Funi, Gohan, DBGT and the Future

Kami, yes. Chelsee had gone and ranted again. I've been (kami forbid) thinking

I haven't seen the dubbed Trunks special yet, but I admit I'm afraid it might be a waste of money. Why? Is it because I fear hearing the odd music many have described as 'rap' inserted in one of my favorite parts in the whole DB universe? Is it because I loath the butchered diologe and screwed up lines? Well, in part, yes. But most of all, I fear my dear, mentally disturbed mirai no Gohan's--future Gohan's--voice.

Don't get me wrong, many reviewers have claimed that Sean Schmeal (sp?) does a decent job posing as a mentally scarred, crippled young man who's life ends as anticlimatically as the last wedge of orange in my mangarine orange can, but come on! He and no one else can hold a candle to Masako Nozakawa--the Japanese V/A who voiced Goku, Gohan, Goten, Bardock and Turles. I just have a hard time adjusting from the soft spoken original Gohan (Kuririn once said of him 'He speaks so quietly, I can hardly hear him!") to what his US V/A describes as 'a rough, tough little boy who likes to help his friends.' Yes, dear kami I read an interview. The US V/A has no clue what the original Gohan's character was like--she's just playing him by ear, reading her lines how she thinks they should be read. Can't really blame her, Funi provided no information for her to work off of. Poor lass.

(I could go into a nice, long rant about each of the individual characters V/A's from all over the globe, but for now digress. I'm also not even going to get into the Bardock special because I feel they will destory it the most.)

I also have a sinking feeling about any important transformations in the future, as well as the Cell games. Why? Well, since Funi has once again cracked down on the editing they seemed to be so liberal about in the begining of the third season. I imagine Trunks's death at the hands of Cell will be somewhat less than satisfactory. We can all at least be sure they'll edit out the part where Vegita is dangling on the edge of insanity and watches his beloved son spit up blood. From the way I figure it, blood is pretty fine with Funi as long as it doesn't squirt, spray, drip, or move in any other way. Go figure why.

I'm also afraid of the Gohan (SSJ form)/Cell fight. Ya know, pretty much two episodes of 'let's see how many ways we can destroy Gohan's sanity!' Since their so damn strict about that child-violence thing (though I suppose I can understand why, what with the younger viewers and all) chances are they'll all but remove the whole fight. I mean, if their gonna edit out Vegita and Freeza crushing that kid's head, why wouldn't they do the same with Cell? And what, oh what are they gonna do about that whole hug-of-death thing? Even if they edit it out of the Cell games, will they allow Bojack to do it in movie 9? What about Brolli in movie 10? (Isn't it suspitious that all three times this form of torture occurs, it's always infflicted on Gohan? Does he just have 'please squeeze the life out of me' all over his face or what!?)

And oh dear Dende I fear Gohan's transformation beyond Super Saiya-jin, yes, I speak of SSJ2. After watching Gohan's giant leap into his first Super Saiya-jin transformation, I have my reasons for doubts. Not that they did too bad of a job. After all, they managed to show a deeply disturbed little kid struggling to not break under the pressures that could destroy a grown man, but they ruined the biggest part!!

Not only did they chop it up to cut out any parts where the kid was accually hit (removal of a mere 3 or 4 seconds at the most but still, it hurt the scene) but they ruined the accual reason he transformed in the first place!

Here, an exerp of my sub translation (I can't compare it line for line to what the US dub says, because I don't have the tape with me at the moment.) I'm starting at the begining of the scene when we look in on Goku and Gohan's training session of the day.

((Pan over different looking clocks. The only sound heard is hundreds of ticks, echoing around a white back ground. Scene pauses on a vase with flowers in it. The ticking fades out and a single petal flutters off the plant and lands gently on the table top. A moment of complete silence and............

Suddenly scene shifts to the Room of Spirit and Time. Our first shot is of Gohan bouncing painfully across the white floor, the silence of before is broken by a yelp of pain as he lands flat on his back. Following right behind him is a relentless Goku, raising his hand in a flat blade as though to impale his still prone son.

Instead of getting back up to fight, Gohan's face is clouded with fear, as though he's no longer aware it's his dad, but rather the enemy moving in for the kill. He freezes, making a small, whimpering sound.))

