Funimation comments on Battle of Gods' status

[Mewzard]

Fox used the Dub Digimon Adventure 1 cast for the movie so I don't see why they wouldn't use Funi, or at the very least Ocean Dub.

I have no documentable proof, but I've heard mumblings quite a lot in the past that they considered re-casting for that as well. So it's always hard to tell really.

I see. Well even if that's true (its very possible) the dub was picked in the end, so score one for dubs! So perhaps Funi could get their roles given to them. I'm sure Funi would strongly appeal to FOX to play their roles if the movie comes over here.


How is BOG different from every other DB/Z movie that Funi just can't grab it and run?

I've heard that thanks to the crappy Live Action Movie, Fox contractually gets first dibs on DBZ movies. They have to pass on it for Funi to do it on their own.

[Big Momma]

Even IF it's better (and given Fox sometimes, and some terrible celebrity voice work that's been done at times, I don't see that as likely), fans attached to a set of voices like myself won't care.

Just imagine if the Japanese cast was replaced with the perfect storm of best voice actors on the planet. Every single member somehow has the perfect voice for the role and decades of acting chops to make every scene perfect...would you care if it meant losing every single voice actor? Or, if that's not enough, say they were to physically replace the old audio on all releases so you can never get this cast's work again (or, replaced via time travel, but you know about it before it happens if that's the extreme you need *Think an Imagin from Kamen Rider Den-O did something to the voice cast*)..wouldn't you be upset regardless?

I feel that way about both the Japanese cast AND Funi's dub cast. At this point, I care about them both equally (I was originally a dubbie, then the Japanese cast won me over thanks to uncut DVD releases...then Kai helped boost my love for the dub cast back up, lol), which is why this matters to me so strongly. Me losing Schemmel as Goku would upset me as much as losing Nozawa as Goku (which would upset me greatly, she's fantastic).

I know here, the sub is the king of the nest, but you can be a strong, fan of over half your life and like both. I've always been a passionate fan who loves the series (I do own the SJ versions of the DB/Z manga and enjoyed reading those, got all of Z in Dragon Boxes but the last...need the money, and I've got the first four Kai sets on DVD *planning to get the Blu Rays of the Seasons in the near future*).

I just feel fans of the Funi cast like myself want them to stay more than anyone else who would want to watch a dub would want a new cast. It's pretty make-or-break for me.

While you have a point, you have to keep in mind that, if there was a new cast, it'd only be for this movie. Of course I'd have a problem too it were to be a permanent change, but this only BoG we're talking about.

[Mewzard]

While you have a point, you have to keep in mind that, if there was a new cast, it'd only be for this movie. Of course I'd have a problem too it were to be a permanent change, but this only BoG we're talking about.

Yeah, this is only the first new DBZ movie proper in about 17-18 years, and the potential point for any future continuation in the series. Why would that matter? >_>

The issue is, if it succeeds, they'll keep doing it for every movie afterwards...if it fails, we'll still have that movie stuck with a fox dub for, what, another 10-20 years until Funi can negotiate it out? Took forever to get some stuff dubbed/released on DVD due to old dubs, and they weren't Fox.

[Fennekin]

Why does FOX get first dibs on these movies? Toei/FUNimation can handle this movie just fine without them.

[Chuquita]

It's a side effect (or residue) of the LAM. When FOX bought the rights to make a DB movie it also gave them rights affecting all future DB movie releases for films that hadn't been made yet. I doubt BOG was even a glimmer in someone's eye back in 07 when all that DBE stuff began.

On the plus side, being ignored by FOX on DBE as to advice lit a fire under Toriyama and got him to work super hard on BOG, so.

[Fennekin]

Speaking of DBE, I wonder if FOX would use any of the actors for the VA's if they chose to dub the movie.

[Hellspawn28]

I highly doubt they will use anyone from DBE given that hardly anyone in the US saw that movie. I still think it's silly that people are thinking Fox will use big name actors to dub Battle of Gods.

[WesMan23]

I highly doubt they will use anyone from DBE given that hardly anyone in the US saw that movie. I still think it's silly that people are thinking Fox will use big name actors to dub Battle of Gods.

It may be silly, but I can see it being a legitimate worry. We waited for years for a LAM of Dragon Ball. We got, well, we know what we got. It's just a worry in the back of some our minds that FOX will snub FUNi's VAs on this, and go with their own "talent" with BOG. I don't think anybody wants that, and I believe it's unlikely, but after the Evolution disaster, it's still kind of a fear.

[OmegaRockman]

You know, why doesn't everybody who's concerned about the Funimation actors returning for the dub band together and let FOX know that they would be the preferred cast for the movie? If we make our voices heard, maybe FOX will know how bad of an idea it would be to suddenly change the whole cast on us if they do in fact end up doing the dub themselves. Maybe we could even convince them to give Funimation the U.S. dubbing and distribution rights altogether. At this point I'm sure FOX would be pretty afraid of fan backlash after the failure that was Evolution and actually listen to what the fans want for Battle of Gods.

