For dub fans, how much of a deal breaker is Nozawa's Goku?

[voltlunok]

I wouldn't say Nozawa's voice was a deal breaker for me. By the time I had gained access to the Japanese version of anything dragon ball anime, I had just been so used to hearing Schemmel or Nadalony's voices coming out of Goku that Nozawa's threw me off. I don't hate it but it does get grating on the ears when you listen to it in excess with heavy duty headphones.

[Kid Buu]

Honestly, Richard Ian Cox seems like an odd Goku choice for me, from what I've experienced of his voice work (unless he goes somewhere unique with it). His voice tends to go more spiteful punk than what Goku is.

He doesn't seem to have much range from what I've seen. Granted, Ranma and Inuyasha are meant to sound similar, but he even sounded like that as Quicksilver in Xmen Evolution.

Quicksilver's an even bigger jerk than Inuyasha. There shouldn't be too much of a difference there, either.

Ha, his jerk level rises from Ranma to Inuyasha to Quicksilver, guess Goku will top them all.

[ABED]

For me, as long as a dub gets across that Goku is kind of a moron (fighting tactics aside), then they've done that subtlety justice.

Agreed. The essence of Goku, aside from his love of fighting and food, is that he's an uneducated, unsophisticated, and often tactless, but well meaning kid/manichild who loves life.

[Kakacarrottop]

makes me feel more lenient about translating the "hillbilly" element into a dub performance. For me, as long as a dub gets across that Goku is kind of a moron (fighting tactics aside), then they've done that subtlety justice.

Well let's see then

Corlett: Made Goku sound like some mildly smart noble Superhero.
Kelamis: Completely nailed down the uneducated hick/goof aspect, although sadly his acting felt extremely forced.
Schemmel: Makes Goku sound goofy but not necessarily stupid.

In terms of doing the character justice it goes Kelamis>Schemmel>Corlett (although i prefer Corlett's voice the best).

[ABED]

makes me feel more lenient about translating the "hillbilly" element into a dub performance. For me, as long as a dub gets across that Goku is kind of a moron (fighting tactics aside), then they've done that subtlety justice.

Well let's see then

Corlett: Made Goku sound like some mildly smart noble Superhero.
Kelamis: Completely nailed down the uneducated hick/goof aspect, although sadly his acting felt extremely forced.
Schemmel: Makes Goku sound goofy but not necessarily stupid.

In terms of doing the character justice it goes Kelamis>Schemmel>Corlett (although i prefer Corlett's voice the best).

I think Schemmel does Goku's dumb side plenty justice, and I fail to see how Kelamis does Goku more justice when you acknowledge his forced acting.

[Theophrastus]

A quick question on the subject of Nozawa, do you think when Nozawa retires/passes away they'll get another old woman/imitator to replace her for new DB related media in Japan?

I've often wondered this same thing. I doubt they'll specifically look for a woman of any particular age (if anything, they'll probably want to go with someone fairly young so as to keep them in the role for years to come, but old enough to have the level of acting experience that would be expected of such a high-profile role), but I do think they'd probably go with a woman still. Just as it's so jarring for so many non-Japanese fans to hear a woman playing Goku, it'd probably be just as jarring - if not more so - for Japanese fans to suddenly hear a clearly male voice coming from the character's mouth. So chances are they'll probably still go for a woman, for familiarity and not wanting to alienate their native fanbase.

I doubt this would actually happen, but part of me hopes that they would end up giving the role to Mayumi Tanaka if it came to that. It's not like Krillin or Yajirobe are going to start getting tons more lines in the future, she's already intimately familiar with the franchise, and there'd be a certain novelty to Goku suddenly having Monkey D. Luffy's voice. Maybe it'd even get the younger generation in Japan to pay more attention to DBZ.

...I wish I could make a more "serious" guess as to who they might have in mind as a potential replacement for Nozawa, but sadly my knowledge of Japanese voice actors is a bit limited in scope.

[Attitudefan]

Well, for as long as Schemmel has played Goku, 80 percent of it is poorly acted, and nearly 100 percent is poorly acted if Kai and the games post 2005 are removed from the equation.

Kelamis had great acting in his last two performances as Goku: Dead Zone and The World's Strongest. If direction was good and he was given time to feel snug in the roll like Schemmel has, he'd be even better. No doubt.

