FUNimation Dragon Ball Z English Dub (1996-1998)

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Dragon Ball Z
"Dragon Ball Z" Series Title
Original Run	September 1996 – March 1998
Broadcast	Local syndication affiliates (typically weekend mornings)
Production	FUNimation Ocean Group
Episodes	53 + 3 (List of Episodes)
Main Staff
Music	Shuki Levy Kossa Mahchi Ron Wasserman

FUNimation's English production of the Dragon Ball Z television series from 1996 to 1998 spanned 53 edited, English dub-only episodes — supplemented by a three-episode-cut of Dragon Ball Z Movie 3 — airing over the course of two syndicated television broadcast seasons on local network affiliates. This was supplemented by a series of three film adaptations (the first three Dragon Ball Z movies, including a redo of the third from its syndication version) for home video releases over the course of 1997-1998 as a joint product with Pioneer.

The television series broadcast debuted in September 1996, replacing the company's initiative with the original Dragon Ball television series the prior year (which itself only ran through a single season of 13 episodes, preempting the company's plans for a second season running through 26 episodes).

Following its completion, this batch of episodes was later licensed by Cartoon Network in 1998 for airing on the cable channel's Toonami block, eventually paving the way for a third broadcast season in 1999.

This era is often referred to as the "Ocean dub" or "Pioneer dub" or "Saban dub", confusing various partners of the time and obfuscating the ultimate ownership and production by FUNimation themselves.

History

Having produced 13 television episodes for syndicated television broadcast and one theatrical film adaptation on home video in 1995, FUNimation shifted gears — due to a "combination of factors" — to the Dragon Ball Z television series for a similar-style broadcast in 1996.

Saban Entertainment was recruited to act as the syndication distributor for the show. While the majority of voice talent was kept (including many reappearing characters and their roles from the prior year), recording shifted from Dick & Rogers Sound Studio to Ocean Studios-proper, also in Vancouver, Canada. A replacement musical score was composed once again, this time shifting to Saban partner Shuki Levy and assorted aliases and partners (namely "Kussa Mahchi" and Ron Wasserman). The new theme song — officially simply titled "Main Title" but commonly referred to as "Rock the Dragon" (both internally and externally) — was composed in Los Angeles with a "very distinctive sound" and one that would be "very popular among American children" at that point in time.

Syndication Broadcast (Saban)

Original live-action bumpers introduced the 1996-1998 syndication broadcast

Broadcast began in September 1996; due to the logistics of syndicated broadcast distribution and established programming blocks, local affiliates airing Dragon Ball Z ranged from WB to UPN to Fox to ABC to CBS, with the show typically airing early Saturday or Sunday mornings.

A single episode aired during the first broadcast season; in part due to its popularity, this was expanded to a full hour-long, two-episode block in its second broadcast season. By this second season, the show had "higher sweeps ratings than Friends or X-Files in certain parts of the country", and top ratings in particular with the "key boys 6-11 demographic."

Episodes were recorded and produced in batches, leading to broadcasts occasionally "restarting" back to a prior point before then continuing onward.

Home Video (Pioneer)

Advertisement for consumers promoting the upcoming release of Dragon Ball Z: Arrival on VHS

A home video release of the broadcast version began in 1997, with the first volume ("Dragon Ball Z: Arrival") covering the initial four episodes edited into a "feature" presentation (with a single set of opening and ending themes, no eyecatches, etc.). Home video distribution was handled by Pioneer, with VHS and DVD releases of the 53-episodes worth of content releasing over the course of 1997 to 1999.

As part of this partnership and release cycle, the first three Dragon Ball Z movies (released "out of order" as 1, 3, and then 2) were distributed on English dubbed VHS, English subtitled VHS, bilingual LaserDisc, and bilingual DVD. These home video versions were visually unedited, used the original Japanese musical score by Shunsuke Kikuchi, and used script adaptations faithful to the original Japanese script, both in the respective English dub as well as in the English subtitle track for the Japanese audio. This release line included a redo of the third film, separate from its three-part syndication broadcast version, fully re-recorded with this new script style (notably at this point with Peter Kelamis as the voice for Goku rather than the original Ian Corlett).

While the joint FUNimation/Pioneer release of "Dragon Ball Z: Dead Zone" marked the first official/licensed home video release of subtitled Dragon Ball content on home video in America, Nippon Golden Network had by this point already been airing subtitled episodes of the Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z television series in Hawaii.

Pioneer's sublicense to home video distribution of these particular episodes expired 31 August 2003, allowing FUNimation to go back for a redub and redistribution of the content (resulting in the "Ultimate Uncut Special Edition" in 2005 and subsequent releases including all episodes of the series).

Additional Television Broadcasts

FUNimation and Saban parted ways after the second season came to an end in March 1998, with Saban exiting the children's television syndication business entirely.