[WesMan23]

You know, why doesn't everybody who's concerned about the Funimation actors returning for the dub band together and let FOX know that they would be the preferred cast for the movie? If we make our voices heard, maybe FOX will know how bad of an idea it would be to suddenly change the whole cast on us if they do in fact end up doing the dub themselves. Maybe we could even convince them to give Funimation the U.S. dubbing and distribution rights altogether. At this point I'm sure FOX would be pretty afraid of fan backlash after the failure that was Evolution and actually listen to what the fans want for Battle of Gods.

That could work. What I worry about is that they do re-cast it with bigger names thinking they will make money. "Hmm, Japanese San Goko sounds like a girl, how about Nancy Cartwright? And this Picadilly green guy, he does karaoke in the movie, Seth MacFarlane can sing, so he's perfect! How about that purple bunny rabbit? Can we get Frank Welker? He usually does animals pretty well." Rather than listening to the fans of DBZ, they will just look at their wallets and bank accounts, and see dollar signs, and we get screwed over. But, I absolutely support a petition to convince Fox to use FUNi voices.

[B]

On the topic of FOX getting different actors, what constitutes a "big-name actor"? The B-listers that make up today's big-budget CGI movie casts? I mean, look at the English dubs for Ghibli films. It's a mix of relatively well-known people and unknowns. Not that celebrity bears insight on quality or talent, but you look at a handful of names and you'd have to be reaching pretty hard to call something like The Shield's Michael Chiklis being in the Spirited Away dub "stunt casting," because the kids watching DB are so down with gritty FX dramas?

This movie getting that type of care wouldn't be the worst thing to happen to Dragon Ball.

[Hellspawn28]

DBE only made $9,362,785 in the US, I just don't see Fox using a voice cast from a failure. Funi voice actors are most likely much cheaper to use then the DBE voice cast.

[Fennekin]

On a funny note, I found this "rare" video of a representative of 20th Century Fox talking about what they really think about Dragon Ball (Warning: It has swearing):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loWqY27_WoQ

[B]

I'm so glad FUNimation doesn't care about money.

[Hellspawn28]

I'm so glad FUNimation doesn't care about money.

They do care about money. Other wise everything DBZ related since 1996 would not be here right now.

[Big Momma]

While you have a point, you have to keep in mind that, if there was a new cast, it'd only be for this movie. Of course I'd have a problem too it were to be a permanent change, but this only BoG we're talking about.

Yeah, this is only the first new DBZ movie proper in about 17-18 years, and the potential point for any future continuation in the series. Why would that matter? >_>

But it's still just one movie. The same thing happened with Evangelion. When the Rebuild films were made, a lot of the original cast was recast (Well, pretty much just non-main characters, but Rei was changed.)

[WesMan23]

I'm so glad FUNimation doesn't care about money.

They do care about money. Other wise everything DBZ related since 1996 would not be here right now.

I think they have to care a lot about fans now, too. Or else they would have perhaps gone the same route on Kai that they did with Z, and make it pretty inaccurate. Even if the script was accurate, the actors improved as well. They were doing more than just phoning in a performance for a quick check. I think, at the very least, Sabat and Schemmel respect the source material enough now, to care about the products they put out, even if the final goal is money. I can't really blame them for wanting more money, as long as they do a good job with the material, which, for the past few years, they've done a respectable job. I think, that if FUNi's talent pool dubs BOG, it should be pretty close to the original, and a faithful version.

Though, I am sure there will be a TV version which omits any and all references to SSJ God Goku, and Beers and Whis being gods, just make them super-beings or something like that. I want to be wrong on that, and since the English title is Battle of Gods, maybe I will be wrong. As long as they don't massacre that version too much, we'll be good. Of course, when it comes out on US home release, I will promptly purchase it. If it comes out in theaters stateside, I will go see it then, as well. Regardless of how good or bad it's said to be, I (among many others, I'm sure) will be watching it.

[aarondirebear]

Am I still the only person left who openly hates FUNi and would much prefer a fansub?

[WesMan23]

Am I still the only person left who openly hates FUNi and would much prefer a fansub?

Pretty sure penguintruth still openly hates their DBZ dub at least. Thing is, I'm sure there's a lot who do hate FUNi, but it won't prevent them from releasing the product. Somebody will get their hands on a non-camripped copy of the Japanese BOG, and sub it themselves, and you, and whoever else, can enjoy that. But I do believe that most of us would much rather have an official English-language release, or French, Spanish, or other languages that fans speak natively. If for nothing else, just to add to our collection of memorabilia, merchandise, and other DB items. You can't really "own" a fansub as part of your collection, that's just for casual viewing more than anything. It doesn't usually have packaging, booklets, interviews, or those types of goodies and extras. I'm not trying to minimize your fandom, but to a collector, a fansub just isn't going to cut it, but you can still certainly enjoy it up to a certain point.

Besides, FUNi's subtitles seem pretty accurate, and if they continue with their dubbing method, the home release should have an option for Japanese audio with English subtitles. I don't really see what a fansub offers that a mostly accurate official subtitle doesn't.

[songohan619]

Am I still the only person left who openly hates FUNi and would much prefer a fansub?

FANsub? Yes you are!