Why wasn't Chi-Chi's name censored in the dub?

[precita]

Since Chi-Chi means breasts in Japan, why did the dub nor censor her name to something else? The fact that Bra was changed to Bulla in the broadcast version, and Satan to Hercule shows they were very noticeable about a name being suggestive.

Do you think the dub simply didn't know Chi-Chi meant breasts? I find it hard to believe.

[VegettoEX]

"Chi-Chi's" is also the name of a fairly prominent Mexican restaurant chain here in the US. It's not a taboo word/phrase.

Her name is more that it's cattle-related (fitting in with Ox Demon King) than "tee hee boobs!"

Isn't the slang term Mexican? Which is why she's "Milk" there? Which is actually somewhat accurate of a name adaptation...

[TheBlackPaladin]

Isn't the slang term Mexican? Which is why she's "Milk" there? Which is actually somewhat accurate of a name adaptation...

Yes, yes, and yes, respectively.

Fun trivia: they also changed her name to Milk for the Latino Spanish dub of The-Live-Action-Movie-Adaptation-Of-Dragon-Ball-That-Must-Not-Be-Named. I thought maybe they'd relax that since it was a movie and not a publicly-accessible TV show, but nope, they were consistent with the previously-existing dub of the anime in this case.

[UltimateHammerBro]

Another fun trivia: depending on the dialect of Spanish, "chichi" may mean another part of female anatomy

[DBZAOTA482]

Her name means nothing here.

[Super Sonic]

Pretty much what the above said. Compare it to cartoons where Brits are saying "Bugger" and "Bollocks" a lot. Here they just sound funny, though in England those tend to get censored.

[Theophrastus]

Bra and Mr. Satan's names were changed because both names actually mean something in English, and America is fairly well known for having a large amount of overzealous religious folk that can't abide even the mention of anything "naughty" (in this case, women's underwear) or devil-related on children's TV.

In contrast, Chichi means absolutely nothing in English, and Funimation has no reason to care what it might mean in Japanese or Spanish because they have no reason to assume that their target audience knows what it means in those languages.

Now, Videl's name on the other hand...that getting through unscathed is slightly more surprising.

[Gyt Kaliba]

Pretty much as has been said, it's not really widely known what the name pun for her would mean in the US, so they pretty much let it fly right on under the radar.

Now, Videl's name on the other hand...that getting through unscathed is slightly more surprising.

I think they more or less banked on that one flying under the radar as well. It's pretty easy to see where it comes from, yes, but it's not nearly as on the nose as 'Satan'. Now if the dub had actually let Mr. Satan keep his name, then people probably would have followed the dots on the name pun a bit better there.

[TheBlackPaladin]

Bra and Mr. Satan's names were changed because both names actually mean something in English, and America is fairly well known for having a large amount of overzealous religious folk that can't abide even the mention of anything "naughty" (in this case, women's underwear) or devil-related on children's TV.

In contrast, Chichi means absolutely nothing in English, and Funimation has no reason to care what it might mean in Japanese or Spanish because they have no reason to assume that their target audience knows what it means in those languages.

Now, Videl's name on the other hand...that getting through unscathed is slightly more surprising.

Eh, you can sneak stuff by the FCC if you're careful and clever enough. Animaniacs was famous for this. From my perspective, I don't know that I would have caught that "Videl" is an anagram for "Devil" from a passing glance either.

Although, interesting note on the name "Hercule." What I find interesting about that is that it was also used as the "censored name" for Mr. Satan in the French dub...with the episodes featuring Mr. Satan in the French dub airing almost ten years prior to the English dub episodes that featured him. In other words, the name is not something FUNimation thought of, since they weren't using it first. So I've always wondered if "Hercule" was actually a pre-approved name that Toei thought of and told FUNimation to use if they felt censorship was a concern.

[precita]

Isn't "H"ercule based on Hercules? And that's the point, his name is after the strong greek hero?

[Kamiccolo9]

Isn't "H"ercule based on Hercules? And that's the point, his name is after the strong greek hero?

Hercules is Roman.

Heracles is Greek.

Because I am that petty.

[UltimateHammerBro]

Although, interesting note on the name "Hercule." What I find interesting about that is that it was also used as the "censored name" for Mr. Satan in the French dub...with the episodes featuring Mr. Satan in the French dub airing almost ten years prior to the English dub episodes that featured him. In other words, the name is not something FUNimation thought of, since they weren't using it first. So I've always wondered if "Hercule" was actually a pre-approved name that Toei thought of and told FUNimation to use if they felt censorship was a concern.

As far as I know, using "H"ercule in the French dub wasn't a matter of censorship, but rather to avoid repetition: Piccolo had been called "Satan Petit-Coeur" for years.

[Polyphase Avatron]

Can't "chichi" also mean "father" in Japanese?

[TripleRach]

In addition to the restaurant chain, there is also a famous golfer named Chi-Chi Rodriguez. If a real person can have that name in the US, then there's no reason a fictional character can't.

[ShadowBardock89]

Can't "chichi" also mean "father" in Japanese?

Master Roshi was making that assessment of a pun string in regarding the name meaning in the manga (it happens right before the throws her boomerang into Roshi's skull).

[TheGreatness25]

In the anime too.

Besides the great and powerful world champ, which didn't carry over onto uncut DVDs, the only other one I can think of whose name was changed for censorship was Bra. That name is stupid, though, and only gets said a few times in GT anyway.

Would be interesting if they changed all of the names.

"It's been five years since Johnny defeated Pete at the Karate Fighting Tournament! Johnny and Cathy settled down and had a son named after Johnny grandfather - Gary."

[MCDaveG]

Again, you reminded me of Japanese Vegeta's: ''Why don't you show him Chi-chi's chichis'' in the Buu arc

[s841]

My guess is that Bra and Satan are straight inappropriate (for kids at least), while Chi-Chi is only inappropriate in Japanese I guess. I mean I've been saying her name this whole time not knowing it meant breasts