Eric Legrand, French voice of Vegeta, has passed away at the age of 72

[sangofe]

Eric Legrand has passed away at the age of 66. He was the iconic voice of Vegeta. He also played characters like Seiya, Yamcha and the tournament announcer.

When I learned about this I felt a great chock. My chest and stomach felt like concrete. In sleep I cried every time I woke up during the night. Eric Legrand was THE Vegeta to me and to many others. His performance surpassed anything I have ever heard for Vegeta.

Here are a few clips:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1h5Hft ... okCulturel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XySjQFB ... SpeedoX7.4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-qrAuNQ ... V0YQ%3D%3D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGmQzkH ... V0YQ%3D%3D

And here's an interview with him:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFLaQKC ... MEDIAGENTV

He cared about fans, and during the dub of DBZ Kai he changed the script from "Flash Final" to "Final Flash!" because he knew fans wanted that despite him not watching anime or Dragon Ball.

I was lucky to get to have a private chat for about half an hour with him at Toulouse Game Show when he signed my Dragon Ball Z Kai box.

I also chat with him on messenger on several occasions.

He was always very blunt and full of life.

Thank you for everything, Eric Legrand. Without you, I have lost interest in the french dub of Dragon Ball.

Here are pictures of my the time I met him:

Spoiler:

https://postimg.cc/JtbLqk6k
https://postimg.cc/9rCjNQKN
https://postimg.cc/F7pQtQQF

[Tian]

Oh...

It's shocking to learn that he's no longer among us. He was one of my favourite international Vegetas.

My deepest sympathies for his family, friends, colleagues and fans.

Merci pour tout, Éric Legrand.

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

RIP to a legend of French Dragon Ball.

Thoughts go out to all who knew and loved Legrand, they must be devastated.

Patrick Borg shared some kind words and memories on Facebook:

Patrick Borg wrote:

Adieu à mon Ami,
ÉRIC LEGRAND
Tu m'appelais ;
" ma grosse Dinde"
J'aimais bien, ça me faisait rire. Je t'appelais ma Reine ! Ça te faisait glousser comme une grosse Dinde.
Depuis des mois, nous nous sommes écrit tous les jours sur WhatsApp jusqu'à lundi dernier, le 19 Mai au matin, on te transférai dans un service de soins palliatifs...
tu as cessé de me répondre.
Plus de 45 ans d'amitié et 40 ans ensemble sur;
DRAGON BALL Z.
tu vas manquer à tes fans...
Mais tu vas surtout profondément me manquer !
J'en ai assez de perdre mes amis.
Tu as fait preuve d'un courage exemplaire, tu es un vrai Sayen Végéta!
ÉRIC LEGRAND, c'est toi qui était un vrai Sayen !
Dimanche soir, tu m'as écrit le mot qui suit ci-dessous entre parenthèses :
(On me transfère lundi dans une Unité de Soins Palliatifs. J'espère qu'ensuite ça ira très vite... 🖐)
Je ne t'oublierai pas !
Je suis malheureux, très malheureux...
Adieu mon Ami.

English translation:

Farewell to my friend,
ERIC LEGRAND
You were calling me ;
“ my fat turkey “
I liked it, made me laugh. I used to call you my queen ! It had you rattling like a fat turkey.
For months, we have been writing each other on WhatsApp until last Monday, May 19th in the morning, you will be transferred to a palliative care service...
you've stopped answering me
45+ years of friendship and 40 years together on;
DRAGON BALL Z.
Your fans will miss you...
But I'll miss you deeply!
I'm. tired of losing friends.
You have shown exemplary courage, you are a true Sayen Vegeta!
ERIC LEGRAND, you were a real Sayen!
Sunday evening, you wrote to me the following word in parentheses:
(Getting transferred to Palliative Care Unit on Monday. I hope it will be very soon next.. 🖐)
I will not forget you!
i am unhappy, very unhappy ...
Farewell my friend.

Glad you got to meet him and have your Kai DVDs signed sangofe.

[sangofe]

A homage video: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1334727531152338

[Cold Skin]

Patrick Borg (Goku's French voice) has posted a new message since then, saying they had both personally chosen Antoine Nouel as his replacement for Vegeta's voice.

He says that if anybody, including Toei, gets in the way of that choice for the replacement, then Patrick won't voice adult Goku at all in Daima and he already knows some of the other cast members will follow suit.

So either Antoine Nouel becomes the new French Vegeta, or part of the usual French main cast will also have to be handled by new voice actors. The threat is pretty clear: "cast who WE voice actors decide or we leave".

Also, Patrick has decided that should he voice Goku again in Daima as planned, the totality of his income for this specific show will go to Eric's wife.

[Jord]

Patrick Borg (Goku's French voice) has posted a new message since then, saying they had both personally chosen Antoine Nouel as his replacement for Vegeta's voice.

