Is there an acceptable translated version of the manga?

Stridex · Post by **Stridex** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 1:42 am

I'm sick and tired of not owning all forty-two volumes of the manga.

Does there exist a translated run of the whole shebang that doesn't call Satan "Hercule" and other pointless censorship?

If not... what's the "least amount of wincing" I can get by with?

Viz has only released the series... how many times now?

Thanks for any discussion.

Post by **Herms** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 2:01 am

While you can still find some editions of the earlier volumes that are basically uncensroed, all of Viz's editions of the later part of the manga (android/Cell and Buu arcs) call Mister Satan "Hercule" and have other bits of censorship like that.

Bussani · Post by **Bussani** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 2:24 am

The Viz translations aren't bad. They get the point across, they get the facts straight, there are minimal edits and they're generally not noticeable unless someone points them out to you or you are very familiar with the Japanese editions. Mr Satan being changed to Hercule is probably the only real name change. The only one of a major character, anyway. Oh, except for Vegetto being Vegerot (or however they spell it), but that one makes sense since he's Kakarrot, not Kakarotto.

Bra is Bra, for the brief instance she's in it, so yeah.

Kendamu · Post by **Kendamu** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 2:30 am

No, you won't find a complete 42-volume uncensored Dragonball manga in English. Learn to read Japanese or get used to seeing a single panel once in awhile (usually involving breasts or guns) that has minor differences to the Japanese version.

Stridex · Post by **Stridex** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 2:40 am

So, then, what's the "best" option? Which Viz release is the "least offensive" to a purist?

Bussani · Post by **Bussani** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 2:46 am

Stridex wrote:So, then, what's the "best" option? Which Viz release is the "least offensive" to a purist?

Probably the oldest Viz copies possible. But they never released them all the way through that way, so the later ones are only available in their more edited forms. The Vizbig editions keep some (or all, I can't remember) of the color pages in color, which the other Viz editions don't, so they might be something to take into account.

I seem to remember the softback, comic style Viz releases being extremely unedited compared to their graphic novel releases.

If you're really obsessed, you could do what I plan to do; already owning all of the Viz ones, I'm planning on getting the Kanzenban next. I can't read Japanese yet (learning is the next task on my list once I've finished getting my IT degree), but the Viz translation is accurate enough for me if I want to follow along. Mainly I just want them for the uneditedness and color pages.

Post by **Herms** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 2:52 am

Bussani wrote:The Vizbig editions keep some (or all, I can't remember)

The Vizbig volumes do leave a lot of the color chapters in grayscale.

Bussani · Post by **Bussani** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 2:56 am

Herms wrote:
Bussani wrote:The Vizbig editions keep some (or all, I can't remember)
The Vizbig volumes do leave a lot of the color chapters in grayscale.

Now that I think about it, I'm left wondering why they would leave some of the color pages in, but not all of them. What reason could there possibly be? If you're going to do it, go all the way!

Post by **Herms** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 3:01 am

Bussani wrote:Now that I think about it, I'm left wondering why they would leave some of the color pages in, but not all of them. What reason could there possibly be? If you're going to do it, go all the way!

I suppose just because it's cheaper to leave some of them in grayscale.

Kendamu · Post by **Kendamu** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 3:25 am

Stridex wrote:So, then, what's the "best" option? Which Viz release is the "least offensive" to a purist?

The oldest ones, which really don't go that far into the series. The next best would be the current releases. Unless you're super hardcore and Mark's dub name really does make you cringe involuntarily, the VIZ manga isn't bad at all. Volume 1 is less censored than Dragonball Kai!

Dayspring · Post by **Dayspring** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 2:58 pm

If you can read French, I would recommend the new Perfect Editions (a perfect translation of the Kanzenban) by Glenat.

Oolong215 · Post by **Oolong215** » Wed Apr 22, 2009 10:57 pm

Other than changing Mr. Satan to the H-Word and the gun edits in Volume 24, I have no problems with the Viz manga. Most of the series is left unedited, and I can only think of 4 art edits.

Bura · Post by **Bura** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:00 am

Dayspring wrote:If you can read French, I would recommend the new Perfect Editions (a perfect translation of the Kanzenban) by Glenat.

They come in Dutch too! Just sayin'.

Saiyavenger2941 · Post by **Saiyavenger2941** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:05 am

Oolong215 wrote:Other than changing Mr. Satan to the H-Word and the gun edits in Volume 24, I have no problems with the Viz manga. Most of the series is left unedited, and I can only think of 4 art edits.

Same here. Stop with the Viz hate, peeps.

Post by **Herms** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:13 am

I give them a 7 out of 10 overall.

Post by **VegettoEX** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 10:51 am

Saiyavenger2941 wrote:Same here. Stop with the Viz hate, peeps.

I... uhh... do not see a single instance of Viz "hate" in this thread. At all.

I see accurate, honest, and helpful answers.

Saiyavenger2941 · Post by **Saiyavenger2941** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 11:08 am

I guess I was referring more to the "Which Viz release is the 'least offensive' to a purist" comment more than any of the others.

Chuquita · Post by **Chuquita** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:02 pm

Herms wrote:
Bussani wrote:Now that I think about it, I'm left wondering why they would leave some of the color pages in, but not all of them. What reason could there possibly be? If you're going to do it, go all the way!
I suppose just because it's cheaper to leave some of them in grayscale.

Do you know if its JUST Dragon Ball that they do that to? I've been buying the Rurouni Kenshin VizBigs and all their color pages have been in color. I haven't hit a greyscale page once.

BlueSky · Post by **Kaboom** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:10 pm

Chuquita wrote:Do you know if its JUST Dragon Ball that they do that to? I've been buying the Rurouni Kenshin VizBigs and all their color pages have been in color. I haven't hit a greyscale page once.

Seems that way. I'm not sure what other series are in the VizBig line by now, though.

EDIT: According to their website, the series in the VizBig line so far are DragonBall/Z, Rurouni Kenshin, Fushigi Yuugi, Vagabond, and Hot Gimmick.

Stridex · Post by **Stridex** » Thu Apr 23, 2009 3:31 pm

Saiyavenger2941 wrote:I guess I was referring more to the "Which Viz release is the 'least offensive' to a purist" comment more than any of the others.

As the original poster who made that comment, I am frustrated. There are how many releases of this 42 volume series? At least a half dozen, and I think only one format made it all the way through. Beyond this, I have to deal with characters being renamed-- and I'm not nitpicking a character spelling; Hercule is not the same as Mr. Satan. Things like censoring the lips of Mr. Popo... it just bugs me.

It just seems an awful shame that I have all of the U.S. release of something gory like BERSERK with no cuts, but I can't manage a translated copy of my favorite series. Heck, I can go to Borders and pick up fanservice-filled copies of Negima! It's been fourteen years since the original Dragonball manga ended in Japan, and the franchise paved the way for anime/manga fandom in the United States. I have problems with FUNimation releases-- but I've found my "best possible" there.

So, yes. I've settled to the point that I'm compromising for the "least offensive" (or perhaps "most offensive") version of the manga that I, as a purist can find. And if that's hateful, so be it.

If it makes you feel any better, in addition to a grab-bag collection of the various Dragonball manga releases (comic-form, original U.S. bound form, current bound form), I have three years of U.S. Shonen Jump sitting on my shelf, so you can rest assured that my "hate" hasn't stopped my financial support. Leading back to the original question of me looking to spend more of said money. Responses and insight so far have been helpful.