Listing for "Ocean Dub"-specific DBZ: "Rock the Dragon" Set

[theoriginalbilis]

Despite how people may feel about FUNimation's practices at times, they are a very outgoing and fan-oriented company. They've done more for the American anime industry in the last five years than any other studio (many of whom have downsized, or just plain went out of business.)

It's just that when it comes to Dragon Ball, they can be a little questionable at times.

[penguintruth]

Those are my exact feelings about Funimation. I've grown to appreciate them on the whole, as they clearly have a passion for their customers, the anime fanbase. They offer so much now, do such a fine job with almost every property, that they deserve their spot as the top of the NA anime licensor. I probably own more DVDs and Blu-Rays from Funimation than any other licensor.

It's just that I get a bit concerned about their handling of the DB franchise at times.

[KingofWisdom]

The most we get with DB is a little flavor of the Japanese thrown in with new things. There's this internal battle where they want to be accurate to the Japanese, but also somehow have stuff kept in for people who like the FUNimation reversioning. What we get is a half-and-half that fails to please both sides.

[Cipher]

It's just that I get a bit concerned about their handling of the DB franchise at times.

While that's fair, I think the orange bricks and no currently affordable 4:3 release of Z have been their only real missteps in the last several years. That and maybe market saturation.

I know the 16:9 questions on their recent survey sent people up in arms, but I'm betting that existed only because they already have HD masters from their orange brick release. It sucks, but it's just due diligence related to the same mistake they made years ago.

Weirdly, this release, while not appealing to me personally, has increased my goodwill toward FUNimation even further. This is a really cool set to put out for the people who want it. Most companies are too revisionist or out-of-touch with fans to ever put out something like this.

[Super Sonic]

At least they're not doing things like some companies do of mentioning characters or cast members who barely have a mark on things. Would anyone really be looking into this release if they had a screen shot of Puar saying, "Featuring Cathy Weseluk of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic!" on it?

[b_boult]

Has FUNimation confirmed whether or not this set will contain the original title cards?

[BluezaBladeNZ]

Has FUNimation confirmed whether or not this set will contain the original title cards?

FUNimation said 'All the footage is from the T.V. source and has not been remastered or modified in any way', so there's no doubt all the original title cards will be present.

[b_boult]

FUNimation said 'All the footage is from the T.V. source and has not been remastered or modified in any way', so there's no doubt all the original title cards will be present.

Could you link me to where they said that?

[Super Sonic]

Figured that would've been a given. So, to anyone who might pick this up, will you watch with anime senses on or off?

[BluezaBladeNZ]

Could you link me to where they said that?

It was a post on the Ocean Dub thread on Cartoon World. This was the post:

I spoke to a very nice person from the people selling the box set and they forwarded questions to FUNimation on my behalf.

Collectively - they told me each episode will have 'last time on' and 'on the next episode' with the original voice over (which you've said).
Each episode will end with 'stay tuned for scenes from the next episode of Dragon Ball Z'

Each episode will have title cards.

'All the footage is from the T.V. source and has not been remastered or modified in any way'

They're all in 4x3 standard definition

They also said (about the language):

"Everything is only in English stereo. The retailer sales book excel sheet
on the FTP shows that Japanese is the original language (which is true)
but it's not actually on the release. Revisions are being made to make
that more clear - sorry for the confusion."

[Super Sayian Prime]

Do I even need to explain why I have a problem with this line? Last time I checked and correct me if I'm wrong, the term "fanboy" is not a term of endearment so I find the fact that FUNi's even using that term a bit offensive since fanboy is usually used as an insult, if they wanted to really speak to the nostalgic crowd in a better manner they should've used this instead "This ultimate throwback/nostalgic release". (pick which term you think fits better)

Any fanboy worth their salt would want a definitive, all-encompassing release. Rock the Dragon doesn't even include all of the Dragon Ball material Funimation recorded in Vancouver. Yeah, I'm totally mentioning the 1995 DB dub. It isn't popular enough to warrant a separate release, so it would've been a swell bonus here.

As for the confusion over the Westwood Dub, I suspect Funimation's marketing department doesn't know the difference. Which of course throws into question how much demand there's been for this release if they've been confusing it with material that's actually never seen a home video release anywhere in the world.

