Does Funimation really treat Dragonball that bad?

Tsukento · Post by **Tsukento** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 3:22 pm

omegacwa wrote:Am I the only person who thinks most of the male voices in the mexican dub of DBZ sound the same? I mean, I watched the whole Saiyan Saga on telemundo when I was a kid, because it was unedited(I don't speak Spanish very well), and everyone of the male actors sounded similar to me, not to mention it all sounded like they were talking in a bathroom.

Nah, it's just you.

I've watched it as I was younger and when the Ultimate Uncut Editions were out. It truely was one of the better dubs out there. With most people who don't understand a language right away, they'll assume it all sounds the same (afterall, we have people who claim EVERYONE in the Japanese version sounds girly just because of Goku's, Gohan's and Kuririn's voices).

As for worst foreign dub, that goes to the Portugal dub. Holy hell, is it ever so much WORSE than that unknown UK group that did the first three movies.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OPZEAaN2pLg Best example here where Goku gets ready to fire the Kamehame-Ha at Cell.

omegacwa · Post by **omegacwa** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 3:37 pm

I don't really understand that much Japanese but I can tell all the voices apart. It's just something about the Mexican dub, I just don't really like the voices.

As for Sabat casting himself as 70% of the characters of the Freeza saga being because he felt he was "better", that's probably completely false, as the real reason is most likely budget. At the time funimation had very little money, so obviously why hire 20 voice actors when we have one guy who can do 15+ voices, that way we only have to pay one guy instead of 20. Makes sense to me.

Lavender Saiyan · Post by **Lavender Saiyan** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:03 pm

In the original version Vegeta, exuding smugness with subtle scorn during most of the scene, orders Yamcha and Tenshinhan to shut it and lowe their ki to avoid scouters, then compliments Piccolo on how he was already doing so (surprising the other who didn't know he was there). The whole scene in English is nonsensical, as he yells at the top of his lungs about the jabbering and then adds that the scary-talk is upsetting Piccolo.

I do agree with you on that line. But we've seen Vegeta also be quite the insulting prick in the Manga.

Vekurotto · Post by **Vekurotto** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:04 pm

omegacwa wrote: As for Sabat casting himself as 70% of the characters of the Freeza saga being because he felt he was "better", that's probably completely false, as the real reason is most likely budget. At the time funimation had very little money, so obviously why hire 20 voice actors when we have one guy who can do 15+ voices, that way we only have to pay one guy instead of 20. Makes sense to me.

Well that was when they were starting out. It would be understandable, but now. I believe Sabat plays more people than he did when they starting out at the very beginning.

I just find no excuse for him to be playing so many roles now. He's voice is just oversaturated to the point where it's Chris Sabat and some guys talking.

I think that most of the representations of the voices in the Funi version are just cheap Ocean imitations, sometimes, ala, Freeza, Gohan, Kami, Nappa, etc.....

Tsukento · Post by **Tsukento** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:09 pm

Lavender Saiyan wrote:I do agree with you on that line. But we've seen Vegeta also be quite the insulting prick in the Manga.

While this is true, do note there's a huge difference.

FUNi Vegeta resorts to childish dickery. Japanese Vegeta is just an all out prick that will mock you. FUNi Vegeta has this attitude where it feels like the insults are coming from a grade school student.

Kunzait_83 · Post by **Kunzait_83** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:10 pm

Tsukento · Post by **Tsukento** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:14 pm

Kunzait_83 wrote:Yeah it really was. I especially liked Kuririn's voice from that dub; whoever did it did an almost dead on impersonation of Mayumi Tanaka.

You mean the first Kuririn voice.

Yeah, she was great. Around the time Gohan and Kuririn were venturing around on Namek was when Kuririn's voice actor changed to a male. No idea what happened there.

Also, Sabat didn't exactly cast himself as Armstrong and Zoro as he wasn't exactly the one responsible for choosing who does who's voices for FMA and OP like he was for DBZ.

Lavender Saiyan · Post by **Lavender Saiyan** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:14 pm

FUNi Vegeta resorts to childish dickery. Japanese Vegeta is just an all out prick that will mock you. FUNi Vegeta has this attitude where it feels like the insults are coming from a grade school student.

I agree that some of them are. But keep in mind this show was set towards grade school children. But even in the original, some lame-ass insults would be used by Vegeta. Such as calling Buu "fatty". Besides, the Dub threw out the childish insults later on.

Also, one other thing to keep in mind. Some of the insults Vegeta gave out in the Dub could also be thought of as a different take on smug. Such as using these types of insults specifcally as a taunt aswell as an insult. As opposed to just an insult. Such as "Fresh out of the factory with no warrenty...and already broken". That's always been my personal take on Dub Vegeta. It's not that he thinks his insults are "the uber r0kz0rz" but rather that using such insults is a way of taunting.

jjgp1112 · Post by **jjgp1112** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:17 pm

I kinda like Vegeta's insults. But some of the stuff from the earlier Funi dub was ridiculous.

