The unique popularity META effect with DB right now

[mecha3000]

Okay - Believe it or not, guys. We're in a very UNIQUE situation regarding Dragon Ball as a property right now. Due to four separate releases from TOEI, FUNIMATION, and TEAMFOURSTAR: Dragon Ball's popularity is literally getting a unique boost. Here's a quick sequence of the releases from the three companies in order (all released within a week of each other, 3 on the same day):

1. Dragon Ball Super's original run returns from break 1/7/17
2. Dragon Ball Super English dub premieres on Toonami 1/7/17
3. Dragon Ball Z Kai: The Final Chapters English dub also premieres on Toonami 1/7/17
4. TFS Broly Abridged is released in full on YouTube 1/12/17

And YouTube has played a HUGE part (in my opinion) in terms of the above four things running together in conjuction and almost seamlessly. If I go to a DB Super episode 74 clip - There's a DB Super dub clip on the side. If I go to the Super dub clip, there's a DBZ Kai: The Final Chapters dub clip. If I go to either any of the three clips I mentioned, there's a TFS Broly Abridged clip as well. And why do I get the feeling that two of TFS' tags might've been DB SUPER and KAI? It'd make sense considering they'd essentially be taking advantage of the wealth of new clips provided by the sub and dub.

All I'm saying is: This is interesting. I haven't seen things like this in years (IF EVER), but it's almost like with the combination of TOEI, FUNIMATION, and TEAMFOURSTAR - The three companies are literally supporting each other's releases and I feel like TFS may be the only ones who even realize this fact. It's just so meta right now, especially with what I'm about to explain next.

Also, the Great Saiyaman two-parter that aired in Japan in the past two weeks has also been running in conjuction with Great Saiyaman making his debut in Kai's The Final Chapters - so it's probably making Saiyaman more relevant to fans who get to see how he began and where he is now. And then there's the Gohan situation being acknowledged by the fandom, but also by Vegeta in the Final Chapters when he lectures Gohan for not keeping up with his training - A FACT FANS ARE VERY WELL AWARE OF: The proof is in the comments who reference Super's portrayal of Gohan and agree with Vegeta (from Kai TFC).

So, Gohan's character (Saiyaman) is almost tying together two separate releases (Kai's The Final Chapters and Super) and making each release more relevant in terms of tying into each other. And then there's BROLY BROLY BROLY's abridged release from TFS, which draws in the Western audience because international fans love Broly (as acknowledged by the Dragon Ball Room themselves). AND NOW BECAUSE OF FEMALE BROLY, THERE ARE COMMENTS ON TFS BROLY ABRIDGED SAYING "WHO ELSE CAME TO THIS VIDEO BECAUSE OF FEMALE BROLY?"So, the Western audience has 4 (3 if they're dub only fans) new releases to enjoy - which in my opinion is helping DB at least a little bit. AND HONESTLY, THIS MOST LIKELY PERTAINS TO THE U.S AUDIENCE. Who knows how popular it could be in other countries who are already experiencing their own separate DB renaissances?!!!

If January has proven anything so far, this is going to be a bright year for Dragon Ball (I HOPE)!!!!!!!

EDIT: My theory stands even stronger now that female Broly has been confirmed because this has effected the views on TFS Broly Abridged because many fans are going back to that video simply because of the female Broly news.

[RisanF]

Basically, this is the first time Japanese and Western Dragon Ball fan have been able to watch the show unfold at the same time. In the past, we would get dubbed Dragon Ball Z years after the whole series has come and gone in Japan. Now, thanks to the internet and the passage of time, everyone's caught up, clued in, and can judge new episodes as they air. And all the supplementary fandom stuff is up to date as well, along with the games, the merchandise, all fresh for the 21st Century.

We may not like all the new material Dragon Ball being released (I think I pretty much hate a huge chunk of Dragon Ball in general). But it's still Dragon Ball, dammit, and it's the shot in the arm that keeps the legacy alive as we grow older.

[floofychan333]

When Canada gets new Dragon Ball media, I will finally stop my rants about how Canada seems to hate the Dragon Ball franchise.

[RedRibbonSoldier#42]

TFS isn't a "Dragonball company" though? I doubt Toei or Japan considers them much at all, certianly not as a holy trinity of Dragonball production. I mean, it's a fan parody, not the actual show. Youtube in general is also a non factor for them as it's all pirated.

