FUNimation Has Not Dubbed Dragon Ball Z Kai

Dragon Ball Kai is continuing in Japan with the Majin Buu Arc, but will there be an English dub by FUNimation? To find out I asked Christopher Sabat.

Christopher replied via email on Feb 17:

I’ve seen the article that the DBZ Kai Buu Arc has been announced in Japan and that’s great news. There’s still no word as to whether the dub is happening in the United States or not.

This is a surprise to hear because in April, 2013, Sean Schemmel, the English voice of Goku for FUNimation said in an interview:

“I am about to finish the Buu saga
for DBZ Kai.”

Ever since this information came out alongside the news that the Japanese voice actors were dubbing more Dragon Ball Kai on Nov 6, 2012, fans have presumed the English episodes were in progress or already complete, and just waiting for Toei in Japan to make the first announcement.

I followed up with Christopher about this statement and in a humorous manner he told me Sean is wrong.

Jokes aside, there is still no announcement about Kai in the United States. And I can confirm with you that the Buu Arc has not been recorded.

Fans are twiddling their thumbs and waiting for FUNimation to make an announcement, but there’s no announcement to be made.

Sad as it may be, there is no English Dragon Ball Z Kai in the works for the Buu Arc.

This means the new Dragon Ball Z Blu-ray season sets will be the best bet for fans of the English dub in 2014.

UPDATE: Sean Schemmel, the voice of Goku, has replied by email to say the following.

I’m sorry to say that I cannot comment on the Buu saga at this time.

Here’s a link to my previous DBZ Kai article from April 24, 2013, where Sabat, Schemmel, and Kyle Hebert first stated that they WERE dubbing Kai.

Analysis

What does this news or non-news mean?

Could it be that Christopher is playing a prank on all of us, the Dragon Ball fans, through The Dao of Dragon Ball site, in order to comply with an NDA? Or perhaps to protect sales of the new Dragon Ball Z Blu-rays?

If Chris has to comply with an NDA, then why confirm twice in the negative, rather than say nothing? It’s one thing to do what Sean did and say that he can’t talk about it, it’s an altogether different thing to say “No,” followed by another “No.”

I followed up with Chris again to mention that everyone on the Internet thinks he is fibbing and that FUNimation has already dubbed the series, but he has not responded.

What tricks does FUNimation have up its sleeves in the year to come?

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