Kenji Yamamoto = the best Dragonball Composer?
Moderators: Kanzenshuu Staff, General Help
- Aoi
- Beyond-the-Beyond Newbie
- Posts: 431
- Joined: Thu Nov 02, 2006 9:56 pm
- Location: Now in Buenos Aires Argentina
Kenji Yamamoto = the best Dragonball Composer?
When I found out that the same guy who had done the music for most of the SNES videos games was going to do Kai, I nearly fainted.
I love the original japanese music. But I felt that Dragonball always had great "moments" in Z because of its music. But generally, it didn't fit it too well and also the silent moments were a bit too overdone.
Just my opinion.
But unlike many people around the world, and like many American and Canadians, I LOVE Faulconer's music. I find it fits the show so much better. Probably because it is similar to Kenji Yamamoto's music for DBZ. I fell in love with all of his scores. The Botouden series, the Gokuden series. Final bout.
I always found that it fit Dragonball Z perfectly : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDHvD9nw ... re=related
I think that if they Dub DB Kai in America, they will keep Yamamoto's music. It seems just as appropriate as Faulconer's score.
I love the original japanese music. But I felt that Dragonball always had great "moments" in Z because of its music. But generally, it didn't fit it too well and also the silent moments were a bit too overdone.
Just my opinion.
But unlike many people around the world, and like many American and Canadians, I LOVE Faulconer's music. I find it fits the show so much better. Probably because it is similar to Kenji Yamamoto's music for DBZ. I fell in love with all of his scores. The Botouden series, the Gokuden series. Final bout.
I always found that it fit Dragonball Z perfectly : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDHvD9nw ... re=related
I think that if they Dub DB Kai in America, they will keep Yamamoto's music. It seems just as appropriate as Faulconer's score.
Re: Kenji Yamamoto = the best Dragonball Composer?
While Kai has some good tracks here and there, as a whole I find it very "just there-ish" and not overly memorable. Kikuchi will always be THE Dragonball composer.
Reminds me of the Ninja Turtles theme song. And now you can't unhear it.Aoi wrote: I always found that it fit Dragonball Z perfectly : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDHvD9nw ... re=related
Satan wrote:Lortedrøm! Bøh slog min datter ihjel! Hvad bilder du dig ind, Bøh?! Nu kommer Super-Satan og rydder op!
- Kendamu
- Born 'n Bred Here
- Posts: 6998
- Joined: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:31 am
- Location: The Martial Arts World
It took awhile, but the Kai music has become memorable to me. I've liked it the whole time, but it wasn't really "memorable" right away. I am big fan of the video game music, though. In fact, I probably have a lot more fond memories of the video game music than I do the TV show music. So it wasn't hard for me to start liking Kai's music right away.
- IncompetentOverlord
- Beyond Newbie
- Posts: 273
- Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 4:23 pm
- Location: Sitting at my computer
- Contact:
Honestly, I have been finding Kai's soundtrack great. It's actually become one of the main reasons I watch the show. Also, for some reason it's been reminding me of the music in Superman: The Animated Series.
Stuff I Know About: Hellsing, Detective Conan, Macross, GaoGaiGar, Cowboy Bebop, Black Lagoon, Kaiji, Hetalia, Fullmetal Alchemist, Captain Harlock, Digimon, Berserk, Dragon Ball, One Piece, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Yu Yu Hakusho, Cyborg 009, Lupin III, Ultimate Muscle/Kinnikuman, Discworld, Avatar: The Last Airbender, TMNT, Futurama, Invader Zim, South Park, Sandman, Marvel, DC, Scott Pilgrim, Star Wars, Godzilla, Doctor Who, Super Sentai, Kamen Rider, Kingdom Hearts, and Sonic the Hedgehog
- NeptuneKai
- I Live Here
- Posts: 3576
- Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 9:51 pm
I adore Kenji Yamamoto. I think he is a magnificent composer and even now I get tracks of his stuck in my head for days. However I just don't think the score he's producing for Kai is very good. There is no notable tracks I can pick out right off the bat. I've watched about 12 episodes of Kai and can barely remember any specific piece of music besides the Darth Vadar remix and the recap music.

Allow me to disagree very very hard.Aoi in reference to the dub music wrote: it is similar to Kenji Yamamoto's music for DBZ.

