Censorship in the Viz graphic novels... Which to buy?

gallagtor · Post by **gallagtor** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 10:44 pm

Hello there guys. Long time no see. I've decided to buy copies of the Viz graphic novels, and thought it to be a good idea to do a little research on them first. Naturally, I checked Wikipedia, and I found this little bit of information.

By the end of 2004, all Dragon Ball manga had been released almost completely unedited, including rereleases of the previously edited volumes 1 through 3. As of 2006, Viz reverted to editing the Dragon Ball manga, with the majority of nudity and all profanity being removed.

I would really like to buy the "completely unedited" printing of Dragon Ball. So, my question is how does one differentiate the versions without flipping through the pages? I'm fairly sure the answer lies in the SJ or Viz logo on the spine, the rating, and copyright pages, but I would really feel better with a confirmation before I spent my hard earned money on them.

Chuquita · Post by **Chuquita** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 10:49 pm

I believe the completely unedited versions are the larger-sized books. They have a light red pattern of Shenlong on them instead of being just solid red.

NeptuneKai · Post by **NeptuneKai** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 10:52 pm

Simple just flip open the cover if there is a "First print" message on the other side of it well you're a winner. Keep an eye out for their old book like logo as well that's a sign it’s unedited.

Tyro · Post by **Tyro** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 10:57 pm

The completely unedited volumes are the larger volumes like Chuquita said. They were only the first 10 vols. of Dragonball and first 10 vols. of Dragonball Z, though. And they're so hard to find now you might as well just go for the less edited versions of every volume. They're the volumes with the little cat-viz logo on the side. The newer, more edited, releases have "VIZ Media" printed in a little box where the viz-cat image should be.

Edit: I just remembered something. I believe the last volumes of Dragonball Z only came completely edited. That meaning they only had the "VIZ Media" box on the side.

gallagtor · Post by **gallagtor** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 10:58 pm

Chuquita wrote:I believe the completely unedited versions are the larger-sized books. They have a light red pattern of Shenlong on them instead of being just solid red.

It is my understanding that the larger volumes were edited, then were reprinted under the Shonen Jump imprint with a Teen rating in 2003, and later censored in another SJ printing with an "All Ages" rating. I'm pretty sure the "unedited" version it is referring to is the first Shonen Jump printing. Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

bkev · Post by **bkev** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 12:27 am

gallagtor wrote:
Chuquita wrote:I believe the completely unedited versions are the larger-sized books. They have a light red pattern of Shenlong on them instead of being just solid red.
It is my understanding that the larger volumes were edited, then were reprinted under the Shonen Jump imprint with a Teen rating in 2003, and later censored in another SJ printing with an "All Ages" rating. I'm pretty sure the "unedited" version it is referring to is the first Shonen Jump printing. Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I think you are correct, however the large ones are unedited; the individual comics, howevere, were sold as edited.

DaemonCorps · Post by **DaemonCorps** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 1:35 am

Man, another of these topics?

I previously wrote:But yep, as mentioned, there are some strange edits when it comes to the manga's later DBZ volumes (specifically starting around the Cell Games and getting worse from there on). DB volumes 1-16 (so that entire series) as well as DBZ volumes 1-16 are available without any major edits (with the exception of really minor stuff... and Popo's lips being removed). If you're curious about which volumes are edited or not, the ones with this logo on the spine doesn't suffer from as much as the volumes with this logo on the spine. Sadly, DBZ volumes 17-26 are only available with the heavier edits on them. They don't really bother me, though.

Here's one of the later threads about what's been edited in the manga.

gallagtor · Post by **gallagtor** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 2:54 am

bkev wrote:
gallagtor wrote:
Chuquita wrote:I believe the completely unedited versions are the larger-sized books. They have a light red pattern of Shenlong on them instead of being just solid red.
It is my understanding that the larger volumes were edited, then were reprinted under the Shonen Jump imprint with a Teen rating in 2003, and later censored in another SJ printing with an "All Ages" rating. I'm pretty sure the "unedited" version it is referring to is the first Shonen Jump printing. Please, someone correct me if I'm wrong.
I think you are correct, however the large ones are unedited; the individual comics, howevere, were sold as edited.

Oh, I see now. I had forgotten about the individual issues, and Wikipedia made no mention of them. Thanks for the help everyone. Now I'm going to try to track down the larger volumes if at all possible.

Speaking of which, I have the first 6 volumes of the larger Dragon Ball Z GNs, and on a few of them, the paper seems to be of higher quality than others. I checked the inside cover and found that there was a first, second, and third printing of the larger books as well. Does anyone know if there was any variation among these besides the paper they were printed on? Or are all the larger books identical censorship-wise?

All these different printings are driving me insane.