Dragonball Kai (FUNimation English) Dub: General Discussion

[Suupaa Gohan 2]

...I'm sorry but I hear this all the time and I disagree. I know the sub fans have had it hard for a long time but that doesn't mean you have to go on a tirade insulting the dub fans like that. It's just the way they prefer DBZ.

First of all, you don't need to quote my entire post like that (it's very long), and second, I think you misunderstood the majority of my point.

My post has nothing to do with my personal preference vs. the preference of dub fans. If you prefer the dub for the reasons you listed, great. My point was regarding availability - back when we were complaining about not getting the series we wanted, it was very difficult to downright impossible to access the original. Now, the dub fans who complain about all the changes in Kai...have utterly no reason to do so, because their preferred version still exists. It's not like FUNimation took all the master copies of the original Z dub and burned them, canceled production, and recalled all the ones everyone had every purchased ever. If you prefer the Z dub, the original dub voice cast, the Falconer score, the inaccurate script...that's your personal choice. But you can't complain about Kai, because you don't have to watch or buy it. You can still find the version of the series you prefer any time you want, because it's still out there - as I said, you can legally purchase it, and I'm sure it wouldn't take too much effort to illegally find it online somewhere.

The fans of the Z dub are very outspoken and devoted, and I realize they have every right to complain about their dislike of the changes in Kai as we do to complain about the debacle the dub has been for the past 10 years. But the point is that for all the years we were complaining, we couldn't get what we wanted. It took a while before we had dual-language DVD's with subtitles, and as I already covered in my previous post, the internet didn't make it as easy to just pop on and find a Japanese cartoon online. Compare to today's Naruto fans, who have a choice between the English dub and the Japanese version that can be as easy as going to a streaming video site and finding accurately subtitled Japanese episodes. We couldn't do that back in the day. The point of my post is that back when it was us lobbying our complaints, we had a lot more of a good reason to do it. Dub fans can dislike the changes in Kai all they want, but they take it a bit too far when they don't stop and think about the fact that the original Z dub is still there for them if they want it. Let those of us who have been waiting 10 years for an accurate dub enjoy what we're getting now, and if you prefer the original Z dub to Kai, then go watch that instead, because it's still out there. You aren't losing anything. However, for a lot of us back in the late 90's, we were losing out on getting the series we wanted in English. My post was basically a longwinded 'kids these days have it so easy, back in my day we had to walk barefoot in the snow, uphill both ways' old man rant. I don't understand why dub fans can complain so vehemently over Kai when they still have such easy access to their version of choice, a luxury we didn't have. At no point in my post was I implying that dub fans don't have a right to prefer that version of the series - but when you see an endless sea of YouTube comments and the like outright assaulting Kai for doing things right just because it's not what they're used to, when they can still just go watch the version they're used to...yeah, I stand by my point. Does that make sense now? Because that was what my post was about.

I also see you were embarrased when you watched DBZ on CN because of all the differences, but let's face it, the show wouldn't even be popular in the states if it hadn't aired on there.

Did you also see the fact that I mentioned multiple times that I was in middle school at the time, and that I'm now a senior in college? It's not exactly uncommon for people to be embarrassed about such things - Hell, there's a thread in General Discussion right now asking older fans if they are currently embarrassed when people find out they're Dragonball fans. I really don't understand the logic behind you attacking this particular aspect of my post. Yes, the English dub of Dragonball Z is extremely embarrassing. I could list several pages of quotes that I think most people over the age of 12 would be embarrassed to hear, especially if they weren't in the room alone. But since the point of my post had nothing to do with insulting the dub, I'm not going to do that. Nonetheless, I had every right to be embarrassed about watching the English dub as you have to enjoy it. That's my opinion, and I don't see what the fact that 'the show wouldn't even be popular in the states if it hadn't aired on there' has anything to do with it.

[MR.Mark]

I can't really blame Schemmel's acting or any sort of directing, the scene's gonna come off a certain way no matter what.

Though to be fair, I would of preferd it if Schemmel delivered his healing tank lines in a similar way Nozawa did, very calmly.
This is where I don't get Schemmel detractors who claim he's too serious for Goku, if anything he's not serious enough at times, the healing tank stuff being one of them. Don't get me wrong, it's no where near as melodramatic as his Z dub performance, but so far I'm a tad let down by his lack of calm pondering.

