Dragonball Kai (FUNimation English) Dub: General Discussion

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Man, I don't know how you guys do it. When I watch Kai on TV, I almost never think about which version did which better. I just see it and accept that this is how Kai does it. I mean, the way I see it is that this doesn't detract from anything else. I don't see the point in measuring up each and every little detail.

I guess that's why I'm able to enjoy the show so much.

I can't watch Kai on TV, since I don't live in the states. But when I'm watching Kai on DVD, I can't not notice how much this dub kicks the old dub's ass.

[MetalMadness]

Which reminds me, does anybody know any way or form to contact Dameon Clarke?

I tried sending him an email on his website but I kept getting a failed message sent notification.

Reason I'm asking is because I really, really want him to return as Cell for Kai, and I'd like to ask him about his thoughts about it. Honestly, Travis Willingham just does an impression of Clarke - a good impression, but an impression nonetheless. Willingham isn't doing his own thing for the character, so why have an impression instead of the real deal?

Has Clarke really quit voice acting for good? Has he done any recent voice work at all?

[Metalwario64]

Has Clarke really quit voice acting for good? Has he done any recent voice work at all?

All he's ever done were some recordings for Dragon Ball video games I believe. I think his most recent work was in Revenge of King Piccolo (at least the credits state he was), but even in recent games like Burst Limit and Raging Blast he was replaced by Willingham as Cell.

[JulieYBM]

Which reminds me, does anybody know any way or form to contact Dameon Clarke?

I tried sending him an email on his website but I kept getting a failed message sent notification.

Reason I'm asking is because I really, really want him to return as Cell for Kai, and I'd like to ask him about his thoughts about it. Honestly, Travis Willingham just does an impression of Clarke - a good impression, but an impression nonetheless. Willingham isn't doing his own thing for the character, so why have an impression instead of the real deal?

Has Clarke really quit voice acting for good? Has he done any recent voice work at all?

He does have a twitter account. Try sending him a message (a direct message, that is) and he should receive an email telling him he got one. Of course, you have to say what you have to say in 140 characters or less...

[jjgp1112]

Has Clarke really quit voice acting for good? Has he done any recent voice work at all?

All he's ever done were some recordings for Dragon Ball video games I believe. I think his most recent work was in Revenge of King Piccolo (at least the credits state he was), but even in recent games like Burst Limit and Raging Blast he was replaced by Willingham as Cell.

Actually, Burst Limit was Clarke himself, although he was credited under a pseudonym.

[JulieYBM]

Yeah, Dartarian Nickelback or something.

Clarke's with the SAG now so I do not believe he is allowed to do non-union work, i.e. work for FUNimation. He also probably doesn't want to fly out and house himself for peanuts.

[Rory]

Man, I don't know how you guys do it. When I watch Kai on TV, I almost never think about which version did which better. I just see it and accept that this is how Kai does it. I mean, the way I see it is that this doesn't detract from anything else. I don't see the point in measuring up each and every little detail.

I guess that's why I'm able to enjoy the show so much.

I guess it kind of depends on how long you've watched the series for, or how many times you've seen it.
I've watched Z in so many forms, discussed the voice cast so much and played so many of the video games that it's hard not to draw some comparison while watching. Growing up with the Ocean cast, to switch to FUNimation, only to switch back to Ocean, then FUNimation and back to Ocean again, all on it's original (UK) run. Even as a kid I would often find FUNimation's voices to be a tad alien to me when they appeared, and preferred Ocean cast. Since then I've watched the show in it's entirety in Japanese, as well as re-visit FUNimation's dub (not in it's entirety, couldn't put myself through that).
You said on the latest podcast episode that METEOR was your first Dragon Ball game, right? It could be a similar situation to that, I think.
If you've got no form of comparison, METEOR would really be the shit, but if you've gone through the same song and dance over and over (since games from the mid-90's, not just the Sparking! titles) then you wouldn't be able to enjoy it anywhere near as much as somebody who just picked up METEOR as their first Dragon Ball game. You would analyse the game a great deal, because you may have seen it done better, or worse in the past.
Now I'm aware that you've seen the show before Kai, but if I'm just making a point that not everyone can wipe the slate clean.
Being able to observe and compare doesn't detract from the experience, for some it makes it even better. I'm enjoying the shit out of Kai's dub, especially Freeza and Gohan's new voices and always look forward to see next weeks performances.