Cartoon Network acquired broadcast rights and began airing re-runs of the first two seasons (totaling the 53 "Sayian Conflict" and "Namek Saga" episodes) as part of their growing Toonami block on 31 August 1998. During this run, the production's tenth episode premiered during Toonami's broadcast for the first time on 14 September 1998, having been skipped during the syndication broadcast and otherwise being exclusive to the home release entitled "Dragon Ball Z: Snake Way" prior to this debut.

From August 1998 to September 1999, these 53 episodes ran for five full cycles, back-to-back, airing weekdays at 5:00 PM (EST). This rebroadcast went on to include Saturdays at midnight, as another cycle of re-runs began on Toonami's "Midnight Run" program, starting with the first episode on 10 July 1999. The Saban-produced, made-for-TV, three-episode recut of the third movie ran four times throughout the year, with edited versions of the first movie airing four times, and the second movie airing five times. It was during this period that Toonami aired these first two movies in half-hour cuts, versions that were never broadcast again or released elsewhere on home video.

For the week of May 24 through May 29, Toonami featured a special marathon titled "DBZ20XL" — every weekday evening from 4:00 PM (EST) to 6:00 PM (EST), a two-hour block of four episodes aired, concluding with a movie marathon titled "Dragon Ball Z Triple Feature" on Saturday afternoon from 12:00 PM (EST) to 4:00 PM (EST). The weekday schedule started with episode 18 on Monday and ended with episode 37 on Friday. The weekend marathon featured the edited versions of the third movie (Saban), the second movie, and the first movie — in that order — with single episodes of The Powerpuff Girls airing between each movie to pad out the half-hour slots.

In August 1999, FUNimation and Cartoon Network officially announced they would debut new episodes under the "Season 3" label on 06 September 1999. Commercials for new episodes began airing on Cartoon Network during the last week of August with no release date. The premiere date later changed on FUNimation's website from the 6th to 13 September 1999 and new commercials with that release date followed. "Z-Day" was formally announced as a two-hour evening block from 4:00 PM (EST) to 6:00 PM (EST). It featured re-runs of episodes 52 and 53 leading into premieres of the edited broadcast versions of episodes 54 and 55. Meanwhile, Toonami's "Midnight Run" program continued to air the weekly broadcast of the first 53 episodes every Saturday until reaching Episode 54 on 29 January 2000.

Following the premiere of episode 92 (corresponding to original Japanese numbering 107) on 03 November 1999, the ending of "Season 3" was followed by Toonami's broadcasting schedule cycling back to Episode 54 on the following day. Toonami re-ran Episodes 54 through 92 again before cycling back to Episode 1 on 04 January 2000.

Starting 06 March 2000 with episode 43, Toonami began airing the same episode twice in one weekday — once during its normal 5:00 PM (EST) slot, and again at 12:30 AM (EST) for their new daily "Midnight Run" schedule, eventually transitioning back into "Season 3" on 31 March 2000. Re-runs of "Season 3" continued every weekday, even as "Season 4" premiered with episode 93 (corresponding to original Japanese numbering 108) during Toonami's new "Rising Sun" morning program on 08 April 2000.

Episodes 1 through 53 were broadcast in full for two more re-runs: later that year on 15 May 2000 and again on 08 May 2002, after the second re-run of episode 222 (corresponding to original Japanese numbering 237).

FUNimation's original 1996-1998 production of these 53 episodes have also aired at other points selectively throughout Toonami's history, as well as in additional syndication broadcast slots beyond the original 1998 ending point.

The full first 67 episodes of Dragon Ball Z were later re-dubbed by FUNimation and aired 14 June 2005 during Cartoon Network's late-night 10:30 PM (EST) slot on weekdays, directly before their "Adult Swim" program. This batch was branded as the "Ultimate Uncut Special Edition".

Main Staff

• Executive Producers: Gen Fukunaga, Cindy Brennan Fukunaga
• Producers: Daniel Cocanougher, Barry Watson
• Story Editor: Christopher Neel
• Writers: Christopher Neel, Chris Forbis
• Voice Directors: Barry Watson, Sarah-Anne Dafoe
• Produced in Association With: The Ocean Group Vancouver
• Voices: Saffron Henderson, Jerry T. Todd, Terry Klassen, Lalainia Lindbjerg, Laara Sadiq, Dave Ward, Dale Wilson, Doc Harris, Scott McNeil, Jason Grey-Stanford, Brian Drummond, Michael Dobson, French Tickner, Cathy Weseluck, Doug Parker, Matt Smith, Ellen Kennedy, etc.
• Music: Shuki Levy, Kossa Mahchi, Ron Wasserman
• Music Produced By: Ron Wasserman, Jeremy Sweet
• Executive in Charge of Music: Ron Kenan
• Music Supervisor: David Leon
• Music Editors: Jay Bolton, Karl Warme
• Music Engineer: Barron Abramovitch
• Assistant Engineers: Junmy DiJulin, Frank Bailey-Meier
• Music Assistant: Tim Gosselin
• Voice Recording Engineer: Rob Crang
• Recording Assistant: Trevor Smith
• Dialogue Editors: Gina Mueller, Tim Bavis
• Re-Recording Mixer: Kelly Frey
• Production Coordinator: Diana Gage
• Post-Production: FUNimation Productions, Inc.
• Version Editors: Moises Vega, Byron Watson, Daniel Cocanougher
• Logo Animation Design: Johnathon Vought
• Animation Paint Editing: Byron Watson, Johnathon Vought

