Original Dragonball Funimation script

[Gyt Kaliba]

This is the one I have and I didn't think the audio was that great http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Ball-Compl ... all+movies i might have to compare them again because it's been a while since I watched both releases

Really? Huh, that's the newer set that I was under the impression they'd fixed something in regards to movie 2. Guess if they didn't, there's no need for me to pick that up.

[samuraix123]

This is the one I have and I didn't think the audio was that great http://www.amazon.com/Dragon-Ball-Compl ... all+movies i might have to compare them again because it's been a while since I watched both releases

Really? Huh, that's the newer set that I was under the impression they'd fixed something in regards to movie 2. Guess if they didn't, there's no need for me to pick that up.

Don't rely on just my opinion. I haven't watched both of those releases since they came out. The 4 pack in my opinion is still a great release!

[Herms]

How come Simmons' subtitles aren't 10/10?

Because Steve didn't do them. I think the guy who did the subs for Dragon Ball was called Clyde or something.

Sorry, that was pretty unclear of me. By "Simmons' subtitles" I really do mean Steve Simmons' subtitles for DBZ, rather than the subtitles for DB, which like you said are not by Simmons. I haven't seen much of the original DB anime (being more of a manga guy), and most of what I watched was either Japanese without subtitles or dubbed, so I can't make any good judgment on the quality of Clyde Mandelin's subtitles. Like Mike said, the idea behind my rating system is that a perfect translation is essentially impossible.

[ABED]

I wouldn't judge his skills as a translator based on the ability to satisfy everyone. As long as it's an accurate translation and gets across the idiosyncrasies of the characters, then that's all one could ask for. If not everyone likes the honorifics and such, I don't see why anyone would mark him down for that. It's not a MIStranslation.

[VegettoEX]

That's just the thing -- Clyde's raw translation is perfectly great, but it doesn't get across the idiosyncrasies of all of the characters, with Goku being the most important.

And again, the biggest part of that is how great we kicked things off with Steve handling it and establishing the style guide for it all, which wasn't strictly adhered to going forward with Clyde's work.

So... again, like I keep saying... on the totally arbitrary scale of ratings, I'd give Steve a 9/10 like Jake, and then I'd give Clyde an 8/10.

You can feel free to dish out meaningless scores, too!

[ABED]

Did Steve just translate for the DVDs or did he translate their scripts?

There was an interview with him right after the first DVDs came out, I wish I could find it.

[VegettoEX]

Just the translations for the subtitles corresponding to the Japanese language track on the DVDs. The English dub was already well underway ("Season Three" onward) by the time they ramped up production on the DVDs, and they had (and still do have) separate writers and re-writers that handle the English dub script. I wouldn't be surprised if what people say about the Buu arc supposedly being "closer" to the original script came into play as they moved things a little more simultaneous and were no longer just making shit up on the spot, though.

[Nikkolas]

Didn't Funi actually use the Ocean script for at least the Android Saga? I'm pretty sure I recall hearing Drummond saying the infamous "SAD FOR YOOOOOUUUUU".

The Dragonball dub is like Funi's Yu Yu Hakusho dub - a lot of alterations but generally keeping the same tone. I love it but I can see why some don't.

[ForestEquilibrium]

Didn't Funi actually use the Ocean script for at least the Android Saga? I'm pretty sure I recall hearing Drummond saying the infamous "SAD FOR YOOOOOUUUUU".

The Dragonball dub is like Funi's Yu Yu Hakusho dub - a lot of alterations but generally keeping the same tone. I love it but I can see why some don't.

I believe the script was a collaboration between Funi writers (Christopher Neil, John Burgmeier, etc.) and Ocean's writers (Terry Klassen, Ward Perry et al.) which is why the scripts were so similar. Despite not using their actors, they still carried over their writers since I believe Ocean was still doing their TV edits as well.