So here we go...
Back in the day when DragonBall Z was on TV it was edited and that was the only version available. That was it. To find out what was edited from each episode there was a great site, DBZ Uncensored run by a guy named Chris Psaros. It was a great site and full of information a lot of people didn't know back then. What I'm trying to do here is kind of in the same vain. This time though it has my little spin on it, and some things DBZ Uncensored may have missed....?
DragonBall Z '96 Episodes 1 -4:
"Arrival" was the first home release of DragonBall Z in North America. It actually took the first 5 episodes, cut them into 4 episodes then made those 4 episodes one long movie type feature. On TV though, they played out as episodes. It's odd though on the DVD menu it has the names of the episodes from the TV version but they only show up there, on the menu, the actual feature is just called "Arrival"
I don't see the need to change the name from "The Arrival Of Raditz" to just "Arrival". They used the same title card graphic as the Japanese version but hey, why would you take out the DragonBalls? Just seems like more work for no reason. But, I think I know what happened here. In the Japanese version there is a split second where the title card graphic appears, then the episode title fades in with the DragonBalls and the announcer reads the title. I think FUNimaion took that split second screen capture and just slapped their title on it.
Now, we all know most of the first episode was cut out. I'm thinking this was due to time. FUNimation only had a limited number of episodes to try and sell this so, a lot of early episodes were completely cut out in order to get to the story going. Pioneer later released the some of the deleted scenes from the TV version on their "Dead Zone" DVD release...
Again, because all the stuff cut out, the first episode starts off in a completely different spot. Originally the narrator talks about how the world is at peace now that Goku had defeated Piccolo. The English version starts as Raditz is looking for someone named Kakarot. The original pacing of this episode is rather slow, especially if you've never watched DragonBall. Because of this edit all the episodes after this are now a combination of multiple episodes. Here is how each version starts... I should also mention the English version screen shots will always be on the left.
The first scene with digital paint. The smoking farmer. I mean, I guess I can understand edited smoking from cool characters like say, Logan from X-Men or Sanji from One Piece. These characters are bad ass and kids wanna be like them. I don't think any kid wants to be the farmer from DragonBall Z but, I guess I get it. Smoking is bad no matter how you look at it...
The next case of censorship came from, what is assumed to be a glass of beer. Back then, the digital paint isn't what it is today. This thing would coastally shake onscreen. I think it brings more attention to it. It must have been a real bitch to edit, I mean they even edited the splashes.
I do not envy the guy who had to do this. Speaking of "the guy who had to do this", he has a name it was Byron Watson. He was one of FUNimations first digital painter. Apparly he would spend about 80 hours a week editing this show! From TV.com...
"He spends as many as 80 hours a week editing animation cels — during Goku's epic battles, more than a few characters get bloody noses or cuts, something Americans aren't receptive to in cartoons.... (he) started the job working through the night, sleeping on the office couch and attending UNT art classes during the day. The workload was so heavy that he soon asked fellow classmate Carly Hunter to help out."
Hmm, wonder if he's related to Barry Watson...
Moving on... as Raditz lands on Roshi's Island, Master Roshi says something kind of odd...
This line "This isn't good, I smell death in the air", apparently was only in the first run of the TV version. Few people heard this or even know it was said. Meri (from Temple O Trunks fame) actually has a tape she recorded off of TV where this line is said. I remember it came up in one of the podcast topics, I searched but couldn't find it. I remember hearing it and didn't even notice it wasn't in the home release until it came up a few years ago. When this was brought up I remember this feature, "Arrival" was released with two different covers...
I thought perhaps, maybe, the two covers indicate the two different versions? But no. It's actually the same on both videos. I actually went on eBay and searched for the Goku\Gohan cover just to spot check that scene. Funny story though, on the Season 1 set and DragonBox set, Roshi says this in the English version. I should mention, it wasn't just this one line that was a one shot only deal, a few other lines were only heard once.
As Raditz lands on Roshi's island, Goku gives Raditz this stare that was cut from the English version. Don't know why though, it was like 3 seconds long. The screen pans from Goku to Raditz, here is what the full frame looked like...
As Raditz tells Goku that he had come from space Roshi is just like oh yea... THAT. In the flashback scnes Goku's Saiyan weiner is edited out. This edit also popped up later in DragonBall Kai. I have a feeling we'll be seeing most of these edits again when DBZ Kai comes to Nicktoons...
As time goes on Raditz takes Gohan hostage. During this scene Gohan is crying, but it's edited out, poor, poor Byron Watson...
As Goku and Piccolo team up they follow the Dragon Ball on Gohans hat with the Dragon Radar. They confront Raditz and the battle begins. During this fight, any hits to the face are cut out. You can show the reaction to getting hit in the face, but you can't actually show the fist and the face connecting. So for example, this is how this scene played out in the two versions...
Blood was also removed, in the case of Piccolo's blood though was that it was changed to green. Later on in Kai it was changed to purple wich, actually became the default color of the Nameks...
As the battle goes on, Goku eventually comes up with the idea to hold Raditz while Piccolo charges up and blast both of them, killing them both. In the English version, the blast just hits them but dosen't penetrate them.
As Goku is laying there dying, there is a hole on the bottom right of the screen. You can actually still see it in the English version, it's a bit less but you can definitely see it. If you watch this scene the digital paint is all over the place, the still image doesn't do it justice.
Goku dies, fades away and the "next dimension" excuse for death is born. Any blood left on the ground is censored out.
Next, there was a few scenes of the after world that were cut. It was probley cut for time, I don't think this was a censorship issue. Another thing that was cut was after Goku runs off to Snake Way, Kami has a few thoughts to himself about Goku and what's going to happen when the Saiyans show up. This probley would have benefited the English dub. It was a good opportunity to catch up on some of Goku's past and show what kind of person Goku is to American audiences who have never seen or heard of this series...
While Goku is in the Other World, Piccolo takes Gohan to train for the Saiyans arrival in one year. In the Japanese version Piccolo tells Gohan his dad is dead, Gohan cries a bit, Piccolo screams at him... it's pretty harsh for someone like Gohan and you kind of feel that in the Japanese version. In the English version Piccolo tells him, Gohan's crying is cut out and Piccolo goes on to tell Gohan about training for the Saiyans. It was pretty emotionless here.
The episode ends soon after. Now what most people don't know is that the English version actually did have next episode title cards. They were only shown on the home release though.
Now, for each of these reviews\dissections I really wanna pick one line from the dub that was so ridiculous it made me laugh and is forever burned into my brain and hear it no matter what language I'm watching it in!
So the first inductee into the hall of fame is...
