Dragonball Kai (FUNimation English) Dub: General Discussion

[KaiserNeko]

I...know, I didn't say it was? He was saying the original dub wasn't all that off which is why I went into that explanation. The "C-" comment is just my own personal rating of the dub. It's a below average dub to me because of the bad voice casting, dub terminology and now apparently they're borrowing lines from Z which is silly to me seeing as how they were more or less trying to shed Z's bad script entirely this time around. Even if they're only keeping the okay lines it still seems counter productive.

Why change lines that are ACCURATE? Wouldn't that serve to make it, I dunno, LESS accurate?

[Turtle Marked Stone]

I'm saying why copy and paste lines from the Z script? Why not just do your own translation of the lines?

[KaiserNeko]

I'm saying why copy and paste lines from the Z script? Why not just do your own translation of the lines?

Because it saves them the effort of having to retime and rewrtie a line to match the lip syncs.

After having watched the episode, NOTHING seemed out of place.

[Turtle Marked Stone]

I'm saying why copy and paste lines from the Z script? Why not just do your own translation of the lines?

Because it saves them the effort of having to retime and rewrtie a line to match the lip syncs.

After having watched the episode, NOTHING seemed out of place.

If they managed to do it for 2 sagas I don't think it's a big deal to do it for the last.

I'm not even saying this particular instance is a huge deal truthfully. Those lines could fit perfectly. However borrowing lines from an adaption with a notoriously inaccurate script just seems like a bad idea in general to me. I even see things like Kuririn calling back to the Z script with that grape soda joke. They should have just tossed the Z scripts completely away and continue doing this show from scratch. That's what this whole project was supposed to be right, a total re-do of the script? I would be just as annoyed if Disney told me they were doing an accurate version of The Little Mermaid but then borrowed a bunch of dialogue from the original. That's just not what they said they were going to do.

[KaiserNeko]

I'm saying why copy and paste lines from the Z script? Why not just do your own translation of the lines?

Because it saves them the effort of having to retime and rewrtie a line to match the lip syncs.

After having watched the episode, NOTHING seemed out of place.

If they managed to do it for 2 sagas I don't think it's a big deal to do it for the last.

I'm not even saying this particular instance is a huge deal truthfully. Those lines could fit perfectly. However borrowing lines from an adaption with a notoriously inaccurate script just seems like a bad idea in general to me. I even see things like Kuririn calling back to the Z script with that grape soda joke. They should have just tossed the Z scripts completely away and continue doing this show from scratch. That's what this whole project was supposed to be right, a total re-do of the script? I would be just as annoyed if Disney told me they were doing an accurate version of The Little Mermaid but then borrowed a bunch of dialogue from the original. That's just not what they said they were going to do.

I still wonder what lines they were at all. I didn't notice ANY of them, so can someone provide a comparison?

As for the grape soda line, it was harmless and nonintrusive, as well as a nod to back in the day. It had no impact negatively on the scene and changed none of the tone or meaning of it.

[Turtle Marked Stone]

I can't help but to feel like we're not on the same page because we want two different things. You have no issues with "nods" be it with the old voices coming back, dub terminology or old lines right? (I'm asking, not telling. I could be wrong.)

I wish all of those things wouldn't exist in terms of dub Kai and this really was a true fresh start. Kai's script was the last thing not touched by the old dub's inaccurate adapted script save a couple proper nouns. Now it is. On top of the dub terminology we're getting lines from Z. Even if they aren't bad it's another connection to Z. I have no issues with Z but it's not what I want to see when someone tells me they're giving me an accurate version of the original show. In other words I don't want the two touching anymore than they absolutely have to.

So I guess that's why it bugs me more than others. I was in the wrong for assuming everyone could read my brain about why Kai has been slowly bugging me more and more. Sorry for any misunderstandings.

[KaiserNeko]

I can't help but to feel like we're not on the same page because we want two different things. You have no issues with "nods" be it with the old voices coming back, dub terminology or old lines right? (I'm asking, not telling. I could be wrong.)

I wish all of those things wouldn't exist in terms of dub Kai and this really was a true fresh start. Kai's script was the last thing not touched by the old dub's inaccurate adapted script save a couple proper nouns. Now it is. On top of the dub terminology we're getting lines from Z. Even if they aren't bad it's another connection to Z. I have no issues with Z but it's not what I want to see when someone tells me they're giving me an accurate version of the original show. In other words I don't want the two touching anymore than they absolutely have to.

So I guess that's why it bugs me more than others. I was in the wrong for assuming everyone could read my brain about why Kai has been slowly bugging me more and more. Sorry for any misunderstandings.

I'd recast 9/10 of the show, personally. That includes Schemmel as Goku (and especially King Kai) even though he's a great actor, a good guy, and has really done his -best- with the role. I just understand that FUNimation was never going to start from the ground up with their casting. They're still concerned with marketing their show to the established U.S. audience and, honestly, I cannot blame them for that.

However, it is comforting to see most of the inappropriate attack names and translations be altered or otherwise totally discarded. Even if I'm not a huge fan of Instant Transmission, it's not an entirely inaccurate translation. The script itself has been 90% faithful with only a sprinkle of liberties to be found. Not to mention the entire cast has done their best to deliver a much, much better performance, along with a few actual recasts of some major characters that -really- needed it, like Son Gohan, Bulma, and Freeza.

... Unfortunately not King Kai, which is still one of the WORST character interpretations in the entire show, right below granny Freeza and just above "I'm trying to be Drummond" Sabat-Vegeta. Then there's still the whole Recoome botch up, but... hell, even he was still acted and written more appropriately, even with the terrible voice.

