Hmm...Viz failure or justified?

[sp-kathrine.livejournal.com]

Has anyone else gotten the Viz release of Volume 32 that came out today? If it's hard to remember what Volume 32 includes, this is the one where Sai is introduced.


THEY CHANGED THE PENIS JOKES.

Instead Sai says: "You're pretty weak. Are you a boy, or a girl?"

And then when they are at the onsen, Sai tells Naruto: "Huh, fancy that...Naruto is a boy after all."

Okay the second line still has some of the original humor, but I don't believe the first line is the same AT ALL. I was under the impression from both the manga scanlations and the anime subtitles that he asked him specifically whether or not he had a penis. If I'm wrong and these were the choices of the translators, please correct me.

Is this word offensive to children? I thought it was the "other" words for penis that parents didn't want their kids seeing/hearing. Part of the humor is that he uses the word "penis," which sounds so clinical or "bookish" instead of a slang term.

In my opinion Viz shouldn't have changed it, because it's not sexual or mature enough to really warrant it. And the humor of the scene is completely ruined for me. For others, maybe not.

I was wondering if perhaps there might have been another reason for them changing it besides the fear that young boys may begin to wonder "Do I have a penis?" If they don't know that already their parents/school should be reprimanded. So ideas? Opinion? Fail Translation or Acceptable Alteration?


If this was something brought up when these chapters came out in the Monthly Shonen Jump, just tell me and I'll delete it.

Comments

[treat.livejournal.com]

I am outraged.

[ultrasushi.livejournal.com]

HOW DARE THEY. ;___;

they changed it in french, too. sai's speech pattern in french is...really weird.

[sp-kathrine.livejournal.com]

I try to support the mangaka/industry by buying the official English releases, but this was just... I feel bad for anyone who has never read the manga scanlations and loses out of the real essence of that scene. They'll come into the fandom and wonder why everyone thinks Sai has a penis obsession.

[sp-kathrine.livejournal.com]

Really?? Is no penis joke sacred in any official translation?

[rinnychan.livejournal.com]

I work at a book store, and I snuck a peek at these before they ever went out and was horribly disappointed :(

[table-chan.livejournal.com]

:|

What is this Viz? I'm not sure what the rating is for the english version, but if they can show sexy no jutsu...why can't they say penis?

Maybe their target audience is younger or whatever? I don't know. but fff ;___;

[ultrasushi.livejournal.com]

maybe 'cause it's too 'gay'? hell if i know. :|

[table-chan.livejournal.com]

Psh censors. We should go to bookstores and vandalize all of the copies with the correct translation c:

[ultrasushi.livejournal.com]

and add drawings for great justice. *___________*

[eowyn-unquendor.livejournal.com]

I've wrote about this when I read the October issue of Shonen Jump;
http://community.livejournal.com/narutoforadults/55787.html
The scanlations were indeed much more fun!

[table-chan.livejournal.com]

*______* Oh yes. Little happy penis drawings everywhere. That will give parents something to complain about~

[sp-kathrine.livejournal.com]

I would have still bought it even if I had known beforehand, just because I'm OCD enough to not be able to handle not buying it and then buying the next volume...but it is still very disappointing.

[rinnychan.livejournal.com]

Well...now we know how the dub is gonna handle it, anyway.

[sp-kathrine.livejournal.com]

I know that the target audience at least near to wha it is in Japan, so WHY would they see this as something to be altered. Are they phallic phobic? Had it been like "dick" or "cock" (excuse my language...) I would perfectly understanding toning it down, but it was "PENIS."

[sp-kathrine.livejournal.com]

Perhaps because scanlations always seem to be more accurate to the original because the official translations deal with censorship and other irrational restrictions.

[teambenevolence.livejournal.com]

Then again this is the company that gave us the wonder of Lee's special 'medicine' that made him use 'Loopy Fist'.

And hey, I have to wonder what they'll do when the dub gets to that part in the anime. Or Konohamaru's fanservice no jutsu.

I think Viz didn't want to deal with any outraged parents over seeing it mentioned in what they might assume is a manga for kiddies. Though..idk, isn't it mentioned on the back that Naruto is suited for teens, or kids?

[sp-kathrine.livejournal.com]

EXACTLY. The back of the Naruto manga states that it is meant for TEENS. And so I have issues because a 13 year old should have some awareness of the word PENIS. I know they market to kids still because the anime attracts kids, but this manga is labeled for teens and they better not screw over CH347 because of this. I will protest.

[sp-kathrine.livejournal.com]

I understand it more for the television series as it is meant for a younger audience, but as someone below mentioned, the manga is rated "T for Teens." I swear I didn't need this kind of censorship over the word "penis" when I was a teenager.

[rinnychan.livejournal.com]

Oh no, maybe the boys reading it who do have small penises will feel unsure of themselves! -.-

[teambenevolence.livejournal.com]

Then again this *is* America we're talking about here. Anything as gay as a boy looking at another boy's penis (even if it is just to lulz at the size of it) is obviously not suitable for the delicate eyes of the children.

At the same time, I bet the fights will get through uncut, even though imo the later fights - Sasuke/Deidara, Pein/Jiraiya and Sasuke/Itachi especially - are pretty violent.

Mind you, Viz did something similar with Fullmetal Alchemist - a character was chained to a slab of rock that happened to look like a cross, only they edited it to look more like a round, bigger stone.

I guess they don't want to take the chance of upsetting the parents with stuff like this? But then again, there was no problems with the oiroke...

[ootorotan.livejournal.com]

WTF?
I'm all for supporting the official versions, but this is part of the reason why it's so hard to do!
Fansubs/Scanlations are always more accurate, while the 'official' translations are trying to find a 'better' of 'more fitting' way to put it. Or, in this case, more appropriate? Even though it's clearly rated T.
On top of that, doesn't the statement 'are you a boy or a girl?' make Sai sound sexist instead? >.<

Urgh.

[sp-kathrine.livejournal.com]

Good point about the sexism! I should have mentioned that when I wrote my complaint email to Viz. They have a address you can send questions/comment about manga translations to, and so I exercised my right to complain about their stupidity (if in a nicer, more diplomatic way).

[ootorotan.livejournal.com]

But didn't they censor the oiroke more in the American version? Or was that in my head?

In any case, I have no idea what to think when it comes to the fight, I mean...they did ALOT of cutting back in the ZabuHaku arc...My guess is they're gonna have to skip the entire bit with Hidan and Kakuzu...^^;;

[ootorotan.livejournal.com]

You can do that? Omg, I am so there! XD

My guess is that they don't really mind being labelled as sexist since they're already homophobic? They removed Sasuke and Naruto's kiss in the anime at least... I found that pretty offensive.>.<;;

[teambenevolence.livejournal.com]

Mm Idk about the oiroke, I never watch the dub lol, but I know the SasuNaru kiss at the start was cut, even if it was included in the flashbacks later...Better than the German dub did with cutting most of Zabuza's sword so he was just holding the hilt...though lol it looked more like a table leg XD.

Oh yeah, Hidan will get pretty chopped up, for both the whole stabby himself deal and his potty mouth.