English music kills the emotion!

[Khanage]

So I still haven't finished watching Dragonball GT (no spoilers please) but I was appalled when Piccolo died for the simple reason that the music in the background sucked the emotion right away from the scene. It wasn't fitting at all! So far, the English music seems to make EVERYTHING just sound sinister, and it's like they only know one riff! I loved watching Dragon Ball and DBZ with the Japanese music and the english dub, and when Goku said he didn't want to come back from the dead, I bawled like a baby. But I was really disappointed at the Piccolo scene, I didn't feel sad at all. What do you guys think? Maybe it was just an unemotional scene with the way it was scripted, but I reckon it has to be the music.

[cRookie_Monster]

FYI there are a lot of different "English" composers. I think you are talking about the Menza score in particular.

[jjgp1112]

FYI there are a lot of different "English" composers. I think you are talking about the Menza score in particular.

That's the Nathan Johnson score in the UUE eps. And yeah, his score isn't really bad as much as it excruciatingly boring and emotionless.

[Gonstead]

FYI there are a lot of different "English" composers. I think you are talking about the Menza score in particular.

That's the Nathan Johnson score in the UUE eps. And yeah, his score isn't really bad as much as it excruciatingly boring and emotionless.

He's speaking of Piccolo's death in GT with the score by Menza, not the UUE with N.Johnson score.

[Khanage]

I didn't know there were different composers but I did notice it was a different style to the DBZ english music. Well thanks Menza for a dead out soundtrack, he didn't even try to make it sound the slightest bit sad, it was just the same as every other scene. I can't wait to buy the 'Complete Series', apparently that has the English Dub with Japanese Score?

[penguintruth]

I wouldn't say it kills the emotion, more like it gets the emotion wrong. Sometimes there is a complete lack of understanding over what a scene is about.

For example, Goku becoming a Super Saiyan for the first time isn't just some scene where he's being really badass, it's a horrifying transformation, the awakening of a terrifying power within our hero. Compare the Kikuchi track used compared to the Faulconer track. With the Kikuchi score, it's sheer terror. Something is happening that is to be feared. That same scene with the Faulconer score says, "Look at this awesome power up of Goku! He's going to kick ass!" Misses the point. The viewer should be crapping their pants that he might leap out of the screen and punch their brain in, not think that "Goku is totally METAL, man!"

Becoming a Super Saiyan in that scene isn't a triumph, isn't a celebration. It's the awakening of a terrible rage. It should be treated like Armageddon. The Kikuchi track plays it up, it rolls with it, it builds an atmosphere. The Faulconer music? It tries too hard to celebrate how cool the scene is by completely forgetting WHY it's cool.

In GT, the Menza score doesn't even seem to be about the same thing the show is about. It is entirely removed from the theme and atmosphere of GT's initial premise. It's like Menza is scoring for a completely different show, for a different franchise altogether. I don't Funimation could find a type of music that was more contrary to the show if they tried.

[DBZAOTA482]

Menza's soundtrack for GT is the most....horribifuckus, it's the most horribifuckus thing I've ever heard. I'd rather listen to the squeals of Tiffany Volmer's Bulma running on four amplifers than 10 seconds of that theme "song".

[Dorexx]

Funimation DBGT's music is a disaster. Stay away from it, and try to forget you even came across it. And it's such a shame, because some of Menza's work in the GT Special and DBZ movies is beautiful.

[Khanage]

I wouldn't say it kills the emotion, more like it gets the emotion wrong. Sometimes there is a complete lack of understanding over what a scene is about.

For example, Goku becoming a Super Saiyan for the first time isn't just some scene where he's being really badass, it's a horrifying transformation, the awakening of a terrifying power within our hero. Compare the Kikuchi track used compared to the Faulconer track. With the Kikuchi score, it's sheer terror. Something is happening that is to be feared. That same scene with the Faulconer score says, "Look at this awesome power up of Goku! He's going to kick ass!" Misses the point. The viewer should be crapping their pants that he might leap out of the screen and punch their brain in, not think that "Goku is totally METAL, man!"

