We all frequent message boards and online forums (such as alt.fan.dragonball), and we all contribute as much as we can. Unfortunately, we don't KNOW of all the places people post questions, so it's impossible for us to reach everyone. However, if you're reading this, you at least know where WE are, so it's possible for you to ask us directly.

What we're going for here is sort of an "Answerman" or "Ask John" (from Anime News Network and Anime Nation, respectively). We'd like you to e-mail in whatever questions you may have, so long as it somehow relates to the world of DragonBall; be it the manga, the anime, merchandise.. whatever. We've been around for a few years, now, and we know the ropes... we like to think we know our stuff.

And we want to help. E-mail your questions to VegettoEX@aol.com with the subject "Ask VegettoEX." We'll try to update this section every weekend with at least one question straight from the fans. Thanks!

[ Last Updated: Saturday, 13 March 2004 ]
[ Past "Ask VegettoEX" Archives ]

Q. What is the significance of the stances that Goku and Vegeta take before their first duel? And why is it that the only other time we see those stances used is in the match between Goku J.r and Vegeta Jr. in the final episode of Dragon Ball GT? - End Reshiki

A. They both seem to be very defensive stances (remember, neither Goku nor Vegeta truly knew what kind of fighter the other was). I know absolutely nothing about fighting styles and stances, so that's really all I can tell you. As for the two Juniors taking those stances... it's (I'm sure) just a toss-back to the original battle between Goku and Vegeta, sort-of an "Awww!" thing for the really old fans. - VegettoEX

Q. After Piccolo fused with Kami he got his knowledge, right? So how come he didn't just make new Dragon Balls by himself? - Wassup2

A. There's mention made that not every Namekian can create DragonBalls. Disregarding DragonBall GT, we know that Kami did not create any Dragon Balls until after his split into his current self and Piccolo-Daimaô. Therefore, it's safe to assume that perhaps he couldn't create any Dragon Balls while in his original, un-split state. To top this all off, Piccolo has absorbed Nail, another fighter-type Namekian.

So yeah... while Piccolo probably could figure out how to create Dragon Balls, it seems as if he physically couldn't create Dragon Balls (as seen by them turning to stone after Kami was absorbed, thus needing Dende, blah blah blah). - VegettoEX

Q. Do you happen to know where I can find the first two CDs in the "Hit Song Collection" area? - Makankoposo

A. The Hit CDs have been out of print for a very long time (remember that DBZ is getting to be a pretty old show!). Your best bet is probably checking through eBay and Yahoo! Auctions for them every so often. Be aware that EverAnime has (ugh) finally gone through and bootlegged every single last Hit CD. Be very sure you know what you're getting ahead of time (for example, make sure the CD has a COCC-type catalogue number). - VegettoEX

Q. I read something about a Japanese PS2 game under the title of Dragonball Z 2. From what I understand, it is simply the Japanese version of our Budokai 2. Would this play on an American PS2 console, does it require any special mod-chips or discs, or would I have to buy a Japanese PS2? - Makankoposo

A. No, you can't just put a Japanese game into an American system and have it work. Just like DVDs, video games have always has region lock-outs to prevent importing (well, not every system... GameBoy systems have always been universal). PS2s have been notoriously difficult to modify, as well (usually needing to solder some wires and such to get effective and long-lasting mods up and working).

If you know what you're talking about and what you're doing, go for the mod-chips (my system isn't modded, and I know nothing about modding, so I'm no help; do some Google searching). If you want to get a Japanese system, that might just be a lot less painful on you. You'll be able to hook up the system with no problem, really (although you might need an adapter for the power supply, but that's nothing Radio Shack can't hook you up with). - VegettoEX

Q. I have recenlty got into the Dragon Ball manga (Z) and I have been buying the translated version by Viz. I was wondering if a certain part was edited. It is in the the 17th Japanese manga (page 52) and in the 1st Dragon Ball Z U.S. manga (page 22). When Bulma comes in Muten Roshi's house she hands Muten "tea cakes" which I think are manjyu or something... ? (what are these?) Anyway, in the next panel he says "Now why'd you go and do a thing like that!? I'd been perfectly happy with a nice big ki--"; next Bulma hits him. Now, in the Japanese version, does he say something about her breasts or does he say pretty much the same thing - Luis

A. Actually... you're right. In the Japanese version, Kame-Sen'nin says it would have been fine if Bulma had just let him fondle her breasts (which prompts her to whack him upside the head). This was actually translated more or less verbatim for the initial, monthly release of the "DBZ" manga here in the states, but because of the complaints of irate (and irresponsible) parents, Viz decided in mid-2000 that it would censor the DBZ manga to stifle any further bad press. (They had also done this to the original DB, but fan protest made them change their mind and release it without edits less than a year later.)

