Moments FUNimation's English Dub Did Better?

[Metalwario64]

The games did that. You can't really expect people NOT to say Haduuken when Ryu and Ken were yelling it that way from 1991-1995ish.

Huh? Except for when I was a very young kid, I've always heard "Hadoken". It'd make more sense (and seems to be a plausible explanation) to say that they mispronounce it as "haduuken" because the "ou" spelling frequently makes an "uu" sound in English, and most people can't be bothered to research the original, correct pronunciations. I even seem to recall a discussion here a while back where people said the same thing to explain why the people who spell Goku on many Japanese products as "Gokou" think of it as an acceptable spelling, even though in Japan that would be "Go-koh".

If it was based on what they heard, then why do many people always mispronounce Ryu, even though since Super Street Fighter II, his name has been announced and consistently pronounced "Rii-YOU"?

*clip of Street Fighter II Hadouken*

Sounds like Ha-DOH~UU-ken to me. I believe (but could be wrong) that the "ou" in Hadouken is supposed to sound like "oh", but a bit elongated and emphasized. I think that's why it's typically romanized as "Hadouken", or "hadōken", and not "Hadoken". That's the explanation I recall for why Goku is technically supposed to be "Gokuu" or "Gokū" somewhere on these forums I believe.

The emphasis sounds really distinguished, and possibly a bit exaggerated in the original Street Fighter II games, but it still clearly sounds like an "Oh" to me.

They're clearly not saying it the same way in the two clips.

In the Alpha games he says it quite a bit faster and the audio quality is clearer. Not to mention it's a different voice.

Boy has this thread really gotten side-tracked to the extreme, and I unfortunately helped fuel that flame.

[Rocketman]

Nike which rhymes with Mike....Nike sneakers

Nike is also a Greek word and goddess. Pronounced "Nii-kay", not "Nihk" or "Ni-key".

Try again? Y/N

Greek thunder god

Zevs, or Dias in modern Greek.


"Seiyan" (I don't like that spelling, as it implies 'Saiyan' can't be pronounced with an 'ay', despite the word 'bait') is in no way unique or worthy of scorn.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

And "Tidus" has nothing to do with "tidal," it's from some Okinawa word. "Sun," I think? And Yuna's moon.

"Yuuna" is "night" in Okinawan, and "tiida" is "sun". So it should be pronounced "tee-dus".

[caejones]

... Ryu is neither "rai-yu" nor "ree-yu"... It's... one syllable that is hard as hell to say in English.
... It's funny, in a way. "Liu" and "Ryu"... Most people pronounce "liu kang" as "loo kayng", though. -_-

I'm... pretty convinced at this point though that "saiyan" is a "what we're used to" thing. Imagining Brian Drummand saying it "cyan" doesn't seem as awkward to me as me saying it that way after so long...

[jjgp1112]

That definitely sounded like Haduken in TonyTheTiger's clips

[Chibi Mystic Gohan]

I guess it could sound like that, to the untrained ear. But I definitely hear "Ha-doh-oh-ken." That's a Japanese actor, so there's no way he didn't know how to pronounce a Japanese word. (Unlike American actors saying "Ray-den," or "Seiyen," or "Kayo-Ken.)

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

I guess it could sound like that, to the untrained ear. But I definitely hear "Ha-doh-oh-ken." That's a Japanese actor, so there's no way he didn't know how to pronounce a Japanese word. (Unlike American actors saying "Ray-den," or "Seiyen," or "Kayo-Ken.)

No one's arguing that he mispronounced it, we're just saying that due to the crappy sound quality it comes out more "Haduuken", then "Hadouken".

[Great Saiyaman I]

Try saying the two pronunciations to yourself in-character as Ryu. It becomes pretty apparent that you could interpret it as both.

[jjgp1112]

I actually alternate between the two. For years, I used the incorrect pronunciation of Ryu, and then when I found out the correct way, I started using that, too, although I kept using the "wrong" one because it sounds cooler.

[caejones]

I actually alternate between the two. For years, I used the incorrect pronunciation of Ryu, and then when I found out the correct way, I started using that, too, although I kept using the "wrong" one because it sounds cooler.

... I do think that "Rai-yu" sounds cooler than "Ree-yu".

... I never heard "Haduken". It always sounded more like "Hadio~ken"... like he was yelling "Adios, Ken!".

... Kaioken I still don't get, though. Why in the world was that mispronounced? Same reason? But... King Kai... o_o

[linkdude20002001]

FUNi didn't know what the Hell they were doing.

But imagine if they did. ..."King Kai Ken"!?

[TonyTheTiger]

I guess it could sound like that, to the untrained ear. But I definitely hear "Ha-doh-oh-ken." That's a Japanese actor, so there's no way he didn't know how to pronounce a Japanese word.

