The DragonBall Beginnings and Various Origins List!

[Tanooki Kuribo]

DragonBall has been around for over 20 years and in that time has it's share of slightly different origins. What do I mean? Well, specifically the first arc of the series has had many re-telling's in a few different ways. It reminded me of what usually happens in American comics. Spider-Man has been around for ages, sure his origin is that he got bit by a radioactive spider and gained some spider like super powers. But the events that follow are usually different based on what version or media you are reading or watching. Same goes for DragonBall. Sure the key event is that Bulma comes across Goku, tells him what's up with the DragonBalls and the story begins. But based on what version you are reading\watching, it is a bit different. How many times has this story been told? Well, just for shits and giggles I wrote up this post of all the different ways DragonBall had started off...

Beginning 1: Weekly Shounen Jump Issue #51, 1984\Tankoubon Volume 01 (September 15, 1985)



I would say this is the definitive beginning. This is the master copy of which every other adaption will use as it's template. And why shouldn't it be, this is pretty much the story directly from the author, Akira Toriyama as he envisioned it.

Beginning 2: TV Animation - February 26, 1986



Here is where things start to change. This was the first animated adaption for the DragonBall manga. The main events that where in the manga are pretty dead on but now Emperor Pilaf comes into play a lot earlier. He makes an appearance right in the first episode where as in the manga he didn't show up until Goku and his crew had 6 DragonBalls. I think this gives the audience a sence of urgency for Goku and crew to hurry up because there is someone else besides him looking for the balls. I think this addition was nessesery because if you only read the manga you'd figure someone else has to be looking for these things too. I mean they grant wishes so why wouldn't more people be looking for them? Well technically the real reason is that the manga was still being written at the time so Toei would need to create a few scenes to stop the show from getting a head of the manga. I'd say this first arc though, is where we see the least filler compared to the rest of the series.

Beginning 3: Theatrical Animated Feature - December 20th 1986 "Shenron no Densetsu"



This is the first adaption that slightly strayed away from the original story. This really had to confuse fans of the manga\TV show at the time, this was released only almost a year after the first episode aired. For this beginning the DragonBalls are being looked for by a monster named Gurumes via his hentchmen Pasta and Bongo (along with a small army). Gurumes needs the balls so he can rid himself of a curse that they don't really go into great detail about. The way Goku meets Bulma is pretty much the same but with more expensive animation. The way Goku meets the rest of the crew though, (Oolong, Yamcha, Roshi) are a bit different then in the TV version. The events happen a lot faster, the area's in which these characters meet are a little different too like, meeting Oolong in the woods now instead of in that town they come across. Another character that joins there crew is Pansy who is exclusive only to this movie. She joins Goku because Gurumes has treated her village so badly she feels she needs do something so, she joins a slut, a talking shape shifting pig, a crazy strong idiot and a man who has a talking shape shifting cat on there quest. Also the key villain, Emperor Pilaf is absent from this version. Gurumes pretty much takes his place. I don't like this version at all. I just feel confused by this. It's like what version are we suppost to be live? I would understand if the manga and the anime where so drastically different but when you have two animations showing the beginning in two totally different ways it becomes unbeliever as a story. I just think it was wayyyy too soon for a re-telling.

Begining 4: Theatrical Live Action Adaption 1 - 1989 "Xin Qi long zhu Shen long de chuan shuo"



In this, the first live action adaption, many things where drastically changed. Most noticeable where the characters names. Piggy is Oolong, La Ping is Bulma, Turtle Man is Roshi, and Seetoe is now Yamcha. Even the DragonBalls were now Dragon Pearls. The events in which the character meet each other is also just totally different partially due to the fact that each character now has a different background then in the manga or TV show. The main villain, King Horn sets out to find all seven of the Dragon Pearls With two of the seven already in the evil king's possession, it's now up to the remaining five owners of the pearls to destroy King Horn and his two powerful warriors, Zebrata and Maria, before it's too late... Wait what?! It also didn't help that the special effects in this movie where just down right laughable. This adaption totally fails.

Beginning 5: Theatrical Live Action Adaption 2 - 19?? "DragonBall"



Uh...

