FUNimation Announces "Kai" License ("DBZ Kai")

[Strongbad456]

I'm honestly not surprised about the Z being added since I read somewhere on here awhile back that Toei wanted to license it out as DBZ Kai. It's just one letter added, nothing to get upset over. I'm excited for a Kai dub. This is FUNi's chance to get things right. I believe they'll do a fantastic job if they make a new dub and don't put it on TV. With a TV dub I see Kai being just like DBZ's dub, not good.

[Kendamu]

1) The dub. I heard a looooong time ago that Chris Sabat thought FUNi was leaning toward a whole new dub. Excellent. This gives them a chance to do it right. If they mess it up, though, I don't really care. I'll just continue watching the Japanese version. For the sake of discussion on the forums between fans of different versions, I don't have to like all of the voices but I at least highly encourage a correct script for the dub.

2) Name change. "Dragonball Z Kai" sounds sort of weird to me and it'll be interesting to see the added "Z" in the opening animation and eyecatches. It doesn't disappoint me or anything, though. I'll live. The "Kai" part isn't like the "Z" in "DBZ" or the "GT" in "DBGT." "Kai" just simply means "refreshed" or "remastered" and the series, as far as we're concerned right now, only covers Z. So, in all reality, "DBZ Kai" is technically a more correct title as it's refreshing the Z portion of the anime version and not the manga. However, it's kind of one of those "say-in" and "sigh-an" or "Vegetto" and "Vegerot" things. I personally will still refer to it as "Dragonball Kai" in print and in spoken word, though.

3) Other thoughts. Honestly, I could've passed on the Dragonbox. The main reason I bought the ones that have come out so far was to vote with my wallet and tell FUNi, "Dragonball fans like this sort of thing! Make more!" If I were 100% sure that Kai was getting a domestic release in the near future at the time the DBox was announced, I would've passed on it and waited for Kai instead like a lot of people on YouTube are admitting to doing. While I owe a lot to the original Dragonball Z, in my house we prefer Kai over Z and we prefer the manga over the anime. Depending on when exactly Kai is coming out, collecting future Dragonbox volumes is up in the air. This is especially true since my favorite episodes of Z are in the first two boxes, anyway.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

They must be pretty stupid if they can't read any special taglines likely to be plastered on the DVD about what Dragon Ball Kai is.

I'm willing to bet they'd still complain even with the tag lines. I might be giving people less credit than they deserve, but then again I'm basing my assumptions on past experiences with other products.


At least now people will be a little more informed and to be honest like others have said, it makes more sense to add the Z seeing as how Kai only covers Z. If Toei actually went and redid everything with the Kai title I'm sure Funimation wouldn't have done what they did.

I mean the addition isn't really necessary but then again it doesn't hurt to have it there, so whatever.

[Castor Troy]

Dammit FUNimation, must you thin out my wallet even more this year?

[Hujio]

The "Kai" part isn't like the "Z" in "DBZ" or the "GT" in "DBGT." "Kai" just simply means "refreshed" or "remastered" and the series, as far as we're concerned right now, only covers Z. So, in all reality, "DBZ Kai" is technically a more correct title as it's refreshing the Z portion of the anime version and not the manga.

We must think about this differently, because I think of "Kai" as the same thing as "Z" and "GT".

Oh well, I'm not gonna worry too much about the name change anymore. While I don't agree with it at all, my complaining isn't going to change FUNi's mind and it isn't going to be worth my time to continue. I think that's my age talking there.

[SuperSaiyan3Goku]

All I want are re-casted characters. It would be like a breath of fresh air.

[Kendamu]

The "Kai" part isn't like the "Z" in "DBZ" or the "GT" in "DBGT." "Kai" just simply means "refreshed" or "remastered" and the series, as far as we're concerned right now, only covers Z. So, in all reality, "DBZ Kai" is technically a more correct title as it's refreshing the Z portion of the anime version and not the manga.

We must think about this differently, because I think of "Kai" as the same thing as "Z" and "GT".

Oh well, I'm not gonna worry too much about the name change anymore. While I don't agree with it at all, my complaining isn't going to change FUNi's mind and it isn't going to be worth my time to continue. I think that's my age talking there.

I thought of it the same way until I played "1943 Kai" on one of the Capcom collections on my PSP. The logo even had "Kai" in kanji like Dragonball Kai does. After that point, my perception of the word "Kai" in relation to a title completely changed even though I knew the meaning behind it from the beginning.

In other news, FUNimation has owned http://www.dragonballzkai.com since the middle of December. -- http://bit.ly/bZRoWx

[Dr. Casey]

As for the logo change, I kinda like it and it makes sense. I thought it was odd that it was Called "Dragonball Kai" and yet it only focused on Z. Plus like Xyex said, if they didn't change the logo you'd have confused fans thinking this is a new series and then bitch about the fact that it's a remake of Z.

