What Should I Do? (Dragon Boxes or Kai)

[DB_Fan1991]

In the next couple of weeks I plan on making some DVD purchases I know that I want Blue Bricks 4 & 5, but as for the Z portion I don't know whether I should get Kai or the Dragon Boxes as I'm on a tight budget on just $40 a month. I have no job at all thanks to the economy, so that's why I'm asking.

[rereboy]

From a financial point of view, the Dragon Boxes seem to be cheaper since they have more episodes per dollar. Kai will have less episodes overall, but I don`t think it will compensate the price diference. The rest is a matter of preference.

[VegettoEX]

This seems to be a constant question here on the forum lately, being asked over and over and over again by separate folks but all about the same products.

We can guide you along to a possible answer, sure... but only you can buy what it is you want, so you have to ask yourself... well, which one do I want more? Do you want the Dragon Box more? Buy it. Do you want Kai more? Buy it.

Without actually describing what it is you like about the series and its production, no-one can even do the most basic of guiding toward a decision with you. All we know is that you're deciding between the two. OK... well... so what? What about them?

They're different products. They each have their unique characteristics. Use our "Reviews" section to get a feel for them and what makes them what they are.

[DB_Fan1991]

I'm more of a dub fan. I have the first Dragon Box, and since where I am going to is MovieStop (think GameStop for movies, but it's not in every state) I'll also be trading in Orange Bricks 4-9 as I don't really need them, so that may help me a bit.

[Kaboom]

My general answer remains the same. It all comes down to what aspect of the series you're drawn to.

Do you want the original Dragon Ball Z anime, in its purest form and best possible quality? Then go for the Dragon Boxes. It's the best that an English-language release of the series is ever going to look and sound, and the dub is still there as a bonus. Speaking of bonuses, the Dragon Books are delicious.

Or do you want the redefined "new hotness" version of the series? Then go for Kai. There's a high-def version available, it moves at a thankfully much brisker pace than the original Z (Freeza is defeated after barely 50 episodes!), and as a big added bonus, FUNimation's releases proudly feature a brand-new dub that's actually worth watching.

Weigh your options, and decide for yourself which you want more. Your destiny is in your own hands.

[Raven]

If you're a hardcore dub fan, go for Kai: It's the only accurate dub out there.
If you're not too familiar with the japanese version but willing to give it a go, buy the Dragon Boxes. they're amazing

[TheGreatness25]

If you're a hardcore dub fan, go for Kai: It's the only accurate dub out there.
If you're not too familiar with the japanese version but willing to give it a go, buy the Dragon Boxes. they're amazing

That kind of negates the entire thing. If he was a hardcore dub fan, he'd want the old dubbed version of the show... which does not exist on the Dragon Boxes either because of lack of music really.

[DB_Fan1991]

If you're a hardcore dub fan, go for Kai: It's the only accurate dub out there.
If you're not too familiar with the japanese version but willing to give it a go, buy the Dragon Boxes. they're amazing

That kind of negates the entire thing. If he was a hardcore dub fan, he'd want the old dubbed version of the show... which does not exist on the Dragon Boxes either because of lack of music really.

Nope I am not that big of a fan of Faulconer's music. The Japanese music is where it's at for me.

[TheGreatness25]

Well the Dragon Boxes have the DBZ Japanese score and Kai has all new music. If that's taken out of the equation, then you have your choice between which show you prefer more. The Dragon Boxes have more episodes per disc, but if you have only one thus far, it might be hard catching up to the fourth set, while Kai only has 2 out now.

[Cipher]

Just to add another wrinkle in the discussion.

I'm pretty sure you can educate yourself as to the pros and cons of each. Only you know how you want to watch/what you want to get out of the series, so there's not a whole lot else we can say.

But I would consider how quickly you want to acquire the series. You said you already have the first Dragon Box, and the Kai releases are only just slightly beyond where that one ends. The Dragon Boxes are farther a long and cover significantly more material per box than the Kai releases. So if you don't really care about which version of the series you're watching, and just want to own as much Dragon Ball Z as quickly as you can, the Boxes are the way to go.

Well, I mean, I guess the Season Sets would technically be the way to go there, but I'm assuming you have some discerning taste and want to own a high quality version of the show.

[Adamant]

"More of a dub fan" doesn't exactly say much, either. Are you a fan of a particular Dragonball dub, or just "something Dragonball where they talk English"? If you're a fan of a particular dub, does that include the replacement music, if any? The particular voice cast? The delivery? The rewritten script? Do you like the series for it's actual qualities, or just because you're nostalgic about what you saw on TV as a kid? If it's the qualities of the series, is it the actual qualities of Dragonball, or just whatever qualities you found in some inaccurate dub?

