Fixing the Manga

[EmmaWinters]

With the 3-in-1 fiasco ongoing, and VIZ seemingly unaware that censorship exists in their product, I started to wonder what a "perfect" VIZ release would look like. And by that, I mean a flawed-but-honest attempt at fixing things up for us. I realize that will never happen, so I decided to do it myself for the sake of my personal collection. This post will serve as a public journal detailing the edits I make, and will hopefully interest at least a few people.

For this project, I chose to edit my Full Colors, and will do future volumes as they're made available. VIZ's "3 volumes a year" release schedule will allow me to take my time and decide exactly how much I intend to change in the long run. This project is by no means fully comprehensive; I plan to keep as much of VIZ's original script as I can unless what they wrote is blatantly wrong or otherwise bothers me.

My long-term goals:

• Remove all instances of visual censorship. Guns, middle fingers, "Herculopolis", etc. Hopefully – unlike the 3-in-1s – the Full Colors will be uncensored as promised, and I won't have to do any of this with the exception of Mr. Popo.

• Restore all instances of censored dialog. By this I mean the "damn"s and "bastard"s that VIZ deemed too extreme in later reprints. This will be the most difficult part for me, because I don't own the original prints of Dragon Ball Z, only the edited run.

• Correct blatant issues with the original translation. For example, the Vegeta-killed-Gohan reference to the Ocean dub will be removed once I get there.

What I want from you guys:

• Suggestions! Let me know what you've always wanted to see VIZ change.

• Examples of censorship. Mainly profanity/dialog, but if you think I've missed something (or will miss something), feel free to let me know.

What I don't want from you guys:

• Requests for download links. Probably best not to open that can of worms.
If you want to make these edits to your own copies, the font used is a premium font called Samaritan.

Volumes:

Spoiler:

My first order of business was fixing Piccolo's strange manner of speaking.
His most colorful lines were reverted to the way they were originally in Japanese:

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/KYQobWR.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/y3fw79m.png

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/sN5c5KF.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/Adu12Sh.png

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/2A4fDmm.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/3e9Puaq.png

Piccolo's stand-offish "greeting" was reflected, and his obsession with queerness removed:

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/8t70bMW.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/TTF08mB.png

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/HBm3G9K.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/0Fe0U9d.png

For obvious reasons, I also changed Kami to God. I considered changing every name to reflect the Kanzenshuu style guide, but decided against it for now:

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/3ds8Wxd.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/AkH80Ve.png

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/1f128aq.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/mnF7TD2.png

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/nR3d6Xz.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/hSWBzM7.png

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/V5oFI8k.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/rWZzvbL.png

Once we start actually seeing God, I had to undo the edits made to Mr. Popo's speech and appearance:

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/Rx4hrL5.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/HnGMM2e.png

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/YLsLHMj.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/YLzlJM2.png

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/bHWcqho.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/mPgQSxX.png

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/z4Kc1tS.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/ggtyMIW.png

---

Once all of that was done, it was time to do a light script pass.

This volume has enough spiced-up dialog to cause heartburn. Fixing everything was out of the question, since frankly it requires a complete retranslation. Still, I did change a few things that have always bothered me.

Enma's "God of Earth" line was restored:

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/DiTN12n.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/5kxYdE6.png

Enma's line about subduing Raditz was changed to better reflect the original Japanese:

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/LWn8DW4.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/yp4UNQS.png

Viz's "slit your throat" edit was undone, and a second reference to it was added back in:

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/SC8KeeU.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/7ay74cc.png

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/PFs5paU.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/lKDr875.png

Gohan's "Dim Sum" was changed back to Chinese Dumplings (中華マン):

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/GETWu47.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/axzFO5H.png

Both references to the demon clan were restored:

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/n4yaRyK.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/XnNQcDp.png

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/sr79nwb.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/cIlsuIx.png

And last, a line of Yajirobe's was tightened up:

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/UvjPK5L.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/REzzZ4m.png

---

Then it was time to move on to censorship.

