Naoki Tatsuta Replaces Joji Yanami as Kaio/Narrator

[Ajay]

But did Tatsuta voice Karin in Kai?

No, you're right. I'm an idiot who didn't check his facts. Disregard my post.

[Blade]

Clearly this is very distressing news, but hopefully pertains to an illness which isn't terminal to either his life or his career.

Of course, the most important thing is that he recovers from whatever ailment has befallen him and is able to enjoy some quality of life, which for a man in his 80s, can be a challenging proposition on even the best of days.

[LuckyCat]

But did Tatsuta voice Karin in Kai?

I think Ichirō Nagai voiced Karin until his last appearance, but Tatsuta did Kaio in Buu Kai.

Keep in mind Buu Kai started recording voices long before it aired.

[Ajay]

But did Tatsuta voice Karin in Kai?

I think Ichirō Nagai voiced Karin until his last appearance, but Tatsuta did Kaio in Buu Kai.

According to MyAnimeList and Kanzenshuu, it was Nagai in Boo Kai, too.

Kaio was still Yanami in Kai.

[Hujio]

I think Ichirō Nagai voiced Karin until his last appearance, but Tatsuta did Kaio in Buu Kai.

I think you mean Karin, not Kaiō. Unless there was an instance where Tatsuta filled as Kaiō in Kai that I'm not remembering... On a side note, Tatsuta did fill in as Karin in DBZ 241, but Nagai covered Karin for all of Kai.

[LuckyCat]

I think Ichirō Nagai voiced Karin until his last appearance, but Tatsuta did Kaio in Buu Kai.

I think you mean Karin, not Kaiō. Unless there was an instance where Tatsuta filled as Kaiō in Kai that I'm not remembering... On a side note, Tatsuta did fill in as Karin in DBZ 241, but Nagai covered Karin for all of Kai.

Oh I made a mistake and was reading Tatsuo's Super roles. But that is interesting Tatsuo has had a stint as Karin in DBZ.

[Gyt Kaliba]

Oh, so he was only Karin for a little bit of Z? My bad, they don't really have that noted super well on BTVA.

Still, like I said before, I appreciate them getting someone in there that's been around since almost the beginning either way.

[Hujio]

Oh, so he was only Karin for a little bit of Z?

Yeah, as far as I'm aware it was only for the single episode.

Something I will throw out there, because it just crossed my mind, is that we could totally have had a great moment in Super between Kaiō and Bubbles if Tatsuta was still voicing Bubbles. That could have been fantastic if done right.

EDIT: Did some quick research, and it appears that Tatsuta filled in as Karin in two DBZ episodes (217 and 241), the Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans visual guide, and the 2003 Dragon Ball Z video game. DBZ 241 is the only one he was officially credited in.

[FortuneSSJ]

A wise decision that only sins for being made late. Doesn't matter if you are old, sick or both, the character that you play won't change because of that.
If you can't pull it off anymore, its time for you to step down. This is for the best.

All the best to Yanami. Have a good recovery and thanks for the hardwork.

[Lord Beerus]

I really, really, really hope Yanami gets better.

[ConfusedPhantom]

It's unfortunate, but this is probably for the best. I hope Yanami gets better soon, and hopefully he can reprise his role once he's feeling better. Looking forward to seeing how Tatsuta does Kaio, though. Hope it turns out well.

[Ajay]

EDIT: Did some quick research, and it appears that Tatsuta filled in as Karin in two DBZ episodes (217 and 241), the Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans visual guide, and the 2003 Dragon Ball Z video game. DBZ 241 is the only one he was officially credited in.

Thanks for the point of reference. For anyone curious, here's what he sounds like voicing Karin:

217: https://d.maxfile.ro/udtjwyvtgf.webm
241: https://d.maxfile.ro/bypzyairpq.webm

Yeah, I literally have no idea what he's going to go with for his roles in Super. Everything I've heard has been really high pitched.

Oh well, I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

[garfield15]

Yeah, I think this was something building up. I feel like this is something that really needed to happen for the benefit of Yanami. I honestly have to give props to the man for going this long and sticking with that role and the narration.

Was it said he stepped down on his own or some people at Toei realized he seriously needs medical treatment?

Also props to Toei for picking a long-time voice for the show to be the new narrator/Kaio. Tatsuta may not have been there from episode 1 but he's just as much an early voice for the Japanese fans as any.

