Are character themes best sung by the actors, or others?

[Mewzard]

Let me start off by saying: I love a good insert song. Especially when it fits the mood or situation. Many anime get them, either for fights, or about characters, mechs, etc. But with something like Kai, I noticed we got both character songs sung by the actors, and character songs by non-related people. That got me to thinking...which is better? Rather than just decide that in my head and go about my day, I got the impulse to ask you guys. What do you think (on the whole, not just for Kai specifically...though you can specify as well if you want)?

Examples for actors singing for their character:

Saiyan Blood - Ryo Horikawa (Vegeta):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6iilKB0uNM

Spirit of Saint - Tohru Furuya (Seiya) (Not a DB example, but I blanked on a second actor one, so I used Furuya, who is Yamucha *Song's from the GT of Saint Seiya, Saint Seiya Omega*)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XP9WKlHm0u8

Examples of other people singing character themes:

Ginyu Tokusentai (a group theme, but it works):

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

Only a Chilling Elegy (Freeza):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K00ehPWrnDc

What do you guys think? Is it better to have someone who might be a better singer due to it being what they do for a living? Or is the voice connection making the song more meaningful?

I'd love to hear what you think!

[Jord]

Tohru Furuya actually sings Wolf Hurricane, Yamcha's theme song. Here's a live version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jY7FGOwJ9s

[El Diabeetus]

Well, I would love to see Ayres cover Only a Chilling Elegy. I remember him doing a cover of War Pigs a while back and he did a great job with it. Only a Chilling Elegy maybe a tad more heavy metal. But, would be neat to see Freeza's Voice Actor take a shot at it.

[Codarik]

Yes, it is best if the actor sings their own characters theme. Kinda of a hard explanation but I'll just say because reasons.

[Chuquita]

Now I can't help but hope Buu Kai has a Great Saiyaman song sung by Nozawa.

Character songs as sung by the VA's themselves are more fun to me. Closest you can get to a DB musical. X3

[cRookie_Monster]

The Faulconer score tried this once, but it was never actually used in the show that I know of.
http://youtu.be/4-Cos8-atoE?t=3m12s

Meredith is singing the melody I wrote for her and 17, with lyrics and arrangement by Bruce.

My original version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO0C7wxPcOQ

[Mewzard]

Wow, I wasn't expecting to see an English example. I've always wanted more English insert songs and such since the old MMPR when we got stuff like "Go Green Ranger Go" (cheesy? Perhaps, but it worked).

Do you know where this track might have been placed if it were to have been used? Good placement is always important with insert songs (Saiyan Blood should have been used when Vegeta first went SSJ over just prior to his horrible beating by Freeza in my opinion).

Thanks for posting that! I never imagined hearing #18 getting a vocal song in English, but now I've heard it.

[UltimateHammerBro]

Now I can't help but hope Buu Kai has a Great Saiyaman song sung by Nozawa.

Character songs as sung by the VA's themselves are more fun to me. Closest you can get to a DB musical. X3

Remember the Planet of the Apes musical from the Simpsons? Now imagine a DB musical.

[cRookie_Monster]

Wow, I wasn't expecting to see an English example. I've always wanted more English insert songs and such since the old MMPR when we got stuff like "Go Green Ranger Go" (cheesy? Perhaps, but it worked).

Do you know where this track might have been placed if it were to have been used? Good placement is always important with insert songs (Saiyan Blood should have been used when Vegeta first went SSJ over just prior to his horrible beating by Freeza in my opinion).

Thanks for posting that! I never imagined hearing #18 getting a vocal song in English, but now I've heard it.

I really doubt it was ever used. The 18 CD was finished and released after I left, which was after the Cell Saga sometime. 18 didn't really do that much after that point that I know of. Bruce loved the theme and wanted to do something cool with it so it was more of a fun project and an attempt at making a little more $$ on the side I think. He spent a long time on that music. He had started the project when I was still there, when things between us were...less bad. It would have been fun to do my own version with Meridith singing, one more meant for the show than an extra CD release.

I think Bruce had to stop working on it periodically because we were so busy. Mostly because of jingles and such, but also because the Cell Saga schedule was insane, I've never worked so many hours before or since. By the last week, we were shipping music and it was airing the next day. Bruce even stepped in to write a few tunes to help out it was so tight. That's why the "Cell Jr" and "Goku Dies" pieces were done by him. He hadn't done any DBZ for a while before that. Once things died down a bit he could finish the 18 CD and release; by then 18's role in the show was minimal. Oh...I guess you could check her battle out in the tournament where Videl got pounded so badly. She fought a little there. I think the 18 CD was done by then. I still don't think it was used though.

[garnetjester]

Tada kogoeru elegy and Saiyan Blood are easily my favorite things about DBKai, I think character songs are better when they are sung by the characters themselves, I really love kid Goku's songs from the DB soundtrack, especially Son Goku song! After all, the voice actors are the ones who have a better grasp on the character's personality and that can be heard in the songs, which is a plus.