Dragonball Kai (FUNimation English) Dub: General Discussion

[TheBlackPaladin]

One thing a little off-putting was that this episode was nearly 2 minutes shorter than the standard episode of Kai (it ran 19:33, whereas normal episodes, even on Nicktoons, are about 21:45). I never saw the Japanese version of this episode, but I'm assuming that they edited out quite a good amount of Freeza beating up Vegeta.

Yup. Exactly.

[DB_Fan1991]

Even the title screen got cut out strangely.

[Daimo-Rukiri]

This episode was brilliant. Especially Sabat.

I thought that the TV edits were going to butcher Vegeta's death, but it was all tastefully done.

... Ayres' Freeza is ear sex, by the way.

You have a sick mind!
But I totally agree.

Can't wait to see this weeks recordings, I usually just watch both all at once.

[jjgp1112]

Wow, the Kai version of Vegeta's death as a whole is just really fucking lame. Oh well.

Edit: apparently I have to clarify that I wasn't talking about the dub, but Kai in general

[MR.Mark]

Damn, just when I think Sabat's Vegeta was slipping to much back into a character voice, BAM, he blows me away.

His screams are just light-years beyond anything he's done before, I think we can put "taz-manian" Vegeta behind us now.

As for his death scene, yes, it was not word for word, BUT, it fully retained the spirit of the story as intended. Vegeta wants Freeza dead by a Saiyan hand, he's crying over his destroyed pride. A pride which Goku will now embrace and share. It's just to bad that Sean's Kaio took away emotional impact since there's no way to take that voice seriously.

As for Sean's stern delivery, it worked for me. Because at this point Goku and Vegeta are simply enemy's, the rivalry hasn't started yet. Goku even said he hated Vegeta at this point, after all, it's kinda hard to have sympathy for the same race that tried to kill him and his son, and that was his brother. Son isn't always as happy go lucky as fans seem to think, he can hold grudges, just look at Piccolo, until he saves Gohan of course.

[penguintruth]

But Nozawa's Goku sounds like an angry manchild in this scene, not an angry forty year old man lecturing his child who drew on the walls with crayon.

Sabat was good, at least. And Ayres. And with the script improved, I guess this is as good as Funimation's going to do this.

[DB_Fan1991]

But Nozawa's Goku sounds like an angry manchild in this scene, not an angry forty year old man lecturing his child who drew on the walls with crayon.

Sabat was good, at least. And Ayres. And with the script improved, I guess this is as good as Funimation's going to do this.

You know that's exactly what I was thinking during that scene no lie. Sabat & Ayres nailed it though.

[ohaimynameiserik]

Wow, the Kai version of Vegeta's death as a whole is just really fucking lame. Oh well.

Not to try and start a flame war, but just don't even visit this thread anymore. Every few pages you show up to say how much it fucking sucks and that's it's so lame compared to the dub of DBZ. Quit pouting. Yeesh. You've been reduced to acting like a child that doesn't get their way.

Personally, I think it's vastly superior to anything Dragon Ball related FUNi's released in the past, and this scene was an excellent example of that. I'm certainly not alone in that camp either.

[TheBlackPaladin]

But Nozawa's Goku sounds like an angry manchild in this scene, not an angry forty year old man lecturing his child who drew on the walls with crayon.

To each his own. To me sounded she like she typically sounds: like an angry granny. Even more so with Kai now that she's older.

[penguintruth]

But Nozawa's Goku sounds like an angry manchild in this scene, not an angry forty year old man lecturing his child who drew on the walls with crayon.

To each his own. To me sounded she like she typically sounds: like an angry granny. Even more so with Kai now that she's older.

You only say that because you know she's an old woman.

And her Goku in Kai isn't much different from in Z. She struggled in the first few episodes, but quickly got ahold of it.

[TheBlackPaladin]

But Nozawa's Goku sounds like an angry manchild in this scene, not an angry forty year old man lecturing his child who drew on the walls with crayon.

To each his own. To me sounded she like she typically sounds: like an angry granny. Even more so with Kai now that she's older.

You only say that because you know she's an old woman.

Eh....no, not really. Obviously I have no way of proving that, so you'll have to take my word for it. Here's how I was first exposed to Masako Nozawa, though. In 2006, I looked up a YouTube clip of the Japanese version of the Goku vs Vegeta fight, expecting Goku to have a "teenage anime guy" sound...and was utterly bewildered when Goku began his power-up yell. I knew instantly that he was being played by a woman, no doubt in my mind. I confess I did not know she was an old woman, but she kind of sounded that way, and my prompt wikipedia reading that I did after that clip confirmed my suspicions. She sounds even older in Kai.

So...no, I'm not just sayin' it. I'm always imagining an old lady in a booth doing a voice when I hear her. As Adult Goku, anyway. LOVE her as Kid Goku. As Adult Goku, though...nope. Just the overwhelming feeling of an old lady in a booth doing a voice.

[penguintruth]

Based on a clip? Maybe you should give watching several episodes of the show in Japanese.

I thought Nozawa was awful as adult Goku when I first heard her, too. But after watching a few episodes, it was clear how perfect she is in the role. And it's also pretty obvious that the voice evolved from her child Goku voice. It's jarring to you because you're used to a very masculine voice for him.

Forget the voice itself, it's Nozawa's delivery that makes her special. The little nuances in her voice as she delivers certain lines. Schemmel just doesn't have that.

But whatever. I'll just take you to your word and assume it's a fundamental difference of opinion.

I still think Schemmel fucked up where it was important not to in this episode.

[DB_Fan1991]

It was overall a great episode, but I do think that Schemmel did screw up there, and this is coming from someone who loves his Goku normally. Sabat & Ayres on the other hand were perfect.

