American Vs. Japanese Titles?

Lavender Saiyan · Post by **Lavender Saiyan** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 12:52 am

Hey I had a question. How come most fans, even the purists (like a lot of people here) have no problem refering to the Budokai series as "The Budokai Series" even though it's just called "DragonBall Z" in Japan. Yet the same people mock the name "Budokai Tenkaichi" & only use "Sparking"? What's the difference? Is it because of the reversal of the term Tenkaichi Budokai?

fps_anth · Post by **fps_anth** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:07 am

Personally, I think that we refer the series' those ways because they sound better. We can't just say "the Dragon Ball Z games" because it would seem too general. Budokai series sounds better and catigorizes the games. The reason we use Sparking! is because they are different games. One with no knowledge of Dragon Ball games would probably think that Budokai Tenkaichi is nearly the same as Budokai 3. But they ain't.

. So we use Sparking! (which sounds better imo)

You what really grinds my shit? Why the blue hell did they call the Budokai games "Dragon Ball Z (2,3)" in Japan? I mean, they released over 20 other DBZ games there! When Budokai came out in NA, to the general public, it was the first DB game. So, why not call is Dragon Ball Z here, and Budokai in Japan? (to categorize it away from Butoden games and such) Weird.

FreezaHenchmanNo.27 · Post by **FreezaHenchmanNo.27** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:24 am

Part of it is due to the reversal of the words. ANother thing is its kinda easier to say/type Sparking rather than Budokai Tenkaichi. Plus, since the series are so different from one another, I don't think they should really share a common name like that. I think it was just added tot he American release to help sell more copies since most everyone knew of the Budokai series.

Lavender Saiyan · Post by **Lavender Saiyan** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:41 am

fps_anth wrote:Personally, I think that we refer the series' those ways because they sound better. We can't just say "the Dragon Ball Z games" because it would seem too general. Budokai series sounds better and catigorizes the games. The reason we use Sparking! is because they are different games. One with no knowledge of Dragon Ball games would probably think that Budokai Tenkaichi is nearly the same as Budokai 3. But they ain't. . So we use Sparking! (which sounds better imo)

Ah, that makes sense. I acctually know someone (in non-internet life) who thought the 2 series were the same. I tried to explain it to him, about the whole alternate title thing & Atari's marketing stratagy with the name Budokai already being out there...but he got confused, lol.

Deus ex Machina · Post by **Deus ex Machina** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 2:59 am

It would be pretty confusing to call the Budokai series simply DragonBall Z, people wouldn't be sure if you were talking about just that game series, or of all the games in general.

On the other hand, when talking about the north American release I use the name "Budokai Tenkaichi". If I was going to talk about the Japanese release I would use Sparking! (Neo), but it doesn't come up that often.

Duo · Post by **Duo** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 4:32 am

Sparking! Is easier to type.

Sebastian (SB) · Post by **Sebastian (SB)** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 4:57 am

I would say "Budokai Tenkaichi" if it were "Tenkaichi Budokai", but having Atari trying to be Japanese with their titles is just pitiful. Don't get me wrong, I can see they were trying be consistent with the "Budokai" line of games, but the fact that both series' of games are made by different developers doesn't really help. What Duo says, is feasible to me, but I think it's awesome that Spike used a word from a song as their title. "Sparking!"

Post by **VegettoEX** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 7:47 am

For me, it's definitely the fact that simply saying DragonBall Z is far too confusing (especially considering some Famicom games were also released with the same types of titles).

Furthermore, saying the word "Budokai" by itself isn't flat-out wrong like saying "Budokai Tenkaichi" is

.

Mr.Piccolo · Post by **Mr.Piccolo** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 11:06 am

I use both titles for the sake of people knowing what I mean. As others stated, just saying you play "DragonBall Z 3" can be confusing. That would be a cool title if the "Budokai" series was the only series for DragonBall Z on consoles. But with the Super DragonBall Z and Sparking! series, its just plain weird.

-Rick

MajinVejitaXV · Post by **MajinVejitaXV** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:45 pm

The 'Ten-kai-chee Booty-kai' title always annoyed me. I understand that 'Sparking!' has that "WTF?" characteristic for the average English player, but still...if you're gonna use Japanese words, at least use them...you know, in a way that makes sense?

Now, the real question is, WHERE'S MY SUPER DRAGONBALL Z 2? ;p

-Corey

Castor Troy · Post by **Castor Troy** » Thu Dec 28, 2006 4:43 pm

MajinVejitaXV wrote:Now, the real question is, WHERE'S MY SUPER DRAGONBALL Z 2? ;p

-Corey

I can't wait for...

Super Dragonball Z 2
Super Dragonball Z 2 Championship edition
Super Dragonball Z 2 Turbo
Super Super Dragonball Z 2
Super Super Dragonball Z 2 Turbo

Casual Matt · Post by **Casual Matt** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 11:58 pm

Castor Troy wrote:
MajinVejitaXV wrote:Now, the real question is, WHERE'S MY SUPER DRAGONBALL Z 2? ;p

-Corey
I can't wait for...

Super Dragonball Z 2
Super Dragonball Z 2 Championship edition
Super Dragonball Z 2 Turbo
Super Super Dragonball Z 2
Super Super Dragonball Z 2 Turbo

Don't forget

Super Dragon Ball Z EX
Super Dragon Ball Z EX Plus

etc...

Okay, enough making fun of Street Fighter for now.

Yeah, it's a little weird for a game in Japan to be so new and just called Dragon Ball Z. I mean it could have used a subtitle so we know what game you're talking about. But the English version has that subtitle. And it isn't wrong to say or anything, so calling it the Budokai series is fine by me.

Olivier Hague · Post by **Olivier Hague** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 2:31 pm

The Lecherous Muten Roshi wrote:it's a little weird for a game in Japan to be so new and just called Dragon Ball Z. I mean it could have used a subtitle so we know what game you're talking about.

Well, they're the only games called like that, so it's not really a problem...

Hero 004 · Post by **Hero 004** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 5:13 pm

I personally have no problem with the name Budokai Tenkaichi.

DragonballZ Tournament

DragonballZ Tournament 2

DragonballZ Tournament 3

DragonballZ Tournament: Best in the World

It's saying that it is a tournament game that now features fighters from the best in the world. Even though the name of the tournaments in the story are reversed, that title still makes perfect sense to me.

Casual Matt · Post by **Casual Matt** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 6:55 pm

The fact that the English games have titles in Japanese and the Japanese games have English titles is slightly confusing and irritating.

Olivier Hague · Post by **Olivier Hague** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 9:47 pm

It's kinda ridiculous, indeed... Wapanese titles.

Tsukento · Post by **Tsukento** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 2:20 am

Why do I refer to the first three as the Budokai series and not the Dragon Ball Z one yet mock "Tenkaichi?"

Simple.

Budokai 1, 2, and 3 came out in the US first. Sparking and Sparking Neo came out in Japan first. The Sparking series isn't even part of the Budokai series (nor are they made by the developers), despite what Atari wishes people to believe. So I have no reason to refer to the latter as Budokai titles when they're not even actually related to the Budokai series.

That and the reversal of Tenkaichi Budokai bugs the hell out of me.

Olivier Hague · Post by **Olivier Hague** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 4:44 pm

Tsukento wrote:Budokai 1, 2, and 3 came out in the US first.

Europe got them first, actually. Except maybe for the third one? I don't remember...