A Request for the Availability of Unedited Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z Manga

To whom it may concern:

We, the fans of Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, enjoy the work of Akira Toriyama and appreciate the work Viz does in bringing the manga over to the United States in a translated format. The job you have done has been phenomenal. Recently, however, Dragon Ball has begun to be edited, as confirmed in Dragon Ball Part 3, Issue 3. The decision to provide only an edited version alienates the wide base of older customers who have supported Viz by purchasing their productions. Consequently, many of us question whether we should continue to purchase the Dragon Ball comics. This petition suggests several ways to rectify this problem.

This petition has two goals:

1. To provide for a separate, uncensored, clearly labeled version of each comic book issue.

2. To provide for unedited versions of the graphic novels, either in conjunction with or as an alternative to the first goal of this petition.

We believe that the manga should be released in a separate, unedited version for older fans. This would have no embellishments in dialogue, mild-to-moderate cursing, and no censorship of things such as nudity or excessive violence. In short, we ask for Dragon Ball the way it was before the editing began. This version would be available in most comics shops, while the edited versions could be safely sold at toy stores like Toys 'R' Us. We also believe that it should be sold at the same price as the edited version if possible, as we feel that we should not have to pay more for a version that has fewer alterations than the edited one. If the unedited version is done first, then it should be little trouble to then make the necessary changes to the manga to be suitable for younger readers. We realize that cost may be a determining factor in whether a separate version is produced or not. However, there are many fans who would rather read the uncensored version, so this may actually improve sales and increase profits. If this is not possible, however, then we recommend at least providing an unedited version of the graphic novel format, in a "special edition" form available only in comic book stores. As long as there is some form of an unedited version available in English, it will be acceptable to us.

We understand that this issue of censorship was started by several concerned parents who had accidentally purchased issues of Dragon Ball that had humor that the parents felt was objectionable and inappropriate for their children. While we agree that younger children should not be exposed to such content, we believe that this could be avoided in the future if the edited and unedited versions are given clear labels. The label "UNEDITED" in large, bold letters will discourage parents concerned for the content their children read and attract those older Dragon Ball fans who want to read the unedited version. This is a simple solution to this very sensitive problem.

We believe that part of the problem is that when FUNimation decided to have the anime counterpart of Dragon Ball Z air on broadcast television, it had to censor and edit the program severely, to comply with regulation and censorship guidelines for the networks. Despite the fact that its target audience was stated to be "ages 2- 11," a large segment of older viewers made it possible for the show to become one of Cartoon Networks highest-rated shows. Dragon Ball has both a childrens following, which watches the edited version of the TV show on Cartoon Network, and an older fan base, which buys the uncut tapes sold by FUNimation, and enjoys seeing it unedited, and in its original Japanese, if subtitled. We represent this older group, which prefers that the manga be uncensored. The only sensible choice is to cater to both groups, so that neither is pushed aside. For example, many older fans of the manga feel isolated by the choice of this company to include Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z on the childrens division of the Viz corporate website. Older fans cannot help but be embarrassed that their favorite manga comic is featured next to the childrens comic, Pokemon. This could be remedied by providing separate web sites for the unedited version on the main Viz web page.

If you are still undecided, after much debate, whether or not your policy regarding the censorship and editing of the Dragon Ball manga should change, we suggest that you place a poll in one of your upcoming issues, letting the customers decide among themselves. Several choices, including "edited only," "uncensored only," and "dual release" could be included . One would have to make it clear that the outcome will influence the path that the English version of the manga will take. Placing this poll on your web site would also be advisable, to get the most responses possible.

In summary, we, your customers, are concerned about the path that the manga is taking. We have enjoyed your previous efforts, and applaud you on your work to bring the manga to an English-speaking audience. However, we prefer that there be a separate version of the manga, geared toward older fans. We respect the wishes of parents, and suggest that, if it is made, that it be clearly labeled to avoid confusion. This, and several changes in other areas, would, we feel, make sure that the manga is not biased toward any particular group of fans, and increase the amount of sales and profits from those who feel alienated by the current censorship of this publication. We hope that you consider our ideas, and we wish you luck in whatever path you choose.