FUNimation VS. FUNimation: Dead Zone.

[Pokewhiz7]

Is it just me or is the Dragon Box zoomed in more than the double feature?

[Metalwario64]

I'm gonna go ahead and line them all up in this post for convenience:

ULTIMATE UNCUT EDTION SINGLE


DOUBLE FEATURE


DRAGON BOX


ULTIMATE UNCUT EDTION SINGLE


DOUBLE FEATURE


DRAGON BOX


Hmm... Looks like the two toned background indeed was intentional for the most part, but it looks a bit more like a red/blue mix, whereas it's nearly either entirely blue or red in FUNimation's releases. The skin tones seem more accurate on the UUEs, but Garlic Jr.'s skin is a bit closer in the Double Features, whereas it's entirely too dark on the singles. Even then they made it too blueish on the Double Feature when it's supposed to be more of a greenish color with a hint of blue. Piccolo's a bright, lime green color on the DF, and he is a bit more of a pea greenish hue on the Dragon Boxes, and is outright entirely pea green on the singles.

In terms of sharpness, The UUE is actually close to the Dragon Box footage in this case, and in some parts seems even sharper oddly enough. Look at this shot:



Look at Piccolo's cape: in the UUE it actually looks a little bit sharper and more defined!

Personally, when it comes to FUNimation releases, I think I still prefer the UUC version to the Double Feature. Overall it feels a tad closer to the Dragon Box to me, because it looks like actual film, and has slightly more natural colors instead of the over-brightened and saturated cartoon colors of the DF. There's also the fact that the UUC is also noticeably sharper too.

The color discrepancies of the UUE with the DBOX can likely be attributed to aging and the fact that they're generation copies, so I don't mind the more aged look it has, and while the DF may have some closer color choices, the fact that the tones and saturation levels are so overblown kind of offsets, and even negates that to me, since it looks unnatural and filtered, so aesthetically it actually draws itself farther from the Dragon Boxes in my eyes.

Is it just me or is the Dragon Box zoomed in more than the double feature?

Yeah, FUNimation's Double Features have a little more overall footage.

[BlazingFiddlesticks]

This... is the best extra I've ever known in my life!

Seconded!

[linkdude20002001]

I think they're important, so you know, "Oh, they call him Karin-sama, so they must respect him!". I don't think it's lazy at all.

I don't think he's lazy with them. Actually... I'm sure of it. He usually writes them all out instead of... not writing them out. That's not lazy.

No, it's actually much easier to leave them in. And I don't mean he should just remove and ignore... -_-

He should take things things like Karin-sama and "translate" it to Master Karin. That's how Viz does it for Dragon Ball, and how it's generally handled for English dub, and even subtitles most of the time. Leaving them in Japanese for a show like Dragon Ball is pretty lazy. Now, a show like Inuyasha, Naruto, or Detective Conan I would be just fine with Japanese name suffixes...but a show like Dragon Ball, One Piece, or Fullmetal Alchemist shouldn't have them speaking like they're in Japan.

[Pokewhiz7]

I think they're important, so you know, "Oh, they call him Karin-sama, so they must respect him!". I don't think it's lazy at all.

I don't think he's lazy with them. Actually... I'm sure of it. He usually writes them all out instead of... not writing them out. That's not lazy.

No, it's actually much easier to leave them in. And I don't mean he should just remove and ignore... -_-

He should take things things like Karin-sama and "translate" it to Master Karin. That's how Viz does it for Dragon Ball, and how it's generally handled for English dub, and even subtitles most of the time. Leaving them in Japanese for a show like Dragon Ball is pretty lazy. Now, a show like Inuyasha, Naruto, or Detective Conan I would be just fine with Japanese name suffixes...but a show like Dragon Ball, One Piece, or Fullmetal Alchemist shouldn't have them speaking like they're in Japan.

It takes longer to write Kami-sama than it does to write Kami.

