Did FUNimation overstep their bounds?

[kemuri07]

^ Plus without all of the embarrassing changes Funimation applied to it (unless you count the Arab dub which I don't as that isn't a fair comparison).

Dubbies need to get off all that bullshit about what Funi did being a, "necessary evil," to make DBZ sell. DBZ succeeded DESPITE what was done to it in the US. Not because of it. This is objective.

I don't think you know what an objective statement is.

It fits because that was the original intention. Why do people not understand this?

Because that's a terrible argument to make as to why I should believe that that's the superior version.

[dprez]

She's the original... handpicked by Akira Toriyama himself.

Ooo. I didn't know this. More power to the original then! I can see why he picked such an innocent sounding voice for Goku. It's fits his character perfectly, even when Goku gets pissed and powers up or w/e, omg, it sounds just perfect through Masako Nozawa. I get goosebumps

It fits because that was the original intention. Why do people not understand this?

Because that's a terrible argument to make as to why I should believe that that's the superior version.

The original Author hand picked the voice for Goku. How can it be any clearer that that's the way it was meant to be seen. Of course when you talk about superior, It' all personal preference.

I'm with that one guy who said it's ok to prefer the FUNi Dub, but don't be hatin' on the original, especially Gokus voice, when next to Freeza and Vegetas, it fits the character perfectly IMO.

Whether which version is preferred is up to the person. Although, claiming the original is better b/c, it is the original version, and was overlooked by the man who actually created the damn story, It actually is a good argument to make for the Japanese version being superior, whether you prefer it or not, IT IS MUCH MUCH BETTER.

[Majin Buu]

Agreeing or disagreeing with one another isn't a problem, I think, but why should anybody have their views challenged?

It comes with the territory. Sharing an opinion inherently invites discussion (wanted or unwanted) with those that disagree with that opinion. When differing opinions clash, those opinions will usually be challenged by their opponents at some point.

[penguintruth]

To be fair, Nozawa was chosen for CHILD Goku. It's not clear if Toriyama approved of her continuing to play the role when Goku is an adult or not.

I personally think Nozawa's adult Goku is still excellent.

[Gonstead]

I'm not the biggest Nozawa fan, but to be fair, the only problems I have with her are when she's screaming (SSJ3 anyone?) and that she voiced EVERY single Saiyan relative of Goku (barring Raditz, thank Kami). Gohan I have no problem with but people like Bardock and Turles, it's just annoying.

[Metalwario64]

the only problems I have with her are... ...that she voiced EVERY single Saiyan relative of Goku... ...Gohan I have no problem with but people like... ...Tullece, it's just annoying.

What? The evil what-if Goku shouldn't have Goku's voice?

[penguintruth]

I'll concede that Nozawa as Bardock might've been a bit much. Bardock has none of the innocent, naive charm of Goku. Not that I dislike her Bardock, but I wouldn't have minded a new VA.

[VegettoEX]

I suppose I'll also concede that Bardock didn't need the same voice actress as Goku, but I still think it works. The performance is a straight version of Goku (without all that ad lib bumpkin drawl), which... well... fits. I see Goku, but it's not Goku. Goku voice without Goku quirks. Done and done.

Anyone who thinks that Tullece should have had a different voice is - yeah - totally missing the point of that character. Nozawa plays that character deeeeeeeead on with her slow, deeper, snarky delivery. In fact, I never quite understood why it wasn't Goku's voice actor of the time (Corlett / Kelamis / Schemmel) that played the character when they got around to dub it in English. These are theoretically talented voice actors, right? Prove it. Put that talent to its use. Have them play the same character in a totally different way, to the point that if you're aware of this stuff you can tell it's the same voice actor, but clearly a different performance.

(Schemmel didn't play Tullece, right? I... actually have no idea.)

And that's the stuff I find far more interesting than whether or not a company did something wrong fifteen years ago .

[penguintruth]

Ted Cole was Turles in the Ocean cast dub and Chris Patton in Funimation cast dub.

Sonny Strait played Bardock in the dub of the TV special. But I'm not going to say that he was better than Nozawa in the role.

[BlazingFiddlesticks]

Tullence and Bardock are two different beasts, though. Tullence is supposed to be evil Goku, which the American dubs should have indeed caught onto. I kind of have to laugh at the idea of Schemmel doing evil Goku, but then again, Goku's been sounding pretty darn badass when appropriate for pretty much the entirety of the Cell-saga Kai dub, so I could be selling him short.