Aro started to laugh. “Ha, ha, ha,” he chuckled.- Actual quote from Twilight
- penguintruth
- Banned
- Posts: 4861
- Joined: Wed Sep 02, 2009 5:49 pm
I've come to like some of the Yamamoto score, but most of the time, it's very plain sounding.
Kikuchi's score has this big, epic feel to it. I don't really enjoy DBZ as much without his score. I had no idea just how important his score was before Kai premiered.
Kikuchi's score has this big, epic feel to it. I don't really enjoy DBZ as much without his score. I had no idea just how important his score was before Kai premiered.
Kentai wrote:Son Gokuu is a fascinating character anyway, because he is - at face value, anyway - an idiot savant. The victim of violent head trauma as an infant [...] he's a simple bumpkin with a fair share of brain damage who's natural talents to work out what's wrong compensate for his broad lack of common sense. But he's also a fighter, through and through [...] he fight until he has, in no uncertain terms, beaten his enemy on terms they can both acknowledge. He doesn't want to kill anyone, or even prove that he can win... he just wants to know he can. He's an ineffably charming bastard who's manly leanings were really incendental, and yes, the fact that he was voiced by a squeaky woman made the combination perhaps all the more charming.
Dragon Ball (Z) Kai Reviews!
Can I get a Schemen?
Well, it's a matter of taste, so there'll always be different opinions, but I think most fans prefer the original Dragon Ball/Dragon Ball Z score.
I, however, find the Dragon Ball music is perfect for the first time with Kai (it's even good for the first time, actually). I even play Raging Blast with that score, as it is the real Dragon Ball music to me, and one of the most appealing sides of the fantastic Kai series (with the filler cut).
But for a more general and objective opinion, given the number of fans, I guess Kikuchi is to be considered the ultimate Dragon Ball composer.
I've heard a bunch of Faulconer music and really don't like it though, it sounds out of place and "video gamy" to me (in the wrong sense, cause some video game musics are among the most fantastic). It is the worse soundtrack to put into the Dragon Ball universe. I can hardly bear Kikuchi but it's a matter of taste and oldness, and it's still much better than the Faulconer score to me! And I personally don't think it's comparable to the "orchestral-like" and emotional quality of the Yamamoto score at all!
I, however, find the Dragon Ball music is perfect for the first time with Kai (it's even good for the first time, actually). I even play Raging Blast with that score, as it is the real Dragon Ball music to me, and one of the most appealing sides of the fantastic Kai series (with the filler cut).
But for a more general and objective opinion, given the number of fans, I guess Kikuchi is to be considered the ultimate Dragon Ball composer.
I've heard a bunch of Faulconer music and really don't like it though, it sounds out of place and "video gamy" to me (in the wrong sense, cause some video game musics are among the most fantastic). It is the worse soundtrack to put into the Dragon Ball universe. I can hardly bear Kikuchi but it's a matter of taste and oldness, and it's still much better than the Faulconer score to me! And I personally don't think it's comparable to the "orchestral-like" and emotional quality of the Yamamoto score at all!
- Ex-Dubbie369
- OMG CRAZY REGEN
- Posts: 898
- Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2006 2:14 am
- Location: Anaheim, CA
One thing that the Kai score has going for it is just the higher quality recordings its getting. People say the Kikuchi score sounds dated because it was recorded in 1986! In addition, Kikuchi had ti use a good number of synthesized instruments mixed with what sounds like a relatively small orchestra. Toei really went all out for the Kai recordings by using a larger orchestra.
I'd really like to hear new recordings of the Kikuchi score using this larger orchestra and modern recording technology.
I'd really like to hear new recordings of the Kikuchi score using this larger orchestra and modern recording technology.
- MCDaveG
- Born 'n Bred Here
- Posts: 5627
- Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2005 5:54 pm
- Location: Prague, Czechia
- Contact:
You can't tell that for 100%, because nowadays lot of instruments can be simulatd digitally, so there is not necesarry need for big or large orchestra, or these recordings are not recorded on first take in real time and Kenji himself can play on all instruments and then mix it together..... Kenji is not big orchestra eitherEx-Dubbie369 wrote:One thing that the Kai score has going for it is just the higher quality recordings its getting. People say the Kikuchi score sounds dated because it was recorded in 1986! In addition, Kikuchi had ti use a good number of synthesized instruments mixed with what sounds like a relatively small orchestra. Toei really went all out for the Kai recordings by using a larger orchestra.
I'd really like to hear new recordings of the Kikuchi score using this larger orchestra and modern recording technology.

FighterZ: Funky_Strudel
PS5: Dynamixx88
PS5: Dynamixx88
- Ex-Dubbie369
- OMG CRAZY REGEN
- Posts: 898
- Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2006 2:14 am
- Location: Anaheim, CA
While that's true, I don't think that they would be able to hire a single string/wind/percussion player who'd want to record the same exact part multiple times over to create some kind of illusion of having a full orchestra.MCDaveG wrote:You can't tell that for 100%, because nowadays lot of instruments can be simulatd digitally, so there is not necesarry need for big or large orchestra, or these recordings are not recorded on first take in real time and Kenji himself can play on all instruments and then mix it together..... Kenji is not big orchestra eitherEx-Dubbie369 wrote:One thing that the Kai score has going for it is just the higher quality recordings its getting. People say the Kikuchi score sounds dated because it was recorded in 1986! In addition, Kikuchi had ti use a good number of synthesized instruments mixed with what sounds like a relatively small orchestra. Toei really went all out for the Kai recordings by using a larger orchestra.
I'd really like to hear new recordings of the Kikuchi score using this larger orchestra and modern recording technology.These are the posibilities)))
Also, with today's technology, there is still no way to digitally make the same sound as a real instrument. I don't deny that Yamamoto uses some synthesized sound though, 'cause he clearly does.