VIZ 3-in-1 Editions Coming Summer 2013

[MagicBox]

The spotlight page says "A new 3-In-1 Edition of Dragon Ball is slated for a Summer 2013 release," so it seems safe to expect that both Dragon Ball and Z will be included. But I really wouldn't get too, too excited for anything great. Viz has this whole "3-In-1" brand and it's not that good. I wouldn't expect Viz to use that specific brand name unless they were intending to give DB those black-and-white, flimsy omnibus books.

Wait, aren't those the same thing?

They're very different. The VizBigs that Dragon Ball and Rurouni Kenshin received featured high-quality paper, occasional colored pages, and an overall larger size. The "3-In-1" volumes that Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist, and others received are normal manga-volume-size, with low quality paper and no color pages.

[Mewzard]

Yeah, best case scenario is the full color manga that Japan is getting, worst is those small 3 in 1 with the newsprint quality paper.

Even if this wasn't the original plan...Viz HAS to know about those, right? They'd also know that yet another reprint might reduce interest in repurchasing right around the corner, right? So, I'm kinda hoping they'd do releases of the color version shortly after they're released. Translate one volume at a time, then release all three together shortly after they come out.

[the original ero-sennin]

The spotlight page says "A new 3-In-1 Edition of Dragon Ball is slated for a Summer 2013 release," so it seems safe to expect that both Dragon Ball and Z will be included. But I really wouldn't get too, too excited for anything great. Viz has this whole "3-In-1" brand and it's not that good. I wouldn't expect Viz to use that specific brand name unless they were intending to give DB those black-and-white, flimsy omnibus books.

The image also includes the VIZBIG Edition logo directly above the text. So, it appears that this still has the VIZBIG branding.

[MagicBox]

From the placement of everything in the ad, it seems to me that the "VizBig" logo on that page is unrelated to the blurb advertising the "new 3-In-1 edition" and exists only to specify that the first DBZ volume pictured is not the normal-sized tankōbon volume and thus different from the images of the Cowa, Dr. Slump, and SandLand covers.

But I suppose everything's up in the air until we get more info.

[Naughty Kinto Un]

Are there any other American releases of a manga that's censored to the extent Viz's Dragon Ball (Z) is? It feels like such a dated practice nowadays that it's really frustrating to me as a fan to see Dragon Ball tampered with like it's the early aughties. Though maybe I'm ignorant. Maybe manga censorship isn't as stone age as I think it is and Dragon Ball isn't so alone after all.

Also, I really wish they'd rewrite the early dialogue of both DB and Z to be consistent with the rest of the series. It's so jarring.

Those are the things which prevented me from updating to the VizBigs. And I'm pessimistic about this 3-in-1 release being any better. I can see myself waiting for the complete overhaul volumes in 2028 AD -- after the Second Great Cyborg Dolphin War -- to finally buy a new American version of Dragon Ball. And even then it may only be written in chirps. In the meantime, I'll make do with the old Viz volumes.

[Soul]

Here's something interesting though, while yes these might be the crappy "3-in-1" omnibuses that we've seen for Naruto, One Piece and FMA; Viz recently released a "3-in-1" for the Evangelion manga. And it's actually of higher quality, and includes color pages. Though it's MSRP is 19.99, which the new Dragon Ball one are 14.99, the same price as the "crappy" omnibuses.

So don't get your hopes up, and buy the Viz Bigs if you want the English manga in "pretty good" quality.

[Mewzard]

Are there any other American releases of a manga that's censored to the extent Viz's Dragon Ball (Z) is? It feels like such a dated practice nowadays that it's really frustrating to me as a fan to see Dragon Ball tampered with like it's the early aughties. Though maybe I'm ignorant. Maybe manga censorship isn't as stone age as I think it is and Dragon Ball isn't so alone after all.

Also, I really wish they'd rewrite the early dialogue of both DB and Z to be consistent with the rest of the series. It's so jarring.

Those are the things which prevented me from updating to the VizBigs. And I'm pessimistic about this 3-in-1 release being any better. I can see myself waiting for the complete overhaul volumes in 2028 AD -- after the Second Great Cyborg Dolphin War -- to finally buy a new American version of Dragon Ball. And even then it may only be written in chirps. In the meantime, I'll make do with the old Viz volumes.

Viz is rather amusing when you think about it. They went from censoring manga to releasing uncensored manga for their Shonen Jump line after fan demand...then went back to censoring (I believe this was due to change in the management).

Really, they still do uncensored releases...based on ratings. Most SJ stuff is rated T for Teen, so they censor stuff they don't think is appropriate for 13. Though, their SJA line, for instance, is more up in the 16 area, so you're bound to get the full monty, with some exceptions (Jojo's Bizarre Adventure had the violence against dogs reduced, perhaps for PETA, and I've heard some other censorship mostly in response to the controversy that the OVA caused *that technically didn't effect the manga at all, but they stopped putting it out for a year because of*).

I have the best (well, least censored) version of the Dragon Ball's US manga release, but I'm always looking for better. If they make it uncut and more expensive for the color release to compensate for potential younger fans lost (just making it more expensive does that, but they could go all out to draw in more older fans), then I'll be pretty happy. Longshot, but I enjoy the occasional hope-based Hail Mary on 4th down.