Because of the nature of the censorship (mostly for sexual innuendo and frontal nudity, although middle fingers are also taboo), it actually doesn't appear all that often -- there was a grand total of one edit per volume over the first 5 DBZ books (including the one you mentioned), and there haven't been any for a while since then. Volume 15, however, will have (at least) the title page of DBZ: 177 (DB chapter 371) censored, since some of the heroes are "flipping the bird" at Cell. There's also been some controversy over the censorship of #16's "Hell's Flash" technique in the February 2004 issue of Shonen Jump (turning it into "inferno blast"), but it's unclear at this time whether it was something meant to stay, or a bad translation that'll be fixed for the graphic novel. So... we'll have to wait and see about that one.

But, to answer your question, yes... he did originally talk about feeling her up. - Julian

Q. I have a question about Budokai 2. I know that the PAL version of Budokai has Japanese voices and English menus, which rocks. However, Budokai 2 has the same English voices as the American version. I would like to import the Japanese version so I can have the Japanese voice actors, but I'm afraid I won't be able to read the capsule text. Does the Japanese version have any kind of English menu options? It's a great game, but the English voices are really distracting. I mean, who really says "Eat this" every time they attack?- Luis

A. What do you mean? "Kurae~~!!" can be translated to "Eat this~~!!" pretty easily! Just because it's in Japanese doesn't mean it's just as corny :P Case in point, Vegeta yells, "Kurae! Koitsu ga Supâ Bejita no... BIG BANG ATTACK-U da!" when destroying Jinzôningen #19... sounds cool and all, but this flat out translates to "Eat this!! This is Super Vegeta's... Big Bang Attack!"... pretty corny, huh?

Anyway, no, the Japanese game does not have an all-out English option. - VegettoEX

Q. In the Buu Saga, right after Vegeta's sacrifice, everyone think's Gohan's dead, but he isn't. He's on the Supreme Kai's planet. And then everyone goes and gathers the Earth Dragonballs to wish back all of the people that were killed that day, right? And the wish was to 'bring back everyone who died, except for the really bad ones,' or something like that. So shouldn't it have been a tipoff that there was something amiss when Gohan didn't come back with the rest of the victims? Or did I miss something, and I'm reading this wrong? - Candyland

A. I'm not sure if this was anime-only, but yeah... Bulma, Chi-Chi, and Videl are wandering around heaven looking for Gohan. Dabura tells them with such a happy expression that since they can't find him, there's a chance he's still alive, yay~!! - VegettoEX

Q. This is more asking an opinion, but what are you guys' thoughts on FUNimation's use of name-suffixes in the subtitles for their DVDs? So far, they're the only company that does anime I have seen do so. - Wassup2

A. Personally, I love it. There's a lot of times that trying to "translate" honorifics just doesn't work; things like "-sama" and "-kun" just don't have perfect equivalents in our langage. Then again, I'm trained well enough to know what I'm hearing when they say it in the show, so it doesn't matter to me one way or the other :P - VegettoEX

THIS WEEK'S MESSAGE BOARD DISCUSSION:

Here we are in the latest week of this new feature! I think it's a really neat thing to add to the section, and I'm glad to see people are getting involved. Please feel free to contribute to the discussion, and even start up your own!

Q. A while back, I recall hearing or reading something on the origins of the "Super Saiya-jin" concept, saying something along the lines of it having been a suggestion to Toriyama-sensei from a friend or manga-ka colleague of his - "Why don't you have them go 'Super?'"

However, a friend of mine recently told me that, according to Toriyama-sensei, it was a representation of a certain element of Buddhism - "bukai," or something to that extent - dealing with the evolution of oneself in one way or another. The SSJ increments were meant to reflect how the actual bukai system works.

So which is it? Or is it a combination of both? - Kiriyama BRX

A. Read over the discussion, here! Lots of great input from quite a few people.

We're trying to stay with our weekly schedule for the section... so... e-mail us your questions for next week's update! We love getting all these questions, each week, so the more you send us, the more we can (try to) answer for you!

[ "Ask VegettoEX" Archives ]