Moments FUNimation's English Dub Did Better?

[xzero]

Perfect Cell getting blown away with Ginyu Transformation playing was epic. I personally felt that in a lot of situations, the dub BGM conveyed the mood better (though there were plenty of times that there shouldn't have been music playing at all, and for those, the Japanese version got it right).

I don't know about better, but equally well would probably be Chris Ayers as Freeza.

And I know this is going to piss penguintruth off, but Sean Schemmel as Goku is better. I don't care what anyone says, which means I can't be reasoned with, so don't try; I just greatly prefer Schemmel's Goku to everyone else's, including Nozawa's.

[B]

Mark Menza's opening score for some of the Z movies is easier to listen to than ZENKAI Power. Terrible, terrible song.

[cRookie_Monster]

And I know this is going to piss penguintruth off, but Sean Schemmel as Goku is better. I don't care what anyone says, which means I can't be reasoned with, so don't try; I just greatly prefer Schemmel's Goku to everyone else's, including Nozawa's.

^^ yeah my smart #*$&% comment was going to be "any time Goku talks". That's the #1 thing that bothers me about the Japanese version. Probably no different than when everyone cried foul when Linda Young started doing Frieza at Funimation.

But that's not really a specific moment so just ignore me.

[Gaffer Tape]

Makr Menza's opening score for some of the Z movies is easier to listen to than ZENKAI Power. Terrible, terrible song.

I'm confused. Not that I'm saying you don't have a right to dislike ZENKAI Power, what does that have to do with movie openings? That's like saying that FUNimation's version of Vegeta's death was done better than the Japanese version of the Cell Game re-enactment.

[B]

Mark Menza's opening score for some of the Z movies is easier to listen to than ZENKAI Power. Terrible, terrible song.

I'm confused. Not that I'm saying you don't have a right to dislike ZENKAI Power, what does that have to do with movie openings? That's like saying that FUNimation's version of Vegeta's death was done better than the Japanese version of the Cell Game re-enactment.

Eh, I thought it would count since it's in the same vein; the music.

But, if I have to pick the same scene or piece for both, than I will ride the wave and say the Cell Games Re-enactment.

[NUDEoctopus]

I liked the music that played when Gogeta first appeared on movie 12.

[jjgp1112]

Dammit, I was just about to say any time Goku opens his mouth, too.

[DemonRin]

I have to agree on the Cell Games Re-enactment too, FUNi's version was laughably bad in a really good way. I mean, bad acting was the point of the scene...

Also, one thing that struck me and got a good laugh out of me was an ad-lib they did during The Boo arc. When Son and Vegeta escape Super Boo with the kids, Piccolo and Fat Boo, they all start popping back to normal size. Son sees this and goes "Hey Vegeta, People Popcorn!" to which Vegeta replies "... What are you ON!?"

That was one of the VERY few times in the original Z dub I felt Sean sounded truly in-character as Son. It was a silly little blurb of a comment out of Son that reminded me of the kinds of things he said as a Kid, and it made me smile. Otherwise I think Sean's Son is rather horrible, he really didn't start to get the character right until he Dubbed Son in the 23rd Budokai in DB.
In Kai I think he's done really good though. He's not as Good as Nozawa, but he's now what I'd say is a really great Son. But that's just my opinion.

There's also several things (mostly in Kai) that I think the Dub did really well, but either close to or on-par with the Japanese version, not really better.

I think their choice of actor for Mr. Satan was amazing. I love Chris Rager as Mr. Satan. He doesn't really top Daisuke Gori for me, but he's probably the absolute best casting the Z Dub has ever done, I love Rager's Satan voice, and now with Gori's passing, that is one thing the Kai dub will have over the Japanese version. Assuming they maintain Rager as Satan, Kai's Dub will no doubt have the better Satan voice Than Japanese Kai. (Gori Still wins in Z hands down)

Also, Ayres' Freeza is absolutely amazing. My thoughts on Ayres' Freeza is that he is the the absolute best the dub could get. I couldn't imagine a better English Freeza. I don't even feel right comparing him to Ryusei Nakao. I think both are the absolute best Freeza in their own languages.

