Why is the term "Ki" still not used in the English dub?

[matt0044]

Seriously, why isn't the term used even in Kai's more accurate dub? They just call it "energy" or "power" or "Power Level" when Ki is the correct word.

[VegettoEX]

All of those words are perfectly acceptable translations of the Japanese word "ki". While it's true that some of those words may lose some of the spiritual flavor of the word as it holds in Japan, they're certainly not "wrong".

It's all a matter of how they want to translate, and to what extent. See Viz's use of "chi", for example.

[dprez]

This reminds me of when I first bought the Viz editions of the DragonBall manga, I noticed they used "chi" instead of "power" or "energy" and I thought this was very cool. Gave it that realistic foreign martial arts feel. Then I join all these DragonBall forums and fans use "ki" instead of "chi". Then I learn that ki is the actual Japanese word, and not chi. It was still cool of Viz to use "chi" and not 'energy" or "power" like the dub uses.

It would still be nice to hear the English voice actors say ki, instead of power or energy though. Makes me think that If I knew the Kai dub was so much better than the original FUNi dub, I may have tried to pick up the Kai DVD's. If I ever wanted to watch it in English with a bunch of friends or w/e (Really is the only way to watch DBZ with a bunch of people who don't wanna read subtitles, or can't.), Kai would be perfect, as it is fast paced without some of the filler others would find annoying, and with a much better dub.

[Corporate_Nothing]

Am I imagining things here, or have Funimation used "ki" at one point or another in their script? I know they've never used it on a consistent basis, but I swear I've heard it spoken aloud in a few isolated points in the series.

[TheBlackPaladin]

I've had a theory about this. I'll be the first to admit that there's no practical evidence to back this up at all, it's just a thought that occurred to me as a possible explanation. While I would have no problem with the word "ki," and was actively hoping that they would use it in the Kai dub, the thought occurred to me that some of the less-informed fans would be confusing the word "ki" with the word "key." Before you say that that's preposterous, please keep in mind that there legions of less-informed fans out there who have given over-the-top reactions to things like these before. I can already see the cringe-inducing YouTube comments that would arise....

"wTf is KEY? their called power levels this is why kai suks and dbz is HARDCORE."

More likely than not, though, they probably just didn't include it because the term they coined long ago that describes both "ki" and "battle power"--otherwise known as a person's "power level"--is too firmly ingrained in the minds of English-speaking fans who aren't familiar with the Japanese version. Which is a pity, really. My thought is they should have just corrected all of the pronunciation discrepancies and re-introduced all of the Japanese terms, because the fans that would be offended by those more loyal translations already have their version of DBZ to watch. That would be one of my few complaints about the Kai dub.

[dprez]

Am I imagining things here, or have Funimation used "ki" at one point or another in their script? I know they've never used it on a consistent basis, but I swear I've heard it spoken aloud in a few isolated points in the series.

Interesting. I'd love to see which episodes this possibly happened, if it did.

[Corporate_Nothing]

Am I imagining things here, or have Funimation used "ki" at one point or another in their script? I know they've never used it on a consistent basis, but I swear I've heard it spoken aloud in a few isolated points in the series.

Interesting. I'd love to see which episodes this possibly happened, if it did.

It's likely that I'm having a false memory, or maybe I'm thinking of another series; I really don't know. Hopefully someone can help me out here.

[Samwize78]

Or it's because they didn't use it in their previous dub, so they won't now. Same reason they still haven't used Son in Goku and Gohan's names.

[matt0044]

I've had a theory about this. I'll be the first to admit that there's no practical evidence to back this up at all, it's just a thought that occurred to me as a possible explanation. While I would have no problem with the word "ki," and was actively hoping that they would use it in the Kai dub, the thought occurred to me that some of the less-informed fans would be confusing the word "ki" with the word "key." Before you say that that's preposterous, please keep in mind that there legions of less-informed fans out there who have given over-the-top reactions to things like these before. I can already see the cringe-inducing YouTube comments that would arise....

"wTf is KEY? their called power levels this is why kai suks and dbz is HARDCORE."

More likely than not, though, they probably just didn't include it because the term they coined long ago that describes both "ki" and "battle power"--otherwise known as a person's "power level"--is too firmly ingrained in the minds of English-speaking fans who aren't familiar with the Japanese version. Which is a pity, really. My thought is they should have just corrected all of the pronunciation discrepancies and re-introduced all of the Japanese terms, because the fans that would be offended by those more loyal translations already have their version of DBZ to watch. That would be one of my few complaints about the Kai dub.

Too late. They already have dub fanboys at their throats for "changing the dialogue in Kai." What more would they have to lose by calling energy "Ki" and power levels "battle power?" They might as well have done so.

