Does Kai Uncut overuse swears?

[gohann]

One of the things I've noticed when watching uncut versions is how often they use the word "damn". Now, I wasn't bothered by it at first after getting over the initial shock, but it really stands out in a few scenes. Take this one for example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QX0bwFN-K9w

In the Ocean dub, Vegeta's dialogue is more natural and his anger actually escalates. "You! I'll get you for this! You won't escape... MY WRAAAAAATH! I'LL GET YOU! YOU'RE ALL MIIIINE!!"

Now, in Kai, he says "Filthy double-crossers! You'll rue the day! You hear me! You're finished! Damn it all!" His anger doesn't seem much worse than usual, sounding much the same the entire time. But what stands out to me is the swear placed into it, it's like they just placed it there for the sake of being more "edgy". Yes, it's closer to the original JPN version, and I do appreciate accurate scripts as much as the next guy, but accuracy alone didn't cut it here. There's also, "That was no clock! That was a damn radar! Damn it!".

What do you think of the use of swears in uncut Kai? For me, sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.

[Valerius Dover]

I'll have to see Kai for myself before I really judge it, but I do agree that the radar line sounds more redundant than the Z dub.
Other than that, I have no issue with the comparatively excessive amount of swearing present in the Namek Saga in the Z dub.

[Looneygamemaster]

I don't think it does. Mind you, I'd prefer swears never be used, but I've never gotten the sense of any forced "edginess" from the swearing--it sounds pretty natural.

[LordCrumb]

I don't class Damn, Hell and Bastard as swear words, so I have no problem with it at all.

Damn was always used in Z, so why wouldn't it be in Kai?

....and I do appreciate accurate scripts as much as the next guy, but accuracy alone didn't cut it here. There's also, "That was no clock! That was a damn radar! Damn it!"......

Accuracy is always the most important part when it comes to dubbing, and it's what the fans want.

[TheBlackPaladin]

I think you may just feel that swear words were overused because they were used pretty sparingly in the Z dub (although they did increase in frequency with time). As long as the English swear word used is a relatively accurate translation of the Japanese swear word (which is partly interpretation on the part of the translator), then I personally don't feel they were overused.

[ABED]

I think that sometimes they draw attention to themselves, but I'd hardly call "damn" an attempt to be edgy. The pseudo swear words can catch my attention just as easily since it can sound like they are going out of their way not to use them.

[TheKingOfKamehamehas]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtzXsyiKxes Parts 1,2,3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnaPKXW-ng4 Parts 4,5,6

Damn IT!

[gohann]

I think the comment below says enough. XD

Too damn many damn curses in this damn series. Why didn't they use some damn creativity when they wrote the damn script? I can't believe I'm saying this but the damn NIcktoons damn dub is better in some places than this, at least they had some damn creativity!
Damn it!

[KaiserNeko]

It's really not that big of a deal. This is hardly any worse than what you'd find in a PG-13 movie; hell, if this were the late 80s, this would have been PG.

As someone who's watched the entire series of Kai uncut, it never sounded forced, unnatural, or excessive. Remember: These are over several, several episodes.

[theoriginalbilis]

One of the things I've noticed when watching uncut versions is how often they use the word "damn". Now, I wasn't bothered by it at first after getting over the initial shock, but it really stands out in a few scenes.

In the Ocean dub, Vegeta's dialogue is more natural and his anger actually escalates. "You! I'll get you for this! You won't escape... MY WRAAAAAATH! I'LL GET YOU! YOU'RE ALL MIIIINE!!"

Now, in Kai, he says "Filthy double-crossers! You'll rue the day! You hear me! You're finished! Damn it all!" His anger doesn't seem much worse than usual, sounding much the same the entire time. But what stands out to me is the swear placed into it, it's like they just placed it there for the sake of being more "edgy". Yes, it's closer to the original JPN version, and I do appreciate accurate scripts as much as the next guy, but accuracy alone didn't cut it here. There's also, "That was no clock! That was a damn radar! Damn it!".

What do you think of the use of swears in uncut Kai? For me, sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't.

