One Piece Sold Over 14 Million in 2009

 

Gee, I wonder why people get irritated with the anime adaptation on US TV? Mayhaps because they edit the content. For example calling the Marine Forces "Navy" despite all the sails and clothes literally saying in bold print "MARINE", They take away Sanji's cigarette and alter it to be a lollipop. As well as Smoker's cigars. Gave Robin a thick Southern accent just because she wears a cowboy-styled hat. The list goes on.
Though the real culprits were FOX 4Kids who originally brought the series in dub format and not only butchered the story. They slashed the series neck in front of it's family, strung it up, skinned it, ate it, and fed the scraps to the dogs. Yeah, it was altered that bad. Entire story arcs were either changed in meaning or completely cut out. The Little Garden Arc was completely removed.
US audiences started off with an impression as if THAT was One Piece. It turned everyone off. They went so far that people stopped caring.

This didn't end until the very end of of the Alabasta Arc at Episode 130. I remember Cartoon Network started to showing a version that was being redubbed by FUNimation with less drastic edits. Though, they were still keeping that lollipop nonsense and they took the Japanese intro songs and dubbed them as well.
It was weird, because rather then going back and starting things from scratch. They picked up right where 4KIDS left off at Episode 130.
 


While the voice work was doing far better, they still kept making edits. For some bloody reason they refused to call Enel,  "God Enel". In it's place they kept saying King Enel. That alteration actually contradicts many gags in the series. The crew is all of mixed feelings about opposing what they think is a god. In one scene, Zoro impresses Chopper by saying that he's not afraid of God, because he's never prayed to him once. Cut to Nami  who is in on her knees, hands clasped, as she is praying for 'God' to strike him down but spare her....and lots of treasure. If this was some 'king', why is she praying and there is this mock holy light shining upon her.
It wasn't as if he was a real god. They were in the sky in a realm called the White Sea, an area in the sky with super dense clouds that a ship can sail on. At the island of SkyPiea the person who rules is just called "God"(in English). It's a bloody job title there.
Enel had just eaten the Devil Fruit that made his body into lightening. No one could harem him. All weapons just kept passing through his lightening body. That was until Luffy, who's made of rubber, handed him his ass.
 
I draw the same parallels to edits on Detective Conan in the US. They alter content, it pisses off fans who are looking forward to the series coming to the US, and they don't buy it. That is basically your install base (base audience). If you can't get them, who do you expect to get? It's a reason why series with less editing seems to do far better in sales (i.e. Naruto, Bleach, and Fullmetal Alchemist).
VIZ may point the finger at FUNimation as to why the altered Detective Conan to such a degree, but that is still no excuse why they still continue the practice. It's basically the adult equivalent of the juvenile argument "Well, they started it.". I'm not even sure if FUNimation is even still dubbing the "Case Closed" series anymore. VIZ has found themselves in a hole and have decided to just keep digging.

Also, I believe that person who told you that was half lying. It's been a while since I last saw that TV bile called the "Case Closed" anime on [adult swim]. In the TV series they changed everyone's names. In the manga form they didn't change the suspects names. The killer, robbers, and assaulterers stayed Japanese. They didn't completely follow FUNimation's lead.
 
Last note. Sorry for the really long post.

@Matte: 
Thanks. It just feels a trifle bit silly when a comment is twice the size of the article it is based upon.
 
It's just annoying in the One Piece  Skypiea Arc since the 'God' theme keeps repeating throughout. Enel is arrogant enough to believe himself to be a god. Even near the end Conis is crying when it seems like Enel is going to wipe everyone out. She comments and asks if there really is a god and she starts to pray. Everyone in the village starts to as well. Suddenly, Luffy saves the day.
 
Using the term "King" puts all of this out of context.  It would be like going back and editing Ghostbusters and having Gozer ask them if they are Kings.
 
I'm not sure if the manga is also keeping that term. Despite the increase in releases. My outstanding boycott on all things VIZ is well in effect. I haven't even bothered to look in at what was there. I was more concerned with mangas produced by publishers that don't alter content.
 
There are some jokes from that arc that really wouldn't translate too well. There was Luffy's inadvertent dirty joke. After Enel slows Luffy down by melting a giant golden ball onto his arm. He crashes on the ground and he is lifting it and complaining about how he needs to get that golden ball off of him. Aisa is shocked and tells him not to say that. Unless you know the context of the joke. It's hard to get.
What Luffy said in Japanese was "kintama" while that does mean golden ball. "Kintama"  is also another name for testicles. We have a similar saying in the term "Family Jewels". The reason Aisa was so shocked is because she heard it as if Luffy was saying he needs to get this giant testicle off of him.
 
Trying to work about jokes like that is understandable. It's just when edits actualy contradict or alter the content of the story. They go too far.