[Saiyan Prince Vegeta]

If they do actually update the content I hope that they change the covers as I already own the Viz bigs.

[AgitoZ]

Yeah, I read that too in the yearbook but didn't think anything of it. If anything it confused me that they were going to release an inferior product and advertise it right next the superior one.

The title to this thread should really be changed because it's very misleading. They are clearly not VizBigs, they are the crappy 3-in-1s people have already mentioned.

[rereboy]

Wait, aren't those the same thing?

They're very different. The VizBigs that Dragon Ball and Rurouni Kenshin received featured high-quality paper, occasional colored pages, and an overall larger size. The "3-In-1" volumes that Naruto, One Piece, Bleach, Fullmetal Alchemist, and others received are normal manga-volume-size, with low quality paper and no color pages.

The most recent 3-in-1 by Viz wasn't like that. Here's a review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPloztDC ... A&index=49

[AgitoZ]

The most recent 3-in-1 by Viz wasn't like that. Here's a review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPloztDC ... A&index=49

Indeed it wasn't. It's just like the X 3-in-1s they did a while back. However, those two are separate from both the VizBigs and the newspaper quality 3-in-1s. They are marketed as deluxe editions as opposed to 3 volumes slapped together. They also have higher MSRP.

Needless to say, they are exceptions to the rule. I doubt DB will get that kind of treatment. I'd love to be proven wrong, but I won't hold my breath.

[MCDaveG]

Well, thought and thought, with all tankoubons and HQ scans of color pages from Kanzenban, I'll probably buy the rest of Vizbigs as it is.
I just wanna have the story in english finally and from what I heard, the consorship is not that brutal and almost nonexistent in written form as how brutal is the visual one.

[Bussani]

Are there any other American releases of a manga that's censored to the extent Viz's Dragon Ball (Z) is? It feels like such a dated practice nowadays that it's really frustrating to me as a fan to see Dragon Ball tampered with like it's the early aughties. Though maybe I'm ignorant. Maybe manga censorship isn't as stone age as I think it is and Dragon Ball isn't so alone after all.

It kind of depends on the printings you're talking about, since Dragon Ball's edits have varied greatly over time, but I'd say there have been plenty of worse American manga treatments than Dragon Ball got. Dragon Ball's are actually pretty minimal if you ask me.

Check out this list for some examples.

[MCDaveG]

Ahahaha, yeah, I'll try to wait for new Z volumes, if there will be Mr. Satan finally! Hercules bothers me way more than censored nudity.

[Pokewhiz7]

Ahahaha, yeah, I'll try to wait for new Z volumes, if there will be Mr. Satan finally! Hercules bothers me way more than censored nudity.

Now that you've said it...they'll probably leave the nudity intact and keep Hercule.

[Naughty Kinto Un]

Are there any other American releases of a manga that's censored to the extent Viz's Dragon Ball (Z) is? It feels like such a dated practice nowadays that it's really frustrating to me as a fan to see Dragon Ball tampered with like it's the early aughties. Though maybe I'm ignorant. Maybe manga censorship isn't as stone age as I think it is and Dragon Ball isn't so alone after all.

It kind of depends on the printings you're talking about, since Dragon Ball's edits have varied greatly over time, but I'd say there have been plenty of worse American manga treatments than Dragon Ball got. Dragon Ball's are actually pretty minimal if you ask me.

Check out this list for some examples.

Wow, so it's still a pretty common practice. Bummer.

Thanks for the list.

[VegettoEX]

I don't think anyone's brought this up yet, but Amazon has listings for Volume 1 and Volume 2 of this new "3-in-1" edition. The listed size is 7.5 x 5 inches, which fits right in with the first One Piece 3-in-1 which is 5 x 1.4 x 7.6 inches, and opposed to the Viz Big edition which is 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.5 inches.

Pretty safe to say it's the lower-cost, lower-quality, non-Viz Big editions coming our way.

[medama_oyaji]

Also, it's been quite a while since Viz released a One Piece 3-in-1 volume, and I think most assumed they were just going to stop there to help people get through East Blue fast and cheap. However, new volumes have been solicited for the Baroque Works storyline http://www.amazon.com/One-Piece-Baroque ... 1421554984 Looks like Viz is starting up the 3-in-1 initiative again.

[AgitoZ]

I don't think anyone's brought this up yet, but Amazon has listings for Volume 1 and Volume 2 of this new "3-in-1" edition. The listed size is 7.5 x 5 inches, which fits right in with the first One Piece 3-in-1 which is 5 x 1.4 x 7.6 inches, and opposed to the Viz Big edition which is 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.5 inches.

Pretty safe to say it's the lower-cost, lower-quality, non-Viz Big editions coming our way.

So, does this mean the thread's name can change?

[the original ero-sennin]

It's confusing to me that VIZ would roll out a release of the series that is of lower quality than the existing VIZBIG volumes. That's a huge bummer.

Oh, and I've changed the thread title.