[JulieYBM]

Yeah, I think this was something building up. I feel like this is something that really needed to happen for the benefit of Yanami. I honestly have to give props to the man for going this long and sticking with that role and the narration.

Was it said he stepped down on his own or some people at Toei realized he seriously needs medical treatment?

Also props to Toei for picking a long-time voice for the show to be the new narrator/Kaio. Tatsuta may not have been there from episode 1 but he's just as much an early voice for the Japanese fans as any.

I doubt Series Director Chioka Kimitoshi or Producer Kido Atsushi personally forced anything. Yanami might have simply had an episode, gone to the doctor, and was given the option for his treatment.

[jelleline89]

Hopefully he gets well soon but please keep him out of Super from now on. Kaio's voice was awful.

This is an absolutely disgusting response and I can't fathom for the life of me why you think this would be an appropriate comment to make given the circumstances. Your true character has shown, and it is not representative of what this community should be.

There is a time and a place, and it is not here.

To be fair, what he said was completely mild if you think about it. If he had wished bad health onto Yanami, I could share you rationality, but he didn't. He even wishes the actor to get better soon.

We have freedom of speech for a reason and I don't see anything wrong with Marco Polo not thinking Yanami's acting has been up to par in this series. A lot of other people have been saying the exact same thing since this news broke, so it's a little nonsensical to call out one user for doing what many others have done.

Just my two cents.

[TheBlackPaladin]

Just out of curiosity, do we know what specific kind of health problems Yanami has been suffering from? I've been reading for a while now that his health hasn't been the best, and I know Toei didn't specify what sort of treatment he'd be undergoing, but do we know from another source?

[EmmaWinters]

Just out of curiosity, do we know what specific kind of health problems Yanami has been suffering from? I've been reading for a while now that his health hasn't been the best, and I know Toei didn't specify what sort of treatment he'd be undergoing, but do we know from another source?

I don't think we know anything substantiative, but someone can feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

[Blade]

It's quite typical for press releases and announcements to be frustratingly vague in Japan, which is only exacerbated by a Japanese media precedent for sticking pretty tightly to the official party-line in these sorts of cases - whereas here in the west there would certainly be speculation.

Whether that's a good thing or not in the overall scheme of things is a matter of debate, but in cases such as this there are definitely two sides to the coin. On one hand it's refreshing to see Yanami's privacy and dignity left alone whilst he is unwell without an intrusive narrative of newspaper tittle-tattle, but on the other it's very frustrating for fans who would obviously much sooner know exactly how serious his illness is.

[B]

To be fair, what he said was completely mild if you think about it. If he had wished bad health onto Yanami, I could share you rationality, but he didn't. He even wishes the actor to get better soon.

We have freedom of speech for a reason and I don't see anything wrong with Marco Polo not thinking Yanami's acting has been up to par in this series. A lot of other people have been saying the exact same thing since this news broke, so it's a little nonsensical to call out one user for doing what many others have done.

Just my two cents.

It's disgusting because, well, no shit the performance is "awful." The man is sick. It's like complaining a pitcher on a baseball field failed to do his job after getting his eye knocked out. There's a tactful way to approach these things.

[Blade]

To be fair, what he said was completely mild if you think about it. If he had wished bad health onto Yanami, I could share you rationality, but he didn't. He even wishes the actor to get better soon.

We have freedom of speech for a reason and I don't see anything wrong with Marco Polo not thinking Yanami's acting has been up to par in this series. A lot of other people have been saying the exact same thing since this news broke, so it's a little nonsensical to call out one user for doing what many others have done.

Just my two cents.

It's disgusting because, well, no shit the performance is "awful." The man is sick. It's like complaining a pitcher on a baseball field failed to do his job after getting his eye knocked out. There's a tactful way to approach these things.

Well, to continue with your baseball analogy, I think there has always been the perfectly reasonable question of: 'Knowing that the guy is struggling, why the heck has coach put him into play?'

I think a lot of people's reactions to the poor Kaio and Narrator performances have been misconstrued a little bit. I think that it can very easily be taken for granted on a forum like this, but the fact is that not everyone knows about Yanami's recent poor health and advanced age. I'm not saying that all of the negative comments about him are therefore exempt - some have been pretty damned crass, but I think it doesn't help that it's prickly issue for those who know a bit more about situation and therefore might be more easily offended than usual. The whole thing is a caustic mixture of ignorance and hyper-sensitivity.