It's just that I get a bit concerned about their handling of the DB franchise at times.

While that's fair, I think the orange bricks and no currently affordable 4:3 release of Z have been their only real missteps in the last several years. That and maybe market saturation.

I know the 16:9 questions on their recent survey sent people up in arms, but I'm betting that existed only because they already have HD masters from their orange brick release. It sucks, but it's just due diligence related to the same mistake they made years ago.

Weirdly, this release, while not appealing to me personally, has increased my goodwill toward FUNimation even further. This is a really cool set to put out for the people who want it. Most companies are too revisionist or out-of-touch with fans to ever put out something like this.

I think it's a pretty huge misstep to prioritize a constant barrage of re-releases over what little new content this franchise has. I realize that there's licensing issues with Yo! Son Goku & Friends Return, Plan to Eradicate the Super Saiyans, Episode of Bardock, and Battle of Gods but you'd assume Dragon Ball being the franchise that it is to Funimation that they'd want to overcome those issues as soon as possible. Instead we've gone five years since the first piece of revival animation came out exclusively in Japan.

I feel like they didn't handle Kai very well either. Its home video release was primarily sandwiched between two Z re-releases, and Funimation renamed the show to a title that would necessarily help differentiate it from those re-releases. I'm still a bit shocked that despite Funimation somehow landing two fairly mainstream US broadcast partners, and having Kai succeed on both they managed to not land a toy deal. For a children's franchise that's kind of a kiss of death. Children can't really buy $60 video games, or $40 DVDs ...

This release in particular doesn't sit well with me and I really don't see it as Funimation doing one for the fans. This is content that has already been released on DVD so it's not some undiscovered gem of the Dragon Ball fandom. Instead, this is probably the laziest Dragon Ball release Funimation has ever done. Outside of a book there's nothing different from those old Pioneer DVDs. No episode commentaries, no interviews with the reversioning staff, no documentary on the history of Dragon Ball in North America, no release for the alternate dub of the remainder of the series, etc. This set seems to have come into existence once the realizationn hit that with Kai on hiatus until Boo production wraps up, and the company's unwillingness to license the new material, there was nothing Dragon Ball related on the release calendar for the back half of 2013. If Funimation really had the itch to want to re-release this I would've suggested a release on digital marketplaces where it won't cause even more confusion for casual Dragon Ball fan Joe. I guess I have to mention that I did grow up with this dub, and do have an affinity towards this voice cast, but like with Dragon Ball video games I don't accept lazy products.

[VegettoEX]

I can go ahead and record commentary tracks for every episode if that will help.

Someone provide an endless supply of whiskey, and I'll get right on that.

[Tzigi]

I can go ahead and record commentary tracks for every episode if that will help.

Someone provide an endless supply of whiskey, and I'll get right on that.

That's actually something I'd consider paying for (for example on Kickstarter)

[the original ero-sennin]

I can go ahead and record commentary tracks for every episode if that will help.

Someone provide an endless supply of whiskey, and I'll get right on that.

I would also support that any way that I could.

[Super Sonic]

With some guys mentioning on why Funimation was doing this, I'd say Mr. DiBiase explains it best.

[penguintruth]

I can go ahead and record commentary tracks for every episode if that will help.

Someone provide an endless supply of whiskey, and I'll get right on that.

It'd be better than my commentary, which would just be me grinding my teeth.

[MarcFBR]

I can go ahead and record commentary tracks for every episode if that will help.

Someone provide an endless supply of whiskey, and I'll get right on that.

I can help, with my random anecdotes of waking up at 5:30am to watch it, and my old VHS copy of The Arrival succumbing to 'it was watched way to many times and just stopped playing right.'


I prefer the series uncut mind you... but the nostalgia on this is very strong.

[Adamant]

I can go ahead and record commentary tracks for every episode if that will help.

Someone provide an endless supply of whiskey, and I'll get right on that.

"The Anime Commentary of Awesomeness".

Get on it.

[KingofWisdom]

"The Anime Commentary of Awesomeness".

Get on it.

I like the sound of that.

[johnboy1]

I can go ahead and record commentary tracks for every episode if that will help.

Someone provide an endless supply of whiskey, and I'll get right on that.

I'm being completely honest when I say I want to see this. Please do it.