Well, just know before you read this "short essay" that I prefer Japanese DragonBall over anything, but here I would like to say a few things about the American one. Maybe people should understand a little more if I try to bring up some points.

1st, the voices. I agree, they try too hard, but the voice "pitch" itself shouldn't be criticized! So many people say "The voice doesn't match!" Yet, I don't think they stop to think that Japanese voices could never fit in American pop culture. Who ever heard of a hero with a super high voice like Gokuo (I spell it like that cuz thats what it said on his "name tage"). Personally, I think that the japanese voices (except for a few main characters) Sound incredibly similar. Mostly main villains and their Henchmen. Basically, all but 10 people who ever speak in the Japanese version have very similar voices. If I think so, so would every other American.

Secondly, the redone translation. When you read subtitles from fansubs, it's so funny! But if you were to hear the same thing in english, it doesn't sound funny. I don't know why. I'm not saying the english jokes are good, i'm just trying to give some reasoning. Anybody who has watched fansubs would agree.

As for everything else, editing and other stupid stuff like that, I agree completely. Everybody knows if you get cut, you bleed. Even kids. It's a fact of life, and it shouldn't be removed. Besides, DragonBall doesn't even have a lot of blood and gore. Just little steams and "leaks" here and there. Nothing like other anime (Ninja Scroll seems to come to mind) where blood spurts and gushed in buckets!

America deserves the real thing.

- Lucid Flow
"Down with Hanna-Barbara sound effects."
<lucidflow@hotmail.com>