Spelling and pronounciation

[Super Sonic]

I have a question that concerns when DBZ characters' names are spelled differently in the dub, but pronounced the same way. Why does it matter? I mean, you know how a lot of people complain over their spelling Freeza's name Frieza? What's the big deal since its pronounced the same way. The spelled Keiko from YYH's name differently in the dub (Keiko Yukimura became Kayko Ukimura) but I haven't heard any complaints about that.

[SaiyaJedi]

I have a question that concerns when DBZ characters' names are spelled differently in the dub, but pronounced the same way. Why does it matter? I mean, you know how a lot of people complain over their spelling Freeza's name Freeza? What's the big deal since its pronounced the same way. The spelled Keiko from YYH's name differently in the dub (Keiko Yukimura became Kayko Ukimura) but I haven't heard any complaints about that.

To be quite frank, you've touched on something that hits a raw nerve for some people, and also opens a can of worms. Simply put, some fans want names spelled exactly how they spell them themselves. When this doesn't happen, they get upset. Additionally, the companies sometimes use a spelling that flies in the face of the meaning (since many characters' names are either based on puns or meant to be anglicized to begin with).

However, you're right about the YYH stuff, though... since those are Japanese names for Japanese people, they should really be left alone (the only things I play around with in real[ish] names are long vowels and name order). However, the "Kayko" nonsense irks me less than "Urameshi" always being mispronounced as "YOOrameshi." Either listen to the original VAs, or get a damn dictionary. Or something. Geez.

[VegettoEX]

I have a question that concerns when DBZ characters' names are spelled differently in the dub, but pronounced the same way. Why does it matter? I mean, you know how a lot of people complain over their spelling Freeza's name Freeza? What's the big deal since its pronounced the same way. The spelled Keiko from YYH's name differently in the dub (Keiko Yukimura became Kayko Ukimura) but I haven't heard any complaints about that.

I don't watch YYH, so I wouldn't know.

"F r i e z a" just makes no sense. My favorite example of it being absolutely retarded is back in the early days of season two. The character had been verbally named and mentioned in the show, but had not yet been spelled out anywhere in title cards or on the official site.

The closed-captioning writers spelled it as "Freeza."

Bandai spelled it as "Freeza" in their original North American Super Battle Collection releases.

Why, dear lord, would FUNimation randomly put an "i" in the name? It destroys the pun. It looks stupid. It's just a perfect example of a downright stupid and pointless change for seemingly NO reason. Other things I understand. "Paikuhan" would be hard to pronounce, nevermind "Kuririn." But to pronounce a name correctly, yet change the OBVIOUSLY intended spelling for no reason?

Their treatment of Freeza is one of the few things I still get hung up on ^^.

[Jerseymilk]

I agree with Julian about changing Keiko's name. To spell it as "Kayko" is above and beyond retarded to me. It just looks like some kind of new-age crap version. It's as dumb as if I changed my name to "Eymi".

You know one name change that Funi did which I thought was really dumb was calling Olive from the Other World Tenka'ichi Budokai "Olibu". Why? I realize that keeping the pun name of "Olive" would probably make the guy sound gay to North American viewers but is "Olibu really any better? They may as well of called Trunks "Torunkasu". I actually remember overhearing some kids discussing those episodes when they first were broadcast and they were all saying. "Olibu? What kind of a name is Olibu?" Poor things were as confused as a Sakura cosplayer whose lost their wand. XD

[Deus ex Machina]

Isn't Olive supposed to be Hercules? And if so, how does that un apply at all?

[Xyex]

'Olibu' was the man that 'Most of the Earth's legends are bassed on' or something like that. That's the connection, and if it hadn't been for them already calling Mr. Satan H e r c u l e they would have probably given it to him instead.

Though I don't mind Olibu, or F r i e z a myself. In fact, I prefer F r i e z a over Freeza cause Freeza just looks boirng. Hence why I never cared for Cold or Cooler's names.