[Puto]

This is kind of confusing. I didn't really know who to take seriously. But I came to the conclusion that I should go with Steve Simmons. The reason for this is that he's a DragonBall fan and actually a member of this (Daizenshuu EX) forum.

So for the sake of comparison, I decided to check out my spanish DVD. The spanish DVDs are translated from the Japanese audio by Selecta Visión, completely independently of any English translation.



For those who don't speak Spanish, that translates out to "You should have invited me, Goku." So I guess Rika Takahashi was right after all...? Go figure.

EDIT: So for extra comparison, let's look at the spanish head cha-la translation:

Atravieso las nubes brillantes volando lejos (volando lejos)
Através de mi cuerpo, se despliega un panorama
Tras recibir una patada en la cara, la Tierra está furiosa (furiosa)
Hace estallar un volcán en erupción
Si en medio del Polo Norte encuentro un dinosaurio
le enseñare a hacer equilibrios sobre una pelota
CHA-LA HEAD CHA-LA
Sea lo que sea lo que ocurra, nada me afectará
CHA-LA HEAD CHA-LA
Mi corazón late encendiéndo-se como un ruidoso "Genkidama"
CHA-LA HEAD CHA-LA
En mi cabeza ya no hay sitio para más sueños
CHA-LA HEAD CHA-LA
Con una sonrisa Ultra-Z hoy también voy a... ai-yai-yai-yai-yai...
Encenderme!

This is how I would translate the spanish to english (taking into account the engrish in the song):

I cross the shining clouds and fly away (fly away)
A panorama spreads through my body
After getting kicked in the face, the Earth is mad (is mad)
And it makes a volcano erupt
If in the middle of the North Pole, I find a dinosaur
I'll teach it to balance on a ball
CHA-LA HEAD CHA-LA
No matter what happens, nothing will affect me
CHA-LA HEAD CHA-LA
My heart beats, burning up like a loud "Genkidama"
CHA-LA HEAD CHA-LA
There's no more space in my head for more dreams
CHA-LA HEAD CHA-LA
With an Ultra-Z smile, today too I'll be... ai-yai-yai-yai-yai...
Sparking!

And Zenkai Power...

Ahí viene un monstruo de color manzana
Tiene una fragancia alienígena a nueces
Al encontrarlo tu corazón late de emoción
La galaxia es como una ducha de palomitas
Al ayer dile Bye Bye Bye (Come algo)
Es maravilloso (Qué lleno estoy)
Reúne todas tus fuerzas (Cambiar está bien)
Ahí está... ven, ven, ven
Guau... Milagroso Poder Zenkai!
Llega revoloteando el travieso Kinton
Con él traspasarás muchos horizontes
Encontrarnos y separarnos, Encontrarnos y separarnos
Es muy duro
Ah, Dios también está sufriendo!
Lo siento
Guau... Saciante Poder Zenkai!
Surge, formidable Poder Zenkai!

My english translation of that spanish:

Here comes an apple-colored monster
It has an alien nut-scented fragrance
Meeting it, your heart beats with excitement
The galaxy's like a popcorn shower
To yesterday, say "Bye Bye Bye" (Eat something)
Wonderful (I'm so full)
Gather all your strength (Switching out is okay)
Here it is, come, come come
Wow... Miracle Zenkai Power!
A naughty Kinton comes fluttering
With it you'll cross many horizons
Meeting and separating, meeting and separating
It's so hard
Oh, God's suffering too!
Sorry.
Wow... Thrilling Zenkai Power!
Come out, amazing Zenkai Power!

[linkdude20002001]

It takes longer to write Kami-sama than it does to write Kami.

Yeah... Umee! takes longer to write than Yum!. Does that mean it shouldn't be translate because doing so would be the lazy route due to it being less letters? No. That makes no sense. Lol.

