Dragon Ball and the UK.

Discussion regarding the entirety of the franchise in a general (meta) sense, including such aspects as: production, trends, merchandise, fan culture, and more.

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Cure Dragon 255
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Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by Cure Dragon 255 » Thu Feb 10, 2022 9:21 pm

I have always wanted to know more about the UK as a market for anime and kids animation. I want to know what they watch and enjoy.
Marz wrote: Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:27 pm "Well, the chapter was good, the story was good and so were the fights. But a new transformation, in Dragon Ball? And one that's ugly? This is where we draw the line!!! Jump the Shark moment!!"

This forum is so over-dramatic that it's not even funny.
90sDBZ wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2019 2:44 pm19 years ago I was rushing home from school to watch DBZ on Cartoon Network, and today I've rushed home from work to watch DBS on Pop. I guess it's true the more things change the more they stay the same. :lol:

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by 90sDBZ » Fri Feb 11, 2022 11:05 am

These days there isn't much anime on UK TV that I'm aware of. Pop show DBS and Pokemon, but channels like Cartoon Network haven't shown anime in years (they turned down DBS a few years back).

In the early 2000s DBZ was a monster hit on Cartoon Network, and it got lots of marathons. Its popularity led to CN UK getting its own Toonami block, with shows like Gundam Wing, Tenchi Muyo, Samurai Jack, Xmen Evolution, and Batman of the Future (or Beyond).

In 2002 the Toonami block was ditched in favor of CNX, a seperate channel outside the kids section, which all the above shows moved to. They also aired DBGT, Cowboy Bebop, and live action movies like Jackie Chan's early stuff. It was an awesome channel in all honesty, with some badass promos. In mid 2003 it was rebranded as Toonami and eventually moved to the kids section, where it stayed until it eventually died. They aired OG DB, and continued to rerun Z and GT for some time, but in 2005 all 3 were taken off the air and the channel was never the same. All we had at that point were the Big Green movie dubs.

Kix aired Kai from 2012, along with several shows that had previously aired on Toonami, like Batman of the Future, Xmen Evolution, and Justice League,. Kai did pretty well on there, but unfortunately The Final Chapters never aired, possibly due to the dub not even airing in the US until 2017. Eventually Kix changed direction before going off the air.

Until 2012 we had no home release here. Since then Manga UK (now Funimation UK) have released DB, Z, GT, Kai, Super, and the movies, which have collectively sold extremely well (Z and Super especially), topping the UK anime charts on many occasions. Resurrection F and DBS Broly also had extremely successful theatrical runs here, exceeding even Manga UK's expectations, with both runs being extended and expanded beyond the original plan. At this point the new movie getting the same treatment is pretty much a given.

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by Dragon Ball Ireland » Fri Feb 11, 2022 12:22 pm

As far as I can tell anime isn't quite as popular here as American animated movies and series, but it's not uncommon to find people who are fans of Studio Gibhli films or other films, which have relatively mainstream followings like Your Name, Weathering with You and Belle.

I've also met a good few people out and about who wouldn't be your typical anime fan but they'd tune in to Attack on Titan. In my last job one of my coworkers had a daughter that was quite big into My Hero Academia and collected all the manga, which was nice to hear.

Dragon Ball is quite popular. We don't have them in Ireland anymore, but I'm aware that in the UK the home releases and other merchandise can be found easily at HMV, though we have other mainstream retailers here like Golden Discs (Ireland exclusive), Penneys (Primark in the UK) and even Tesco the odd time that will stock some Dragon Ball products. I've also seen the manga at Eason and other bookstores, and the video games, trading cards, POPs and figures at GameStops and stores like that, so there's clearly a demand, even if a lot of people you meet socially (at least in my experience) aren't open about their love for it.

For TV airings, and how well the home releases and movie runs have done 90sDBZ pretty much nailed it.
90sDBZ wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 11:05 amIn the early 2000s DBZ was a monster hit on Cartoon Network, and it got lots of marathons. Its popularity led to CN UK getting its own Toonami block, with shows like Gundam Wing, Tenchi Muyo, Samurai Jack, Xmen Evolution, and Batman of the Future (or Beyond).
I'd like to add, because its not often brought up, Dragon Ball Z also aired on Cartoon Network's AKA block, which featured a character called 'Jackie Potatoe' resembling Dexter with an afro on weekday nights at 19.30, which also featured stuff like Tom & Jerry, Dexter's Laboratory itself, Freakazoid and Space Ghost Coast to Coast. Sadly AKA's promos for Z appear to be lost, but I can confirm they aired it. I think the fact Dragon Ball Z was shown on a block with more mainstream shows was very telling of how broad its appeal was beyond just anime fans.