[TheBlackPaladin]

Or it's because they didn't use it in their previous dub, so they won't now. Same reason they still haven't used Son in Goku and Gohan's names.

Eh....I'm not sure how much of the Kai dub you have seen, but Goku did indeed have a line where he said, "I AM THE SUPER SAIYAN, SON GOKU!" To be fair though, this apparently wasn't FUNimation's idea. Sean Schemmel claims this was his idea, and that the script he was given still had it as "Goku" instead of "Son Goku," but he insisted on recording just one take with "Son Goku"...and that's the take they used.

I've had a theory about this. I'll be the first to admit that there's no practical evidence to back this up at all, it's just a thought that occurred to me as a possible explanation. While I would have no problem with the word "ki," and was actively hoping that they would use it in the Kai dub, the thought occurred to me that some of the less-informed fans would be confusing the word "ki" with the word "key." Before you say that that's preposterous, please keep in mind that there legions of less-informed fans out there who have given over-the-top reactions to things like these before. I can already see the cringe-inducing YouTube comments that would arise....

"wTf is KEY? their called power levels this is why kai suks and dbz is HARDCORE."

More likely than not, though, they probably just didn't include it because the term they coined long ago that describes both "ki" and "battle power"--otherwise known as a person's "power level"--is too firmly ingrained in the minds of English-speaking fans who aren't familiar with the Japanese version. Which is a pity, really. My thought is they should have just corrected all of the pronunciation discrepancies and re-introduced all of the Japanese terms, because the fans that would be offended by those more loyal translations already have their version of DBZ to watch. That would be one of my few complaints about the Kai dub.

Too late. They already have dub fanboys at their throats for "changing the dialogue in Kai." What more would they have to lose by calling energy "Ki" and power levels "battle power?" They might as well have done so.

My point exactly. They were going to make the "hardcore dubbies" angry about the changes anyway, so they might as well have gone all-out and used all of the Japanese terms.

Mind you, I don't hate the Kai dub. Quite frankly, I think it's a wonderful dub, and I consider the issue of terms and pronunciation to be a small dirty spot on an otherwise beautiful picture.

[Blacknite08]

Am I imagining things here, or have Funimation used "ki" at one point or another in their script? I know they've never used it on a consistent basis, but I swear I've heard it spoken aloud in a few isolated points in the series.

Interesting. I'd love to see which episodes this possibly happened, if it did.

It's likely that I'm having a false memory, or maybe I'm thinking of another series; I really don't know. Hopefully someone can help me out here.

They used the term "ki" in their dub of Ultimate Tenkaichi.

[B]

It probably never occurred to them there would be fan debate, because as EX said, they've always translated/adapted the term since the beginning and was never a real case of "angloization."

[dbboxkaifan]

Seriously, why isn't the term used even in Kai's more accurate dub? They just call it "energy" or "power" or "Power Level" when Ki is the correct word.

Energy, Power and Power Level are all acceptable translations that describe the word in English, and using "energy" makes it easier for the audience to understand what "ki" would mean in English.

My preference for Kai in English: Energy > Power > Power Level

Not a fan of "ki" on Eng dubs or other dubs.

Or it's because they didn't use it in their previous dub, so they won't now. Same reason they still haven't used Son in Goku and Gohan's names.

That's completely untrue.

Kai: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov0sx1-NrMg
BL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKTQedmO-YA

They did use Son Goku, not very often but just once, as you can see.

[NeoKING]

Interestingly, the Blue Water GT dub uses "Ki" at times, and at others "Ki Energy" or "Essence."

[Son Satan]

While I see what EX is saying, that it's an acceptable translation that's been used since the beginnings of the dub, I don't see why they couldn't switch. After all, it's been used (albeit never really spoken) in almost every game, as in "the Ki button" opposed to the "Energy button".

[ohaimynameiserik]

For those wondering when they've used the word before, in nearly all of the video games, the word "Ki" is used in the English version.

[matt0044]

For those wondering when they've used the word before, in nearly all of the video games, the word "Ki" is used in the English version.

But why not in the Anime or even Kai's dub?

[ohaimynameiserik]

For those wondering when they've used the word before, in nearly all of the video games, the word "Ki" is used in the English version.

But why not in the Anime or even Kai's dub?

Asking the wrong guy. I've wondered that for years now.

[Rocketman]

The games seems to have a separate translating team or something. Remember "King Kai Fist" from Budokai 1?

[penguintruth]

In the first episode featuring the Xingese characters, the FMA: Brotherhood dub used "ki".

So apparently Funimation has no problem with "ki" as long as it's not in DBZ.