Dragonball Kai (FUNimation English) Dub: General Discussion

[dragonfist]

Dameon Clark is doing a great job as Cell he is now on par with Norio Wakamoto.

Woah, woah, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Being good for a change does not equal Wakamoto quality, even if he's a parody of himself at times.

That is thinking Wakamoto is a 'master piece' even in comparison to other DB-villains seiyu

[VegettoEX]

That is thinking Wakamoto is a 'master piece' even in comparison to other DB-villains seiyu

You ended the statement with an eyeroll, so you must be making a sarcastic quip... but I don't actually follow what it is you're trying to say. Can you be more clear?

[Saimaroimaru]

That is thinking Wakamoto is a 'master piece' even in comparison to other DB-villains seiyu

You ended the statement with an eyeroll, so you must be making a sarcastic quip... but I don't actually follow what it is you're trying to say. Can you be more clear?

That Wakamoto isn't a good voice actor compared to others, I assume other japanese voice actors who have voiced other villains besides Cell.

[BlazingFiddlesticks]

Dameon Clark is doing a great job as Cell he is now on par with Norio Wakamoto.

Woah, woah, let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Being good for a change does not equal Wakamoto quality, even if he's a parody of himself at times.

Except as far as I see it, particularly watching those episodes again recently, Clarke was one of the few actors in the original dub who was decent from the get go; some of us were afraid he'd actually lose that touch this time around. To see him like this is amazing. Different standards, I know.

[funrush]

True. As far as I remember, the only decent acting done in the original dub (not counting the insanely stupid scripts) was Kent Williams, as Dr. Gero and the Supreme Kai, Chuck Huber, as #17, and Dameon Clarke as Cell.

[saiyanprimalforce]

True. As far as I remember, the only decent acting done in the original dub (not counting the insanely stupid scripts) was Kent Williams, as Dr. Gero and the Supreme Kai, Chuck Huber, as #17, and Dameon Clarke as Cell.

I'm not sure if I would say Kent Williams was decent as Gero in Z(although I absolutely love him in Kai), nor Huber's initial 17. I never quite understood why they played 17 and 18 as these very toneless characters at first, only to later star to let them have some life to there voice. I think Huber did have some decent moments once they were allowed to actually show a little charisma compared to when they were first activated in the dub. And Gero in Z just sounds too forced for my taste. Too much of "Oh yes, I'm the evil mad doctor." Although maybe in comparison to everyone else at the time, he was decent, .

[BlazingFiddlesticks]

True. As far as I remember, the only decent acting done in the original dub (not counting the insanely stupid scripts) was Kent Williams, as Dr. Gero and the Supreme Kai, Chuck Huber, as #17, and Dameon Clarke as Cell.

I'm not sure if I would say Kent Williams was decent as Gero in Z(although I absolutely love him in Kai), nor Huber's initial 17. I never quite understood why they played 17 and 18 as these very toneless characters at first, only to later star to let them have some life to there voice. I think Huber did have some decent moments once they were allowed to actually show a little charisma compared to when they were first activated in the dub. And Gero in Z just sounds too forced for my taste. Too much of "Oh yes, I'm the evil mad doctor." Although maybe in comparison to everyone else at the time, he was decent, .

But that's just it, when I watch the Kai dub, Gero is probably the one character whom I feel the actor (Kent, in this case) was simply picking a voice back off the shelf. I was actually underwhelmed, given the "The voices you love, only competent by any measure this time!" trend the Kai dub was putting out. Chuck Huber was better, yes, but Kent Williams just seemed consistent. Same with Eric Vale/Johnson after the first couple episodes as Trunks; better screaming and his few clearly awkward moments aside.

[dragonfist]

That is thinking Wakamoto is a 'master piece' even in comparison to other DB-villains seiyu

You ended the statement with an eyeroll, so you must be making a sarcastic quip... but I don't actually follow what it is you're trying to say. Can you be more clear?

That Wakamoto isn't a good voice actor compared to others, I assume other japanese voice actors who have voiced other villains besides Cell.

