What's the deal with that one Battle of Gods moment?

[Vegetto95]

Speaking as someone who exclusively watches everything in the franchise in its original Japanese and hasn't touched the FUNimation dub in well over 15 years since I first tried out the Japanese version and realized how much better it is (despite being 14 at the time and having up to that point exclusively watched the dub since I was 5 lol), there are MULTIPLE opinions in the FUNimation dub fanspace that leave me scratching my head.

There was always (if ten years counts as always lol) one in particular that I REALLY never understood... for YEARS, I have seen dub fans throw huge amounts of praise towards the one scene in the God and God ("Battle of Gods") film where Gokû blows away the rocks when he's fighting Beerus underground, JUST before FLOW's HELLA fun "Hero ~ Kibô no Uta" begins (and SHAME on FUNi/Tôei for replacing it with the inferior English cover in the official Western releases...)

You know, that scene where Gokû has just had ENOUGH of Beerus' shit and screams, in the (vastly superior) Japanese version, "STOP HAVING FUN DESTROYING THINGS!!"? Yeah, it's a GREAT moment, the line totally fits the scene and the characters, and Nozawa's delivery is her usual shade of fucking EXCELLENT.

But... then there's Schemmel's version of that scene. I honestly do not know WHAT was going on in the recording room, who wrote such a huge dialogue change into the script, who approved Schemmel's take, etc., but my god... I canNOT get over how HORRIBLE his delivery of "IwillnotletyoudestroymyWOOOOOOOOOOOORLD!!!!!!!!" is...

Like, after well over 15 years at that point of experience dubbing Dragon Ball into English, how was FUNimation still THAT bad at matching lip movement animation in a way didn't feel INCREDIBLY forced and awkward? The way he says it SO DAMN FAST in a way that NO one would sensibly do it, the way he just suddenly changes pitch and cadence SO drastically out of nowhere when saying "WORLD", it's just... it's a WEIRD-sounding mess.

Was there REALLY not something shorter that could have been said to match the lip movements and the duration of the line better? Was "STOP HAVING FUN DESTROYING THINGS!!", or something similar but perhaps more streamlined, REALLY not a perfectly good option to fit in there in a way that sounded natural?

But... apparently the dub fans LOOOVE it. I've seen SO many mentions of this scene, and that line specifically, being a particular fan-favorite, with many basically all but saying that it's some sort of all-time crowning achievement of voice acting or something, and many also saying that it's right up there with his (INSANELY overhyped) endless screaming session during the first Super Saiyan 3 transformation (another scene that I have the EXACT opposite opinion from dub fans on in regards to Schemmel's performance. I actually think that Nozawa's Kiai yells in that scene are some of her weakest and most awkward-sounding, ESPECIALLY for the original 1986-97 run when she and the rest of the cast were in their prime, but even that being said, Schemmel's painful screams are NOT any better in the slightest).

Like, what gives? Why do people genuinely like that atrocious delivery SO MUCH? Is that REALLY how far low the Sean Schemmel Bar has been set amongst fans of FUNi's cast? I just... don't get it...

[Cure Dragon 255]

As Robo (An awesome member of the forum that hasnt been banned but just stopped posting altogether) once said Funimation is SHITTY at coming up with natural dialogue that sounds good. It's always people talking too fast and without any naturalism in acting or scriptwriting. And he thinks this about especially about the modern dubs. I dont hate Funimation THAT much but in this case I agree he was right.

[Vegetto95]

As Robo (An awesome member of the forum that hasnt been banned but just stopped posting altogether) once said Funimation is SHITTY at coming up with natural dialogue that sounds good. It's always people talking too fast and without any naturalism in acting or scriptwriting. And he thinks this about especially about the modern dubs. I dont hate Funimation THAT much but in this case I agree he was right.

It's funny because I feel, like most of the fandom in my experience, the opposite in that FUNi is perhaps slightly better at that kind of thing in the current Kai-onward era than when they first dubbed Z from 1996-2003 (when they were just... UNFORGIVABLY awful), but judging from what little I've seen of their dubs in this era, they're still.... not great?

I definitely agree with opinions I've seen in older threads from people like Kamiccolo9 and Kunzait that FUNi's actual improvement, that dub fans will ride on home about till the sun sets and the cows come home like they just somehow became TOTALLY different people the second they started dubbing Kai, is, in actuality, rather marginal... but nowadays it only makes me want to turn my TV off, rather than make me want to shoot my TV way the 1999 stuff does lmao

But yeah, that's more to my point... I really am just GENUINELY curious as to WHY so many dub fans LOVE that delivery. It's NOT indicative of good dub production quality whatsoever.

