This review is probably the most significant one I've ever done so read carefully, and as Dragonballz is huge I'll review this by Saga.
If you've been around Cartoon Network for a while then at one point you've probably seen Dragonballz but if you remember your history you'd realize it's been edited to suit a general audience so this review compares the edited version to it's full uncut release sort of done in a little contest.
1. Raditz
Edited: Obnoxious over confident and who can forget "Keep your eye on the birdy"
Uncut: More mature and more intimidating and more intelligent actually explaining the plot properly.
Winner: Uncut
2. Gohan's Journey
Edited: Cuts out the long dragging scenes and avoids a couple of death scenes.
Uncut: Actually explains some of the reasons behind some of the issues but are largely unneeded.
Winner: Edited
3. Goku's Snakeway Run
Edited: HFIL is a poor edit but it does cut out some bizarre scenes as well.
Uncut: I'm glad for the title HELL but the Russian Roulette scene is strange.
Winner: Tie
4. Training Scenes
Edited: Gets to the point and sets things up quickly.
Uncut: Shows more from different points of view most notably Tien & Yamcha
Winner: Tie
5. Nappa & The Saibaman Fight
Edited: Plays out just fine, no Tien arms don't grow back.
Uncut: Deaths are more believable when you see the bodies.
Winner: Uncut
6. Vegeta Fight
Edited: Again plays just fine.
Uncut: About the same, does a couple of time waster scenes but mostly the same.
Winner: Tie
7. Prelude to Namek Saga
Edited: Gets to the point very quickly and within a couple of episodes were already in space.
Uncut: Bulma's uncomfortable first meeting with Mr Popo doesn't help dispel the myth that he's a racial stereotype.
Winner: Edited
Results: It's a tie between the two, although I don't like many of Dragonballz's edits, I can also see why the scenes were left out and in some respects since watching the uncut version you realize just how much they pad out the episodes with pointless nonsense and unfunny humor.
You see a series like Dragonballz is heavily reliant on it's action scenes being packed to the brim with such extreme fighting. However it can't always create a story from it without either going extremely violent or sacrificing the action, while it is possible to do both, Dragonballz can't so it's frustrating when you have to go through an episode of Goku passing his driving test or playing tag with the Red & Blue Oni. The point I'm getting at is that if I was shown the uncut version first I wouldn't like it, so the edited version actually allowed me to enjoy whats there, while Dragonball Kai sets out to do the same as the edited version remember that I was watching this a good 15 years ago and that the whole franchise is older than me.
Final Verdict: It's a worthy start to a big series but tries to pad out too much with filler and that's where the edited version deserves it's credit.