Beginning 6: Theatrical Animated Feature - March, 4th 1996 "Saikyô e no Michi"



10 years after the last re-telling of the DragonBall story, "Saikyô e no Michi" (or as some would call, "The Path To Power") was released in Japan. I think this version works. Even though all the events and characters are downsized into an allotted time like the previous re-telling, this one seemed more believable. The animation was brand new at the time giving it a more modern look. I also think what helped was that the main villain was borrowed from the TV series. No, not Emperor Pilaf but The Red Ribbon Army. Unlike previous movies where evens that happened in the TV show would happen in the movies with a little bit of a different circumstance this feature actually used two specific arcs from the TV series as a template for this movie. This helped a lot because taking it from the TV series also means it took a bit from the manga. I think out of all the movies, this one is the closest re-telling of the beginning of DragonBall because it's pretty close to the events that happen in the manga. I feel like this is a totally worthy re-telling.

Beginning 7: Theatrical Live Action Adaption 3 - April 10th 2009 "DragonBall Evolution"



After years of talk, the American made live action DragonBall movie had finally happened. Some like it, some hate it, that's not why we're here. This beginning is probley the most bizarre. We would be here for 3 pages if I listed all the differences in this version but to name a few... Goku is in high school, and this time around he already knows about the DragonBalls where as Bulma has no clue. Piccolo and Mai (who can now shape shift) are the main villains and Gohan is still alive (well... for a while). Basically it's a modern take on the original DragonBall story. Again, the meeting of the characters are a bit off due to drastic changes to the characters themselves. This beginning seems to be part Goku arc, part Piccolo Daimao arc, part Piccolo (Jr) arc. Some fans will take it for what it is, some just totally dismiss it

So what's your favorite and why?

Credits: Images from this post came from Daizex.com and kanzentai.com, partial information for "Xin Qi long zhu Shen long de chuan shuo" was taken from wikipedia.org

[Dr. Casey]

Hmm...

I'm not sure which I prefer between the manga and anime versions. I consider both to be very respectable, and I love both Toriyama's artwork and the feel of a book in my hand, but the manga in general is rather barebones compared to the anime. I do prefer the greater involvement of Pilaf, Shuu, and Mai in the anime, though I don't like their being featured in the first episode. I think that honor should have been reserved for Goku and Bulma. Makes the beginning of the series more simplistic and pure.

I didn't like Shenron no Densetsu. The reorganized plot points and events were just weird to me, like some sort of weird pseudo alternate dimension that made me think, "Wtf, this isn't how things are supposed to go." I'd have much preferred something like the second movie, the Devil Castle one.

I haven't seen the others, but Xin Qi long iwiniqnpiwniwqnwq whatever (The Magic Begins?) has always struck me as being so bad it's good, completely unlike Evolution. I've never heard of the second adaptation, and Path to Power has never looked that great to me. I don't like shiny 1996 Kid Goku.

[Rod]

I never realized there were so many "origins"

My favorite is the manga's, that's my defacto #1 place for whatever you ask (unless of course, it's something along the lines of "what's the worst one?") specially in things like canonical material I fucking hate Broly and Garlic jr. =D

Anyway, I think the one that i like the most and would give pseudo first place to is path to power, because even though they I feel they rush into the story, I think it works

[Chuquita]

I like the manga best. There's something about those early chapters that screams "I put a lot of effort into drawing these panels.". It's almost kind of fairytale storybook like. X3 The anime takes away from that a little bit because of the nature of time/budget; at least with that particular arc.

[Zuhalter2000]

I enjoy reading the manga the most but I will always love the anime... I wouldn't know what Dragon Ball is without it

[Innagadadavida]

My favorite would have to be the animation. I just love it (the dub, I've never seen the Japanese version because I've never owned any Dragon Ball (-Z/-GT) DVDs). The music, the voices, the story. I never watched DBZ on Toonami, but I was all over Dragon Ball when it first aired. The highlight of my day was coming home to watch Dragon Ball. The English version of "I'll Give You Romance" still to this day reminds me of being 12, and going outside to play after Dragon Ball was over.

Number two would have to be the movie. I'm attracted to things that people dismiss and hate with a passion. So everybody's hate has caused me to look at the movie in a positive light. Don't get me wrong, I went into the theater expecting to hate the movie, but I was surprised at how much I really enjoyed it. Reading everybody's consistent dismissal of the movie made me develop a stronger attachment. Its not perfect, but it's an enjoyable movie and a fresh take on an old story. It's just a campy, fun, childrens action movie and that's exactly what I see it as. I'm looking forward to the sequel.