Goku:((noticing his son's sudden fear)) Are you okay, Gohan? ((reaches out a hand to help his son up.)) Ah?

Gohan:((face only fills with more fear as his father nears. Scootches backwards a few feet away from Goku, his eyes still wide.))

Goku: Eh?

Gohan: ((fear finally fades from his face, replaced with an annoyed, angry look. He stands, eyebrows knitted and takes a few steps back. He catches his breath and goes back into a fighting position.))

Goku: ((pauses in surprise)) Gohan?

((Gohan glares harshly and raises his chi. Music starts to play for the first time, but it's just menial, background music. The boy jumps into the air and attacks Goku a few times, they trade kicks and punches. (I'm in no mood to get into all the movements they do. You saw it on T.V., just try to imagine Gohan getting hit a few more times than what was shown.) It ends up with Gohan being tripped by Goku, immidiatly jumping back up and blasting his dad with chi. Goku knocks it away; they pause. Gohan speaks for the first time today.) ))

Gohan:((face looking upset, almost dissapointed. He's holding a glowing ball of chi in his palm.)) Piccolo-san once told me you wouldn't make a good trainer. ((Goku looks somewhat miffed.)) Dad, you're too caring! ((throws chi blast.))

((Goku catches the blast and throws it back like it was nothing. Gohan dodges and moves in to attack.))

Gohan:((Tries to kick Goku, who blocks.)) Your not--((Tries to kick again.))--harsh--((Goku dodges.))--enough! ((By now he's yelling and attacking and getting all carried away.)) You can tell by looking at me--((does back flip, lands, and attacks again.))--that I was over-protected!

Goku:((slightly disturbed by his son's behavior.)) Gohan!

((Goku's attacks are so far being blocked by Gohan. A knee to the face, a kick, a punch, all successfully averted.))

Gohan:((blocking one of Goku's kicks)) Now I finally understand!

((One of Gohan's punches goes wild, leaving him open. Goku takes no mercy in kneeing him in the stomach, sending the kid back to the ground. Gohan bounces twice, catches himself on his hands and springs back to his feet with a much bigger chi blast already in the oven. There's a short and lovely view of Goku, his face contemplative, and his hair flying before his face. Kami, I can't help it, he's so handsome when he gets serious!))

Gohan:((yelling at the top of his lungs as he throws the attack)) I was spoiled by you, dad!

Goku: ((catches the blast and starts to look angry. He rushes after Gohan while throwing the chi blast back at him.))

Gohan:((dodges blast and lands. He's talking calm again, though more comanding than usual. This is one of my favorite lines!)) Dad, please fight me like you want to kill me!

((Goku's face is surprisingly calm. He turns his body to fully face the boy.))

Gohan: And even if I really do die, my pain at least gave me strength!

((Goku continues to look at him passively. He looks rather unhappy.))

Gohan: Otherwise, I'll never get stronger than you!

((The two glare at eachother for a moment, an hourglass drifts by as a silent reminder than their time is limited. Goku narrows his eyes, tilts back his head, screams, and goes Super Saiya-jin. His power sends Gohan crashing backwards as he lifts into the air.))

Gohan:((landing on his stomach, looks up and narrows his eyes at his father.)) I don't mind if I have to die. ((clenches his fists and stands up.)) If I can't face your power, I can never become a Super Saiya-jin!!

((Goku looks at him with his now Super Saiya-jin face. Emotionlessly, he raises his hands in an all-too-familiar way.))

Goku: Ka....me...ha...me...HAAA! ((camera pans over both of their faces. Goku's face certainly looks like he's going for the kill. Gohan's got bags under his eyes.....or is it just color bleeding in a poor quality fansub?))

((Gohan grits his teeth and catches the blast, holding it at bay.))

Gohan:((silently to himself)) I can't run away.<pushes harder against the blast.> I was spoiled.......

((Suddenly, the background fades to black, Gohan's face goes slack as he stands alone in the darkness. His eyes are wide.))

Gohan: Back then I was so.......((has a flash back to way back when he was fighting Nappa, remembering how he chickened out at a crucial moment.))