Those were good times. I had known about Dragon Ball before it came here because of my dad's work I got to live in America for a few months in 1999 and caught a few episodes over there. I was home before Christmas that year and always remember the promos that said Dragon Ball Z was coming here.
90sDBZ wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 11:05 amUntil 2012 we had no home release here.
I guess there was the Big Green movie DVDs distributed by Warner Vision in association with AB, although understandably a lot of people were disappointed with them thinking we'd get the Pioneer versions, or a possible dub of Z movie 4 with the Ocean cast. I still have a soft spot for the World's Strongest release because I received it as a gift (still have it) from my mam and it was the first Dragon Ball Z DVD I ever owned.
Do you have any info about international non-English broadcasts about the Dragon Ball anime or manga translations/editions? Please message me. Researching for a future book with Dragon Ball scholar Derek Padula :thumbup:

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by Kid Buu » Fri Feb 11, 2022 4:16 pm

Cure Dragon 255 wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 9:21 pm I have always wanted to know more about the UK as a market for anime and kids animation. I want to know what they watch and enjoy.
I've lived in UK and US and it might just be my own personal experience but I don't think anime is as popular in the UK. The only place I see anime stuff is in the shop HMV and that isn't as omnipresent as it used to be.

Image

As you can see, anime pales in popularity compared to American animation.
Rocketman wrote:"Shonen" basically means "stupid sentimental shit" anyway, so it's ok to be anti-shonen.

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by MasenkoHA » Fri Feb 11, 2022 4:47 pm

Kid Buu wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 4:16 pm
Cure Dragon 255 wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 9:21 pm I have always wanted to know more about the UK as a market for anime and kids animation. I want to know what they watch and enjoy.
I've lived in UK and US and it might just be my own personal experience but I don't think anime is as popular in the UK. The only place I see anime stuff is in the shop HMV and that isn't as omnipresent as it used to be.

Image

As you can see, anime pales in popularity compared to American animation.
Did the UK just get endless reruns of old cartoons or was it mostly Boomers that took the survey?

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by Cure Dragon 255 » Fri Feb 11, 2022 4:49 pm

That IS a great question. If it was Boomers Battle Of The Planets aka Science Ninja Team Gatchaman might have showed up.
Marz wrote: Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:27 pm "Well, the chapter was good, the story was good and so were the fights. But a new transformation, in Dragon Ball? And one that's ugly? This is where we draw the line!!! Jump the Shark moment!!"

This forum is so over-dramatic that it's not even funny.
90sDBZ wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2019 2:44 pm19 years ago I was rushing home from school to watch DBZ on Cartoon Network, and today I've rushed home from work to watch DBS on Pop. I guess it's true the more things change the more they stay the same. :lol:

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by Dragon Ball Ireland » Fri Feb 11, 2022 5:30 pm

MasenkoHA wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 4:47 pm
Kid Buu wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 4:16 pm
Cure Dragon 255 wrote: Thu Feb 10, 2022 9:21 pm I have always wanted to know more about the UK as a market for anime and kids animation. I want to know what they watch and enjoy.
I've lived in UK and US and it might just be my own personal experience but I don't think anime is as popular in the UK. The only place I see anime stuff is in the shop HMV and that isn't as omnipresent as it used to be.

Image

As you can see, anime pales in popularity compared to American animation.
Did the UK just get endless reruns of old cartoons or was it mostly Boomers that took the survey?
As far as I know the Hannah Barbera stuff was on TV for decades between Channel 5, the BBCs, Cartoon Network and Boomerang. Simpsons has always been on Sky One since it began. I'm also pretty sure the other now classic adult cartoons like Futurama, South Park and Family Guy have been airing consistently throughout the years too.

While I am confidently under the impression that anime is generally less popular in the UK than the US I think it's also worth asking if that list takes into consideration anime are cartoons? People often distinguish the two because anime is seen as a style or a genre or they think its it's own thing separate from cartoons, when it's not, it's simply animation created in Japan.

