Why does the Funi dub refuse to acknowledge Piccolo is a demon?

[ABED]

That's another thing about Funimation's Hakusho, how they would refer to the Demon World as the Spirit World as if there were only two realms (Living World and Spirit World), and chose to translate youkai as "apparition" instead of "demon". It's pretty clear what was going on there.

Did they? I don't remember it. I thought they did use 'demon'.

I think they only began using 'Demon' about halfway through the series when the plot forced their hand, but I'm not really sure to what extent they used it afterwards.

So odd considering apparition is not another name for demon. At least as vague as "energy" is, it's in the ball park of "ki". Sure, demon in some religions and mythologies is a term for an evil spirit, but demon is a term that encompasses a lot.

[MyVisionity]

Did they? I don't remember it. I thought they did use 'demon'.

I think they only began using 'Demon' about halfway through the series when the plot forced their hand, but I'm not really sure to what extent they used it afterwards.

So odd considering apparition is not another name for demon. At least as vague as "energy" is, it's in the ball park of "ki". Sure, demon in some religions and mythologies is a term for an evil spirit, but demon is a term that encompasses a lot.

To be fair, youkai can be accurately translated as "apparition" as well as "demon". It's just that in this instance Funi was clearly only doing it to avoid the religious connotations.

[KBABZ]

I don't remember the Dragon Ball dub. Did they not bring up he's the King of DEMONS!?

Nope, not once. They say "Piccolo's clan" and other vague words that kinda-sorta traipse into that territory, but not once do they call him or any of his children demons. Not even in that Roshi flashback where they've invaded the city and set it on fire, or when Piccolo sits on a throne with skull imagery carved into it.

[MyVisionity]

I don't remember the Dragon Ball dub. Did they not bring up he's the King of DEMONS!?

Nope, not once. They say "Piccolo's clan" and other vague words that kinda-sorta traipse into that territory, but not once do they call him or any of his children demons. Not even in that Roshi flashback where they've invaded the city and set it on fire, or when Piccolo sits on a throne with skull imagery carved into it.

If I recall the dub does refer to Piccolo's kanji as "the Mark of the Demon", and I think Roshi calls him "demon" once during his Mafuuba speech, but that might be it.

[KBABZ]

If I recall the dub does refer to Piccolo's kanji as "the Mark of the Demon", and I think Roshi calls him "demon" once during his Mafuuba speech, but that might be it.

Hold on, lemme check...

Ep 102 Bulma: "It's the word devil, circled."
Ep 111 Roshi: "This isn't the first time we've met, monster"

So no, demon is not mentioned in either of those two examples, and I listened to the whole of Roshi's speech. It is worth noting that the translation subtitle at the top of the screen for the Ep 102 paper says "Demon", but of course this wouldn't have been part of the original TV airing of the episode. I'm not sure if Simmons did the translations for kanji in the show, but if he did that would explain the sudden spike in accuracy there. Oh and of course, episode 104 (which is where Tambourine kills all the martial artists) is called Mark of the Demon even in the original language. But to my knowledge that's all the mentions of demon in the original show in the context of King Piccolo.

[MyVisionity]

I'm not sure if Simmons did the translations for kanji in the show, but if he did that would explain the sudden spike in accuracy there.

Do you mean Clyde Mandelin? Simmons only subbed the 21st Budoukai arc I believe.

[KBABZ]

I'm not sure if Simmons did the translations for kanji in the show, but if he did that would explain the sudden spike in accuracy there.

Do you mean Clyde Mandelin? Simmons only subbed the 21st Budoukai arc I believe.

You're most likely right, I'm not very well-versed with the subtitle stuff.