What he said. "Tries to hide inside a cave to escape Mike's wrath". Personally I don't find him interesting voicing Cell. Prefer the other villain's seiyus on their roles,say, Ryo Horikawa, Ryusei Nakao & Kōzō Shioya. Prefer my shonen villains with their quirks. Wakamoto's Cell sounds in Z too sober, which is how I can describe it, you know?

[Ringworm128]

Being good for a change does not equal Wakamoto quality.times.

Well everyone is entitled to their opinion but I have had a good listen to both voices and I have to say their pretty equal Wakamoto's Z performance slightly taking the edge over Clarke's Kai performance and Clarke's Kai performance blowing Wakamoto's out of the water. Also Clarke's Cell voice has always been good it just didn't have some of the charms that his Japanese counterpart had and he did a pretty good job of acting considering he was a newbie also his performance had points taken off due to the bad script most notably this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCo2vWIf0z0

[JulieYBM]

Wakamoto Norio's performance as Cell during the nineties (when Wakamoto was still in proper shape) is a performance very rarely matched. Only Hayami Shou's Aizen Sousuke and Nakao Ryuusei's Freeza have ever reached the level of smoothness and confidence that drips from the lips of Wakamoto Norio's lips. It is, in as apt a manner as I can phrase it, the sweet nectar of omnipotence freshly sqeezed from the fruit of God's garden.

[saiyanprimalforce]

True. As far as I remember, the only decent acting done in the original dub (not counting the insanely stupid scripts) was Kent Williams, as Dr. Gero and the Supreme Kai, Chuck Huber, as #17, and Dameon Clarke as Cell.

I'm not sure if I would say Kent Williams was decent as Gero in Z(although I absolutely love him in Kai), nor Huber's initial 17. I never quite understood why they played 17 and 18 as these very toneless characters at first, only to later star to let them have some life to there voice. I think Huber did have some decent moments once they were allowed to actually show a little charisma compared to when they were first activated in the dub. And Gero in Z just sounds too forced for my taste. Too much of "Oh yes, I'm the evil mad doctor." Although maybe in comparison to everyone else at the time, he was decent, .

But that's just it, when I watch the Kai dub, Gero is probably the one character whom I feel the actor (Kent, in this case) was simply picking a voice back off the shelf. I was actually underwhelmed, given the "The voices you love, only competent by any measure this time!" trend the Kai dub was putting out. Chuck Huber was better, yes, but Kent Williams just seemed consistent. Same with Eric Vale/Johnson after the first couple episodes as Trunks; better screaming and his few clearly awkward moments aside.

I gotta disagree with that. Kent Williams performance is 100000000000000000000000000000000000000x times better in Kai than in the Z dub. His voice itself was okay in Z, but his acting has so much more range. It's a lot of more subtle touchs, as well, like how when he and 19 are first introduce, he's more of a cold and flat *android* kind of voice(helped by the dialogue as well), but as things begin to unravel, he clearly reverts more to the good doctor persona, and a man very, very desperate that's back in a corner. In Z, he's just kind keeps this flat, evil scientist overtone on his voice. All you have to do is compare the scene with 17 and 18 in the lab to see what I mean. Even if it's practically the same voice, their still vastly different performances. . .at least to me. In Kai, he sounds like a man who's lost complete control of the situation, while in Z, it's just "Ar I'm de here evil mad doctor. Gr, you will obey me. Gr."

And btw--I honestly think Eric Vale was fine from the start. It's just offsetting at first because it's what your not used too(the grit behind his voice, I mean). I was very disoriented with Clickenbeard's 18 voice, not because it was bad, but because I was so used a deeper voice(McCoy's, more or less), the picture and the voice just seemed weird. But once you get past that, it's so natural, and the perfect fit(I absolutely love her 18. Fits the character perfectly). I had the same feeling with Gohan as well, because I was so used to hearing Stephanie, as far as an English dub goes.

And, as far as my opinion on Wakamoto. I love Wakamoto, but I also love Clarke's Cell. Very happy their taking it in a new, more Japanese-based direction. Which is what I've always hoped Clarke would get the opportunity to do one day, since the man has the goods to deliver a memorable Cell performance. I don't know if he can top Ayres, but I really don't care to get into a pissing contest about that. They're both totally awesome VA's.

