Surprised by Recasts?

[Super Sonic]

Looking back, where any of you guys surprised by some of the recasts or any actors were recast? Myself, while some recasts I was surprised by, I wasn't surprised by Monica Rial being cast. For y'all who don't watch anime outside DB, Monica Rial is for the most part to Funimation as Dawes Butler and Don Messick were to older Hanna-Barbera series, being in most everything.

[penguintruth]

I'm always surprised when Funimation does something right involving DB.

[Kendamu]

I was very pleasantly surprised. I'm love the new voices in Kai and I hope they stick around for a very long time.

[TheBlackPaladin]

Ginyu Force/Ginyu Tokusentai's Recasting: Not surprised.
Narrator's Recasting: A little surprised, but not really.
Bulma's Recasting: A little surprised, but not really.
Gohan's Recasting: Surprised.
Freeza's Recasting: DID NOT SEE THAT COMING AT ALL.

Since I don't feel comfortable comparing voice actors quality-wise, I'll just simply say that my happiness over the recasts ranged--depending on the role in question--from neutral, to happy, to ABSOLUTELY ELATED.

[Gyt Kaliba]

Definitely, I never would have guessed they'd pull a major re-casting on their end-all, be-all show. While it definitely worked out great for the most part (less Sabat all over the place, and the greatness that is Ayres' Freeza), I'm still of the opinion that Nadolny and Volmer would only have been a lot better this time around as well. And the stunt they pulled of not informing them about the re-cast, after all their years of work, was just wrong.

Not to mention how things went for poor Linda Young.

[matt0044]

I loved Monica Rial's Bulma. Seriously, that performance made me LOVE the character even more.

[songohan619]

I liked all the recasts, but I still feel that Gohan, Bulma and Captain Ginyu did not need to be recasted.

Not to mention how things went for poor Linda Young.

What happened to her?

[TheBlackPaladin]

...I'm still of the opinion that Nadolny and Volmer would only have been a lot better this time around as well.

Again, without mentioning the specific names of actors, I too think that we might have seen some vastly improved performances out of them. I mean, heck, look at all the other returning actors who turned in performances that were over 9,000 times better (sorry, couldn't resist). Also, while I don't like to be one of those "I saw it coming" people, I didn't find the improved performances of many of the returning voice actors surprising at all. I had been gradually witnessing this improvement through their acting in the videogames and some of the more recent movie dubs (and re-dubs, in the case of Movies 1-3).

I liked all the recasts, but I still feel that Gohan, Bulma and Captain Ginyu did not need to be recasted.

Not to mention how things went for poor Linda Young.

What happened to her?

Well, for a while, it was intended that she would reprise Freeza, and did reprise Freeza in episode 1 (his maniacal laugh). She then began to record her dialogue for the later episodes of Kai, but she had trouble keeping up with Freeza's new script, which had him using much more elegant and complicated language than in the DBZ dub. That's ultimately what necessitated her re-casting, and the rumor is that when she was told, she cried. By all accounts, she's a very nice lady, so I feel kinda bad for her.

[Gyt Kaliba]

I liked all the recasts, but I still feel that Gohan, Bulma and Captain Ginyu did not need to be recasted.

In the case of Ginyu, it was because his original (or current rather) actor, Brice Armstrong, had since retired from acting entirely, since he also didn't return for a role in FMA Brotherhood. As much as I love Armstrong, and sorely missed his narration in Curse of the Blood Rubies, I actually like R. Bruce Elliot's Ginyu more I think. It sounds younger and more fitting.

Again, without mentioning the specific names of actors, I too think that we might have seen some vastly improved performances out of them. I mean, heck, look at all the other returning actors who turned in performances that were over 9,000 times better (sorry, couldn't resist). Also, while I don't like to be one of those "I saw it coming" people, I didn't find the improved performances of many of the returning voice actors surprising at all. I had been gradually witnessing this improvement through their acting in the videogames and some of the more recent movie dubs (and re-dubs, in the case of Movies 1-3).

I couldn't agree more, everyone involved from the beginning has come a long way from where they were when FUNimation started dubbing in-house. They've greatly increased their roster too, so that now Sabat doesn't HAVE to play every gruff guy, while Mike and Sonny play all the normal and 'weird' roles, as they once joked. Heck, I can remember a time when it was still a game of 'find the Sabat and Bailey role in every show', because they literally were in every FUNimation show (not that I'm complaining on Bailey at all ).

So now that I think about it, in a way I guess I shouldn't have been surprised, because why WOULDN'T they recast a little bit. I still wouldn't have seen Gohan or Bulma's coming though.