Yeah, I'm okay with the name change just for this. If I heard about some show called Dragon Ball Kai, my first thought would be that it's a new series. I'd find out otherwise before wasting my money, of course (Even if I came across it in the store, I could always just read the back of the box and get the scoop), but I'd still be a bit sad. Calling it Dragon Ball Z Kai makes the show's nature more obvious, and saves all those young, fragile hearts from getting broken.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

All I want are re-casted characters. It would be like a breath of fresh air.

I'm mixed on that, I'd like to see some roles replaced but at the same time if they were to replace Sabat or Schemmel I'd have a hard time watching the series. They would either have to bring back Corlett or these new actors would really need to blow me away with their performance. I'd like to see a lot of Sabat's extra roles replaced so that we get a better performance out of Vegeta and/or Piccolo instead of 3 or 4 weaker performances just so they can fill up roles. For one thing, I hope they bring back the Cell from Raging Blast(I don't know the voice actors name) but he'd an excellent job Damian Clark.

[Gotham22]

The name change is just FUNi trying to get a little credit out of this for themselves. IMO

[Tanooki Kuribo]

Dammit FUNimation, must you thin out my wallet even more this year?

I know what you mean man, sometimes it's just like... well, this image best illustrates how I feel....

[Kendamu]

The name change is just FUNi trying to get a little credit out of this for themselves. IMO

I don't see what kind of credit it would give them. I think it was more what others are saying in that either Toei wanted it that way or the FUNi either is trying to make it easier for those who haven't heard of Kai yet or just wanna add the "Z" because Dragonball Z is the most profitable out of everything Dragonball.

Also, LOL@Tanooki's image.

[Tsukento]

Oh Tanooki, that made me laugh quite a bit. Thank you.

As for the name change, it's within reason. Remember how many people in our regions thought Kai was a new series? Or how they assumed Kai was DBZ reanimated entirely? Let's face it, we're not stupid, but we have a LOT of people out there who just get all sorts of wrong information about this franchise.

At the very least, they kept the main layout of the logo the same. At least it's not a drastic redesign like DBGT's logo.

I too am hoping for some casting changes. I don't wanna hear Mr. Sabat voicing half the cast again, nor do I want to hear Granny Freeza. I'd prefer a proper dub in the same way it was meant to be done. And hey! Maybe we'll even get English dubbed versions of Dragon Soul and Yeah! Break! Care! Break!

[penguintruth]

Unless they do a massive recasting and rescripting for the English dub, I won't be buying any of this lazily cobbled together nonesense. Sean Schemmel at least has to go.

Hell, even if they do, I'd only be getting the Namek stuff.

[pjay]

Look I'm really just hoping for an accurate dub this time. I'm of course still going to buy the whole series of Dragon Boxes. Also I've looked at those in widescreen perspective and they don't look to bad, I'm assuming that's what Kai looks like. Full 1440 x 1080p would have been preferable, but as long as that full image is in it I really don't see a problem.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

Maybe we'll even get English dubbed versions of Dragon Soul and Yeah! Break! Care! Break!

Now that would be really cool!

[Tsukento]

Look I'm really just hoping for an accurate dub this time. I'm of course still going to buy the whole series of Dragon Boxes. Also I've looked at those in widescreen perspective and they don't look to bad, I'm assuming that's what Kai looks like. Full 1440 x 1080p would have been preferable, but as long as that full image is in it I really don't see a problem.

Well it depends.

Kai is 16:9 in its broadcast airings and on DVD, but 4:3 on Blu-ray.

[Castor Troy]

Unless they do a massive recasting and rescripting for the English dub, I won't be buying any of this lazily cobbled together nonesense. Sean Schemmel at least has to go.

Hell, even if they do, I'd only be getting the Namek stuff.

Freeza is probably the major voice change we want the most. FUNi can use the guy who played Cooler.

[m121akuma]

Am I the only one who hopes this results in a streaming simulcast a la One Piece and FMA:Brotherhood? It seems like a logical direction.

[LeprikanGT]

I like it having the Z in it. It would be cool if they ever did DB too.....or well, YEAH I'm about to say it, RE-draw GT so the characters actually look like themselves.

I would love to watch it on TV in the US. Does it really mean they have to go in and revoice everything? I know a ton of JP voice actors were changed, but I'm SO used to the ones we have had for so long.

This would be straight to Blu-ray or do you think DVD as well? EVERYTHING I have now is DVD BUT I have the VHS and switched to DVD so I guess Blu-ray would be an interesting change.

Can't wait for more info.