Dragonball Kai (FUNimation English) Dub: General Discussion

[linkdude20002001]

Is there any sort of screengrab from Sean Schemmel's facebook that can verify the above quote about him hating Faulconer and calling the canadian music that may feature in Nicktoons "crappy?" Really find it hard to believe that someone involved in the production of a television series would bash it outright.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/gro ... 374&ref=ts

Go to his wall and scroll down to Max Wilson's comment "Hey Sean! Are we gonna get all of Bruce's music in DBKai?".

Schemmel's reply "Nope! There will be the original Japanese music which is awesome, and the on air american release may feature some really crappy music from Canada. No offense to you personally, but I hated Bruce Falconer's music for DBZ."

[Mewzard]

I agree with the the others, Bardock was a rather good voice, which should only improve with better, more accurate dialog. I wish the DVD was out already...especially since, by then, I'll be done with the Semester.

Impatience aside, I can't believe we're finally getting that accurate dub. It's always nice to have something you hoped for, for so long, finally happy.

[VegettoEX]

<generic-and-expected-"Mike-doesn't-like-a-dub-voice-comment">

I'm with some of you folks in that... uhh... that's not Bardock. I've... maybe?... seen some of the Bardock special dubbed (back when it was actually done so in 2000), but I can't say I remember anything other than the general conversations about its horribly adjusted dialogue. Sonny Strait was also one of my least-favorite of the new group at the time, so that wouldn't have helped the dub's case at that point.

Of course, Sonny Strait is now perhaps one of the best in the group, so that whole conversation's out the window.

Judging by these clips, though... no, no, that's not the character. I can't pinpoint what it is, unfortunately... but I wouldn't be fair if I didn't say that Nozawa's performance in the first episode of Kai wasn't the character, either. It doesn't seem like either of them have a clue what the motivation was for the character... which is entirely true, since them and us are being tossed into the very end climax of an otherwise very important and well-paced feature.

Bardock is supposed to be this weird combination of desperate and scared and determined... the dub performance I get is just "Ha-HAH, Freeza!" in this weird, head-scratching-inducing, almost-ironic superhero persona (totally separate from the generic Schemmel/Season3/Goku superhero voice we've all talked about before).

Thankfully it's pretty minor since he's in-and-out, and if I'm going to watch the special, I'm going to watch the special, and not just a couple minutes of the first episode of Kai (never mind dubbed for either of them).

</generic-and-expected-"Mike-doesn't-like-a-dub-voice-comment">

[Mewzard]

As a person who actively reads comings and watched most of the DCAU from the early 90s to mid 2000s, I question how Bardock sounds like a hero at all.

Personally, he sounds like a man rising from pain and sorrow, rage welling up being the only thing keeping him from rolling over dead. An Anti-Heroes' voice at best. Which...he is, sort of. He's had moments of heroics under his own way at the end, as a partial redemption from his wicked ways not given a full chance to see where it would go.

So yeah, definitely not the hero voice, though it was used through one or two moments of moderate heroics/suicide charge.

[Kaboom]

In terms of Bardock's voice, all I'll say is that I don't mind if he doesn't sound more youthful and "kid-like" like Goku and Gohan should. Bardock's kind of the odd one out in Goku's family in that he doesn't have that child-like innocence about him. Portraying that in his voice isn't something that FUNi particularly needs to worry about like with Goku.

[Baby Naruto]

Do we know for sure the exact premiere date of Dragon Ball Z Kai on Nicktoons? (MM/DD/YYYY)

Also, what time will it be airing at on that day?

May/24/2010 8:00 PM

It'll be airing Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, just so we're clear.

4x more a week than in Japan. Which should mean that we'll have no problems catching up.

That is, if it weren't for the fact that the release of the second half of the first season DVD being scheduled for September, hints that they're gonna end up taking 'breaks' and showing re-runs whenever the hell they feel like it.

I sure hope they don't take too many re-run breaks.

And thanks for telling me what days and what time .

[yummypixels]

I agree that Bardock's voice shouldn't be as upbeat and aloof as Goku's voice, however, I think Nozawa's adaption of his voice has been the best thus far. It's pitch was deeper than Goku's typical voice, and carried the serious, rebellious tone appropriately. The reason I dislike this new voice choice for Bardock is that it sounds like he's trying too hard, whereas Nozawa's seemed very fluid and natural (IMO). It was low, somber, and carried the precariousness that I think is so fitting for Bardock. He needs to sound somewhat crooked.. and I really was pleased with Nozawa's subtle changes in pitch (and the script/lines helped too). There isn't a doubt that he's Goku's father, but he definitely sounds different enough--not only in pitch, but in intonation and vernacular. His Japanese doesn't use the same "country bumpkin" jargon that Goku is so well known for, but rather, it is very reminiscent of the slang more common to street talk. Coarse language, but not "hick," if you will. That alone makes the two sound very different from each other.


All in all.. I'm a Bardock lover, and despite him being only in a "special," I wish they had found someone who sounded just a little more Bardock to me, and less wannabe Christian Bale. That's all.

[Hujio]

It'll be airing Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, just so we're clear. 4x more a week than in Japan.

Well, actually... The re-runs in Japan will put the American ones to shame. Kai is on Japanese TV every day of the week except Tuesday, in some capacity. Hell, DragonBall Z is still in re-runs and it ended in 1996.

[Baby Naruto]

Hell, DragonBall Z is still in re-runs and it ended in 1996.