Well, for a while, it was intended that she would reprise Freeza, and did reprise Freeza in episode 1 (his maniacal laugh). She then began to record her dialogue for the later episodes of Kai, but she had trouble keeping up with Freeza's new script, which had him using much more elegant and complicated language than in the DBZ dub. That's ultimately what necessitated her re-casting, and the rumor is that when she was told, she cried. By all accounts, she's a very nice lady, so I feel kinda bad for her.

That's the same story I've heard. If it's true, I feel horrible for her, even if I do love Ayres' performance a lot. I can't imagine how hard it must have been to lose her most iconic role so suddenly, especially when she was to have it from the get-go anyway.

[songohan619]

I liked all the recasts, but I still feel that Gohan, Bulma and Captain Ginyu did not need to be recasted.

In the case of Ginyu, it was because his original (or current rather) actor, Brice Armstrong, had since retired from acting entirely, since he also didn't return for a role in FMA Brotherhood. As much as I love Armstrong, and sorely missed his narration in Curse of the Blood Rubies, I actually like R. Bruce Elliot's Ginyu more I think. It sounds younger and more fitting.

Oh, okay. Strange that he played Ginyu up untill Kai, and then retired

[penguintruth]

Gohan and Bulma absolutely needed to be recast. Their voices were grating and either of their voice actors could act their way out of a paper bag. Though their recasting came more out of convenience than anything else for Funimation, the overall product benefitted from it greatly.

Freeza, it goes without saying. (A stupid phrase, since I've already said it.)

I don't feel bad for bad voice actors. If they can't act, they should go into a different business.

If only they had recast Chi-Chi, Tenshinhan, Kaio, and Recoome.

[Fionordequester]

I don't feel bad for bad voice actors. If they can't act, they should go into a different business.

Are you really going to judge a person simply based on their professional work? That hardly seems fair, disregarding the fact that I don't even think they were bad actors (I mean, did you hear Linda Young as Genki from Yu Yu Hakusho? Surely you wouldn't call THAT performance bad, right?).

If only they had recast Chi-Chi, Tenshinhan, Kaio, and Recoome.

Tenshinhan didn't sound nearly as bad as he did in DBZ, Chi-Chi suffered from bad direction more than anything else (if you've heard her in Yu Yu Hakusho, she could've EASILY done a less over-the-top Chi Chi), and Kaio and Recoome's voices...honestly aren't that unfitting if you ask me.

[penguintruth]

Are you really going to judge a person simply based on their professional work?

This isn't a personality contest. Talent is all that matters.

Tenshinhan didn't sound nearly as bad as he did in DBZ, Chi-Chi suffered from bad direction more than anything else (if you've heard her in Yu Yu Hakusho, she could've EASILY done a less over-the-top Chi Chi), and Kaio and Recoome's voices...honestly aren't that unfitting if you ask me.

Tenshinhan always sounds like he's irritated by a bad rash, Cranz brings out only the worst parts of Chi-Chi, and really... defending Schemmel's Kaio and Sabat's Recoome? They're offensively bad.

[Super Sonic]

Will have to say I did prefer the Ocean actor for Recoome. He seemed to make the role his own and seemed to be having fun doing it. And what also made him awesome was that he was voiced by Megatron. Kinda makes instant win. (Penguintruth and others, in case you're not familiar with the name, Megatron was the leader of the Predacons on the series "Beast Wars". This is what he sounds like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jnnQ6UQJuVs

[Gyt Kaliba]

Gohan and Bulma absolutely needed to be recast. Their voices were grating and either of their voice actors could act their way out of a paper bag. Though their recasting came more out of convenience than anything else for Funimation, the overall product benefitted from it greatly.

Setting aside our difference in opinions on whether they absolutely needed to be re-cast or not (as I disagree), surely even you'd agree that the least FUNi could have done was inform them about it? I mean, c'mon. They played the characters for over ten years, and despite your own personal feelings on them, they have a lot of fans. It was dirty pool for them to be dropped from the show without even being told. That, more than not having a problem with their work, is what really annoys me about the situation.

If only they had recast Chi-Chi, Tenshinhan, Kaio, and Recoome.

I don't really have a problem with Cranz's Chi Chi (but then again, I dislike Chi Chi), Burgmeier's Tenshinhan, or Schemmel's Kaio, but I do wish that they'd gotten a new Recoome (I'd say Bob Carter maybe, but since he's Bojack, that could be problematic for video games) and kept Recoome on for Jeice instead.

I don't feel bad for bad voice actors. If they can't act, they should go into a different business.

Are you really going to judge a person simply based on their professional work?

