Cheesy voice acting: Japanese vs English dubs

[FreezaSama]

Does the original Japanese version of Dragon Ball/DBZ sound as cheesy to Japanese-speaking people as the FUNimation/Ocean dubs sound to English-speaking people? For the most part, it doesn't sound cheesy to me, but that's probably only because I don't know Japanese. What about you?

[Terra-jin]

The unfamiliairty of another language has something cool about it. It's the reason that Dragonball has all sorts of terms/names based on the English language - it sounds cool to Japanese people, just as Japanese words sound cool to most of us. To us, Genki Dama sounds cool, but I imagine that Fainaru Furashu (Final Flash) has the same effect for Japanese viewers. The first and second part of Suupaa Saiyan has a nice ring to it for Japanese and English viewers, respectively. It's also the reason why some people say things like Torankusu or something

[VegettoEX]

Some of our Japanese-native members (and the truly bilingual ones such as Julian) would be best to chime in on this.

From my own perspective, sure, there's a bit of "cheese" in the original Japanese version, too. Terra-jin is right in that some of it being "foreign" obscures it a bit -- lines like "Koitsu ga suupaa bejiita no BIG BANG ATTACK!" sound pretty badass at first, but when you understand the actual words he's saying and become familiar with the language and its flow, it definitely loses some of that charm.

Honestly, tons of it has to do with the talent of the actors and their directors, along with the adaptation style. There's no arguing around how some of FUNimation's original takes on lines hammed up the cheese factor, and then you turn the exact same scene around into the modern day Kai English-dubbed version... and it's suddenly "normal" and can be taken completely seriously.

So yeah. It's not like there aren't instances of hammy dialogue/scenes in the original version. This is a kid's series we're talking about, remember. The entire show, though? Hardly.

[Michsi]

Goku's "hope of the universe" speech comes to mind right now.


When I hear the japanese Version of SSJ Goku talking to Frieza, Goku sounds, dangerous, menacing and there is a coldness in his voice that sends a chill down your spine.

The dubbed version doesn't have that.

[Cipher]

I'm not fluent in Japanese, nor do I have a deep understanding of all its intricacies. But I have taken about five years' worth of classes, as well as done a homestay and study abroad in the country. So I have at least some cursory familiarity with its grammar, and the way it's spoken by native people.

The dialogue and deliveries in Dragon Ball are still about as far from normal speech as you can get. They're definitely less stilted than something like FUNimation's old dub though. Honestly, the quality of Kai's English dub seems more or less on par with what the Japanese version offers; maybe slightly less.

Basically, pick any well-acted American cartoon you're familiar with. (Beast Wars, Batman: The Animated Series, etc) If you really think about each line, you'll realize how unrealistic both the scripting and delivery are. But as a cohesive product, it doesn't really draw attention to the corniness. It's pretty much the same thing.

[Adamant]

I think a good comparison is to Marvel Comics material from the late 60s. At the time, the company prided itself on "realism", and the dialogue found on their comics from the time both read well and present scenes you can take seriously... yet they sure as hell don't have any dialogue that sounds even remotely realistic, and a lot of it would sound incredibly corny if used in real-life context. Still, it works perfectly fine when you read it. Dragonball, and most other action-drama shonen, operates on the same level. Over-the-top dialogue written in a way that allows it to be taken seriously.

[TheGreatness25]

I can totally see it being "cheesy" if you mean in a silly way. With like cartoony voices and whatnot (to our understanding) because it was written to be silly. Look at their names and situations. I don't think that it was ever meant to be a spectacularly played with epic vocal performances.

[FreezaSama]

I can totally see it being "cheesy" if you mean in a silly way. With like cartoony voices and whatnot (to our understanding) because it was written to be silly. Look at their names and situations. I don't think that it was ever meant to be a spectacularly played with epic vocal performances.

I mean in comparison to the Funi/Ocean dubs, how cheesy is it? Is it just as cheesy?

[Adamant]

i mean in comparison to the funi/ocean dubs, how cheesy is it? is it just as cheesy?

No. Far far less, as mentioned. The English dubs hammed up the cheese factor and corny jokes to far beyond the level of parody. Someone completely unfamiliar with their "treatment" of the series, but familiar with the actual Dragonball would be more likely to mistake a random clip of their dub as coming from a fan parody rather than something presented as an actual valid representation of the material.

