Do people here think FUNimation's Z Dub is the worst dub?

[TheBlackPaladin]

I'm undecided on whether or not the changes were necessary. On the one hand, I've talked to legions of people who consider DBZ "unwatchable" without Faulconer's score, and as I mentioned before, that's the version that got popular.

On the other hand, the Kai dub (which does use the original music) has achieved very high ratings on both Nicktoons and Toonzai/Vortex, in many cases being the no.1-rated show. I could see it being the case either way.

I also remember Gen Fukunaga saying in an interview that they did have "test audiences" that they showed DBZ to. The specifics of this are vague at best (which version, what musical score, edited or uncut, the age of the audience...), but they claimed that they made these changes based on studies and findings, not on assumptions.

[Majin Buu]

I also remember Gen Fukunaga saying in an interview that they did have "test audiences" that they showed DBZ to. The specifics of this are vague at best (which version, what musical score, edited or uncut, the age of the audience...), but they claimed that they made these changes based on studies and findings, not on assumptions.

Yes, they are vague. Too vague to give any credibility to. Assuming that Fukunaga wasn't just talking out of his ass and such tests were actually done: Given that we know nothing about what specifically went into these tests, nor do we have any specific results to go off of, saying that the reversioning was based on studies and findings and using that as justification for it doesn't hold much ground.

[ABED]

If you read his interviews, he had little creative involvement in the show itself, and seems shocked by some of the creative choices when he was told about them.

Does anyone watch a show just for the music? Even if they kept the music, and the green actors, but better scripts, it would've been an infinitely better show.

[TheBlackPaladin]

Does anyone watch a show just for the music?

I asked myself--and them--the same thing. I wish I could say "no".........*sigh*.......but apparently, some people do.

[wjbraden]

I kind of hate to say this... but when I remember watching DBZ back when I was about 10 years old, one thing I really loved about the show was the Faulconer score (especially the Buu theme). I should also note that I wasn't really even aware of Japanese version for some years later.

Would I have liked DBZ less if that score didn't exist... hard to say, but I will say that Faulconer's music really had more of an impression on me than any other show I watched as a kid.

[TheWhiz]

Does anyone watch a show just for the music?

I asked myself--and them--the same thing. I wish I could say "no".........*sigh*.......but apparently, some people do.

I get comments on my videos saying Kai is unwatchable without Faulconer's music

[Super Sonic]

No, But a-lot of people sure act like it. I've actually read people say that they hate the Dub so much that they wished that Dragonball was never released in the US.

Not to be mean, but guys who say things like that fit this Robot Chicken vid I think:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8FEhMxSSWw

And I don't mean the type many of us will say we are. But the stereotype of being elitist, thinking they know everything, yet awkward and never kissed a girl.

[ABED]

Does anyone watch a show just for the music?

I asked myself--and them--the same thing. I wish I could say "no".........*sigh*.......but apparently, some people do.

I get comments on my videos saying Kai is unwatchable without Faulconer's music

I don't get that mentality at all. I've watched plenty of otherwise good shows with bad music, and still enjoyed them.

[Blade]

Does anyone watch a show just for the music?

I asked myself--and them--the same thing. I wish I could say "no".........*sigh*.......but apparently, some people do.

I get comments on my videos saying Kai is unwatchable without Faulconer's music

And why's that funny? Do you find it impossible to grasp that some people actually like and prefer his score?

This kind of attitude goes a distance to emphasise my problem with a good portion of the online Dragonball fanbase. If someone said that they found Dragonball unwatchable without Kikuchi's score no-one would bat an eye-lid as if it's objectively correct and proper. There's an insufferable tendency to treat the fashionable view points as objective, unshakeable facts - but really it comes down to little more than closed-mindedness, snobbery and elitism.

[TheBlackPaladin]

I don't get that mentality at all.

Amen, dude, neither do I.

I've said before that the only thing "wrong" with a fandom is when they look down on others for having a particular preference about a show, so I don't look down on them for having that mentality........but it has proven quite difficult. I simply can't relate to how a particular musical score makes a show "unwatchable." Less enjoyable, certainly, but "unwatchable"? Nuh-uh. I just don't get it.

[ABED]

I asked myself--and them--the same thing. I wish I could say "no".........*sigh*.......but apparently, some people do.

I get comments on my videos saying Kai is unwatchable without Faulconer's music

And why's that funny? Do you find it impossible to grasp that some people actually like and prefer his score?

This kind of attitude goes a distance to emphasise my problem with a good portion of the online Dragonball fanbase. If someone said that they found Dragonball unwatchable without Kikuchi's score no-one would bat an eye-lid as if it's objectively correct and proper. There's an insufferable tendency to treat the fashionable view points as objective, unshakeable facts - but really it comes down to little more than closed-mindedness, snobbery and elitism.

