Dragon Ball thread

[Xdqwerty]

I made this thread as a dedicated place where we can talk about all Dragon Ball related stuff.

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My prediction for DB daima is that the 20th episode is just gonna be the end of the first arc.

 

[Tonberry]

THREAD THEME

I LOVE DRAGONBALL

 

[Strategist's iconStrategist]

RIP Akira Toriyama. Dragon Ball was my gateway into anime. He also was an important figure in JRPGs, being the lead artist for Dragon Quest, Chrono Trigger and Blue Dragon.

 

[bjork]

I haven't seen Daima and I believe I'm behind on Super, but I enjoyed regular DB and DBZ. Used to pick up those VHS tapes with like three episodes because it went past where Cartoon Network was at, heh.

 

[Xdqwerty]

I haven't seen Daima and I believe I'm behind on Super, but I enjoyed regular DB and DBZ. Used to pick up those VHS tapes with like three episodes because it went past where Cartoon Network was at, heh.

I'm watching DB starting with the og one, then I will go to Kai, rewatch daima, watch the battle of gods and resurrection f movies, start super through the champa tournament saga, then after finishing super watching its other movies

 

[bjork]

I would love to watch the original US dub for DB. It was only like 13 episodes and they sold it on DVD for a time, but I haven't seen it since it would've aired here in like 1995. Curious to hear what it sounds like and if they changed much, because I really don't remember.

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

I only got into DB in 2018.

I loved it so much that I watched both DB and DBZ, but I couldn't get into GT.

 

[Tonberry]

I only got into DB in 2018.

I loved it so much that I watched both DB and DBZ, but I couldn't get into GT.

That's only natural. GT is really weak and was only really made because DB was a phenomenon and they wanted to keep riding the wave.

 

[Strategist's iconStrategist]

That's only natural. GT is really weak and was only really made because DB was a phenomenon and they wanted to keep riding the wave.

Even DBZ ran out of steam half way through. Any show that goes on for 500+ episodes will likely have that problem. The first 200 or so episodes were solid Shonen anime fun, but after that they got very fillerish and repetitive.

 

[Tonberry]

Even DBZ ran out of steam half way through. Any show that goes on for 500+ episodes will likely have that problem. The first 200 or so episodes were solid Shonen anime fun, but after that they got very fillerish and repetitive.

I've never seen the entire show since I grew up with the manga, and the pacing is completely different in that one. I can imagine it starts to drag on (ball) a bit.

But I meant more that in Japan in 1995 it would only seem natural for chairmen to want to make more stuff since it was like the biggest thing ever. Then the entire brand sort of lived due to video games for eighteen years.

 

[diapered]

Good times watching dragonball and DBZ on toonami during HS. I hated when soccer or lacrosse practice went long and I would miss an episode ;_;

That's only natural. GT is really weak and was only really made because DB was a phenomenon and they wanted to keep riding the wave.

I dunno. I defend GT. I know the hate it gets, but it has so many bizarre and strange choices, it makes me like it. Honestly, if you forced (you would have to because I don't think either is that good) me to watch dbz or gt, I would probably go with gt. dbz is just so boring on average.

Even DBZ ran out of steam half way through.

Exactly, and I think even before that. I loved it in hs, and I do put those random youtube cuts of it on for background noise and nostalgia, but that is pretty much it...

 

[Tonberry]

Good times watching dragonball and DBZ on toonami during HS. I hated when soccer or lacrosse practice went long and I would miss an episode ;_;

I dunno. I defend GT. I know the hate it gets, but it has so many bizarre and strange choices, it makes me like it. Honestly, if you forced (you would have to because I don't think either is that good) me to watch dbz or gt, I would probably go with gt. dbz is just so boring on average.

Exactly, and I think even before that. I loved it in hs, and I do put those random youtube cuts of it on for background noise and nostalgia, but that is pretty much it...

I think it had decent ideas, especially in the beginning, and it looks generally great (and I love everything about Super Saiyan 4), but in general I wasn’t a huge fan. I don’t remember where I stopped watching though, it was probably almost a decade ago.

 

[Aeriththeflowergirl]

I think it had decent ideas, especially in the beginning, and it looks generally great (and I love everything about Super Saiyan 4), but in general I wasn’t a huge fan. I don’t remember where I stopped watching though, it was probably almost a decade ago.

I remember as a kid I didn't really like Dragon Ball Z. Until last year I watched the first episode of OG Dragon Ball subbed and I was hooked. After finishing Dragon Ball I moved onto Dragon Ball Z Kai which is an easier way of watching DBZ.

 

[diapered]

I don’t remember where I stopped watching though, it was probably almost a decade ago.

I don't recommend finishing, unless you have a "so bad it's good" sensibility like me. I think gt is interesting and better than z, but dbz and gt are not animes I recommend.

I think it had decent ideas

I dunno if I would call them "decent". First, making goku a kid again was such a shameless ploy to recapture dragonball, it was so bad: why not start with Pan going off and doing something if that is your goal? Sure, ramp up the danger and bring in goku when needed... idk, I have alot of feelings on gt. That said, you really can't criticize when it starts with such nonsense, makes me like it :)

 

[Strategist's iconStrategist]

I dunno if I would call them "decent". First, making goku a kid again was such a shameless ploy to recapture dragonball, it was so bad: why not start with Pan going off and doing something if that is your goal? Sure, ramp up the danger and bring in goku when needed... idk, I have alot of feelings on gt. That said, you really can't criticize when it starts with such nonsense, makes me like it :)

One of the biggest flaws with the series is that Toriyama was too enamored with Goku to the detriment of other characters. Eventually, you start noticing the formula of Goku is dead/incapacitated/training/travelling from a far away distance and the other characters need to enable him to fight the big bad. It gets stale pretty quickly.