It's also worth questioning what demographic were surveyed as the older they are the more skewed the results will be towards American animation. For example I couldn't see a survey of adults born from the 90s, or even the mid-late 80s onwards finding Danger Mouse to be more popular than Dragon Ball, whereas if it was adults born in the 60s and 70s who didn't grow up with Dragon Ball, but they did with American cartoons the result would likely be the reverse.
Do you have any info about international non-English broadcasts about the Dragon Ball anime or manga translations/editions? Please message me. Researching for a future book with Dragon Ball scholar Derek Padula :thumbup:

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by Kid Buu » Fri Feb 11, 2022 5:51 pm

To be fair, perhaps that Yougov wasn't including anime. I wouldn't be surprised that was the case.

I just looked at what's popular on Netflix now. On the trending now there was Disenchantment, Rick and Morty, Big Mouth, Bojack Horseman.

Just checked the channels. I do see Pokemon and Dragon Ball on POP, which was mentioned earlier. However don't have Cartoon Network so can't check that. Simpsons and Family Guy reruns are pretty universal on more common channels such as Channel 4 and ITV2 though.
Rocketman wrote:"Shonen" basically means "stupid sentimental shit" anyway, so it's ok to be anti-shonen.

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by Cure Dragon 255 » Fri Feb 11, 2022 6:11 pm

I dont live in the UK but if the BARB is to believed the ratings for CN are super low. Almost to the point it would be better to just close it.
Marz wrote: Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:27 pm "Well, the chapter was good, the story was good and so were the fights. But a new transformation, in Dragon Ball? And one that's ugly? This is where we draw the line!!! Jump the Shark moment!!"

This forum is so over-dramatic that it's not even funny.
90sDBZ wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2019 2:44 pm19 years ago I was rushing home from school to watch DBZ on Cartoon Network, and today I've rushed home from work to watch DBS on Pop. I guess it's true the more things change the more they stay the same. :lol:

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by Dragon Ball Ireland » Fri Feb 11, 2022 6:44 pm

Kid Buu wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 5:51 pmI just looked at what's popular on Netflix now. On the trending now there was Disenchantment, Rick and Morty, Big Mouth, Bojack Horseman.
I think if we're talking what's popular in the UK now streaming would be a better metric than traditional television as the former has only grown in popularity whereas the latter has been on the decline. Though you could argue for all time we could look to traditional.

I've definitely seen things like Demon Slayer and Death Note trending on Netflix. Not as much as a Breaking Bad or Friends, but enough to rival American animation, if not surpass it at times.

For Dragon Ball specifically the recent films Battle of Gods, Resurrection F and Super Broly have all been available on Netflix, and I've seen them in the section for Action films, not just anime specifically. I have no doubt if any of the series were available on the platform they would draw huge numbers.
Cure Dragon 255 wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 6:11 pm I dont live in the UK but if the BARB is to believed the ratings for CN are super low. Almost to the point it would be better to just close it.
Cartoon Network is pretty much irrelevant at this point. They haven't done anything interesting or inventive for at least 15 years now. Super was a monumental missed opportunity for them (Kai even moreso because as per tradition they likely would have went with Ocean's dub), but I had no faith they would pick it up to begin with.
Do you have any info about international non-English broadcasts about the Dragon Ball anime or manga translations/editions? Please message me. Researching for a future book with Dragon Ball scholar Derek Padula :thumbup:

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by Kid Buu » Fri Feb 11, 2022 7:00 pm

Yeah streaming is definitly a better metric IMO since I don't know anyone who watches regular TV unless it is for sports.

The DB Super films did well but I doubt it would be on the level of something like Toy Story 4.
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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by Cure Dragon 255 » Fri Feb 11, 2022 7:03 pm

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

I fucking hate Toy Story 4.
Marz wrote: Wed Jul 21, 2021 11:27 pm "Well, the chapter was good, the story was good and so were the fights. But a new transformation, in Dragon Ball? And one that's ugly? This is where we draw the line!!! Jump the Shark moment!!"

This forum is so over-dramatic that it's not even funny.
90sDBZ wrote: Mon Jul 01, 2019 2:44 pm19 years ago I was rushing home from school to watch DBZ on Cartoon Network, and today I've rushed home from work to watch DBS on Pop. I guess it's true the more things change the more they stay the same. :lol:

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by 90sDBZ » Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:05 pm

Kid Buu wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 4:16 pm I've lived in UK and US and it might just be my own personal experience but I don't think anime is as popular in the UK. The only place I see anime stuff is in the shop HMV and that isn't as omnipresent as it used to be.
The highstreets here really aren't what they used to be, with many businesses having gone under. Aside from HMV we don't really have a chain dedicated to selling brand new DVDs/Blu-rays, aside from supermarkets like Tesco and Asda that only have a small display for them.

