"Clown" (Vegeta dub reference to Goku)

Leotaku · Post by **Leotaku** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 3:23 pm

I just watched an episode of GT last Friday. It was made up of a load of clips from DBZ, about Goku and Vegeta.
In this episode I saw, I swear, the word "clown" was used so many times by Vegeta referring to Goku, that I just wish I could throw a thesaurus at his face to get him to shut up and use another word.

Anyway, I was wondering, why does Vegeta keep referring to Goku as a "clown"? Is it just in the dub (I've heard him use it in Funimation's dub and Blue Water's dub), or did he call him a clown in the original Japanese version a lot too?

DBW · Post by **DBW** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 3:42 pm

Leotaku wrote:or did he call him a clown in the original Japanese version a lot too?

Absolutely not. This is something that they did only for the dub. You have to remember, FUNimation basically re-invented these characters when they wrote the dub, so they're just kind of following their own ideas of how Goku, Vegeta, etc. are portrayed. And apparantly, in FUNimation's mind, Vegeta sees Goku as a clown (although I have no clue why...)

I can't remember exactly who said this (I think it was Sean Schemmel), but he said something like "Vegeta is the rich kid from Harvard, and Goku is the badass from Texas." LOL

Super Sonic · Post by **Super Sonic** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 3:46 pm

It's not that he sees him as a clown literally, but he's degrading Goku. Part of it just comes from how Vegeta pretty much sticks to the old Saiyan class structure when regarding Goku often.

Jerseymilk · Post by **Jerseymilk** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 5:11 pm

I think it's more that Vegeta thinks of him as an overly sentimental goof.

Chibi Mystic Gohan · Post by **Chibi Mystic Gohan** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 8:57 pm

That's a dub-only thing? But I've seen it in some fanslations o_0

*PINHEAD* · Post by ***PINHEAD*** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 9:45 pm

Maybe it's one of those instances where the word used in the original Japanese version could be translated differently. Perhaps it doesn't necessarily mean "clown," but is degrading in such a way as when we call someone a clown.

Yes, two emoticons in a row.

The S · Post by **The S** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 10:19 pm

And you know what... I've seen many message boards actually PRAISE Vegeta's use of the term "clown" as an insult, as if it were the wittiest thing ever.

And the same people degraded the semi-witty "Son of a Namek!"

DBW · Post by **DBW** » Mon Apr 25, 2005 11:09 pm

*PINHEAD* wrote:Perhaps it doesn't necessarily mean "clown," but is degrading in such a way as when we call someone a clown.

Eh, I would agree, but when I think of "clown" I generally think of silly, goofy, funny, etc. And Vegeta never really calls Goku anything like that in the original. Actually, I don't really remember him making fun of Goku at all, but more-so having a brewing hatred for him.

Besides, FUNimation uses the line all over the place. Vegeta could be talking about anything in the original, and in the dub he'll just be insulting Goku.

The S wrote:And you know what... I've seen many message boards actually PRAISE Vegeta's use of the term "clown" as an insult, as if it were the wittiest thing ever.

I remember reading an entire essay someone wrote on why Vegeta calling Goku a clown is a brilliant idea.

I also remember reading a message board (probably FUNi's), where some guy was claiming that Goku was the Japanese word for clown, so FUNimation was actually being more accurate by calling him that. LOL

Fuujin · Post by **Fuujin** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 8:04 am

A quick fact: The French/Polish script uses the word "clown" to replace "Kakarott", maybe the translator thought that "Kakarotto" is Japanese for 'clown", like that guy from a message board.

Maybe it's true that FUNi draws inspiration from the French version? The copied "H ercule".

Leotaku · Post by **Leotaku** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 3:31 pm

Hm. It's just that, he uses it so consistently in the dub to refer to Goku, I thought "clown" was coming from SOMEWHERE.

Thanks for all the input.

Fuujin · Post by **Fuujin** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 3:48 pm

See, that's the thing - French Vegeta also uses "clown" only in DBGT. In the rest of the dub, he simply uses Son Goku, aside from that sperm whale incident I described elsewhere.

Deus ex Machina · Post by **Deus ex Machina** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 9:35 pm

I actually like the clown refference in the dub, I think it was pretty creative of Funimation, as it's something you would actually expect Vegeta to call Goku, aside from "rat bastard". I just don't like how often it pops up...and they couldn't keep the consistency right.

Vegeta calls Goku a clown first at the Tenkaichi tournament, to which Goku answers "Well, that's a new one." And then Vegeta throws the same insult in DBZ movie 8, which is supposed to happen 7 years prior. That just kinda bugs me.

*PINHEAD* · Post by ***PINHEAD*** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 9:53 pm

Son Goku's forgetfulness? Sarcasm? Oh well, I haven't really watched the dub past the Cell story arc.

Rocketman · Post by **Rocketman** » Tue Apr 26, 2005 10:40 pm

Deus ex Machina wrote:Vegeta calls Goku a clown first at the Tenkaichi tournament, to which Goku answers "Well, that's a new one." And then Vegeta throws the same insult in DBZ movie 8, which is supposed to happen 7 years prior. That just kinda bugs me.

Movie 8's in an alternate universe, so that Goku really hadn't heard it before.

Sun_Wukong · Post by **Sun_Wukong** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 9:00 am

Not an alternate universe, just something that wouldnt fit in the main story.

Anyway, that clown thing FUNI just added in is just plain dumb. It always bothered me.

Rocketman · Post by **Rocketman** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 4:10 pm

Sun_Wukong wrote:Not an alternate universe, just something that wouldnt fit in the main story.

Same thing. If it doesn't fit in the main story, then it's an AU.

MyVisionity · Post by **MyVisionity** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 6:03 pm

Deus ex Machina wrote:I actually like the clown refference in the dub, I think it was pretty creative of Funimation, as it's something you would actually expect Vegeta to call Goku, aside from "rat bastard". I just don't like how often it pops up...and they couldn't keep the consistency right.

Vegeta calls Goku a clown first at the Tenkaichi tournament, to which Goku answers "Well, that's a new one." And then Vegeta throws the same insult in DBZ movie 8, which is supposed to happen 7 years prior. That just kinda bugs me.

Yeah, from what I remember, Funimation's Vegeta refers to Goku as a "circus clown" during their standoff at the Budoukai right before Goku goes Super Saiyajin. Vegeta continues using "clown" throughout this saga and I don't know how much further.

Personally I thought it was a fresh insult in Funimation's DBZ, and Sabat/Schemmel both worked well with that dialogue. Funi really did a great job with those episodes, and they're quite memorable.

SonGokuGT · Post by **SonGokuGT** » Wed Apr 27, 2005 6:30 pm

HAHA! Ironically enough I remember Vegeta calling Goku a clown in Spain's dub on multiple occasions...

Sun_Wukong · Post by **Sun_Wukong** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 8:58 am

Rocketman wrote: Same thing. If it doesn't fit in the main story, then it's an AU.

I guess your right. DC calls them Elseworlds.

Leotaku · Post by **Leotaku** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 2:29 pm

Sun_Wukong wrote:Anyway, that clown thing FUNI just added in is just plain dumb. It always bothered me.

I never really minded it, but it's just that it became so painful to hear Vegeta say it like every time he mentioned Goku in that one episode of GT I watched a while ago. Kinda curious how many times it was used. My guess hovers around 8.

Kanzenshuu

"Clown" (Vegeta dub reference to Goku)

"Clown" (Vegeta dub reference to Goku)

Re: "Clown".

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