Japanese actors that got replaced BEFORE Kai

[songohan619]

What Japanese actors, or seiyuu, got replaced BEFORE the Kai recastings? And why did they get replaced?

I`ve heard on the podcast that Tenshinhan and 16 had different actors in the games, and I understand why Tenshinhan got a new voice, but what about 16? His actor was, and is, still alive and well, and returned for Kai!

[B]

Chichi's original actor, whose name is escaping me, was replaced by Naoko Watanabe(Puer) partly through DBZ. Watanabe has been Chichi ever since. Kame Sennin has seen multiple actors since Kouhei Miyauchi's passing; Masaharu Satou currently plays him.

Also, if it counts, Kouichi Yamadera filled in for Tenshinhan a few times in early DBZ.

[Gyt Kaliba]

There were also periods of time within the original run of the series no less when both Baba and the Elder Namek had different voices. ANN's listing is failing me as to who took over as the Elder Namek for a while after Junpei Takiguchi, but Mayumi Tanaka would likewise take over Baba for the tail end of DBZ from Takiguchi.

[DemonRin]

I`ve heard on the podcast that Tenshinhan and 16 had different actors in the games, and I understand why Tenshinhan got a new voice, but what about 16? His actor was, and is, still alive and well, and returned for Kai!

The Japanese are usually much better about keeping consistent voices, but sometimes availability and scheduling play a hand just like in America.

For example, Videl got recast in Kai but not because there was something physically wrong with the Actress, she chose not to come back, despite having come back for Battle of Gods already, because she had grown close to Daisuke Gouri (Mr. Satan in Z) and couldn't bear to be back after his passing. (apparently what few lines Videl had in the movie were ok, since she was in and out, but Kai would have been too much)

[MarcFBR]

For example, Videl got recast in Kai but not because there was something physically wrong with the Actress, she chose not to come back

Wasn't it not that she 'chose' not to come back, but rather that during the timeframe for recording she was out of the country and had let her agency know she would be on hiatus? (I vaguely recall something about her living in America for a year or so and going to college here to improve her English... I'm sure I have some of the details wrong, but it was something along those lines as I remember.)

[Gyt Kaliba]

Wasn't it not that she 'chose' not to come back, but rather that during the timeframe for recording she was out of the country and had let her agency know she would be on hiatus? (I vaguely recall something about her living in America for a year or so and going to college here to improve her English... I'm sure I have some of the details wrong, but it was something along those lines as I remember.)

I believe that was the case more or less, yeah. I think I do remember her expressing something along the lines of not being sure if she'd want to play the role again without having Gouri by her side as her father, but that was shortly after his death, and she may have eventually decided otherwise considering Battle of Gods and Resurrection 'F'.

[TripleRach]

Chichi's original actor, whose name is escaping me, was replaced by Naoko Watanabe(Puer) partly through DBZ. Watanabe has been Chichi ever since.

Mayumi Shou was her first actress, and I believe she retired from all her active roles after having a baby.

ANN's listing is failing me as to who took over as the Elder Namek for a while after Junpei Takiguchi, but Mayumi Tanaka would likewise take over Baba for the tail end of DBZ from Takiguchi.

Masaharu Satou (Black, current Kamesennin) voiced the Elder in the last few Z episodes before the character's death. Takiguchi did come back to voice the character in Kai.

Another Takiguchi role is Porunga, but Satou voiced him in one Freeza arc episode and one recent game, while Daisuke Gouri (Mr. Satan etc) was his sole voice in the Boo arc and his initial appearance in Kai before his passing in 2010. Takiguchi did come back to voice Porunga (and Baba) for some modern games.

It seems like Takiguchi's availability became limited late in the Freeza arc, but he was eventually able to return for some recent stuff before his passing in 2011.


Osamu Saka was the original voice of Grandpa Gohan, but Kinpei Azusa (Muuri) voiced him in the Bardock special. Azusa passed away in 1997, and Saka came back to voice him for modern games.

Mariko Mukai was the original voice of Blooma's mom, but Hiroko Emori (Chaozu) voiced her during some Cell arc episodes and Z Movie 8, and Youko Kawanami (Lanfan) otherwise took over around the Cell arc. Kawanami still voices her now.