Episodes

Further information: List of FUNimation Dragon Ball Z English Dub (1996-1998) Episodes

Theatrical Film Adaptations

• Movie 1: Dragon Ball Z ("Dead Zone") (15 July 1989)
• Movie 2: The World's Strongest Guy ("The World's Strongest") (10 March 1990)
• Movie 3: A Super Decisive Battle for Earth ("The Tree of Might") (07 July 1990)

Themes & Insert Songs

Opening Theme

"Main Title" ("Rock the Dragon") (Episodes 1-53)

Lyrics: TBD / Composition: TBD / Arrangement: TBD / Vocals: TBD

Ending Theme

TBD

Home Video Releases

Introduction. VHS and DVD. Later "Rock the Dragon" set.

Individual Releases

Volume	Cover Art	Title	VHS Release Date	DVD Release Date	Episodes
1		Dragon Ball Z: Arrival	28 October 1997	13 April 1999	1-4: The Arrival of Raditz The World's Strongest Team Gohan's Hidden Powers Goku's Unusual Journey
2		Dragon Ball Z: The Saiyans	28 October 1997	11 May 1999	5-7: Gohan's Metamorphosis Gohan Makes a Friend Trouble on Arlia
3		Dragon Ball Z: Snake Way	27 January 1998	11 May 1999	8-10: Home For Infinite Losers Princess Snake's Hospitality Escape From Piccolo
4		Dragon Ball Z: Pendulum Room	27 January 1998	01 June 1999	11-13: Showdown in the Past The End of Snake Way A Fight Against Gravity... Catch Bubbles!
5		Dragon Ball Z: Doom	TBD	01 June 1999	14-16: The Legend of the Saiyans A Black Day for Planet Earth The Battle Begins... Where Are You Goku?
6		Dragon Ball Z: Immortals	24 February 1998	13 July 1999	17-19: The Saibamen Strike Nappa... The Invincible? Tien Goes All Out!
7		Dragon Ball Z: Destruction	24 February 1998	13 July 1999	20-22: Time's Up The Return of Goku Goku Strikes Back
8		Dragon Ball Z: Showdown	28 April 1998	07 August 1999	23-25: Goku vs Vegeta: A Saiyan Duel! Vegeta: Saiyan Style Stop Vegeta Now!
9		Dragon Ball Z: Departure	28 April 1998	17 August 1999	26-28: The Battle Ends A New Goal... Namek! Journey to Namek
10		Dragon Ball Z: Rebirth	30 June 1998	14 September 1999	29-31: Friends or Foes? Hunt for a Dragon Ball Who's Who?
11		Dragon Ball Z: Namek	30 June 1998	14 September 1999	32-34: Touchdown on Namek Face-off on Namek The Ruthless Frieza
12		Dragon Ball Z: Betrayal	25 August 1998	12 October 1999	35-37: The Nameks Versus Frieza Escape From Dodoria Secrets Revealed
13		Dragon Ball Z: Collision	25 August 1998	12 October 1999	38-40: A Collision Course Stay Away From Frieza Zarbon Transformed
14		Dragon Ball Z: Quest	27 October 1998	09 November 1999	41-43: The Eldest Namek Get Vegeta! Vegeta Revived
15		Dragon Ball Z: Trouble!	27 October 1998	09 November 1999	44-46: A Heavy Burden Immortality Denied Big Trouble for Bulma
16		Dragon Ball Z: The Ginyu Force	27 November 1998	07 December 1999	47-49: Scramble for the Dragon Balls Arrival of the Ginyu Force Elite Fighters of the Universe... The Ginyu Force
17		Dragon Ball Z: Super Saiyan?!	27 November 1998	07 December 1999	50-53: Time Tricks and Body Binds Arrival of the Ginyu Force Enter Goku Goku… Super Saiyan?

Box Sets

TBD. The Saiyan Conflict. The Namek Saga.

Rock the Dragon

TBD

External Links

• TBD