Dragon Ball enthusiasts were recently surprised to learn that James Marsters, the voice actor for Zamasu in the English dub of Super, offered his services pro bono as a gesture of goodwill towards the community. This decision stems from his role as Piccolo in the widely criticized live-action adaptation, Dragonball Evolution, which has been met with disdain from the fandom. Marsters aimed to express his remorse for participating in that project.
Although it’s acknowledged that actors typically have limited control over a film’s creative direction, Dragon Ball fans were grateful for Marsters’ thoughtful gesture. Many remarked that he didn’t have to take this action, highlighting the enduring negative impact of Evolution, which is frequently labeled as the franchise’s most disappointing installment.
Note: Spoilers for the series are included in this article.
James Marsters Voiced Zamasu for Free as a Way to Apologize for Dragonball Evolution
In a recent interview, Marsters disclosed that he chose to voice Zamasu in the English dub for Dragon Ball Super free of charge as a means of atonement for his participation in Dragonball Evolution. In that film, he portrayed Lord Piccolo, a character that was unfortunately marred by poor execution, primarily due to a significant misrepresentation rather than Marsters’ performance itself.
The negative reception of Dragonball Evolution was largely due to the mishandling of key characters like Goku and Piccolo, which reflected a broader misunderstanding of the beloved source material.
It’s essential to note that this backlash occurred during a period when the series had seemingly concluded for years, making this film one of the rare new adaptations of Akira Toriyama’s work, thereby intensifying the criticism. Additionally, there are indications that the film’s poor reception played a role in motivating Toriyama to return to the franchise with Dragon Ball Super.
Online Reactions
Marsters opted to use a pseudonym when credited for voicing Zamasu in Dragon Ball Super, allowing fans to discover his identity primarily at conventions. He made this choice to avoid inquiries about the Evolution project, a film he openly admitted did not meet the franchise’s standards.
James Marsters isn’t the only actor from that project expressing regret over the film’s reception. Justin Chatwin, who portrayed Goku in the live-action version, publicly apologized on social media following Akira Toriyama’s passing in March, acknowledging the mistakes made in the adaptation.
“He’s a real one for that. Zamasu was amazing,”wrote one fan.
“Bro went from a terrible movie to one of the best voice actors in all of Dragon Ball history,”commented another.
“James Marsters has always been the GOAT. He was incredible as Spike in Buffy and later in Angel. When I heard Zamasu, the voice sounded divine (forgive the pun) and very familiar. DB Evolution might be one of the worst manga adaptations ever, but you are forgiven, sir,”added yet another user.
It’s safe to say that James Marsters has redeemed himself in the eyes of the Dragon Ball community following the Evolution debacle, establishing a lasting legacy through his portrayal of Zamasu.
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