Dragon Ball Kai's dub continues on a pretty consistent quality well into the Namek episodes. It's a good thing, too, since these are probably the episodes I'll be getting on Blu-Ray, just in case I want to skip some of the filler in this story arc when rewatching my Dragon Boxes. I can just supplement those sets with these. Kai isn't a meal, it's an ingredient, I say.
The good work put into the scripts is clear, especially with the dialogue of certain characters. There are far less "jokey" lines, making characters like Freeza or Kuririn less comical. What's more, there seems to be specific phrases the Japanese script uses that are used in the dub script that really win me over, providing an experience that is very close to watching the Japanese version of the show. I have very few complaints with the lines I'm hearing.
As usual, I feel like Sean Schemmel isn't really the best Son Goku in English. Oftentimes he sounds like he's giving an angry father's lecture to a child who's been caught drawing on the walls. He rarely exhibits Goku's trademark relaxed-style speech patterns and tone. However, giving credit where it's due, there are little moments where he indeed comes off as Goku-ish, expressing a very child-like exuberance when he's speaking casually or in awe of something now and then. It's like Goku is peeking out from behind a veil. But in a way, this is worse than just being consistently poor, because it's like a bad tease. I won't deny Schemmel's Goku has made strides over time, but it's not my preference for the character. Meanwhile, his Kaio is as terrible as ever, but his Nail is perfect, though practically a nonentity.
As I've established in the previous examination of this dub, Chris Sabat is the most improved performer. It's more clear in these episodes than ever before. His Vegeta has made plenty of ground, with an arrogant moxie in his voice that helps fill in the character. This is especially true when he's confronting Freeza, egging him on to transform. Sabat's Piccolo is even better, giving him real presence in his own battle with the alien tyrant.
Colleen Clinkenbeard's Gohan has improved greatly. Not only does her voice for him sound age-appropriate, but besides being adorable, he sounds every bit as determined a young child in combat might sound when necessary. She gives him a real personality, especially when Piccolo arrives. You can tell that the character is really excited to have his teacher back and impressed by him. Monica Rial's Bulma is still good, too, though you hear much less of her in this group of episodes. Maxey Whitehead's Dende is every bit as good as the previous voices, but adds some vulnerability to the role that gives her the edge.
A big element of the episodes in this group are the Ginyu Force. Stepping in the role of Captain Ginyu himself is R. Bruce Elliot. He brings a sort of "drill sergeant" type of quality to the role, similar to the previous voice, Brice Armstrong, but a little less commanding. He does a fine job filling in for Armstrong, though, who I've read has retired. Jason Liebrecht's Jees takes some getting used to. Not that Chris Sabat's previous voice was any good (it was an imitation of Scott McNeil's), but Leibrecht's weird Scottish-sounding accent is just as disconcerting as the former Australian accent for the character. Vic Mignogna's Baata is one of the stronger performances in the group, adding a distinct sound to the character, but without being too over-the-top. Recoome I'm disappointed with. He may be a slight improvement from before, but Sabat's Recoome still has this stereotypical "mentally disabled" sound. The best voice is likely Gurd's, sounding very much like a rookie member, and unsure of himself, very petty and self-conscious. It worked out very well for the character. All in all, the Ginyu Force was a mixed bag, but they were better than the previous incarnation, from the Z dub.
The real star of this group of episodes, though, is Chris Ayres's Freeza, which is nearly perfect. This is in large part due to the better scripts, making him a more serious character. Ayres adds to it a very aristrocratic sound and a truly frightening power to Freeza's rage. Much in the way Ryusei Nakao performs, you can hear just a little bit of his true persona through the formality in his words and delivery, so when it's finally unleashed you realize just how frightening he is, that he's been holding all that back with a droll attitude.
It's far from perfect, and still not my preference, but even a somewhat purist guy like me has very few problems with the English dub for Kai at this point. You can tell Funimation is putting plenty of effort into this.
