Why is Freeza's dub voice so hated?

Jermyn · Post by **Jermyn** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:09 pm

I never really understoud why Freeza's dub voice is so hated by fans. I mean if fans have no problem with Goku and Krillin being voiced by female actors in the original version, why do they make such a big deal with Freeza being voiced by a women? Freeza looks very effeminate and even Ryūsei Nakao the original Japanese voice actor made Freeza sound rather girlish with his "OH HO HO HO HO" laugh and formal speech.

Vekurotto · Post by **Vekurotto** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:12 pm

My two cents says, It's mostly because it doesn't fit his character at all. Goku and Kuririn's voices are female but it matches their personalities and has since episode 1 and 14, respectively, of Dragon Ball.

Godo · Post by **Godo** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:13 pm

Personally I think it's just too squeaky and rough. In the Japanese version it's more smooth and dark. Still feminine, yes, but with some masculinity in it too.

Li'l Lemmy · Post by **Li'l Lemmy** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:24 pm

Let's not forget that Ryūsei Nakao (Freeza's Japanese VA) is just . . . well, he's a huge act to live up to. If you were someone watching the original version and then got slammed by the radically opposite difference that is Linda Young's interpretation, then . . .

. . . yyyeeeeeaaaaaah. You're gonna be a little pissed.

~Da Lemmy

Vekurotto · Post by **Vekurotto** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:30 pm

Li'l Lemmy wrote:Let's not forget that Ryūsei Nakao (Freeza's Japanese VA) is just . . . well, he's a huge act to live up to. If you were someone watching the original version and then got slammed by the radically opposite difference that is Linda Young's interpretation, then . . .

. . . yyyeeeeeaaaaaah. You're gonna be a little pissed.

~Da Lemmy

Personally, I thought the dub voice was off before I even heard the the Japanese voice. During both Ocean's run and when Funi took over. I liked the old "Form Two" voice for Freeza a bit better.

Super Sonic · Post by **Super Sonic** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:32 pm

Though I still think Frieza would've been perfect with an evil British accent, I do like Ms. Young's at times. Her Baba's better still in my view. Will also say without her, we wouldn't have opportunities to make jokes about Tien being the child of Frieza and Baba.

Post by **TripleRach** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:32 pm

His speech in Japanese isn't particularly feminine; it's more gender neutral, really, IIRC. And the laugh and politeness make him come off as more of a haughty aristocratic type. (Though I won't claim that that will win anyone a masculinity award.) But in the dub? He just sounds like a horny old woman with emphysema.

Xyex · Post by **Xyex** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:43 pm

I've never really thought Freeza's dub voice sounded all that feminine. Just a slightly higher than average male voice. I don't know, I think it rather fits myself, when you consider the character. What, because you're royalty you automatically have a silky smooth voice? I mean, look at the guy and the voice matches nicely.

That's actually my main complaint about the voices from the original version. So they match the personality... great. But... I don't know anyone who's voice (note I'm talking voice, not speech style/patterns people) is determined by their personality. Last I checked voices were genetic things, not personality based.

Rocketman · Post by **Rocketman** » Wed Sep 05, 2007 11:53 pm

It's not Japanese.

Li'l Lemmy · Post by **Li'l Lemmy** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:04 am

Xyex wrote:I've never really thought Freeza's dub voice sounded all that feminine. Just a slightly higher than average male voice. I don't know, I think it rather fits myself, when you consider the character. What, because you're royalty you automatically have a silky smooth voice? I mean, look at the guy and the voice matches nicely.

As someone who grew into DBZ watching the dub before the original, I'll be honest and say that with no knowledge of the original voice I didn't mind the dub version's at all. I was actually pretty hooked on the Freeza arc for the characters of Vegeta and Freeza.

Now that I have the ability to compare the two, yes; I can say that there's a definite error in casting, IMHO . . . only now, I wouldn't want to go and change it to something "more appropriate" either; I like and am used to dub Freeza, with my only major problem being with some of the ass-backwards dialogue that Chambers-Young was given to read-- far more than the voice, it's the dialogue that's out of place concerning what Freeza was intended to be. Personality doesn't determine a voice and voice doesn't make a character, but dialogue sure as hell has a hand in defining all three.

Just as there are gawdawful mistakes like "Whatever turns you on, big guy," we also have good performances of many lines where the dub script decides to stay within the boundaries. There's a moment I'll never forget, having watched it on my first run-through of the Freeza episodes way back when-- it's the opening stages of the Goku/Freeza battle, and just as Freeza gets behind Goku and is about to tail-whip him into the molten lava, he says a knowing, sadistic little "The End". It was so badass to me.

