'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In the early days of anime broadcast, series aimed at children in the United States, such as Dragon Ball Z, frequently faced heavy restrictions in the form of censorship. Many sequences considered appropriate for children by Japanese norms, such as Dragon Ball Z's frequent use of blood, did not correspond to American morals.
Other, more specific adjustments occurred throughout Dragon Ball Z, even for one-time offenses. While many American fans still regard Dragon Ball Z as one of the best anime series of all time, the version they grew up with has been significantly cut and altered.
Here are 10 Dragon Ball scenes that were too controversial for American audiences.
Dragon Ball Z censorship focuses on both violent and harmless depictions
1) Recoome flips off Goku
During the Namek saga, when Goku and Recoome are battling, one of the most clearly censored sequences in Dragon Ball Z unfolds. During a brief respite in a combat with Goku, Recoome gestures his middle finger at latter as a symbol of disrespect.
However, due to censorship ideals and actions, American audiences were spared this graphic visual, guaranteeing that only Japanese fans witnessed this heated moment.
2) Dodoria’s slaughter spree
One of the more logical censoring adjustments in Dragon Ball Z takes place during the Namek saga. Frieza and his top men, Dodoria and Zarbon, are seen traveling from Namekian village-to-village in search of the eponymous wish-granting devices early on.
Eventually, warrior-clan Namekians emerge to fight the latter two, which culminates with Dodoria murdering them mercilessly, striking his fist and arm all the way through one of them. American censors, on the other hand, just showed Dodoria hitting the warrior in the back before he collapsed to the ground in submission.
3) Master Roshi’s magazines
Throughout the Dragon Ball franchise, Master Roshi has been known to have an obsession with all things women. This includes his love for reading, with his primary consumption material being the series’ version of Playboy magazines.
However, for American audiences, the "reading material" was modified to generic and acceptable newspapers or magazines with no discernible topic matter.
4) Blue beer?
Another one of Master Roshi’s vices, as well as many characters in the Dragon Ball franchise, is an understandable love of drinking. When you're constantly under pressure to save the world, it's natural to want to relax and have a drink every now and again.
However, American broadcast companies and censorship committees were not on the same page. As a result, all of the beer in the series was recolored blue to resemble water.
5) Hell or HFIL?
Another questionable censorship choice in Dragon Ball Z is the renaming of 'Hell'. Goku first encounters the series' version of the fabled afterlife destination when he falls off Snake Way on his way to King Kai's world.
In the Japanese version, the area is clearly called Hell, as evident by the word being on the shirts of the two men who greet Goku. However, for American viewers, the shirts read HFIL, which was claimed to stand for "home for infinite losers."
6) Raditz and the farmer
One of the first censorship moments in Dragon Ball Z occurs in one of the first scenes of the series. The premiere episode sees Goku’s brother Raditz arrive on Earth, with his pod landing in a field somewhere. An unlucky farmer comes up to inspect the situation, but is swiftly dealt with by the irritable Saiyan.
In the Japanese version, it’s made clear that the farmer dies from Raditz’s attack. However, American audiences were offered a different scenario, with the farmer surviving signaled by a simple off-screen spoken line.
7) Nappa and Vegeta destroy cities
Similarly, when Nappa and Vegeta later arrive on Earth in pursuit of the Dragon Balls, they decide to blow off some steam before their eventual, inevitable fight. The two choose to destroy some city areas as a means of having fun, causing wide-scale destruction in the areas and, presumably, many deaths.
However, the American version of the series refutes this possibility by including dialogue about how one city was able to be evacuated first and the other was empty because it was Sunday.
8) Trunks moons Broly
It’s not the only time Trunks pulls his pants down for a prank in Dragon Ball, but the Broly instance is one which perfectly captures the ridiculous American censorship tactics. Rather than removing the scene altogether or having Trunks just not pull his pants down, the American version of the series instead decides to awkwardly zoom in on Trunks’ face in the scene.
9) Other World’s halos
When Goku and others are seen in the mortal world after leaving the Other World during the Buu saga, the Japanese version depicts them with a halo over their heads. Of course, this is meant to imply that they are dead souls with no mortal bodies to return to.
However, American censorship committees believed that the halos ought to be modified, most likely owing to religious backlash. As a result, American audiences saw Goku and other deceased heroes with an orb of light floating above their heads instead.
10) Goku’s sacrifice
In one of the earliest episodes of Dragon Ball Z, Goku is seen sacrificing himself so his evil brother Raditz can be slain. As a result, the attack which Piccolo launches at the latter also ends up going through and killing the former as well, at least in the Japanese version.
In the American version, Goku still dies from the attack, but it isn't as devastating. Censorship committees determined that the best appropriate fix would be to show the attack impacting Raditz but not passing through Goku and causing an exit wound.