EDIT: Couldn't video games also be included? There are at least 4 games that I can think of that cover the beginning of Dragon Ball.

[Tanooki Kuribo]

EDIT: Couldn't video games also be included? There are at least 4 games that I can think of that cover the beginning of Dragon Ball.

Well, I was thinking about that but decided against it because then things get way to technical. Also most of the beginnings in the video games just play off of the manga or the anime and don't really bring in new elements (for the most part) other then being done in 3D or sprites.

Another origin I was thinking of putting in was the Bardock TV special. But that was pretty much created due to the fact that DragonBall Z was so popular and it isn't really using the original DragonBall story as a template. Instead its an entirely new story.

[Zuhalter2000]

I went into the theater expecting to hate the movie, but I was surprised at how much I really enjoyed it.

Your not alone. I was the same way. DBE was a pleasant surprise compared to what I was expecting.

[caejones]

DB Movie1 is way better in written summary form. XD (Hmm, wonder what I could be referring to? ).

The Chinese live action movie is apparently what happened when the producer couldn't find a cheap way to adapt Gurumes into live action. What makes it different from DB Movie1 (other than the medium and special effects) is that the sense-making (what there was XD) is pretty much obliterated. King Horn is a lot like DBE's Piccolo, in many ways... but instead of Darth Daimao, it's "Lol I kidnap grandpa. ".

And DBE was enjoyable and all, but I'm not sure enjoyable changes the fact that it hardly even qualifies as an origin retelling. But I guess since I counted the Chinese version... ^^.
Well, 'k. So the Chinese live-action movie is an adaptation of a movie adapted from an anime adapted from a comic adapted from a chinese story, and DBE is a movie based on who-the-fish-knows-what based on a dub based on a Japanese cartoon based on a comic. About as much displacement in each, I'd say. XD.

... Yeah, Path to Power's cool.

[RoarkVegeta]

I personally like the manga and The Path To Ultimate Strength.

PS: DB movie 4 was the first fansub I got.

[Senzu_Bean]

I, too, choose the original "origin". It is the first and original idea. The Anime make a close second with "beginning 3" in third place. DBE is right behind these three and the rest are just plain awful, specially those Asian adaptations.

[SSj_Rambo]

Is the stories in the Film animation comic for the first Dragonball movie the same as its animated counterpart?

[Tanooki Kuribo]

Is the stories in the Film animation comic for the first Dragonball movie the same as its animated counterpart?

Yea, it's just screen shots with word bubbles.

[SonEric84]

Definitely the manga or anime.

[caejones]

'K, so I went to re-redo my attempt at coming up with a way to make a version of a Sagas-style game that focuses more on plot and character (don't feel like digging up the link to the first one... or have time, really...).
First time I kinda expanded the heck out of the early DB bits, but my goal was to focus on the 22nd tournament through Freeza. So this time, I gave more attention to how to do the most with the origin bit with as little time-wasting as possible.

So I basically moved Umigame's intro to after Mt. Frypan, and combined everything from there to Pilaf. So it goes like...
Stage1 = Some tutorial stuff covers the first chapter or two of the manga pretty much to the letter, then you just run around, deal with Oolong and stuffs until reaching Yamcha in the desert, except I kinda want a Gyu-mao bossfight at the end.
Stage2, Gyu-mao gives the "Go find KameSen'nin" mission. Goku and ChiChi are both playable, and Umigame can be found along this journey, with Boss Rabbit and his gang as trouble throughout (Yamcha isn't absent, either...).
After getting the Roshi stuff dealt with, Pilaf and his lackies show up and steal the DBs while you're fighting the mechs, making for "Stop Pilaf's wish" as a big part of the bossfight there.

So yeah, the rewriting is in fitting all of Frypan, KameSen'nin, Mushroom City and Pilaf into one stage, which is bizarre-though-fun enough that it made me think of this thread.

Not that I'm saying it's on par with anything else mentioned here, or anything... lotsa "do-over" fanfiction is out there, after all. Just thought I'd mention it, as everything in this thread came to mind as a way to approach Early DB there...