But for Bardock, honestly, his being a scarred Goku is enough for me. I like Strait's take because, if anything, it takes what Tullence is supposed to be a step further. It's not a deliberately fiendish or evil Goku for blatantly novelty of it, but rather a standard Saiyain in Goku's body. You don't need Nozawa's voice for that. Not that she can do any wrong, as far as I'm concerned.

[jjgp1112]

Schemmel's Super Saiyan 3 and 4 voices would work well for an evil Goku.

[DBZGTKOSDH]

Schemmel's Super Saiyan 3 and 4 voices would work well for an evil Goku.

Eeeeeh... No?

I suppose I'll also concede that Bardock didn't need the same voice actress as Goku, but I still think it works. The performance is a straight version of Goku (without all that ad lib bumpkin drawl), which... well... fits. I see Goku, but it's not Goku. Goku voice without Goku quirks. Done and done.

Anyone who thinks that Tullece should have had a different voice is - yeah - totally missing the point of that character. Nozawa plays that character deeeeeeeead on with her slow, deeper, snarky delivery. In fact, I never quite understood why it wasn't Goku's voice actor of the time (Corlett / Kelamis / Schemmel) that played the character when they got around to dub it in English. These are theoretically talented voice actors, right? Prove it. Put that talent to its use. Have them play the same character in a totally different way, to the point that if you're aware of this stuff you can tell it's the same voice actor, but clearly a different performance.

(Schemmel didn't play Tullece, right? I... actually have no idea.)

And that's the stuff I find far more interesting than whether or not a company did something wrong fifteen years ago .

I totaly agree with you. Nozawa plays differently EVERY character. She can do it, and she has proved it. And that's why I believe she is amazing. Goku has lighter voice in the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai than Z Goku. In Boo arc, Gohan's voice is lighter compared to Goku's, kid Gohan has a politer way of speech compared to Goku, Goten has a cheerful voice, Tullece sounds cruel, Bardock sounds badass. At least for me, I can say. She doesn't have a voice for (kid) Goku/Gohan/Goten/Goku Jr., a voice for (adult) Goku/Gohan/Goten and an evil voice for Tullece/Bardock/ SSJ3/4 Goku. She has a voice for everyone, depending his age.

[jjgp1112]

Schemmel's Super Saiyan 3 and 4 voices would work well for an evil Goku.

Eeeeeh... No?

Care to actually explain?

[kemuri07]

It actually is a good argument to make for the Japanese version being superior, whether you prefer it or not, IT IS MUCH MUCH BETTER.

But that's not a good argument to make because you're basing it under the assumption that Akira Toriyama is perfect and any choice he makes is a reflection of that. Besides, just because the creator (and that goes for any show) makes a certain choice about the direction he/she wants for a show doesn't automatically make it the right one.

On Nozawa and the original voice work: I tolerate it. I have no objections to watching my anime in Japanese if I have no other choice, and I've watch plenty of episodes in Japanese. The problem is I just cannot connect to Nozawa's performance as Goku. I'll admit that a lot of it has to do with the fact that I'm an American, and I generally prefer hearing a animated show in English. But it's also that I personally find that there's something specifically "alien" about her performance that turns me off from the character.

[Levlik]

The way I've always seen it is this: You know how in The Simpsons they always have those future scenes where the kids as adults have their exact same voices -- Bart in particular -- and not only it doesn't seem wrong but you couldn't imagine another voice otherwise? That's how I see Goku's voice. The only problem being that for the most part North America's audience first watched Goku as an adult in Z, so the idea of Goku still having his original voice throughout adulthood seems strange.

That said, I never realized Goku's voice was such a problem for people until only a few years ago. Back when FUNi was still dubbing the series and the only way to watch most of the movies and GT was in Japanese it was just seen as "Well, that's how it is." For me it was never something I had to get used to. It was never even something I had to think about. It was just how it was and I enjoyed it.

[penguintruth]

I'll admit that a lot of it has to do with the fact that I'm an American, and I generally prefer hearing a animated show in English. But it's also that I personally find that there's something specifically "alien" about her performance that turns me off from the character.

So you prefer an inaccurate English dub simply because it's in English?

Well, at least Kai has a good dub.

[Thanos]

I think its worth noting that TeamFourStar's Goku (MasakoX is his username, if I'm not mistaken) did an excellent job of voicing little Gohan (sounding legitimately like a child, but also similar to Masako Nozawa) as well as adult Goku (sounding legitimately like an adult, with similarities to both Sean Schemmel and Masako Nozawa). FUNimation should've hired him--at least for Kai--no joke.

Gohan: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl33Nt5P6Uk
Goku: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctd84NLgTxw#t=02m21s


Mint.

