Piccolo's lines in Dragon Ball Z VizBig Edition

[BobZ]

Right, I tried searching for some info on here, but couldn't find any. Sorry if this has already been asked and discussed.

So I recently got my Dragon Ball Z VizBIG Vol. 1. My question is this: Why does Piccolo speak like Yoda?

It's just so bizzare...

[Kendamu]

He talks like that in the other releases, too. Not sure why they did that, though.

[VegettoEX]

When Viz first started releasing the manga back in 1998, they were simultaneously doing the very beginning of the series as well as what the TV version called "Z" -- chapter 1 and chapter 195.

Fairly certain that Piccolo's speaking mannerisms are "Trish-isms", little bits of rewriting and adaptation courtesy of Trish Ledoux. She didn't work on the series in that capacity for all that long, which is why it dies out quickly (and why he doesn't speak that way during the 23rd Tenka-ichi Budokai, yet suddenly does when Raditz appears).

Unfortunately, because the series has never received a formal clean-up for consistency (never mind a full re-translation), stuff like that persists to this day in all of the re-releases it's received.

[BobZ]

I see. Wow. Thanks a bunch for the info, VegettoEX. Those are some interesting tidbits for sure.

I was wondering if it had something to do with the source material, but that doesn't seem to be the case which is cool.

[Herms]

(and why he doesn't speak that way during the 23rd Tenka-ichi Budokai, yet suddenly does when Raditz appears).

Piccolo does talk like that in Viz's translation of the 23rd TB though. Well, maybe he doesn't talk in exactly the same way as the early Z volumes, but they definitely tried sprucing up his dialogue. Like when fighting Shen, originally he just says at one point "Are you crazy?!", which in Viz is "Do gods, then, go mad?!"

Also notable is that on the back of Viz's DB volume 16 they have a single panel from Goku's fight with Piccolo, with giant Piccolo telling Goku "Don’t you think you should ask your friends for help? At this point, you have no hope of winning!" This is a pretty direct translation of the original dialogue, but then in the actual chapter inside the book, they have Piccolo say "Do you truly wish to decline your allies’ aid?! Without it, your slim hope becomes none at all!!" So it seems that originally they were just going with straightforward translations of Piccolo's dialogue, same as with the other characters, but then somewhere along the line they decided to give him a more elaborate style of speaking.

I was wondering if it had something to do with the source material, but that doesn't seem to be the case which is cool.

Yeah, in Japanese he doesn't talk in any sort of odd or archaic style. Don't know why Viz singled him out for that kind of treatment; I guess just because he's an ancient demon and all that jazz (but the they don't have Piccolo Daimao talk that way). And then on the flip-side, Murasaki/Purple actually does talk in an archaic way in Japanese (in keeping with him being a ninja), but Viz didn't convey this in their translation.

[VegettoEX]

Piccolo does talk like that in Viz's translation of the 23rd TB though. Well, maybe he doesn't talk in exactly the same way as the early Z volumes, but they definitely tried sprucing up his dialogue. Like when fighting Shen, originally he just says at one point "Are you crazy?!", which in Viz is "Do gods then go mad?!"

Huh. OK, then. It's nowhere near the level it is during the Raditz stuff, though, is it...? Guess I have to go back and take a look at it.

[Herms]

Huh. OK, then. It's nowhere near the level it is during the Raditz stuff, though, is it...? Guess I have to go back and take a look at it.

Well, I don't think he talks Yoda-like at least, but if anything I think his manner of phrasing things is more over-the-top for the 23rd TB. Some choice bits:

Talking to Shen as they fight
Org: I’ll end this quickly. Unfortunately, my target is Son Goku, not you…
Viz: I fear I must end this quickly. For my destiny lies not with you, but with Son Goku.

Talking to Shen some more
Org: Don’t tell me you’ve come to get rid of me…
Viz: Has a god left his heaven to seek my destruction?

Still talking about Shen/God
Org: [God's been] neglecting his training
Viz: [God's been] resting on his laurels in heaven

Talking about Goku
Org: But this time I will kill you for sure…!
Viz: Ho. But every obstacle is destroyed in time.

Talking to announcer after Goku gets knocked out with an attack
Org: There’s no point in shouting. So shut up.
Viz: Please, waste no time with a count. Let him up.

