Is adult Goku's Japanese voice keeping dub fans away?

[Dr. Casey]

Sometimes I'm mistaken for a girl over the phone, so I'm grateful that Goku has the potential to be mistaken for a woman as well. It makes me feel like I'm in good company. If Goku had a deep manly voice like Mr. Satan, it would make me think that I have to be masculine in every way or I'm a disgrace to the male gender.

[Hao_Kaiser]

I'll preface this by saying that I watched the entire series dubbed in English as a kid.

I have to say, the first time I tried the Japanese version, it wasn't the voices that turned me off, it was the music (which I've grown to love... I was just like, 11, and stupid, at the time).

The voices have never really bothered me. It might be that I knew that Goku was going to sound like a woman, but I watched it, and was like "This works really, really well. She knows how to play the character." And I think that that's all that matters. A bad voice doesn't bother me nearly as much as bad voice acting.

Ironically, I've never gotten the the dreaded "But Goku sounds like a girl" complaint when I mention that I watch the Japanese version, but half the time, the people I'm talking to don't realize that there is a Japanese version. They don't remember it as anime, they remember it as something they watched when they were growing up. I also attend a small high school of kids who are too busy riding their John Deer tractors to know any better.

I guess I could understand someone not really enjoying a Goku voiced by a female, but I'd say it's more likely they they don't enjoy it because it's so different from the voice they love. I see it to be much like how people who watch newer anime via online fansubs won't watch the dub when and if it gets adapted into English. You like the voices you heard first. I think a dislike of change has more to do with it than just Goku's voice (if that makes any sense at all).

And, as a slightly off-topic aside, but I sometimes wonder what the average age of a person who switches versions is. I was in my mid-teens when I switched to the Japanese version altogether, and I almost feel like you're either so young that you don't really care enough to try it, or so old that you're too used to the version you've been watching to accept anything else.

I really, really hope that at least some of this made sense...

[Innagadadavida]

And, as a slightly off-topic aside, but I sometimes wonder what the average age of a person who switches versions is. I was in my mid-teens when I switched to the Japanese version altogether, and I almost feel like you're either so young that you don't really care enough to try it, or so old that you're too used to the version you've been watching to accept anything else.

I really hate the idea that you just have to switch. Its like you can't be an intelligent, well informed Dragon Ball fan without preferring the original version. I understand why people hate on the dub; there's not a lot to be desired. But I like both versions for much different reasons.

By default I still prefer the dub. Its not because I'm too used to the version I've been watching to accept anything else. It's not because I think Goku sounds like a girl... When I just want to veg and chill without obsessing, I'll turn on the dub. But when I really want to enjoy the real series or when I want to know what's actually happening I like to watch the subs.

I don't think that there is a line that once you cross, there's no going back. It's understandable that somebody would watch the original version and it immediately clicks and they have no desire to go back. But that shouldn't be expected of everybody.

[B]

I grew up on Alternative rock, and unless that definition has changed drastically it doesn't cover 'bands' like Disturbed.

While I respect your opinion that their songs are not Dragon Ball-like in the slightest, I must disagree: Disturbed is awesome.

[Hao_Kaiser]

And, as a slightly off-topic aside, but I sometimes wonder what the average age of a person who switches versions is. I was in my mid-teens when I switched to the Japanese version altogether, and I almost feel like you're either so young that you don't really care enough to try it, or so old that you're too used to the version you've been watching to accept anything else.

I really hate the idea that you just have to switch. Its like you can't be an intelligent, well informed Dragon Ball fan without preferring the original version. I understand why people hate on the dub; there's not a lot to be desired. But I like both versions for much different reasons.

By default I still prefer the dub. Its not because I'm too used to the version I've been watching to accept anything else. It's not because I think Goku sounds like a girl... When I just want to veg and chill without obsessing, I'll turn on the dub. But when I really want to enjoy the real series or when I want to know what's actually happening I like to watch the subs.

I don't think that there is a line that once you cross, there's no going back. It's understandable that somebody would watch the original version and it immediately clicks and they have no desire to go back. But that shouldn't be expected of everybody.

Oh... I totally didn't mean to imply that you should have to switch. I realize how it reads that way now, though. Sorry, I'm a little out of it today.