Now to completely contradict myself.
This latest episode kinda sucked. Schemmel sounded Season 3-ish at several points, sounding like he was straining to form the Genki-Dama.... shouldn't he have just sounded exhausted, instead of making those awkward noises. The script wasn't exactly the best at times either, ranging from acceptable to just plain wrong. "He's gathering energy from the entire universe!" made me stop and 'hu-whaaaa?'.

[Metalwario64]

Actually, Burst Limit was Clarke himself, although he was credited under a pseudonym.

Ah, I actually remember hearing that now, but seems I had forgotten.

[Megaman87]

When Meredith McCoy's gone.... Maybe~!? I think Stephanie Young will be re-voice as #18 in Dragon Ball Kai soon without Colleen~!!

I think~!??

[Mewzard]

Man, I don't know how you guys do it. When I watch Kai on TV, I almost never think about which version did which better. I just see it and accept that this is how Kai does it. I mean, the way I see it is that this doesn't detract from anything else. I don't see the point in measuring up each and every little detail.

I guess that's why I'm able to enjoy the show so much.

I guess it kind of depends on how long you've watched the series for, or how many times you've seen it.
I've watched Z in so many forms, discussed the voice cast so much and played so many of the video games that it's hard not to draw some comparison while watching. Growing up with the Ocean cast, to switch to FUNimation, only to switch back to Ocean, then FUNimation and back to Ocean again, all on it's original (UK) run. Even as a kid I would often find FUNimation's voices to be a tad alien to me when they appeared, and preferred Ocean cast. Since then I've watched the show in it's entirety in Japanese, as well as re-visit FUNimation's dub (not in it's entirety, couldn't put myself through that).
You said on the latest podcast episode that METEOR was your first Dragon Ball game, right? It could be a similar situation to that, I think.
If you've got no form of comparison, METEOR would really be the shit, but if you've gone through the same song and dance over and over (since games from the mid-90's, not just the Sparking! titles) then you wouldn't be able to enjoy it anywhere near as much as somebody who just picked up METEOR as their first Dragon Ball game. You would analyse the game a great deal, because you may have seen it done better, or worse in the past.
Now I'm aware that you've seen the show before Kai, but if I'm just making a point that not everyone can wipe the slate clean.
Being able to observe and compare doesn't detract from the experience, for some it makes it even better. I'm enjoying the shit out of Kai's dub, especially Freeza and Gohan's new voices and always look forward to see next weeks performances.

Now to completely contradict myself.
This latest episode kinda sucked. Schemmel sounded Season 3-ish at several points, sounding like he was straining to form the Genki-Dama.... shouldn't he have just sounded exhausted, instead of making those awkward noises. The script wasn't exactly the best at times either, ranging from acceptable to just plain wrong. "He's gathering energy from the entire universe!" made me stop and 'hu-whaaaa?'.

1. The Spirit Bomb Krillin saw on Earth was barely bigger than his head.

2. He didn't know how much was missing from it

3. There was barely any life left on Namek, to his noticing (he probably ignored most sea life).

4. Krillin likely didn't know how large the universe really is, or assumed there was less life than there truly was.

Characters can be mistaken in series. To Krillin, that jump in size could be seen as something beyond his normal perception. He thought Universe, so he said it. Or should Krillin know exactly how much he's drawn from based on seeing a weakened Spirit Bomb once?

Goku said it himself that he was drawing from the nearby planets (though, he thought he might need energy from much more than that).