This isn't a personality contest. Talent is all that matters.

I wouldn't say it in the same way that he did, but he does have a fair enough point. Work is work, and there is probably a reason that Vollmer and Nadolny weren't used much outside of Dragon Ball...I still feel that their work wasn't as bad as he thinks, but I'm not claiming they were the best FUNi's had either.

It works on both sides too. I can think of an AMAZING voice actor (whom I'll be taking a page from Paladin's book and not saying who) that I'm not particularly fond of on a personal basis, due to a brief interaction with them, but they continue to do great work, so of course they continue to be hired.

[Fionordequester]

I wouldn't say it in the same way that he did, but he does have a fair enough point. Work is work, and there is probably a reason that Vollmer and Nadolny weren't used much outside of Dragon Ball...I still feel that their work wasn't as bad as he thinks, but I'm not claiming they were the best FUNi's had either.

It works on both sides too. I can think of an AMAZING voice actor (whom I'll be taking a page from Paladin's book and not saying who) that I'm not particularly fond of on a personal basis, due to a brief interaction with them, but they continue to do great work, so of course they continue to be hired.

That's not what I'm complaining about. What I'm complaining about is that Penguintruth, if I'm interpreting him correctly, had a negative opinion about them as people and didn't care about them, rather then stopping at just calling their work bad. There's a difference between disliking someone's work, and then disliking someone simply BECAUSE of their work, that's what I'm saying.

Tenshinhan always sounds like he's irritated by a bad rash, Cranz brings out only the worst parts of Chi-Chi, and really... defending Schemmel's Kaio and Sabat's Recoome? They're offensively bad.

Tenshinhan did always sound like he had a bad rash in the old DBZ dub, but I didn't really hear that in his Kai performance. I agree with you on Cranz, but she really could've represented Chi Chi correctly had the voice director called for that, and, honestly, I think the voices for Kaio and Recoome actually work.

I mean, Kaio really IS more or less a joke character in that he has a penchant for bad puns, has a petty rivalry with the other Kaio's, and will even do things such as pee in front of Goku even when they've just met. I mean, yes, he IS a martial arts master, and is more-or-less a nice guy, but...that's really all he has going for him in terms of actually taking him seriously.

As for Recoome...let's face it, they guy is a total weirdo no matter how you slice it, so I don't think his voice is all that unfitting.

[AgitoZ]

I mean, Kaio really IS more or less a joke character in that he has a penchant for bad puns, has a petty rivalry with the other Kaio's, and will even do things such as pee in front of Goku even when they've just met. I mean, yes, he IS a martial arts master, and is more-or-less a nice guy, but...that's really all he has going for him in terms of actually taking him seriously.

I guess. He's as much as a joke character as Roshi. But like McFarland's Roshi, whenever shit hits the fan Schemmel makes it impossible to take him seriously. Scenes call for the audience to take Kaio seriously and that's not possible to do in the English dub.

Yes, he makes puns, is incredibly petty, and immature, but that is where the joke should end. It should not extend all way to his voice, or at the very least not all the time.

I'm sure all they did to pick the voice was they saw the design, saw a weird blue/fish/slash/alien guy and gave him a weird voice.

As for Recoome...let's face it, they guy is a total weirdo no matter how you slice it, so I don't think his voice is all that unfitting.

Weirdo does not equal mental disability. To be fair, Sabat did dial it back but you can still hear it. It should not be that off.

Again, it also seems like a voice they pulled out when they saw Recoome after getting blasted by Vegeta. Not even once looking at the original performance or even thinking "let's not give him an awful voice."

[Ringworm128]

I wasn't surprised about recasts for characters like Zarbon and the Ginyu Force. I was a bit surprised about Gohan and Bulma being recast since that was the first time I heard they were recasting some of the characters. I like all the new voices but I would prefer some of them to have their old VA's. I prefer Stephanie Nadalony as Gohan and Kid Goku. I might of preferred it if Tiffany Volmer returned for Bulma but I can't make up my mind on that one. For Zarbon I think both voices are equal. I slightly prefer Chris Forbis as Dodoria. For Jheese both his old and new voice are equal IMO. I slightly prefer Vic Mignogna as Burter. as for Ghurd's voice I think both Bill Townsley and Greg Ayers are equal. As much as I like R. Bruce Eliot as Ginyu Brice Armstrong is simply the better Ginyu. I suppose Chris Ayers is the better Freeza since he get's the whole "he's a evil gentleman" thing down, but Linda Young IMO was just as good so I'm a bit stuck on this one, I guess I'l just say that they're equal. Bradford Jackson was the better King Cold IMO. I slightly prefer AH #19's old Funi voice and #18's VA's are pretty much equal IMO.

