Sean Schemmel has been a key voice in the world of Dragon Ball anime ever since he began playing Goku in 1999. He’s truly immersed himself in the shonen franchise throughout all the series created by Akira Toriyama, and even those made by fans. However, not everything related to Dragon Ball appeals to Schemmel, particularly one popular fan project. Recently, at a convention, Schemmel openly criticized Dragon Ball Z Abridged, explaining how his official work on the series clashes with the project.
At this year’s FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention, Schemmel was talking about his work on the Dragon Ball franchise when a fan brought up Dragon Ball Z Abridged. Before the fan could finish asking, Sean responded, “I think you’re intentionally trying to get a rise out of me, and you’re putting me in a tough spot. I dislike this question because you know exactly what you’re doing. You want me to comment on something that’s unauthorized, that I wasn’t involved with, and you’re aware of the situation. I’m feeling very uncomfortable. Are you asking for my opinion on whether Toei contacted them and they responded negatively? That they’re showing disrespect to Akira Toriyama?”
While Schemmel acknowledged the talent of fan voice actors, saying, “I think they’re very funny, I think they’re very talented,” he also expressed frustration with being constantly asked about them. He explained, “I get tired of being put on the spot with this question.” Having worked on the show for twenty-six years, he clarified he was there to focus on the official cast and content: “I’m here to promote the real deal.” He reiterated his appreciation for parody and fan work, stating, “Again, I think those guys are funny, I love parody, I think it’s funny, but I’m not here to talk about that.”
Abridged’s History With Dragon Ball
If you need a quick reminder about Dragon Ball Z Abridged, this fan-made parody series first came out in 2008 and covered a large part of the anime. Created by Team Fourstar, the series on YouTube used the original anime’s visuals but replaced the audio with new voice acting by fans, making it much funnier than the original. The series initially “ended” after the Cell Saga, as the creators didn’t want to redo the entire Majin Buu Saga. However, the team did provide voiceovers for important scenes from the final DBZ arc for a different YouTube series by creator “TotallyNotMark.” Since then, Team FourStar has expanded into other projects.
It’s particularly noteworthy that the voice actors behind Team FourStar actually ended up working on the official English dub of Dragon Ball Z. Scott Frerichs, Nick Landis, Lawrence Simpson, and Curtis Arnott – known for their fan work – were hired to playfully reimagine the Cell Games saga, presented as Hercule’s version of events for television. Although Abridged didn’t continue with Dragon Ball Super or Dragon Ball Daima, it remains a significant and beloved part of the shonen franchise.
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2025-10-01 16:40