Your opinion of the manga? Versus the anime?

[SaiyaJedi]

Other than that, no real censorship unless you consider a lack-of-cursing as "censorship" even if it wasn't present in the Japanese version.

Actually, in the Japanese version of the manga, they did swear. They used words such as:
ちくしょう (Chikushou) = Damn/Damnit
and
くそ (Kuso) = Shit

That's a very shallow treatment of the subject. It's not just about the words themselves, it's the cultural significance they carry. And quite frankly, such dialogue is pretty typical of shounen series in Japan. It isn't really about "maturity" either -- it's simply not something people have a problem with, there, because "chikushou" and "kuso" aren't heavily stigmatized "swear words" the way "damn" and "shit" are seen in English-speaking locales.

[Kendamu]

Thanks for clearing that up with a lot less words than I was going to use.

[edit]Looking at the below post, I forgot about Viz's Vegetto translation: Vegerot. Anyone wanna comment?[/edit]

[Rocketman]

A simple comparision.

The manga: Vegetto.

The anime: A Redshirt.

[Duo]

There was a time (almost any regular here that's been around over a year can attest to this) where I would take the same attitude as SS2 Vegeto and say "The Anime is nothing next to the Manga".

Well, since that time, I've changed quite a bit. I still prefer the Manga, but I've learned to appreciate the Anime on a whole new level because of the Manga.

See, until 2004, all I ever saw was dubbed Anime. Then I decided I wanted to own the entire series, but not only was that impossible (and still is until the 2nd series boxed set) but I didn't have the money to do so. Then I got my first job and was in Barnes N Noble one day and saw Dragonball in the Manga shelves. I grabbed Z volume 4 and the rest is history. I fell in love with Dragonball on a level I never before experienced. Everything I had ever disliked was gone, the artwork was consistent and amazing, and the overall feel was just...perfect.

A sad side-effect was that I ended up pretty much "hating" all of the Anime except the movies, which I also discovered and completely converted to the Japanese side of.

After pissing everyone here off a great deal for a long time and completing my Manga collection, I picked up a few series DVD's and started watching it in Japanese.

Quite frankly, the Japanese voices are just so fricken amazing, along with the music, that the Manga can never rival it in that regard. The Anime also enhances some scenes or adapts them perfectly but adds in color and all that...well, I don't know what to really say, but that the Anime has some definite low-points, but it also has some high points. It offers an alternate perspective and shines in its own, separate, way. Both the Manga and the Anime are masterpiece works of art that deserve equal respect.

If you love the Anime like you say, you'll love the Manga at least as much. You won't go through a stupid, immature "the anime sucks!!!" phase like I did (I hope) but I think it will give you greater and full appreciation for Dragonball as a whole and an understanding of the original story from the author's hands.

And the movies are the best combination of Manga and Anime, in my opinion, because there's no "original story" to botch up, the pace is like the Manga, and the animation shows the best of the Anime. The only problem is when you try to fit them into continuity with the series.

[SS2 Vegeto]

I had a personal dislike of Goku's Japanese voice and he talks a lot in a series generally focussed on him...<_<;

But, yeah, I've watched the sub. Leaps and bounds better than the dub, but my perfectionistic attitude manages to instantly scope out every little flaw imagineable.

[Duo]

But, yeah, I've watched the sub. Leaps and bounds better than the dub, but my perfectionistic attitude manages to instantly scope out every little flaw imagineable.

It's still, in the end, a choice. I was exactly like that when watching the Anime a year ago, but then I chose to drop it and enjoy it for what it was. I can't force it upon you, but I re-discovered a new level of enjoyment for the Anime when I was able to see past my "disagreements".

Life is too short to be picky about everything.

[Super Sonic]

I've also noticed, with DB/DBZ the way the manga came here after the anime, I have the tendency of hearing in my head the dubs voices when I read. For the early stories it was the OCean cast, later ones, the Funimation cast. Not like that with the other manga, who's dubs premiered in the States after the mangas' debut.

[Menardi]

I like both, but sometimes I prefer the anime, and sometimes I prefer the manga, it always depends, it's almost the same(quite often). But you should really get the manga, it's worth buying it!

[Soluzar]

The manga is the only way to get the whole story, with nothing that wasn't intended to be in there. I've only recently started reading the manga for the first time, and I'm glad I did. While most of the fillers aren't really all that bad, I had no idea just how many of them there are. They are mostly enjoyable enough, but it's good to know exactly what is real Dragon Ball, and what is just filler.

[Eclipse]

I still haven't seen as much of the anime as I have of the manga (All 42 flippin volumes! w00t! Go me!), but I love both.

I've always liked the anime for its unique animation, great voices and music. The manga I've more or less adored since I first picked up Volume 13 (or 29) in a library (I remember thinking it to be one of those 'TV comic books' Heh, how naive =P). I love the manga for its consistency, pacing, and style =)

I've also noticed, with DB/DBZ the way the manga came here after the anime, I have the tendency of hearing in my head the dubs voices when I read. For the early stories it was the OCean cast, later ones, the Funimation cast.

Funny...I have the same problem, only I hear the FUNimation cast for every character 'cept Piccolo, in which I just hear some grumbling formed into words

[Mr.Piccolo]

Don't get me started on "voices with the manga". Anytime I read the manga, I hear the japanese cast and somehow its english. (Can't find a smiley for this) A scenario will usually go like ..blah, blah, blah, Freeza-sama (Me: Oh, I know that) blah..blah..blah. Ha ha, I actually "loled" right now.
-Rick

[Kendamu]

I'm going to start seriously collecting Dragonball and Dragonball Z stuff really hardcore. I've loved the series for years but I've never really been a big collector of it. As my current sig (as of when I post this) says, I'm importing from now on. I'm looking into the DVDs and the manga and from what I can see, the manga has two major things over it that the anime doesn't:

1) It challenges my ability to read Japanese text. That's where I suffer the most in learning Japanese. I have decent speaking and listening skills for my level but reading/writing is sub-par. So, the manga will help me out there.

2) Price. The price seems no different than the Viz version of the manga and the anime DVDs cost a lot. That, and I don't currently own a DVD player that runs R2 DVDs.

So, while I plan on collecting both, from those standpoints I currently prefer the manga. Overall, I think I still enjoy the manga more than the anime by a decent margin.

[Payne222]

Other than that, no real censorship unless you consider a lack-of-cursing as "censorship" even if it wasn't present in the Japanese version.

Actually, in the Japanese version of the manga, they did swear. They used words such as:
ちくしょう (Chikushou) = Damn/Damnit
and
くそ (Kuso) = Shit

That's a very shallow treatment of the subject. It's not just about the words themselves, it's the cultural significance they carry. And quite frankly, such dialogue is pretty typical of shounen series in Japan. It isn't really about "maturity" either -- it's simply not something people have a problem with, there, because "chikushou" and "kuso" aren't heavily stigmatized "swear words" the way "damn" and "shit" are seen in English-speaking locales.

Ahh! Sorry! That's what I was taught.