And to say Schemmel doesn't sound forced is lying to themselves. Most of the in house dub sounds so forced.... those damn over used grunts in awkward spots on the show don't help at all.

[Mewzard]

Well, for as long as Schemmel has played Goku, 80 percent of it is poorly acted, and nearly 100 percent is poorly acted if Kai and the games post 2005 are removed from the equation.

Kelamis had great acting in his last two performances as Goku: Dead Zone and The World's Strongest. If direction was good and he was given time to feel snug in the roll like Schemmel has, he'd be even better. No doubt.

And to say Schemmel doesn't sound forced is lying to themselves. Most of the in house dub sounds so forced.... those damn over used grunts in awkward spots on the show don't help at all.

I'm not lying to myself when I say he doesn't sound forced (at least now).

It doesn't matter that he started as a poor actor, what matters is he (and many of Funimation's early actors) have become really good actors that add to the diversity of the voice acting scene in English.

Kelamis is interesting, because the role I've seen the most episodes of him in is actually Ed, Edd n Eddy, so I just imagine what Goku would sound like if he used his Rolf voice for Goku, lol.

Joking aside, he's not a bad actor, but with what we've got for Goku with the two, I feel Schemmel's best (Kai/Battle of Gods) is better than Kelamis' best (his movie performances).

Nothing personal, just how I feel.

But yeah, Nozawa's a good voice actress, and continues to be despite age working against the voice she used first decades prior. Not a deal breaker at all.

[Regarder]

I don't know much about the voice actors, at all. I guess I'm a fan more than a fanatic.

Thread question: I just know I like the Goku who sounds upbeat with a tiny hint of surfer dude (Schemmel or Kelamis? I'm going to go find out). But I like the Japanese soundtrack best, unfortunately.

Nozawa's Goku was alright as a Kid I suppose, it was okay, so it's not the overall voice that hurts so much as the way she does the battle grunts. It's the K-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k I can't stand.

I will say that the Japanese voice actor cast seems more sincere somehow, and that might be because I can't understand the dialogue, but I know that in the Funi dub of Dragonball, the voice actors sounded like they "mean it" more than the DBZ dub, so I think you can tell fakeness either way.

[DarkPrince_92]

I don't know much about the voice actors, at all. I guess I'm a fan more than a fanatic.

Thread question: I just know I like the Goku who sounds upbeat with a tiny hint of surfer dude (Schemmel or Kelamis? I'm going to go find out). But I like the Japanese soundtrack best, unfortunately.

Nozawa's Goku was alright as a Kid I suppose, it was okay, so it's not the overall voice that hurts so much as the way she does the battle grunts. It's the K-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k-k I can't stand.

I will say that the Japanese voice actor cast seems more sincere somehow, and that might be because I can't understand the dialogue, but I know that in the Funi dub of Dragonball, the voice actors sounded like they "mean it" more than the DBZ dub, so I think you can tell fakeness either way.

That's because Funimation dubbed Z before Dragon Ball. They had more experience... I guess.

And I agree with the "k-k-k-k-k-k"... god awful. But I don't mind Nozawa at all at this point. And maybe the japanese seem more sincere because they knew what they were doing, unlike Funimation where it was fresh "actors" doing the dub without even seeing the japanese version.

Apparently (in some other thread in this section) Schemmel didn't see the japanese version until '04, which was long after they dubbed Z.

Another note, the Ocean actors... no thanks. Kelamis was cool in that ONE Kaioken scene fighting the henchmen in Movie 2. But the rest of the time he's some surfer dude. Can't deal.

[Attitudefan]

Everybody says surfer dude for Kelamis but I can't hear it. He sounds okay in Tree of Might but in Dead Zone he doesn't sound surfer to me at all. I mean, I need an example of how he sounds like a surfur dude in the Dead Zone or the World's Strongest.

And I find it hilarious that people are okay with the Texas cast, especially in Dragon Ball, when one of their main characters sounds like a surfer dude, Yamcha. Ironic.


But yeah, I can't see how Kelamis sounds like a surfer dude. He doesn't sound like Yamcha at all. Give me an example to change my opinion. But I feel that the surfer dude excuse is just that, a biased excuse.

[TheBlackPaladin]

But yeah, I can't see how Kelamis sounds like a surfer dude. He doesn't sound like Yamcha at all. Give me an example to change my opinion. But I feel that the surfer dude excuse is just that, a biased excuse.