Akira Kamiya voiced Garlic Jr. in the movie, but Shigeru Chiba (Pilaf, Raditz) voiced him in the TV episodes due to scheduling problems. Kamiya apparently reprised his role in Heroes recently.

Ichirou Nagai was the original voice of Karin (and Tsurusennin) up through the Cell arc, but Naoki Tatsuta (Oolong) took over during the Boo arc. Nagai came back for modern games and Kai before he passed away in 2014.

Chikao Ootsuka was the original voice of Taopaipai, but Yukimasa Kishino (Butta) voiced him during the Cell Game filler episodes. Ootsuka came back to voice him for modern games before his passing a few months ago.

Kenji Utsumi consistently voiced the Budoukai announcer during DB, but Hirotaka Suzuoki (Tenshinhan) took over in Z, and Yukimasa Kishino in GT. Suzuoki voiced him in modern games until his passing in 2006, at which point Ryuuzaburou Ootomo (Darbra) took over for a couple of games, and then Utsumi came back for a few more games before his passing in 2013.

Another Utsumi role, Shenlong, was consistent from early DB to the Freeza arc, but Masaharu Satou voiced him in the Cell arc, Shin Aomori (Kibito, Hildegarn) voiced him in the Boo arc and Z Movie 13, Tesshou Genda (Shuu, Bojack, Janenba) voiced him in Z Movie 12, and Daisuke Gouri voiced him in GT (although Utsumi voiced the red one). Utsumi came back for DB Movie 4, the Saiyan and Freeza arcs of Kai, Battle of Gods, and many modern games.

Reacoom was another Utsumi character, but Hisao Egawa (Spopovitch etc) voiced him during the Afterlife filler arc. Otherwise Utsumi voiced him in both old and modern games before the Kai actor (Seiji Sasaki) took over.

King Kold also had a replacement voice (Masaharu Satou) during the Afterlife filler arc, while he was originally voiced by Daisuke Gouri.

Sno was originally voiced by Naoko Watanabe, but Mayumi Tanaka voiced her at the end of the Boo arc, and Hiroko Emori (Chaozu) voiced her in one modern game.

Bora was voiced by Banjou Ginga in DB and early Z, but Hisao Egawa voiced him at the end of the Boo arc.

Upa was voiced by Mitsuko Horie in DB (child), but Masaaki Ookura voiced him in early Z (adult), Takeshi Kusao (Trunks) voiced him at the end of the Boo arc, and Naoko Watanabe voiced him in an old game (child).

Yuuji Mitsuya voiced East Kaioushin in Z, including solo voicing him post-Fusion, but in GT he was voiced by Shin'ichirou Oota. Mitsuya also voiced him in many old and modern games, and came back for Kai and Battle of Gods.

Reizou Nomoto was the original voice of the Old Kaioushin in Z, GT, and one old game, but he passed away in 2006. Isamu Tanonaka (Bibidi) took over for modern games until his own passing in 2010.

Tomiko Suzuki voiced Dende for most of Z and an old game (child), but Hiro Yuuki (Sharpner, Tapion) took over at the 28th Budoukai through GT (adult) and modern games. Suzuki passed away in 2003, and it remains to be seen if Yuuki will come back again for post-Kai Adult Dende.

Megumi Urawa voiced Oob in Z (child) and one modern game, while Atsushi Kisaichi voiced him in GT (teenager) and other modern games.

King Vegeta never had a consistent voice. Banjou Ginga (Bora etc) voiced him in the Freeza arc and one modern game, Yukimasa Kishino voiced him in the Cell arc, and Masaharu Satou voiced him in Z Movie 8 and Battle of Gods.

Man, this was more complicated and long-winded than I expected.

[Valerius Dover]

Wow, from the sound of things, it looks like the English dub is actually MORE consistent with its voice cast instead of the other way around. Could it be because the dub was done in a shorter amount of time?

[B]

Suzuki voiced Dende for most of Z and an old game (child), but Hiro Yuuki (Sharpner, Tapion) took over at the 28th Budoukai through GT (adult) and modern games. Suzuki passed away in 2003, and it remains to be seen if Yuuki will come back again for post-Kai Adult Dende.

