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I'm marathoning the original, Japanese version of Dragon Ball Z.

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Peltz

Member
Marathon DBZ sounds like torture. I don't understand how I was so obsessed with the show as a kid. They manage to stretch every confrontation into a dozen episodes.

Being able to finally buy it on DVD for a reasonable price actually ruined the allure of the show because I finally had a full season of episodes at my disposal.... and not much happened throughout given the amount of time I sank into it.
 

Levyne

Banned
The whole point of Kai was to reintroduce the series to new, younger audience so a new soundtrack was bound to happen. I thought the Yamato score was pretty good up until the plagiarism thing. Even then, after that the old score that they reused really showed its age and was used in the oddest spots.

Like here's the Yamato version of the SSJ2 Gohan, now here's the current version. It's weird.

I really don't care for the Kai's Buu saga score though.

Oh wow, that's really weak.
 

Watch Da Birdie

I buy cakes for myself on my birthday it's not weird lots of people do it I bet
Ah, I see, I always assumed that some of the weird edits on that level were results of Nicktoons (and Disney XD?). Though I know they did put other edits on top of whatever shaving the japanese kai release got.

I recall they made Mr. Popo Blue.

I don't blame them for wanting to fix Mr. Popo, but I think fixing the lips should be the first priority.
 
I think if I went through Dragonball, I'd be so worned out that there's no way I could get through DBZ's slower pace. Also, I watched quite a lot of Dragonball, more than Z, as a kid, so I'm familiar with the basic plot of it and how it works into Z.

After DBZ, I'm thinking I'll watch Dragonball. And then, if I'm up to it, go through GT, because I do wanna experience it.

You won't get worn out from Dragonball. The original series is much better.
 

.GqueB.

Banned
Kai edit. The gore was toned down for it from the original, even for the Japanese release.

The gore was such a small part of this show. It's not like (recent example) Attack on Titan where you needed to see the brutality. The difference between seeing a hole in Goku's chest and not is just so minimal.
 
Perfect Cell's theme is so good.

Yeah, all his themes were great. Vegeta, Gohan, piccolo, Trunks, Cell, even Buu. They all seem to match the characters to the T.

Vegeta is loud and in your face, metal
Gohan's themes have a great build up
Cell - mysterious weird techno
Buy - fast paced and chaotic
 

Jinroh

Member
Sadly Kai's japanese dub sucks. Everyone is way too old. Plus my favourite dub was Cell, and he's way too different in Kai. In the original show he sounded more and more intelligent and classy after each transformation, now he just sounds like an angry grunt.

They really shouldn't have updated the original dub.
 
The whole point of Kai was to reintroduce the series to new, younger audience so a new soundtrack was bound to happen. I thought the Yamato score was pretty good up until the plagiarism thing. Even then, after that the old score that they reused really showed its age and was used in the oddest spots.

Like here's the Yamato version of the SSJ2 Gohan, now here's the current version. It's weird.

I really don't care for the Kai's Buu saga score though.

That sounds...okay? I've heard they only cycle through small portion of the original Kikuchi score?

It's such a shame because I thought the Yamamoto score was rad.
 

Watch Da Birdie

I buy cakes for myself on my birthday it's not weird lots of people do it I bet
You won't get worn out from Dragonball. The original series is much better.

I meant after watching so much of the original Dragonball, it'd be hard to go into DBZ refreshed and ready for a longer, slower series.
 
That sounds...okay? I've heard they only cycle through small portion of the original Kikuchi score?

It's such a shame because I thought the Yamamoto score was rad.

If that's so, that would explain how blazing fast they were able to do it mid airing the show. Maybe whatever recent blu-ray release will have better choice.

And no disrespect to Kikuchi, his work is great but that immediate change in score when airing at the climax of the saga was really jarring. Particularly in that scene where theres no "oomph" to represent the Gohan's breaking point.
 

MikeMyers

Member
Check out Saint Seiya too. It's another Toei adaptation of a Shonen Jump manga it has Vegeta, Tenshinhan, and Yamcha VA's as the leads.
 

Enilced2

Member
I've been doing this too since December of last year when I found out that Funimation was putting the seasons out on bluray completely uncensored and uncut. Just finished season 8 so got one last season to go when it comes out in December.

I will say I grew up with the English dubs so I can't hear anything but them so I haven't been watching subbed but you can watch it with English dubs and original japanese soundtrack. And that sound track is glorious way better for tension building I find
 
The whole point of Kai was to reintroduce the series to new, younger audience so a new soundtrack was bound to happen. I thought the Yamato score was pretty good up until the plagiarism thing. Even then, after that the old score that they reused really showed its age and was used in the oddest spots.

Like here's the Yamato version of the SSJ2 Gohan, now here's the current version. It's weird.

I really don't care for the Kai's Buu saga score though.
Wow, 16s speech is way worse in Kai. Why the hell did they change it?

Gohan, let it go. It is not a sin to fight for the right cause. There are those who words alone will not reach. Cell is such a being.

I know how you feel Gohan, you are gentle. You do not like to hurt. I know because I too have learnt these feelings. But it because your cherish life that you must protect it. Please drop your restraints. Protect the life I once loved. You have the strength, my scanners sensed it.

Just.. let it go..
 
Wow, 16s speech is way worse in Kai. Why the hell did they change it?
Because one is a translation and one they just made up whatever the hell they wanted

Guess which Z was

Faulconer's score sucks. The music itself is not bad at times but it doesn't fit DBZ at all
 

BlazS01

Banned
Related to anime, 99% of the time I prefer watching it on japanese, but with dbz is wierd, goku voice is kinda too much sometimes. On the other hand, vegeta and cell voices are amazing... Anyway, gl OP.
 

