VegettoEX wrote:Here's a question:
For all of you that say you "grew up" with FUNimation's English dub... what exactly do you mean by "grew up"...? How old were you when you started watching it? If you moved away from it, how old were you when that transformation took place (and if not, saying how old you are now still makes sense, I suppose).
When FUNimation's original dub of DBZ began in 1996, I was... what... 14? By 1997 and the second season's original TV airing, I had already shifted over entirely in terms of pure enjoyment and full-steam-ahead fandom (getting fansubs, preparing to make my website, etc.).
EDIT: To expand upon what I mean / am asking, how do you define "grew up"...? Is there a certain age where you are no longer "growing" in terms of your tastes? That probably differs person-to-person, but does it apply to you? Every year as I get older (not that 27 is any solid definition of "aged and wise"), I realize just how immature each and every previous year truly is compared to what comes next... so how do you figure out when that "growing up" period really is? Is it over when you're done with middle school? High school? College? Further? Does it depend upon when in your life you even started watching it in the first place?
This is a great question.
I was 6 when Dragonball Z first aired. I loved the show, and it was probably for the same reasons I loved Power Rangers. I was so into the show I bought a few VHS and these small action figures(from the buu saga mind you) at toys r' us. However the show disappeared for awhile and I didn't catch wind of it again until about 1999.
I was 9, when the show reappeared on Toonami and it was a big deal at my school. I went home one day to check the show out and I couldn't believe it, it was the same show I watched 3 years ago. I was so excited I popped in an old VHS, this was the first time noticed a voice change for any show. I liked the newer voices better but I wasn't bothered by the older voices. In fact, I didn't even know they were different actors. To me it was just their voices changing as they got older through the series. I was so into the show that I watched it religiously all the way to GT's ending in 2004.
It wasn't until 200-2001 that I started learning that the show was actually an anime from Japan. Before that it was a cartoon, who gave a crap who published the show or who voiced Goku? It was just an awesome cartoon for me to watch.I started becoming a small otaku around this time too. I would yell at kids who called it "Japan-amation" and not "anime" and I drew fan-fic Saiyan chracters.
It was also around this time I met someone who was obsessed with the show more than I was. This kid had an older brother who was into the show as well, so I was able to see a few bootlegs. He showed me the 3rd Broly movie and a GT episode. I was turned off by Goku's voice actor, I thought it was so funny that someone like Goku was voiced by a girl and at the times, watching the show with subs felt awkward. I could keep up with the text but the GT episode was loaded with cursing. It was so bad at times that I was actually turned off by it, sadly I couldn't finish the episode.
This kid(can't remember his name for the life of me) and I would also collect these old "Becket" magazines. Man were they bad! The information they provided for readers consisted of rumors and misinformation. The one thing that sticks out in my mind though, was there casting for a "live action movie." I laughed so hard at there choices, especially for Krillin. Danny DeVitto or Vern Troyer, man it doesn't get funnier than that.
My love for Dragonball followed me all the way through Highschool even after the series ended. I was so obsessed with the games. After Budokai 1, I started getting one each Christmas as my own personal tradition. I also collected a few movies, unfortunately most of them where VHS's and were either sold or thrown away. So far all I have left are the Broly movies on DVD. Hopping to have the Dragonbox as the start of my new collection though.
As of now, I am still as big of a fan as I ever was. In fact, I find it kind of funny that Dragonball was my first "real" anime and the only one I watch today. While many shows have come and gone I am still obsessed with Dragonball with no signs of stopping any time soon. I have grown in many ways as a fan and I am now much more informed,thanks to DaizEX.
Since being on this site I have seen all of DBZ and a majority of Dragonball in Japanese. I must say, while I enjoy the Japanese cast and respect it as the original Dragonball, I still find myself picking favorites with the English cast. It might be based off nostalgia, it might just be because I have listened to Schemell's Goku for 10 years and his voice has become the standard choice for me, but for whatever the reason it is my default preference.
Its funny, after writing this I thought back to a lot fun moments in my life and I realized this silly children show has played a role in my life for 13 years now and it hasn't stopped. I think that's pretty neat.
...Wait what are you doing? Are you still reading this? I finished what I had to say, why don't you move on to the next post?
