Linda Young not to voice Freeza in the Dragon ball Kai dub?

[Rory]

This is not official news, do not take it as such.

So I left a message on Sean Schemmel's Facebook (well, his fanclub.. thingy anyway) in response to why Kai will be superior to Z, and why Z had.. a "few problems".

One of the things that has been overlooked in the comparison of the original DBZ dub and Kai in terms of the quality improvement has been the director. Now while I'll admit I wasn't a seasoned actor the first time we did DBZ, a lot of the artistic decisions I was forced to live with were at the behest of the director. My point is, that if we had had a better director to begin with, the original DBZ would have been better. Maybe not as good as kai, because we are all more experienced now, but certainly better...

There was all sorts wrong with the original Dragon Ball Z dub Sean. :p
Music, dialogue, edits, unfitting voices (a few sadly transitioning to Kai.. I'm looking at you mrs.Young!!), not to mention the acting (no offence Sean, but I honestly couldn't take you seriously in your first appearance vs Ginyu).
But enough bashing, FUNimation has matured into a much more respectable company with great dubs, like Full Metal Alchemist (one of my absolute favourite dubs), as has it's voice actors and actresses.

And I'm sure Dragon Ball Kai's dub will be another of FUNimation's greatest quality dubs... except Freeza's dub voice, which I still loathe.

Oh, but Rory, there is a surprise coming your way...

Could he mean what I think he means? Could Linda Young finally be replaced? Just thought I'd throw these here for you guys to see what you guys make of it!

[Metalwario64]

Wow, even more hints towards that (the first being "probably watch the beginning of the first episode on Nicktoons). Honestly, at this point, if Frie­za being recast isn't the "big surprise", then I will be quite surprised (maybe their intentions ) and disappointed.

[penguintruth]

I said this in another thread, but what the hell:

As much as I'd love a new Freeza, one that's a little deeper, to have Ms. Young do a single laugh in one episode and then pull her off seems alarmingly incongruous and even a little mean. I can understand if they decided from the beginning to not recast her as Freeza, but to do so and then decide, "No, wait, you're off", that's a little weird.

Well, I guess it's better than her doing the role for several episodes and then pulling her off suddenly.

[The Tori-bot]

But... we heard her laughter in the Bardock recap...

Oh, who am I kidding, replace her anyway.

[Metalwario64]

It's possible that Linda Young may still voice Fri­eza in the TV dub, but seems a bit unlikely/unnecessary.

[Brad Redfield]

As much as I'd love a new Freeza, one that's a little deeper, to have Ms. Young do a single laugh in one episode and then pull her off seems alarmingly incongruous and even a little mean. I can understand if they decided from the beginning to not recast her as Freeza, but to do so and then decide, "No, wait, you're off", that's a little weird.

Hey, it gives them the perfect excuse to re-release Kai with EAR-SHATTERING REVISED ENGLISH DUB AUDIO...Fo 'sho?

I really hope its true, though.

[Cold Skin]

It's totally possible! Freezer doesn't come up for a while except for that appearance, during which he only laughs. Given that fans will expect a great voice for that character, I would have done the same if it was in a rush: "let's keep her for that quick laugh and we'll have all the time to find a new great voice later, we'll deal with it at the same time than for the new voices for some other characters on Namek. It's better than just choosing a new voice in a rush which might not fit just because we're in a hurry to record a single laugh with no other line".

Anyway, I guess it would be THE ultimate voice replacement to make on the English dub, if they had just said "we'll change one single voice in the cast, choose the character who should have a new voice", I would have said "Freezer!!" in an instant (well, actually, I would have said "Freeza" so that they could understand, "Freezer" being the French name for obvious reasons )!

[The Time Traveller]

From all the rumours I've heard, I'd take it he's either joking/playing along or we are definitely getting a new Freeza.

[Tanooki Kuribo]

Well, I guess it's better than her doing the role for several episodes and then pulling her off suddenly.

Yea, it was just a laugh in episode one. She didn't have any actual lines to say so, I guess that's OK.

[jjgp1112]

Either that, or Linda Young is just changing the way she does the voice. Her laugh in episode 1 was a little bit deeper than her usual laugh, after all.

[TheGreatness25]

Maybe they'll make Linda Young's voice deeper as she starts her transformations until she sounds kind of like a he-she.

[Innagadadavida]

Yeah, a replacement VA for Freeza would be pretty cool. There are a few male actors in FUNi's talent pool that would be suitable replacements.

[Gaffer Tape]

Has anyone considered the possibility that they didn't even bring in Linda Young for that laugh at all? Maybe it was stock footage. I mean, it almost seems like a waste of time to bring in a voice actor and get her all set up just to do a single laugh and, "Hey, come back in several months when your character actually speaks!"

[Xyex]

Has anyone considered the possibility that they didn't even bring in Linda Young for that laugh at all? Maybe it was stock footage. I mean, it almost seems like a waste of time to bring in a voice actor and get her all set up just to do a single laugh and, "Hey, come back in several months when your character actually speaks!"

As has been noted, that laugh wasn't the same as what she did during Z.

I wouldn't count on a recast of Freeza. Not when Kai's supposed to be the one that fixes things. Throwing an inconsistency into the series right off the bat like that is an absurdly poor way to start. More than likely Young's changed up her voice for the dub. The only way I see Freeza getting a new VA would after hitting one of his other forms, instead of just a modified Young voice like before.

[ohaimynameiserik]

Has anyone considered the possibility that they didn't even bring in Linda Young for that laugh at all? Maybe it was stock footage. I mean, it almost seems like a waste of time to bring in a voice actor and get her all set up just to do a single laugh and, "Hey, come back in several months when your character actually speaks!"

She voices Uranai Baba, as well. Baba had a few lines. Not a lot, but a few.

I'm trying not to get my hopes up on a Freeza replacement. After all by "surprise", he could have just meant that you would be surprised at how good the new dub would be.

But of course I also see that that's pushing it... BRING ON THE NEW FREEZAAAA!!

[bkev]

You're all forgetting that recast doesn't necessarily mean re-invent... we could be getting someone imitating Linda Young. Not sure why we would, but just gotta keep that in mind here...

[G1Ravage]

FUNi might be using Freeza's transformations as a chance to change the voice. It's possible Linda Young will only be first-form Freeza.

[Ultimate_DB_Fan]

As proven with Sabat & Schemmel, it's possible for Young to deliver a good performance in Kai. Everyone's come a long way since '99, & to change the voice because a few people here and there never liked it would be a bad move, since most of us dubbies are both comfortable & used to the voice. Enough damage was done with the recastings for Bulma & Gohan. Come on now. >_>

[VegettoEX]

Enough damage was done with the recastings for Bulma & Gohan. Come on now. >_>

Forgive the tone of minor annoyance, but I don't quite understand this. I'm not seeing anything (and trust me, I lurk more forums than you think or give me credit for, much to my own dismay) that even approaches "damage" -- for the most part, it seems the general consensus is one of acceptance and enjoyment.

[TheBlackPaladin]

I was hoping that meant she was recast too, but keep in mind it could just be Sean's way of saying that the dub is good. Ya know like, "I hated the original dub!" and him being like, "Well, aren't you in for quite the surprise."

FUNi might be using Freeza's transformations as a chance to change the voice. It's possible Linda Young will only be first-form Freeza.

I thought about that, too. I wouldn't mind that.