Toad.T

Banned
I tried this with DB and stopped around Goku's first meet-up with Popo/Kami. It's a great show, I just don't seem to be able to sit down and watch a 23+ minute show like I used to.

If I did it for DBZ, I'm not sure I'd last past Nappa/beginning of Namek. I tried with Garlic Jr. and I just couldn't stand it.
 

Valnen

Member
Listen to these people, they know what's up.

As well, you should know the entire run of DBZ clocks in at nearly 300 episodes (291 in total for the original Japanese broadcast and 276 for the dub cut). Kai, on the other hand, will end at 168 episodes and cuts out filler both bad (there is a ton) and good. All I can say is good luck.

As someone watching One Piece complaining about only 300 episodes seems a bit silly.
 

JNA

Banned
Ummm...the Japanese version? Why? Even anime fans who hate English dubs are like "oh god no don't get near Japanese Dragonball Z. Seriously, Goku's voice will give you cancer". XD

Also Kai is pretty bad too. Just watch the originals all the way through.

and avoid GT like the plague.

America did DBZ so much better.

They really did. It's not even close. Say what you want about some English dubs in Anime but no dub will beat English in Dragonball Z. Especially when you have badasses like Vegata and Cell in Engliish.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=INlntMXEe_I
 
I still think it's pretty funny people have problems with Goku being voiced by an old woman yet take zero issue with Linda Young's dub Freeza.
 
Japanese and Latino dub are the best versions of DBZ. I hated the entire English DBZ cast, everyone needed a glass of water. Goku was okay I guess
 

SalvaPot

Member
Dragon Ball > Dragon Ball Z


I really miss the sense of adventure the OG Dragon Ball had, damn, Dragon Ball Z is amazing too, but in a completely different way.
 

Busaiku

Member
I watch Dragon Ball a lot nowadays, and I really get bored with it after the Red Ribbon.
Really though, even Red Ribbon's kinda weak.
Do not like the 23rd at all though.
The filler are absolutely terrible.
 

GaimeGuy

Volunteer Deputy Campaign Director, Obama for America '16
When I first heard it, it blew my fucking mind. The English dub is by far the worst one. The OST and Japanese voices completely changes the tune and atmosphere of the show.

You know what the english dub needed? More monologues!
 
I watched Dragon Ball. And DBZ in japanese. Wait fot the freeza fight for one of the most iconic scenes which is 10x as awesome with the japanese version.
 
Because one is a translation and one they just made up whatever the hell they wanted

Guess which Z was

Faulconer's score sucks. The music itself is not bad at times but it doesn't fit DBZ at all
What they made up sounds way better than the stupid sounding crap in Kai. It's like the least convincing attempt to get Gohan motivated. 16 talks slowly and gently about how it's okay to fight to protect others in the original dub and Kai it's animals and shit.

Also Faulconers score sounds way better than the silence there. There's an otherworldly yet natural feel to 16s theme.
 

MikeMyers

Member
I watch Dragon Ball a lot nowadays, and I really get bored with it after the Red Ribbon.
Really though, even Red Ribbon's kinda weak.
Do not like the 23rd at all though.
The filler are absolutely terrible.

I wasn't a big fan of the 23rd Budokai either. The 21st Budokai is pretty funny though.
 

Soodanim

Member
Guys, I don't think the Japanese music for Gohan SSJ2 is that great a fit. It sounds like credit music to me, not the moment when Gohan lets go and uses the potential power - a moment the show had been building up to since the beginning of Z.
 

Monocle

Member
The Japanese voices annoy the hell out of me. I can't stand all that high-pitched nonsense.
Yep, I can't stand the Japanese voices. Probably because I watched the dubbed version first. The English voices and soundtrack are the definitive versions for me. I wouldn't change a thing about them. They're great.
 

Nista

Member
back in the 90s before DBZ caught on in the US there was a weird international station that played the show every sunday night. it was interesting because it started broadcasting simultaneously with the beginning of the US show

the japanese version definitely did have a different feel. like an old school martial arts movie, only animated. i preferred the japanese VA and soundtrack but I can totally understand why the US version went in a different direction. and of course it was hilarious comparing the censorship

I actually watch the Japanese unsubbed version back in the early 90s on International Channel as you describe. Then often followed by Hey hey hey music champ.

Goku's original voice never bothers me for that reason, but I could never get used to the later English soundtrack without the hilarious lyrics and awesome music.
 

GaimeGuy

Volunteer Deputy Campaign Director, Obama for America '16
What they made up sounds way better than the stupid sounding crap in Kai. It's like the least convincing attempt to get Gohan motivated. 16 talks slowly and gently about how it's okay to fight to protect others in the original dub and Kai it's animals and shit.

Also Faulconers score sounds way better than the silence there. There's an otherworldly yet natural feel to 16s theme.

The original English dub of Z made it sound like gohan was a big softie who suddenly no longer had the heart for fighting (despite his years and years of training with piccolo and goku for the saiyans, the androids, and in the room of spirit and time, and Android 16 was like "Just do it." And then Gohan felt bad about letting android 16 die so decided to stop holding back.

In the original story/dub, it was more that Gohan was unsure of himself, but mostly, he was terrified of his own power. He knew the kinds of feats he could perform in a rage against the saiyans, and against freeza. Now that he was a super saiyan, if he went berserk, would he destroy the planet in a fit of rage? Would he accidentally hurt his friends? 16, in his dying moments, told gohan that he was a kind and gentle person, and pleaded with him to protect the world he loved. And then Cell killed him and called him trash right in front of him. That triggered gohan's sadness/rage
 
I'm a purist, the original is always better. Saying America's version is better, is like saying a spiderman made in Japan is better than original. Its wrong.
 
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