[PsyLiam]

The only time things like this bother me is when people go out of their way to show their "OMG I'm such a 733t Otaku!!!!"-ness. "I shall spell it G o k o u" because they spelt it like that on a Japanese game!" "I shall spell it Bejiita because there isn't a 'v' in Japanese I know because Akira Toriyama's uncle told me!" "I shall call him "Piccoro" because they wrote it that way once briefly on the show, AND THEY ARE ALWAYS RIGHT!!!!!"

[Dayspring]

The only name that ever really bugged me was "Fr i eza". It's a pointless change that wouldn't do anything other than make you MISpronounce his name (instead of it being pronounced "free-zuh" it's being written so that you should pronounce it "fry-zuh". As in, do you want fries with that?).

Names like "Bejiita" and "Piccoro" just bug me because the pun's supposed to BE "Vegeta" after vegetables, and "Piccolo" after the instrument. The only reason it isn't written that way in japanese is because they CAN'T write that way japanese.

[TripleRach]

If I had to guess, I'd say that FUNi's spelling was a Batman reference, since Mr. Freeze's real name is Victor Friese (pronounced the same as "freeze").

"Olibu" kinda bugs me too, since it's a word related to my surname. But IIRC, the character's name was oribuu, while the word "olive" is just oribu. So maybe it should've been something like "Olivu". They really should have used a V, in either case.

[Jerseymilk]

Exactly. That's what I mean. Why make it similar to a romanized Japanese name when you've never done that with any of the other names in the series? It just doesn't make sense.

[Super Sonic]

I have also noticed how some Japanese names might be mispronounced by a non-Japanese person without exposure to the Japanese language, unless that someone hears the name pronounced the correct way. For example, I own Rival Schools: United by Fate for the playstation and on that game is a character named Kyosuke. For a while I pronounced his name the way it looked calling him Kyo-Su-Kee. I learned how to pronounce it the right way when I finally started playing the disk with the story mode with Japanese voices. Now I say his name correctly.

[Izlude]

Furiza pwns you all!

[PsyLiam]

I have also noticed how some Japanese names might be mispronounced by a non-Japanese person without exposure to the Japanese language, unless that someone hears the name pronounced the correct way.

I think that's the general consensus regarding FUNi and VIZ spelling Yamcha's little shapeshifting friend's name as "Pu'ar": to aid the pronounciation.

[Zackarotto]

Did you really have to show that fanart to tell everyone you prefer "Furiza"?

I prefer Freeza, because it shows the pun yet... Oh, to hell with it. Dig up the forty or so posts where somebody has already talked about it.

[Super Sonic]

Ok, where does Furiza come from? It sounds like "Freeza" to me.

[Caracal]

I know Kururin is the correct spelling of Krillin, Tien is actually spelt Ten (or at least it is in the manga) and Mr. Satan is pronounced "Mista Sat-An" but otherwise my knowledge of correct spelling and pronounciation is limited.

[SaiyaJedi]

I know Kururin is the correct spelling of Krillin, Tien is actually spelt Ten (or at least it is in the manga) and Mr. Satan is pronounced "Mista Sat-An" but otherwise my knowledge of correct spelling and pronounciation is limited.

Actually, our favorite Shaolin monk's name is spelled "Kuririn," "Tien" is actually Tenshinhan (although Chiao-tzu does call him "Ten"), and "Mr. Satan," although written phonetically like "Meestah Sahtahn," does translate out to the English words "Mister" and "Satan" (as they are pronounced in the uncut FUNi dub).

[Caracal]

I thought I spelt Kuririn correctly.
I know what Tien/Ten is short for. I just didn't feel like typing all that.
And as for Mr. Satan, I was going by how it was pronounced in Budokai 1 (the European version had Japanise voices).

[PsyLiam]

That's just the limited Japanese phonetic system trying to cope with English words.

Or, to say it another way, the announcer is saying "Mr Satan" with an accent.

[Jerseymilk]

Couldn't you have just said that to begin with Liam?