Well, in fairness, that's not really a "biased excuse" so much as it is an opinion. An opinion that I've heard others reference before. From the way I've heard it told, Kelamis has/had a slight Canadian accent that was sometimes mistaken for a "surfer" accent. To quote Chris Psaros, a guy who ran a site called DBZ Uncensored, back in ye olden days (late 90's/early 00's):

"Peter Kelamis still plays Goku with that surfer accent that drives me insane, but I have to hand it to him, he says 'KAIIIIOOOOOOKEN!!' at one point, and his pronunciation, delivery, and attitude is perfect. It sent chills down my spine. Even my brother, who refuses to watch English DBZ, happened to be in earshot and said 'wow, that was actually pretty good.' If he could just lose that accent, Peter would be fine with me."

I didn't hear that accent, but this thread here is not the first time I've heard it mentioned. Others heard it too.

[Attitudefan]

But I don't hear it. I can't hear it. And it isn't surfer at all. Maybe I can't hear it because I'm Canadian. But then the question is, why do characters have to sound American? That is another problem with Schemmel is that he sounds really American as Goku. Maybe to some that is a good thing, but to me, it's irritating. It doesn't help that so many of the other voices sound quite southern. It is probably why the UK and Canada got a different dub in the first place. The heavy American accents are really noticeable in season 3 (of course).

Well, opinions always create reasons for people to create excuses to dismiss other opinions, facts, perspectives etc. So I think the wording is fair. I also feel that the Canadian actors get it really bad amongst the new fans in the fandom. I know Drummond personally, so I might take it a bit more personally, ya dig?

[ABED]

And I find it hilarious that people are okay with the Texas cast, especially in Dragon Ball, when one of their main characters sounds like a surfer dude, Yamcha. Ironic.

Not in DB, by then the direction was far more natural, and the surfer accent was dropped.

I don't know if I'd call it a surfer accent, but Kelamis is just awful and unnatural. He has some good battle screams and okay performances in the films, but that's it. At best, he's only okay.

I like the Ocean cast a lot, actually, but I also like the in-house cast.

[Mewzard]

But I don't hear it. I can't hear it. And it isn't surfer at all. Maybe I can't hear it because I'm Canadian. But then the question is, why do characters have to sound American? That is another problem with Schemmel is that he sounds really American as Goku. Maybe to some that is a good thing, but to me, it's irritating. It doesn't help that so many of the other voices sound quite southern. It is probably why the UK and Canada got a different dub in the first place. The heavy American accents are really noticeable in season 3 (of course).

Well, opinions always create reasons for people to create excuses to dismiss other opinions, facts, perspectives etc. So I think the wording is fair. I also feel that the Canadian actors get it really bad amongst the new fans in the fandom. I know Drummond personally, so I might take it a bit more personally, ya dig?

...American accents? I mean, I get regional accents from select areas of America (your southern accent for the country types probably being the most notorious to make fun of) but I've never heard anything that screams "American accent" (mainly because of how many fairly distinct accents can be heard in different parts of the country, not even counting accents from people from distinct backgrounds that live in America). I suppose that's just a perspective thing, like you said with your side where you don't hear a side to his Goku voice that others from America believed they heard. Though given how prolific Hollywood is in terms of movies, you'd think it'd be somewhat easy to adjust to in the grand scheme of things, fair enough, you're entitled to your own opinion.

There is no right or wrong when it comes to opinion, as long as you don't try to pass off your own opinion as the law of the land. Different people like different things, have nostalgia for different things, have different likes and dislikes. Fandoms being diverse can really be good for the discussions.

[Attitudefan]

Trust me, I'm sure most Canadians know that Americans sound different, even in movies. Some of my buds discuss how annoying some actors sound sometimes because of their accent and how they say things weird. Let's just say that the DBZ cast doesn't sound mid western but have a heavy southern influence. Schemmel still caries this accent into his new role but it's not as bad. Bulma has always been the worst, and it is still noticeable in kai with the new actress.

The Californian accent is really noticeable with the actress who played Kurisu in Steins Gate. It's sounds somewhat like a whisper but mixed with something like they have a frog in their throat (don't know how else to explain it). I'm not sure who she plays in DBZ Kai, but that's my best example of that. And there's the mid west accent, which I think is most sought after by Hollywood today. Di Caprio has that Californian accent especially in his newer movies.

