Saw DBZ in its entirety for the first time ever

[SHINOBI-03]

Well guys, I've finally done it.

Back in 2010, I made this topic attempting to document my first run with the franchise via the Dragon Box. viewtopic.php?f=7&t=12442 Obviously it didn't go that far. Didn't help that I got more interested in anime in the last few years I had to put DBZ in the backlog till I feel like it.

But this year I thought I had enough waiting. Decided to pick up from where I left off at early Namek Saga and dropped every other anime till I end this for good. And... obviously managed to do so. It took me four months and couple weeks, but 291 episodes are down.

This was something I should've done years ago as a Dragon Ball fan and it's off my chest. So what do I think? It was an experience, I should say. I mean, I've marathoned and binge watched a lot of franchises these last few years but Dragon Ball Z gave a different feeling. Don't know what to call it and certainly not nostalgia since this is my first time viewing it. All the performance, the animation, the music, etc. it felt really good experience it in its original form outside the video games. Whatever it is, it feels satisfying now that I'm able to join my fellow Dragon Ball fans and not feel lesser than they are.

Of course the biggest thank to give is FUNimation for managing to bring us the Dragon Box when they did. And of course, you guys and I'm happy to remain part of this community.

[sintzu]

I've marathoned and binge watched a lot of franchises these last few years but Dragon Ball Z gave a different feeling. Don't know what to call it and certainly not nostalgia since this is my first time viewing it.

DB has always had a different feeling compared to other anime but I thought it was just because it was the first one I saw which might not be the case now due to you thinking that as well.

Did you just watch Z or had you seen the original DB before ?

[Super_Divine_Genki]

By "original form", I'm assuming that you viewed it all in Japanese with subtitles... ?

Well done. Now you must go back and see OG Dragon Ball. You won't be disappointed, and it's got a charm to it that exceeds DBZ, imo. Power levels don't really apply here in the same way, but the likable characters and story moments will make you forget about that stuff. It doesn't matter if you've seen DBZ first -- if anything, you'll come to appreciate some of the "lesser" characters more when you see it all from the beginning. Plus, much better consistency in general.

And you weren't lesser, you were just behind for various reasons.

[SHINOBI-03]

Did you just watch Z or had you seen the original DB before ?

Well done. Now you must go back and see OG Dragon Ball. You won't be disappointed, and it's got a charm to it that exceeds DBZ, imo.

I already watched all of Dragon Ball and GT a long time ago. So if there's anything I need to watch that'll be Kai, but I'm in no hurry to rewatch Z again.

By "original form", I'm assuming that you viewed it all in Japanese with subtitles... ?

And in 4:3.

[Super_Divine_Genki]

What are your impressions from watching Dragon Ball a long time ago? Do you find it and Z equally enjoyable in their own way?

I'm assuming that you viewed DB in its original form as well.

Edit: Also, did you have a favorite story arc in Z? Or favorite "final boss"?

[SHINOBI-03]

What are your impressions from watching Dragon Ball a long time ago? Do you find it and Z equally enjoyable in their own way?

They're both equally fun. If there's one key difference between the two it'll be the length. Dragon Ball story arcs come and go and you don't feel it drags a lot. Z on the other hand it stretches the main fights a lot that some times you do wish the fights would end sooner.

Edit: Also, did you have a favorite story arc in Z? Or favorite "final boss"?

The Saiyan arc is still among my favorite story arcs and my most memorable one. But if we were going by filler stoyr arcs, I find myself liking the 9 days before the Cell Game. Even though it's still recent in my memory, I still love the ring puzzle part since it shows the payoff of Goku's training in some of the more subtle ways in the series. Another filler moment that wasn't in the manga? Mister Satan tears apart the photo he took of him standing victor on Boo's body. Satan is one of my most favorite characters and that filler moment is one of the best character development he shows in the series that sadly wasn't in the manga.

Favorite final boss? I want to say Freeza, but I think Kid Boo takes the title since his battle was the furthest the characters went. It wasn't won by Goku and his friends alone, they needed the power of all Earth and all characters we saw up until that point and the anime really nails that part.

[SaiyanGod117]

Did you skip any filler episodes?

How boring was episode 1 to you?

What's your favorite moment in the Saiyan Saga?

When did you think the DB Series as a whole looked its best?

[precita]

What's your opinion on the treatment of the human characters?

[SHINOBI-03]

If I wasn't clear to you guys, I just watched the anime. I already read the whole manga a long time ago and still remember most of its details. So no need to ask plot-specific questions unless they're about anime-original plots.

Did you skip any filler episodes?

The only thing I skipped was the Garlic Jr. Saga since I already saw it once and didn't feel like watching it again. Also skipped the driving episode for the same reason.

How boring was episode 1 to you?

Never felt bored.

What's your favorite moment in the Saiyan Saga?

For me, it's a a tie between Goku and Vegeta talking before their battle with spinning camera animation and 3X Kaioken attack.

When did you think the DB Series as a whole looked its best?

