Dragon Ball, sans Z

[SpoonyBardOL]

Originally Posted by Andrew

I don't care at all for Kai's dub, and some of the recastings bug me. Meredith McCoy's icy, slightly-playful bitchiness for Eighteen I definitely prefer to the Kai one.

I really like Kai's dub, though it may be due to not having a huge affinity for the old one past the Vegeta fight and being really into FUNimation's One Piece dub which has a lot of voice actor crossover with their Kai dub.

But it was the original Ocean dub that gave us some marvelous memery.

[WisteriaHysteria]

Kai is bad. The quickened pace is welcome, until it falls upon bad habits again and by the Freeza Saga we're watching multi-episode battles again. But the hasty edits basically remove all side characters and their character-building moments so that you're just watching a string of battles. And honestly, that's the most boring part of shounen anime shows. Can you imagine OG Dragonball with Goku's eating battles, or Krillin's training sequences all removed? It would be terrible.

[Anonymooo]

The Goku vs. Freeza fight was like three volumes long in the manga (26-28 if I remember right) so I think that one taking multiple episodes makes sense, even with Kai's sped-up pace. I've never actually watched much of Kai past the first few episodes, but all I'd heard about it kept me from actually checking it out.

Like I said earlier, I never really WATCH DBZ so much as keep it on in the background for a week or two, and even now the only times I actually go back and pay attention to the whole series comes from reading the manga.

Bringing up Goku vs. Majunior again, part of why I love One Piece is that most major fights feel like that, with the right mix of crazy powers and raw physical violence and great choreography. The first Goku vs. Vegeta fight had a lot of power-ups, but it was still in the same category as the awesome Majunior fight. Minor thing: I also loved how Goku and Vegeta's hair would blow in the wind in the early episodes, and then that never ever happened later on because the hair looked too stiff.

[madhair60]

My wife has watched all of Dragon Ball AND Dragon Ball Z twice through. I don't know how she manages it.

[Zef]

I'm still baffled every time I tune into the US dub for either DB or Z. The Mexdub voices --and its original Japanese BGM-- are etched so deeply in my brain that hearing anything else causes massive dissonance.



It's rather like Saint Seiya, Captain Tsubasa, Count Duckula, Spider Man (& HAF,) Top Cat, et al --where a middling to decent show becomes a highly-quotable cultural icon in Mexico merely on the strength of its dub and its heartfelt performances.

EDIT: ...I only just realized the coincidence of picking THOSE two scenes as representatives of the dub (Particularly since the voice actress for kid Goku went on to kid Gohan and then kid Goten, so she must've gotten used to screaming that line...)

[Excitemike]

My first exposure to DBZ was watching the Mexican dub on Telemundo! I love cartoons where the kids sound like kids.

[MikeDinosaur]

Originally Posted by Zef

I'm still baffled every time I tune into the US dub for either DB or Z. The Mexdub voices --and its original Japanese BGM-- are etched so deeply in my brain that hearing anything else causes massive dissonance.

It's rather like Saint Seiya, Captain Tsubasa, Count Duckula, Spider Man (& HAF,) Top Cat, et al --where a middling to decent show becomes a highly-quotable cultural icon in Mexico merely on the strength of its dub and its heartfelt performances.

EDIT: ...I only just realized the coincidence of picking THOSE two scenes as representatives of the dub (Particularly since the voice actress for kid Goku went on to kid Gohan and then kid Goten, so she must've gotten used to screaming that line...)

Hey, thanks! I've been looking for a new cartoon to use to keep up with my Spanish, this'll work perfectly!

Originally Posted by Excitemike

My first exposure to DBZ was watching the Mexican dub on Telemundo! I love cartoons where the kids sound like kids.

It's great, right? I was blown away by the quality of the cartoon dubs when I was in Ecuador this summer. It takes Gravity Falls from a good comedy show written by good comedy writers to a wildly creative show about real kids. Stuff like Mabel's blackmail line here:

is like, transcendently perfect in her little girl voice. Coming from Kristen Schall, it's a little too much a Kristen Schall line.