[penguintruth]

My only problem with MasakoX is that it's a good voice, but clearly meant for the exaggeration of Goku. I think his Goku would need a little tweaking for serious scenes.

[Saiga]

I'll admit that a lot of it has to do with the fact that I'm an American, and I generally prefer hearing a animated show in English. But it's also that I personally find that there's something specifically "alien" about her performance that turns me off from the character.

So you prefer an inaccurate English dub simply because it's in English?

Well, at least Kai has a good dub.

If someone really wants accuracy, they read the manga.

I think almost all of TFS' voices are perfect for DBZ.

[OutlawTorn]

Agreeing or disagreeing with one another isn't a problem, I think, but why should anybody have their views challenged?

So that they don't live their lives in a constant haze of ignorance on a subject they care much about, like those cultures who think having sex with virgins will cure you of sickness. Having your views challenged isn't really a bad thing in and of itself, it's only when the argument becomes unnecesarily hurtful, either because the listener doesn't handle the challenge well, or when the challenger is a jerk (or both), that it becomes damaging. At least, that's what I think.

It comes with the territory. Sharing an opinion inherently invites discussion (wanted or unwanted) with those that disagree with that opinion. When differing opinions clash, those opinions will usually be challenged by their opponents at some point.

I probably didn't articulate what I meant well enough. I totally agree that voicing opinions is an invitation for opposing arguments, what I meant was a preference over a dub or the original version of an anime doesn't need to be challenged or defended.

It's a purely personal thing and nothing anyone says can change that. So, while the preference can be questioned, it's not a case where someone can say "You're wrong for liking the English version!" any more than I could tell anybody they are wrong for liking the Japanese version if they aren't Japanese.

I'm with that one guy who said it's ok to prefer the FUNi Dub, but don't be hatin' on the original, especially Gokus voice, when next to Freeza and Vegetas, it fits the character perfectly IMO.

Anybody is free to dislike any voice they aren't fond of, regardless of whether it is an original voice or a dub voice. For the record, I vastly prefer Frieza's original voice than the voice he received in the English dub.

So you prefer an inaccurate English dub simply because it's in English?

I will just throw back to my views on the Takara Transformers series, which brought such classics as "Fortress Maximus has come himself!" and Galvatron grieving the death of Soundwave by... yawning loudly? I will, in no way, deny that the English dub for DBZ is flawed and the only reason I am not interested in Kai is because I want Dragon Ball Z, not an officially-accepted Saban-esque and incomplete edit of the series. I have already explained why I cannot watch the entire series subbed so I won't beat that particular dead horse any further.

Through places like this, I can become aware of inaccuracies, but when it comes to my viewing habits I will watch in the manner which I get the most enjoyment. For some that is the Japanese version, for me it's the English version. Everyone's happy. It doesn't mean I despise the Japanese version or think the English version is superior, I am just not fond of a particular performer who plays a significant role through-out the entire series.

As for Son Goku's voice, it goes without saying that I prefer Masako. She's the original... handpicked by Akira Toriyama himself.

Why should Nozawa being handpicked by Toriyama have anything to do with it? If Toriyama said in an interview with Weekly Jump or in a video interview that he enjoyed how FUNimation handled the Dragon Ball series, would that change the opinion of fans who absolutely hate the English dub? Of course, not. So why should it have any bearing on whether Nozawa's portrayal should be universally revered?

Let me just digress for a moment, music from people like Rihanna and Ke$ha and Alicia Keys but I absolutely hate it, a lot worse than I happen to dislike Nozawa's performance, actually. It gives me headaches, to be honest, so I want absolutely nothing to do with it. Others, for reason I cannot fathom, seem to like it. Now, I'm not saying Nozawa's performance induces headaches but the closest comparison I can make is Sabat's "Tasmanian-Vegeta" type power ups before the dub was revised. It annoyed me so much that I had to either mute the TV or change the channel, now that the performance has improved I am not averse to Sabat's Vegeta. I can tolerate Nozawa speaking normally but stuff like the "choking" during the Super Saiyan transformation or whenever she screeches just turns me off it. Keep in mind that, as such, I have not seen a whole lot of the material in Japanese so whether others are similar isn't something I would have experienced.

Anyone who thinks that Tullece should have had a different voice is - yeah - totally missing the point of that character. Nozawa plays that character deeeeeeeead on with her slow, deeper, snarky delivery. In fact, I never quite understood why it wasn't Goku's voice actor of the time (Corlett / Kelamis / Schemmel) that played the character when they got around to dub it in English.

My guess is the character got lost in translation, being seen only as a character who looked like Goku instead of a representation of what he would have been like had he actually been a Saiyan.