Wow, I'm just now realizing that Gohan actually goes to tell Piccolo about the Budokai in Z, and Dende, and Popo, are obviously there, but that scene was cut for Kai. I gave up on Kai right around Majin Vegeta's appearance; has Dende really not shown up yet?

Megumi Urawa voiced Oob in Z (child) and one modern game, while Atsushi Kisaichi voiced him in GT (teenager) and other modern games.

This is interesting, considering GT Episode 1 aired exactly the next week after Z #291. I guess the producers thought Urawa sounded too young for a five-year timeskip? Uub is somewhere around 15 years old here, I believe.

[Naruto6583]

Suzuki voiced Dende for most of Z and an old game (child), but Hiro Yuuki (Sharpner, Tapion) took over at the 28th Budoukai through GT (adult) and modern games. Suzuki passed away in 2003, and it remains to be seen if Yuuki will come back again for post-Kai Adult Dende.

Wow, I'm just now realizing that Gohan actually goes to tell Piccolo about the Budokai in Z, and Dende, and Popo, are obviously there, but that scene was cut for Kai. I gave up on Kai right around Majin Vegeta's appearance; has Dende really not shown up yet?

Megumi Urawa voiced Oob in Z (child) and one modern game, while Atsushi Kisaichi voiced him in GT (teenager) and other modern games.

This is interesting, considering GT Episode 1 aired exactly the next week after Z #291. I guess the producers thought Urawa sounded too young for a five-year timeskip? Uub is somewhere around 15 years old here, I believe.

Dende has shown up in recent kai they're up to the kid buu fight

[TripleRach]

Wow, from the sound of things, it looks like the English dub is actually MORE consistent with its voice cast instead of the other way around. Could it be because the dub was done in a shorter amount of time?

The Japanese cast was made up of a lot of older veterans (a number of whom have now passed away), while most of FUNimation's cast seems relatively young on average. A lot of the names mentioned were just one-off replacements for a single episode, which may not have been necessary with FUNimation's recording schedule, as you've said.

But even if you ignore the Ocean cast, I'm fairly certain the English cast has had at least as many replacements over the years, especially when you factor in video games (excluding Final Bout). They redubbed a lot of it to try to make things more consistent, but that doesn't erase the original actors from history (even though their performances may be difficult to find now). Off the top of my head, there's been at least four narrators, three Kid Gokuus (plus a separate adult one), two Bloomas, two Oolongs, two Puers, two Lunches, a separate kid and adult Chichi... Just with the in-house Texas cast.

Suzuki voiced Dende for most of Z and an old game (child), but Hiro Yuuki (Sharpner, Tapion) took over at the 28th Budoukai through GT (adult) and modern games. Suzuki passed away in 2003, and it remains to be seen if Yuuki will come back again for post-Kai Adult Dende.

Wow, I'm just now realizing that Gohan actually goes to tell Piccolo about the Budokai in Z, and Dende, and Popo, are obviously there, but that scene was cut for Kai. I gave up on Kai right around Majin Vegeta's appearance; has Dende really not shown up yet?

Dende has been in Kai's Boo arc, but he's still voiced by Aya Hirano, the same as Suzuki did through most of the Z Boo arc. His adult voice in Z didn't appear until the 28th Budoukai 10 years later, which Kai hasn't hit yet.

[DemonRin]

Wasn't it not that she 'chose' not to come back, but rather that during the timeframe for recording she was out of the country and had let her agency know she would be on hiatus? (I vaguely recall something about her living in America for a year or so and going to college here to improve her English... I'm sure I have some of the details wrong, but it was something along those lines as I remember.)

I was sure Gouri's passing was a factor.... Maybe she was thinking about leaving the country and Gouri's passing pushed her to actually go?

I do remember reading about her saying something to the effect of "I don't think I'll be able to do Kai without Gouri" and then she ended up not in Kai, so I always thought that was at least a factor at play....

Still, the primary point still stands. Sometimes Scheduling conflicts and real life stuff prevents Japanese actors coming back. It's not always "XXX Died and cant play YYY anymore"