[Rory]

But that isn't what he said in the original. So why should the line be changed in this version when it was actually correct in their first attempt? Kuririn wasn't wrong, FUNimation's script was, I shouldn't have to start making excuses for a dub.
I'm aware that this is a very minor thing to be criticising right now, but it will make for a much less effective Genki-Dama in the Boo arc.

[Innagadadavida]

I guess it kind of depends on how long you've watched the series for, or how many times you've seen it. EXT...

Well, I was actually directing that comment at the people who popped in and simply said "the Z dub did it better". I wasn't necessarily speaking for FUNimation's dub, but Kai in general. I should have been a little more specific because I don't actually mean that there's no room for comparison. Obviously with Kai being so close to, and in fact derived from, the original version, there's going to be a comparison no matter what. What I'm trying to point out is-- what is the point of watching the show if all you're going to do is sit and think about how a previous version did it better? Moreover, what would those who make these claims prefer? That Z Kai be exactly the same as the original or the English dub that preceded it? That's the only preference I can surmise when that is all that person says in regards to the series.

[Mewzard]

But that isn't what he said in the original. So why should the line be changed in this version when it was actually correct in their first attempt? Kuririn wasn't wrong, FUNimation's script was, I shouldn't have to start making excuses for a dub.
I'm aware that this is a very minor thing to be criticising right now, but it will make for a much less effective Genki-Dama in the Boo arc.

I'm just saying Krillin doesn't have to be infallible, lol. And it might be an edited dub only thing, who knows? Adding dramatic tension at personal request from one of the TV companies? changing the wording that might mention dead worlds? We honestly don't know at this point. Wish I could ask someone at Funi though...might just have been a rushed mistake.

[Garlic]

I agree with mewzard considering goku`s kinda stupid sometimes and doesn`t really think all that much.

[Gozar]

There's one thing that really stood out to me after watching the episode again. John Burgmeier sounded REALLY bored as Tenshinhan this episode. It just sounded like he didn't wanna be there at all. Anybody else notice that?

I've noticed that since Tenshinhan's first lines in the Kai Dub. John doesn't seem to bring any energy to the role anymore. I feel his performance after Chaozu's death against Nappa was infinitly better in the Z Dub than in Kai. It's really like he's not trying anymore, which is a real shame because I've always loved his Tenshinhan voice.

[penguintruth]

I don't mind Burgmeier's Tenshinhan, but it's not great. He makes the character sound like he's always extremely irritated.

There's never been a really great English voice for the character.

Burgmeier's scripts are his best contribution to the Kai dub.

[Innagadadavida]

There's one thing that really stood out to me after watching the episode again. John Burgmeier sounded REALLY bored as Tenshinhan this episode. It just sounded like he didn't wanna be there at all. Anybody else notice that?

I've noticed that since Tenshinhan's first lines in the Kai Dub. John doesn't seem to bring any energy to the role anymore. I feel his performance after Chaozu's death against Nappa was infinitly better in the Z Dub than in Kai. It's really like he's not trying anymore, which is a real shame because I've always loved his Tenshinhan voice.

Man, I really don't know what you're talking about. I went back to listen to his original performance and I've got to say his performance in Z Kai trumps it in every way possible. In the original he was just kind of yelling. In Z Kai there's fear and uncertainty in his voice. You can feel the pain he's feeling. The Kai version gives me goosebumps. It was a fantastic delivery.

Though, I also feel like the music was much more appropriate in Kai.

[MetalMadness]

Speaking of which, it's 3 weeks until Part 3 comes out (damn time flies), has anybody gotten their set shipped from Rightstuf yet?

[xzero]

Speaking of which, it's 3 weeks until Part 3 comes out (damn time flies), has anybody gotten their set shipped from Rightstuf yet?

I literally just got the email from Rightstuf confirming that mine's shipped. Which truly sucks because it's a Christmas gift

[ThunderPX]

The weird thing is, John Burgmeier also voiced Kurama on Yu Yu Hakusho, using a much calmer voice. I think if he used something like that for Tenshinhan, it would sound a lot closer to the Japanese version.