3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Why do things so nearly perfectly, and then screw it up?, November 13, 2010
This review is from: Dragon Ball, Vol. 1 (VIZBIG Edition) (Dragon Ball Vizbig Editions) (Paperback)
::: Edit to my original review.
(THIS REVIEW IS FOR THE RELEASE, NOT THE CONTENT!!!! The Dragonball story is excellent, 5 stars.)
Not only is it censored in a really odd way that just didn't need to be done, but they only include a FEW of the original color pages, about 20%!!! What is the point of making it so close to perfect and yet so far?
All the pages you see that have an ugly grayscale shading, like the first appearance of Kamesennin, were actually in COLOR, but Viz just didn't want to cut into their profits by printing them the original way.
They were re-released in Japan about 3 years ago in 35 Volumes, with all the color pages in tact. So it's not like they weren't available.
This release drops down to 2 stars. That's just shady what they did.
If you haven't bought any of the books though, I still recommend this set as it's the closest to the original Japanese version.
:::
One word, CENSORED.
They included the beautiful full and spot color pages, smaller than the original pulp release in Shonen Jump but larger than and higher quality than the small reprint versions.
They put 3 volumes together so you get a nice big chunk of story.
Great translations, except that they translate certain Japanese dialects as "American Hillbilly". VERY annoying.
But what boggles the mind is that they leave in young Goku's naked genitals, which is fine, because that's how it appeared in the original manga. But then they go and censor "the middle finger", essentially changing that part of the story to something that is not in the original manga. They also censor, REDRAW, certain female body parts.
It seems so pointless to go through the trouble of creating a "definitive" edition, but then go backwards and make it "un-definitive".
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
My first time with the series., July 20, 2008
This review is from: Dragon Ball, Vol. 1 (VIZBIG Edition) (Dragon Ball Vizbig Editions) (Paperback)
I was never into Dragonball when the anime premiered when I was young, and I did not grow up idolizing it like several other boys of my generation. However, after beginning to appreciate the works of more modern mangaka, I decided that it's time to read on the most influential classic that inspired so many of my favorite artists: Akira Toriyama's "Dragonball".
I will point out right now that this VIZBIG edition is the first three volumes of Dragonball in one large volume at a more economically friendly price. A wise move since the entire series has been available for quite a while now. Not only that, but the page size is larger, giving you a larger view, and two chapters are in full color.
The story, for those who need to know, is that a brilliant teenage girl named Bulma is searching for seven mystical "Dragonballs" that, when all found, summon the dragon-god Shenlong(Shenron in the Funimation anime dub), and he will grant the person a single wish, whatever it may be. On her quest, she runs into a strange young boy named Son Goku who has a mysterious tail and a bo staff that can extend at his will. Added to that, the boy has unnaturally powerful strength and NO knowledge of civilization abroad. What results is one comical misadventure after the other as the two meet more strange and interesting individuals, some good, some evil, as they try to find the remaining Dragonballs.
This set takes you through the beginning, to the meeting of individuals such as Kame Senn'in(Master Roshi in Funimation dub), Oolong, Yamcha, Reich Pilaf (Emperor in the anime dub), and Kuririn (Krillin in the dub)up until the first fights of the Tenka'ichi Budokai ("Strongest Under Heaven" Tournament, roughly).
Those who have watched Dragonball's sequel set, Dragonball Z, will quickly note a greater emphasis on comedy than action, and indeed the manga is silly. I would not recommend this to young children as there is lots of sexual-based humor. While the story is interesting, it only gets to some real interesting stuff near the later half of the entire book when a bit more combat occurs. Two significant cons of the set are as follows:
1. The colored pages. Don't get me wrong, I like colored pages, but the coloring in this set is mediocre at best. While some things, like the backgrounds, are colored nicely, there are inconsistencies in the color of Bulma's hair and Pilaf's skin. Both are colored as turquoise-to-purple and blue-to-green, respectively. Also, this makes the chapters that were once color(now grey-scale in the manga) to look weak in outline and detail, making some panels appear to be poorly printed.
2. Some of the writing. Many know that Viz is big on softened, somewhat childish dialog for some series, but I believe Dragonball is one of the most infamous. They use a lot of contractions for simple words, making them out to be spoken by someone with poor diction("for" becomes "f'r", "what are you" becomes "wha'cha", etc.). And sometimes, the characters say some pretty lame puns that I'm sure were not in the original. Bad like 4kids Entertainment bad(Pilaf: Soba! Are things going okay?! Soba: So ba, so good!).
However, none of this takes away TOO much to the manga, and it is still largely enjoyable to read. Many of the names are translated well, as well as keeping the original names of some objects. There are also several editor's notes to let you know of stuff that needs reference to Japanese culture, and whatnot.
If you've never read or watched this series before, then you'll probably enjoy the cartoony designs and comical characters. There is not much in terms of action, but that changes when Dragonball Z starts. Buy all means, if you want this, get this version, its cheaper and you get more manga for your money.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Very Good, With One Major Flaw, November 4, 2011
This review is from: Dragon Ball, Vol. 1 (VIZBIG Edition) (Dragon Ball Vizbig Editions) (Paperback)
This is a rerelease of the earlier Tankonbons (graphic novels). These have three of those in one, with some (about 20%) of the color pages restored and higher quality paper. The higher quality paper can unfortunately, however, make the grayscale pages look worse. There are two bigger flaws, however. Firstly, they can sometimes be hard to hold. It's pretty easy to get used to, though. Secondly, even bigger, is censorship. These compilations have been censored. For example, Bulma is taking a shower. Originally, her breasts were visible, but here, they have soap bubbles drawn over. [...] The good news is, unlike the lottery that is the Tankonbons, the censorship is consistent with each reprint. Overall, flawed, but recommended.
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