That one defining moment.

[Kamiccolo9]

At what point did you realize that DB(Z,GT) was something special?

For me, it was the beam duel between Goku and Vegeta. It was the first episode I saw, and from then on I was hooked. No other moment was ever as cool as that one was, though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ56qui7EJk

[Baggie_Saiyan]

That duel was awesome!
For me the Namek/Freeza arc. Dunno why but when I think DBZ I was think of the time when Goku meets Mr(s).Freeza for the first time. And the whole Freeza arc is pained into my brain like I watched the original broadcast yesterday. At that point I thought it couldn't get better. Then Super Saiyan happened.

[Black_Anime_Fan]

That duel was awesome!
For me the Namek/Freeza arc. Dunno why but when I think DBZ I was think of the time when Goku meets Mr(s).Freeza for the first time. And the whole Freeza arc is pained into my brain like I watched the original broadcast yesterday. At that point I thought it couldn't get better. Then Super Saiyan happened.

Pretty much this right here for me.

[KentalSSJ6]

Flipping through channel after channel looking for something good as a kid and when I reached Cartoon Network, I saw Goku going Super Saiyan on Namek.

I was hooked.

[90sDBZ]

Vegeta's death on Namek and the whole battle that followed back when it aired on Cartoon Network UK. My favourite parts were the Spirit Bomb, Kaioken x20, Super Saiyan and Namek's destruction throughout the battle and the eventual explosion.

[goku the krump dancer]

When the Garlic Jr. saga first aired, it was the first story line I was able to completely follow and it got me hooked. I think up until that point, I was only watching DBZ because it was something to do.

[ErikB]

Gohan going berserk on Frieza after he impales Krillin.
I still find that sequence incredibly satisfying (even if Gohan didn't do any real damage).

[TheAldella]

Trunks blasting Vegeta off into the ocean to stop Cell.

[helsinkirocks]

I watched some of the Ocean Dub when it was out, but I never got hooked.
I watched Goku go SSJ for the first time as it aired (US), I didn't get hooked.

What go me hooked with DBZ was actually Budokai 1. That's how I learned the plot of the series.

[Looneygamemaster]

Goku's final attack on Piccolo Daimao. The most awesome moment of the series.

[TheGmGoken]

DB- Where Goku first appears. Such a fun moment him jumping on trees and killing Fishes. Also he picked up that car and Bulma's fail fanservice.

Dbz - Gohan's first rage moment. I could tell that would be a focus in the future

GT - The idea of traveling space for dragonballs. That was always a nice treat.

[Ajay]

I'm not sure I really have one...not in the sense that, when I first watched it, I was like 'Oh god, this moment right here, THIS is why this show is great!'.
No, I was just a kid watching a cartoon where people kicked the shit out of each other and had super awesome hair!

It wasn't until I revisited the series as an adult that I had a moment that I would consider 'defining'. It was Piccolo throwing himself in front of Gohan in the Saiyan arc. The music, the voice acting, just everything was so well executed that it really clicked with me just exactly why people hold the franchise in such high regard.

[samuraix123]

That duel was awesome!
For me the Namek/Freeza arc. Dunno why but when I think DBZ I was think of the time when Goku meets Mr(s).Freeza for the first time. And the whole Freeza arc is pained into my brain like I watched the original broadcast yesterday. At that point I thought it couldn't get better. Then Super Saiyan happened.

This right here is what I agree with! I remember sitting on the bed and seeing Piccolo fight Freeza and I was hooked

[baneofdemon22]

Dragon Ball: Honestly, it's the moment it starts. It's so beautiful and I love the characters the moment they are introduced.
With Dragon Ball Z, it's when Goku gives Frieza his energy to save himself after being sliced in half. Then saying "You fool". However, it was the opening with Vegeta in his pink shirt is what converted me to be a fan of Z. Seeing that character development and made me"forget about Goku", because I was having so much fun with the other characters.

[InfernalVegito]

From the get-go. When Bulma met Son Goku and explains to this little naive hillbilly what the Dragon Balls are about and they start their endless adventure.

[Vice]

The defining moment of DBZ is easily Goku turning Super Saiyan.

[Fizzer]

It depends what you mean. If you're asking when I got hooked, it was when I saw episode 1 of the Ocean dub of Z on Cartoon Network. I changed the channel and I saw Raditz flying, and thought he looked really cool. The defining moment of the story for me, though... For most of my life, I would have said it was Goku's Super Saiyan transformation, but now I think it's the moment you realise that Goku has defeated Piccolo Daimao, especially in the manga.

[dario03]

I liked the show the first time I saw it but the defining moment... Hmmmm, You remember when Gohan showed up to help his Dad against Vegeta but they both got beat up really bad so they were just completely down? Well Goku gives that great little inspirational speech and even though they can both barely move Gohan has a big smile on his face as they reach out for each other. That was a really touching father son moment, and then Vegeta comes flying in and drives his knee right into Goku's gut so hard that Goku screams out in agonizing pain and then Gohan has to watch Vegeta just stomp on Goku over and over while laughing maniacally. Yeah... that was awesome.

Funny thing about that too is that the edited version is actually better in some ways. In the Ocean edited version they cut out the part where they show Vegeta jumping down from the rock so you don't know hes going to come in until hes right there which I like better. Though in that version he doesn't stomp on Goku except for like one time that you only hear and don't see.

[TheMightyOzaru]

I knew Dragon Ball was something special when I saw Goku turn into a SSJ for the first time .

[Gyt Kaliba]

I knew Dragon Ball was something special when I saw Goku turn into a SSJ for the first time .

That was pretty much it for me too. There's just something so awe-inspiring about that moment. Maybe it's the way it's animated, maybe it's just something about the form itself, but I think it says a lot that it drew me in when I had almost no connection with Dragon Ball prior to this.

I mean, I'd seen some of the Bulma and the crabs stuff but...the...less said about that, the better.