Ocean Studios' "Dragon Ball Kai" Dub Turns 15; Still Unreleased

[Robo4900]

I agree. I like both Drummond and Sabat's portrayals, and I think part of the reason some fans say Drummond's voice "doesn't fit" Vegeta after the Freeza arc...is because that's around the time that the casts got replaced, and so people are simply not accustomed to hearing Drummond as Vegeta in that area of the story. It's for that exact reason, actually, that that's the part of the Ocean dub of Kai that I'd be most interested in hearing/seeing: I'm most excited to hear the section of the dub for which there is no Ocean/Westwood equivalent.

Yeah, definitely.
I prefer Drummond, but both are fine actors who gave excellent portrayals of the character, and I'm pumped for hearing Drummond do the full run of Kai.

I should also note that, between the industry standards of dubbing at the time (which is to say, the dubbing team learning the story as they went along) and dub director Barry Watson, apparently Drummond was directed to play Vegeta "like an evil psychopath." That's not really the best way to describe Vegeta, but hey, that's the director's fault. Considering that's the direction Drummond was given, I'd say he nailed it. I'm willing to bet there are a lot of dub performances--for lots of animes--that sounded wrong to us fans who were in the know, but were perfect based on the director's mis-informed direction and understanding of the show.

I mean, he says in interviews that he was told he'll be voicing a villain, who's not very imposing physically, but is very powerful, and is a prince.
And honestly, given the fact he was basically an evil snake/dangerous renegade for the Saiyan and Freeza arcs when he was playing Vegeta originally in the Saban dub, I think his voice was perfect. And then, when you take a look at the Westwood dub, he'd definitely changed it up a little, and the portrayal he went with for that entire run was also a basically perfect fit, IMO.

That reads to me more like he's just as being as excited as we are, as it's not common for actors to be in the know about release dates. I sure hope they do get this thing to air, though!

Yeah. Thought so.

[8000 Saiyan]

While it's true that people say that Drummond doesn't fit Vegeta after the Frieza Saga is because they were used to Sabat around the time the Cell Saga aired, people also say that his voice is too villainous for him after that.

People say the same for Scott's Piccolo, some people even say that he sounds like an 80's villain. I think those people don't know what they're talking about. I'm familiar with 80's cartoons, and I can't think of a villain voice from those cartoons that sounds like Scott's Piccolo. Which 80's villain does Scott's Piccolo sound like? Frank Welker's Megatron? Chris Latta's Cobra Commander? Alan Oppenheimer's Skeletor? None of those guys sound anything like him.

I'll admit that Sabat has improved a lot, but Drummond and McNeil are far more talented actors and with more range.

[Super Sayian Prime]

Not interested in watching it. Sometimes, I feel sorry for Vancouver and Toronto voice actors for having to work on crappy shows.

While it's true that adaptation of The Little Prince is probably the worst animated one, Ocean's still hit lower. I'm fairly convinced the dub cost more to produce than that show did.

[8000 Saiyan]

Not interested in watching it. Sometimes, I feel sorry for Vancouver and Toronto voice actors for having to work on crappy shows.

While it's true that adaptation of The Little Prince is probably the worst animated one, Ocean's still hit lower. I'm fairly convinced the dub cost more to produce than that show did.

Jesus, this looks like crap.

Canada really gets the short end of the stick when it comes to dubbing foreign stuff.

[Cure Dragon 255]

Oh my god that "Anime"...HAHAHAHA! And your reaction was just priceless!

I thought Canada couldnt go lower than Scan2Go. Guess I was wrong lol.

[Danfun64]

Yeah, Ocean definitely put more effort into their dub of that crap (called "Flash and Dash") than the original Chinese production did. For once, i'll say the replacement score is vastly superior to the original music. Good... grief!

Would it be too much to say that Ocean's dub of this takes it from complete garbage to borderline watchable?

[Attitudefan]

In a strange way, DBZ is the series that pushed Ocean out of anime...

I mean, the only reason Texas became one of the hubs for dubbing is because of the fallout between Ocean/Funimation/Saban.

[Cure Dragon 255]

No, Ocean did lots of anime before and after Dragon Ball.

[8000 Saiyan]

Oh my god that "Anime"...HAHAHAHA! And your reaction was just priceless!

I thought Canada couldnt go lower than Scan2Go. Guess I was wrong lol.

Yeah, the Americans always get more tolerable stuff than Canadians.

[TheGreatness25]

In a magical, wonderful world where Ocean Kai comes out and then Ocean gets to dub Super... will Chris Sabat play Vegeta's clone?

[8000 Saiyan]

That would be cool, but I think they'd get the guy that voiced him in the Blue Water dub of GT.

Nowadays, I'm not interested in an Ocean dub of Super though.