Kami-sama should be referred to as God, or possibly Lord God by some. Muten Rōshi should be referred to as Invincible Old Master. The Kame-Sen'nin should be referred to as the Turtle Sage/Hermit/whatever.

Viz does this, but they're very inconsistent about it. They mix and match all sorts of names for people. Unfortunately, it's too complicating to give an example. Maybe someday I'll make a list of their horribly inconsistent names.

[Puto]

Kami-sama should be referred to as God, or possibly Lord God by some.

I agree that Kami should be translated, but "Lord God" is redundant and idiotic. Outside of some references in the Bible, nobody actually says that in real life. "God" alone will do, it already implies the respect that the -sama honorific has in itself. For the characters who use "Kami" without the -sama honorific (notably Piccolo), I would personally use "god" with a lowercase g in the subtitles to show the difference.

Muten Rōshi should be referred to as Invincible Old Master.

"Muten" doesn't actually mean anything by itself, from what I can tell. I think it's a play on "muteki" (Invincible), but it's not the ACTUAL word for Invincible. Rōshi does mean "master" though (making FUNi's "Master Roshi" rather... yeah).

[bkev]

When claiming the UUEs are more detailed than the dragon boxes keep in mind that in addition to altering the color palette FUNimation often applied edge enhancement to their videos. So the detail is to an unnatural, artificial extent. To be fair, however, this was often the case - if a movie wasn't DVRed to death, it was edge enhanced.

[linkdude20002001]

I agree that Kami should be translated, but "Lord God" is redundant and idiotic. Outside of some references in the Bible, nobody actually says that in real life. "God" alone will do, it already implies the respect that the -sama honorific has in itself. For the characters who use "Kami" without the -sama honorific (notably Piccolo), I would personally use "god" with a lowercase g in the subtitles to show the difference.

"Muten" doesn't actually mean anything by itself, from what I can tell. I think it's a play on "muteki" (Invincible), but it's not the ACTUAL word for Invincible. Rōshi does mean "master" though (making FUNi's "Master Roshi" rather... yeah).

I agree that Lord God is redundant sounding. It was just a thought. Simply using God makes the most sense. Though, I think rather than having Piccolo call him god (with the lower-case G), maybe just write in his disrespect either in a different way, or different place. If you rely on spelling, it wouldn't work as a dub script.

Hmm... Well, even if it's not the actual word, unless something similar could be used to replace Muten, then I think "translating" it as Invincible would be acceptable. Calling him Muten Old Master might work too, I suppose. Better than Old Master Muten, which makes it sound like Muten's supposed to be his name.

[Metalwario64]

When claiming the UUEs are more detailed than the dragon boxes keep in mind that in addition to altering the color palette FUNimation often applied edge enhancement to their videos. So the detail is to an unnatural, artificial extent. To be fair, however, this was often the case - if a movie wasn't DVRed to death, it was edge enhanced.

The colors just look aged and not well taken care of to me, considering how dark and washed out they are. Another contributor is also that the film they have was copied over several times, since they're 5th or so generation copies from what I remember hearing.

While FUNimation's singles tended to have edge-enhancement, there is none of that on this DVD (which is odd, since their releases of movies 12 and 13 were still rife with edge enhancement and rainbowing, even though they were released around and after the UUE singles. Maybe those masters or betas they had really looked that bad?), whereas on the Double Feature I pointed out some minor edge-enhancement, likely to cover up the blurring.

[Daimao]

For those who don't speak Spanish, that translates out to "You should have invited me, Goku." So I guess Rika Takahashi was right after all...? Go figure.

It's really six of one, half-dozen of the other. The expression he's using, mizukusai, has the meaning of being aloof, distant, at arm's length, even secretive. While my translation is tighter to the textbook meaning, Rika's goes a looser, more colloquial route, which I have to admit, probably gets the idea across better. Were I to translate that line now, I'd probably go with something like "You shouldn't be (or "You don't have to be) such a stranger, Goku."