What I'm saying is, it's -not- everything I'd want it to be. But I'd give it a solid B. There are just some hangups that drop it down a full point. At least it's not the D/D- that the original was, that slowly worked itself up to a C+ by the Boo arc.

[Turtle Marked Stone]

Well I'm glad we could understand each other better. You're still a much more generous man than I in this department, that's for sure. This sort of thing always comes down to personal taste in the end I suppose.

[Mewzard]

For me, it's a bit different. I definitely want accuracy, but like Kaiser, I feel they've mostly kept accuracy where it's been needed (some attack names I would have changed, like bringing back Kikoho, though, I'm not bothered by some of the pronunciations like Saiyan and Gero. I did appreciate the Kaio-Ken choice, and the use of Son Goku though).

Honestly, if the lines are accurate, I'm not too bothered if they're reused to some degree. Though, once we get to inaccurate is when I would complain. And perhaps these old lines are only for the edited version, who knows?

With voice actors, I'm to the other lane than you guys. For me, a new dub of Kai would have been absolutely worthless to me without this old cast. I have more of a connection to the Japanese cast than complete strangers, so I would have just moved to sub only (Something I don't want to do, because I like both sub *original Z* and dub *mostly Kai now*). Many of the voice actors have improved, and I enjoy their performances too much to change them. Others have been replaced quite well. I would have given up a few voices (maybe have Sabat hold back on a voice or two, recast Kaio, etc), but even with those minor faults, I still enjoy Kai's dub a lot.

For a lot of people, Nozawa is Goku to them. To me, Nozawa and Schemmel stand together as Goku. Just, different portrayals, like Adam West and Kevin Conroy are to me (only, not as extreme a contrast). They each give a somewhat different take on the role, but both capture characteristics I like, and I even like ways they differ (like Schemmel's screams, and the way his tone shifts with Goku's emotions, or like Nozawa's dialect *which requires subtitles on my end, as my Japanese is somewhat limited*).

For me, having both is great, and it gives me twice the show to enjoy.

[MetalMadness]

Does anyone else really get bothered by the track "Ominous Silence" from the OST?

It would be totally eerie and perfect if it weren't for that stupid instrument that plays (not sure what it is called) that just sounds so off tune and misplaced that it ruins the track. There is a very short moment where the instrument isn't heard, and it sounds perfect, then it comes back in and it ruins it. Anybody else know what I'm talking about?

[Zionist]

A Harmonica? Sounds way too western (American Old days Western) to fit the track imo.

[GotenDaisuki]

A Harmonica? Sounds way too western (American Old days Western) to fit the track imo.

Not one of Yamamoto's good compositions.

[kei17]

Does anyone else really get bothered by the track "Ominous Silence" from the OST?

It would be totally eerie and perfect if it weren't for that stupid instrument that plays (not sure what it is called) that just sounds so off tune and misplaced that it ruins the track. There is a very short moment where the instrument isn't heard, and it sounds perfect, then it comes back in and it ruins it. Anybody else know what I'm talking about?

That track really reminds me of David Wise's music for Donkey Kong Country.

[Innagadadavida]

Didn't Kenji Yamamoto do the music for Donkey Kong Country Returns? Odd coincidence.

[TripleRach]

Didn't Kenji Yamamoto do the music for Donkey Kong Country Returns? Odd coincidence.

That's a different Kenji Yamamoto who does music for Nintendo games (especially the Metroid series). Their names are spelled with different kanji.

Two game composers whose names are pronounced/romanized the same way is a crazy coincidence, though.

[NeoKING]

Is anyone watching Z Kai on Toonzai now? It's using the old JP Z score, and I HATE it.

[Zarathustra]

Is anyone watching Z Kai on Toonzai now? It's using the old JP Z score, and I HATE it.

I'm watching atm. Major bummer

[NeoKING]

Is anyone watching Z Kai on Toonzai now? It's using the old JP Z score, and I HATE it.

I'm watching atm. Major bummer

I can undestand why people like the Kikuchi score. To them, it fit for Z. But for Kai, I just don't think it works. Yamamoto's score was fast-paced, modernized, and just fit for the nature of Kai. It really made Kai stand out from the original Z. The Kikuchi score is so slow and awkward when used in Kai that I'm cringing watching this. Toei took a great thing and unnecessarily ruined it. Needless to say, I am sorely disappointed. Don't get me wrong; I'm not bashing the Kikuchi score. I just don't think it fits Kai like it should.

[Zarathustra]

Is anyone watching Z Kai on Toonzai now? It's using the old JP Z score, and I HATE it.

I'm watching atm. Major bummer

I can undestand why people like the Kikuchi score. To them, it fit for Z. But for Kai, I just don't think it works. Yamamoto's score was fast-paced, modernized, and just fit for the nature of Kai. It really made Kai stand out from the original Z. The Kikuchi score is so slow and awkward when used in Kai that I'm cringing watching this. Toei took a great thing and unnecessarily ruined it. Needless to say, I am sorely disappointed. Don't get me wrong; I'm not bashing the Kikuchi score. I just don't think it fits Kai like it should.

Absolutely agree. The Yamamoto score perfectly complemented the sped-up format of Kai. Kikuchi's just feels weirdly out-of-sync.

[NeoKING]

I mean, why the Kikuchi score? If fans wanted that, they had the Dragon Boxes. Now Kai is basically the exact same as the original Z - it doesn't have it's own charm anymore. The Yamamoto score was the reason I'd watch Kai over the original any day. Yeah, I'm really going to have to get those original releases.