A question for Sub fans.

SparkyPantsMcGee · Post by **SparkyPantsMcGee** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:05 am

I hate to be a contributor to another Dub/Sub topic, but there is a question I've had for some time that keeps bugging me so I guess I'll ask it. When did most of you stop(if you ever started) watching the Dub? For those who finished the whole series in English format was there parts of the series you liked, did you think it got better over time or did it pain you to watch it the whole time?

I ask this because a lot of times when I read examples of poor writing in the Dub it seems to mostly come from season 3 and early parts of season 4(when Funimation just started to use the in house cast). Its almost like that is the metaphorical scaring on the series as a whole.

If given the chance would you like to see Funimation make a second attempt at dubbing the series?

BlueSky · Post by **Kaboom** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:15 am

SparkyPantsMcGee wrote:When did most of you stop(if you ever started) watching the Dub?

Not for a while, because the dub on Cartoon Network was all I had access to for the longest time beyond short clips of the Japanese version off the internet. So I was stuck watching the English version but continuing to do research to keep myself informed. But once I had the capacity to buy my own DVDs, that was about when I stopped bothering with the dub altogether, aside from a few certain bits I became fond of (and even then, only with the Japanese BGM!).

I ask this because a lot of times when I read examples of poor writing in the Dub it seems to mostly come from season 3 and early parts of season 4(when Funimation just started to use the in house cast). Its almost like that is the metaphorical scaring on the series as a whole.

Yeah, the writing really did get relatively better during the Buu arc. That was when I really started getting into the franchise and watching it on TV regularly, so I guess I lucked out.

If given the chance would you like to see Funimation make a second attempt at dubbing the series?

At this point, I don't think they should bother. The most they can do at this point is what they seem to be doing with the DBoxes; give the series proper and "attitude" in advertising, and ditch the dub's replacement background "music."

Odds are they'll get a hold of Kai eventually and give that a redub, so I'll let that be their opportunity for "redemption" in this department.

As for Z, all they'd need to redub is the Bardock special and I'd be a happy camper. Despite Sonny Strait's awesome Bardock voice, its dub as it is now is so ear-bleedingly horrible that not even Solid State Scouter can save it.

Onikage725 · Post by **Onikage725** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:17 am

I've seen the whole thing (not counting GT dubbed- I barely like it in Japanese). I feel there were a few decent points. Some nice performances, some lines lifted from the original, some Faulconer tunes that occasionally sounded nice with a scene.

To me, these high points only underscored the much more prevelant low points. Even the Buu Saga, their best effort outside of original Dragon Ball, was up and down. For example, it seemed to me like the whole staff put their hearts and souls into the build up to Buu (the tournament, majin fights, etc) up until Vegeta's sacrifice. With that episode the series went on broadcast hiatus for a little bit, and upon return seemed just as corny as ever. From there it would ping pong between "Same shit, different season" and "Ok, this is decent."

Unfortunately, for Z, the math is just not in the dubs favor. If we mark the second half of the Freeza Saga and the first half of the Cell Saga as their lowest points, that leaves us with an arguably decent saga and a half. The first two seasons, when redubbed, largely re-used the old corny script from their Saban-partnered era. Some of the more ridiculous things were scrubbed (masking of death, Bardock as a scientist), but most of the rest of the script was untouched. There was, of course, fresh writing for previously censored scenes, and some swears thrown in to make it edgier. But to a sub fan looking to give them a fresh take, having Raditz crack green jokes just signaled "more of the same bullshit."

As for a redub, I actually am interested in how they might handle one. I would be interested in how they handled Kai, if they do it. On the other hand, I have little interest in Kai.

I mainly want FUNi to redub the YYH OVA and movie, damnit!

Chuquita · Post by **Chuquita** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:20 am

I stopped watching the dub once it was taken off CN as well. I switched exclusively to subs after that (there was no Dragon Ball on TV anymore and I finally had access to my own personal disposable income; so I could finally buy the dvds and found I liked the Japanese version better.)

While I prefer the Japanese version, if Funi decided to start airing their dub of DB and DBZ on their own TV channel, I would watch it there.

penguintruth · Post by **penguintruth** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:21 am

I largely stopped watching the English dub after the airing of the re-dub.

I felt, "Eh, I guess it's somewhat better... sorta. But hell, the Japanese version is better."

Every now and then I'll listen to the dub track for lulz. Or if it's the original dub for the first three movies.

SparkyPantsMcGee · Post by **SparkyPantsMcGee** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:23 am

Wow thanks for the input guys, I'm looking forward to hearing more from others.

Big Momma · Post by **Big Momma** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:32 am

Let's see...for me, it all started when I bought my first Dragon Ball DVD back in 8th grade. It was the last 4 episodes of GT.

Until that point, I don't think I even knew there was an original Japanese, but I stumbled upon it by accident. What drew me in was the music.

I still watch the dub every now and again, especially if I watch DB while doing homework or something. Actually, I like the dub. The only real problems I have with it are the inaccurate scripts and some of the music. For the most part, I don't really mind it at all.

