Funimation, the company that provides dubbing services for the popular franchise Dragon Ball Z, made headlines this week after a series of leaked audio recordings allegedly reveal voice actors from the show saying some truly horrifying things.
The clips in question makeup nearly six minutes of content and feature several voice actors in character–Goku (voiced by Sean Schemmel), Krillin, Mr. Popo, and Yamcha.
In one recording, Goku just starts yelling “f*gg*t” over and over again. In several others, characters enact rape and graphic sex scenes.
Fans of the show expressed their outrage over the content released. “As a queer lover of anime I’m incredibly disappointed in them,” one Twitter user wrote.
https://twitter.com/tourguideconnor/status/1167789966161784832
https://twitter.com/EukariZero/status/1167427084391800832
https://twitter.com/CodySDax/status/1167612199105454081
https://twitter.com/KevinKridley664/status/1167513553550680064
https://twitter.com/Shurifera/status/1167530207512813568
Of course, other fans insist that the recordings are all in good fun and that people are taking it too seriously.
“I don’t really see what the problem is,” Chris Ray Gun tweeted, noting that he found the leaks “hysterical.” Another declared that people shouldn’t be upset, because they have most likely “made such jokes among friends” themselves.
Yo, the Funimation leaks are hysterical. I don’t really see what the problem is. People are I guess calling them hypocritical for firing the Broly dude, but from what I’ve read, he actually admitted to more than just jokes. Not seeing much of an argument.
— Chris Ray Gun (@ChrisRGun) August 30, 2019
It’s been 16 years since those recordings were made, put your fucking crabs away, people. #Funimation
— Connor McKinley (@DistortionDevil) August 30, 2019
https://twitter.com/Supervegeta_555/status/1167647480055554048
What makes the whole situation more complicated is that the recordings were leaked by Nick Rekieta, a lawyer who previously opened a GoFundMe in support of voice actor Vic Mignogna. Mignogna is engaged in a legal battle with Funimation after the company publicly severed ties with him based on numerous allegations of sexual misconduct.
Some fans who support Mignogna are calling Funimation a hypocrite for firing him while continuing to employ the voice actors in question. And then there are others who insist these are two wildly different considerations.
https://twitter.com/_No_Justice_/status/1167470187077099520
With #Funimation trending, it’s very important that you *DO NOT* mention that Vic Mignogna is a well-documented sexual predator in any tweets w/ the hashtag
— T. Greg Doucette (@greg_doucette) August 30, 2019
Also *DEFINITELY* don’t include excerpts from Vic’s deposition when using #FuniLeaks or #NotFuni https://t.co/ro6LyExplE pic.twitter.com/rmrYG5QprS
Tbh I’ve heard a lot of problematic shit in anime dub outtakes and commentary tracks. While some of it is really shitty, none of this DBZ stuff is news.
— Seibaa @ Champ Miu!!!! (@SeibaaHomu) August 31, 2019
“Yeah but isn’t it hypocritical what Funimation did with Vic when they…”
No. Vic is a pedophile.
The highly anticipated Dragon Ball Z: Kakarot game was set to include English dubs by some of the voice actors, but now fans are wondering if their roles–or even the English version of the game itself–will now be forfeited.
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