HMV does stock a lot of DB merchandise though, like figures, posters, mugs, and wallets, in addition to the DVDs and blu-rays. Whenever I go into a HMV they always have multiple seasons of DB/Z/GT/Super in stock. I know Super was consistently topping the Amazon UK anime sales chart when the parts came out.

To be fair anime probably has had more of a stigma over here than in the US, although it's a bit more accepted in recent years like geek culture in general. Stuff like DBZ and Pokemon managed become hugely popular inspite of the stigma.

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by Kid Buu » Sat Feb 12, 2022 5:56 am

90sDBZ wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:05 pm
Kid Buu wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 4:16 pm I've lived in UK and US and it might just be my own personal experience but I don't think anime is as popular in the UK. The only place I see anime stuff is in the shop HMV and that isn't as omnipresent as it used to be.
The highstreets here really aren't what they used to be, with many businesses having gone under. Aside from HMV we don't really have a chain dedicated to selling brand new DVDs/Blu-rays, aside from supermarkets like Tesco and Asda that only have a small display for them.

HMV does stock a lot of DB merchandise though, like figures, posters, mugs, and wallets, in addition to the DVDs and blu-rays. Whenever I go into a HMV they always have multiple seasons of DB/Z/GT/Super in stock. I know Super was consistently topping the Amazon UK anime sales chart when the parts came out.

To be fair anime probably has had more of a stigma over here than in the US, although it's a bit more accepted in recent years like geek culture in general. Stuff like DBZ and Pokemon managed become hugely popular inspite of the stigma.
COVID isnt really helping those shops either.

Yeah I was in the right age demographic when DBZ and Pokemon and those were definitly the talk of the playground at first. I'd say by the time the Johto seasons started is when the stigma in my neck and woods. The reaction became "you still watch Pokemon?"

Though here we are in 2022 and my coworkers are talking about the new Pokemon game.
Rocketman wrote:"Shonen" basically means "stupid sentimental shit" anyway, so it's ok to be anti-shonen.

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by Dragon Ball Ireland » Sat Feb 12, 2022 6:19 am

The thing with stigma is that it's not a genuine concern for someone else and thinking they're not growing up, often it's a phase one goes through to show off and look more grown up to their peers. I remember in secondary school people stopped talking about anime and cartoons they grew up with, thinking anyone who still liked them was some loser, but them when I started college I remember hanging out with friends and they started talking about old stuff we watched on Cartoon Network being like "that was my jam". Kinda funny how people only realise how much these passions mean to them in retrospect, but better late than never.
Do you have any info about international non-English broadcasts about the Dragon Ball anime or manga translations/editions? Please message me. Researching for a future book with Dragon Ball scholar Derek Padula :thumbup:

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by Kid Buu » Sat Feb 12, 2022 6:33 am

Yup that correlates to my experiences. Once done with school people really stopped giving a shit about what entertainment other people are into it.

Heck at a pub I frequent they recently set up a Mega Drive with Sonic 3 and FIFA 95 and you'd be surprised how many grown ass men you see playing it.

To be fair though, with the rise of social media and YouTube I do think it has helped bring awareness of anime here, since it has connected people from all around the world.
Rocketman wrote:"Shonen" basically means "stupid sentimental shit" anyway, so it's ok to be anti-shonen.

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by LostTimeLord » Sat Feb 12, 2022 1:34 pm

90sDBZ wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:05 pm The highstreets here really aren't what they used to be, with many businesses having gone under. Aside from HMV we don't really have a chain dedicated to selling brand new DVDs/Blu-rays, aside from supermarkets like Tesco and Asda that only have a small display for them.
I think HMV might have been killed and resurrected more times than Freeza at the point. My local one is really focusing on merchandise now, including a fair amount of Dragon Ball stuff and Japanese snacks. All overpriced, of course, because it's HMV.

