Toriko Takes DBK's Slot On April 3 (Kai Ends with Cell)

[JulieYBM]

I still hope Toei produces more eps for the rest of the world.

There's still a possibility of producing the Buu arc for foreign sales like Ultimate Muscle.

Is it really likely Toei would do that with a Dragon Ball series, though? Even then, would they produce the episodes without their cast and just send the music, effects, and video tracks to their licensees?

[Zetto]

Well we can't know for sure if the show gets cancelled. I think this month's magazines with enlighten us with information. By the way, can anyone here translate the rest of his twitter post?

[Innagadadavida]

Is it really likely Toei would do that with a Dragon Ball series, though? Even then, would they produce the episodes without their cast and just send the music, effects, and video tracks to their licensees?

That would cost a hell of a lot less money than paying actors, plus they'd get the liscensor's buying the product. Seems like a win-win to me. It's not like it's unheard of for a Japanese company to produce content only for a foreign liscensor.

[linkdude20002001]

Plus Dragon Ball is where most of Toei Animation's foreign sales come from. The reason it's so expensive is because of what they have to pay actors. They don't even have to re-animate any scenes (which would be preferred anyways). That'd save them even more money.

[TonyTheTiger]

Is it really likely Toei would do that with a Dragon Ball series, though? Even then, would they produce the episodes without their cast and just send the music, effects, and video tracks to their licensees?

That would cost a hell of a lot less money than paying actors, plus they'd get the liscensor's buying the product. Seems like a win-win to me. It's not like it's unheard of for a Japanese company to produce content only for a foreign liscensor.

And watch the ensuing shitstorm when FUNi's release of the entire Buu arc is English only.

But, I agree with the skepticism. It's not unheard of but it's incredibly unlikely they'd do that. I know Cartoon Network co-produced the second season of Big O because despite it failing in Japan it was one of the most popular shows on CN. So maybe FUNi would step up and do something similar. But having to bank on the extreme exception coming true doesn't reflect well on the current situation. The current evidence seems to point to Kai ending and now the only thing we have to hope for is an unlikely saving grace. Remember that we're talking a good 40 episodes at minimum. That's no small undertaking.

[linkdude20002001]

Likewise, how do you think fans will react when FUNi stops at the end of the Cell games? They'll think FUNi's just being lazy, and will proceed to throw a fit.

[TonyTheTiger]

Nobody would blame FUNi specifically for the show ending, of course. But it would render Kai pointless since it no longer can function as a Z reimagining or outright replacement. Without finishing the story it works as neither.

And that would make FUNi look like assholes since their advertising campaign was the whole "way it was meant to be seen" gimmick. "The way it was meant to be seen...but for the last third of the series you have to watch the original Z episodes" doesn't have quite as nice a ring to it.

[linkdude20002001]

No, fans will blame FUNi. Most people don't know enough about it to know it's ending in Japan, and therefore TOEI's fault.

[penguintruth]

If Kai ends at the defeat of Cell, all the hard work Funimation put into providing an accurate and decently-acted English dub for it will be given a black eye. Many people will dismiss it outright as "incomplete" and use it as an excuse to further the "the original DBZ dub was the best version" belief fueled by nostalgia and ignorance.

So instead of Funimation screwing over Toei's work, this time it'll be Toei screwing over Funimation's work.

[Zarathustra]

I think I'd be conflicted if Kai ends with the Cell saga.

Ever since I started watching Kai, I anxiously anticipated the Boo saga simply because it was just so half-assed with the first dub and all. Although retrospectively, I've always kinda-sorta-somewhat felt that Gohan beating Cell was a very fitting ending for the series

[JulieYBM]

If Kai ends at the defeat of Cell, all the hard work Funimation put into providing an accurate and decently-acted English dub for it will be given a black eye. Many people will dismiss it outright as "incomplete" and use it as an excuse to further the "the original DBZ dub was the best version" belief fueled by nostalgia and ignorance.

So instead of Funimation screwing over Toei's work, this time it'll be Toei screwing over Funimation's work.

Dragon Ball Kai was never a replacement for Dragon Ball Z anyhow.

[TonyTheTiger]

Well it was something. Presumably a complete Kai would be able to fit between DB and GT. A person could conceivably use Kai as a stand-in. Either as a Z replacement or as a pseudo manga-accurate reimagining supplementary to Z itself. But if they end at Cell? What purpose does Kai serve then? It wouldn't satisfy any niche.