Fans seem to be so focused on the pitch of Nozawa's voice that they miss how deadly serious she can be at times. So they think a good English Goku is either Sean doing all his lines in a high pitch happy "HEY I'm GOKU HAHAHA!" voice or they want an actor to make a prepubescent man-boy voice. Which is why I push for more use of slang and such in Son's dialogue, Goku can sound like a man and still be the character. As long as the script and acting is solid, and Goku doesn't sound like Barry White. Sean has a childish playful quality, he just needs good directing and he shines, Kai is proof of that.

[penguintruth]

I wouldn't say he shines. It's more like he's now tolerable.

[Cootie]

I am not really into nit-picking so I think that this dub isn't just good, I think that it is amazing. I actually want the DVDs with English voices while having the subtitles on so I can see the Japanese dialog and it is almost exactly the same. The only things that have been changed at all really is Kiao's jokes. But, it is understandable because most of them are puns based on Japanese pronunciation.

Bless you Kai.

[MR.Mark]

I wouldn't say he shines. It's more like he's now tolerable.

I'd say he's enjoyable now, but with some nitpicks here and there, some being beyond his control, like the script.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

I would have said nothing if penguintruth hadn't started with his anti-Schemmel comments.

And he's not going to finish, either. Just ignore him from here on out. That's what I did.

[batistabus]

Saying something 'sucks' is not the same as saying 'I don't like [x]' or 'I prefer [y] to [x]'. Saying something 'sucks balls' is insulting and childish.

This is all I meant.

I'm loving this dub. Feels like Goku's been in that damn tank forever though. I can't wait for him to bust out.

[Mewzard]

Saying something 'sucks' is not the same as saying 'I don't like [x]' or 'I prefer [y] to [x]'. Saying something 'sucks balls' is insulting and childish.

This is all I meant.

I'm loving this dub. Feels like Goku's been in that damn tank forever though. I can't wait for him to bust out.

If you thought Kai was forever, look back to the original dub. Schemmel was nearly starved out waiting for more work as Goku.

Thankfully, most of that was cleared through, and we should have Goku back in action next Thursday for episode 40 (if I'm not mistaken). That's also when we'll get more Only a Chilling Elegy, and dubbed Saiyan Blood, isn't it?

[dbgtFO]

Saying something 'sucks' is not the same as saying 'I don't like [x]' or 'I prefer [y] to [x]'. Saying something 'sucks balls' is insulting and childish.

This is all I meant.

I'm loving this dub. Feels like Goku's been in that damn tank forever though. I can't wait for him to bust out.

If you thought Kai was forever, look back to the original dub. Schemmel was nearly starved out waiting for more work as Goku.

Thankfully, most of that was cleared through, and we should have Goku back in action next Thursday for episode 40 (if I'm not mistaken). That's also when we'll get more Only a Chilling Elegy, and dubbed Saiyan Blood, isn't it?

Saiyan blood and Super Dragon Soul are featured in the same episode and AFAIK Super Dragon Soul was in episode 41.

[Mewzard]

Saiyan blood and Super Dragon Soul are featured in the same episode and AFAIK Super Dragon Soul was in episode 41.

Really? Damn, I was one episode off...well, there goes my hope for next week : /

[NeoKING]

You know, while I do attribute Toonami's airing of the dub to have a hand in DB's popularity, it wasn't the only dub airing at the time. I remember in the early 2000s, the Spanish channel Telemundo aired the Spanish dub of DBZ every Sunday morning in the U.S. I do believe it was uncut, because it had the JP BGM and even the Spanish Cha-La Head Cha-La. That's how I was first exposed to the original DBZ w/o Funi's edits. Z KAI is kinda like having that experience again for me.

[TheBlackPaladin]

You know, while I do attribute Toonami's airing of the dub to have a hand in DB's popularity, it wasn't the only dub airing at the time. I remember in the early 2000s, the Spanish channel Telemundo aired the Spanish dub of DBZ every Sunday morning in the U.S. I do believe it was uncut, because it had the JP BGM and even the Spanish Cha-La Head Cha-La. That's how I was first exposed to the original DBZ w/o Funi's edits. Z KAI is kinda like having that experience again for me.

There's debate as to whether or not the Spanish dub was uncut or not. The general consensus, however, is that even if it wasn't uncut, they edited very little and did show some the more violent scenes.

[Super Sonic]

Now...the one CON:
-My one complaint is that "Only a Chilling Elegy" wasn't dubbed. I thought for sure it would be. Not a huge loss considering it's an awesome song even in Japanese, of course. It's only that my thoughts on dubbing are that everything, from songs to dialogue, should be dubbed (except of course in certain cases where the nature of a scene involves the use of different languages). I've never understood the "songs are an exception" rule when dubbing. If the purpose of a dub is to break the language barrier, why only break that language barrier with dialogue? Why are songs an exception? Plus FUNimation had been dubbing all the insert songs up to this point...I dunno. A little disappointing. No biggie, though.

