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: Sunday, 29 August 2004 ]
[ Past "Ask VegettoEX" Archives ]

Q. In the US Shonen Jump releases of Dragonball Z, there's an obvious shading difference between some chapters and others.  For example, Volume 2, Chapter 11 ("A Warrior in Hell") has dark shading, especially in the backgrounds.  Chapter 12, however, isn't shaded at all.  At first I thought Toriyama was just using different styles, but this happens again in later volumes (ex. Volume 14, Chapter 160, "The Androids at Ease").  Were these originally colored when first released and just copied back into black and white for mass market publication in the US?  Just IMHO, but the unshaded pages are a lot easier on the eyes. - Kieriahn

A. Originally, there are a few chapters that were indeed drawn in color! These color chapters were printed in Weekly Shônen Jump, but reprinted grayscale in both Japanese and English tankôbon. They're a bit harder to read that way, but sometimes easier on the eyes, as most color chapters switch to less-appealing red/blue-gray 2-color art partway through.

However, the chapter you've mentioned (chapter 205 / DBZ: 11), was one of only two chapters in the entire series drawn completely in full-color (the other being chapter 81, during the Dr. Slump crossover). Regardless, and all of these chapters are printed in color again in the Japanese kanzenban re-release (and sometimes in the US Shonen Jump magazine, too).

Here's a little comparison. The black & white is from Viz's DBZ vol. 2, p. 14, while the color is from Shueisha's DB Kanzenban vol. 14, p. 154:

Hope that's of help! - VegettoEX & Julian

Q. I was just thinking... with this recent influx of old DBZ game re-releases and such, is there any chance that we might get to see a release of the greatest of the PS-One Dragonball releases, Dragonball Z Legends. - Koob Meej Vang

A. Part of me wants to say "Of course we will!" while the other half says "Naaaahh...."

Unlike Final Bout and Ultimate Battle 22, DragonBall Idainaru Densetsu (here-after referred to as Legends) focuses almost completely on the story mode, which itself is almost completely spoken-dialogue based. UB22 had its cut-scenes and dialogue taken out, and from what I understand, the re-release of Final Bout will have its character banter (which takes place on the character select screen as the in-game battle loads) taken out. If FUNimation is focusing so hard on just making a quick-buck by cramming these games out the door with as little effort as possible, it seems silly that they'd suddenly invest all that time and effort into re-dubbing Legends... an eight-year-old game on a dead system. - VegettoEX

Q. Is there any actual proof (either in the manga or daizenshuu) that the "M" shaped symbol on Babidi's mind slaves stands for Majin? At no time in the anime is anyone referred to "Majin (name)" except for Majin Buu. So couldn't the "M" actually stand for Madoshi, which is used to describe both Bibidi and Babidi? - Deus

A. The word "Madôshi" actually means "wizard" or "sorcerer," and not necessary the product of that wizard. Both Bibidi and Babidi are referred to with this word, but the products of their evil ways (IE - Majin Buu) are never labelled with this term. While it could make sense that the "M" would stand for "Madôshi" in that these beings are the product of a wizard's work... it just doesn't seem quite right.

As for actual proof, Majin Vegeta is labeled as such on some official Japanese merchandise. Take that with Majin Buu, and you've got a pretty good argument for "Majin." - VegettoEX

Q. I have always wondered which of the fusions involving Goku and Vegeta was stronger... Gogeta or Vegetto? - Josh Lange

A. There's little actual evidence to put one over the other in terms of strength. The various Kaiôshin do mention that Vegetto's strength could perhaps be attributed to the intense rivalry between Goku and Vegeta, but they do not specifically mention if the same results would have occurred with Gogeta.

With the dance fusion, one character must lower their fighting spirit/power to match the other before the fusion. The Potara Earrings do not require such a thing. We can only assume from this that the Potara fusion would result in a stronger character by not holding back one half of its strength, even by a little bit. - VegettoEX

Q. I was wondering exactly how old was Gohan when he entered the Cell Games and finally ascended to Super Saiyan 2? - A.P.

A. At the very beginning of the Z-story arc, Gohan is four years old. He was 5 during the Freeza fight (it took one year for Vegeta and Nappa to arrive, and they took off for Namek shortly after that battle). This would make him about 6 when Goku returned to Earth. He'd be 9 during the Cell Game (the Jinzôningen arrive three years after Trunks), but physically 10 due to the year spent in the Room of Spirit and Time.

This falls right in line with the manga's narration saying Gohan is 16 when he goes to high school, which is seven years after the defeat of Cell. - VegettoEX & Julian

Q. Why did Ian James Corlett leave DBZ during season 2? - Wassup2

A. The best answer I can give you is directly from Corlett, himself. Briefly in 2001, Corlett was in e-mail contact with myself and Chris Psaros of the now-defunct DBZ Uncensored. Chris actually got the chance to interview Corlett, in which this very question was asked. Corlett responded:

Without blowing my own horn too hard, I'm very good at dubbing (speedy). But dubbing work is grueling. It's quite likely to sit in a dark booth for a full 8 hour day, grinding out multiple episodes of a given show. That's what DBZ was like. Honestly it all came down to $$. Especially when the project moved to the Ocean Group. They are notorious for chiseling and paying fractions of what actor's are paid elsewhere. To their credit, that's how they get the work. The Ocean group and I don't really see eye to eye. But I simply got tired. I drew the line on all dubbing work after that (at Ocean that is). Without going into the gory details, basically I asked for about $250 more per episode - and that's CANADIAN $$!! (I think that works out to about .29 cents US. no?). I guess my "other commitments" where to anything else willing to pay what I'm worth - and my sanity, of course.
(Psaros, personal interview w/ Corlett)

In my e-mails with Corlett, he did note that he was approached and offered the role of Goku, again, for the British/Canadian dub of DBZ, but refused the role (which resulted in it heading right back over to Peter Kelamis). We miss you, Ian ^^. - VegettoEX

Q. Is there an explanation how Cell could regenerate after Goku blew off the top of this torso with the point-blank Kamehameha? I mean, if he's only using Piccolo's cells, he shouldn't be able to regenerate unless his head is intact. Same question for when he blew himself up, too. At least there, he mentioned the "brain nucleus" that remained intact for him to regenerate from. - actionmike84

A. This is one of the biggest mysteries in the series, and unfortunately it does not have a very conclusive answer. The best anyone's been able to offer is that this "nucleus" that Cell describes actually travels throughout his body, much like the nucleus of, say, an Amoeba. At the time of the blast, the nucleus just happened to be elsewhere ^^;; - VegettoEX

THIS WEEK'S MESSAGE BOARD DISCUSSION:

Q. The "Movie Guide" on this site says that the premiers for all (?) of the Dragon Ball movies were at animation and manga festivals. After that point, where did they go? Did they all get released to Japanese theaters as feature films? Did they go direct to video, or whatever the Japanese equivilent is? Did they get a limited release, to just a limited number of Japanese cinemas? I just have trouble believing that so many films could have retained *public* interest enough to be continually profitable, but I can believe that a smaller release might have been justified because of the continued niche fanbase. - jpranevich

A. Read over the discussion, here! Looking forward to your thoughts!

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 ]