Tsukento · Post by **Tsukento** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:23 pm

Lavender Saiyan wrote:I agree that some of them are. But keep in mind this show was set towards grade school children. But even in the original, some lame-ass insults would be used by Vegeta. Such as calling Buu "fatty". Besides, the Dub threw out the childish insults later on.

While that is the case, the dub did it far more often than it should have.

Lavender Saiyan · Post by **Lavender Saiyan** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:37 pm

I suppose it's just each persons take on Dub Vegeta. Like I said, I see Dub Vegeta's insults as a way of being smug and taunting-like.

Tatsunoboshi Horoko · Post by **Tatsunoboshi Horoko** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 4:59 pm

Kunzait_83 wrote: And the fact that his acting "talents" are (at best) highly dubious and questionable, and these roles so prominent and critical for their shows... it just reeks of an underlying vibe of childish unprofessionalism. Those roles should be cast based on talent and appropriateness to the character, not because the ADR director wants bragging rights at anime-cons.

But don't half of those shows you've listed have different ADR directors? I only think Sabat is the ADR director for three of the projects you just listed.

Besides, he's not all that bad of a voice actor. He's just a bad voice actor for Vegeta, really. And to make it worse, he's given bad dialogue to read.

Tsukento · Post by **Tsukento** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 5:00 pm

Tatsunoboshi Horoko wrote:He's just a bad voice actor for Vegeta, really.

Don't forget Piccolo. He makes him sound like a big, beefy football player (his lines on Namek after merging with Nail didn't help).

Lavender Saiyan · Post by **Lavender Saiyan** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 5:01 pm

I don't really see how people here can trash Sabat as Piccolo and Vegeta. Yet at the same time say they love Drummond and McNeil.

Duo · Post by **Duo** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 5:10 pm

Lavender Saiyan wrote:I don't really see how people here can trash Sabat as Piccolo and Vegeta. Yet at the same time say they love Drummond and McNeil.

Well, if we could understand everything from all viewpoints, arguments wouldn't exist. And that would just be boring.

Conan the SSJ · Post by **Conan the SSJ** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 5:10 pm

Lavender Saiyan wrote:I don't really see how people here can trash Sabat as Piccolo and Vegeta. Yet at the same time say they love Drummond and McNeil.

Well, there is that whole area of being able to compare the voices. Drummond's Vegeta is more close to the evil ignorant bastard than Sabat's Australian whiny prince could ever try to be. More often than not, his Piccolo sounds like a very bad imitation to seriously sound like a black voice actor, combined with the dialogue written for him turning him into a Cookie Monster/Lt. Worf merging IMO. So in the end, it's about Drummond and McNeil using much more natural and professional voices for the characters, while Sabat just comes off horribly forced. Of course, you may not see his portrayals of the characters that way from your own point of view, which isn't a bad thing; but some of us do.

Tsukento · Post by **Tsukento** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 5:10 pm

McNeil brought Piccolo to life. o_O Dude, he actually made Piccolo sound like the cold, hard "demon" he claimed himself to be.

Lavender Saiyan · Post by **Lavender Saiyan** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 5:16 pm

Drummond's Vegeta is more close to the evil ignorant bastard than Sabat's Australian whiny prince could ever try to be.

The way you worded that is funny. Because I've always felt just the opposite. I think Drummond sounds whiney. Evil, but whiney. It's those high pitched squeals.

McNeil brought Piccolo to life. o_O Dude, he actually made Piccolo sound like the cold, hard "demon" he claimed himself to be.

I agree, there's no doubt in my mind that McNeil does sound more evil and demonic. The problem for me is, Piccolo isn't quite the crazed demon that his father was. I think McNeil would be better suited for King Piccolo. Piccolo Jr. is actually quite smarter and more of a tactition. He uses his brains a lot even before becoming a good guy. Sabat's voice can make Piccolo sound smarter and more wise. Like he really is.

Tsukento · Post by **Tsukento** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 5:18 pm

Actually, take a gander at some of the clips now floating around regarding the European dub. It seems like McNeil's the only one who never got rusty with his character and actually does a damn good job of recreating Piccolo.

Lavender Saiyan · Post by **Lavender Saiyan** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 5:28 pm

Actually, take a gander at some of the clips now floating around regarding the European dub. It seems like McNeil's the only one who never got rusty with his character and actually does a damn good job of recreating Piccolo.

I have seen quite a few Ocean Dub clips later on. There's a slight change, but I believe Sabat captures this better. Remember, by Raditz death, we know that Piccolo isn't quite the hardcore demon he plays himself out to be.