I'm only speaking for myself, but I don't find it funny that they like music that I don't. I find it weird that music makes or breaks a show. A great score definitely adds, and a bad score definitely hurts, but I would think that if the characters, drama, humor, plot, etc. are good, then bad music is something you can easily get past. If Kai was the exact same but with Faulconer music, I'd still enjoy it by and large. I dislike his music but it's not enough to make me stop watching a show I enjoy.

[penguintruth]

And why's that funny? Do you find it impossible to grasp that some people actually like and prefer his score?

This kind of attitude goes a distance to emphasise my problem with a good portion of the online Dragonball fanbase. If someone said that they found Dragonball unwatchable without Kikuchi's score no-one would bat an eye-lid as if it's objectively correct and proper. There's an insufferable tendency to treat the fashionable view points as objective, unshakeable facts - but really it comes down to little more than closed-mindedness, snobbery and elitism.

Yeah, I do find it impossible, since the Faulconer music makes almost zero sense for the show. It's a bunch of cold, soulless, generic dreck that overemphasizes superficial elements.

[Ringworm128]

While I generally prefer dubs to be accurate I really don't mind if they're not as long as what I'm watching is enjoyable. I'm more concerned with the subtitles being accurate, it might sound silly but one of the reasons I'm trying to learn Japanese is so I don't have to worry about inaccurate subs. And TBH I still think most of the "problems" with the dub are highly over exaggerated.

And why's that funny? Do you find it impossible to grasp that some people actually like and prefer his score?

This kind of attitude goes a distance to emphasise my problem with a good portion of the online Dragonball fanbase. If someone said that they found Dragonball unwatchable without Kikuchi's score no-one would bat an eye-lid as if it's objectively correct and proper. There's an insufferable tendency to treat the fashionable view points as objective, unshakeable facts - but really it comes down to little more than closed-mindedness, snobbery and elitism.

Yeah, I do find it impossible, since the Faulconer music makes almost zero sense for the show. It's a bunch of cold, soulless, generic dreck that overemphasizes superficial elements.

While a lot of it is just filler music there are some really well made tracks such as Super Buu's theme which sounds aggressive but with a playful tone to it, perfect for Buu. Paikuhan's theme which sounds mysterious and of course Ginyu Transformation to name a few. But I think all the memorable songs like the character themes and Ginyu Transformation are the only reason people praise Faulconers score so much. If Team Faulconer were given more time to develop the music without having to make something for every scene the U.S score could have been really good. I've always assumed the score for Plan to Eradicate The Saiyans (1993) is what the Faulconer score would sound like if it was done well.

[ABED]

Granny Freeza, Schemmel's Kaio-sama, "Krillin's in da house!", "It's a bird, it's a plane, no it's Goku...", Monster truck announcer doing the narration, Piccolo's "yes, yes, YES, YES" speech, Goku's hope of the universe speech, Freeza's constant use of sexual suggestiveness "We could have been so good together", "All right big guy. Whatever turns you on!", "And just ten cents a minute. That's my rate! Hey, I still got it!", "mondo cool!"

Yeah, that's overexaggerating it's crappiness.

[Ringworm128]

Most of those come from the "season 3" dub. And the Dubku = Super Man thing is another thing I find to be over exaggerate, he had a couple of speeches, that's it. Apart from that he was a general "nice guy" character. Kyle Herbert is a great narrator and the narrator isn't that important anyway, you could use just about any voice and it would work. Schemmel's King Kai is another voice that gets bashed way too much, the voice fits his appearance and the performance fits his character. "But he's supposed to sound like a wise god!" Well the Japanese voice didn't exactly sound "god/sage like" either.

[penguintruth]

Ugh, Kyle Hebert's narration is awful.

Every pre-Kai dub narrator is awful.

It's not a monster truck rally, guys.

[Ringworm128]

Even Brice Armstrong?

[penguintruth]

Dragon Ball dub. Not Dragon Ball Z.

Armstrong should have been the narrator for DBZ, too. AND the voice of Kaio.

[Gaffer Tape]

Schemmel's King Kai is another voice that gets bashed way too much, the voice fits his appearance and the performance fits his character.

I'm sorry, but I can't conceive of a world where it's possible to bash that voice too much. That such an offense to human ears exists astounds me. Almost any other dubism I can grudgingly accept as a matter of taste, but this is just literally painful to endure. It is truly a cruel and unusual crime against hearing.

[Zephyr]

Dragon Ball dub. Not Dragon Ball Z.

Armstrong should have been the narrator for DBZ, too. AND the voice of Kaio.

It's things like this suggestion that really make me wish FUNi went in order. The casting would have been substantially more accurate and fitting. The actors would have evolved with the characters, and grew into the roles as the characters themselves grew.