Was this off topic enough? I am leaving.

[Kishi]

Originally Posted by Anonymooo

Bringing up Goku vs. Majunior again, part of why I love One Piece is that most major fights feel like that, with the right mix of crazy powers and raw physical violence and great choreography. The first Goku vs. Vegeta fight had a lot of power-ups, but it was still in the same category as the awesome Majunior fight.

Ayup. DBZ's first arc has a lot of Dragon Ball's dynamic charm left over, and the animated version has some genuinely interesting direction and choreography. If only it could have stayed that way.

[shivam]

Originally Posted by narcodis

This might be the most dorky thing I've ever written, but man... it was the most perfect timing for me, being 13 or 14 or however old I was at the time. So. Cool.

Believe me, man, i'm with you 100%. Hell, even watching DB Kai recently, when i got to that scene, i pretty much lost my shit again. it's such a powerful moment, only matched by gohan going ssj2 at the end of cel saga.

[narcodis]

There were two north american Dragon Ball theme songs.

Here's the one most people are probably familiar with:


Here's the one I first heard and came to know as the theme song:


I don't know if I have a preference, but I will say I feel like the latter sounds a lot more "saturday morning cartoon" sounding, and feels a lot more nostalgic for me.

[Dadaph]

I really enjoy that first one. It even sounds like the original Japanese intro. Goes for the ending theme as well.
But even the second one sure beats that horror they used to replace Head Cha-la with in DBZ.

[Zef]

Originally Posted by shivam

it's such a powerful moment, only matched by gohan going ssj2 at the end of cel saga.

(Video is mirrored to defeat the YT bots, I assume.)

[Andrew]

Yeah, I like both themes above, but I honestly don't remember hearing the either of them extensively. I know I've heard the first one, but it may have been closing credits or something. Toonami had a bad habit of chopping out or shortening OPs, and that's how I watched it I believe.

Originally Posted by Dadaph

I really enjoy that first one. It even sounds like the original Japanese intro. Goes for the ending theme as well.
But even the second one sure beats that horror they used to replace Head Cha-la with in DBZ.

DRAGGINDRAGGIN..ROCKDADRAGON...DRAGGINBAAAALZEEEE! !~~

I would actually mute the TV when that shite was on.

[shivam]

Originally Posted by dadaph

i really enjoy that first one. It even sounds like the original japanese intro. Goes for the ending theme as well.
But even the second one sure beats that horror they used to replace head cha-la with in dbz.

dragon dragon
rock the dragon
dragon ball zeeeeeeeeeeeeee

and Zef, the song that plays there is one of the best DBZ songs period. i'm impressed they left it in japanese.

[shivam]

2nd intro

2nd ending


so good. some of the first mp2s i ever got.
Yeah, mp2, not mp3. Straight off of planetnamek.

and hell, two of my favorite songs from DB-


god, this is taking me back to high school so hard.

[Rufferto]

GT is crap but the theme song is good. Well, the first ten seconds are, anyway. It's the only part I can remember. Kinda like "head cha la".

[Zef]

Originally Posted by shivam

dragon dragon
rock the dragon
dragon ball zeeeeeeeeeeeeee

and Zef, the song that plays there is one of the best DBZ songs period. i'm impressed they left it in japanese.

Mexdubs typically leave all OSTs intact. They often translate the OP/ED songs, but go to huge lengths to make them match the original melody as closely as possible. The DB/Z/GT, CC Sakura, and Seiya songs are particularly good at this! Anything during the episode? Sacrosanct as far as the studios are concerned.

(That, or it's just easier to buy the rights with the network's money than to redo the whole soundtrack :p)

Originally Posted by shivam

god, this is taking me back to high school so hard.

Me too, dammit.

[Dadaph]

Originally Posted by shivam

and hell, two of my favorite songs from DB-

Oh yeah. Just love it when those songs starts playing during the fights.
Now I know I really need to rewatch DB again soon.