[Fionordequester]

I guess. He's as much as a joke character as Roshi. But like McFarland's Roshi, whenever shit hits the fan Schemmel makes it impossible to take him seriously. Scenes call for the audience to take Kaio seriously and that's not possible to do in the English dub.

Yes, he makes puns, is incredibly petty, and immature, but that is where the joke should end. It should not extend all way to his voice, or at the very least not all the time.

But...if someone is so petty and immature to begin with, what does it matter if they have an awesome voice or not? Besides that, outside of some moments in the old dub ("OH NO! In a few minutes, Planet Namek is going to explode into a big ol' bowl of spaghetti sauce!!"...or something like that), I thought his delivery was serious enough that you weren't laughing at him.

I'm sure all they did to pick the voice was they saw the design, saw a weird blue/fish/slash/alien guy and gave him a weird voice.

Eh, I don't know. I mean, I remember introducing one of my friends to the first few episodes of Dragon Ball Z (Remastered Version), and throughout the entire thing, they kept on laughing at how apparently the Earth was ruled by a "giant green pickle", among other things, like how Goku can apparently ride a cloud. And yet, they gave other similarly weird characters, like Kami, Ginyu (well, in the Remastered versions anyway), and Korin fairly serious, authoritative voices. No, I think it was King Kai's antics, more than anything else, that affected their decisions.

Weirdo does not equal mental disability. To be fair, Sabat did dial it back but you can still hear it. It should not be that off.

Eh, I think Sabat dialed it back enough that it was charming rather than cringeworthy, like say...in the video games (YOU DO WELL, HUH HUH HUH! YOU DO WELLLLL!!). I introduced Dragon Ball Z Kai to my dad, who is now a HUGE fan of this show, and his only reaction to Recoome was "he's sort of a goofball, isn't he?". Plus, there's one line from Kai that I thought Sabat's delivery was awesome, which was basically something like...

Recoome: Hey! Can I please beat up Gohan and Krillin as well?

Burter: Oh, haven't you had enough already?

Recoome: Oh, c,mon, please?

Jeice: Alright, sure.

Recoome: AWWWESOOOOOMMMMEEE!!

Again, I actually find the performance kind of charming.

Again, it also seems like a voice they pulled out when they saw Recoome after getting blasted by Vegeta. Not even once looking at the original performance or even thinking "let's not give him an awful voice."

Well...honestly, I think he DOES have a mental disability of some sort, though definitely not autism as Chris Sabat seemed to have portrayed him in the past. I mean, heck, I actually have a mental disability in the form of Asburger's and OCD myself, and with some of his mannerisms, well...

http://www.google.com/imgres?num=10&hl= ... ,s:0,i:122

http://www.google.com/imgres?num=10&hl= ... x=83&ty=96

...one does kind of have to wonder...

[AgitoZ]

But...if someone is so petty and immature to begin with, what does it matter if they have an awesome voice or not? Besides that, outside of some moments in the old dub ("OH NO! In a few minutes, Planet Namek is going to explode into a big ol' bowl of spaghetti sauce!!"...or something like that), I thought his delivery was serious enough that you weren't laughing at him.

It matters because if the voice matches his "antics" then there is no contrast and therefore no joke. It's not funny because he's a goofy guy, it's funny because he's this goofy guy who also happens to be a God.

Besides, it's not like Kaio is always goofy, the biggest examples of that are his introduction and during the Other World tournament. He has to be able to be taken seriously and a serious voice helps get past all the "goofiness". Unfortunately, Schemmel just does not pull it off and that voice is not going to change.

And yet, they gave other similarly weird characters, like Kami, Ginyu (well, in the Remastered versions anyway), and Karin fairly serious, authoritative voices. No, I think it was King Kai's antics, more than anything else, that affected their decisions.

The word you and I were looking for was goofy.

Kami and Ginyu both have more menacing appearences so of course they got serious voices. Karin is a fucking cat so I'll give you that. But my point still stands that the voice does seem to come from the goofy design.

Well...honestly, I think he DOES have a mental disability of some sort, though definitely not autism as Chris Sabat seemed to have portrayed him in the past. I mean, heck, I actually have a mental disability in the form of Asburger's and OCD myself, and with some of his mannerisms, well...

...one does kind of have to wonder...

My point isn't whether or not that he looks like mentally challenged, it's that casting decisions based on designs are not always good because they can lead to things like Kaio. I mean if you think they cast Recoome that way what makes you think they didn't cast Kaio as such?