Help finding censored releases

[TheBigBoy]

Been a while since I posted here and the 13 year old me who used to spend his time online griping about "Ocean dub" censorship is ROLLING OVER IN HIS GRAVE asking this but I need some help finding some uh...toned down releases of early Dragon Ball.

Background: My 8 year old son was watching me play FighterZ and was asking about all the characters. He seemed really into it. So I thought "huh, I bet he'd love reading DB". He's a perfect age for it and could easily handle the violence and drama, I mean we read all of Lord of the Rings together last year. Unfortunately I don't think he's ready for all the sex jokes early on. I'm imagining how much trouble I'd be in trying to explain the "no balls" joke to my wife. So I'm wondering if I can find something a bit censored.

I did find some chapter book novelizations of early DB that Viz published. We read the first one which only goes up to meeting the Turtle Hermit. Despite being a pretty rote adaptation my kid LOVED it and was really disappointed when it was over. It was appropriately toned down too, though "no balls" was completely written out, no getting around that I guess. Though they did leave in Goku cooking the dog. It looks like they only go up to the first tournament arc and later books are hard to find or expensive. Plus he really loved the art and I feel like I'm robbing him a bit by not letting him see more art.

If I recall, the first edition of the Viz manga was edited quite a bit? Anyone here know how easily found those are or how they are identified? I would imagine most easily found releases nowadays are uncensored.

Of course I could also try to track down the Toonami edit of the anime because I don't think DB had official releases in censored form at all. I found a handful of low quality taped episodes on archive but that's it.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[MasenkoHA]

The early manga was only somewhat censored. Most of the lewd stuff is kept but Bulma has extra soap bubbles added to her shower scene.

Only some of the original Dragon Ball dub’s Toonami version was released on vhs. Like maybe half. There is the Saga of Goku DVD release which was the edited only version of Funimation’s first attempt at dubbing Dragon Ball with a Vancouver based cast and covers the entire first arc. It’s been oop for a while now in favor of the billingual release of the Japanese version with subs/uncut Texas dub so prices online are going to vary wildly depending on what scalpers think they can get for it

https://www.ebay.com/itm/187109926294?c ... =view_item

[TheBigBoy]

The early manga was only somewhat censored. Most of the lewd stuff is kept but Bulma has extra soap bubbles added to her shower scene.

Only some of the original Dragon Ball dub’s Toonami version was released on vhs. Like maybe half. There is the Saga of Goku DVD release which was the edited only version of Funimation’s first attempt at dubbing Dragon Ball with a Vancouver based cast and covers the entire first arc. It’s been oop for a while now in favor of the billingual release of the Japanese version with subs/uncut Texas dub so prices online are going to vary wildly depending on what scalpers think they can get for it

https://www.ebay.com/itm/187109926294?c ... =view_item

Thanks for the clarification. That's a fairly reasonable price for an old DVD I guess. Given DB's perpetual popularity with kids I'm sort of surprised there isn't some sort edited version readily available though I suppose that'd be a niche product at best. I know DB fans are all about preservation but I doubt anyone is chomping at the bit to preserve old TV edits of shows either. I know the lewd stuff only really lasts through the Red Ribbon arc but I'd hate to start out later than that. I'll figure something out.

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

Yeah, edited releases were largely phased out when Funimation moved on to the DVD format, the aforementioned BLT box set and the original season 1-2 dub of Dragon Ball Z with the Ocean cast notwithstanding.

Its probably a small miracle the BLT dub was available on both formats, but it probably didn't sell well enough for Funimation to continue with their inhouse dub on DVD or give it a fancy Rock the Dragon-style collector's edition. $15 honestly isn't bad considering it's a novelty item.

[PowerPhantom245]

Yeah, edited releases were largely phased out when Funimation moved on to the DVD format, the aforementioned BLT box set and the original season 1-2 dub of Dragon Ball Z with the Ocean cast notwithstanding.

Its probably a small miracle the BLT dub was available on both formats, but it probably didn't sell well enough for Funimation to continue with their inhouse dub on DVD or give it a fancy Rock the Dragon-style collector's edition. $15 honestly isn't bad considering it's a novelty item.

It's still bizarre that set got released.


I wouldn't mind getting censored version as SDBD (2~3 disc set).

[TheBigBoy]

Yeah, edited releases were largely phased out when Funimation moved on to the DVD format, the aforementioned BLT box set and the original season 1-2 dub of Dragon Ball Z with the Ocean cast notwithstanding.

Its probably a small miracle the BLT dub was available on both formats, but it probably didn't sell well enough for Funimation to continue with their inhouse dub on DVD or give it a fancy Rock the Dragon-style collector's edition. $15 honestly isn't bad considering it's a novelty item.

It's still bizarre that set got released.


I wouldn't mind getting censored version as SDBD (2~3 disc set).

It really is....Though my nostalgic wheelhouse for the DBZ dub is watching the "Ocean dub" in syndication on Saturday mornings (as opposed to most American kids who watched it on Toonami) so maybe it isn't THAT weird.

Honestly, Tooonami nostalgia in general is so strong that Funimation could sell a "Toonami Edition" release of the series complete with the wraparounds and run a CRT filter over it and it'd probably sell.

[PowerPhantom245]

It really is....Though my nostalgic wheelhouse for the DBZ dub is watching the "Ocean dub" in syndication on Saturday mornings (as opposed to most American kids who watched it on Toonami) so maybe it isn't THAT weird.

Honestly, Tooonami nostalgia in general is so strong that Funimation could sell a "Toonami Edition" release of the series complete with the wraparounds and run a CRT filter over it and it'd probably sell.

I mean, for most American audience in 90s, Ocean dub was their introduction to the franchise.
Despite censorship, it does have its place in history.
It has sentimental and nostalgia value.
Something like that, SDBD would work fine.

[MasenkoHA]

Honestly, Tooonami nostalgia in general is so strong that Funimation could sell a "Toonami Edition" release of the series complete with the wraparounds and run a CRT filter over it and it'd probably sell.

If memory serves from the kanzentai podcast episode, the Funimation brand manager who made Rock the Dragon happen did contact Cartoon Network for those Toonami bumpers to be included in the RTD sets (since those sets leaned heavy on its Toonami airings) but the Cartoon Network contacts no longer had them or couldn’t find them.

[90sDBZ]

There's always the option of Kai. By starting with that you avoid all the problematic elements of early DB.

Also, even the uncut version of Kai tones down some of the more extreme violence of Z; the death of Goku and Raditz having lots of the blood removed for example.

Kai is a solid introduction imo. It isn't the start of the story, but it at least has a recap covering the important bits, and is really fast paced.