[dbgtFO]

^ It sounds like you're quoting Big Green dialouge.

What are the examples in Z? Perhaps unrelated but wasn't there something about Super Saiyan Messiah or something?

[funrush]

I noticed this when I recieved my copy too. I actually kind of like Piccolo speaking this way, because it seems more demonic. Which, fits because he's the demon king. I understand why they got rid of it though, during the Raditz stuff they got a little out of hand.

[Ahiru77]

I thought he spoke sentences like "Fight me, you must.".

But those changes are pretty nice. He is saying the same thing just with fancier words.

[Herms]

What are the examples in Z?

Probably the most infamous is Piccolo asking Raditz "Wish you to die?!" Then there's how when Raditz is preparing to kill him and Goku, Piccolo originally says "It's all over" while in Viz he says "By the gods, is this the end of Piccolo?" (which I think is supposed to be a reference to the line "Mother of Mercy, is this the end of Rico?" from the film Little Caeser). And Piccolo calling Raditz a "raggedy Saiyaman", and other stuff like that.

Perhaps unrelated but wasn't there something about Super Saiyan Messiah or something?

Yeah, when Vegeta is talking about how he first became a Super Saiyan, originally he says that he could finally reclaim his title as prince of the Saiyans, while in Viz he says he could become the true Saiyan messiah.

[Eddie]

And Piccolo calling Raditz a "raggedy Saiyaman"

I'm guessing Piccolo was genuinely confused. He probably mistook Raditz for some sort of red haired stuffed doll that fights crime in Satan City.

[Rocketman]

Talking to Shen some more
Org: Don’t tell me you’ve come to get rid of me…
Viz: Has a god left his heaven to seek my destruction?

Is it wrong that I vastly prefer the Viz version and am disappointed that's not the original line?

[CODii]

Talking to Shen some more
Org: Don’t tell me you’ve come to get rid of me…
Viz: Has a god left his heaven to seek my destruction?

Is it wrong that I vastly prefer the Viz version and am disappointed that's not the original line?

It's certainly not "wrong" per se. A personal preference cannot by definition be wrong. It's certainly not what I want to see however. I really think they should strive to be as faithful to the original writing as possible. With stuff like this Viz is straying away from "translation" and entering the realm of "adaptation."

[Eddie]

^ Viz actually completely acknowledges that there Dragon Ball is an adaptation. In volume 16 (The one with this line) Mari Morimoto is credited with the translation. There's also a credit given for the English adaptation, which was done by Gerard Jones.

[CODii]

^ Viz actually completely acknowledges that there Dragon Ball is an adaptation. In volume 16 (The one with this line) Mari Morimoto is credited with the translation. There's also a credit given for the English adaptation, which was done by Gerard Jones.

I did not realize that. I really don't see why they felt these kind of changes were necessary. I hope one day we get an actual, faithful translation of the manga in English.

[Eddie]

Don't get your hopes up. Out of all my Viz manga, only three series have the "adaptation" credited to the same person/group that was responsible for the translation.

[Super Sonic]

^ Viz actually completely acknowledges that there Dragon Ball is an adaptation. In volume 16 (The one with this line) Mari Morimoto is credited with the translation. There's also a credit given for the English adaptation, which was done by Gerard Jones.

I did not realize that. I really don't see why they felt these kind of changes were necessary. I hope one day we get an actual, faithful translation of the manga in English.

Don't get your hopes up. Out of all my Viz manga, only three series have the "adaptation" credited to the same person/group that was responsible for the translation.

Tokyopop did something similar. Have Rayearth vol. 3 with me now and it mentions a translator and English adaptation. I'm guessing it's just how manga is done or something.

[Michsi]

Ah yes, one of my biggest problems with the english release. Personally, I think it's sounds rather silly.

While lines like

Viz: Has a god left his heaven to seek my destruction?

do sound cool ,the rest is just strange to me and I could never really get used to it.

Especially since I have other volumes in german where he speaks rather bluntly and sometimes down right crudely.

[ThunderPX]

Also, for some reason in the Buu arc, Piccolo randomly reverts to this speech style when he yells "Away from me, man! Piccolo is green!"