The Harmony Gold Dub & Broadcast Audio Discussion Thread

[Damned]

So I take it you don't have the episode 1-3 tape? That is unfortunate. Oh well I guess. I'm sure we can eventually dig it up down the line. I do hope that Chris can come through, though I'm guessing since this is the original Dragon Ball, Funimation might not care enough to do a new release with the Harmony Gold dub.

[Robo4900]

So I take it you don't have the episode 1-3 tape? That is unfortunate. Oh well I guess. I'm sure we can eventually dig it up down the line. I do hope that Chris can come through, though I'm guessing since this is the original Dragon Ball, Funimation might not care enough to do a new release with the Harmony Gold dub.

Yeah, but it's the very first English version of Dragon Ball, so they might release some kind of celebratory 2xDVD set, or maybe have a DVD extra on it at some point. Maybe they could do a legacy DB dub box set, kind of like the Rock The Dragon set. Maybe they could throw in the BLT dub too.

[Damned]

Well, I think Funimation would only be interested if Chris could give them everything (All five episodes and the movie). Plus, I get the feeling they wouldn't release anything unless it was in pristine condition. Their Public Relations guys might feel releasing "damaged" footage would make them look bad as a company and hurt their reputation. Considering how the only copies of these episodes are on VHS tapes, which are infamous for not being archive friendly, I get the feeling the chances are quite low that Funimation would be cool with releasing the first ever English dub of Dragon Ball. Still, I want to at least make an effort to get an official release out there. An unofficial release should be an absolute last resort.

Derek, if you can track down that audio tape, count me in for a donation. I know a couple of other guys who want to donate as well, and depending on how much they donate, I may foot the rest of the bill.

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

Well, I think Funimation would only be interested if Chris could give them everything (All five episodes and the movie). Plus, I get the feeling they wouldn't release anything unless it was in pristine condition. Their Public Relations guys might feel releasing "damaged" footage would make them look bad as a company and hurt their reputation. Considering how the only copies of these episodes are on VHS tapes, which are infamous for not being archive friendly, I get the feeling the chances are quite low that Funimation would be cool with releasing the first ever English dub of Dragon Ball. Still, I want to at least make an effort to get an official release out there. An unofficial release should be an absolute last resort.

Derek, if you can track down that audio tape, count me in for a donation. I know a couple of other guys who want to donate as well, and depending on how much they donate, I may foot the rest of the bill.

Funimation wouldn't have to release the footage, would they? They can just use the digibetas they have for original Dragon Ball and sync it up with the Harmony Gold audio and most people would be content with that. Also, I don't know about Funimation specifically but I'm pretty sure there have been anime releases that tagged on VHS audio before.

[Damned]

Well, from what I can see from those uploads of the "Harmony Gold" (AKA, Japanese opening with Harmony Gold audio.) opening on Youtube, Harmony Gold added additional sound effects and slightly altered the second opening by replacing some footage, so they couldn't just plop the English audio on the Japanese video. The footage would be easy to fix, but the sound effects might be a whole lot harder to do. I guess something they could do is listen to an actual rip of the Harmony Gold opening, and try to replicate the sound effects to the best of their ability. Of course, the sound effects are a minor nitpick, but it would be nice to make this potential official release as authentic as possible.

[doomydoomydoom]

I highly doubt that if FUNimation had all the necessary materials (which I guess is the entire point of this thread) and made sure nobody had anything to whine about, that they would do anything with this archival curiosity besides throw it on as a special feature on some future release as-is. It doesn't matter what the quality of the audio or video is, if they had the materials and they wanted to, they would just throw them on as a special feature with a little history disclaimer: "This dub was produced by Harmony Gold in 1989, blah blah blah, it is presented from its videotape source and is included for its historical value to Dragon Ball fans." They wouldn't overlay the dub on top of their DVD-quality episode prints, they wouldn't reconstruct sound effects, etc. Just an as-is special feature.

