Which Sagas Would You Condense/Combine?

[Innagadadavida]

We all love Dragon Ball because it's awesome. But there's no denying the copious amounts of rinse and repeating going on in this kung fu epic. Toei has been known to condense and combine story arcs into movies. Dragon Ball Movie 3 and 4 are both very basically combinations of various story arcs, only in a much shorter and palatable pace. So if you had to create a new movie, or new TV series, which story arcs would you condense or combine to keep new viewers on the edge of their seat the whole time?

I have put a lot of thought into condensing the original Dragon Ball series into a few short sagas, in case Toei ever wanted to reanimate the series but get to the meatier, more popular portion quicker. This is kind of a weird thought I had the other day while at work. I was thinking about how awesome it would be to have a reanimated Dragon Ball series with little in the way of mindless filler.

I think I would start off by combining the Hunt for the Dragon Balls with the Red Ribbon Army Saga similar to the 10th Anniversary Movie. Unlike the movie, however, I wouldn't get rid of Pilaf as he plays a crucial role later in the series. I would probably have this gag villain play as a third party battling Goku and the army (much like in the filler episodes after the 21st Tenkaichi Budokai). Goku and his new friends would travel all over the world retrieving Dragon Balls from various leaders of the Red Ribbon Army, all the while having to deal with Pilaf's shenanigans. They would be captured and saved by the giant monkey before Goku goes to take down the rest of the army and retrieve the last Dragon Ball to revive Upa's father. I'm assuming combined arc would probably last around 30 episodes. Which is more than the original first arc, but if you consider that the Red Ribbon Army saga is now out of the way, that clears a boatload of episodes later in the series.

After the first saga, I would combine the 21st and 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai, starting with the training episodes and introducing Tenshinhan much earlier in the show. However, with the Red Ribbon Army saga out of the way, and skipping directly to the 22nd tournament, we've cut out the Fortune Teller Baba saga which introduces a few plot elements that are used later in the series. I suppose Baba could be a audience member, who has come to see her prize fighter (Grandpa Gohan) win the tournament money for her. She would be reunited with her younger brother by surprise during the preliminary rounds. Grandpa Gohan can still fight little Goku for his one day on Earth in the preliminary rounds. This will introduce Baba to the audience and the concept of returning from the dead for a day. The actual tournament fights would be:
1) Goku Vs. Nam
2) Krillin Vs. Bacterian
3) Yamcha Vs. Tenshinhan
4) Jackie Chun Vs. Chiaotzu.
The first three fights would happen much like their original counterparts, but the Jackie Chun vs. Chiaotzu would would be new and very interesting. I suppose it would be similar to Krillin's fight, but Jackie's experience might change the battle a little. After that it'd be Goku vs. Krillin which I think works well, seeing as how their rivalry is still fresh. Tenshinhan vs. Jackie Chun would be exactly the same as the original, however I very much enjoyed the filler in the 22nd Tenkaichi Budokai. I think it fleshed out Ten's character a little more and I think some of that should be retained. This arc can probably be done with in under 20 episodes.

After that we'd move directly into the Piccolo Daimao arc, which I don't think needs to be altered at all, aside from cutting out the filler prevalent in the original animated series. All the critical plot elements are in tact with my condensing and it'll lead right into the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai which also doesn't need to be changed.

Overall, I think that condensing the first four story arcs into one achieves two major accomplishments. One, it shortens the original series and speeds it up a little. And two, it combines similar stories and makes the series a little less repetitive. Beef up the action a little and the transition to "Z" is smooth as can be. Hell, you don't even need the "Z" at this point. Of course none of this really means much, it's just a thought that I had recently. What do you think of my ideas? Do you have any of your own? Post 'em.

[The Tori-bot]

Personally I'd cut out the filler.

[Gotham22]

Well cut out all the fillers.

Dragon Ball

Goku arc
Red Ribbon arc
Piccolo arc

Dragon Ball Z

Saiyan arc
Freeza arc
Android arc
Cell arc
Saiyaman arc
Buu arc

Dragon Ball GT

A three part movie series.

Baby arc
Super Android 17 arc
Shadow Dragon arc

[SilverPlaqueVII]

Here's how it goes:

Dragon Ball:

Son Goku arc
21st Budokai arc (definitely quicken the matches)
RR Army arc
22nd Budokai arc (same for 21st)
Piccolo Daimao arc
23rd Budokai arc (same for 21st, fast pace Goku vs. Piccolo)

Dragon Ball Z:

Saiyan arc
Namek/Freeza arc
Artifical Human/Cell arc
Cell Games arc (cut the 10 days to a three-day wait)
Buu arc

Try making a 64-episode DBGT to a movie.