[G1Ravage]

It seems to me as if Pioneer's song subtitles were written as such as to be used as a possible English adaptation of the song. A lot of the lines would match up well with the music timing, while Simmons' translations are very literal.

Speaking of English song adaptations, if anyone can find the lyrics to Kageyama's English version of Cha-La, could we compare it to the Pioneer translation?

[Zestanor]

Ooh! I can do this one! Source
I'm not sure if this is all correct, sometimes he sounds like he's gibbering.

Breaking through the shining clouds, I'm gonna fly away! (Fly away!)
Spreading through my body, feel the power through my soul.
Kicked in the face, the earth is mad as a fire brigade. (Fire brigade)
Can't you feel it building up for her to blow?

If there ever was a dinosaur...
In a mound of icicles,
I'd wanna train it to ride a ball!

Cha-La Head-Cha-La
No matter if ever anything could happen, nothing can stop me now.
Cha-La Head-Cha-La
Oh my heart just keeps sparking up like a ball of flame oh yes it make me fired up.
Sparking!

I feel freedom with the sky I'm a roller coaster! (Coaster!)
Comin' down through panic, careful, step over the ground!
Take the sonic boom down, and upside down like a mountain slide! (Mountain slide!)
And the world seems faster as she's turnin' 'round.

There's no time for me to mope and cry,
Got to get smarter now,
Adventures have so much for me to learn!

Cha-La Head-Cha-La
Got so much space in my burnin' heart now, I'll take it up with all the world.
Cha-La Head-Cha-La
Smilin' away, away today I'm ultra Z, ai yai yai yai
Cha-La Head-Cha-La
No matter if ever anything could happen, nothing can stop me now.
Cha-La Head-Cha-La
Oh my heart just keeps sparking up like a ball of flame oh yes it make me fired up.
Sparking!
------------------------------
So the short version would be:

Breaking through the shining clouds, I'm gonna fly away! (Fly away!)
Spreading through my body, feel the power through my soul.
Kicked in the face, the earth is mad as a fire brigade. (Fire brigade)
Can't you feel it building up for her to blow?

If there ever was a dinosaur...
In a mound of icicles,
I'd wanna train it to ride a ball!

Cha-La Head-Cha-La
No matter if ever anything could happen, nothing can stop me now.
Cha-La Head-Cha-La
Oh my heart just keeps sparking up like a ball of flame oh yes it make me fired up-
Cha-La Head-Cha-La
Got so much space in my burnin' heart now, I'll take it up with all the world.
Cha-La Head-Cha-La
Smilin' away, away today I'm ultra Z, ai yai yai yai yai
Sparking!

Interestingly enough, his pronunciation of "Z" is the American "Zee;" I would have expected Zed/Zetto. (Maybe he saw the English dub. What year did he sing this version?)

[Zestanor]

Ouch! Double post.

[G1Ravage]

Ah well. Aside from the first line, they're completely different. I was thinking perhaps Pioneer had used the English Cha-La as a reference.

[KiddoCabbusses]

Has Rika ever commented on the initial "Dead Zone" Cha La subtitles vs. the later "Tree of Might" and "World's Strongest" subtitles? I wonder if the mistranslation was due to not understanding the lyrics there, or not believing what the lyrics are saying there. (Because training a dinosaur to ride a ball is ridiculous... and never actually happens in Z, does it? )

[Puto]

She probably translated the lyrics by ear for M1, mishearing some of the lines, and for M2 and M3 was given a lyric sheet.

[KiddoCabbusses]

So, I recently got "First Strike" to go along with my Pioneer Singles.

Are there any more "FUNimation VS. FUNimation"-style comparisons planned?

[BlazingFiddlesticks]

These translation subtitles are starting to confuse me. No denying that Steve can be pretty stiff, though.

Also, the Double Features had a 5.1 Surround Japanese Track? Never thought they'd have anything up on the Dragon Boxes!