This is similar to what RightStuf did when they released Space Adventure Cobra a couple years back: they included TMS's English-dubbed "pilot" which was produced in the hopes of it getting picked up by The Playboy Channel. Granted, the footage was in pristine, remastered condition thanks to TMS's archival skills, but it wouldn't have made any difference if it wasn't -- it's just a historical curiosity. The Criterion Collection does the same with all their little historical oddities that they include on their releases -- nothing is remastered or restored beyond the actual film itself that you buy the disc for in the first place, and if you watch any trailers, rare behind-the-scenes promotional material, etc., there's videotape lines and fading and scratches on film, poor audio, etc.

Hell, even some movies have been restored using crap videotape elements because that was all that was available, and when you watch these extended versions, it jumps between crappy VHS quality and pristine DVD remastering. The Wicker Man and Robocop are main examples. Oh, and of course, the Fist of the North Star movie.

To be honest, I'm entirely shocked that anything from the Harmony Gold dub exists today at all, including the previously undiscovered broadcasts or VHS releases (sorry, just too much has happened in this thread for me to remember) and I'm not surprised that this long-forgotten audio tape thing that nobody could access because it needed to be "baked" went missing and no one knows where it went. Probably going to be the last we hear of it.

[Robo4900]

But, look on the bright side, they probably would put it as some kind of special feature, meaning fans would finally get to see the Harmony Gold dub of the series. Even if presented as-is, with no remastering at all, it'd still be pretty cool. And let's be honest, having it as a mild curiosity on the side would be pretty fitting, since that's how most people see this version of the show; it's a pretty cool thing to see, interesting to compare it to other versions, but for actually sitting and watching the show, there are much better(And more complete) versions to watch.

My point is, so what if it's just a little DVD extra on the side? At least it'd be out there.

[simtek34]

So... any news on the HG taped supposedly sent to FUNimation? Or hopefully Chris Sabat has got the audio from Kei17?

[superrayman3]

So... any news on the HG taped supposedly sent to FUNimation?

To the best of my knowledge right now no-one knows where it currently is (Derek said that the tape might have been sent back to Toei and if that's the case more likely than not it was destroyed, on the other hand he also said it might have been sent to FUNi, from what Derek said HG sent FUNi some Carl Macek related HG tapes for a project they were working on and the tape might have been included in with them but we won't know for sure until Derek can find out where the Tape was sent and gives us an update, I have my fingers crossed FUNi got it and not Toei).

Or hopefully Chris Sabat has got the audio from Kei17?

Unfortunately it never happened, kei disappeared sometime between August or September of last year and nobody not even Derek has heard from him since.

[DerekPadula]

No news about the Harmony Gold tape. The guy who works there never got back to me after I left a message. I need to follow up again.

But there is good news about the broadcast audio. Another Dragon Ball fan besides Kei sent me some high quality audio captures of the episodes that are much better than the Dragon Box audio. I then delivered them to Sabat.

These include 7 episodes of DB, all of DBZ, and 30 of GT. So it isn't a complete set of everything, but it's still a lot of it. And he'll be acquiring more in the future.

Sabat now has this audio and said he is grateful for it. The audio will be stored on his local drive vault and be backed up in multiple locations. He also said that he will never share it with anyone other than FUNimation. Same goes for me, so don't ask.

Kei still hasn't spoken with me, but I do know that he is speaking with others in the Dragon Ball community and collaborating on other projects. If he ever decides to send me the audio like he said he would, then I'll deliver it to Sabat.

[Danfun64]

Did you backup everything just in case Funi is either unwilling or unable to do a thing with that audio?

[Robo4900]

Did you backup everything just in case Funi is either unwilling or unable to do a thing with that audio?

From where I'm standing, it looks like it'd be pretty silly for Funi not to use it, unless Toei block them.
But, since he'll be acquiring more in the future, and due to the nature of how home releases work and are put together, I doubt we'll hear anything either way for a year or two at least.

[LordCrumb]

lol, they are not going to use it.