[BlazingFiddlesticks]

I gotta disagree with that. Kent Williams performance is 100000000000000000000000000000000000000x times better in Kai than in the Z dub. His voice itself was okay in Z, but his acting has so much more range. It's a lot of more subtle touchs, as well, like how when he and 19 are first introduce, he's more of a cold and flat *android* kind of voice(helped by the dialogue as well), but as things begin to unravel, he clearly reverts more to the good doctor persona, and a man very, very desperate that's back in a corner. In Z, he's just kind keeps this flat, evil scientist overtone on his voice. All you have to do is compare the scene with 17 and 18 in the lab to see what I mean. Even if it's practically the same voice, their still vastly different performances. . .at least to me. In Kai, he sounds like a man who's lost complete control of the situation, while in Z, it's just "Ar I'm de here evil mad doctor. Gr, you will obey me. Gr."

This is the one instance where I can agree with you on principle, that scene never did feel right in the original dub. I'll have to run through those episodes again to check this out.

I was very disoriented with Clickenbeard's 18 voice, not because it was bad, but because I was so used a deeper voice(McCoy's, more or less), the picture and the voice just seemed weird. But once you get past that, it's so natural, and the perfect fit(I absolutely love her 18. Fits the character perfectly). I had the same feeling with Gohan as well, because I was so used to hearing Stephanie, as far as an English dub goes.

Agreement, I think we all were. Clickenbeard's Gohan is just a lot easier to get used to than her 18, probably because Gohan has a little less leeway as to how to portray him, whereas Clickenbeard seems to have lost McCoy's angry edge in favor of something else that ultimately worked. Because it had to ultimately work, none of Kai's voice changes have really been that botched.

And, as far as my opinion on Wakamoto. I love Wakamoto, but I also love Clarke's Cell. Very happy their taking it in a new, more Japanese-based direction. Which is what I've always hoped Clarke would get the opportunity to do one day, since the man has the goods to deliver a memorable Cell performance. I don't know if he can top Ayres, but I really don't care to get into a pissing contest about that. They're both totally awesome VA's.

Probably going to go back to my usual opinion that Perfect Cell is too bishonen for Wakamoto, whilst he absolutely owns the other two (I was messing around with the episode where Trunks kills the jinzos in the future, and Cell's dialogue was so perfectly hammy that I can see why Wakamoto could eventually get bored with the role even as he made it epic with sheer vocals). Clarke's faux-sophisticate take, now with an appropriate side of ham in Kai, just seems to fit PC's ego far better.

[SRB2Unleashed]

Part 7 still hasn't been annouced yet...this is troubling. It never takes this long to annouce a Kai set. Atleast a trailer would've been uploaded.

[DB_Fan1991]

The dub titles up to episode 91 have been revealed and Mr. Satan's name in the Nicktoons version is of course H-word as we all predicted.

[penguintruth]

No big shocker there. But I expect the uncut dub to have no remnant of the H word in it, not even to make it PART of his name.

[saiyanprimalforce]

I gotta disagree with that. Kent Williams performance is 100000000000000000000000000000000000000x times better in Kai than in the Z dub. His voice itself was okay in Z, but his acting has so much more range. It's a lot of more subtle touchs, as well, like how when he and 19 are first introduce, he's more of a cold and flat *android* kind of voice(helped by the dialogue as well), but as things begin to unravel, he clearly reverts more to the good doctor persona, and a man very, very desperate that's back in a corner. In Z, he's just kind keeps this flat, evil scientist overtone on his voice. All you have to do is compare the scene with 17 and 18 in the lab to see what I mean. Even if it's practically the same voice, their still vastly different performances. . .at least to me. In Kai, he sounds like a man who's lost complete control of the situation, while in Z, it's just "Ar I'm de here evil mad doctor. Gr, you will obey me. Gr."

This is the one instance where I can agree with you on principle, that scene never did feel right in the original dub. I'll have to run through those episodes again to check this out.

I was very disoriented with Clickenbeard's 18 voice, not because it was bad, but because I was so used a deeper voice(McCoy's, more or less), the picture and the voice just seemed weird. But once you get past that, it's so natural, and the perfect fit(I absolutely love her 18. Fits the character perfectly). I had the same feeling with Gohan as well, because I was so used to hearing Stephanie, as far as an English dub goes.