Roshi's "joke" was changed back to reflect the Japanese. If this was ever printed uncensored, let me know what VIZ's original dialog was.

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/MsQCtZo.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/ADqIfD0.png

Goku's "damn" and Raditz's "damn you" from the uncensored Singles were put back. Raditz's line even uses the original font.

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/c8d0A80.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/YqADurm.png

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/4PHJEH3.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/WXnmA4c.png

For completion's sake, Raditz's "...in Hell" line was put back, but the line in Japanese actually is "...in the afterlife", so it won't be staying in my collection. Not sure if that was intentional on VIZ's part.

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/1vkKlB8.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/B4xHlEK.png

There are many instances of くそ being replaced with "AARRRRGH!!!!", but I don't think they were ever printed as "damn", so I left them alone. I may go back and change them later.

---

By now, the bulk of the work was done.
I did yet another pass to fix a few out of place names.

The names of the Dragon Balls were changed back to Chinese:

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/WBFIj2e.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/Yx7gmIM.png

The underworld was changed back to the afterlife:

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/aY4bUCO.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/U2zjTFI.png

Upper World was changed back to Heaven:

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/iCU2REA.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/H303BCk.png

I almost left Light of Death alone, but I knew I'd only need to change it once:

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/MOCbn57.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/mlEwZzR.png

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/vnZxbFx.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/UShXpbQ.png

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/sbwAODo.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/4Er8CSm.png

---

Assorted edits that aren't even worth noting, but I'm noting them anyway.

I needlessly redid Piccolo's dialog.
The only notable addition is that まさか is now reflected.

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/iy6fUVl.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/Fp7tXtR.png

A line of Kaiō's was changed to make more sense. Well, to me.

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/Y7nGTQ2.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/XOGkrG0.png

There was nothing wrong with this.
I just changed it because the typesetting drove me nuts.

• VIZ: https://i.imgur.com/g4hx0lp.png
• Edited: https://i.imgur.com/0WyQnpH.png

All images at once, for easier viewing:

Spoiler:

[Ajay]

Oooo, you changed way more than what you showed me the other day.

Surprised you didn't go with Herms' beloved "Devil Drill Cannon" for the Makankosappo.

Love that you're subtlety fixing their garbage typesetting in places, too.

[IAmTheMilkMan]

Roshi's joke was printed basically uncensored in the Viz singles. It was as follows:

Spoiler:

Roshi: Now why'd you go an' do a thing like that!? I'dve been perfectly happy just to fondle your bre---
GAN
Roshi: Still no sense of humor, I see...
Bulma: Just as perverted as ever, I see...

And, no, "I'dve" is not really a word, just as "I'd've" is not really a word. Viz seems to be struggling with that one. They should go with "I'd have" or just use a different phrasing completely. That's what I'd have done.

[Shoryuken]

Roshi's joke was printed basically uncensored in the Viz singles. It was as follows:

Spoiler:

Roshi: Now why'd you go an' do a thing like that!? I'dve been perfectly happy just to fondle your bre---
GAN
Roshi: Still no sense of humor, I see...
Bulma: Just as perverted as ever, I see...

And, no, "I'dve" is not really a word, just as "I'd've" is not really a word. Viz seems to be struggling with that one. They should go with "I'd have" or just use a different phrasing completely. That's what I'd have done.

I beg to difer as I'd've is a completely legitimate, albeit informal, contraction of I would/should have.

[EmmaWinters]

Roshi's joke was printed basically uncensored in the Viz singles. It was as follows:

Spoiler:

Roshi: Now why'd you go an' do a thing like that!? I'dve been perfectly happy just to fondle your bre---
GAN
Roshi: Still no sense of humor, I see...
Bulma: Just as perverted as ever, I see...

Thanks a million! Fixed.

Spoiler:

[IAmTheMilkMan]

I beg to difer as I'd've is a completely legitimate, albeit informal, contraction of I would/should have.