[sunsetshimmer]

Funny. I personally like FUNI dub, but i was never a fan of that scene everyone praises. Most of polish fans despise english dub* yet a lot of them seem to admit that one scene was actually not only good but also BETTER than japanese version. That's weird, cause as someone who can enjoy english dub i don't find that scene to be anything worth talking about. It's just...okay at best? Other scene polish fans seem to like is Goku's first transformation to SSJ3.

*even though it doesn't have much to do with actual dub quality but rather nostalgia as the same people tend to hate recent DBS/Kai dubs and praise french dub with polish lector and godawful translation cause they grew on watching it + general hate towards english dub for just being english dub, without even trying to give it a chance.

[The Monkey King]

"IwillnotletyoudestroymyWOOOOOOOOOOOORLD!!!!!!!!" is...

The line sounds goofy but the way Sean Schemmel screams "WOOOOOOORLD!!!!" and then screams while flying through the Earth will always give me goosebumps, it saves it for me

[WittyUsername]

I mean, I guess the line might’ve flowed a little better if he said “I won’t let you destroy my world” instead, but I don’t think it matters all that much.

[Cold Skin]

I have no strong opinion on that line anyway, regardless of the language (in French, he says "So you wanna destroy everything, IS THAT IT?", so that's one more variation for you).

I guess the English line could be popular because of specific things: one of them is taking the usual "home defender" hero stance, the "I won't let you destroy my home and you're going to pay for attacking it" attitude.
It's made to be much more personal than the more global take of "stop having fun destroying everything", and perhaps it resonates more with people to snap and get extremely angry not because you're pissed that somebody takes pleasure in destroying things here and there, but because someone attacked your home and you'll fight back ferociously like an animal protecting its habitat/babies.

People probably like the "don't mess with my home or else..." behavior.

Also, it reminds the viewer of Goku's role as protector of the world, he reaches his breaking point of "okay, that's it, you've gone too far" while reminding "I'm the defender of this planet, the hero of this world".

So basically, the hero angrily reminding the opponent that he's the hero and the enemy has gone too far, while having that "I defend my territory, the home that I love and the people that I love, this is who I am" probably rubs some viewers the right way for an epic scene with chills.

This is actually an equivalent to one of the final moments in Super during the Tournament of Power, with Goku yelling that anyone who hurt his friends "is gonna PAAAAYYYY!!!" before giving Jiren a hard time. Same kind of scene, same kind of delivery, same kind of intended chills, with the English BoG scene basically going with "I won't let you hurt my WORLD!!" instead of the DBS scene going "I won't let you hurt my FRIENDS!!", but that's the same kind of wanted impact between the two scenes. It shows how the "reaching the breaking point because you hurt my home/friends" is a classic that Funi probably already aimed for with that BoG scene.

It's all about angry payback for hurting your home/friends/family that make people go "wow, so exciting, so stylish, he's mad because he cares and now it's payback time for the guy who doesn't care, that's what happens when you mess with people's loved ones / homes!!", and that's what Funi went for, apparently with a certain success according to what you say.

All of that is just my take anyway as to why they might have adapted the line that way. Nothing certain.

[PerhapsTheOtherOne]

Gotta admit, I did like this moment more in the English dub as well.

Not really the dialogue itself, but more so how it sounds like an explosion of emotion on Sean Schemmel's part followed by a super hype Shida scene of Super Saiyan (not God) Goku going all-out on Beerus.

[WittyUsername]

Honestly, I don’t think “stop having fun destroying things” would sound very natural in English. It comes off like one of those stock anime lines that you wouldn’t expect anyone speaking English to actually utter.

[GhostEmperorX]

Honestly, I don’t think “stop having fun destroying things” would sound very natural in English. It comes off like one of those stock anime lines that you wouldn’t expect anyone speaking English to actually utter.

This is always the tightrope one has to walk on when dealing with situations like this (whether subtitling or dubbing). Couldn't tell you how many times I've struggled to find suitable English equivalents for extremely JP phrases across the many I've seen so far.
Funimation may not be able to come up with something better, since we all know how they started out, but areas like this can remain an issue even for higher level translators.

[Civic]

Like, what gives? Why do people genuinely like that atrocious delivery SO MUCH? Is that REALLY how far low the Sean Schemmel Bar has been set amongst fans of FUNi's cast? I just... don't get it...