Becoming a Super Saiyan in that scene isn't a triumph, isn't a celebration. It's the awakening of a terrible rage. It should be treated like Armageddon. The Kikuchi track plays it up, it rolls with it, it builds an atmosphere. The Faulconer music? It tries too hard to celebrate how cool the scene is by completely forgetting WHY it's cool.

In GT, the Menza score doesn't even seem to be about the same thing the show is about. It is entirely removed from the theme and atmosphere of GT's initial premise. It's like Menza is scoring for a completely different show, for a different franchise altogether. I don't Funimation could find a type of music that was more contrary to the show if they tried.

Completely agree, Menza is definitely detatched, earlier I noticed a tiumphant scene of someone being defeated with what sounded like the devil's chord in the background! I think the thing with the Funimation music is that it's appealing as a cartoon as opposed to a serious manga. Potentially a controversial opinion, but I feel DB is being aimed at kids with Goku being the equivalent of a 'super hero'. Even super heroes are portrayed poorly when being aimed at kids, if you think about it, your average Marvel comic is a lot more serious than what my 4 year old cousin thinks of it.

[Eclipse]

Having spent plenty of time with the both the English and Japanese soundtracks for Z, I can see an argument forming about Falconer and his skills. Falconer isn't the greatest of composers, but he had some variety. Menza, on the other hand, sounds like he's got just one or two pieces of music he's endlessly rewriting.

[dbboxkaifan]

Faulconer Productions had four composers, and their music was great, but sadly misplaced on the episodes.

[Khanage]

Well I just finished GT and can conclude, despite how emotional the ending was, I still haven't got a clue what version of Saw Men a thought he was composing for.

[shreddinghead]

I understand fans who prefer the original track over funimation. The original track is more varied and has a sentimental touch over it, which is lacking in the american versions. However, i find funimation's version more vibrant and exciting. Anyhow, i actually do like funimation's gt, i know it's silly and somewhat lacking depth, but i find the childish element to it appealing.

[InfernalVegito]

I cannot stand the English replacement soundtrack for GT. It's so...utterly boring and makes me fall asleep. Just compare both versions when SSJ4 Gogeta is born and you'll see how infinitely more victorious and grand the scene is with Tokunaga's score. Overall Tokunaga's score is my most favorite music in Dragon Ball. It fits GT so perfectly.

[Gonstead]

I cannot stand the English replacement soundtrack for GT. It's so...utterly boring and makes me fall asleep. Just compare both versions when SSJ4 Gogeta is born and you'll see how infinitely more victorious and grand the scene is with Tokunaga's score. Overall Tokunaga's score is my most favorite music in Dragon Ball. It fits GT so perfectly.

I can't stand Tokunaga's score for GT. The whole thing sounds like generic stock music through and through and combining it with some pretty shoddy placement in it's scenes doesn't help either.

The scene you mention with Gogeta is an example of what I'm talking of. Generic victorious sounding/superhero music, something I'd expect to hear in an old Superman cartoon.

In truth, Kikuchi should have stayed for GT, it would have been a much better experience at least for me.

[InfernalVegito]

Yeah Kikuchi for GT might have been interesting. He's my second favorite DB composer and you know what? I wouldn't want any of the scores for all three series changed. They are perfect the way the are for me, especially GT. Bascially entirely opposite of what you perceive

[DoomieDoomie911]

Why didn't FUNimation just stick to the Kikuchi score from the very beginning? Why do they feel the need to change things?

[AgitoZ]

Why didn't FUNimation just stick to the Kikuchi score from the very beginning? Why do they feel the need to change things?

"The answer is simple: Money, dear boy."

[dbzkfan543]

Yeah Kikuchi for GT might have been interesting. He's my second favorite DB composer and you know what? I wouldn't want any of the scores for all three series changed. They are perfect the way the are for me, especially GT. Bascially entirely opposite of what you perceive

I remember somebody on YouTube putting Kikuchi tracks in GT. I forgot who, though...

[penguintruth]

Why didn't FUNimation just stick to the Kikuchi score from the very beginning? Why do they feel the need to change things?

Because they're arrogant.