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

[Kendamu]

Thanks. I was mostly wanting the comparison to see the viewing area differences between the two. It seems that the viewing area in the Kai BDs is barely different from the DBox. That's pretty cool. Thanks!

[DemonRin]

I'm glad that Funi's keeping the full cast. It'd be stupid for them to desert the majority of the fanbase for 5 or 10 people.

Sorry, I know you like the cast, but I know a LOT of people who hate Dub Freeza, so to say only "5 or 10 people" would be happy with that is just wrong.

The fact of the matter is: In the Japanese Version they replaced Nappa, The Ginyu Special Corps, and Dende, and that's just off the top of my head and excluding the voices that were replaced due to the original's passing.

In the English Version, Cell is going to be replaced, possibly with Travis Willingham (If he's the official replacement, and it wasn't just for that one game)

We're not asking for much, I think anyone who expects the Majority of the main characters to get a VA replacement is asking waaaaaaay too much, but Freeza and at least a few of Sabat's Minor roles, and Maybe Yamucha, need to be replaced. And even if he stays as Yamucha, he needs to drop the "Surfer Tude".

Also, about that DBox vs. Kai Pic, I know I'll get lynched for this, but the Kai one looks a LOT better to me. It really looks much more cleaned up and clearer.

[LeprikanGT]

Is there a 3rd photo for the DVD release?

[Kendamu]

Dub vs. sub argument that's brewing: Let's try not to have this argument until we've actually heard stuff from the Kai dub. I'd rather not have this thread closed until at least page 75.

Anywho...

Also, about that DBox vs. Kai Pic, I know I'll get lynched for this, but the Kai one looks a LOT better to me. It really looks much more cleaned up and clearer.

I like both pictures for different reasons. The Dragonbox looks its age and reminds me of how anime looked when I started watching anime in the first place, but it's absolutely clean and not too jittery. Kai's colors and clarity remind me somewhat of the screenshots from the Daizenshuu and I always thought those looked really cool.

[Mountain]

I think the Dragon Box image looks miles better, both in detail and in color.

Like it or not, Schemmel appears to be Goku in North America for a long time to come. Personally, I somewhat agree with penguin. However, I must admit that he has a memorable voice. I would never mistake him for anyone else. I just don't think he's Goku, but that's not to say he's talentless. Goku is a kid at heart. I don't know who I'd cast, but I sure would know if I heard him/her.

[Hujio]

Is there a 3rd photo for the DVD release?

Sure thing.

Also, about that DBox vs. Kai Pic, I know I'll get lynched for this, but the Kai one looks a LOT better to me. It really looks much more cleaned up and clearer.

I like both pictures for different reasons. The Dragonbox looks its age and reminds me of how anime looked when I started watching anime in the first place, but it's absolutely clean and not too jittery. Kai's colors and clarity remind me somewhat of the screenshots from the Daizenshuu and I always thought those looked really cool.

The Dragon Box was remastered to keep its age and appear as it did originally in broadcast form. For Kai, they did a much deeper clean-up and tried to make it appear more recent, with no noticeable grain. So in a sense, yes it looks better, if you don't like grain. I like the 16mm aged look of the series. Although, in all reality, the Dragon Box looks far from aged when compared to some of the degraded VHS tapes from the original broadcast.

[Kendamu]

Oh, well, I don't mean to say that the Dragonbox looks "aged." I meant that more as in, "It looks like it was animated in the late '80s and is still in perfect condition."

[LeprikanGT]

URG! Why does SO much of the picture have to be cut off for the DVD version? I dont get why they wouldnt want to show the WHOLE picture.

Am I missing something?

[Kendamu]

URG! Why does SO much of the picture have to be cut off for the DVD version? I dont get why they wouldnt want to show the WHOLE picture.

Am I missing something?

Only offering the full picture on the 4:3 discs causes people to invest in the more expensive BD version.

[nathantheguitarist]

There looks like there's a bit more of that cloud on the left (our right) of Raditz. But like the Orange bricks, I don't care.

I really hope they put it out 4:3. What I also hope though is that they do put it up on their website. As much as I want Kai, I have nothing to play a Blu-Ray with. My focus will be the Dragon Box until all 7 volumes are released. If they don't do a Dragonball or GT Dragon Box, then I'll get me a PS3, and some cheap Kai Blu-Ray sets.

...actually, nevermind... I forgot about HDTVs for a second. Fuck me. Ok, forget Blu-Rays, I'll just watch it on their website. DVDs aren't worth it with the Dragon Box now, in my opinion.

[SHINOBI-03]

Ok, Toei... what will you do to prevent reverse importing...?

A- Give FUNimation a shitty video master?

B- Give FUNimation only the cropped footage and leave the 4:3 version for yourself?

C- Something else...?