[Bardo117]

I enjoyed most of the Buu saga with Faulconer music more than the Japanese BMG. Entire saga was so epic.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Gokū's Super Saiyan 3 transformation. Schemmel's screams combined with Faulconer's awesome Super Saiyan 3 theme, made this the stand out moment in the dub for me.

[Chibi Mystic Gohan]

Dammit, I was just about to say any time Goku opens his mouth, too.

Even when Goku was a kid?

As for the topic at hand, I've always loved the dub version of the Super Saiyan 3 transformation. I remember creaming my jeans the first time I watched that tape. (Wait, was I even old enough to cream my jeans back then? Ok, TMI.)

[Suupaa Gohan 2]

The only thing I can think of is the reasoning behind Cell returning as Perfect Cell after his self-destruct.

Can you clarify? I wasn't aware they did anything different with this scene.

[jjgp1112]

The only thing I can think of is the reasoning behind Cell returning as Perfect Cell after his self-destruct.

Can you clarify? I wasn't aware they did anything different with this scene.

In the Japanese version and manga, the explanation was incredibly vague. However, in the dub, he explains how his nucleus actually "remembered" the elements of his perfect form, so when it recreated his body, it was in the best form possible.

[Xell]

Whilst I don't think the dub really had anything better than the original, I did love the 'Gallic Gun' vs. Kamehameha clash in the original ocean dub, mainly for Brian Drummond's psychotic portrayal of Vegeta.

I also quite like Chris Rager's voice for Mr. Satan, and I love Duncan Brennan's voice on Babidi.

[batistabus]

Gokū's Super Saiyan 3 transformation. Schemmel's screams combined with Faulconer's awesome Super Saiyan 3 theme, made this the stand out moment in the dub for me.

This. Sometimes, I'll look it up, sit back, and just smile.

[Nippolyte]

Gohan's Super Saiyan 2 transformation. I'm referring to the part where the Cell Jrs. continue to pummel the Z-Fighters and Gohan explodes with anger.

[Cipher]

Anytime Babidi opens his mouth.

[dbgtFO]

Anytime Babidi opens his mouth.

Agreed. Original Babidi's voice was not convincing in any way, while Funi Babidi is how I always envisioned his voice would sound like.

[VegettoEX]

Gohan's Super Saiyan 2 transformation. I'm referring to the part where the Cell Jrs. continue to pummel the Z-Fighters and Gohan explodes with anger.

Really? Huh. Before anyone else jumps in, I'll do so . That's usually one of those moments categorized right up there with Vegeta's mis-written death with Freeza as one of FUNimation's dub's outlandish changes. Gohan's excessive internal monologue (where one does not exist in the original script) simply misses the point of his head clearing and ultimately snapping (never mind the original vocal song composed for the scene, though say what you will about that as a choice... and that's all still ignoring completely subjective things like Nadoly's vocal performance as the character). What about it did you like more than the original version? Curious about that, and I'm sure others would be, as well.

Anytime Babidi opens his mouth.

Never understood folks' dislike of Yanami in that role. I certainly have no problem with FUNimation's casting, but I'm just not getting the "OH MY GOD THANK HEAVENS THEY CHANGED IT!" response I see fairly often.

That all being said, one of the only moments I can even think to even remotely classify as "better" is something I've mentioned a few times and waver back and forth on -- the scene where Goku has arrived back on Earth for the first time and Vegeta looks up to see him. In the original Japanese version, a little "HEAD-CHA-LA" jingle plays. In Levy's score (yeah, I'm talking 1996 here, folks), it was a piece that begins building up much earlier in the scene and kinda crescendos up, then kinda booms downward the instant Nappa opens his dumb mouth. I really like BOTH moods, and I get where each was coming from. I sadly don't remember what it was like in Kai, so I'll have to go back and check how Yamamoto scored that one...

That's all you're getting out of me, though.

[Cipher]

Never understood folks' dislike of Yanami in that role. I certainly have no problem with FUNimation's casting, but I'm just not getting the "OH MY GOD THANK HEAVENS THEY CHANGED IT!" response I see fairly often.

Oh, I actually don't hate Yanami in the role at all. He gets the whiny, snarky childish character across just fine, and provides an appropriately unsettling voice.

It's just one of the few voices where, while I can tolerate either, I unequivocally do prefer Funimation's casting.