While the “Press Archive” has seemingly sat untouched here on the website since its launch back in September, we have been hard at work in the background amassing content for future updates. Today we are launching transcriptions from three issues of Protoculture Addicts: the May/June 1993 issue, the November/December 1995 issue, and the February/March 1997 issue. These provide incredible insight into fandom at the time, as they come on the cusp of major turning points for the Dragon Ball franchise both in Japan and America.

Protoculture Addicts #23 (May/June 1993)
The Dragon Ball series was in the midst of the Cell arc in Japan, while a proper American release of the TV series and comic was still two and five years away, respectively.

• Spotlight – Dragon Ball Overview: Daichi Saeki provides an overview of the entire comic up through the beginning of the Cell Games.
• Spotlight – Dragon Ball Characters: Daichi Saeki provides an overview of the major Dragon Ball characters, their techniques, motivations, and more.

Protoculture Addicts #37 (November/December 1995)
While the series made its way into the Boo arc in Japan, FUNimation launched their English dub… though future plans would have a wrench thrown in the mix, unbeknownst to anyone at the time!

• Spotlight – Dragon Ball Overview: FUNimation had just launched their Dragon Ball initiative with a pilot movie and thirteen English dubbed episodes. A future half-season was on the horizon alongside other grand plans…
• Spotlight – Dragon Ball Characters: An overview of the characters appearing in FUNimation’s first season of the Dragon Ball TV series.
• Spotlight – Dragon Ball Synopses: Brief descriptions of the first 26 episodes of FUNimation’s English dub of the Dragon Ball TV series… except that only 13 would ever make it into production, at least until the company returned to the series again in 2001!
• Spotlight – Dragon Ball Z Continues: David Nakamura and James Taylor continue the overview of the original Japanese series, picking up with Son Goku’s battle against Cell, and concluding with the mysterious villains at the 25th Tenka’ichi Budōkai.

Protoculture Addicts #44 (February/March 1997)
Having moved on from the original series, FUNimation wrapped up a successful first season of Dragon Ball Z‘s English dub in syndication and looked forward to an hour-long second season for the new year. Meanwhile, Japanese fans were well into Dragon Ball GT and reading extensive guide books on the otherwise-concluded series!

• Feature – Dragon Ball Z Overview: FUNimation promotes their English dub of Dragon Ball Z airing in syndication and introduces its story to a general readership.
• Feature – Dragon Ball Z Characters: An overview of the characters appearing in FUNimation’s first season of the Dragon Ball Z TV series.
• Feature – Dragon Ball Z Synopses: Brief descriptions of the 26 episodes comprising FUNimation’s first season of the Dragon Ball Z TV series.
• Feature – Dragon Ball Z Sidebar: Editorial staff summarize the surrounding context for the Dragon Ball Z broadcast alongside a brief review.
• Anime World – Dragon Ball Commemorative Library: James S. Taylor reviews the Daizenshuu series of guide books available in Japan.
• Anime World – Dragon Ball Manga: Claude J. Pelletier provides brief thoughts on the Dragon Ball manga and its international availability.
• Anime World – Dragon Ball GT: James S. Taylor introduces the Dragon Ball GT TV series and reviews its first four episodes.

Each of these articles have been linked in our “Press Archive” section. We believe it is important — perhaps even essential — to document this history and sentiment of the time. The editorial coverage and promotional outreach of the companies responsible for the Dragon Ball franchise shaped fans of the past, and in turn, the fans of today. Stay tuned for more updates to the archive!