Just saying you're a "dub fan" doesn't say much, since there's what, 20 "different" English dubs of the series out there.

[LeprikanGT]

Buy both. You SHOULD want a complete entire run of the show in all its glory [Dboxes] and you shoul want Kai for the semi re-drawn animation and all that comes with it. If you're a Dubbie, I guess the new script couldn't hurt.


Go pick up the brick sets while you're at it for the Faulconer music.

[DB_Fan1991]

I am a FUNi dub fan. I am new to the fandom having only been in it for 2 years, so I only know the DBZ/GT dub with the original music, and not the Johnson/Faulconer/Menza music. I am trading in Orange Bricks 4-9 to get a little more money to buy more DVD's, and I know that the last 2 Dragon Ball season sets are the first things I'll buy.

[Minigt]

For me its Dragonboxes all the way as I prefer the Japanese audio.

[Great Saiyaman I]

Well according to the Dragon Box Volume 2 thread in General Discussion, RightStuf says that Dbox 2 is no longer available for purchase. So you might want to pick the Dboxes up from other retailers before they're gone.

[DB_Fan1991]

Well according to the Dragon Box Volume 2 thread in General Discussion, RightStuf says that Dbox 2 is no longer available for purchase. So you might want to pick the Dboxes up from other retailers before they're gone.

Yeah I think you're right, so Dragon Boxes it is then. In fact I'll go for them before the Blue Bricks.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Just saying you're a "dub fan" doesn't say much, since there's what, 20 "different" English dubs of the series out there.

There is only one English dub that has done all 291 episodes of the series. When an English speaker says they're a "dub fan", they're almost always going to be talking about FUNimation's dub.

[Gaffer Tape]

That is true, but remember that the original FUNimation dub was 276 (plus one unnumbered) episodes, with seasons 1 and 2 made in conjunction with Saban and the Ocean Group, and seasons 3-6 done exclusively by FUNimation in-house. Technically, THAT is the original American dub. As I know you know, the first part of the series was only later redone and tacked on to the beginning in place of the original two seasons. Obviously that's splitting hairs for the most part since the majority of that dub is still considered "current" (or at least as current as the orange bricks, and most of the voice work as current as the DBoxes), but it's just a reminder that even saying "FUNimation's dub" has its complications.

[DB_Fan1991]

That is true, but remember that the original FUNimation dub was 276 (plus one unnumbered) episodes, with seasons 1 and 2 made in conjunction with Saban and the Ocean Group, and seasons 3-6 done exclusively by FUNimation in-house. Technically, THAT is the original American dub. As I know you know, the first part of the series was only later redone and tacked on to the beginning in place of the original two seasons. Obviously that's splitting hairs for the most part since the majority of that dub is still considered "current" (or at least as current as the orange bricks, and most of the voice work as current as the DBoxes), but it's just a reminder that even saying "FUNimation's dub" has its complications.

What I meant to say is that I'm a fan of the Orange Brick/Dragon Box dub.

[Adamant]

Just saying you're a "dub fan" doesn't say much, since there's what, 20 "different" English dubs of the series out there.

There is only one English dub that has done all 291 episodes of the series. When an English speaker says they're a "dub fan", they're almost always going to be talking about FUNimation's dub.

"Almost always" doesn't mean always. And there's not just one "Funimation's dub", as I was saying. There's the one with the censored and cut Saiyan/early Freeza arc, there's the one with those dubbed completely, there's the season set dub with the redone lines, there's the dub without replaced music, there's the edited TV dub... "Funimation's dub" is not a single product.
Then there's the question of what exactly he liked about what he watched, which would definitely play a role in what he should watch. Is he just nostalgic for what he saw on TV and wants that exact product? Does he just want "Dragonball in English"? Did he like the shat-upon Funi script, and wants something with those stains rather than something remotely accurate? Did he watch it with a replaced score and would want that in the version he was buying? Did he watch it with that score but would rather give the real score a try. Is he insistant on particular actors or line deliveries and wants a version with these included?

Of course, I'm just repeating myself here, since I already said all this in that post you ignored most of. Did you even read all of it?

What I meant to say is that I'm a fan of the Orange Brick/Dragon Box dub.

And what I did say is that that doesn't help much if you're not telling us what you liked or disliked about that dub. The Kai dub is different, but you're not giving enough information that we can tell whether or not you'd find those differences improvements or not.