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

[penguintruth]

I don't recall Schemmel's Goku in DB sounding any different than in DBZ. I can recall Sabat's Piccolo sounding just as awful as usual.

[Mountain]

I really hope FUNi can pull this one off. I mean, I'm excited over the chance of anything Dragon Ball-related, in English, that is at least watchable. However, I will say this... it's going to be odd to me either way because the score for Kai just feels like an ordinary, rushed Saturday morning cartoon show. That being said, at least I have the Dragon Box.

[Innagadadavida]

FUNimation's Dragon Ball Kai to me, as Dragon Ball Z Kai, the "Kai" part just sounds like subtext. Like a tagline. I think it's more accurate to what the product is, and helps to retain the "Z" brand. Overall, I think it's a good business move and as a title, I can get used to it.

[xzero]

I don't like the renaming thing to the extent that Dragon Ball Kai is a sufficient title, but I don't think it matters. First, they don't have to do multiple video tracks. Slap a "Z" on the DVD cover and we're good. Second, Dragon Ball Z Kai does tell you what they're doing. In Japan, it airs on television. I don't see this airing on TV (god, I hope not).

And as a dub fan, I'm HUGELY excited for this. Here is Funimation's last chance to do it right. I know some people here don't like the voices, but for my preferences, give me basically the same voices that we got in Season 1-2, make the script super-accurate, and we're gold.

Incidentally, the May timeframe seems about right for this release. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Volume 1 comes out in May, and it debuted the same day as Kai in Japan. Plus, May is and has been for a few years a Dragonball month, and this year is no exception with the next DBox and the fourth Dragon Ball season set. I fully expect that the May 18th date is correct, and I think we'll see that verified very soon.

[penguintruth]

Well, Brotherhood deserves my money before Kai does.

[Innagadadavida]

Well, Brotherhood deserves my money before Kai does.

QFT!!! Brotherhood is an example of a refresh done right.

[VenomSymbiote]

Hmm... So it seems it's been finally licensed.

I don't mind the title change at all. I rather like it, actually. As well, if the Fanboy Review is correct about them keeping the dub voices AND the Japanese script, then maybe this will turn out well.

[Sebastian (SB)]

Much faster than I expected. I'll definitely be picking it up after I'm done with the Dragon Boxes and purchase a Blu-ray player (or PS3). If the dub is going to be handled with care as FUNimation claims it to be, I might check it out the English voices. I didn't mind the casting (with exception of Sabat's Vegeta, Young's Freeza, and Schemmel's Kaio), but it was always the script that irked me. In any case, I would be extremely happy with a faithful adaptation that eliminates any dub naming conventions, but that would probably be asking for too much since the already established audience loves their Spirit Bombs, Spirit Balls, Tri-Beams, Destructo Discs, Solar Flares, Special Beam Cannons, Hyperbolic Time Chambers, and Instant Transmissions. At the least, they'll be able to follow most of the translations and character nuances as intended and as closely as they can without adding and eliminating as very little as possible. I know Son Goku's Osaka/Hick accent is something that would look silly translated, but at the very least, his naivety is kept intact, and the "white knight" stuff is kept out for good.

[MetalMadness]

According to dragonballzkai.com, it's coming this spring.


I'm pretty excited for this, but at the same time there are a few things that disappoint me.

For one, the music won't be Bruce Faulconer's as he is no longer with Funimation. This may actually be good to some people but I love his soundtrack so it disappoints me.

And also, Dameon Clarke (voice actor for Cell) left as well, which is a real shame because I loved his dub voice.

[Innagadadavida]

For one, the music won't be Bruce Faulconer's as he is no longer with Funimation, this may actually be good to some people but I love his soundtrack so it disappoints me.

And also, Dameon Clarke (voice actor for Cell) left as well, which is a real shame because I loved his dub voice.

1) The updated soundtrack might as well be Falconor's.
2) Their replacement is remarkably good at imitating Dameon Clarke. See: Raging Blast.

[Tanooki Kuribo]

DragonBallZKai.com now has this image...

[B]

And also, Dameon Clarke (voice actor for Cell) left as well, which is a real shame because I loved his dub voice.

Damn, is there a way we can throw our two cents in for people who can't come back? Clarke gave one of the less grating performances, but damn if it couldn't be just as good, if not better, if done by a certain someone...

And even if the cast isn't stellar, an accurate script is leaps and bounds more important. At least, to me.

EDIT: Oh, of course, they've been dubbing it for a while... Of course, Cell also hasn't shown up.

[bkev]

Keep in mind that Raging Blast had Clarke's replacement in it... perhaps he'll do the series? I'm afraid I always forget his name, but either way, he was pretty decent.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

Keep in mind that Raging Blast had Clarke's replacement in it... perhaps he'll do the series? I'm afraid I always forget his name, but either way, he was pretty decent.

Yea he was good, I liked him.

[Soul]

I checked.
And whoa, I need to see vids of it.
Cell in Raging Blast was voiced by Travis Willingham. (Mustang in FMA and Ace in One Piece)

[.:PoetikaL:.]

I checked.
And whoa, I need to see vids of it.
Cell in Raging Blast was voiced by Travis Willingham. (Mustang in FMA and Ace in One Piece)

Here's a good example of Cell speaking, he sounds remarkably similar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjqaBcA2cmw

[UristtheGreat]

I'm nervous and excited about this. Though after seeing what they did with One Piece and every new liscence they've accquired, I have quite a bit of hope.

[Hero 004]

I'm glad this happened sooner rather than later. After seeing the Japanese Kai I'm not as excited as I would have been a few months ago, but still pretty excited. The re-dubs of the episodes are going to be fun I think. I'll invest in the blu-rays for sure. Watching DBZK and FMA:B in the coming months is definitely going to be a refreshing experience to look forward to.

PS: Yeah, the "Z" doesn't bother me, makes more sense, but if they drop it before the release I'll be indifferent.

[Tsukento]

Well, Brotherhood deserves my money before Kai does.

QFT!!! Brotherhood is an example of a refresh done right.

Can't even call it a refresh, nor can you really compare it with Kai.

Brotherhood is just covering everything the first anime didn't due to having jumped ahead of the manga while following a lot closer to it.

[sumpter360]

I'm nervous and excited about this.

Me too,though mostly nervous for how I'm going to pay for it while also getting the Dragon Boxes! I really just hope they keep the script faithful. I'm okay with most of the dub voices, the only exception's probably being King Kai and the overuse of Sabat's voice. But, who am I kidding? I'll most likely be putting out the money for these sets no matter what.