Forum - View topicNEWS: Viz Edits Fullmetal Alchemist
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jsyxx
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I've always hated Viz. Nothing surprising here.
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penguintruth
 Posts: 8468 Location: Penguinopolis |
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VIZ publishes the domestic version of FMA.
The only changes that should be made are translating Japanese to English. No matter how benign the edit, or how senstitive the audience, you either leave it uncensored or don't publish it all. Viz should have realized the kind of manga they had bought the rights to. You can't let censorship gain any ground, no matter how small. Otherwise we create a tolerance for a certain amount of editing which will set a precedence that will surely be met again and probably surpassed. The sort of people who're usually offended by crosses in fiction refer to this as a "slippery slope" and use it to refer to gay marriage and stem cell research. But it truly applies in this case. If they had ANY integrity or respect for the art of manga, Viz wouldn't make any censoring edits, no matter what the cost. |
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Fiction Alchemist
Posts: 438 |
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DELETED THIS DUMBNESS.
Last edited by Fiction Alchemist on Thu Sep 08, 2022 8:55 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Yoda117
Posts: 406 |
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I'm going to agree with this. My only comment is to express my disappointment considering that when asked at their industry panel, Viz stated that they would not edit/cut the manga save for those changes needed in translation. |
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Abarenbo Shogun
 Posts: 1573 |
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Guess what? No consumers = no profit. Piss off the Customer, and you face the repercussions. Viz should know already know that. I mean it's one thing to change Zoro to Zolo because of a possible copyright dispute. It's another to make that much of a graphical edit in FMA case and not let that slide. |
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Godaistudios
Posts: 2075 Location: Albuquerque, NM (the land of entrapment) |
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Well, Viz has pretty well lost me as a consumer... and as a Christian, I'm more offended by the fact that they censored it.
Personally, I think censorship is immoral since it imposes a view upon me rather than letting me think and decide for myself whether or not I'll like the content. It's one thing to warn me of the content - it's another to take the option away from me. Rating systems are fine. Cultural notes are fine. Censorship is not. In that respect, I refuse to buy manga that I know has been "changed for our protection" - especially since most of it is nonsensical. That being said, I think art edits and dialogue changes are equally unacceptable in my eyes. Now if they want sell a censored version and un uncensored version - I have no problems with that. At least then I still have a choice. I don't pay for manga companies to think for me - or to screen for and/or judge the content as to whether or like it or not. I pay for them to translate it into English. Pure and simple. And it's things like this why I refuse to give Viz more money as a whole. As long as the people in charge make the decisions that censorship like they've done is perfectly okay, I don't want my money going into their pockets. To be realistic, I usually have a 3 strikes and you're out kind of policy. I don't expect a company to be perfect. And yes, there are titles I don't care about. And yes, it's hard to get riled up about the edits if you don't care about the title. That all said, Viz hit strike three with the last installment of Midori Days for me (the prior strikes being I''s and Hikaru no Go - but they keep adding fuel to the fire, so I pretty much figure I'm done with them - I may or may not complete some of the titles I started - it is a difficult decision I'm faced with.) Tokyopop is on strike two with me (with Initial D and Tsukuyomi) Now if they go back and fix Tsukuyomi - that's one less strike against them. CMX struck out completely on one title (Ten Ten) with me because their lack of response and treatment of the fans made up the additional two strikes. If they came back finally and said they would release an uncensored version of TenTen - then they'd have a chance at getting my business - and that's something I don't see happening anytime soon. Fortunately, Del Rey has risen above it's rocky moments - even getting a recant by Dallas Middaugh on an editorial decision he made on Air Gear. Now that's class. Too bad the people at Viz don't share his overall integrity. |
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Dargonxtc
 Posts: 4463 Location: Nc5xd7+ スターダストの海洋 |
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Viz should do its homework.
It wasn't a Muslim symbol so I don't see the problem. No one would have been hurt by this. Everyone would have kept there heads. edit: By the way, everyone should have a problem with what I said, but strangly people don't. Funny. Last edited by Dargonxtc on Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:58 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Fazz89x
 Posts: 49 |
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Looks like I won't be ending my own personal boycot towards Viz anytime soon. Kind of sucks since I'd probably be buying about half of their Shonen Jump line otherwise. While the small edit doesn't really matter that much to the story in this instance, I refuse to buy anything that's been edited purely on principle. I'd rather buy some Del Ray manga or video games instead.
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Case
Posts: 1016 |
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Is ANYONE really offended by an image of a person tied to a cross in an "obscure black and white comic book" these days?
Madanna live and only Italy complains. But it's too daring a statement for the 8th volume of the FMA manga to do it... Another good example of how commerce's worst enemy are weak-hearted executives. |
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Reno-chan
Posts: 67 |
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The edit itself was done well, since I couldn't tell that it was an edit. I never read scanlations or pick up the Japanese releases, so I had no idea that it was an edit until now. I can see why Viz decided to edit it, but I disagree with that decision. As others have pointed out, FMA has a rating on the back, and other material that would almost certainly be more inflammatory than that in earlier volumes.