I meant something along the lines of "if they do switch." And I can totally respect being able to appreciate both versions, and at times, I do wish I could enjoy the dub as a whole, due to the parts of it that are very good. But I do think that, for the most part, a person will choose a version and stick with it.

[Tsukento]

Actually in some cultures “woman” is a compliment but here in the States for some reason many take it as an insult.

Bulma didn't take too kindly to Goku just calling her "Bulma" when they first met (insisting he call her "Bulma-san" and what not). She also very well didn't appreciate Vegeta calling her "woman" either.

So considering the language the series comes from, I'd say calling anyone "that woman" is disrespectful. Only places I can think of where it's okay to use that is where women are considered lower than men.

It ain't very well appreciated in many places.

[Innagadadavida]

I meant something along the lines of "if they do switch." And I can totally respect being able to appreciate both versions, and at times, I do wish I could enjoy the dub as a whole, due to the parts of it that are very good. But I do think that, for the most part, a person will choose a version and stick with it.

I feel like if you limit yourself to one dub, you're missing out on so many things from the other.

For example, VegettoEX didn't know what "Is that okay?" came from; it was a horrible dub line and it's hilarious to make fun of. Conversely, many dub only fans wouldn't get TeamFourStar's "It's over 8000" joke. Maybe these aren't great examples because they're both jokes (at the dub's expense no less)...

Come to think of it, I really can't find any reason why one would start watching the dub if they prefer the original, other than the jokes the fans make out of it. But I'm a dubbie at heart, Dragon Ball is the only anime I have ever watched with the subs. Personal reasons are what keeps me attached to the dub. And dedicated fandom is what keeps me watching the subs.

[Adamant]

I feel like if you limit yourself to one dub, you're missing out on so many things from the other.

Wouldn't that hold true to limiting yourself to only three dubs, too? Or four, or five, or ten? Do YOU know which character the narrator in at least one translation compares to Batman?

[Chibi Mystic Gohan]

I feel like if you limit yourself to one dub, you're missing out on so many things from the other.

Wouldn't that hold true to limiting yourself to only three dubs, too? Or four, or five, or ten? Do YOU know which character the narrator in at least one translation compares to Batman?

Do tell!

[Innagadadavida]

Wouldn't that hold true to limiting yourself to only three dubs, too? Or four, or five, or ten?

While it is very true that four, five, or ten dubs would make things less limited, I'm talking about my own native language. Where there are mainly two camps, FUNimation Dub fans, and Subtitled Japanese fans... There is ocean too but that dub uses the same script as the FUNimation dub so they're interchangeable, in my opinion.

The same would apply to each dub. The German dub and the Japanese dub among the German speaking fanbases. One of the many Spanish dubs and the Japanese dub among the Spanish speaking fanbases, ext.

Do YOU know which character the narrator in at least one translation compares to Batman?

What does that mean?

[Adamant]

That would be Cell, in the Danish manga. After he absorbs #17 and transforms into his whatever-it's-called form, the narrator ends the chapter with the line "Hey, did Cell just disguise himself as Batman?"

[NeptuneKai]

The only thing I don't get is how easily dub fans dismiss the original version. I like a lot of under par dubs myself like 4kids One Piece and Sailor Moon but I still watch and respect the original. (I'm not saying anyone here does that I'm just speaking in general terms.)

[omegacwa]

I grew up watching both the English dub and Japanese version. I like Nozowa's voice more than any English Goku. But If I had to pick one English Goku I like the most it would be Peter Kelamis.

[Chrono Trigger]

I grew up watching both the English dub and Japanese version. I like Nozowa's voice more than any English Goku. But If I had to pick one English Goku I like the most it would be Peter Kelamis.

Thank you. I almost never hear anyone give Peter Kelamis any respect yet he gave the greatest performance out of all the English Goku's in The Worlds Strongest. As for the question at hand I have nothing against Ms. Masako. When I first heard her the only thing I really thought was "Oh wow so that's how Goku sounds in Japanese." I don't really lean one way or another when it comes to the Original and Funimation's dub. I feel they both have their strengths and weaknesses and sometimes one version will handle something better than the other.

[Hao_Kaiser]

I meant something along the lines of "if they do switch." And I can totally respect being able to appreciate both versions, and at times, I do wish I could enjoy the dub as a whole, due to the parts of it that are very good. But I do think that, for the most part, a person will choose a version and stick with it.