He says that if anybody, including Toei, gets in the way of that choice for the replacement, then Patrick won't voice adult Goku at all in Daima and he already knows some of the other cast members will follow suit.

So either Antoine Nouel becomes the new French Vegeta, or part of the usual French main cast will also have to be handled by new voice actors. The threat is pretty clear: "cast who WE voice actors decide or we leave".

Then they should just get replaced anyway. What a horrible, arrogant attitude for dub actors to have. They don't own the product and don't have the final say in how it should look or sound. The anime is ultimately TOEI's product and they decide how they want it presented internationally.
What a bunch of amateurs.

[sangofe]

Patrick Borg (Goku's French voice) has posted a new message since then, saying they had both personally chosen Antoine Nouel as his replacement for Vegeta's voice.

He says that if anybody, including Toei, gets in the way of that choice for the replacement, then Patrick won't voice adult Goku at all in Daima and he already knows some of the other cast members will follow suit.

So either Antoine Nouel becomes the new French Vegeta, or part of the usual French main cast will also have to be handled by new voice actors. The threat is pretty clear: "cast who WE voice actors decide or we leave".

Also, Patrick has decided that should he voice Goku again in Daima as planned, the totality of his income for this specific show will go to Eric's wife.

Nouel is a terrible choice. There should be open casting. I'm not against a full new cast of talents


Didn't he say that nouel's income would go to Legrand's wife income? The message is unclear to me.

[Cold Skin]

^ Oh right, I read the message again and my mistake: you're right, it's the replacing voice actor that won't get paid, with the money going to Eric's wife instead.

Also, it is said they chose him because he has a voice that's extremely close to Eric's voice (I don't see how they supposedly sound alike, but hey...) and also that Antoine Nouel was a close friend for decades, the dub's artistic director for a while (I remember he gave himself a lot of characters to voice while he was at it) and especially close to Eric during his last months (they knew he couldn't be saved a few months ago).

Therefore, close friend = he gets the role to honor his friend regardless of his voice or we leave.

Also, the money thing also probably plays a part: the agreement between them is "whoever replaces you won't get paid at all, 100% of the money goes to your wife". Only a friend would accept to do the job without getting paid at all and only because adult Vegeta is not a big role in Daima, only being there for like three episodes. Most voice actors would say no to "you've been chosen as the voice actor for this iconic manga character, but you don't get paid for it, you'll gladly do it for free, thank you".

[sangofe]

^ Oh right, I read the message again and my mistake: you're right, it's the replacing voice actor that won't get paid, with the money going to Eric's wife instead.

Also, it is said they chose him because he has a voice that's extremely close to Eric's voice (I don't see how they supposedly sound alike, but hey...) and also that Antoine Nouel was a close friend for decades, the dub's artistic director for a while (I remember he gave himself a lot of characters to voice while he was at it) and especially close to Eric during his last months (they knew he couldn't be saved a few months ago).

Therefore, close friend = he gets the role to honor his friend regardless of his voice or we leave.

Also, the money thing also probably plays a part: the agreement between them is "whoever replaces you won't get paid at all, 100% of the money goes to your wife". Only a friend would accept to do the job without getting paid at all and only because adult Vegeta is not a big role in Daima, only being there for like three episodes. Most voice actors would say no to "you've been chosen as the voice actor for this iconic manga character, but you don't get paid for it, you'll gladly do it for free, thank you".

I guess if it's only for Daima I can accept there won't be an open casting. I haven't liked Borg's Goku since he returnerd for Super. It's changed way too much so I would love it if he would get re casted, actually. But let's hope Nouel can put in lots of emotions like only Eric Legrand could if it will be like this.

[GokuHater]

As in Poland we had a translation based on the French version many years ago, he was the Vegeta, which many of us knew whole childhood.

He gave a COMPLETELY different performance than that of Japanese or English dub but legendary nonetheless.

[TheRed259]

A historic and legendary voice for the French dubbing of Dragon Ball.

RIP Eric Legrand.

[sangofe]

Here's an amazing tribute video that showcases many roles Eric Legrand had:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tl_dm5O ... el=DBTimes

[Saiya6Cit]

Sad.

Most voice actors were mid 30s in the 90s, so it is happening all over, sadly.

May he rest in peace

Thank you for the videos, to the original poster.

[coola]

RIP to one of voices from my childhood, his Vegeta was great [*]

[sangofe]

Sad.

Most voice actors were mid 30s in the 90s, so it is happening all over, sadly.

May he rest in peace

Thank you for the videos, to the original poster.

Here's another great video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2bHSvD ... A9gendaire

[Sensiblesaiyans]

It feels like a ton of Dragon Ball voice actors have died in the last 5 years.