[TheBlackPaladin]

Based on a clip? Maybe you should give watching several episodes of the show in Japanese.

In the end, preference is a matter of opinion, and I don't want to start a flame war. I do want to clarify, though, that I've watched both versions extensively. I admit I prefer the dub voice cast, but part of the reason I'm loving the Kai dub is because I watched a ton of the Japanese version and saw how much better the scripts were (music too, although it soon got to the point where I watch DBZ with Japanese music no matter which voice cast). I love a lot of the Japanese voices, especially Ryusei Nakao, Ryo Horikawa, and Takeshi Kusao. Even Nozawa I love as Kid Goku. It's very, very, very difficult for me to watch scenes with her adult Goku, though.

Same thing with delivery, really. The reason I normally watch dubs is because I can't tell if the Japanese acting is good or bad--mainly because I don't speak the language. All I have to go on is the speed and the volume at which they're speaking...not enough for me to give an honest critique of their delivery. I feel I can critique the voices themselves, though.

[DemonRin]

Wow, the Kai version of Vegeta's death as a whole is just really fucking lame. Oh well.

Not to try and start a flame war, but just don't even visit this thread anymore. Every few pages you show up to say how much it fucking sucks and that's it's so lame compared to the dub of DBZ. Quit pouting. Yeesh. You've been reduced to acting like a child that doesn't get their way.

Personally, I think it's vastly superior to anything Dragon Ball related FUNi's released in the past, and this scene was an excellent example of that. I'm certainly not alone in that camp either.

@ jjgp1112: I have to agree with ohaimynameiserik. That quote of yours definitely appears to be you acting out like a child who hasn't gotten his way. Especially the fact that you felt the need to call it "really fucking lame" like that.

I don't know if he's right and you are just acting out because it's not the same as the way you remember it or what, but it most certainly looks that way.

May I make a suggestion? If you look at the rest of us in here, we all tend to vocalize our points and attempt to explain why we feel the way we do. I'll especially point out penguintruth and TheBlackPaladin.
Both have very polarized views. penguintruth is a fan of the Japanese version and greatly prefers Nozawa to Sean. TheBlackPaladin is on the exact opposite side of the spectrum and, while he can appreciate the Japanese version, prefers the dub and prefers Sean over Nozawa as adult Son.

They both went out of their ways to explain their opinions and vocalize what it is they meant. I fully understand where both of them are coming from, and they were even able to come to a civil agree to disagree notion.

But whatever. I'll just take you to your word and assume it's a fundamental difference of opinion.

Your post, on the other hand, did absolutely nothing to clarify what you meant, and comes across like a bitter insult. ("really fucking lame", etc)

You don't even have to write a book like some of us do, you could get a more coherent, less insulting point out in only one short line, like. "I don't like this version, I prefer FUNis original altered dialog over this even if it is more accurate." or "Regardless of the Dialog, I think Sabat's acting here was poor". Either of those would work
As it stands, we don't know why you hated the scene, whether it was the lines, the acting, the lack of Linda Young playing Freeza. Your post simply did nothing to clarify and only seemed sufficient at telling us that you thought it was "really fucking lame", which comes off as standoffish and insulting.

All I'm trying to say is, your post came off as childish and insulting. If that wasn't the intent, then Vocalize your point. Even if you only do it a tiny bit.
Tell us Why you thought the scene "lame". Otherwise people will just assume you're being a bitter dub fan who is pissed it isn't the way you remember it.

[jjgp1112]

Same thing with delivery, really. The reason I normally watch dubs is because I can't tell if the Japanese acting is good or bad--mainly because I don't speak the language. All I have to go on is the speed and the volume at which they're speaking...not enough for me to give an honest critique of their delivery. I feel I can critique the voices themselves, though.

I'm pretty much in the same boat. I can tell if a voice is really strange sounding, but if you asked me how lines are delivered beyond simply a change in voice, I'd be lost.

DemonRin: I was talking about the way the scene was done as a whole, not the dub. The Kai version fucking sucks, plain and simple imo. Bad pacing, wrong, uneventful music, etc.

[MR.Mark]

But Nozawa's Goku sounds like an angry manchild in this scene, not an angry forty year old man lecturing his child who drew on the walls with crayon.

You only say that because you know he's a forty year old man.

Seriouly though, nothing about Son Goku's behavior during Vegeta's death really struck me as a "manchild".
Goku embracing his roots is actually one of his most mature moments in the story.

[KaiserNeko]

Am I the only one who thought it was a solid performance on Schemmel's part, that the translation was totally acceptable, and that the Kai version of this scene as a whole was decent, though not quite stellar?

Seriously, I think Schemmel's actually better than usual during this scene. He's being stern with Vegeta, who he has never been on good terms to begin with. I also felt that the music was appropriate, just sadly overused for scenes like these. The scene with Goku after Vegeta's death was also very strong as well. The music in that scene was also much better.

Also, Sabat was brilliant. His crying as Vegeta was incredibly authentic sounding.

... But Christ, Kaio-sama. ;.;

[TheBlackPaladin]

Am I the only one who thought it was a solid performance on Schemmel's part, that the translation was totally acceptable, and that the Kai version of this scene as a whole was decent, though not quite stellar?

No you're not!

[Metalwario64]

The only time I'd really say Schemmel sounded off in this episode was in the line "Stop running your mouth, you're only making things worse...", which sounds like it's a TV version line, and may have had less effort put behind it. The uncensored line may be "Stop running your mouth, you're going to kill yourself faster!", or something similar, perhaps with better delivery as well.

Also, I hope the "Freeza must be defeated by a Saiyan..." is a censored line for something along the lines of "Freeza must die by the hand of a Saiyan...". That "by the hand of a Saiyan" part needs to be in there, because the shot of Vegeta's hand reaching for Goku looses its meaning without it.