Ah, but I ramble.

~Da Lemmy

Catterix2006 · Post by **Catterix2006** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:25 am

It always bothered me. As a young 8 year old watching the show, I couldn't tell whether Frieza was meant to be a woman or not.

It just never fitted to be honest. In hindsight as someone who still hasn't had much contact with the Japanese Seiyuu, I'd still say that whilst Linda Young's performance was good it didn't quite fit what I saw on screen. It was haughty and pompous, but far too high and scratchy, I can't think of a dub example, but just a voice that was sleek and posh (Without being "English") but not really masculine.

Super Sonic · Post by **Super Sonic** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:30 am

Li'l Lemmy wrote:
Xyex wrote: Just as there are gawdawful mistakes like "Whatever turns you on, big guy,"

Ok. Was I the only one who heard that line without my mind going into the gutter? Because I wasn't disgusted by it.

Brakus · Post by **Brakus** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:30 am

Mind you this is coming from a hardcore dubbie here --- but I just think Frieza's voice is just "meh" in English. I mean it's OK and all, and it has that "spoiled brat" quality, and I like that to a degree, considering he gets re-built, and his father King Cold is pretty well-to-do, I'd assume....

.... but I've listened to some episodes in Japanese also, and Frieza sounds a lot more conniving and devious. I definitely get why ol' VegettoEX goes pretty gay for him.

Tsukento · Post by **Tsukento** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 1:48 am

Super Sonic wrote:Ok. Was I the only one who heard that line without my mind going into the gutter? Because I wasn't disgusted by it.

Well when you get lines like that one such as "Having these balls brings me such joy. I think...I want to caress them." or "Oh I beg of you, please don't hurt little ol' me." or "Stay with it, yeehaw, buckaroo. Ride 'em cowboy!" or "You gettin' tired there, big fella?" as he's literally spearing Kuririn, obviously some of us are gonna get disgusted.

Seriously, the above lines said alone with Freeza's dub voice only show that they absolutely do NOT fit the character at all. Yes, Goku and his sons and Kuririn were voiced by women in the original. Too bad their seiyuu were actually GOOD and brought the characters to life. Linda Young's Frieza didn't sound anywhere close to imitating or purely villainous as Ryusei Nakao's Freeza. Let's not forget, Linda Young gave Frieza a bit of an unnecessary lisp. I can't fathom how many people mistook the character for being female because of his voice and appearance in the dub.

I mean, compare this scene with this one. Even with the retarded dialogue, Frieza comes off no where as sinister sounding as Freeza.

KaiserNeko · Post by **KaiserNeko** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 2:01 am

The Japanese Freeza sounds like an evil, conniving madman. The American Freeza sounds like an evil old woman who's smoked a bit too much.

That's the reason I don't quite appreciate the American version of Freeza.

Rocketman · Post by **Rocketman** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 2:42 am

Being serious for a sec, I don't mind Freeza's voice. It's not my favorite by far, but I don't care, largely because voices don't reflect one's character (SHOCK! GASP!). Same reason why I don't mind that US Goku sounds like he actually went through puberty, despite his 'childlike nature' or whatever.

Now, the lines said, yeah, those were pretty lame. But the voice itself, I don't mind.

Tsukento wrote:Too bad their seiyuu were actually GOOD and brought the characters to life.

Says you. *crosses arms*

Magica · Post by **Magica** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 2:47 am

Funny. I actually liked Freeza's dub voice. In both the Ocean and FUNI versions; probably more preferabbly in the Ocean dub, though. :3

Da Games Elite · Post by **Da Games Elite** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 6:37 am

I liked either voice. They were both different, the Japanese voice being more insideous while the American one simple appealed to me in a different way. Yes, it sounds like a witch who just walked out of a smoking pub, but that doesn't matter to me too much.

And I laughed out loud with those lines, especially the one that pretty much sounded like he was about to masturbate, lol!

MajinVejitaXV · Post by **MajinVejitaXV** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:46 am

Japanese - "I'm gonna make him an offer that he can't refuse."

English - "IT'S RAINING MEN, HALLEUJAH!"

-Corey

Super Sonic · Post by **Super Sonic** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 8:49 am

Acotrs who play the same role often interpret them differently, and thus play them differently. For example, were any of you who saw "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" expecting Johnny Depp to rechannel Gene Wilder? And don't use the "movie remakes are different" excuse.