called "the Destroyer" in some subbed versions.

Yes Simmons used it in his subs for BoG. Remember there being mild controversy over it back then people were fine with it for the dub but wanted GoD on subs.

[floofychan333]

It's probably just another interpretation. Is he never referred to as being the God of Destruction or the Destroyer in the original?

[MaxZ]

because "God of Destruction Beerus" does not roll off the tongue very well in English. I'd assume that's the reason anyway. I don't think it's a censorship thing anymore because they openly call him a God at many points.

[huzaifa_ahmed]

The common thought is that "God of Destruction" was reduced to "Destroyer" to better fit the mouth flaps - after all, "Hakaishin" isn't as big of a mouthful for the Japanese cast as "God of Destruction" is for the English.

This tends to be my main issue with dubs - regardless how much the producers wanted to normalize dubs for various regions...ultimately you really gotta force those words in there, which is so unnatural & really doesnt feel like "this show/game should be in such language. More recently, technology came around so that those with the money can refit/sync things. FF13 & 15, to my knowledge, do this, as did the unreleased Bang Zoom YGO Zexal dub. Kurokami was simuldubbed in 2010, & IIRC it was released only in English here as it was synced to the English track. I have difficulty calling it a "dub" in the same vein as most anime, in that instance. Gundam Unicorn is somewhat similar IIRC. Although this is generally harder with anime, it's moreso that Toei is cheap that exacerbates the issue - same could be said for most of the beef that fans have with DB's dub, actually.

[BlazingFiddlesticks]

No reason to think it isn't a mouth flaps thing: they refer to Beerus as a god repeatedly, Vegeta uses the full title when revealing Billy's occupation to Bulma in the movie dub, and they keep "God of Destruction" as is in the video games when lip-flaps aren't an issue. There is no ill will here.

[TheUltimateNinja]

I don't see the problem, they basically mean the same thing.

[Yedis]

I also thought it was a mouth flaps thing, but they're also calling him Beerus "the Destroyer" in non verbal situations.

IE. Look at the funimation subs for the Universal Survival Arc, they called him the destroyer again.

[GodVegetto91]

The common thought is that "God of Destruction" was reduced to "Destroyer" to better fit the mouth flaps - after all, "Hakaishin" isn't as big of a mouthful for the Japanese cast as "God of Destruction" is for the English.

The Hindu god Shiva is referred to as 'Shiva the Destroyer'. In Japanese, his name is 'Hakaishin Shiva', so I assume somebody at Funimation looked into how 'Hakaishin' had been translated historically and rolled with what fit best.

I'm personally okay with it. It's not really as overtly 1:1 with the godly themes in the show, but it gets the point across well enough.

Wow that's actually a very good answer for why they do that. Thanks!

[precita]

Do they really never call him a God of destruction at any point in the dub? That's really disappointing if true.

[Jugulator95]

Late reply, but even in the Steve Simmons' subs for Bog and Rof, it says "destroyer" instead of "God of Destruction', so maybe it was a translation choice made by him?

[gregoryluis09]

I think that's an international thing, in the Brazilian dub he is also referred to as "Destroyer".

[MagmonKai]

It makes sense to call him that actually. He's not a real god anyway considering mortals can become a destroyer to.

[DrakenballP]

It makes sense to call him that actually. He's not a real god anyway considering mortals can become a destroyer to.

He is a God though. Each Universe has their God of Destruction, and an angel/Kai to accompany. Were Goku to be a "Destroyer", he would not have that.

[Duo]

The term "God of Destruction" is dropped at least twice in the dub of BoG.