But I'll day this, The Canadian accent is more "smooth" but has a strong emphasis on vowels where the mid west and Californian accents are more flat.

But yes, Schemmel has become a deal breaker for me.

And that's not to say he is a bad actor, but he is not suited for Dragon Ball. He is from FUNimation from the dark era of the company, and his role as Goku reflects that.

[ABED]

There are a number of American accents, and just like I'm sure your friends do make fun of how things sound, Americans often make fun of how Canadians say things. I don't see what the issue is.

I'm an American, and I couldn't pick a California accent if you put a gun to my head.

FUNimation from the dark era of the company, and his role as Goku reflects that.

No it doesn't as he gets the character. He is able to convey the manchild that is Son Goku.

Bulma has always been the worst, and it is still noticeable in kai with the new actress.

Vollmer's issue wasn't her accent. I don't notice it, it's just the bad acting. Cranz has a noticeable accent, though her's is far more noticeable in her everyday speaking voice, not necessarily when she's playing Chichi.

Kelamis has quite a few very awkward line readings. Here are a few that stick out
Movie 3 - "No, heat it up a bit more!"
The scene where Goku finds a beer in the fridge - "What's this doing in here, it's no good." finds a sports drink, "This is much better for me, and tastes great!"
There's also the line where he tells Reacoom that he hit him because he was open.

His whimpers are also hard to listen to.

[Regarder]

Turns out the one I prefer is Schemmel, but everyone is saying the surfer dude guy is Kelamis! Huh. Kelamis sounds more flat if anything to me in the bits I've heard, and I'm not sure I heard that dub the first time around. Even so, with credit, it isn't perfect to me; Schemmel's voice is a bit too gravelly at random moments. When Goku gets serious he can end up sounding a bit too "solid snake".

I definitely think a bohemian vaguely "dudeish" kind of accent might have worked for Goku so long as it was very subtle. Something carefree sounding, but not too strongly accented. Depending on what level you imagine it at, it could be totally too far and just plain ridiculous, leaving Goku sounding like one of the Ninja Turtles, so we are talking a lot lot more subtle than that. He needs a voice that implies an American culture of easygoing optimism without being too strongly linked to particular sub-cultures which Goku exists outside of being in a fictional role in a fictional universe.

The most literalistic way to translate Goku's Japanese "hick" accent is to give him some sort of redneck voice, but that just doesn't work, because it has cultural implications that just aren't there for a Japanese innawoods guy. It wouldn't work at all, but I'd love to see a dub like that just for kicks.

[Kakacarrottop]

The most literalistic way to translate Goku's Japanese "hick" accent is to give him some sort of redneck voice, but that just doesn't work, because it has cultural implications that just aren't there for a Japanese innawoods guy. It wouldn't work at all, but I'd love to see a dub like that just for kicks.

Just imagine Goku sounding like Cletus from the Simpsons

[Mewzard]

For all the flaws of Funi's internal voice cast with the DBZ dub's early days, I wouldn't sacrifice it for a moment because of all the voices I finally did get in a quality dub via Kai. Especially Schemmel as Goku.

To me, Schemmel is as much Goku as is Nozawa (he was my third Goku, but is with Nozawa as my personal favorites). I wouldn't trade Kai/BoG era Schemmel Goku for anything.

With Peter Kelamis as Goku, I'd love to see he him use this voice he once did for a parody:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VFX5feu8U4

Joking aside, he did fine for the time and what he was given, but I don't think he's coming back (especially with the new casting), so a bit of nostalgia for days past is all we'll have of him. Hopefully he still gets good voice work (I can't recall his more recent work of the past five years, so I'm not certain).

Depending on what level you imagine it at, it could be totally too far and just plain ridiculous, leaving Goku sounding like one of the Ninja Turtles, so we are talking a lot lot more subtle than that.

In a fun note, Schemmel voiced the Mirage Comics version of Raphael in the multiversal Turtles Forever movie...though it was 98% angry growling, since they were going for the Mirage guys being the extreme in serious, and Raphael as the angriest (he had more depth in him than that, but they also used the Fred Wolf Turtles in a far more silly exaggeration, likely for comparison to make the 4Kids Turtles the neutral party).