Watching Dragon Ball For The First Time In Japanese

[CygnusDestroyer20XX]

I like the Japanese music a lot more than the American dub music. I think an actual ensemble with real instruments is better than a synthesized computer program (the American dub music is mostly synthesized, right?). Perhaps I'm biased because I play saxophone in a wind ensemble. Also, I much prefer woodwind, brass, and orchestral string instruments over electric guitars.

I also prefer the Japanese music and it's tough for me to watch the series without it (especially for GT. To be honest, I was kind of put off by the show at first, because of Welcome To The Grand Tour, but then I saw the Dan Dan intro and the show became more enjoyable). Worst of all to me is the use of popular metal and hard rock bands in the Funi releases of the movies. Don't get me wrong, I like Dream Theater and Finger Eleven, but hearing their songs in DBZ was just too distracting.

Also, I haven't watched any of the series in Japanese, but I'm planning on doing that very soon, going in order, probably after I get my Malaysian DBZ series set in the mail (I had the Orange Bricks, but sold them off, because I wanted Z in 4:3 and unfortunately the Dragon Boxes are too expensive for me to purchase, so I went with the best cheapest option I could find).

[Zenkai]

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Also, I haven't watched any of the series in Japanese, but I'm planning on doing that very soon, going in order, probably after I get my Malaysian DBZ series set in the mail (I had the Orange Bricks, but sold them off, because I wanted Z in 4:3 and unfortunately the Dragon Boxes are too expensive for me to purchase, so I went with the best cheapest option I could find).

A DBZ set from Malaysia? I hope you didn't get a bootleg.

[ABED]

Up to Episode 23 now, so I can comment on the other Tenka-Ichi fighters' voices now.

Nam: Kaneto Shiozawa is much better than Jerry Jewell's take. Shiozawa doesn't fake an Indian accent like Jewell and sounds more natural.
Lanfang: Yoko Kawanami & Laura Bailey are equal.
Giran: I prefer Banjo Ginga over Andrew Chandler. Ginga sounds more like a monster than Chandler.
Bacterian: Yasuo Tanaka really makes him sound like a very disgusting person unlike Chris Rager even though he did good too.

As for the announcer I kinda prefer Eric Vale over Kenji Utsumi though Utsumi is good too. Just something about Vale's performance that makes it stand out more.

It might be fake, but so is Hank Azaria's indian accent for Apu, but I think they both work. I can't tell because it's in Japanese, but it doesn't seem like Shiozawa is going for an indian accent even though it would be appropriate.

Vale's fine as the announcer, though I wish the writing was better. Much of the announcer's lines are said offscreen, so the writers could've just done the Japanese script pretty much word for word.

[CygnusDestroyer20XX]

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Also, I haven't watched any of the series in Japanese, but I'm planning on doing that very soon, going in order, probably after I get my Malaysian DBZ series set in the mail (I had the Orange Bricks, but sold them off, because I wanted Z in 4:3 and unfortunately the Dragon Boxes are too expensive for me to purchase, so I went with the best cheapest option I could find).

A DBZ set from Malaysia? I hope you didn't get a bootleg.

I'm not sure. Even if it is, for the price I paid for the whole series, I can't really complain. (EDIT: I have since purchased all 7 Dragon Box sets for a decent price, considering what box 2 is going for now).

There's are the ones I bought, except I got both sets for around $70 total (I decided to remove these links just to be safe if they're not legitimate. I just also want to clarify that I do have all of the official Funimation releases of the original series, GT and the movies, but I only really got into Dragon Ball after the Dragon Boxes were out of print).

[Zenkai]

.

Also, I haven't watched any of the series in Japanese, but I'm planning on doing that very soon, going in order, probably after I get my Malaysian DBZ series set in the mail (I had the Orange Bricks, but sold them off, because I wanted Z in 4:3 and unfortunately the Dragon Boxes are too expensive for me to purchase, so I went with the best cheapest option I could find).

A DBZ set from Malaysia? I hope you didn't get a bootleg.

I'm not sure. Even if it is, for the price I paid for the whole series, I can't really complain.

There's are the ones I bought, except I got both sets for around $70 total:

http://www.asiandb.com/store/detail.php?num=18157
http://www.asiandb.com/store/detail.php?num=18158

I don't know if those are legit or not.

Anyways, buying bootlegs is not the moral thing to do.

[CygnusDestroyer20XX]

I don't know if those are legit or not.

Anyways, buying bootlegs is not the moral thing to do.

I know, and I'm hoping this isn't. I just wish there were more reasonably priced options than the Orange Bricks for U.S. releases.

[Zenkai]

I don't know if those are legit or not.

Anyways, buying bootlegs is not the moral thing to do.

I know, and I'm hoping this isn't. I just wish there were more reasonably priced options than the Orange Bricks for U.S. releases.

I think this item from that website is definitely a bootleg: http://www.asiandb.com/store/detail.php?num=18156

It says it's Dragon Ball, but it has GT Goku, Z Yamcha, Z Krillen, and Videl on the cover. Also, I think the artwork of the characters are from one of the Tenkaichi video games.

[CygnusDestroyer20XX]

I don't know if those are legit or not.

Anyways, buying bootlegs is not the moral thing to do.