[nickzambuto]

TFS isn't a "Dragonball company" though? I doubt Toei or Japan considers them much at all, certianly not as a holy trinity of Dragonball production. I mean, it's a fan parody, not the actual show. Youtube in general is also a non factor for them as it's all pirated.

TFS's effect on the franchise cannot be denied, they basically kept the series relevant in the west for years sintlehandedly back during the drought, and even today, they are a major source of interest for the franchise. I'd say it's fair to call them important at this point.

[mecha3000]

TFS isn't a "Dragonball company" though? I doubt Toei or Japan considers them much at all, certianly not as a holy trinity of Dragonball production. I mean, it's a fan parody, not the actual show. Youtube in general is also a non factor for them as it's all pirated.

TFS's effect on the franchise cannot be denied, they basically kept the series relevant in the west for years sintlehandedly back during the drought, and even today, they are a major source of interest for the franchise. I'd say it's fair to call them important at this point.

I feel the same way. Go to any DBZ video on YouTube and you're sure to find TFS quotes like "Dodge!" or "Kaio-what?". TFS has just been absorbed into the DB fandom at this point. They've been going 9 years strong at this point and don't seem like they plan on stopping. They may not be a part of the official Dragon Ball canon or not be officially affiliated with Toei/Funimation, but they are DEFINITELY a staple in the Dragon Ball fandom. In fact, many fans were introduced to Dragon Ball because of TFS!

Besides, the whole point of this thread wasn't to discuss TFS' effect on the franchise. I already did that once and got a very similar TFS IS NOT A PART OF DB reply, or replies. I just find it interesting that all of this new DB content is fueling each other on YouTube, if that makes sense. Saiyaman appears in Super while Saiyaman appears in Kai: The Final Chapters ON THE SAME WEEK. Broly is a popular DBZ villain who finally gets his Abridged Movie ALSO ON THE SAME WEEK. All the videos/thumbnails appear on each respective video, on the side. Come on, you can't not see what I'm talking about, right?

It's almost like Pokemon, if that makes sense. You gotta' catch 'em all!!! Well, in Dragon Ball's case: YOU GOTTA' WATCH 'EM ALL!!!

[DBZ Macky]

I definitely understand what you mean. I've been on YT for almost a year now, and it's really pretty obvious to me. The YT community is a VERY huge part of the community outside Japan... or at the very least in India.

You won't believe how many old fans of the series are still hyped about it. Most of the newer fans in my country are really younger brothers or cousins of older DB fans.

We used to watch DBZ on Cartoon Network, but then it stopped airing on TV. What do we do then?
That's right, YouTube clips in general, not just TFS have kept the series relevant.

I only recently watched the Hachiyakku stuff, we sure as hell wouldn't be getting that on TV.

So really, the internet and the games are really what kept the series afloat (That and nostalgia).

Now, I guess you could say, we are in the Dragon Ball renaissance.

[DragonBallLove]

AND HONESTLY, THIS MOST LIKELY PERTAINS TO THE U.S AUDIENCE. Who knows how popular it could be in other countries who are already experiencing their own separate DB renaissances?!!!

I LOVE YOU.

And yes, Fandom development should be accounted, as it stirs the popularity and mantains a interest on the franchise in the public.

[mecha3000]

AND HONESTLY, THIS MOST LIKELY PERTAINS TO THE U.S AUDIENCE. Who knows how popular it could be in other countries who are already experiencing their own separate DB renaissances?!!!

I LOVE YOU.

And yes, Fandom development should be accounted, as it stirs the popularity and mantains a interest on the franchise in the public.

Thanks for the love. But don't you mean, you DragonBallLove me? I'll see my cringe self out.

But seriously though, my theory of all the DB medias affecting each other stands even stronger now with the female Broly news affecting TFS Broly Abridged views. And the funny thing is, it's a coincidence that TFS' Broly and Toei's Female Broly Reveal happened in the same month: a fact I bet shocks TFS, but also benefits TFS. So we have Super affecting Kai (Saiyaman arcs for both series such as Saiyaman's introduction and where he is now) AND Super affecting TFS (Female Broly reveal adds interest to TFS Broly).

[Cipher]

All I've gotten from recent events is that even Toriyama is willing to work a little Meme Tiara Magic into the series.

