The Golden Age Of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball

[Piccolo Daimao]

What do you think was the golden age of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball? The best part of Dragon Ball, the one that had the essence of all that was good about Dragon Ball? It doesn't necessarily have to be your favourite one, just the part of the series that you think Toriyama put his most work into and delivered well.

I believe that the golden age of Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball was the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai Arc to the Saiyan Arc. Personally, I think that this is where the storytelling was at its best and the art style was of an excellent standard. The story flowed well and didn't use weak improvisations and poor, over-used plot devices like in the Freeza and Cell arcs. And the art style was top-notch and made me appreciate Toriyama's artistic talent.

[ShinRogafuken]

22nd Tenka-ichi Budokai, Piccolo Daimao and 23rd Tenka-ichi Budokai.

[ssjcj]

I'd say from the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai to the Saiya-jin arc. In terms of the storytelling and art style, I think that this is where he reached his peak at storytelling and, from a personal standpoint, the art is at its best.

[Chuquita]

I agree with the Piccolo Daimao/23rd Tenkaichi Budoukai/Saiyajin arcs. Definitely later DB and early Z. I kind of wish that art style stuck around a little longer.

[Rocketman]

23rd Budokai - The explosion of Namek.

[Kid Buu]

Whenever I hear the word Dragon Ball the battles on Namek is usually the first that comes to my head. So I guess I will say the Freeza arc.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Definately the Tenkaichi Budokais. If I had to pick one it would be the 23rd, Akira Toriyama really knows how to draw a good tournament compared to other Shonen manga artists.

[IncredibleGuy]

Everything up to the Piccolo Jr. saga.

[Innagadadavida]

Piccolo Jr. Saga? Absolute awesome. In my opinion, all of the DB era stuff is the best. The story gets a little weak and repetitive around the Freeza and Cell sagas, but it picks right back up and goes out with a bang in the Buu arc.

[Savage68]

Everything up until the introduction of the stupid 'sentou-ryoku' plot device.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Everything up until the introduction of the stupid 'sentou-ryoku' plot device.

What the hell does "sentou-ryoku" mean?

[B]

Power Level/Battle Power.

But yeah, what's with the Japanese phonetic?

[Savage68]

I have a habit of calling it 'sentou-ryoku' when I type it out. It just looks and sounds so much cooler to me.

:/

[Gaffer Tape]

Definately the Tenkaichi Budokais.

If the term "Tenkaichi Budokai" can be thrown around untranslated, then there's certainly nothing wrong with saying "sentou-ryoku", so you're good, Savage.

[jda95]

Same as the majority of you guys, from the 22nd Budokai to the 23rd. Although that isn't even my favorite part.

[jjgp1112]

To me, the whole first half of Z.

[Gaffer Tape]

While I think every part is good in its own way, I'd say the most entertaining, storywise, were the Tenkaichi Budokai arcs. In terms of drawing, I think 23rd Budokai through the first half of the Freeza arc is when Toriyama's drawing style looked the best. And in terms of fighting, the Saiya-jin fight is the best and most dramatic.

[Godo]

Definately the Tenkaichi Budokais.

If the term "Tenkaichi Budokai" can be thrown around untranslated, then there's certainly nothing wrong with saying "sentou-ryoku", so you're good, Savage.

Everybody here knows that the Tenkaichi Budokai is, that's the difference.
A good thing to do is to add a translation when you use a phrase or word that isn't widely used here.

The golden age of Dragonball for me would be from the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai until the end of Planet Namek. The rest seems too improvised and the plot seems like it was written day-by-day rather than being figured out beforehand.
But the parts I mentioned seem to have a "goal", if you get me.

[penguintruth]

Speaking strictly about the manga, I don't have any specific frame of "golden age" for the story. There were arcs I really enjoyed, and others I didn't enjoy as much.

I guess the longest stretch of good material was from the 23rd Tenkaichi Budoukai to the end of the Saiyan arc. However, my favorite part of DB is the Cell Games, and that doesn't occur until much later.

With the anime, it's more complicated due to filler. And Kai doesn't really do much to simplify it, since I feel some stuff Z handled better.

[Savage68]

Everybody here knows that the Tenkaichi Budokai is, that's the difference.
A good thing to do is to add a translation when you use a phrase or word that isn't widely used here.

Pfft. If one can't infer what it means, they can't be older than 12, anyway.