I'm one who likes it. The energy and passion in the delivery should be really obvious, even for an anti-Funi dub person. It is definitely delivered at pace though, and maybe wouldve sounded smoother if there was a contraction in there (I won't let you rather than I will not). The Japanese line would have been harder to deliver and also reach that same ferocious impact of Schemmels read. Where would the stress be, where he shouts? Destroying things? It wouldn't be the same.

[Super Saiyan Swagger]

I feel like that line would’ve sounded more natural had he said “I won’t let you…” instead of “I will not let you…”

But that roar he lets out paired with Hero’s intro shredding in the background STILL gives me chills.

[Scientist Fu]

I mostly prefer the jap version but in some cases, for this specific scene, I like the english one better, same for Z Broly's transformation. The japanese lack dynamism in that scene. In the dub, we can clearly hear that this place is Goku's home planet and that he cares for it and for his loved ones. When you cross the line you know that Goku will be there to stop you.

[jjgp1112]

It's almost like they really like it or something

Like I dunno man, it sounds like the premise of this thread is "Why do these people like something that I hate so much?" and it doesn't sound like you're willing to budge to any reason so...okay, I guess?

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

I mean, I guess the line might’ve flowed a little better if he said “I won’t let you destroy my world” instead, but I don’t think it matters all that much.

I feel like that line would’ve sounded more natural had he said “I won’t let you…” instead of “I will not let you…”

But that roar he lets out paired with Hero’s intro shredding in the background STILL gives me chills.

I think that would have been a slightly better way of rendering it, as the word "will" makes it more personable, which is what makes it come across as overly heroic. The scream would have also been mostly the same. I don't mind the scene personally, and Sean Schemmel makes it fun to listen to, but I can understand why it's not for everyone. At the same time I wouldn't blame any competent translator for writing this line as Funimation did because I can't think of a way to make anything along the lines of "stop destroying things" not sound clunky.

[TheGreatness25]

To my recollection, Funimation didn't just translate for Kai and onward. They still made those into adaptations, so they took some liberties with the dialog. Even in Super Hero, where Piccolo calls Pan's teacher (?) "Janet." They just ad-libbed that. I don't know--these things don't really detract from the story.

I'll be honest, I vastly prefer the Japanese version of the original series. I think that fans who haven't watched it in Japanese are doing themselves a disservice. BUT, the Kai and onward stuff is so close, that I watch the dub. Not because I'm a dub fan, but because I'm always multitasking when having the series on, so I can't sit and actively read subtitles. So, I can honestly say that I haven't seen most of Kai or Super in Japanese.

[Cure Dragon 255]

It's almost like they really like it or something

Like I dunno man, it sounds like the premise of this thread is "Why do these people like something that I hate so much?" and it doesn't sound like you're willing to budge to any reason so...okay, I guess?

They didnt say they arent willing to budge to any reason. They are just really puzzled as to why people prefer Funimation's version. Sure they did go a bit over the top in their hate of that version but they were just curious as to why people preferred that version.

[jjgp1112]

It's almost like they really like it or something

Like I dunno man, it sounds like the premise of this thread is "Why do these people like something that I hate so much?" and it doesn't sound like you're willing to budge to any reason so...okay, I guess?

They didnt say they arent willing to budge to any reason. They are just really puzzled as to why people prefer Funimation's version. Sure they did go a bit over the top in their hate of that version but they were just curious as to why people preferred that version.

I didn't say he said that. But his response so far has been, "Yeah, but it sucks and you only like it because your expectations are low!" and so well...what exactly is he seeking to get out of this?

[Cure Dragon 255]

It's almost like they really like it or something

Like I dunno man, it sounds like the premise of this thread is "Why do these people like something that I hate so much?" and it doesn't sound like you're willing to budge to any reason so...okay, I guess?

They didnt say they arent willing to budge to any reason. They are just really puzzled as to why people prefer Funimation's version. Sure they did go a bit over the top in their hate of that version but they were just curious as to why people preferred that version.

I didn't say he said that. But his response so far has been, "Yeah, but it sucks and you only like it because your expectations are low!" and so well...what exactly is he seeking to get out of this?

He didnt say this to people who liked it he only responded twice so far, way before anyone who defended the dub even.

[Vegetto95]

I mean, I guess the line might’ve flowed a little better if he said “I won’t let you destroy my world” instead, but I don’t think it matters all that much.

It probably would have also flowed better if he hadn't uttered the "RRRAAAGH!" at the start of the line (which wasn't there in Japanese), allowing that much more time to let the line flow rather than smush it all together the way he did lol