UK Dragon Ball

Super Sonic · Post by **Super Sonic** » Sat Mar 27, 2004 10:21 pm

I have a question concerning DB/Z/GT in the UK. Do the characters have the generic neutral North American accent, or does everyone sound like they're from London?

Jerseymilk · Post by **Jerseymilk** » Sun Mar 28, 2004 5:06 am

No, in the U.K. they get the dub done by Blue Water Studios, which is done in Vancouver, Canada, so they get the standard North American accent. And feel very sorry for them because the voice actors are horrid, especially for DB!

Dayspring · Post by **Dayspring** » Sun Mar 28, 2004 4:05 pm

I dunno. I find some VA's are good for DBGT when matched with the character's personality. Mind you not the majority and that's GT so I'll shut up. At least we get only semi-edited music instead of completely redone crap. *Shudders at lyrics of opening* Thank God only the opening had words. Taking the vocals out of the ending theme was better than altering. They should have done that for the opening or just leave them in Japanese.

Jerseymilk · Post by **Jerseymilk** » Sun Mar 28, 2004 4:12 pm

I actual never like it when anime companies do that. Do the song in English. I for one still shudder when I remember having to hear the theme song to Magic Knights Rayearth sung in English.

I mean, do the companies seriously think I really want to listen to an English-sung version of "Freckles" when I watch Rurouni Kenshin?!

As if you can compete with the uniqueness of the group Judy and Mary! I thought it was so cool that they left in the original theme sung "Just Communication" in Gundam Wing. It's nice that they've done that with Inu-Yasha too, even though I hate how Viz handles their anime distribution.

Dayspring · Post by **Dayspring** » Sun Mar 28, 2004 4:26 pm

The only time I liked an English version better than the Japanese one was the English version of "Oh Angel", the closing credits of the Fatal Fury movie. Even then the bg vocal were still Japanese so it a kick-ass overlap effect in the chorus.

Jerseymilk · Post by **Jerseymilk** » Sun Mar 28, 2004 4:29 pm

I haven't seen the Fatal Fury movie, but I imagine it was pretty neat sounding. Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the dub for that done with the Ocean Group actors?

Dayspring · Post by **Dayspring** » Sun Mar 28, 2004 4:33 pm

Hmmm... I dunno. The VAs were actually fanfuckingtastic in the FF movies. It was done by Viz Video back in the early 90s. The previews included Ogre Slayer, Mermaid's Scar and some Ranma movies.

Jerseymilk · Post by **Jerseymilk** » Sun Mar 28, 2004 4:42 pm

Yep that's Ocean Group then. VIZ pretty much uses them exclusively for all the dubs of their anime. It's one of the few things they do right with the anime they release. That's why they were so good. If I remember correctly I believe Byrant's voice was done by Mark Hildreth who also did Heero for the Gundam Wing dub.

PsyLiam · Post by **PsyLiam** » Sun Mar 28, 2004 9:14 pm

The TV version of Gundam Wing didn't use the original opening though, did it? At least over here, they cut the opening completely, and then used an instrumental version for the ending. The DVDs did use the original Japanese opening though.

Personally, I don't mind if they do an English language version on a dub. After all, if they're putting things into English, they might as well do everything. It's only really a bad thing if the English version is done badly. If it's done well, it's a nice alternative. Besides, the original should (hopefully) still be on the Dual language DVD.

(I do like the FUNi version of the DB ending theme. Honestly, it's great. Better than their attempt at doing the opening, certainly.)

B-kun · Post by **B-kun** » Sun Mar 28, 2004 9:58 pm

The Gundam Wing intro and ending was handled the same. Opening cut and replaced with clips from the show and an instrumental version replaced the ending.

Also, I like the English version of some songs too. I'm looking for a full version of the English version of Tactics from Rurouni Kenshin. Not to make this OT, but does anyone know if it exists and, if so, where I can find it? ^^;

Erm, I'll go now..

