Dragon Ball Z Editing Report

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Japanese name(s):	Dragon Ball Z
English name(s):	Dragon Ball Z
Overall description of edits/changes:	TV episodes 1-53: Various dialog and video edits to remove/tone down violence and to remove references to characters dying. Instead the characters 'went to another world'. TV episodes 54+: Dub version still contains some edits, but sub is mostly unedited from the second dub/sub DVD onwards. Movies: None verified except for Cartoon Network showings. DETAILED REPORT

Reviewed by:	Jim Lazar (Webmaster/animeprime.com)
Date reviewed/updated:	Friday, December 3, 2004 8:52 PM
North American company releasing title:	Pioneer and Funimation.
Japanese version that North American version is based on:	As aired on television for the TV series and as shown in the movie theaters for the movies.

Description of what effects the edits/changes had on the original story/plot (opinion)

If have not seen enough of Dragon Ball Z to really draw a conclusion as to the effect the edits have had on it, but the nature of some of the edits do suggest that the story and plot have been changed from the original.

Detailed description of video edits

Blood was masked or removed from the video.

Various scenes of violence were altered or cut.

Characters that died were sent to "another dimension" or "the next dimension" instead.

Background music was changed.

For more detailed information on the changes to Dragon Ball Z, please see DBZ Uncensored available at http://dbzuncensored.dbzoa.net

Detailed description of opening and ending changes

New OPs and EDs were edited together from various video sources.

Detailed description of English subtitle changes

TV episodes 1-53: No subtitle version.
TV episodes 54+: None verified, but supposedly the subs on the first dub/sub DVD from Funimation contained the dub names and other questionable translations. Reports of the second disc indicate the names have been restored to their original ones and the subtitles are improved over the first dub/sub disc.
Movies: None verified.

Detailed description of English dub changes

TV episodes 1-53: Characters never died as in the original, they went to 'another dimension' or the 'next dimension'. Names were changed. The background music was changed.
TV episodes 54+: Names were changed.
Movies: Names were changed.

Detailed description of name and title changes

Many names in the English dub where changed from the original. Starting with the second sub/dub DVD being released by Funimation, the names in the English subtitle reportedly are the original names.

What you can do to get the unedited version (import and domestic)

Import version:

Currently the only way to get the complete and uncut Dragon Ball Z TV episodes 1-53 is by obtaining an import version from Japan (should be available on various home video formats from various sources). Unfortunately, it's unlikely these episodes will ever be released uncut in North America.
Dragon Ball Z TV episodes 54+ are reportedly being released uncut on DVD from Funimation.
The movies released by Pioneer are uncut (to the best of my knowledge), although they were edited when they aired on Cartoon Network.

Corrections

July 8, 2000 - Updated information on the OPs and EDs being edited together from various sources, changed another world references to another dimension, added link to DBZ Uncensored, and added info about back ground music being changed.

This page last modified Friday, December 3, 2004 8:52 PM PST