Dragonball Kai (FUNimation English) Dub: General Discussion

[Kendamu]

In other news, I've recorded a couple of short dub clips for everyone! Like most Blu-ray owners, I had to record this off of my TV with a camera, but I tried to make things as clear, audible, and steady as possible for such a rush job. I mostly picked these because they made me laugh. Anywho, here they are:

1) Piccolo's regeneration. Krillin screams like a wuss!!

2) Goku's mental note! Don't go to Hell...

[Hao_Kaiser]

1) Piccolo's regeneration. Krillin screams like a wuss!!

This clip.

It has made my life.

Krillin's scream has made me more interested in Kai than anything I've seen coming out of Japan.

[ohaimynameiserik]

I really have to point out something I've noticed while watching my set.

Bravo to Chris Sabat. He has made Yamcha, Piccolo, and Vegeta sound much more like different people this time around.

Also, Yamcha has little to absolutely no trace of "surfer dude" in his voice anymore.

[Gaffer Tape]

I didn't think he'd had the surfer dude thing since DBZ season 4.

Still good to hear, though.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

YBCB is a lot better than Dragon Soul and Schemmel's awful voice. But neither are that great. But I don't think much of the Japanese versions, either.

Just a suggestion, but after a comment like that caused you to have a run in with the man himself, you should stop beating the already long dead horse.

1) Piccolo's regeneration. Krillin screams like a wuss!!

Ahhh, this reminds me why Sonny's Krillin is by far better than the Ocean dub Krillin.

[penguintruth]

There really wasn't anything in those clips that pointed to this dub being better than Z's, but they were quite short.

Schemmel's Goku is way too deep in the second clip.

[Big Momma]

YBCB is a lot better than Dragon Soul and Schemmel's awful voice. But neither are that great. But I don't think much of the Japanese versions, either.

Just a suggestion, but after a comment like that caused you to have a run in with the man himself, you should stop beating the already long dead horse.

Or quick! Start insulting Nozawa so she'll come here, too! You won't mean any of it, it'll just be bait!

[SonGokuGT]

Got mine today and watched the first two episodes. Not bad at all! I'm digging the dub and more than anything the calmer delivery of the lines. Everyone sounds good, I especially like how Justin Cook's Raditz sounds gruffer and way less "Yusuke-ish". So far so good. Opening is pretty good and I'm glad I'm not the only person hearing the auto-tune, haha! YBCB doesn't sit right with me though. Can't wait to watch more later on!

~Cheers!

[Kendamu]

There really wasn't anything in those clips that pointed to this dub being better than Z's, but they were quite short.

Schemmel's Goku is way too deep in the second clip.

Are you talking about the ones I posted?

1) Piccolo's regeneration. Krillin screams like a wuss!!

2) Goku's mental note! Don't go to Hell...

I said that posted them because I thought they were funny. They didn't have anything to do with the dub being better or worse than Z's dub. I would have to post something a bit more meaningful for that sort of thing.

[ohaimynameiserik]

Well

1. I don't like the dubbed opening and closing themes because I didn't like them originally to begin with.

2. The original Japanese version of the opening theme also has auto tune. Who here has bashed them?

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

2. The original Japanese version of the opening theme also has auto tune. Who here has bashed them?

Yeah, but that was from the glorious Japanese version, not the dub done by that evil company FUNimation.

[SonGokuGT]

Well

1. I don't like the dubbed opening and closing themes because I didn't like them originally to begin with.

2. The original Japanese version of the opening theme also has auto tune. Who here has bashed them?

I can't hear any auto-tune in the Japanese version. :/
But overall, it's pretty good. I still dig it.

@Piccolo Daimaoh: Was that sarcasm? Just checking...

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

@Piccolo Daimaoh: Was that sarcasm? Just checking...

Yeah, it was sarcasm. A lot of songs are auto-tuned these days, it's not a rare thing.

[Chuquita]

I am very impressed with Kuririn's voice right now. :3 Can't wait to hear more from his character.

It feels strange going back and listening to Funi Goku in Kai now that I've gotten so used to TFS Goku though.

[ohaimynameiserik]

It isn't like I'm defending auto-tune. I absolutely hate it as much as the next person.

But to hold it only against the dubbed opening and not the original is pretty unfair.

It's used for almost everything now, as sad as that is.

[Chuquita]

Now that I know what it is, I can't unhear the auto-tune in the OP. @_@
Well, I guess it is better to be informed than not about this sort of thing; and it does make natural songs without aid from computer programs that much more impressive.

MasakoX's version of the DB Kai opening is all natural, right? I went to listen to it right after Funi's version.

[Kendamu]

Now that I know what it is, I can't unhear the auto-tune in the OP. @_@
Well, I guess it is better to be informed than not about this sort of thing; and it does make natural songs without aid from computer programs that much more impressive.

