VIZ TO RELEASE UNCENSORED DRAGON BALL DUE TO FAN DEMAND!

San Francisco, CA--On the request of more than 10,000 Dragon Ball fans, Viz Comics will release uncensored Dragon Ball comics and graphic novels beginning in March 2001. Now, fans of ages 13 and up will be able to see the comic which inspired the hit animated series Dragon Ball Z in the way its artist intended!

The Dragon Ball animated series has a long history of run-ins with censorship. Although the first two seasons of Dragon Ball Z were edited heavily for TV syndication in the U.S., the series still went on to become the highest rated animation on Cartoon Network. When Viz's Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z comics were first released uncensored in English in March 1998, confusion with parents and retailers forced Viz to release edited editions in early 2000. In the ensuing months, Viz received hundreds of letters asking for the manga to be released in its original form. An online petition to bring back uncensored Dragon Ball gathered over 10,000 signatures. Now, beginning in March, Dragon Ball will be released entirely uncensored, with the cover advisory "Recommended for Ages 13 and Up".

"After much consideration, we've decided that this is the best way," said Jason Thompson, editor of Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. "This warns the buyer that there is some objectionable material--specifically, suggestive humor and nudity, the kinds of things that were considered suitable for the original 14-year-old audience in Japan--and lets the parent decide whether Dragon Ball is suitable for their children. We know that because of this label, Dragon Ball won't be available at certain large chain stores. However, we've decided that the trade-off is worth it--it's better to keep Toriyama's spirit intact rather than to change it just to bring it to a wider audience. Our thanks go out to the fans who made this happen."

The uncensored, labeled edition hits stores beginning with Dragon Ball Part 3 #10 (March 2001) and Dragon Ball Graphic Novel Vol. 4 (February 2001). The censored edition will not be reprinted.

Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z were originally printed in Japan as the first and second half of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball, one of the most popular manga in the history of Japanese comics. Akira Toriyama is famous around the world for his playful stories, cliffhanger melodrama, and humorous, distinctive art style. In Japan, his fame began in 1980 with the wildly popular Dr. Slump, an 18-volume manga series about the adventures of a mad scientist and his android "daughter". His second hit series Dragon Ball ran from 1984 to 1995 and generated innumerable movies, video games and merchandise. Toriyama has also done design work for video games such as Dragon Warrior Monsters, Chrono Trigger and Tobal No. 1.

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