[LeprikanGT]

@Nathan:

There will be new music, the picture is ''restored/updated" or whatever they did with it and a bit of new animation, that is worth it to me.

Or did you mean you were buying the BR?

[nathantheguitarist]

I know it's worth it. I've enjoyed what I've seen/heard with Kai so far (save for the cropped-ness). But I feel it's more worth it for an HD display.

Buuut I don't have an HDTV or a Blu-Ray player. I'd really rather own this in HD when I can get the chance, and getting the DVD would be a double-dip for me. For the time being though (read: since I'm poor lol), I guess I'd rather at least see what the dub is like on either Funi's website or on TV. Preferably Cartoon Network, since I've never heard of, seen, or get Disney "XD" And someday I'll get the Blu-Rays from Amazon Marketplace when the sets are like ~$20.

I'm someone who would actually buy an HDTV just for something like Kai (or FMA Brotherhood lol), but all I can do is just say I would. The economy is not my friend.

Iiiiiiif I'm feeling "omg Kai is out I must have" and have the extra $30-$40 at the time, I would probably actually buy a set just for it to sit around. I'm fucking dumb like that. I own Street Fighter IV Collector's Edition for PS3.... and no PS3.

tl:dr Blah blah blah ignore me; I ramble in posts too much.

[The Time Traveller]

Well Gawshdernit, we ain't gettin' Dragon Ball Kai, instead we's gettin' the second series? Figures!

The name change doesn't bother me that much... but.. so... STUPID...

I'ma getting a HDTV soon so I can enjoy my NTSC DVDs all the better, I'll definitely get a Blu-Ray player for this, if they leave it region free like the Japanese version at least...

[SHINOBI-03]

I'ma getting a HDTV soon so I can enjoy my NTSC DVDs all the better, I'll definitely get a Blu-Ray player for this, if they leave it region free like the Japanese version at least...

I hope they show Region 2 PAL the love and let the Blu-Ray region free like what Toei did.

[LilKokuLink]

I'm pretty lucky when I say that my dad bought a 40" HDTV and a region free blu ray player for our living room, these sets are going to be amazing to watch. However I'm not allowed to buy stuff online so that really sucks, I normally get my friend to order for me and I pay him. I did this with the season sets and when I stick them on the shelf, no one in the household notices any difference and even if they do they think it's old DVD pirates exported from Bangladesh (great, isn't it?).
Anyway, we only have three blu-rays movies in the house and so if there are blu rays on the shelf. They WILL be noticed. Now I've got to hide these sets which sucks.

I guess we all have our own individual problems, all I am asking for is that FUNimation keep all their fans** happy. I think instead of ranting on and on about this and that, we should just wait and see what happens. I believe because of things like this, it causes confusion later on when we do have the information. Let's sit tight!

EDIT: **by which I mean fans of the show (mostly).
Sean Schemmel as Goku is awesome! Don't kill me. =]

[m121akuma]

I really fail to see the point of this debate. I think people who enjoy the dub will enjoy Kai's new dub regardless of changes. People who don't enjoy the Funi dub would probably end up watching the Japanese version anyway, even if the new dub is completely revamped and far more accurate, because that's the version we've been watching for years anyway! As a serious question to the people who dislike the Funi dub but want a revamp, if Funi did take this route, would you really watch the new dub over the Japanese original? I know I probably wouldn't. I'll admit it would put a little smile on my face if the series had a better dub, but that's about all of the acknowledgement I would give it. I'm just far too used to Nozawa, Tanaka, Horikawa, etc, for me to care, and I think many people here are the same, so why throw a fit?

[VegettoEX]

I haven't given a whole lot of opinions on this just yet...

But I will say that so far I've recorded 1/3 of the topical portions of next week's podcast, and have lined up the other two people I want to talk with regarding two entirely different aspects and viewpoints. I think what I'm going to have for you this coming weekend is one of the best, most balanced, honest, and enthralling conversations we've given in quite some time. Funny how nothing more than a "YEP WE GOT THAT SHIZ" non-announcement can give us that ^_~.

(In a nutshell, I'm with m121akuma right now. It's not as if someone like me is going to be watching the dub of Kai anyway, so any changes to it only prop it up in my head, but have no real relevance what-so-ever to my enjoyment of the show.)

[Kendamu]

I'm definitely going to take a fair look at the dub when the sets come out since they're actually taking the effort to go about dubbing it from scratch, but I'll likely default to the Japanese version for the majority of my viewings.

[DemonRin]

I have to say, one thing about Kai that's a BIG selling point for me that often goes overlooked isn't the voice acting or the music itself, but the quality of the sound.
Kai is leaps and bounds better than Z on sound quality. It's mixed in stereo, and its got absolutely no audio cracks and humming that you will occasionally find in Z (with different levels based on the DVD release)

That's one reason I'm excited about these DVDs. STEREO Japanese Dragonball Z!