The secrets behind the designs of Dragon Ball once again intrigue fans, prompting them to search for logic and meaning within the universe created by Akira Toriyama.
In this article, we will explore the differences in the number of fingers on the hands of Piccolo and Cell, and why they vary between the manga and anime adaptations.
The manga introduced Piccolo (Daimaku or Jr) with only four fingers on each hand. In contrast, when it comes to Cell, in his initial form, he only has three fingers on each hand.
However, when watching the films produced by Toei Animation, viewers see that both characters have five fingers on one hand. A Reddit user even decided to offer an explanation for this peculiar occurrence.
The Fingers of Piccolo and Cell in the Dragon Ball Anime
Toei Animation altered the designs so that Piccolo and Cell have five fingers in the anime, unlike in the manga. The reason for this change is attributed to censorship issues. In the late 80s and early 90s, Japanese culture had increasingly restricted representations of the Yakuza, a Japanese mafia group.
The presence of four fingers on a hand during that time period could be seen as a direct association with the mafia, as there is a practice known as Yubitsume, which involves the ritualistic cutting off of a finger as a form of apology or penance among mafia members towards their superiors. Losing a finger is considered a sign of remorse for having committed an offense.
Toei Animation’s Censorship Considerations
Toei Animation did not want to allude to such activities, as Dragon Ball was becoming one of the most popular anime at the time, with its influence reaching audiences worldwide.