I'm not trying to call Funi stupid or anything but do you think they accidentally thought that Japanese part was some pseudo Latin singing like during Piccolo's death song in the original dub? (Or maybe they realized it sounded as such and wanted to pass it off as that.)

With songs some people are really passionate depending on what they heard first. Friend of mine refuses to watch the Beck dub because they dubbed the songs in it. Only watched the first ep, but heard they did really good and guys gave them kudos for the good effort, but he liked the Japanese songs so much, he considers having them in English blasphemous.

[TheBlackPaladin]

Now...the one CON:
-My one complaint is that "Only a Chilling Elegy" wasn't dubbed. I thought for sure it would be. Not a huge loss considering it's an awesome song even in Japanese, of course. It's only that my thoughts on dubbing are that everything, from songs to dialogue, should be dubbed (except of course in certain cases where the nature of a scene involves the use of different languages). I've never understood the "songs are an exception" rule when dubbing. If the purpose of a dub is to break the language barrier, why only break that language barrier with dialogue? Why are songs an exception? Plus FUNimation had been dubbing all the insert songs up to this point...I dunno. A little disappointing. No biggie, though.

I'm not trying to call Funi stupid or anything but do you think they accidentally thought that Japanese part was some pseudo Latin singing like during Piccolo's death song in the original dub? (Or maybe they realized it sounded as such and wanted to pass it off as that.)

With songs some people are really passionate depending on what they heard first. Friend of mine refuses to watch the Beck dub because they dubbed the songs in it. Only watched the first ep, but heard they did really good and guys gave them kudos for the good effort, but he liked the Japanese songs so much, he considers having them in English blasphemous.

My only point is, if he considers the dubbing of the songs blasphemous, why does he not consider the dubbing of the dialogue blasphemous as well?

[Super Sonic]

He's not that hardcore of a fan to think of things, and says he's pretty much past dub/sub anime debates. It's just he loved the original Japanese music somuch and he said it was the first non-Shonen series he got into years ago via college anime club.

With the talk of Kai vs. Z fans, it's also similar to what happened with the Gatchaman dubs, Battle of the Planets, and G-Force. G-Force was truer to the original Gatchaman that BOTP, and didn't have the added scenes of that stupid robot, and the little guy spoke clearly. But BOTP fans hate G-Force with a great passion. BoTP did come first so guys are sticking to what they watched, though heard some guys say that was different because both shows were done before the internet.

[Innagadadavida]

Daaaaaaamn. Even if you don't like Colleen as Gohan, you gotta admit. The girl can do mad. Her performance when Krillin got impaled damn near gave me goosebumps.

[Cootie]

Daaaaaaamn. Even if you don't like Colleen as Gohan, you gotta admit. The girl can do mad. Her performance when Krillin got impaled damn near gave me goosebumps.

The scene where she did Masenko was amazing. I don't see how anyone could not like this version of Gohan. People claim that Gohan sounds like a girl, but the truth is that you can't tell the difference of a boy and girls voice up until the age of 8 or 9.

[nathantheguitarist]

I just realized that for the Ginyu Force song, they should've used "Ginyu Force go! Ginyu Force go!" instead of "Ginyu Force rules! Ginyu Force rules!."

It would've made more sense in the whole parody side of things, that being "Go!" has been a part of damn-near every Power Rangers theme over the past 17 years.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

I just realized that for the Ginyu Force song, they should've used "Ginyu Force go! Ginyu Force go!" instead of "Ginyu Force rules! Ginyu Force rules!."

It would've made more sense in the whole parody side of things, that being "Go!" has been a part of damn-near every Power Rangers theme over the past 17 years.

Although I've seen next to no Power Rangers, I can agree that "Ginyū Force go!" would've sounded better. "Ginyū Force Rules!" still sounds good, though. It's fits their cocky personalities.

[Duo]

The English Dub for this is great so far (first 16 episodes on Blu-ray). I squee'd a bit when Vegeta explained the Saiyan transformation to Goku and it was dead-on accurate. The translation is almost "perfect". I'm not too fond of Schemmel and Sabat as Goku and Vegeta, but they are much more enjoyable without the stomach turning character rewriting. It's a dub I can openly recommend to people.

My only complaint is the damned King Kai. That voice is so FUCKING annoying!

I have not watched Kai in the original Japanese, but I watched through this arc on the Dragonbox not long ago.