I know, and I'm hoping this isn't. I just wish there were more reasonably priced options than the Orange Bricks for U.S. releases.

I think this item from that website is definitely a bootleg:

It says it's Dragon Ball, but it has GT Goku, Z Yamcha, Z Kuririn, and Videl on the cover. Also, I think the artwork of the characters are from one of the Tenkaichi video games.

Hmm...you're right, that cover is very strange. That does make it look much less legitimate, whether it actually is or not. Just to be safe, I think I'll remove the links from my previous post.

[IIMaxII]

Growing up with Funi dub, I personally like both scores...sure there's some scenes where I'm watching the Japanese dub and expect a piano to start playing when Vegeta shows up...but I still like both scores equally.

[DB_Fan1991]

Now I'm at Episode 32. I couldn't watch yesterday due to a birthday party. Here's something I did notice back in Episode 12 and didn't say anything, but I think that in Dragon Ball FUNi left in Oozaru's voice as-is, but did not in Z & GT which is weird. Of course I've now heard insert songs that FUNi removed. Mezase Tenka-Ichi made the Goku & Jackie Chun fight more epic than it already was. Fushigi Wonderland was OK, didn't make the scene better. Dragon Ball Densetsu has always been a favorite of mine, so hearing it in the series was pretty awesome. It's such a shame FUNi only left it in during Episode 76 & as Movie 3's ending theme. I'm really liking Nozawa as Kid Goku though.

[TheBlackPaladin]

It's such a shame FUNi only left it in during Episode 76 & as Movie 3's ending theme.

That could be, and it wouldn't surprise me. Another possibility, though, is that the video and audio masters they received for dubbing purposes simply had those songs removed. I've heard of insert songs being absent in many other international dubs, as well.

[DB_Fan1991]

It's such a shame FUNi only left it in during Episode 76 & as Movie 3's ending theme.

That could be, and it wouldn't surprise me. Another possibility, though, is that the video and audio masters they received for dubbing purposes simply had those songs removed. I've heard of insert songs being absent in many other international dubs, as well.

That's what it comes down to as Toei was notorious for doing that to their older Anime. Whereas newer Anime like Digimon (save for English & a few other dubs), One Piece (save for the 4Kids, Latin Spanish & Brazilian Portuguese dubs), Kai & the like have all the insert songs in their international dubs. Episodes 33 & 35 also had Dragon Ball Densetsu as an insert song which of course was not present in the dub.

Anyways I just finished Episode 36 today, and have more comments on voices.

Colonel Silver: Banjou Ginga has a much more commanding voice than Chris Sabat does, but they both do the job right.
Commander Red: Kenji Utsumi is much better than Josh Martin. I always hated Martin's Scottish accent. It sounded stupid.
Officer Black: Masaharu Satou & Chris Sabat are equal to me.
General White: Again I prefer the seiyuu, Tesshou Genda over the US voice, Kyle Hebert because there is no stupid accent. In this case it was a Russian accent.
Sargent Metallic: Shin Aomori & Chris Rager are equal.
Suno: Naoko Watanabe & the English VA are equal. (Not sure if the English voice is Susan Huber or Carol Hope.)

[PacificOceanDub]

I'm ashamed to admit I've never watched the entirety of DB(Z) in Japanese.. I've watched the FUNi dubs all the way through at least eight times, beginning with the original U.S. Toonami broadcast.

I always referred to the Japanese audio and subtitles when I had a hunch that the English translation was screwed up/inaccurate, and at one point I watched my entire Androids Saga DVD set in Japanese, but that's pretty much it.

Today, I watched Episode 001 of Dragon Ball in Japanese, and intend to watch all 153 episodes, followed by Z's 291 in Japanese. Two things led to this..

Last night I was 80-something episodes into yet another FUNimation re-watch. The episode where everyone arrives at the 22nd Tournament to be exact. I had one of these instances where the Dub just felt "weird" so I switched to Japanese, only to discover that Roshi's exchange with the stewardess on the plane is completely different and way funnier than what FUNimation wrote and recorded. So I thought "Hmm, I just laughed out loud. If I watch this entire thing in Japanese, it'll be like seeing this show for the first time."

The other thing is, FUNimation didn't include Subtitles for the English Dub on the Blue Bricks or any of their blu-rays. In my old age (I'm only in my 30s haha), I've become pretty insistent on watching anything and everything with subtitles. It's kind of unacceptable that the Dragon Ball home videos don't include subtitles for the entire English Dub, but whatever.. I can also solve that problem by just watching it in Japanese instead.. So anyways, here I go. The beginning of an awesome journey: watching the real Dragon Ball for the first time in my life!

[Yellow Flower King]

The Latin American version is so much fun. I have a lot of respect for the Japanese version but I tried watching it in Japanese and I realized I had more fun watching the dub. But I think that's just because I havent actually sat down and fully watched the Japanese version. I think that if I start from episode 1 of OG DB I will have a way bigger appreciation and fun with the Japanese original.

[VegettoEX]

How are you folks even finding and digging up 13-year-old threads? It’s happening A LOT lately.

As a reminder (from the community guidelines), it is considered poor form to respond to ancient threads unless there is some kind of monumental, groundbreaking reason to do so. It is much more appropriate to create a new thread and have a modern conversation with the folks here that are more likely still active. Thank you!