Question for UK fans: Zee or Zed?

[Deathbringer]

Context: In the UK we pronounce the letter Z as "zed" as opposed to the American pronunciation of "zee"

Even though I try and pronounce my words properly I always find myself pronouncing Dragon Ball Z as "Dragon Ball Zee" even though it's not correct for someone who speaks UK English. However I notice that people over here tend to pronounce it as zee probably because of the way it rolls off the tongue better and also because we're all used to hearing the american english dub call the show Dragon Ball Zee/DeeBeeZee (notice how that's also easier to say than DeeBeeZed). In fact I notice that people use zed normally and only use zee occasionally, usually when talking about something American (even if it's an american dub of a japanese show).

However there is one thing that's quite interesting to note, in Japan the show is pronounced "Doragon Boru Zetto", ignoring the Doragon Boru part, you can see that Zetto is a lot closer in pronunciation to Zed than it is to Zee, so it can be said that Zed is a more accurate way for us to pronounce it both from the way that it's how we pronounce it anyway and also in the way that it's how the original language version is pronounced.

But what do you guys pronounce it as?

[Wilderness]

I say Zee. Despite being from UK, I think as it's the official name of the show, I pronounce it that way. Similarly to Jackass instead of Jackarse, or Zebrahead (Zee-bra rather than Zeh-bra).

[Super Sayian Prime]

Canada officially uses British English too, but on-air promos and introductions have always referred to it as "Zee." You see that pronunciation even in the English dubs produced in Canada for broadcast in Canada and the UK. Is that Toei's official pronunciation for the show? Was that just an attempt to have the later alternate dub not stick out as much to viewers? Who knows.

[dbgtFO]

Is that Toei's official pronunciation for the show?

In Japan it's called Dragon(Doragon) Ball(Boru) Zetto, so if anything it's supposed to sound like "Zed."

[90sDBZ]

Zee all the way. Zed just doesn't roll off the tongue right.

[Kamiccolo9]

Is that Toei's official pronunciation for the show?

In Japan it's called Dragon(Doragon) Ball(Boru) Zetto, so if anything it's supposed to sound like "Zed."

"Zetto" is just how the Japanese language transcribes the western letter "Z." That's like saying that we are supposed to be calling Cell "Seru."

[Draconic]

I use Zee when speaking English because it's easier to say DeeBeeZee, however in Romanian I say "zet", our way to pronnounce the Z.


I really had nothing to do with this thread

[dbgtFO]

Is that Toei's official pronunciation for the show?

In Japan it's called Dragon(Doragon) Ball(Boru) Zetto, so if anything it's supposed to sound like "Zed."

"Zetto" is just how the Japanese language transcribes the western letter "Z." That's like saying that we are supposed to be calling Cell "Seru."

Given that there are 2 different ways to pronounce Z, one would think they'd use the approximation of the American version, if that's what they thought it should sound like.
And I don't think it's quite the same with the example you bring up. While "Toranksu" "Seru" etc. are how they are transcribed in japanese, the stem is easily recognized as Trunks and Cell. Knowing that "Zetto" is how they'd transcribe Z, it would seem that the stem for that sound would be the English "Zed" like Kakarotto becomes Kakarot in English. It sounds nothing like Zee, thus one would think, that's how it's supposed to be pronounced.

[LostTimeLord]

"Zed", because for the most part I watch it in Japanese anyway, although I get that most people are used to hearing "Zee" from the dub. It's a pet peeve of mine when people try to correct me on the basis that that's the way they pronounce it in the series, because by that logic I should call it Dragon Ball Zetto.

[Bullza]

I'm from UK and I've always said Zee.

[Lord Beerus]

Always said "Zee". It just sounds cooler when you pronounce after "Dragon Ball".

[BlackCatScott]

I've always said Zee. All of the advertisements on Cartoon Network would advertise it as Zee. I don't recall hearing anybody refer to it as Zed.

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

I'm Irish and myself and all my friends who ever watched the show pronounce it as Dragon Ball "Zee". The only person I know who has ever said Dragon Ball "Zed" is my dad .

[NitroEX]

I've only ever met one person who pronounced it "Dragonball Zed" and he was very posh.

The narrator at the beginning and end of each episode calls it "Dragonball Zee" so it's ingrained in everyone who watched the show, there's really no fighting it.