Agreement, I think we all were. Clickenbeard's Gohan is just a lot easier to get used to than her 18, probably because Gohan has a little less leeway as to how to portray him, whereas Clickenbeard seems to have lost McCoy's angry edge in favor of something else that ultimately worked. Because it had to ultimately work, none of Kai's voice changes have really been that botched.

And, as far as my opinion on Wakamoto. I love Wakamoto, but I also love Clarke's Cell. Very happy their taking it in a new, more Japanese-based direction. Which is what I've always hoped Clarke would get the opportunity to do one day, since the man has the goods to deliver a memorable Cell performance. I don't know if he can top Ayres, but I really don't care to get into a pissing contest about that. They're both totally awesome VA's.

Probably going to go back to my usual opinion that Perfect Cell is too bishonen for Wakamoto, whilst he absolutely owns the other two (I was messing around with the episode where Trunks kills the jinzos in the future, and Cell's dialogue was so perfectly hammy that I can see why Wakamoto could eventually get bored with the role even as he made it epic with sheer vocals). Clarke's faux-sophisticate take, now with an appropriate side of ham in Kai, just seems to fit PC's ego far better.

Well, I myself have been through the funi dub android episodes recently(due to my project), so I've kind got a front row seat at just how different the two performances are. But I suppose it's all subjective in the end. As far as Clickenbeard's 18, I would say I don't think she lost an angry edge. I mean, that was one of my concerns, since the japanese VA for 18 has always been the best of both worlds in that regard(She can go from sounding cute to OMG ULTRA BITCH MODE!). And though I've only sat through the Part 6 episodes once so far, I thought she captured 18's small bits of outrage in the confrontation against Semi-Perfect Cell just dandy. But, I won't say that's a totally solid opinion, since, yeah, only watched it once at this point. And quite honestly, I don't think McCoy was really good at being angry, or emoting really at all(even though she was certainly a decent VA). My case in point would have to be the Super Android 17 episodes in GT(it don't exist). 18's japanese va knocked it out the ballpark as far as sounding like a woman going off the deep end after the murder of her husband. McCoy just sounded. . .flustered, I guess.

But as far as Wakamoto, I can't say I'm a professional critic of japanese voice acting(I think it's certainly easier to critique your own native language va versus a foreign va. . .to an extent, anyways) as to whether he merits such high praise or not, but I've always enjoyed his voice as Cell, in all forms, and always found him very enjoyable(that man had some lungs back in the original Z now!). But yes, Clarke's faux-sophistication certainly meshes with what Cell's personality very well. Especially now that we're getting a serious version, I only expect great things from the remaining episodes.

Part 7 still hasn't been annouced yet...this is troubling. It never takes this long to annouce a Kai set. Atleast a trailer would've been uploaded.

I hope it doesn't come out until late March for myself. This music placing business don't come easy or cheap on time.

No big shocker there. But I expect the uncut dub to have no remnant of the H word in it, not even to make it PART of his name.

Or so we hope. Yet somehow I feel it's inevitable that we're going to get a Solar Flare or DUDE, MY TRUCK!! goof on the remaining two sets. Funi enough(see what I did there?), that in the uncut cell game dvds, since they didn't release them until what, 2-3 years after the cell games originally aired?, they forgot to dub some Mr. Satan lines in place of Hercule ones, so so much for consistency there!

[Tanooki Kuribo]

The dub titles up to episode 91 have been revealed and Mr. Satan's name in the Nicktoons version is of course H-word as we all predicted.

Hitler?

OK, I know what you're talking about. I didn't think they would call him Mr.Satan in this TV version especially since it's more watered down than Toonami was. Oh well, I just hope they don't call him "H****** Satan" in the uncut dub like they did in the uncut DBZ dub.

[AgitoZ]

Don't they still use Tienshinhan? I doubt they'll change to Mr. Satan now.

[bkev]

Even as far back as the Cell Games, AgitoZ, the uncut dub has referred to him as Mr. Satan - barring a few instances, whether intentional or mistakes.

[DB_Fan1991]

Don't they still use Tienshinhan? I doubt they'll change to Mr. Satan now.

Only in the 1st episode, but it's just Tien now.