Animation and design wise I'll always go with the 23rd TB era and early Saiyan Saga stuff. But there's also the Boo arc with beautiful character models.

[ThatFanaticJackatoo]

Hey, I know you from TFW2005!

[Super_Divine_Genki]

But if we were going by filler stoyr arcs, I find myself liking the 9 days before the Cell Game. Even though it's still recent in my memory, I still love the ring puzzle part since it shows the payoff of Goku's training in some of the more subtle ways in the series.

Nice to see these episodes get a mention. These are some of my favorite "downtime" episodes in the entire franchise.

Favorite final boss? I want to say Freeza, but I think Kid Boo takes the title since his battle was the furthest the characters went. It wasn't won by Goku and his friends alone, they needed the power of all Earth and all characters we saw up until that point and the anime really nails that part.

I think that no matter what someone's favorite "final boss" battle may be, each one was handled so well, imo. I honestly don't have a favorite because I like them all, and each for different reasons. I do agree that the Goku VS Freeza fight went on way longer than it should have. You should check out that fight in Kai just to see how much better it was handled there, from a pacing standpoint.

[Lunaar]

Animation and design wise I'll always go with the 23rd TB era and early Saiyan Saga stuff. But there's also the Boo arc with beautiful character models.

I couldn't agree more. I just had this conversation with my girlfriend (of whom just finished all 42 volumes) and you echoed how I feel about the character designs almost word for word.

Are there any moments or scenes that stood out to you and made you rethink how you had interpreted them in the manga? For better or for worse?

[SHINOBI-03]

Are there any moments or scenes that stood out to you and made you rethink how you had interpreted them in the manga? For better or for worse?

One moment that stood out for me was Freeza's torture session with Kuririn. In the manga it was one quick stab and then he tossed him aside. In the anime... it was uneasy to watch. From the music to the blood spilling out of Kuririn, to him slowly losing conscious and his inner monologue, that all made a quick scene turn to a highlight moment that you'd think Kuririn is really going to die.

Other moment I could think of is Cell going around absorbing people in which the anime made out like a horror movie with the right music ques to the animation and camera angles. The scene when he slowly walks to absorb 18 also as dreary if not worse. These scenes were creepy enough in the manga but the anime improved upon them making them straight horror.

[TheGreatness25]

I'm glad that you enjoyed it, especially after watching different anime through the years. I find that Dragon Ball pulls at my heart strings just because so much of my childhood revolved around Dragon Ball. When being honest with myself, I wonder if I'd like Dragon Ball/Z/GT if I watched it for the first time as an adult. I'm glad that you can answer that question positively for yourself.

[PsionicWarrior]

Wow congratz mate that is indeed a hell of a ride, watched it 5 or 6 times entirely myself lol

The Saiyan arc is still among my favorite story arcs and my most memorable one. But if we were going by filler stoyr arcs, I find myself liking the 9 days before the Cell Game. Even though it's still recent in my memory, I still love the ring puzzle part since it shows the payoff of Goku's training in some of the more subtle ways in the series. Another filler moment that wasn't in the manga? Mister Satan tears apart the photo he took of him standing victor on Boo's body. Satan is one of my most favorite characters and that filler moment is one of the best character development he shows in the series that sadly wasn't in the manga.

Favorite final boss? I want to say Freeza, but I think Kid Boo takes the title since his battle was the furthest the characters went. It wasn't won by Goku and his friends alone, they needed the power of all Earth and all characters we saw up until that point and the anime really nails that part.

Man you can't imagine how happy I am to read this, usually people trash these "fillers" parts and find M. Satan annoying or don't like Majin Buu, to me these are some of the best characters and without these "fillers" Z would lose tons of its charm (wait, it did lose all its charm with Kai lol).

So cheers for a great one dude lol

[DrakenballP]

Dragon Ball in all of its forms will give you an experience far different than the majority of other Anime out there. I've never felt the emotion and chills I do with the DB series, in any other series I've watched.

[Lunaar]

One moment that stood out for me was Freeza's torture session with Kuririn. In the manga it was one quick stab and then he tossed him aside. In the anime... it was uneasy to watch. From the music to the blood spilling out of Kuririn, to him slowly losing conscious and his inner monologue, that all made a quick scene turn to a highlight moment that you'd think Kuririn is really going to die.

I caught the original Japanese episode on late night TV a full year before it hit Cartoon Network - aka the VERY HEAVILY EDITED version. The episodes were spread weekly every Sunday too, so I legitimately thought that Kuririn was dead for a full week. ...and may or may not have had nightmares of Freeza flying outta nowhere and impaling me. I was seven years old, so... yeah.

It still hits pretty hard. Both as an ending to a very densely intense (intensely dense?) build up of Freeza's potential and as a traumatic follow up to last week's climax. I still have to take a breather after listening to Kuririn lament never having been wed... dying alone on an alien world. Yikes. I honestly don't know which hits harder - his impalement or his explosion.