I have to give Sabat credit for casting Drummond as Copy Vegeta. It makes me respect him more.

[Robo4900]

I mean, the only reason Texas became one of the hubs for dubbing is because of the fallout between Ocean/Funimation/Saban.

Well, you say fallout...
All that happened is that Funimation wanted to dub the show cheaper.

In a magical, wonderful world where Ocean Kai comes out and then Ocean gets to dub Super... will Chris Sabat play Vegeta's clone?

That's been suggested, and both Drummond and Sabat agree it would be awesome. Drummond seems especially supportive of the idea.

Nowadays, I'm not interested in an Ocean dub of Super though.

Well, Super sucks, but maybe hearing the Ocean voices in it would make it feel like it sucks less.

I have to give Sabat credit for casting Drummond as Copy Vegeta. It makes me respect him more.

Absolutely. I love that Sabat is willing to do this kind of thing. Really shows how much he cares for the fans, the show, etc.

[Super Sayian Prime]

Would it be too much to say that Ocean's dub of this takes it from complete garbage to borderline watchable?

Try to watch one of the followup series dubbed in Asia and see which one you'd want to turn off first.

Yeah, the Americans always get more tolerable stuff than Canadians.

I wouldn't say that. It's far more common to find non-union American voice actors, which results in the lowest budgeted productions scoping them out. Post 4Kids, most NYC voice actors can be heard in European or Asian cartoons of very questionable quality. Ocean's had some stinkers (even a Dragon Ball ripoff), but the higher costs keep most of the dregs away.

[Danfun64]

Try to watch one of the followup series dubbed in Asia and see which one you'd want to turn off first.

This seems to have the opposite problems of the Ocean dub of the original. The art style is a lot better, but the English acting is inferior. I can't seem to find the video you linked in it's original Chinese, but it wouldn't surprise me if the only things different in the audio mix are the different cast and that they're speaking in English.

Had Ocean dubbed this "reboot" with at least the same amount of effort and quality that they did for the original show, we could have gotten something close to being legitimately enjoyable... then again that might precisely be why Ocean didn't dub this show xD.

Ocean's had some stinkers (even a Dragon Ball ripoff)

I find it hilarious that Ocean dubbed this rip off around the same time (or at least close to when) BLT did DB Movie 1 and the Pilaf saga.

[EnergizerConvoy]

In a magical, wonderful world where Ocean Kai comes out and then Ocean gets to dub Super... will Chris Sabat play Vegeta's clone?

Lanipator.

[Scsigs]

In a magical, wonderful world where Ocean Kai comes out and then Ocean gets to dub Super... will Chris Sabat play Vegeta's clone?

Lanipator.

Hmm...Toei won't like that. I mean, just look at Kai TFC's dub when Sabat tried to sneak him, MasakoX, Kaiser, & Taka into the official dub.

[Super Sayian Prime]

Had Ocean dubbed this "reboot" with at least the same amount of effort and quality that they did for the original show, we could have gotten something close to being legitimately enjoyable... then again that might precisely be why Ocean didn't dub this show xD.

Well, I think it's more that the company behind the show resigned to the fact their content isn't good enough for western television. Flash & Dash's first season had a shortlived run in the United Kingdom.

Ocean did a pilot for another one of their shows, Zinba. That one was actually a co-production with TMS Entertainment. However, the Chinese company decided to do the VO in Asia again.

[Robo4900]

Lanipator.

Won't happen in a million years.

After what Toei did with the TFS appearance in TFC, I don't think there's any chance the TFS crew will make it into an official Dragon Ball dub again. Maybe someday in the future when a lot of the Toei staff in charge of these kinds of decisions have been replaced, but even then, it's doubtful. And who knows, maybe Sabat will sneak a couple of the TFS crew into the dub with a 1-line cameo or two, but I doubt it would go any further than that.

And again, I point you to this Drummond tweet. If Ocean dub Super, and another actor is brought in as Copy Vegeta, I think it'll be Sabat.

[8000 Saiyan]

Well, Super sucks, but maybe hearing the Ocean voices in it would make it feel like it sucks less.

But...but...I like Super.

And honestly, if there was an Ocean dub of Super, I wouldn't like Lanipator in that role. The TFS guys have become so overrated over the years. Just get Sabat or like I said, the Blue Water guy who voiced Vegeta in GT.

[sangofe]

Well, Super sucks, but maybe hearing the Ocean voices in it would make it feel like it sucks less.

But...but...I like Super.

And honestly, if there was an Ocean dub of Super, I wouldn't like Lanipator in that role. The TFS guys have become so overrated over the years. Just get Sabat or like I said, the Blue Water guy who voiced Vegeta in GT.

I like you Robo but your opinion sucks .