Just goes to show how awesome and popular the show still is in Japan ^_^.

[Mewzard]

I agree that Bardock's voice shouldn't be as upbeat and aloof as Goku's voice, however, I think Nozawa's adaption of his voice has been the best thus far. It's pitch was deeper than Goku's typical voice, and carried the serious, rebellious tone appropriately. The reason I dislike this new voice choice for Bardock is that it sounds like he's trying too hard, whereas Nozawa's seemed very fluid and natural (IMO). It was low, somber, and carried the precariousness that I think is so fitting for Bardock. He needs to sound somewhat crooked.. and I really was pleased with Nozawa's subtle changes in pitch (and the script/lines helped too). There isn't a doubt that he's Goku's father, but he definitely sounds different enough--not only in pitch, but in intonation and vernacular. His Japanese doesn't use the same "country bumpkin" jargon that Goku is so well known for, but rather, it is very reminiscent of the slang more common to street talk. Coarse language, but not "hick," if you will. That alone makes the two sound very different from each other.


All in all.. I'm a Bardock lover, and despite him being only in a "special," I wish they had found someone who sounded just a little more Bardock to me, and less wannabe Christian Bale. That's all.

Wannabe Christian Bale? What sounds near Christian Bale in that voice? <_<

I wouldn't say trying too hard. Should a voice actor only use their own voice with the slightest of pitch changes? No, of course not. These comparisons to Superheroes, and to the worst, most forced of Batman voices ever, as a comic fan, feel mildly insulting. Bardock's dub voice is far less forced deep and gruff. It's not even incredibly deep, though it is mildly gruff, but that's not too surprising to me.

But hey, what does my opinion matter? Just followed the series for over a decade. : p

I do love the series, and all the fun conversations that can come from it.

[ohaimynameiserik]

Bardock's English voice is alright.

It definitely sounded better in the newly dubbed Kai episode than in the special itself.

Anyone who thinks he sounded like a "hero" must be completely blinded by their FUNimation "Season 3" hatred.

He sounds crazy and hysterical.

[yummypixels]

Wannabe Christian Bale? What sounds near Christian Bale in that voice? <_<

I wouldn't say trying too hard. Should a voice actor only use their own voice with the slightest of pitch changes? No, of course not. These comparisons to Superheroes, and to the worst, most forced of Batman voices ever, as a comic fan, feel mildly insulting. Bardock's dub voice is far less forced deep and gruff. It's not even incredibly deep, though it is mildly gruff, but that's not too surprising to me.

But hey, what does my opinion matter? Just followed the series for over a decade. : p

I do love the series, and all the fun conversations that can come from it.

Well.. everyone's opinion matters. I hope I didn't come off that I didn't think your opinion matters. We simply have different views And I also have followed the series over a decade.. And love it like everyone else here. I hope we can agree to disagree. I prefer Nozawa and probably always will. But I promise to watch the Bardock special when it's finished and then make my final judgment on the voice acting.

Anywaaaays.. I can see I'm outnumbered in my opinion on the Bardock voice, which is okay. ^^ I like hearing all these points of view.

But does anyone agree about the thing that's really bothersome.... the removal of his scar?

[Mewzard]

Of course, censorship is never good, and this is a really bad one. It's such a primary feature of the character over his son's looks. Pointless removal too, lots of people get scars.

[Gaffer Tape]

Anywaaaays.. I can see I'm outnumbered in my opinion on the Bardock voice, which is okay. ^^ I like hearing all these points of view.

S'okay. I can see where you're coming from on that. Unfortunately, one line is hard to make a full judgment, but I wasn't terribly pleased with that one line, even though I think that Sonny Strait has come a long way in his acting since 1999. And, yeah, the scar removal is silly, although I honestly wouldn't be surprised at this point if we saw scarless Yamucha and Tenshinhan. Only time will tell.

[fig404]

It'll be airing Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, just so we're clear. 4x more a week than in Japan.

Well, actually... The re-runs in Japan will put the American ones to shame. Kai is on Japanese TV every day of the week except Tuesday, in some capacity. Hell, DragonBall Z is still in re-runs and it ended in 1996.

Oh, so you think that Nicktoons will be showing the same episode four times a week? I assumed that they were going to have four NEW episodes a week.
Now I'm curious to find out which one it is.

[DemonRin]

I don't understand why the removal of the scar is such a big deal.

If they were doing that on the DVD and BD, I'd understand the concern, but in the long run the edited release doesn't affect us at all beyond getting to judge the vocal performances early. So why do the TV edits matter?...

[Mewzard]

To me, a part of it is a matter of principle. Censorship is a legal crime against art in my eyes. But, aside from that, there's also more hope of progress if we're not as censored in a later time. But, sadly, that doesn't seem to be the case.

I'll watch the DVDs anyways, so it doesn't particularly matter, but hey, we all get annoyed by things.

[G1Ravage]

I'm pretty sure the scar was removed by accident while they were cleaning up his face.

It's a very small deal, since we see Burdock for all of...what, ten seconds?

[DbzFanboy]

Sonny Strait's Bardock for the opening of Kai sounds very good in my opinion, even better than he did on the actual special.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

And I am also not a fan of Bardock's voice.. he sounds like a poor man's version of Christian Bale from Batman Begins.

It's better than being voiced by Masako Nozawa. Seriously, the most freakin' badass character in all of DBZ is voiced by a girl!!!