[LBD_Nytetrayn]

Originally Posted by Andrew

Toonami had a bad habit of chopping out or shortening OPs, and that's how I watched it I believe.

I wouldn't call it a "bad" habit, necessarily; I mean, they went out of their way to create their own intros, complete with new music that was kind of neat and got you pumped. I always admired their dedication to the block of cartoons that way.

Plus, it made watching episodes that aired at midnight stand out more with "Rock the Dragon".

As for my history with Dragon Ball... man, it was kind of rough. I'd heard about it through some fashion or another via video game magazines of the day and knew it was some kind of big deal.

I finally got to see the first episode or two of the original English dub (well, not the original, where Goku was Zero and Korin was "Whiskers, the Wonder Kitty" or some-such), and... it failed to really grab me.

Some years later with Toonami, I tried Dragon Ball Z. This was supposed to be the really good one, right? But again... I seem to recall coming in somewhere in the middle of the Namek/Freeza Saga, where Bulma was trying to get some Dragon Ball that was underwater. Still didn't work, but man, the show was popular, wasn't it?

So I eventually gained new resolve and decided that if I was going to understand any of it, I was just going to have to stick with it. Things would make sense eventually, right? Fortunately, this was around the time of the FUNimation/Ocean upheaval, and the run wasn't nearly as long as it would prove to be. I forget if I came in near where the Namek Saga was cut off to restart again while FUNi recast and everything, or around the beginning-- I think it was the latter, around when Piccolo was training Gohan or thereabouts. I stuck with it, and everything fell into place.

Cool stuff. FUNi's new voices, new music, and so forth didn't resonate with me-- at least, not at first, but it taught me a valuable lesson about voice acting, as it can take time for voice actors to eventually slip into the role they've been cast for. Vegeta sounded stiff at first, but eventually I couldn't imagine anyone else in the part. In a way, he sounded like an older version of the previous actor from Ocean, which worked well enough-- though it could have done with a better breaking-off point, which they were always bad at.

Case in point: Moved to Canada, and waited for them to catch up here. While the Cell Saga ran all the way through in the States, the Cell Games stopped midway up here-- and then when it resumed, the Ocean Group was back.

Jarring doesn't begin to describe it. Everyone's voices were different, with some returning to their original VAs from before the FUNi switch. And Future Trunks sounded like Proto Man, which sort of fit, insomuch as the background music was straight out of Mega Man (I'm not even joking).

That didn't last long, of course, as things soon moved on to the Buu Saga, which would have made a much cleaner break. Nonetheless, Ocean is how I saw the rest of DBZ, and the first bit of GT (ironically, the part cut out in the States, more or less-- and without the GT rap). Got to see some of DB with renewed interest as well, but I've never seen the whole of it or GT; just Z.

I'd love to, though, if given the opportunity. I'll watch the whole bloody thing through-- even GT's changes didn't bother me, for the most part. Ditto the movies, as I've only seen a few.

I still love Dragon Ball, top to bottom, beginning to end. It's been a while since I've seen it, but I did check out the anniversary movie, and I'd really like to see that new one-- "Battle of the Gods", or something? I just hope Fox's movie rights don't screw us over on that.

Played the first PS2 game, too, but not much beyond that. I have read up on some things, and I love that after all this time, they're still building the world up with things like Online and that manga that reveals that Goku's dad is the original Super Saiyan of legend.

Come to think of it, I enjoyed the manga, too, but stopped when Viz quit doing monthlies, more or less.

Man, I wish I could afford to just get it all again. I'd like to check out Kai, but at the same time, I'm disappointed it ends before the Buu Saga.

[Ventrue]

This kind of goes with the theme song discussion, but back at our local pokemon league when I was a youngin we had a group of 5-10 that would play the dbz tcg. He would also bust out a boombox with the japanese ost's of the dragon ball z music. I had got my hands on some of the new product with a card that pretty much decimated our multiplayer game. The card was based on Cell, and to say the least this song decided to play right in time.

