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[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ALTCP.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/ALTCP.jpg)
[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/NGAkW.jpg)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/NGAkW.jpg)

In the above pictures, his blood is of two colours. Before Dragon Ball Z, his
blood was red but later on in the series it became purple.

What is the reason behind this?


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question
dragon-ball-series
Why does Piccolo bleed two colours?


This has been an item of discussion between Dragon Ball fans for a
[long](http://www.kanzenshuu.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3704) time. Most of
the information I've come across concludes that this is simply an animation
consistency failure.

* * *

From [Dragon Ball Neoseeker
Wiki](http://dragonball.neoseeker.com/wiki/Dragonball_Manga):

> The vast majority of the manga was produce in black and white, with a few
> chapters being colored minimally. There were also an even smaller number of
> chapters in full color.

Since Dragon Ball was originally black and white, the animation studios likely
did not know that Piccolo's blood was supposed to be purple until much later.

In fact, this [Reddit
comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/dbz/comments/2rctif/was_the_original_manga_in_black_and_white/cneoj1h)
points out that it happens with [Frieza's
blood](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GqxbE.jpg) too, discoloring it from blue to
red.

While some arguments have been made wondering if this could be censorship, the
blood changes were in both international and Japanese versions of the show.
There are [several cases of
censorship](http://dragonball.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Censorship_in_the_Dragon_Ball_series)
that involve the Dragon Ball Z anime but I do not believe this is one of them.

However, there was some censorship on some international releases of Dragon
Ball Z involving Piccolo's blood. These changes turned Piccolo's blood
[green](https://i.stack.imgur.com/7cg8y.png).

A fact that points towards this color change being a blunder is that Piccolo's
blood is recolored to purple in the first episode of Dragon Ball Kai, during
the recap of the 23rd Tenkaichi Budoukai. This screenshot is from Piccolo's
reaction when Goku headbutts him. Interestingly enough, this scene also
receives some censorship in international releases, recoloring the blood yet
again to white.

[![Dragon Ball Kai Episode
01](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kN8Vc.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kN8Vc.png)

* * *

As an aside, it is likely that not even Akira Toriyama really _knew_ what
color Piccolo's blood was supposed to be. In an
[interview](http://www.kanzenshuu.com/translations/daizenshuu-4-akira-
toriyama-super-interview/) with Toriyama, he states that he was originally
unsure that Piccolo would even be an alien; he originally just created Piccolo
to be demon-like.

> Q: Speaking of Piccolo, did you think from the beginning of his background
> as a Namekian alien?
>
> A: Of course, I didn’t think that at all (laughs). The Saiyans were like
> that as well. When I thought up Goku’s tail and the Ōzaru, I didn’t think
> Goku was an alien or anything. Piccolo either. Because I thought that up
> when God came out. Mostly afterwards, I thought it through so that it would
> be consistent. For example, there’s the chair that Planet Namek’s Eldest sat
> in. That was mostly the same as the chair that Piccolo Daimaō had sat in
> when he first appeared. It was just missing the skulls.


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answer