[penguintruth]

Dragon Ball Kai was never a replacement for Dragon Ball Z anyhow.

The English dub was.

[JulieYBM]

Well it was something. Presumably a complete Kai would be able to fit between DB and GT. A person could conceivably use Kai as a stand-in. Either as a Z replacement or as a pseudo manga-accurate reimagining supplementary to Z itself.

It would be drastically out of synch with those two series', both in casting, performances, music, pacing, and over all tone. It'd stick out like a sore thumb. Even for FUNimation alone it doesn't serve as a replacement for a good Dragon Ball Z dub (it's arguable as to whether or not it even serves as a good Dragon Ball Kai dub).

[Daimo-Rukiri]

Dragon Ball Kai was never a replacement for Dragon Ball Z anyhow.

The English dub was.

It wasn't a replacement, our wish was granted!!

[xzero]

<BR sab="799"><BR sab="800">Dragon Ball Kai was never a replacement for Dragon Ball Z anyhow.

<BR sab="801"><BR sab="802">The English dub was.

Yeah, for once you and I are in agreement. The new dub is the only reason I have any interest in Kai. It's nice to lose some of the stupid filler, but I'd take all of the filler back if it comes with a full dub akin to what they're doing with Kai.

[TonyTheTiger]

Well it was something. Presumably a complete Kai would be able to fit between DB and GT. A person could conceivably use Kai as a stand-in. Either as a Z replacement or as a pseudo manga-accurate reimagining supplementary to Z itself.

It would be drastically out of synch with those two series', both in casting, performances, music, pacing, and over all tone. It'd stick out like a sore thumb. Even for FUNimation alone it doesn't serve as a replacement for a good Dragon Ball Z dub (it's arguable as to whether or not it even serves as a good Dragon Ball Kai dub).

Regardless, it was marketed as a true to the manga and more time efficient version of Dragon Ball Z. That would have an audience. Either people who don't want to deal with 291 episodes but still want the meat that makes up Z, or people who just enjoy it as a fresh re-take of the Z they're already familiar with.

But if the rumors are true and Kai ends after the next few episodes then neither category of people will be satisfied. Is ending at Cell a true to the manga adaptation? Is it a more time efficient version of Dragon Ball Z? End it here and Kai becomes a two year exercise that failed to live up to any real value, which would be a real shame.

[MetaMoss]

In terms of Toei making animation for a show that had no announced Japanese release is not uncommon, especially in the '80s, for example Transformers' first season. It aired in the U.S. a year before the Japanese market got their version of Transformers, so even there was no (at the time) planned airing in Japan. If you disagree with that example, then take G.I. Joe or Inhumanoids.

[JulieYBM]

Well it was something. Presumably a complete Kai would be able to fit between DB and GT. A person could conceivably use Kai as a stand-in. Either as a Z replacement or as a pseudo manga-accurate reimagining supplementary to Z itself.

It would be drastically out of synch with those two series', both in casting, performances, music, pacing, and over all tone. It'd stick out like a sore thumb. Even for FUNimation alone it doesn't serve as a replacement for a good Dragon Ball Z dub (it's arguable as to whether or not it even serves as a good Dragon Ball Kai dub).

Regardless, it was marketed as a true to the manga and more time efficient version of Dragon Ball Z. That would have an audience. Either people who don't want to deal with 291 episodes but still want the meat that makes up Z, or people who just enjoy it as a fresh re-take of the Z they're already familiar with.

But if the rumors are true and Kai ends after the next few episodes then neither category of people will be satisfied. Is ending at Cell a true to the manga adaptation? Is it a more time efficient version of Dragon Ball Z? End it here and Kai becomes a two year exercise that failed to live up to any real value, which would be a real shame.

Dragon Ball Kai hasn't been true to the comic since the first arc. The first one hundred ninety-five chapters are skipped, bits of dialogue are altered, and filler is retained. Heck, as I recall even some canon scenes were removed.

[AgitoZ]

Dragon Ball Kai hasn't been true to the comic since the first arc. The first one hundred ninety-five chapters are skipped, bits of dialogue are altered, and filler is retained. Heck, as I recall even some canon scenes were removed.

It's still more true to the comic than Dragon Ball Z.