The modern DBZ/DBS movies had a bigger supermarket presence as they went on, with Resurrection 'F' being available in Sainsbury's (much to Manga UK's celebration on social media) and Broly appearing in multiple supermarkets alongside a retailer-exclusive version. So they must have sold reasonably well. That's probably a thing of the past now, what with the pandemic and decline of physical media.

Film 4 used to be good for Studio Ghibli films. There was a point were they'd have frequent "Ghibli seasons" and screen the whole back catalogue (including Only Yesterday and Grave of the Fireflies, the latter in the early hours of the morning), usually in Japanese with subtitles. This tended to be on weekday afternoons IIRC, so not the most popular timeslot, but it was subbed anime on free-to-air television.

Given that Super was the franchise's first appearance on terrestrial TV (excluding DB Evolution), I'm curious where/whether DBS Broly will air.

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by 90sDBZ » Sat Feb 12, 2022 6:10 pm

LostTimeLord wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 1:34 pm I think HMV might have been killed and resurrected more times than Freeza at the point. My local one is really focusing on merchandise now, including a fair amount of Dragon Ball stuff and Japanese snacks. All overpriced, of course, because it's HMV.

The modern DBZ/DBS movies had a bigger supermarket presence as they went on, with Resurrection 'F' being available in Sainsbury's (much to Manga UK's celebration on social media) and Broly appearing in multiple supermarkets alongside a retailer-exclusive version. So they must have sold reasonably well. That's probably a thing of the past now, what with the pandemic and decline of physical media.

Film 4 used to be good for Studio Ghibli films. There was a point were they'd have frequent "Ghibli seasons" and screen the whole back catalogue (including Only Yesterday and Grave of the Fireflies, the latter in the early hours of the morning), usually in Japanese with subtitles. This tended to be on weekday afternoons IIRC, so not the most popular timeslot, but it was subbed anime on free-to-air television.

Given that Super was the franchise's first appearance on terrestrial TV (excluding DB Evolution), I'm curious where/whether DBS Broly will air.
HMV are pricey for sure, but I still try and support them. Nothing beats walking into an actual store full of DVD/Blu-ray titles, and finding some surprises along the way. Plus they do have some good sales on from time to time, and they have some cool exclusives. The day physical media dies completely will be a sad one.

Yeah Sainsbury's did stock the new movies for a bit. Unfortunately they've now stopped stocking DVDs/Blu-rays altogether.

I know Battle of Gods and Resurrection F were both on Sky Cinema for a while, and Broly may have been too but I can't remember. I think Kix was on freeview, so Kai was on terrestrial tv too.

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by LostTimeLord » Sat Feb 12, 2022 9:22 pm

90sDBZ wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 6:10 pm I think Kix was on freeview, so Kai was on terrestrial tv too.
AIUI, Kix only joined Freeview after they'd finished with Kai.

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Re: Dragon Ball and the UK.

Post by Dragon Ball Ireland » Sun Feb 13, 2022 4:13 am

LostTimeLord wrote: Sat Feb 12, 2022 1:34 pm
90sDBZ wrote: Fri Feb 11, 2022 9:05 pm The highstreets here really aren't what they used to be, with many businesses having gone under. Aside from HMV we don't really have a chain dedicated to selling brand new DVDs/Blu-rays, aside from supermarkets like Tesco and Asda that only have a small display for them.
That's probably a thing of the past now, what with the pandemic and decline of physical media.
Justin Sevakis of Discotek actually said in an interview recently that Rightstuff saw a spike in Blu-Ray sales during the pandemic to the point they were struggling to keep up with demand. Granted that's a US retailer and distributor, but the UK is the second largest market for physical media, so I'd imagine sales can't be that far behind. It's not noticeable as much without the traditional high street, but I think the market's still there for those that buy online, at least I hope, as I like physical media.

Luckily I don't think anime has suffered as much as other content because its fans have always had that collector's mindset. With Manga UK now Funimation my hope is that they will have more money as it will be more a case of them adding to profits made in the US than wondering if a title will break even or not. MVM just seem to pick up whatever cheap and they're still going even though I'm rarely familiar with the stuff they put out. Then Anime Limited go for the collectors first and foremost, but it seemingly works out for them, as they keep releasing new collectors editions and even standards later on, which is nice as it shows they can cater for all budgets and still be viable.
Do you have any info about international non-English broadcasts about the Dragon Ball anime or manga translations/editions? Please message me. Researching for a future book with Dragon Ball scholar Derek Padula :thumbup:

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