Ocean Dub DVD Re-release?

[TheBlackPaladin]

The one issue I have with this wiki article is that it implies that FUNimation changed from using union actors in the Ocean dub to non-union actors in their in-house dub. I don't know how Canada's acting union works, but I'm pretty certain that Ocean's actors were non-union as well. Union-franchised anime dubs are pretty much non-existent. The only dubs that are union-franchised projects, at least in the U.S., are the dubs for major projects like the Miyazaki movies.

In any event, besides the legal complications with an Ocean dub DVD re-release, there's another problem. The Ocean dub audio is synced to an edited video track, meaning that it couldn't be included as an extra audio channel on the uncut video track that people could switch over to at will.

[kidglov3s]

I can think of two reasons why I don't see this happening, at least in regards to the dubbed series episodes, and this is on top of the previously mentioned issues with securing music rights:

1. The old Pioneer DVDs, though out of print, are readily available used for very cheap. Like I just ordered all 17 volumes for $1.50 each from GoHastings for a total of $25.50 a few days ago. Some find them cheaper.

2. Remastering them would be a complicated, if not impossible process. The visual modifications (underwear, HFIL, blood removal,, etc) would have been done in SD on top of whatever source material they were using. So it pretty much is what it is, and any visual improvement would have to be achieved through reassembling footage from higher quality sources and then either foregoing or recreating the changes made, both of which might stir controversy in terms of being revisionist and either way would entail a lot of work for something that the American audience who are interested in it have an option readily available to them.

[samuraix123]

Why are these so easy to get if they're out of print? there must not be a huge demand for them huh?

[kidglov3s]

Why are these so easy to get if they're out of print? there must not be a huge demand for them huh?

It's mostly because they made and sold a ton of them. They were the only DBZ DVDs on the shelf when DBZ exploded in popularity in 1999/2000. Those people that bought them later lost interest in either the show or that version of the show, and now resellers have a more/less endless supply of them, that will probably never be exhausted due to relatively limited interest.

[Aoi]

The Ocean dub is also popular in Canada, let's not forget. In all honesty, that dub would sell like hot cakes in Canade/UK if it was ever fully released. I remember being extremely let down by FUNI's Cell saga dub. I had grown attached to the Ocean voices and felt like these weren't the characters that I had grown to love when I first moved to Canada.

It wasn't until the Buu saga that I actually began to appreciate the FUNI dub. Still, I'd buy the entire Ocean dub in a milisecond if it ever came out. I don't care about "HFIL" to be honest.

[MarcFBR]

The only dubs that are union-franchised projects, at least in the U.S., are the dubs for major projects like the Miyazaki movies.

That isn't true, nor has it ever been.

If I wanted to, I could name things Funimation is dubbing right now that are being dubbed 'union'.

[TheBlackPaladin]

The only dubs that are union-franchised projects, at least in the U.S., are the dubs for major projects like the Miyazaki movies.

That isn't true, nor has it ever been.

If I wanted to, I could name things Funimation is dubbing right now that are being dubbed 'union'.

Seriously? I'm curious. I'm a tad embarrassed to ask, but this is inconsistent with what I was told. If I've been misinformed, I'd love to learn how.

[MarcFBR]

Seriously? I'm curious. I'm a tad embarrassed to ask, but this is inconsistent with what I was told. If I've been misinformed, I'd love to learn how.

There are more union dubs than I could possible name, but I'll name a few more well known ones.


Naruto is union as I recall.

I know Saban's dubs near the end were union (stuff like Digimon, Robots in Disguise)

Hellsing Ultimate

Pokemon during the 4kids era

among many others.

[TheBlackPaladin]

Hmm. "Ya learn something new every day," as the old adage says...

Still, there are some inconsistencies that I'm curious about, but it would take things dreadfully off-topic, and I feel a tad guilty for having driven this thread as off-topic as it is already. Nevertheless, thanks for the tip.

[MarcFBR]

Hmm. "Ya learn something new every day," as the old adage says...

Still, there are some inconsistencies that I'm curious about, but it would take things dreadfully off-topic, and I feel a tad guilty for having driven this thread as off-topic as it is already. Nevertheless, thanks for the tip.

Feel free to PM me.


As for on topic...

We don't really know the rights issues. No one involved has discussed them at any length for us to really know. The best assumption we can make is that it makes more sense for Funimation not to rerelease them, even if they have the rights, because it lets them market a consistent English dub.

[Ashura]

Union depends on location. The legal stuff around things dubbed in Canada in completely different than in America, etc. The reason there is a lot of dubbing done in Texas is because it's a right-to-work state and they can do non-union. (Though, to be fair, in anime's heyday, payouts were better than most SAG union anime work I've been told.)

Union doesn't matter very much in this case, though. In ADR like anime, there are generally no residuals even for union recordings... so in the sense of re-release it wouldn't affect things.

It is very likely the music licensing that will keep this from ever being re-released. It is the main reason Saban would replace soundtracks on all of their shows and acquisitions on Fox KIDS back in the day. You can find discussions about it if you look back on rec.arts.anime and investigate the Escaflowne TV edit and its music issues.

[Attitudefan]

The one issue I have with this wiki article is that it implies that FUNimation changed from using union actors in the Ocean dub to non-union actors in their in-house dub. I don't know how Canada's acting union works, but I'm pretty certain that Ocean's actors were non-union as well. Union-franchised anime dubs are pretty much non-existent. The only dubs that are union-franchised projects, at least in the U.S., are the dubs for major projects like the Miyazaki movies.

In any event, besides the legal complications with an Ocean dub DVD re-release, there's another problem. The Ocean dub audio is synced to an edited video track, meaning that it couldn't be included as an extra audio channel on the uncut video track that people could switch over to at will.

Ocean Studios here in Vancouver is a union-based company. It is very difficult to get into (I have not tried myself but voice actors I know have). Ocean voice acotrs usually work on movies/cartoons etc. for their work while non-union voice actors end up preforming more in the commercial area of the business.