Overall, I've been ignoring Viz edits, since they're usually in series that I have no interest in, but I've been buying FMA as soon as it's been released since the first volume came out, and I'm disappointed that they would do this. The cross imagery is simply more meaningful, and if someone finds it offensive, I think they should probably find a different hobby, since I can think of very few titles that prudes wouldn't find controversial in some way. This edit makes me concerned about future releases from Viz. They seemed to be leaving the more mature titles alone, but with this I'm nervous that other releases that I've invested a decent chunk of money into (11/16 series I have/am collecting are Viz, and I have 75 volumes of manga by them, most of the Viz series I'm buying are close to 20 volumes each or are not even finished in Japan) will be edited in future volumes. Edits seriously impact whether or not I will buy a series (Yami no Matsuei was a series I did not pick up BECAUSE it was edited), and I don't like it when a company springs an edit on me when I've already devoted myself to the series. It makes me lose faith in the company. Honestly, my first reaction to seeing this was, "What if they do something to Monster?" I love that series more than anything outside of YYH, which was my gateway drug to anime. Monster is a masterpiece, and I was fully confident when I saw that Viz was releasing it. Now I'm anxious, I want it to be exactly the way it was in the Japanese release, but translated. Viz is the company that I trust most for manga. It releases more manga that is to my taste than any other company, and does it better than Tokyopop, hands down. So, I am very disappointed by this news. Edit: To accurately reflect how much I have invested in Viz. They're the license holders to 3/4 of the series that I'm collecting. Last edited by Reno-chan on Mon Sep 11, 2006 11:54 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Stormrider
Encyclopedia Editor
 Posts: 41 Location: Hermitage, TN |
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Thank you. My thoughts exactly. |
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DemonEyesLeo
 Posts: 844 Location: Japan |
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Wow, I'd never guessed that those panels were edited. I'm a bit dissapointed in Viz for this as I despise censorship in all forms. That being said, this is a miniscule change, and given the mindset of some people, I'll let it slide. As long as the edits don't alter the story, character traits or anything like that.
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xSUiT
 Posts: 20 Location: The inner depths of a shell |
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Wow after reading all that it'd be hard not to comment. Personally I find the edit fine. I always like uncensored and unedited but I don't speak/read Japanese or any other language except English so I guess I'm out of luck.
I wouldn't boycott them for this cause it's ridiculous. I don't get how obsessive some people are. I mean I guess it's easy to say no one would be offended by this or that if you yourself aren't offended. I mean it's like racism. If someone said a racial slur that didn't offend me I wouldn't care but if it offended someone else that'd be a different story. Though still I must admitt if the options were minor edit or no FMA I'd take minor edit. The whole if someone read up to vol 7 argument is funny I think. Cause yeah there's plenty of "interesting" things that lead up to vol 8 but the major opponents of such an image left unedited would more than likely be people who don't read the series but just stumble across it for some reason or other. It's like how if you're a kid reading a gamepro magazine or something and there's an article about say Dead or Alive Beach Volleyball. So yeah there are going to be girls in bikinis looking unproportional and well "busty" and say you're reading it at recess and a teacher or someone sees it. Oh no is the outcry. Cause believe it or not there are far fewer anime fans than non anime fans especially among adults in America. This reminds me of the incident were a Dragonball manga where Goku (as a kid) pats Bulma's crouch cause he doesn't understand what it is and there was an outcry of parents to the extent that it was removed from stores. Jumping on to the whole if the info about the uncensored wasn't readily available to the masses would anyone care thing. I realize that the question is like the whole if a tree falls in a forest and no one is around thing. Sure it probably makes a sound but if no one's around you wouldn't hear it to know anyway right? So even when the Holocaust reference was used it's like yeah if no one knew it happened then no one would complain cause there have been tons of travesties that happen all the time but since the masses don't know about it it's not made into outcries. I mean hell if I mentioned the term Nanking I bet many wouldn't even know what it meant but it was an event on Holocaust levels. Ah well I guess. Again I think the edit is not boycott worthy. Sure the unedited would've been sweet but it better to have something great than not have it at all. ViZ has my vote. And well there's my two cents. Take care. |
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Pepperidge
 Posts: 1106 Location: British Columbia, Canada |
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Ok, this is disgusting. There are only a few titles in Viz's library that I like to think are high profile enough to be able to avoid such desecration. Fullmetal Alchemist is definitely one of them, and by making such an innane, pandering edit to this issue, I can't bring myself to view them as a company that has any respect for artistic integrity on any level.
I will confess, that I'm not going to stop buying the series because of this, but my pitchfork is officially in the air over the issue of Viz's manga censorship. I knew it would only be a matter of time before a high profile title would become victim to this kind of gross mishandling. While I desperately hope that this doesn't set a precedent for the rest of the series, I also know for sure now that there's no way we can guarantee that even titles in their Signature line such as Monster are going to be safe from defilement. Would you guys still be passive if something like that happened? I mean, it's nice to have a contrast to the guys at AoD who go absolutely insane over this kind of thing, but I can't believe people are willing to not only accept this, but criticize those who do have a problem with it! Something needs to be done about this, and I think I'm finally going to try being vocal about it. |
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Godaistudios
Posts: 2075 Location: Albuquerque, NM (the land of entrapment) |
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And continuing to support the release means you are putting money into the pockets of those who made the decision to make this edit. In that respect, you are supporting a censored release and adding to their paycheck. This is what is preventing me from buying manga from Viz. And as long as they keep raking in the dough, no amount of letters, phone calls, e-mails, or being vocal is going to make any iota of difference. (Not that you shouldn't make the effort anyway - it can't hurt.) Only a massive, organized boycott with a clear message will make them stop, and I don't see that happening. At least I can stand on my beliefs and stop giving them money. Sure, I miss out on some manga titles I would have enjoyed, but it's only entertainment. I'd like to think principle rises above simple entertainment, but maybe that's just me. |
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