Jerseymilk · Post by **Jerseymilk** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 12:30 am

I think your best bet is to search Kenshin sites for MP3s. I've never heard of any CDs with that version. Yes we had the instrumental in Gundam Wing here, but I was under the assumption that that was the ending. As for the opening being cut, that's typical of Cartoon Network. We got the opening.

PsyLiam · Post by **PsyLiam** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 1:14 am

It's not typical of Cartoon Network (or Toonami) here. They don't cut the opening of any of their shows.

The instrumental isn't the "real" ending. That, in common with all anime about large robots blowing things up, is a romantic piece called "Just Love" that plays over lots of shots of Releena. Obviously.

Jerseymilk · Post by **Jerseymilk** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 1:25 am

Oh okay, I was never sure whether or not it was because I have the soundtrack for the series and both the instrumental piece and the song "Just Love" are on it and I have yet seen the show in it's orginal Japanese, just the movie and OAV. I know that in the States they cut the opening to a lot of their Toonami shows, such as Kenshin, I just naturally assumed they did over in England too. My mistake. And why is it that anime theme songs usually have nothing to do with the show in general?

Super Sonic · Post by **Super Sonic** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 2:11 am

Jerseymilk wrote:And why is it that anime theme songs usually have nothing to do with the show in general?

That's what I've been wondering for years. At least for the original Japanese versions. Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon's English themes had something to do with the series (even though Sailor Moon's was annoyingly catchy).

Jerseymilk · Post by **Jerseymilk** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 9:04 am

"Fighting evil by moonlight." "Winning love by daylight." Now, aren't those lyrics worthy of the Nobel Prize for literature?

The songs in DB and DBZ were better, except I don't know what teaching a dinosaur to balance on a ball has anything to do with fighting. GT though chose to do that standard anime J-pop thing. Have you ever read the lyrics to "Blue Velvet" or "Don't You See"? What the heck does that have to do with fisticuffs and searching for dragonballs?

I think my favourite thing about anime theme songs though are the little English phrases that they add in that don't make any sense. My favourite is probably the end song to "Sorcerer Hunters", "Mask". It begins with, "Oh my darling I love you, and the kid who just stands tonight." Huh?

Post by **TripleRach** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 9:58 am

Super Sonic wrote:
Jerseymilk wrote:And why is it that anime theme songs usually have nothing to do with the show in general?
That's what I've been wondering for years. At least for the original Japanese versions. Dragon Ball and Sailor Moon's English themes had something to do with the series (even though Sailor Moon's was annoyingly catchy).

Well of course the English Sailor Moon theme was catchy. DiC "borrowed" the tune to Moonlight Densetsu.

While it's a bit off-topic, the cool thing about Sailor Moon's Japanese music is that a good chunk of the lyrics to the songs are written by Naoko Takeuchi herself. Two openings (Sailor Star Song, Kirari*Sailor Dream), three endings (Princess Moon, Tuxedo Mirage, Rashiku Ikimasho), both Three Lights songs, and tons of other image songs and character singles.

I think it would've been pretty cool if Toriyama had ever written lyrics to a Dragon Ball song, but I guess that just wasn't his thing.

Jerseymilk · Post by **Jerseymilk** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 10:20 am

Ya that would have been neat.

The original Sailor Moon BGM I think is actually really cute and nice. I don't know why they changed it because I think the BGM for the dub is really stupid in comparison. It was nice that they didn't change it for Sailor Moon S though.

Zackarotto · Post by **Zackarotto** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 5:41 pm

Anime lyrics don't usually have anything to do with the series... I didn't realize that until I first read a translation to Cha-La.

I love those nonsensical english bits. And if you'll excuse me, I wanna rocks.

Jerseymilk · Post by **Jerseymilk** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 5:45 pm

Oh stop it you Naruto theme song obsessed fan you!

Anyway, everyone knows that the best Naruto theme song is "Haruka Kanata".

Zackarotto · Post by **Zackarotto** » Mon Mar 29, 2004 5:47 pm

I was just listening to that a minute ago. The only reason I chose "I wanna rocks" is because I was whistling it at the time.

...Damn, I am obsessed with Naruto music.