FUNimation DragonBox News Bit

Bussani · Post by **Bussani** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:50 am

SuperSaiyan3Goku wrote:It's like the English version of the Dragon Box!

We're as surprised as you.

MCDaveG · Post by **MCDaveG** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:55 am

Hujio wrote:I know Kaboom posted the links already, but for anyone that wants to jump straight to the Dragon Box part, here's a link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrGE1iriLYk#t=16m51s

Also, Adam Sheehan makes it sound like they took the DVD menus from the Japanese Dragon Boxes and just translated them into English. I wonder what he means by that, because I don't think that'll quite work since there are going to be more episodes per disc. Also, I'm assuming, based him saying they didn't dub the next episode previews, that besides adding subtitles and a dub track, they didn't do anything else like translate title cards or credits.

"Super-duper hardcore fans!" Nice.

He probably meant, that they used the same engine with graphic layout, only added own names and options.....
Same as you're making own DVD and there is default style of menu and you're only changing parameters.... I think

ACCloud · Post by **ACCloud** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:11 am

Yay for the "super-duper hardcore" fans

(Not trying to offend anyone, just found it funny)

A bit off-topic: I'm sure this discussion has occured loads of times, but who's the best place to preorder from; Amazon or Rightstuf? Amazon's a bit cheaper but I remember reading that Rightstuf ships stuff out early. As I live in Australia, earlier shipping is always a plus.
Thanks

xzero · Post by **xzero** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:27 am

I actually wouldn't have bought the Dragon Box if the dub track was omitted. I can appreciate the original language track, but I rarely watch the Japanese version anymore. It's nothing against the Japanese version, and during my college days I frequently watched it in Japanese subtitled. Now that I'm a little older (and I now read and write all day), I just can't justify reading subtitles while watching a show.

Post by **VegettoEX** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 9:51 am

xzero wrote:Now that I'm a little older (and I now read and write all day), I just can't justify reading subtitles while watching a show.

My brain simply can't process this statement.

I mean, on one hand I get it... I work on a computer most of the day, and when I get home from work, the last thing I want to do is work on my site for a few hours.

Unless you're watching anime at work all day, though, I don't understand how it is that you don't want to read them there words at the bottom of the screen. I mean... your brain processes the subtitles so fast that it's not like you need to stare at it the entirety of its duration. Your brain and eyes are processing it so quickly that you're almost unaware of the darting down and then back up to catch the rest of the action so that it's pretty negligible. By the time they finish speaking the words, your brain has already got it done and sent to your Dialogue Interpretation Sensors™.

I dunno. I just feel like anytime someone throws out that statement, there's little to back it up and it feels like a "WAH WAH WHERE'S MY FUNIMATION DUB?!" fallback. Sure, if you like that better, whatever... but don't... ya' know... demonize the process of reading subtitles (either internally to just yourself or globally) because of it. I hate to call it "lazy", because I don't know if that's the right way to describe it.

Maybe it's better off being broken into its own thread, rather than another Dragon Box-related one? Just like I've never understood why it is that people have such a problem with Nozawa's delivery, I've never understood what it is about subtitles that throws people into a frenzy. I've never heard a valid justification. Sure, you could toss it back on me by saying that no justification would ever live up to my expectations since it doesn't mesh with what I want everyone to think... but really, I'd love to hear it...

email2003 · Post by **email2003** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 10:45 am

Having no English dub on the opening and closing credits is fine with me. I mean, that's how VIZ and Bandai treat their animes too right? I'm cool with it.

Also, the reason why I'm more of a Japanese version fan of the series is due to all the fan subbed DBZ movie videos and RAW Japanese episodes I watched on International Channel (you guys remember right?), when I was in middle school years ago. I always dreamed of a perfect DBZ as it is in Japanese but with at least with English subtitles or the Mexican dub...................ENTER THE DRAGON BOX!!!

Now excuse me, I have to wipe all the drool off my desk just thinking about the Dragon Box!

Sanjiscool · Post by **Sanjiscool** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:16 am

I'm disappointed we're not going to get dubbed versions of the openings and endings, and that the episode previews won't have dub tracks. Then again, I guess it would be pointless and a nuisance to get Schemmel or Hebert to fly to Texas just to do them.

Timo · Post by **Timo** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:45 am

I'm looking forward to the box and I'm pretty excited, but I'm also disappointed that FUNi will not make English versions of Head-Cha-La and the other Songs. Their Dan Dan and Makafushigi were great and this was probably the last chance to produce it.

JulieYBM · Post by **JulieYBM** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:54 am

VegettoEX wrote:
Maybe it's better off being broken into its own thread, rather than another Dragon Box-related one? Just like I've never understood why it is that people have such a problem with Nozawa's delivery, I've never understood what it is about subtitles that throws people into a frenzy. I've never heard a valid justification. Sure, you could toss it back on me by saying that no justification would ever live up to my expectations since it doesn't mesh with what I want everyone to think... but really, I'd love to hear it...