I disagree with you that the swearing was "overkill."

I think they used the swearing in Kai appropriately; and absolutely none of it showed up in the broadcast versions, so there you go, the prudes won't be offended.

Overall, I find a lot of the Kai dialogue much more natural and less out-of-left-field than the Z dub. Not only has FUNimation gotten much better at adapting the Japanese translations into English, but the fact that they had the characters swear feels a lot more natural. When you're getting punched in the face, you're not going to say "Darn it! Blast you!" No, you're more likely to swear.

I think they were reasonable with keeping it at PG-13 level, and not using stronger words like: f**k, s*it, c*nt, etc.

If you want to see English dubs that overuse profanity (almost to a hilarious degree), you should check out some of 90's-era dubs of anime, and their "fifteening" practices:
Angel Cop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZADmRukyvA
Mad Bull 34: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJkXnJU8SPE
Violence Jack: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ipr-wS5iBv0
Devilman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzXBcLK4MR0

[Valerius Dover]

Well, the original stuff uses it pretty sparingly. The DB dub only has one instance of Hell, and the DBZ dub throws in swearing mostly in the Namek Saga, but also a few in the Vegeta and Frieza Sagas. I actually have a swear chart if anyone's interested. The Cell arc was completely free of those. I generally think they shouldn't use these pseudo-swears. I they don't want to swear, they should have it be like the DCAU, Star Wars, or anything from the West that simply avoids using these entirely.

[Gonstead]

I think they were reasonable with keeping it at PG-13 level, and not using stronger words like: f**k, s*it, c*nt, etc.

Unless you count that one instance with Guldo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=p ... SUwY#t=153

[LordCrumb]

If you want to see English dubs that overuse profanity (almost to a hilarious degree), you should check out some of 90's-era dubs of anime, and their "fifteening" practices:
Angel Cop: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZADmRukyvA
Mad Bull 34: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJkXnJU8SPE
Violence Jack: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ipr-wS5iBv0
Devilman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzXBcLK4MR0

Oh mate, total nostalgia trip there! I love 90s anime dubs, so much fun.

[dbboxkaifan]

I don't really think of "Damn" or "Hell" as swearing but "bastard" is minor cursing though the only time when the FUNimation Kai dub really used swearing in my opinion was at that time when Ghurd said "oh shiii---" (without the t at the end).

[Valerius Dover]

They do count as curse words because you can't say them in school, and they are likewise cut from the edited version.

[dbboxkaifan]

They do count as curse words because you can't say them in school, and they are likewise cut from the edited version.

That's not really true, students in schools do say it regardless if they're allowed or not and they do say much worse than damn/hell or bastard.

[Valerius Dover]

^No doubt you are correct, but I meant to say in terms of what is actually allowed. Then again, some teachers are so strict they won't even allow words like "stupid" or "jerk" to be thrown around, so I guess my argument sort of falls apart. But they're usually considered curse words. You don't hear them on Cartoon Network for example.

[dbboxkaifan]

It also depends which Cartoon Network you're referring to, if it were Spain's then when watching the Spanish dub of Shin-chan and Doraemon you'd hear the word "mierda" as well as others but I don't think they care that much to keep it clean, maybe now they do.

For example on one of Shin-chan's early episodes Misae & Shin-chan went out and due to being a rainy day a driver passed by spreading dirty water on Misae which led her to say "mierda de conductor!!". If you want the episode I can try to find it (think it's 0019 a, b or c)

[Valerius Dover]

^Well, I mean the standard American Cartoon Network. I can only recall a few instances in Star Wars the Clone Wars where a few Hells slipped through, aside from that, you don't hear them on children's networks.

[B]

Yes, it's closer to the original JPN version, and I do appreciate accurate scripts as much as the next guy, but accuracy alone didn't cut it here.

This sentence doesn't make any sense. If it's an accurately adapted scene, then you don't have a problem with swearing, you have a problem with the original version.

(But, yes, FUNimation is dumb. If you were to watch a random episode on Nicktoons, you'd never guess that this was a "censored" version through the dialog)