Damn! I knew what it was trying to be a contraction of, I just thought that "I'd have" was the proper way to write that phrase, and that "I'd've" was more or less nonsense. I even did a Google search myself to make sure I was correct before posting those outrageous claims as to the legitimacy of the word, and I somehow missed that Collins entry (and all of the other entries, apparently). Forgive me for spewing such nonsense, and thank you for politely correcting me.

Thanks a million! Fixed.

Spoiler:

No problem! If you're going for complete accuracy as to how it was in the Viz single, than I should tell you that I accidentally added an extra hyphen at the end of "bre" before the GAN in my original post (I am just sharp as a tack today), so it should read "fondle your bre--" as opposed to "fondle your bre---". Sorry. I'm a baboon.

Looks great, though! I've thought about doing something like this ever since the Full Colors were first released. Is this something you plan on printing for yourself or is it just going to be digital?

[jrdemr]

Very, very nice job, Emma!

As I've told you a few days ago on twitter, it's a real shame Viz can't just revise the old translation and use their current standards. It wouldn't even be that hard - Dragon Ball is so linguistically easy, even as an intermediate Japanese student (JLPT N3) I can understand about 99% of it with no help from the dictionary. The Full Colors would have been the perfect time, too: they could have used the debut of this new, revised, premium edition of the manga to take the time to update their translation. It wouldn't even take that long, their current translation isn't even that bad, it mostly just needed to make the style of speech closer to the original Japanese and to eliminate the few missteps (and blatantly wrong things) sprinkled here and there.

It's also a shame that, were it not for Mr. Popo, the Full Colors could have been the first 100% visually uncensored English release of the manga. I don't even see why they feel like they must absolutely censor it. FUNimation never censored it on their releases, and I don't see them getting any flack for it.

It's too bad you can't just print these, even if only for yourself. Self-printing a book with publishing house quality is not only hard and time-consuming, it costs an arm and a leg. A physical copy with a perfect translation would be a dream come true for a lot of us. Personally, I feel digital isn't really suited for manga and comics -- I've always been a supporter of the good ol' "dead trees". But I suppose if you don't mind digital, you're good to go.

Anyway, again, very nice job with these. I'll post again if I remember something you might have missed, but it looks like you've got it all pretty much covered. Only thing I can remember right now is: will you also swap every instance of "Chi" for "Ki"?

[Puto]

https://i.imgur.com/0WyQnpH.png

I am getting a serious Emperor Palpatine vibe out of this.

[EmmaWinters]

will you also swap every instance of "Chi" for "Ki"?

Not at the moment, but I may go back and do this later.

https://i.imgur.com/0WyQnpH.png

I am getting a serious Emperor Palpatine vibe out of this.

Oh god, you're totally right.

[Lord Beerus]

Great work, EmmaWinters!

Thank you so damn much especially for giving Popo his lips back. I still don't understand what the thinking process was with Viz in removing his lips because he looks fucking frightening without them.

[Tyro]

Seeing the title for Chapter #008 on the bottom of that panel reminded me: most of the titles' translations were botched as well, not to mention Viz restarted the chapter count during the "Z" portion. They could definitely use a touch-up if it's something you're interested in.

And if it were me doing this project, I'd be in favor of using the unmolested artwork in place of Viz overlaying the chapter number and "title" to the corner of the image.

[thejeremymenace]

This is an awesome project. I've toyed with the idea of writing a script that could take changes like this and apply them to a set of digital copies -- basically sharing the changes for people to have without blatantly sharing the manga itself.

It could be done via a patch (or some other, more complicated method). The only problem with the patch is that it could only work per release. That is to say, the changes to the full color versions wouldn't work with the original B&W versions and vice versa.

[Jinzoningen MULE]

Interesting project, I hope to see it completed someday.

[Dbzfan94]

I'd love the full color manga even more if Viz put the effort to change their outdated translation like this