[SpoonyBardOL]

Originally Posted by LBD_Nytetrayn

I have read up on some things, and I love that after all this time, they're still building the world up with things like Online and that manga that reveals that Goku's dad is the original Super Saiyan of legend.

Team Four Star has that little plot nugget covered.

Originally Posted by LBD_Nytetrayn

Man, I wish I could afford to just get it all again. I'd like to check out Kai, but at the same time, I'm disappointed it ends before the Buu Saga.

Apparently Kai is supposedly going to do the Buu Saga, sometime this year.

[That Old Chestnut]

Originally Posted by narcodis

Here's the one I first heard and came to know as the theme song:


I don't know if I have a preference, but I will say I feel like the latter sounds a lot more "saturday morning cartoon" sounding, and feels a lot more nostalgic for me.

Yeah, this was my first ever taste of the series right here.

You just made my morning, guy. Been an AGE since I've heard this.

I remember even liking the replacement music in the episodes, but that might be nostalgia filter talking. It did seem like it went more for dramatic flair in that late 80's/early 90's synth rock sort of way, compared to the original's more lighthearted low-key approach. I should dig up some episodes of this version at some point.

[LBD_Nytetrayn]

Originally Posted by SpoonyBardOL

Team Four Star has that little plot nugget covered.

I'll have to watch it later, but feel free to spoil me, just in case I'm back here first.

Apparently Kai is supposedly going to do the Buu Saga, sometime this year.

Ah, wicked! Now I'm in. Thanks! =D

[SpoonyBardOL]

Originally Posted by LBD_Nytetrayn

I'll have to watch it later, but feel free to spoil me, just in case I'm back here first.

Apparently Bardock was sent back in time by Freeza's deathball, somehow, and in the distant past he saves the proto-Saiyans from one of Freeza's predecessors, Lord Chilled. The whole thing is very ridiculous and I love TFS's take on it.

Also relevant: Episode of Bardock Abridged, their take on the original 'Goku's Dad' special.

[MikeDinosaur]

I'm watching episodes of OG Dragon Ball and I have never seen a show so intent on fully exploring the comic potential of underpants. Which is doubly mystifying because I'm watching a spanish dub that switches to unsubtitled Japanese every time underpants or private parts are on screen.

I really like this show somebody come hit me on the head so I'll forget it exists. I want to be part of civilization and this shit is not helping.

[Rascally Badger]

I watched the first couple of episodes on hulu. The thing that most comes to mind is that there is a lot more small naked boy than I expected. Of course, I did not expect any small naked boy, so it was not hard to surpass that.

[Googleshng]

Originally Posted by Rascally Badger

I watched the first couple of episodes on hulu. The thing that most comes to mind is that there is a lot more small naked boy than I expected. Of course, I did not expect any small naked boy, so it was not hard to surpass that.

It's an interesting divergence in cultural attitudes, but Japan is pretty laid back about drawing and animating the junk of small children, particularly when dealing with small-child-appeal lowbrow slapstick situations.

I would assume the logic is something along the lines of "Dude, talk to anyone with really young kids and they're going to have some hilarious stories about them refusing to wear pants, and we're very clearly not trying to titillate here so quit being all dirty minded you sicko and just laugh at Goku's lack of shame!"

[mopinks]

my girlfriend is now officially so into Dragon Ball she's spending money on useless nerd garbage

I'm so proud

[MikeDinosaur]

Originally Posted by Rascally Badger

I watched the first couple of episodes on hulu. The thing that most comes to mind is that there is a lot more small naked boy than I expected. Of course, I did not expect any small naked boy, so it was not hard to surpass that.

This actually struck me as completely normal and part of the childlike whimsy that I really like about the show. My friends with kids always have funny stories about their little kids just letting their junk hang out at every opportunity. It's what little kids do.

[TheSL]

Impulse bought all 5 seasons of Dragonball on Amazon yesterday.