Would the Series have Benefited from more Cold Opens?

[Lumos]

Not to sound patronising but a Cold Open for those of you who don't know is the scene or scenes that take place at the very start of an episode, a pre-titles sequence if you will. Exempting Recaps, Cold Opens are used pretty sparsely throughout the series and I'm only able to name a few off the top of my head. For example, the introduction to the Garlic Jr Arc would be considered a Cold Open of sorts which is hence why I've included the word more in the title.

Now, as for what I have to say on the matter. I LOVE the usage of the Cold Open in Television and I think it would benefit Dragon Ball in a number of ways. First and foremost, the Cold Open can be used to gradually lead the viewer into the episode all the while managing to attract their attention. Whilst the numerous Opening Themes can certainly manage this - due to their catchy lyrics and flamboyant visuals - not everyone might want to sit through them time and time and time again.

Additionally, if we are to assume that the inclusion of more Cold Opens means more new footage, this potentially allows the writers to create more narrative tension. Whilst you could argue this point is the same as above, something doesn't necessarily have to be gripping and nail-biting to capture our interest. An example of how more narrative tension could be induced into the series is an episode during the Artificial Humans Arc in which a Cold Open could potentially concentrate on Cell and another attack on his innocent victims.

To counterbalance though, there are arguments for why more Cold Opens should not be introduced. Again, if we are to assume more Cold Opens means more new footage, this will almost certainly lead to an increase in filler. As a result, people might end up skipping over them anyway. Moreover, Dragon Ball Z has a reputation for wasting too much time focusing on irrelevant characters during a battle and, since this might well be what the Cold Open for that particular episode chooses to focus on, this is arguably taking valuable time away from the plot. That brings me to another point then - it might be hard to introduce innovative Cold Opens in certain parts of the series since the landscapes and characters involved are really quite limited i.e. the Goku vs Freeza battle on Namek.

Ultimately, I think the series would benefit from some more Cold Opens because 'each episode' it should hopefully allow the audience new and interesting ways into the episode. Since there is always the risk this might take away valuable time that could be spent elsewhere (like characters staring at each other blankly for instance ) I think you would have to be wary of how many more you introduce. How many more in a sense is up to you! What do you think? Do you agree?

[DarkPrince_92]

I think Cold Opens would be good, or simply have episode titles that didn't give away the episode... "Frieza's Death", "Transformed at Last"... I just finished watching Season 2 of Orange is the New Black, and the Cold Opens definitely keep me invested in watching. I feel like it could easily have worked for Dragon Ball.

[Gyt Kaliba]

I think it's definitely something I would have enjoyed seeing them experiment with a bit more often. As you said, it would have been hard to do them for certain episodes and could easily have worn out it's welcome, but more than what we did get (which just off the top of my head all I remember is episode one of DBZ and the first episode of the Garlic Jr. arc) would have been pretty cool to see.

[kenisu3000]

My favorite cold opening from DragonBall, believe it or not, is actually from a filler episode... namely, no. 81: Goku Goes to the Demon World.

It starts out with a very atmospheric setting: a castle courtyard in the middle of the night. Inside her bedroom, a young princess finds herself surrounded by disembodied footsteps, while an atonal noise - it almost sounds like the engine of an airplane as it flies overhead - drones on in the background as a sort of piece of "anti-BGM". Then the princess sidles past her mirror, and her shadowy reflection actually reaches out and grabs her, and she screams, cuing up a "shock" stinger in the music...

And then the title card!

Ye cats, I love that scene so much. The whole creepy thing goes by without a single word (if you're watching the Japanese version, anyway - of course the FUNi dub has to screw it up by having the narrator gab his way through the establishing shots), and IMO it actually succeeds in being frightening.

So yes, I do love me a good cold opening and it would have been nice had DB/DBZ used them more often.

[DerekPadula]

My favorite cold opening from DragonBall, believe it or not, is actually from a filler episode... namely, no. 81: Goku Goes to the Demon World.

I came here to say this exact thing. I wish the anime staff took more creative liberties like this. It could have been much more cinematic.

I've been watching a series that inspired Toriyama recently called Ultra-Q, and every episode (of the 28) starts like this. It's dramatic and catchy and makes you want to watch the rest of the episode.

[Valerius Dover]

Doesn't this sequence have to be before the intro sequence to be considered a cold open? if that's the case, they only used that in the Movies (minus the Funi dub of Movie 4 which mixed things around for some reason). 4Kids was known for doing this to anime that didn't originally have it, and I have to admit I actually prefer that. A first scene before the intro would get one hooked. Doesn't Dragon Ball Z Kai use Cold Opens barring the first episode? I haven't seen it, but I heard this somewhere.

[Lumos]

Doesn't this sequence have to be before the intro sequence to be considered a cold open? if that's the case, they only used that in the Movies (minus the Funi dub of Movie 4 which mixed things around for some reason). 4Kids was known for doing this to anime that didn't originally have it, and I have to admit I actually prefer that. A first scene before the intro would get one hooked. Doesn't Dragon Ball Z Kai use Cold Opens barring the first episode? I haven't seen it, but I heard this somewhere.

To be pedantic, yes. But since these scenes actually take place before the episode begins I figured that they would in theory count.

Dragon Ball Z Kai does use Cold Opens but it doesn't make a habit of them. Most of the time they take the form of a recap but there does seem to be a proper one every once in a while. For instance, the episode with Goku preparing the Genki Dama for use against Freeza.

[Cold Skin]

There a few cold opens in Kai, they feel special in comparison of the rest, if only for the fact that it's very unusual.

- This is not a cold open, but in the second episode, the "previously" part is very different than other times, being narrated by Goku's thoughts as he feel Raditz approaching, almost as if happening in real time, which is a recap that gets close to a cold open.

- A cold open was used to show Goku analyzing the situation after he has landed on Namek, which serves as the recap. (this would pretty much be the same scene remade for Ultimate Tenkaichi).

- Cold opens are there for every episode starting the Cell saga as far as I remember, but that new trend stops once we reach the fourth episode.
The first one shows Freezer being turned into a part-cyborg being and saying to his father that they're heading for Earth right now.
The second one, I don't remember, but it must be Trunks and Freezer banter and possibly Trunks knocking off at least one soldier.
The third one is when Trunks leads them to Goku's landing area and gives them access to drinks, as questions start to arise about him.

- Some scenes, such as Goku turning Super Saiyan or Gohan turning Super Saiyan 2, have the classic recap that actually fades into a cold open repeating the transformation scene from last episode as an alternate take (different music or drawings...).

- The Boo saga in Kai starts with a cold open (bank robbery and Gohan arrives in town and explains about Satan's popularity and Satan City).

[Herms]

My favorite cold opening from DragonBall, believe it or not, is actually from a filler episode... namely, no. 81: Goku Goes to the Demon World.

That is pretty much the best episode.

[Attitudefan]

That filler with Yajirobi is some of the best filler I have Egbert seen. It is actually a very good mini arc too that could have easily been canon.

[Codarik]

Definitely. Cold Openings would've been better than a damned 3 minute recap of the previous episode.