But if I do sit down to just watch it, I will switch on the subs.

SparkyPantsMcGee · Post by **SparkyPantsMcGee** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:38 am

Big Momma wrote:Let's see...for me, it all started when I bought my first Dragon Ball DVD back in 8th grade. It was the last 4 episodes of GT.

Until that point, I don't think I even knew there was an original Japanese, but I stumbled upon it by accident. What drew me in was the music.

I still watch the dub every now and again, especially if I watch DB while doing homework or something. Actually, I like the dub. The only real problems I have with it are the inaccurate scripts and some of the music. For the most part, I don't really mind it at all.

But if I do sit down to just watch it, I will switch on the subs.

I'm with when it comes to the music. That's one of my favorite parts of the original. I'm actually really happy they killed the Falconer score because like you I like to have Dragonball on in the background when I'm doing homework or something else. Now I don't have to focus and I get the music I enjoy, for me its a win-win.

Hao_Kaiser · Post by **Hao_Kaiser** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:38 am

I watched all of DB, Z, and most of GT dubbed, if only because it was there, and (as far as I knew) the only way to see the series. So, during the entirety to it's original broadcast run, the dub was my version of choice - if only by default.

I had a lot of VHS tapes of the series, but I did also have one DVD: movie 6, which was my first exposure to the Japanese version.

I switched it over the Japanese track out of boredom one day, and thought it was awful. It was mostly the music, I think (since I don't recall my initial impression of the voices), which reminded me of Johnny Quest. Granted, I was pretty immature at this point in life, and didn't really have any taste in music. I just thought the music just made the show feel way older than I thought it was.

Later on, I found Daizenshuu EX, and my love of the series reignited, and I began buying cheap single DVDs from eBay. I think the first one I got was "Cell Games - A Moments Peace." Now that I had been subjected to Daizex's pro-Japanese version propaganda, I made it a point to watch the discs with the dub track, and then re-watch them with the sub track.

Eventually, this grew tedious, and I finally decided to just watch the discs in Japanese, and didn't bother with the dub. I think it was the Gotenk's vs. Super Buu fight that converted me, for whatever reason.

I think my tastes in entertainment were changing enough that, while the version I had known had this very kiddy image (this was before it became "cool" to like DBZ again), the original Japanese version seemed to be a bit more respectable (I mean absolutely no disrespect to any fans of the dub, I promise!)

I got the GT t.v. special, and forced my cousin to watch it in Japanese. The next morning, he was like "Uh... Can we watch that GT thing... But in English?" I suffered through it, but I found myself getting aggravated with the dub and its awful music. It wasn't DragonBall in a way that I enjoyed it, despite being the way I had seen it for years.

The last time I watched the dub was when the first orange brick came out. I popped it in, just to hear the voices I grew up with with the music I had grown to love (because, since I'm an idiot, I thought it was only the music that was the problem with the dub). I made it to the point right before Goku goes off to look for Gohan, and switched it over. I just couldn't take it. I had been fully converted to a fan of the original.

B · Post by B » Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:40 am

A redub would be great, but it would be dumb from a business point of view to do that. People will by a lump of shit with "DBZ" etched with a stick on it. There's no initiative to spend money fixing something so few people want, or are even aware that it should be, fixed.

A Kai dub is really the only route to go. A 2009 FUNimation isn't going to go out of its way to throw in as much garbage as it can, plus, it's shorter, which is usually the main complaint amongst those who cannot stand Z.

Adamant · Post by **Adamant** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:46 am

I only watched the English dub because that was all that was available on the DVDs I had. Once the subbed DVDs started coming, I naturally went straight for the original.

SparkyPantsMcGee wrote: If given the chance would you like to see Funimation make a second attempt at dubbing the series?

Having them finally stop shitting all over the series and treating it properly would be nice. I wouldn't watch it, but I would like for them to do so, yes.

GizmoKSX · Post by **GizmoKSX** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:53 am

At some point around 2005, I had already made the switch to watching all foreign material in its original language to experience the original voice work whenever possible. (Accurate subtitles are a plus, but sadly aren't as ubiquitous as we'd all like. *Ahem, Advent Children*) I'd still watch DB dubbed on TV and I checked out the uncut Funi redub when it aired on Cartoon Network. When the season sets were released, I opted to watch the Japanese track exclusively. I only picked up the first two season sets (thankfully), so the Dragon Box releases will mark my first viewing of the entire series in Japanese.

For the most part, I'd rather not ever revisit the dub voice acting for any serious viewing. However, there are a few moments that I do enjoy for nostalgia, including Faulconer's piano theme for Super Saiyan Vegeta. I'm also a fan of the Ocean Group, in great part for their work on Beast Wars. Scott McNeil remains my favorite Piccolo.

It's worth noting that I was first exposed to the Japanese music through the Pioneer movie dubbed releases, which retained the Japanese score. It really did blow me away at a young age, because I was used to hearing the Shuki Levi music from the pre-Faulconer Saban days, occasionally blatantly recycled from Power Rangers.