MasakoX's version of the DB Kai opening is all natural, right? I went to listen to it right after Funi's version.

I'm pretty sure it is.

[Gozar]

OK, Dub fan coming through with my thoughts...

For the most part the Dub was pretty damn accurate. There were still a few lame jokey type lines. No, I'm not talking about smelling salts. But rather when Nappa goes after the TV people he says "I HATE THE MEDIA!!!"...Er...*Laughs nervously*...

Not really a huge deal. But there were a few lines that irked me. For example, the Oni that drives Goku to Serpent Road says that he's met Kaio-sama many times. Um...What? Also, when the Saibamen is about to blow up and kill Yamcha, Piccolo says "C'mon, fight it". Rather than the correct "This is bad" (The UUC Dub said "It's over" which was closer to the JP version, so, go figure). That may seem like a minor change that doesn't really matter, but I felt the original dialogue set Piccolo apart from the rest. Realizing what was going to happen before it did. While the Kai Dub made Piccolo out to think there may be hope.

But those were the only 2 dialogue gripes that stuck out in my mind. There WAS the changing of Gohan's word game to stuff about never giving up. But, well...That was kind of to be expected. So overall, the Dub was really solid and accurate.

As for vocal performances. I LOVED Sabat's Vegeta. He did it perfectly. It sounded like his Vegeta, but the dialogue and proper direction made it perfect. His dialogue was pretty refined (Probably not the right word, but you get what I mean) to an extent. Sabat didn't overplay the role at all. He was calm when he needed to be and belted it when he needed to.

Sabat's Piccolo was iffy for me though. In the first few Episodes he completely underplays the yells. They come out very Zoro'ish. But once it gets a little deeper in I start to hear the belting out Piccolo yells. NOTE: "Yells", not normal speaking tone. His natural dialogue is calmer.

Yamcha was also great. Much more toned down with the whole surfer thing. Both my girlfriend and I noticed it right away. It still sounds like his Yamcha. Just not douche like.

However there were some performances that I frowned upon. For instance I felt Mr. Bergmeier completely underplayed Tenshinhan. His screams were completely toned down and his emotional scenes regarding Chaozu were very underplayed. Very disappointed in that. His UUC performance was LEAGUES better.

Now then, I'm just gonna come right out and say this. I really hated Doc Morgan's narration. It felt like Kelsey Grammer was narrating the series. Not that I dislike Mr. Grammer. He's a brilliant actor. I LOVE him. But Frasier has no place narrating DragonBall. Doc Morgan's voice actually came off as funny. When he's read the title cards, both my girlfriend and I would start laughing. It sounded so cheesy and slow. I'll take Monster Truck Kelly or Hebert over Morgan any day of the week. I wish Brice Armstrong was doing it =(

Colleen's Gohan was very age appropriate. It did sound like Luffy at times, but overall, a stellar performance. Though I'm hoping that Nadolny will return for Cell Games Gohan. Rial's Bulma was also really good. No gripes with it.

As for the Opening and Ending's. I didn't like Schemmel's Dragon Soul too much. It was great at times. But then at others it felt like Karaoke. Or rather, singing in the shower. I felt he was trying too hard. I still think Vic Mignogna would have been perfect for Dragon Soul. However I really LOVED Jerry Jewel's Y!B!C!B!

[Kendamu]

But those were the only 2 dialogue gripes that stuck out in my mind. There WAS the changing of Gohan's word game to stuff about never giving up. But, well...That was kind of to be expected.

They could've easily changed that to another game. Seriously, I'd have thought it was really cool if Gohan suddenly was like, "I spy, with my little eye, something blue! Okay, fine! I spy, with my little eye..." and then the scene changes or something. It would've had the same effect since the word game from the Japanese version.

The "I'll never give up speech," wasn't a horrible replacement, but it would've been so much better with a game there instead. They did so well with other things that didn't have a good English translation so it just seems like a missed opportunity.

[Gozar]

But those were the only 2 dialogue gripes that stuck out in my mind. There WAS the changing of Gohan's word game to stuff about never giving up. But, well...That was kind of to be expected.

They could've easily changed that to another game. Seriously, I'd have thought it was really cool if Gohan suddenly was like, "I spy, with my little eye, something blue! Okay, fine! I spy, with my little eye..." and then the scene changes or something. It would've had the same effect since the word game from the Japanese version.

The "I'll never give up speech," wasn't a horrible replacement, but it would've been so much better with a game there instead. They did so well with other things that didn't have a good English translation so it just seems like a missed opportunity.

Don't get me wrong, I agree with you. When I said "That was kind of to be expected", I meant that I had a feeling that would be the case. Not that I thought it was needed.