How many Americans do you know who can't properly pronounce English words?

Just...saiyan.

I'm also not sure if that's even a real person behind a microphone. Probably is for Alpha but for SFII I wouldn't be surprised if that's a Microsoft Sam kind of thing.

I screwed up anyway by overcomplicating what I was trying to say. I was saying that any argument that either "say-an" or "sigh-an" was more natural to say is bunk because we can freely switch between different pronunciations anyway depending on context. I jumped to Raiden because the sounds are equivalent to say-an and sigh-an. But I probably should have just used ordinary English words.

"I must wind up my rope so it doesn't blow in the wind."

That's a very easy sentence to read. Neither pronunciation of w-i-n-d is awkward. Context tells us how to say it.

[Castor Troy]

FUNi didn't know what the Hell they were doing.

But imagine if they did. ..."King Kai Ken"!?

I would love to hear Ian Corlett and Peter Kelamis do their versions of that line.

[Chibi Mystic Gohan]

I guess it could sound like that, to the untrained ear. But I definitely hear "Ha-doh-oh-ken." That's a Japanese actor, so there's no way he didn't know how to pronounce a Japanese word.

How many Americans do you know who can't properly pronounce English words?

Just...saiyan.

That's because English is a totally different language. You don't get varying pronunciations of Japanese words, because every kana has exactly one pronunciation. (Of course, one can misread a kanji, but that's an entirely different thing.)

Also, there definitely was a person voicing Ryu in Street Fighter II. But this isn't a Street Fighter forum, so we should leave it at that.

[TVfan721]

I'm really amazed how civil this thread has been.

Back in the DBZU/DBZOA days, this thread would have turned into something quite vicious.

[TonyTheTiger]

That's because English is a totally different language. You don't get varying pronunciations of Japanese words, because every kana has exactly one pronunciation.

Well, yeah, but there are different dialects in Japan just like there are in the U.S. I'm from NJ and I don't talk quite the same as somebody from Georgia even if we're speaking the exact same words. Same goes for regions in Japan or any country for that matter. Plus, I was sorta being facetious anyway. I just can't hear anything other than "ha-DO-ken" in that clip no matter how hard I try. I do, however, hear "ha-DOUGH-ken" in the Alpha clip. They sound noticably different to me in pronunciation, not just actor.

I'm really amazed how civil this thread has been.

Back in the DBZU/DBZOA days, this thread would have turned into something quite vicious.

I think we all have to pretty much accept that there's never going to be a complete consensus on any one issue. But who wants that anyway? It's boring if everybody agrees all the time. I'd like to think that most of us have the presence of mind to recognize that while we can argue there's no need to start a war over a cartoon.

[MetalMadness]

I absolutely cannot believe we just had so many pages discussing how to pronounce the word Saiyan.

That's.... honestly kinda sad really....

[Patient-mental]

It's pronounced the same as sai-bai-men, "s-eye-bye-men"

サイヤン
Saiyan = s-eye-yah-n

サイヤ人
Saiyajin = s-eye-yah-jin

[linkdude20002001]

Well, yeah, but there are different dialects in Japan just like there are in the U.S. I'm from NJ and I don't talk quite the same as somebody from Georgia even if we're speaking the exact same words. Same goes for regions in Japan or any country for that matter. Plus, I was sorta being facetious anyway. I just can't hear anything other than "ha-DO-ken" in that clip no matter how hard I try. I do, however, hear "ha-DOUGH-ken" in the Alpha clip. They sound noticeably different to me in pronunciation, not just actor.

It is hah-doh-ken in SFII. The Japanese "OU" isn't necessarily the same sound as our word oh. It's like how the British have a separate sound for oh. And it doesn't help that it's a low quality sound file.

[Lord Exor]

The dialogue between Frieza and Gohan in episode 100.

Japanese translation:
Frieza: Where did all that spirit you had a moment ago go?
Gohan: <No dialogue in this version>
Frieza: I know, I just thought of something nice! I think I'll put you into the same grave as your father. What do you think? That must make you happy! You should be grateful for my kindness.

Original FUNimation Dub:
Frieza: Mhmhmm. Another pushover, just like your dad.
Gohan: You... you jerk!
Frieza: My my, so there's a little spark left after all. Since you have a little energy left, let me recommend a course of action: beg for your life, just like your father did before he died. That's right, and he cried, like a big baby. It was sad. Ahahahahahaha!

The latter evokes a more overt attempt to get under the boy's skin, portraying Frieza as more of a straightforward sadistic jerk. His lines also make Gohan's cringes more believable as a reaction, at least in my opinion.