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Hey guys, I thought that since my last essay was so illegible, I'd try to
redeem myself with this one (oh my, this is becoming a trend!)
All this essay deals with is the background music of Seasons One and Two,
Season Three, vs. The Original. Here goes...
I was reading the latest opinions at DBZ Unscensored, when I came across one
about the music. As I read the article, written by someone who "knows a
Hell of a lot more about music than we do," I kept thinking over and over to
myself, "Who the Hell are you to tell me that my opinions are wrong?" Yet
there it was, paragraph after paragraph, continuously degrading me and my
tastes. In the end, I felt a little angry. But then that passed. I soon
felt motivated. Here was an excellant opportunity for me to better explain
why I think so many people are unhappy with FUNimations BGM.
It doesn't fit. At all. Neither did the Shuki Levy score for seasons one
and two. The only thing that will ever truly fit is the original music. Of
course, the same goes for the voices, but that's a necsessary change. But
the music... why the Hell does FUNimation alter it? It's not like the
sounds are in Japanese or anything. I have absolutely no problem
understanding the original background score. As far as "Cha La," it really
doesn't need to be changed either. But if FUNimation simply must wipe away
all of it's distinguishible heritage, then I guess that I can understand
this removal. But there is absolutely nothing in the BGM that makes the
show foriegn. Nothing at all.
Another point our music expert tried to drive into our ignorant skulls was
that the NA BGM is not only "well thought out," but "well composed." My ass
it is. It's repetive to the extreme, it's mixed horribly, and it just
screams "lowest bidder." Additionally, I HAVE touched a musical instrument
and I do have a basic understanding of theme, time signatures, etc. The
American BGM is something a 10 year old could have made on an electronic key
board. It certainly isn't well thought out, just as everything else
FUNimation has done to the show is not well thought out. As Gen Fukagnaga
said, all they did was just insert a score that was popular with ages 6-10
focus groups. They didn't give a good Goddamn about how it was made. They
wanted something to stick in their shiny new money-maker, and they damn well
got it. And it sucks, just like the rest of the dub.
But that stuff's all just an after-thought, just another abstract argument.
What this essay all comes down to is the grand old saying, "I may not know
what art is, but I know what I like." It's as simple as that. I don't
have to be a musiscian to know that I don't like American DBZ's background
music. All I have to do is hear it to know it sucks.
One more thing that I forgot to add: I don't care if you put Beethoven, or
Chopin, or any other musical masterpeice in the background- it still won't
fit.
- Steve Harmon |
   
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