Flashback Piccolo: Do something! Strike! ((None of the other flashbacks have any sound in them what-so-ever, making them really creepy-like.))

((Little five year old flaskback Gohan only looks into the evil Nappa's eyes. He remembers seeing Yamcha and Choutzu dying, and Tenshinhan clutching his severed arm. He screams and flinches. End of that flashback. Once again it shows Gohan standing in that black place, his face expressionless, eyes wide.))

Gohan: Back then I was so.........

((He comences to have a second flash back in which he is being pummeled by Rekuum (sub spelling.) End flashback, return to dark room. Eyes wide, face expressionless.))

Gohan: Back then I was so.........

((Third flashback to when Freeza killed Kuririn. A quick close-up of little Freeza saga Gohan, looking scared and helpless. The flashback goes on to show Goku going Super Saiya-jin for the first time (no doubt to sum up for new watchers how one does it.) ))

Gohan: I can't be so weak! I depend too much on everyone!

<Suddenly, he's back where he was, fighting against his dad's Kamehameha. With his last thought still in his mind, he screams and goes Super Saiya-jin for the first time.))

((End scene.))

See? They ruined the reason he changed! From what I remember, in the US version, Gohan changes by remembering all his former anger. In the Japanese version, he changes because of his anger at himself. Truthfully, if I were having flashbacks of stuff like that, I'd think I were anything but spoiled! But, since Gohan's disturbed and radically hard on himself, we'll just have to allow it.

Anyway, I just couldn't think of a worth-posting rant to put that scene in, so I simply insterted it. Eheh.

Okay, I can't stop thinking about voices. I'm very scared to think about what kind of voice they intend to give Babidi. What's more, I'm curious if they'll let him say his happy little 'Papara papa!' whenever he does his magic. And what about Buu? Will they allow Buu to show us his little house made of people he turned to clay? (I'm referring to the part where he shows us his toilet. Let me just say thank kami for that news paper!) And will they show Goku's little bath scene where he and Gotenks battle butt-naked? ::shakes head:: I just don't know.

Is anyone else already thinking of the someday-to-be-dubbed DBGT episodes? I can't stop thinking about what kind of voice they intend to give--nope, not Pan, Bra or any main characters--those Oompa brothers. (I don't remember their names and don't feel like digging through my GT fansubs.) Will they allow that same lame music they play when they're forcing Trunks, Goku and Pan to dance? Will they change the 'Oompa pa pa' to 'Boom shaka laka'? Will they make that little Giru robot say 'girududududud' all the time? Kami, I hope not.

And what about GT Pilaf? Will they hunt down his original US V/A? I doubt it, since he did Garlic Jr.'s voice in movie 1, and in the Garlic Jr. Saga they got another mack. *gasp* Will they use the same guy for Pilaf as they did for the second Garlic V/A? Agggg! I hope not again!

Let me conclude saying this:

Funimation has some definat problems. Their V/A's have no clue what sort of character they're going for, the editing is often unnecissary, and their music, I swear, is rank ameture. But ya know what? I still want to kiss their feet. If if weren't for them, DB may never have gotten to hit the US screens--kami knows I wouldn't know about it. Though in some cases they've gotten worse over time (in their limited number of DB episodes, they accually allowed complete silence! No crummy music at all!) they're trying. And I know that they'll supply us with good, fun entertainment as long as you don't take the lines too literally--

Tenshinhan:((referring to #16 in his fight with Cell)) He's holding his own!

Chelsee:((watching from her friends house)) Holding his own what?

Corinn: ((the friend)) Let's just be glad he's not holding Cell's.

Hee hee, yeah, when your watching the dub, just try to MST it. Dende knows I do ^_^

Let me ask you guys something, since some think DBGT is an abomination, and others think the same for Funimation, which do you think is worse?

GT of Funimation?

Kami help us all when they meet.

On a last note I'd just like to say that the whole 'General Tao' thing is pissing me off. What, is the name 'Tao Pai Pai' obscene now? It's the funnest name in the world, and the fact that they cut out the 'Pai Pai' drives me to horrible acts of mental violence. Sure it's good when you're writing a fic that will have violence, but come on! Pai Pai!

::coughs and leaves::