For whatever reason I can't figure out, there are those stuck on the idea that they have to be voiced by adults, rather than the actors who already played them for 130+ episodes and three films.

Kendamu · Post by **Kendamu** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 11:57 am

Yay for further confirmation of awesome stuff!

Post by **VegettoEX** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 12:10 pm

JulieYBM wrote:For whatever reason I can't figure out, there are those stuck on the idea that they have to be voiced by adults, rather than the actors who already played them for 130+ episodes and three films.

I guess it's really less about the voice ("GROBBLE GROBBLE HIGH PITCHED DESPITE SCHEMMEL ALSO GOING HIGH PITCHED AT THE SAME MOMENTS"), and more about the subtitles.

I mean... humans have a natural curiosity to dive into the unknown. It gets us killed a lot

. Once you figure out that there's an "original" version and especially these days when it's presented to you right there at the press of a button... who wouldn't switch over to that almost exclusively? I totally get the whole "watching the cartoon as a kid" viewpoint, where the dub "is" the show for you... but... once you discover the original, I still take it back to that natural curiosity. What's with that stubbornness in not watching the original? What's with that mental block that's so hard to overcome for some people that it cannot and will never be anything else than the so-called "reversioned" edition for them?

What I'm really hoping is that these continued releases that harp on the original version so much will get people to check it out... and realize, yeah, it's an old Japanese show, and it's pretty cool like that. The "Ultimate Uncut Edition" was all about "OMG ORIGINAL JAPANESE FOOTAGE", and then the orange bricks were all about "OMG ORIGINAL JAPANESE AUDIO"... and now we've got these Dragon Box sets, which are all about the Japanese version itself, rather than just certain aspects (first the footage, then the music, now the complete package).

I suppose it finally brings it to the school of thought that so many of us subscribe to where if FUNimation just presented the show as it is and made no apologies or excuses for it... there wouldn't be a reluctance to accept it. That's the attitude that I'm respecting so much about this release and (overall, minus that first Sabat-Vegeta-screaming video) its marketing. They're basically saying, "Yeah, THIS is DBZ... what about it? Huh? Huh huh? Got a problem with it?! DIDN'T THINK SO."

Metalwario64 · Post by **Metalwario64** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 12:28 pm

VegettoEX wrote:What's with that stubbornness in not watching the original? What's with that mental block that's so hard to overcome for some people that it cannot and will never be anything else than the so-called "reversioned" edition for them?

Because maybe some people actually prefer the dub?

And I don't see why it's so wrong to prefer Schemmel over Nozawa...

theoriginalbilis · Post by **theoriginalbilis** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 12:31 pm

Here's a couple of curious questions, since we all know the Japanese version will be on the Dbox in it's entirety:

- Do you think the 5.1 dub will still play the Mark Menza opening theme, or will be like the Double Features and play Head-Cha-La/We Gotta Power?

- Since the next episode previews will not be dubbed, do you think the dub track be muted, have the BGM playing only, or just outright skip over them ala the Marathon Feature?

JulieYBM · Post by **JulieYBM** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 12:31 pm

VegettoEX wrote:They're basically saying, "Yeah, THIS is DBZ... what about it? Huh? Huh huh? Got a problem with it?! DIDN'T THINK SO."

Well, except for the fans refusing/reluctant to buy the sets due to a lack of dubbed previews and vocals...

But I do agree with you. While I certainly enjoy the good (i.e. respectful and faithful to the original) dubs out there (...just about every single other dub FUNimation does) the original is still the original...it baffles me how today's generation of fans that watch subbed Bleach and Naruto will turn around praise the Dragon Ball Z dub as the best dub ever (and far better than the original) when their the former two get far better treatment, in terms of marketting and dub production, than DBZ. Childhood nostalgia? That might very well be true (I've got a little of that even for FUNimation's dub), but that doesn't mean I stick my head in the sand over it.

But uh...yeah...no dubbed vocals? Sort of a shame, it'd 'have been nice', btu Hironobu Kageyama has been charming fans globally for twenty years. Why is that not good enough for me?

Amigo Ten · Post by **Amigo Ten** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 12:31 pm

I prefer to watch animation dubbed if I can. Not because I have anything against the original actors or their acting, (I like DB's original cast quite a bit) it's just a bit too impersonal. Especially with anime, where the subs are usually very direct and literal. Sometimes the line in the subs is just completely alien to how a character would actually say something if they were speaking English. You can hear the tone in their voice, but it's just not their in the translation.

But when a show gets dubbed people actually have to say the lines, so they get worked into a something more natural to the English language. Of course sometimes things just get changed completely, which I'm not supporting. I'd just take a good, accurate English dub over subs any day. Which isn't to say I'd never watch the original, but it's not my main preference.