[dbgtFO]

I know they aren't that big compared to TFS, because they do a manga and not video clips, but DB Multiverse also just had the return of Broly, presented as a big shock to everyone and then a few days later a Broly lookalike is teased in Super... It is quite the coincidence that both TFS and DBM are giving Broly renewed presence in the fandom and then by proxy of his female lookalike he is officially given even more presence in the fandom o_O

[DragonBallLove]

I'm pretty sure Dragon Ball Multiverse has a bigger presence in the Dragon Ball international fandom than Team Four Stars and their abridged series.

[ShadowBardock89]

I think TeamFourStar has earned a status a few can hope to dream. Some of the mainstays have appeared in FUNimation products and many of the the official FUNi voice actors know who they are. And if you want meta, they are a parody of the main series and have now appeared in DBZ Kai: TFC as a parody of events that happened in the series which TeamFourStar is currently parodying. In other words, they are currently parodying the Cell Games and they appear in the actual product as the Cell Games actors in the reenactment. It comes full circle.

[VegettoEX]

I'm pretty sure Dragon Ball Multiverse has a bigger presence in the Dragon Ball international fandom than Team Four Stars and their abridged series.

Mmm, that's tough to quantify. Does it reach into further, deeper corners? Sure. I'd imagine it has to, considering that it gets a bunch of translations into various languages (right?).

What's the website traffic like, though? We probably have no idea. We can quantify TeamFourStar stuff, though, since as much as they do in fact run their own website, there's no denying that the majority of their traffic is on YouTube, which is all public and transparent. Those numbers are... astronomical by any measure. Those are the kinds of figures that major production companies salivate over. Their user engagement is through the roof.

In addition to all that, and this is an absolute garbage way to compare them, but a generic Google search on "TeamFourStar" gets you about 1.2 million hits (plus all the hits on permutations of "dbz abridged"), where as "Dragon Ball Multiverse" gets you 623,000.

So yeah, while Multiverse has probably reached a larger number of the kinds of fans out there, I wouldn't hesitate for a second to believe that TeamFourStar has a larger impact on a raw numerical value of fans, even if it's gonna mostly be relegated to "speaks English".

[DragonBallLove]

That's exactly why I said "international". Of course in the anglosphere the Abridged Series are a big thing, but is pretty much a niche product (albeit for very big niche).

BTW Alexa would be a good way to measure things:

http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/dragonball-multiverse.com

http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/teamfourstar.com

That is indeed a lousy way to compare, though, as TFS recieve more attention via Youtube and Facebook than directly in their pages. But the numbers tend to confirm what VegettoEX said and I though initially: For the anglospeakers, TFS productions seem to be more relevant than DBM, and the opposite happens with the non-english speaking fandom (and that includes Japan, as you can see in the maps of Alexa).

[VegettoEX]

Alexa's an even worse way to measure than Google results, though .

I think we agree, but I want to make it clear: if we're talking about a straight-up LARGER IMPACT, it doesn't matter that it's just people who speak English. TeamFourStar has a pretty damn well larger quantifiable impact on the franchise than Multiverse.

(That says nothing about the intrinsic qualities or merits of either product... which I shouldn't even have to say, but I guess I feel the need to.)

[mecha3000]

I think TeamFourStar has earned a status a few can hope to dream. Some of the mainstays have appeared in FUNimation products and many of the the official FUNi voice actors know who they are. And if you want meta, they are a parody of the main series and have now appeared in DBZ Kai: TFC as a parody of events that happened in the series which TeamFourStar is currently parodying. In other words, they are currently parodying the Cell Games and they appear in the actual product as the Cell Games actors in the reenactment. It comes full circle.

Agreed, I remember bringing up TFS' effect on DB back in this old forum (viewtopic.php?t=33113) and some fans understandably didn't agree with me - But now, the proof is UNDENIABLE. TFS has now been involved in an official video game AND now in Kai: The Final Chapters. It also adds interest to the dub side of things because TFS' involvement is only in the dub version and since TFS is a BIG part of the fandom - More fans will be interested in the English dub of Kai rather than just Super.

[DragonBallLove]

(That says nothing about the intrinsic qualities or merits of either product... which I shouldn't even have to say, but I guess I feel the need to.)

They're incomparable by the very nature of them.