I feel like if you limit yourself to one dub, you're missing out on so many things from the other.

For example, VegettoEX didn't know what "Is that okay?" came from; it was a horrible dub line and it's hilarious to make fun of. Conversely, many dub only fans wouldn't get TeamFourStar's "It's over 8000" joke. Maybe these aren't great examples because they're both jokes (at the dub's expense no less)...

Come to think of it, I really can't find any reason why one would start watching the dub if they prefer the original, other than the jokes the fans make out of it. But I'm a dubbie at heart, Dragon Ball is the only anime I have ever watched with the subs. Personal reasons are what keeps me attached to the dub. And dedicated fandom is what keeps me watching the subs.

In all fairness, I think in order to prefer one thing over the other, you have to have some experience with both. Like I said, before I began to predominantly watch the subtitled version, I had seen the entirety of FUNi's dub (except GT, because the music really irritated me). I was able to decide that, to me, the original was the better version, and there weren't enough "better" elements of the dub, in my opinion, for me to continue watching.

"Is that okay? pt. 2" is the greatest video - no, the greatest thing, ever made, though.

I used to actually watch the dub on any FUNi singles I got, and then watch the subtitled version, but it slowly grew to the point that I would only watch the subtitled version. But I gave both versions a chance, which is something that I think people that dismiss the original typically won't do.

/lame attempt to drag things back on topic

Does anything similar to ignoring Japanese Dragon Ball because Goku is voiced by a girl happen in any other fandom? It seems to me like the opposite is usually true. I mean, I know a lot of people don't like the Gurren Lagann dub because Kamina doesn't sound "manly enough" when compared to his Japanese counterpart.

/further lame attempt to drag things back on topic

[Velasa]

If I had to pick one English Goku I like the most it would be Peter Kelamis.

He delights me endlessly. Dear Surfer Goku, if only we had known you longer.

[TheGreatness25]

I think that a foreign voice shouldn't "keep fans away". I mean it's a whole TV show. One voice is going to turn fans away? I mean that's just a weird thought. If fans are not into the original there are many things that could attribute to it. The music, or plain and simply having to read subtitles, which is like the worst imaginable thing for many people. I'm okay with it, but I know many that aren't.

[Tommy]

As long as you know it's a different take we're cool then. And with Disturbed, I may never understand it, but you're perfectly welcomed to like them too.

I used to give my brother shit about liking DBZ. It seemed really dumb to me as an outsider. Then he informed me that Disturbed as well as another band I was into at the time, Finger Eleven, had songs in the Lord Slug movie. That's the only reason I ended up giving DBZ a chance.

[Piccolo Daimao]

I don't really mind the Japanese edition of Dragon Ball Z. It's the original version anyway, and the originals are generally better than the newer dubs. Japanese editions have the script down better than the English dub anyway, but since I can't even understand Japanese, I watch the English dub. All those people whining about Goku's voice can go fuck themselves - yes, he does sound high-pitched, but that's the way the voice actor decided to do it in Japan. I'm kind of used to Goku's Japanese voice after playing Budokai 1, which has Japanese voices and English subtitles. What I dislike is how Bardock's voice is so similar to Goku's in Japanese, yet Bardock is supposed to have a more masculine voice because he's a hard-ass Saiyan and all that, while Goku is a bit more soft-natured.

Another note - Chibi Trunks in FUNI's dub is voiced by Laura Bailey, and in the Blue Water dub he is voiced by Patricia Drake - both by women. Now, you can see since Trunks is a child and little kids of male and female genders have similar voices anyway, it's all right to have a woman play him, but you hear no-one complaining about that, do ya?

[Velasa]

Disturbed as well as another band I was into at the time, Finger Eleven, had songs in the Lord Slug movie. That's the only reason I ended up giving DBZ a chance.

Oi, poor Sluggu movie That soundtrack is 60% of why I'll never ever watch it in English. Yes, more than the voices and the delightful 'translation' they did. And I goddamn love this movie unlike most people around here.

What's appealing about this band? Seriously, when they were on stage they played the same two cords, stood there giving us the finger and screamed "Fuck you fuck you fuck you" off key over and over again for almost an hour. It was hell I would have rather been at a Brittney Spears/NSYNC joint concert surrounded by sparkly eyed eight year olds.