[kinggiddra]

My Japanese wife says Goku sounds cool, but when he uses words like Tsuiee (Tsuyoi) or Sugee Haiee (Sugoi Hayai) she says he sounds weird. She thinks it's unique, though. I like the way he talks. It feels authentic.

[penguintruth]

My Japanese wife says Goku sounds cool, but when he uses words like Tsuiee (Tsuyoi) or Sugee Haiee (Sugoi Hayai) she says he sounds weird. She thinks it's unique, though. I like the way he talks. It feels authentic.

That's the point. Goku is an off-beat, unsophisticated guy. I enjoy the little nuances in Nozawa's Goku.

[Ahiru77]

I wouldn't be surprised if japanese people actually do find the voices cheesy.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Do you really need to know Japanese to tell if the voice acting is cheesy? Before I started taking classes, I thought Vegeta and the narrator were hilariously over the top. Obviously I've got used to those voices, so I don't find them as amusing now.

[FreezaSama]

Do you really need to know Japanese to tell if the voice acting is cheesy? Before I started taking classes, I thought Vegeta and the narrator were hilariously over the top. Obviously I've got used to those voices, so I don't find them as amusing now.

I think you do need to know Japanese to tell if the voice acting is AS cheesy as the English dubs. If you don't speak the language in everyday life, how can you know if the acting sucks? To me, the Japanese narrator (who sounds over-the-top to you) sounds like a realistic cozy old man while the English FUNI narrator (the "LAST TIME ON DRAGON BALL Z!!!!! guy--who sounds over-the-top to me) sounds like the American movie-trailer narrator from the 90's. Besides Mr. Satan's voice actor, I honestly can't tell lots of the time if the Japanese actors sound over-the-top or cheesy.

[BlazingFiddlesticks]

i mean in comparison to the funi/ocean dubs, how cheesy is it? is it just as cheesy?

No. Far far less, as mentioned. The English dubs hammed up the cheese factor and corny jokes to far beyond the level of parody. Someone completely unfamiliar with their "treatment" of the series, but familiar with the actual Dragonball would be more likely to mistake a random clip of their dub as coming from a fan parody rather than something presented as an actual valid representation of the material.

While having the entire Freeza battle in that category doesn't help, I don't think the odds are nearly that stacked.

As for me, I'm with Freeza, outside of Mr. Satan I'm not qualified to judge.

Though I have said before how creepy I find it that Kyle Hebert's narrations fit with the Japanese recap music.

[Cipher]

Though I have said before how creepy I find it that Kyle Hebert's narrations fit with the Japanese recap music.

I've noticed this before too. They seem to hit their peaks at the same time as the soundtrack. I'd attribute that to the clips Toei picked to go along with the soundtrack though.

[Mewzard]

Goku's "hope of the universe" speech comes to mind right now.


When I hear the japanese Version of SSJ Goku talking to Freeza, Goku sounds, dangerous, menacing and there is a coldness in his voice that sends a chill down your spine.

The dubbed version doesn't have that.

I'd argue the dubbed version has that now with Kai, that particular scene is purely fantastic in Kai's dub.

And of course there's going to be cheese, it's an 80s animated action/comedy/fantasy set in a world with aliens, three eyed men, martial arts masters, witches, talking animal people, and machines that can fit in capsules. Did you expect no cheesiness at all?

From what I've seen, I'd say Kai's dub and the original are roughly in the same area of cheesiness, with the Z dub kicking it up a few notches.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Do you really need to know Japanese to tell if the voice acting is cheesy? Before I started taking classes, I thought Vegeta and the narrator were hilariously over the top. Obviously I've got used to those voices, so I don't find them as amusing now.

I think you do need to know Japanese to tell if the voice acting is AS cheesy as the English dubs. If you don't speak the language in everyday life, how can you know if the acting sucks? To me, the Japanese narrator (who sounds over-the-top to you) sounds like a realistic cozy old man while the English FUNI narrator (the "LAST TIME ON DRAGON BALL Z!!!!! guy--who sounds over-the-top to me) sounds like the American movie-trailer narrator from the 90's.

Oh, don't get me wrong. The FUNimation DBZ narrator is over the top too. Just in a different way. The FUNimation DB narrator however, is absolutely perfect.

[penguintruth]

I, too, miss Brice Armstrong.

[BlazingFiddlesticks]

I, too, miss Brice Armstrong.

Here here!