Of course this only really applies to animation, and more specifically anime, where lip-syncing and facial expressions don't really play a large part in the dialogue. It's usually a static face with the mouth flapping, followed by another static face for another emotion, with more mouth flapping. With real actors dubbing just looks stupid and off-putting.

theoriginalbilis · Post by **theoriginalbilis** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 12:49 pm

I have no problem watching recent anime dubs (like from 2000-onward), because that's when anime started "booming" more in the US, what with the TV exposure and the internet. So R1 companies began to grow and dub more and more shows accurately (or course this was before the cave-in of the R1 anime industry.)

But the Dragon Ball franchise in America is an odd duck, it's stuck in this odd time zone where heavy Americanization was rampant (late-80s through the 90s), and then when accuracy to the original was more emphasized (the 2000s and onward), so it somewhat shows how inconsistent the dub is, where at times it'll be very faithful to the original dialogue, but then fuck it up with a lame joke or out-of-left-field rewrite.

There are some people who love it and swear by it, which is fine with me. I like most of the FUNimation voices, and I was a big fan of it back when it was airing, I just can't go back to it after watching such far better English dubs.... But now I just want to sit and watch the show in it's uncropped glory with the hopefully better sounding mono track.

LeprikanGT · Post by **LeprikanGT** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:07 pm

I was at first slightly reluctant to get these with the lack of a US soundtrack BUT this is the best quality of video we will be getting right? On top of that we get those art books and thoe huge boxes.

Has it been confirmed/denied as to if we will get all of those video extras that the JP boxes had?

B · Post by B » Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:14 pm

VegettoEX wrote:What's with that stubbornness in not watching the original? What's with that mental block that's so hard to overcome for some people that it cannot and will never be anything else than the so-called "reversioned" edition for them?

A very popular excuse I see is "It's in my language. Why would you NOT watch a show they're offering to you in your own language?" And quite frankly, it takes me aback. There's this subset of people who just want a show in English(or whatever language you speak), and I can get that... But what I don't get, is that THIS is their dealbreaker. It's their No. 1 concern. Change names, rewrite dialogue, condense two or three episodes into one, throw in some new music, even digitally alter the footage so everyone has tattoo on their forehead reading "MONDO," but please, for all that's Holy, JUST PUT IT IN MY OWN LANGUAGE. And, with that in mind, FUNimation's reversioning just seemed more pointless, as a lot of people don't care what these characters are saying or what their motivations are. They just don't want to read subtitles, effectively making any sort of change irrelevant to how well the show does, critically or sales-wise.

I'll never be able to truly understand this mentality, as I would say watching the show in the same light the original creators intended it for it to be viewed in would be the "top" priority, but glad there are people who are more easily satisfied than me, I guess...

Sebastian (SB) · Post by **Sebastian (SB)** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:26 pm

Partly answering upon Nozawa's delivery as adult Son Goku, I think it goes back to cultural sensibilities (Har Har Wilcomico/Toys R' Us reference). In the American market, it's more likely unacceptable for a woman to do a voice for a male adult. So perhaps, that mindset get translated over when watching on original creation in its original format with subtitles. Whether it be a Bollywood film, Kung-fu flick, or any other international media. Then there's her Kiai screams and grunts. Really passionate, but perhaps too cat-like or high pitched for some ears outside of the Japanese audience. In any case, I find her more subtle or normal dialogue deliveries to be great. There's also the nuances in her Son Goku that I like a lot. I was watching that new Raging Blast trailer and thinking, "Man, she's getting really old". Her age is definitely catching up to her.

JulieYBM wrote: But I do agree with you. While I certainly enjoy the good (i.e. respectful and faithful to the original) dubs out there (...just about every single other dub FUNimation does) the original is still the original...it baffles me how today's generation of fans that watch subbed Bleach and Naruto will turn around praise the Dragon Ball Z dub as the best dub ever (and far better than the original) when their the former two get far better treatment, in terms of marketting and dub production, than DBZ. Childhood nostalgia? That might very well be true (I've got a little of that even for FUNimation's dub), but that doesn't mean I stick my head in the sand over it. Confused

I'll second that notion. I also think it's probably because a lot of the "rock sensibilities" in the music of modern shounen shows like Bleach and Naruto. Those shows tend to be caught in the times of this era. Hardly anyone likes the old hokey music of Kung-Fu flicks of the past, much of which Kikuchi's score is inspired of. Skip to 10 years later, now it's really about contemporary rock or pop. Some of which you can hear lot of in Bleach. Shiro Sagisu's "Number One" literally sounds like a Bruce Falcouner track everytime I hear it. The guitar riff is uncanny.

Going back to Japanese voice actresses, I wonder how some said Naruto fans would feel if Junko Takeuchi continues her role into Naruto's adult life?

JulieYBM · Post by **JulieYBM** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 1:29 pm

Sebastian (SB) wrote:
Going back to Japanese voice actresses, I wonder how some said Naruto fans would feel if Junko Takeuchi continues her role into Naruto's adult life?

Yeah, I'm really hoping she and Flanagan aren't recasted if/when the series covers his adult years.