FUNimation's DragonBall Z Spanish Releases: Why?

[MajinVejita]

At first, I thought this might be a good idea since they're cheap and have the Mexican dub, but as it turns out they're poorly rehashed versions of the UUE's only sans English and Japanese audio tracks. And the best part? They've got the wonderful 16:9, DVNR'd to death abortion of a video stream.

So, why? Why make it a separate release? Why not just tack that audio track onto the season sets? Seems mighty cheap to me. Your thoughts?

-Corey

[AbeChinchilla]

Originally Posted by SausageofPower

At first, I thought this might be a good idea since they're cheap and have the Mexican dub, but as it turns out they're poorly rehashed versions of the UUE's only sans English and Japanese audio tracks. And the best part? They've got the wonderful 16:9, DVNR'd to death abortion of a video stream.

So, why? Why make it a separate release? Why not just tack that audio track onto the season sets? Seems mighty cheap to me. Your thoughts?

-Corey

Um, when was it announced that the Spanish DVDs would have the same cropped widescreen video?

Otherwise, I give this a thumbs up. The Spanish dub is excellent, and my preferred language for viewing Dragon Ball Z.

I'll get these even if they're cropped. It's all about the dub here.

[ape2020]

Likely since they will have Spanish covers with synopsis in Spanish and menus it will be marketed directly to Latin communities on TV say like Univision and in communities that don't really speak much English. It more likely better tap that market and thus make them money. Basically its a form of localization for them.

The following provided by AltaVista - Babel Fish, since my español es muy malo.

Young son: ¿La madre puede yo conseguir Dragonball DVD?
Mother: ¿Usted hizo todas sus tareas?
Young son: SÃ*
Mother: ¿Cuál está alrededor?
Young son: ¡Un guerrero de gran alcance estupendo que ahorra la tierra de malos individuos!
Mother: Conjeturo si está bien con su padre.

-ape2020

[AbeChinchilla]

Originally Posted by Ape2020

Likely since they will have Spanish covers with synopsis in Spanish and menus it will be marketed directly to Latin communities on TV say like Univision and in communities that don't really speak much English. It more likely better tap that market and thus make them money. Basically its a form of localization for them.

DBZ is still very big in Latin America.

I'll be buying additional copies of these Spanish DVDs and sending them to my cousins in Honduras.

[Pachi]

Originally Posted by SausageofPower

And the best part? They've got the wonderful 16:9, DVNR'd to death abortion of a video stream.

And how exactly would you know that? I haven't seen any press release on this release, or where it's said that these are in the same format as the season sets. Given your general hate of the season sets, I'm not surprised that you might think or make up the fact that these are also cropped, but we're going to need proof of it.

[The Red Comet]

Originally Posted by AbeChinchilla

Um, when was it announced that the Spanish DVDs would have the same cropped widescreen video?

It hasn't been announced but there are widescreen DVDs being released in Mexico that use the same volume titles and character art. People are assuming Funmation's release will be identical.

Originally Posted by AbeChinchilla

I'll get these even if they're cropped. It's all about the dub here.

The previous Ultimate Uncut Special Editions already included the Mexican dub in addition to English and Japanese and they weren't cropped. These new releases are unnecessary and most likely inferior.

[AbeChinchilla]

Originally Posted by The Red Comet

The previous Ultimate Uncut Special Editions already included the Mexican dub in addition to English and Japanese and they weren't cropped. These new releases are unnecessary and most likely inferior.

I know that. That's why I had UUE vol. 1, I just never got around to buying the rest, and glad, since they stopped making it.

These Spanish releases aren't unncessary or inferior. The season sets don't have the Spanish dub, and it's more likely that FUNimation will release most, if not all, of the series in Spanish. This is good for the Spanish-speaking community AND for fans of the excellent Spanish dub.

[The Red Comet]

Originally Posted by AbeChinchilla

I know that. That's why I had UUE vol. 1, I just never got around to buying the rest, and glad, since they stopped making it.

These Spanish releases aren't unncessary or inferior. The season sets don't have the Spanish dub, and it's more likely that FUNimation will release most, if not all, of the series in Spanish. This is good for the Spanish-speaking community AND for fans of the excellent Spanish dub.

Personally I would rather have an incomplete fullscreen trilingual release over anything that has been cropped. I'm also really skeptical that Funimation will completely release the entire series in Spanish. They've haven't even finished releasing it all in English yet.

[Lego]

Anyone ever hear the story about some guys taking a trip in Mexico only to come upon a bar with older guys cheering at the TV for them to find out that they were watching DBZ?

[karen0586]

Originally Posted by Lego

Anyone ever hear the story about some guys taking a trip in Mexico only to come upon a bar with older guys cheering at the TV for them to find out that they were watching DBZ?

No, but it seems hilarious...

As for the releasing of the show in spanish, I think it does have to do with how the market will perceive it. I speak the language fluently so I wouldn't mind having at least one of these in my collection. There are other shows I have that have an audio in Spanish and it sometimes sounds even better than the english language track. Or course, those are really old releases like Bubblegum Crisin 2040, Evangelion and probably more I can't remember at the moment.