[Amigo Ten]

I don't think Dragon Ball needs quickening really. The vast majority of it's filler is 3-4 episode filler arcs between then main arcs. Get rid of them and it's pretty much perfect.

[Zephyr]

Take the Saiyan, Namek (Namek-Frieza), and Androids (Trunks-Cell Games) sagas and condense them into 3 films.

If you take out all of the filler, flashbacks, 10 minute stare offs, and 10 minute Ki gathering segments, as well as shorten the talking to include only the necessary dialog, I imagine all of the major events would fit quite well.

Some major plot elements I would remove include: the training for the fight against the Saiyans, the trip to Namek, and the training for the fight against the Androids.

[caejones]

I think the filler transitions in Dragonball (Pre Z) are actually very well done.
We could do without the fifty flashbacks to the exact same two scenes that filled the 22nd tournament, though. Yes, we got that Goku kicked the bomb at Tao Paipai the first time. Yes, we got that FILLER! Ten beat up FILLER! Goku with ease the first time. Can we watch the present fight now?


What could stand shortening, though?
The Freeza fight, no question.
I kinda think the Cell-Goku fight lasts a bit longer than it needs to in anime form.
Clearly the Garlic Jr and Afterlife Tournament arcs are cuttable (Cya, awesome dead guys), and I don't see much reason to keep most of the filler between the Baba tournament and the 22nd tournament (Shura~!? ).
The filler between the 21st tournament and the Red Ribbon stuff works well as a transition / introduction, though. I suppose the Namu episode doesn't contribute to the plot (but I like it so... ).

I suppose I should look at how Kai handles the Freeza fight, then. Hmmf.

[Silver Sinspawn]

I would actually make it LONGER. Fuck, more filler please.

*Hides behind flame shield*

[Innagadadavida]

I edited my post to make it a little clearer what I was hoping to discuss. Of course cutting out the filler would make the show quicker, you silly geese.

[Zephyr]

Another thing that would help condense the series would be to remove all of the scenes that show what unimportant things the irrelevant characters are doing during most of the major battles. I understand that a lot of that is filler to begin with.

[Kid Buu]

I would actually make it LONGER. Fuck, more filler please.

*Hides behind flame shield*

I too am a fan of the filler. I support this statement.

[Gotham22]

Each saga of each series would have 40 episodes.

I would put the Emperor Pilaf and Tournament sags together.

Combine the Red Ribbon Army, General Blue, Commander Red and Fortune Teller Baba sagas. At first it was about Goku trying to find he grandfather's dragonball. Of course The Red Ribbon Army's plan with them. That changed in the end of Goku wanting to find them all to wish Upa's father back and he needed Baba's help with the last dragon ball but with a price.

The King Piccolo and Piccolo Jr saga together. Simple like father like son.

Goku saga - 40 episodes
Red Ribbon saga - 40 episodes
Tienshinhan saga - 40 episodes
Piccolo saga - 40 episodes

(160 episodes)


I would combine the Namek, Captain Gyinu and Freeza sagas in one saga. It al labout Freeza find the dragon ball, making his wish and it all takes place on Namek.

Remove the Garlic Jr. saga

Add the Trunks and Android sagas together. It about Trunks coming into the past for Goku and the others help against androids.

The Impefect Cell, Perfect Cell and Cell Games sagas in one saga. It's all about Cell.

Add the Great Saiyaman and World Tournament sagas together.

Last but the Babidi, Majin Buu, Fusion, and Kid Buu sagas.

Instead of 16 it would be 6 sagas.

Saiyan saga - 40 episodes
Freeza saga - 40 episodes
Android saga - 40 episodes
Cell saga - 40 episodes
Great Saiyaman saga - 40 episodes
Majin Buu saga - 40 episodes

(240 episodes)

For GT I would make the Super Android 17 saga longer.

Combine the Black Star and Baby sagas together. The concept for both fit well.

Make the Super Android 17 saga longer. Have several villains team up and go up against the others while Goku is trapped. Instead of killing them in 2 seconds.

Tambourine, Nappa, Raditz, Zarbon, Dodoria, Cui, Applue, Gyinu Force, Android 19, King Cold, Pui Pui, General Rilldo, Dr. Myuu, Dr. Gero, and Android 17 against Vegeta, Gohan, Goten, Trunks, Uub and eventually Goku.

Baby saga - 40 episodes
Super Android 17 saga - 40 episodes
Shadow Dragon saga - 40 episodes

(120 episodes)