ShadowDude112 · Post by **ShadowDude112** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 12:58 am

I started watching the Japanese dub when I finally watched it all in English. I'm now starting to watch it in Japanese with the Dragon Boxes. I started watching the English dub in 2002. That's when I started watching Dragon Ball as a whole so I've been a fan for seven years. I know it may not be as long as you guys but I don't mind. All I really care about is that Dragon Ball won't just magically disappear one day. But lets just give a round of applause to everyone who worked on the show, dub, whatever. I'll still enjoy Dragon Ball for being a great series all together.

penguintruth · Post by **penguintruth** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:03 am

I've got to be honest, I don't know how I'd feel about an improved DBZ dub. It would seem surreal to have a well-performed, well-scripted dub for the show, but after all this time. I might think of it as "too little too late", but I think that's just my idealistic self that's still angry about the dub we've gotten. Realistically, I would probably embrace a better dub, but it would have to be one hell of one.

I guess the possibility exists with Kai, but they would really have to overhaul their perspective on the show if they want to impress me. I mean, first, they have to start the script from scratch. Then they'd have to replace most of the voice cast from the dub they have. I just don't see those things happening, because for whatever reason, some people LOVE both and would cry foul if Sean Schemmel isn't there sounding like constipated Superman.

We can play "what if" games all day, but I think the only real way to know how I'd react is for it to happen.

ShadowDude112 · Post by **ShadowDude112** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:05 am

penguintruth wrote:I've got to be honest, I don't know how I'd feel about an improved DBZ dub. It would seem surreal to have a well-performed, well-scripted dub for the show, but after all this time. I might think of it as "too little too late", but I think that's just my idealistic self that's still angry about the dub we've gotten. Realistically, I would probably embrace a better dub, but it would have to be one hell of one.

I guess the possibility exists with Kai, but they would really have to overhaul their perspective on the show if they want to impress me. I mean, first, they have to start the script from scratch. Then they'd have to replace most of the voice cast from the dub they have. I just don't see those things happening, because for whatever reason, some people LOVE both and would cry foul if Sean Schemmel isn't there sounding like constipated Superman.

We can play "what if" games all day, but I think the only real way to know how I'd react is for it to happen.

Well they could use Steve Simmons translation as a starting point for their script.

SSj_Rambo · Post by **SSj_Rambo** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:08 am

Over a year into watching the show is when I made the switch. Daizenshuu EX and everyone here had a large part to do with it, as did being someone who does always enjoy knowing they're experiencing the original version of anything.

Velasa · Post by **Velasa** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:22 am

I watched the dub for a long time, oi. All of Ocean and through FUNi's Garlic JR minisaga on Toonami, then all the way up to Cell announcing the games on 'uncut' English dub vhs because... well, that's what was available. Then this newfangled thing called DVD was becoming more affordable and we got a player, so I switched over to the dvds. I've never watched a further episode in English.

The parts I still like in English are basically limited to my love for the Ocean cast and my being a huge Scott McNeil fangirl. In the series I'll sit through the script and chopped up footage to hear the voices I've loved for a long time, but with the second cast I don't have the patience for any of it. I'm aware that the parts of the FUNi dub that I've watched are when the cast were at their worst (like the dear old Freezer dub), but... eh, long story short I hold very nasty grudges ^^;

If FUNi was to redub the series or Kai accurately, I would applaud them. The series deserves a decent face to show to the world and the kind of respectful treatment I've been told FUNi shows to the rest of their properties. I would not watch it myself as I hold very hard feelings for their current voice cast, but all the same the series deserves a decent treatment even if it will never be my thing anymore.

Kingdom Heartless · Post by **Kingdom Heartless** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:36 am

I was watching both from around.... 2004 I think... but I completely cut the dub out of my Dragon Ball (and basically all anime) viewing in 2007, I think it was.

I'm not sure exactly what stopped me... I think it was mostly that I developed an obsession with seeing things the way they were meant to be seen (irony....).... I guess by that stage the Japanese version just felt authentic to me... and I really liked the voices and stuff, so there became no more real reason to watch the dub.

Tyro · Post by **Tyro** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:47 am

Like many others here I watched the entire dub only one time through when Toonami was still around. After that (thanks largely in part to Duo) I switched to the manga. Until recently I've never owned any of the anime (bought the DragonBox, yo).

I can't recall when I made the switch TBH. I remember watching World's Strongest for kicks and giggles in Japanese one night, but I don't recall when I came to my conclusion that the original was superior to the dub in every way. Probably when I learned about the term "canon", though. I was like, "Oh, I should really learn what was really stated and intended if I wan't to get good at this debating business."

JulieYBM · Post by **JulieYBM** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:50 am

I switched primarily over to the original about a year or two ago from visiting here, not to mention I just can't take how innaccurate the scripts are. And I hate hearing Chris Sabat before he started being cast properly.

Kanzenshuu

A question for Sub fans.

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