Dragon Ball Kai — under its international name of Dragon Ball Z Kai — has been in a semi-state of limbo since the “Season Three” release this past September. The “Season Four” release was the last one set to compile the previously-released 2-disc  “Part” versions into a 4-disc “Season” compilation, this one combining “Part 7” and “Part 8” covering Kai episodes 78-98.

It looks as if it will finally see the light of day early next year on 12 March 2013 on both DVD and Blu-ray, as per the standard release style:

MSRP for both hovers around the $50 mark, but these traditionally come down to around $35 once they hit retailers.

This set, as with the original “Part 8” set that it compiles, includes Episode 98 of Kai, an episode that was cut from the original Japanese TV broadcast due to tsunami coverage and the start date of Toriko back in 2011.

This would have been the “end” of the home releases necessary for Kai were it not for the impending international continuation of the series. It will be interesting to see if FUNimation resumes the “Part” releases with a “Part 9” when the Majin Boo story arc begins, or if they will jump straight to a “Season Five”. There has, of course, not actually been any official confirmation from FUNimation that they will be continuing the series, but it would take a force far greater than that of any which currently exists in the universe for FUNimation to not pick it up, if not be in full control…!

Yūko Minaguchi (Videl/Pan) announced a hiatus from voice work earlier this year in order to study abroad. The actress posted a blog entry yesterday stating that she returned to Japan for six days in order to fulfill work commitments. There is definitely no confirmation about Dragon Ball-related projects, but with Battle of Gods work in full-swing and a revival of Dragon Ball Kai on the horizon for the Majin Boo story arc, things certainly look promising.

実は…一時帰国して、昨日こちらに戻りました

4泊6日の中で、お仕事2本
野乃と私のアトピー病院
美容院

---

By the way… I came back home yesterday for a short return.

For six days and four nights, to work on two things.
Nono* and my Atopic [Dermatitis] hospital [and] the beauty salon.

*Translator’s note: Nono (野乃) is Minaguchi’s dog.

Upon Daisuke Gōri‘s (Mr. Satan, et al.) passing nearly three years ago, Minaguchi wrote in a blog post that, acknowledging it was a childish thought, the very idea of recording Videl alongside Mr. Satan without Gōri made her not want to continue playing the character were Kai to eventually make its way to that story arc. A replacement actor for Mr. Satan was hinted at with the PSP game TAG VS with Unshō Ishizuka, who was also ultimately confirmed to later play the character in Dragon Ball Kai.

A news update on Toshio Furukawa‘s (Piccolo) official website from last week pictured him (at the right) alongside veteran voice actor and director Yūji Mitsuya (Kaiōshin) having just recorded lines for a “certain anime” in a Kita-Shinjuku studio (probably TAVAC [Toei Audio-Visual Arts Center], which is located there). The update notes that the actors were recording their lines separately, as opposed to the traditional Japanese style of recording in small groups for each scene.

北新宿の某スタジオで某アニメのセリフ収録で　雄二と

12月某日。同作品だったけど、二人共ヌキ取りだった為、順番に収録で、ちよっと言葉を交わしてすぐにバイバイしたが、瞬時に２ショットを。いつでもどこでもスラップスティックのメンバーと会えるのは嬉しい。

---

In Kita-Shinjuku¹ recording lines at a certain studio for a certain anime with Yūji

On a certain day in December. Although it was for the same work, as we were dubbing in our lines, we recorded one after another, and said our goodbyes after exchanging just a few words, but in that moment, I took a shot of the two of us. No matter where or when, I’m always happy to be able to meet up with a fellow member of Slapstick².

Translator’s notes:
¹Kita-Shinjuku is a part of Shinjuku, one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo.
²Slapstick was a band active from 1977 to 1986 that consisted of seven Japanese voice actors, including Toshio Furukawa (Piccolo) on rhythm guitar, Yūji Mitsuya (Kaiōshin) on keyboards, Tōru Furuya (Yamcha) on drums, Akira Kamiya (DBZ Movie 1 Garlic Jr.) on bass, and the late Kazuyuki Sogabe (Artificial Human No. 13, Redict, Dr. Mu) on lead guitar. Mitsuya left the band in 1984 and was replaced on keyboards by the late Hirotaka Suzuoki (Tenshinhan).

Mitsuya provided Kanzenshuu with an exclusive first hint that Dragon Ball Kai could possibly be facing trouble back in August 2010 during a Q&A session at his Otakon panel. At the time, Mitsuya was not sure if the producers would be able to afford him for the later story arc if he were to return as Kaiōshin, and noting that he would even be willing to work at a reduced rate in order to make it happen.

Big thanks to our buddy kei17 for the heads-up on both items!