 

[Trainer Red]

They did state he had issues remembering too :(
Like how he admitted he completely forgot about Launch o_o

 

[pasin7ru]

GT is bad, original DB and DBZ is good - this used to be the common opinion held by the fanbase even when i got into DB in late 2000s / early 2010s. in fact, i do not remember if you could even say a good thing about GT without getting attacked for it online. maybe the franchise was running out of steam, but GT had a story that related to the Dragon Balls. in DBZ they were scarcely important other than as a means to move the plot and to resurrect dead characters.

there is a tone shift from dragon ball with its roots planted in gags and light-hearted adventure to dragon ball z, which put emphasis on character drama. candid as it was, the original anime did not have to dwell upon the misuse of the balls. after all, dragon ball was originally what they call now a "gag manga" (redundantly, since manga is for gags, but nobody uses gekiga anymore to describe serious manga). even terrorist organisations and monsters are generally presented comically.

in DBZ it is different, the situations are more dire, brutal. the atmosphere of the show is more serious, yet this is not reflected in the way characters used the titular objects. they are just as over-relied on without any consequence until GT. GT also resurfaces the old war between the Saiyans and the Tuffles with Baby, a pretty unique character for dragon ball, honestly. also, GT re-introduced Gogeta, a very cool fusion character, who was originally only in the DBZ movies.

 

[Tonberry]

One of the biggest flaws with the series is that Toriyama was too enamored with Goku to the detriment of other characters. Eventually, you start noticing the formula of Goku is dead/incapacitated/training/travelling from a far away distance and the other characters need to enable him to fight the big bad. It gets stale pretty quickly.

To be fair, much of that is due to editor shenanigans. Gohan was 100% supposed to replace Goku, but it proved too controversial and he had to rectify it.

Even then I think people kind of inflate this "everything sucks until Goku is recovered" deal. The first time he dies is good and impactful (especially if you come from reading the manga/watching the "first part", so Goku doesn't die 5 episodes after you meet him), because it builds suspense to how scary the arriving Saiyans are. When he's incapacitated on Namek, you get one of the best parts of the entire thing where Vegeta has to sort of reluctantly ally himself with his enemies, because their mutual enemy is far worse. The heart virus is pretty lame, but it also makes Piccolo the main character for a while and he definitely carries it well.

It kinda goes off the rails in the Buu part (which again has a lot to do with heavy editor presence), but that's also one of the reasons I think it's pretty fun. Androids/Cell are easily the "darkest/most serious" part of the story but that's also the outlier, even though many people consider it essential.

 

[diapered]

One of the biggest flaws with the series is that Toriyama was too enamored with Goku to the detriment of other characters. Eventually, you start noticing the formula of Goku is dead/incapacitated/training/travelling from a far away distance and the other characters need to enable him to fight the big bad. It gets stale pretty quickly.

I remember there is a great joke about that in dbz abridged. Vegeta says, "Who the fuck cares about Kakorrot, he is not even ever around!"

 

[OmegaPunch's iconOmegaPunch]

Who here read the Dragon Ball manga or watched the anime? (Or both?)

 

[Tonberry]

Who here read the Dragon Ball manga or watched the anime? (Or both?)

I read the manga growing up.
Still have all 42 volumes in my shelf.

 

[OmegaPunch's iconOmegaPunch]

I read the manga growing up.
Still have all 42 volumes in my shelf.

I've read the manga, as well.
But I've never seen the anime.

 

[Ikagura]

I'll forever remember this battle

I do miss the era before flight, energy blast spam and when they were still called "martial art experts".

 

[J.F.C]

I'll forever remember this battle

I do miss the era before flight, energy blast spam and when they were still called "martial art experts".

It's a real shame more people won't give the original run of Dragon Ball a chance, personally i like it way more than i do the "Z" part of the Manga/Anime (i still love Z a lot though don't get me wrong).
I also always loved the little songs that the Anime added to the fights in the Tenkaichi Budokai, they even gave Yamucha his own theme.

 

[Ikagura]

It's a real shame more people won't give the original run of Dragon Ball a chance, personally i like it way more than i do the "Z" part of the Manga/Anime (i still love Z a lot though don't get me wrong).
I also always loved the little songs that the Anime added to the fights in the Tenkaichi Budokai, they even gave Yamucha his own theme.

As a kid I legitimately thought that Goku as a kid was a prequel manga/series made after Z (like Young GTO hahaha!).

Of course, I understand why Z is the more popular part, like Stardust Crusader for JoJo or Duel Monsters for Yu-Gi-Oh!

I do like Z (especially the Cyborg/Cell saga) but I'm bored of power creeping and just seeing "who makes the biggest Kameha".

I think it's natural that a series becomes slowly more serious (even Piccolo Daimao was somewhat darker than the rest of the Classic DB manga, Red Ribbon saga included).


PS: Wasn't there a movie of the first part called something like Mystical Journey? I feel that it would be a nice retronym for the classic series.