We all dream of a 'perfect' release for both the Japanese fans and English fans but it just ain't gonna happen people.

[Bansho64]

lol, they are not going to use it.

We all dream of a 'perfect' release for both the Japanese fans and English fans but it just ain't gonna happen people.

I don't think there's any evidence suggesting that they wouldn't use it.

[LordCrumb]

lol, they are not going to use it.

We all dream of a 'perfect' release for both the Japanese fans and English fans but it just ain't gonna happen people.

I don't think there's any evidence suggesting that they wouldn't use it.

There's absolutely no evidence to say they will use it either. Just because they have been given it, does't mean it's going to be used..

[Bansho64]

There's absolutely no evidence to say they will use it either. Just because they have been given it, does't mean it's going to be used..

I'd say the fact that Sabat even took it is a positive. I'm not saying anyone should get overly ecstatic about it, but being overly negative and having zero hope whatsoever ain't gonna do a thing either. It's just dragging people's hopes down. And there really ain't no need for that. Especially considering that we just got this news no more a few hours ago.

[DerekPadula]

Sabat has told me that he would like to use it some day in an official release. So if you're looking for 'evidence,' then you can take his personal wish into account.

But if you do, then you must also take into account that he does not own FUNimation. Even though he's the voice director of the series, he doesn't make their business decisions. He would like a new release, but there are a lot of people who have to sign off on that decision.

A few years ago my idea to send Sabat the broadcast audio seemed like a crazy long shot dream, and there were naysayers. But after years of effort, now he has some of it. Yes, there is a better version out there in the wild, but until Kei sends it to me or to Sabat directly, this is the best we've got.

So it is what it is. My advice is to not get emotionally invested one way or the other.

[genjosanzo8]

Another Dragon Ball fan besides Kei sent me some high quality audio captures of the episodes that are much better than the Dragon Box audio. I then delivered them to Sabat.

to tell the truth it's a leak, it's definitely kei's audio and not audio from another source....that audio have been used and share without kei's permission...i found that very very very bad to him....it's HIS audio, collecting tapes are HIS work even if he didn't wanted to send them to sabat no one should have done it instead of him...it's HIS rights...i am the first to wanted them too but things have to be done by the right way....it's really sneaky doing that to kei.
if someone manage to get the audio he just have to keep for himself until kei said other things ....would you love that someone sell your work from his own without your agreement? i know that kei audio are not his property from a legal way but i think that with all information and material that he shared he deserve better things than taking opportunity of what he gave to someone that like a big asshole trade and sell illegaly kei's audio, to make the same things by using them without his agreement

[DerekPadula]

I don't think you're correct. I've been told the source of the files I sent were not from Kei. Plus, there's no way for you to know what I sent to Sabat since you haven't heard them. Lastly, how would somebody have stolen Kei's files, or how would Kei have accidentally leaked his own files? The man is paranoid about protecting his files, so your claim seems weak, but if you have evidence to the contrary, then please send it to me.

In any case, no harm was intended. Quite the opposite. There's no need to feel that a moral crime or injustice was committed.

[sangofe]

Another Dragon Ball fan besides Kei sent me some high quality audio captures of the episodes that are much better than the Dragon Box audio. I then delivered them to Sabat.

to tell the truth it's a leak, it's definitely kei's audio and not audio from another source....that audio have been used and share without kei's permission...i found that very very very bad to him....it's HIS audio, collecting tapes are HIS work even if he didn't wanted to send them to sabat no one should have done it instead of him...it's HIS rights...i am the first to wanted them too but things have to be done by the right way....it's really sneaky doing that to kei.
if someone manage to get the audio he just have to keep for himself until kei said other things ....would you love that someone sell your work from his own without your agreement? i know that kei audio are not his property from a legal way but i think that with all information and material that he shared he deserve better things than taking opportunity of what he gave to someone that like a big asshole trade and sell illegaly kei's audio, to make the same things by using them without his agreement

Except Derek's not selling this audio and it was always Kei's goal to get the audio to companies that would release it...