Should I let my 9 year old watch DBZ?

[Hellspawn28]

Something can be dark and violent, but still for kids. You have kids movies with blood and violence in them too. Look at Watership Down, Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Secret of NIMH, and The Black Cauldron for example. They are aiming for kids and have blood and violence in them. I think people like to say that DBZ is for teenagers because they don't want to be mock for liking something for kids.

[JohnnyCashKami]

I don't get why parents think Dragon Ball Z is any more violent than other series/movies out there whether they're animated or live-action. Take Disney's Pinocchio for example, on the surface it looks innocent enough but the scenes where Pinocchio is kidnapped, put on a puppets show, completely drunk out of his mind, and the worst one of all: The kids are turned to donkeys, locked up without any possibility of escaping and then they're all packed up to be shipped.. Fuck, that shit still sends shivers down my spine. But I still watch Pinocchio because it's a masterpiece and nostalgic.

When I was a kid, I didn't really think about that because when we're toddlers we rely on adults to tell us right from wrong though most adults tend to think cartoons are for kids so they just let kids watch whatever cartoon it is. The Elsa & Spider-Man videos on YouTube are definitely not suitable for kids but who's the target audience of them? Kids.

In comparison, Dragon Ball Z is way more wholesome than watching those creepy Elsa & Spider-Man videos.

[Kokonoe]

I'll tell you this, as a kid watching the Japanese variation of Dragon Ball Z, I was disturbed when Babidi had his head punched off by Majin Buu and all the blood game gushing out. I found that part very disgusting and it urked me a lot.

It's something to keep note of, perhaps watch a censored version to be safe on the violence part till they get older.

[KBABZ]

I'll tell you this, as a kid watching the Japanese variation of Dragon Ball Z, I was disturbed when Babidi had his head punched off by Majin Buu and all the blood game gushing out. I found that part very disgusting and it urked me a lot.

It's something to keep note of, perhaps watch a censored version to be safe on the violence part till they get older.

For what it's worth, in Kai it appeared to be white liquid stuff, which made sense to me because he was this bug alien thing.

[Kokonoe]

I'll tell you this, as a kid watching the Japanese variation of Dragon Ball Z, I was disturbed when Babidi had his head punched off by Majin Buu and all the blood game gushing out. I found that part very disgusting and it urked me a lot.

It's something to keep note of, perhaps watch a censored version to be safe on the violence part till they get older.

For what it's worth, in Kai it appeared to be white liquid stuff, which made sense to me because he was this bug alien thing.

Just watched that part and yeah, it's much improved. Not only is it just that but they removed the part where Buu is holding his severed head, and they removed the really drawn out ocean of blood flowing out of Babidi.

Probably best to show the kid Kai since it's easily accessible.

[Cure Dragon 255]

While I'm pretty "Kids Can Handle Uncut Dragon Ball Just Fine" I too suggest going with Kai. Unless you live in Latin America because the dub sucks and the Z dub is much better. I dont mention the DB dub because there hasnt been a remake that replaces it...yet. But you should definitely start with DB and be sure to supervise him when he's watching the more prurient and sexual stuff.

[JohnnyCashKami]

Probably best to show the kid Kai since it's easily accessible.

Dragon Ball Kai and Dragon Ball Kai: The Final Chapters are better for newer audiences because it generally has much better dubs than the ones from the 90's. There is the problem of the background music on both versions that it's a mixed-bag but if the dub is what matters, then the music won't be that bothersome.

[xenosama]

Some of the scenes are a bit too much for a 9 yo IMO... i dont remember at which I age started watching the show. Kai sucks due non original music.

Oh and DB GT also got some pretty harsh scenes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcyBhLaHsaE&t=6m50s

[JohnnyCashKami]

Kai sucks due non original music.

If you want the Kenji Yamamoto score then you can, it's available on DVD and on Blu-ray up to episode 52 (FUNi Kai Part 4) and 70ish on the Japanese Blu-rays. However, the replacement Shunsuke Kikuchi soundtrack is far more faithful to the source material so many actually prefer it because it makes the show feel closer to what it is, a refreshed version of Dragon Ball Z.

I remember reading that the Japanese user Kei17 said folks in Japan were actually pleased TOEI replaced Kai's music with the original Z score which is no surprise, globally, the original music of DB-Z-GT is loved by many. Those who are in favor of the US/Canadian scores are in the minority.

Dragon Ball Kai: The Final Chapters has a lousy soundtrack (imo) by Norihito Sumitomo but in this case the reason to bother watching it is because it might have been dubbed newly on a language you appreciate so in the end it's not that bad.

[Robo4900]

Oh and DB GT also got some pretty harsh scenes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcyBhLaHsaE&t=6m50s

I mean, the entire GT Funi dub is designed to be HARDCORE METAL INTENSE EDGY. That's why it's so bad, particularly with that awful replacement score.

[Cure Dragon 255]

In times like This I wish Nicktoons and or Vortexx airings were a thing...I know the topic creator doesnt live in America but still.

[KBABZ]

Kai sucks due non original music.

IMO, if you're watching the dub this is a worthy trade-off for having all the filler cut out and a more accurate script with better performances.

[Ssjcell]

Damn I can't believe what I'm reading let him watch db from the beginning ... He's nine not like he is 5 Gohan's age at some points of show watching a nine ten year old Gohan defeat cell might inspire him to reach for new heights seeing if a kid my age can save the world I can get straight A's maybe or become an athlete or doctor when before he lacked confidence...

[sangofe]

My kid loves Minecraft as every other kid, he was watching this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSxhTuoqh3I which I thought was kinda cool, but then he found actual DBZ clips on the suggested videos and now he wants to see the entire DBZ series. However I am concerned with letting him watch it because if I recall correctly, there are some pretty violent scenes in DBZ, like when Tien Shinhan gets his arm cut and there's a lot of blood, that may be too much for a kid... I saw DBZ myself when I was a kid but I was wondering what would you do? Should he start with DBS maybe? it's pretty light compared to DBS, but the timeline would be backwards... what about the original Dragon Ball series? That was ages ago, I can't really remember the tone of it. I think it was Dr Slump type of humor and not too much violence at least compared to DBZ, but I actually wonder if the original was more hardcore than DBS which I wouldn't be surprised since I think I didn't even see a single red blood being dropped in DBS. Anyway if you have any ideas let me know.

I watched all db with my 5 year old. Watching kai now. We are at the Namek saga.

[Tian]

Well, I started watching Z when I was 5 years old. The dub I grew up with (Latin Spanish) didn't feature any cuts (except for the Russian Roulette one), so I watched violent scenes like Krillin getting impaled by Freeza.

My mom, like you, was initially concerned about letting me watch it because you know, the violence. But she would eventually let me to watch but with one condition... not to imitate anything that's shown in the series. I kept my promise* and today I have 13 years of being a fan of Dragon Ball.

Should you let him watch? Well, that's definitely up to you and your spouse (unless, you are raising the kid alone) but if I were you, I'd make a test. I would make him watch episode 1 and when he finishes watching it, ask him about how he felt watching it.

*Well, mostly. I have fired a few fake kamehamehas, garlick guns and final flash when she wasn't around but never beat up or impaled someone to death, or tried to fly by jumping from a building.

[JohnnyCashKami]

IMO, if you're watching the dub this is a worthy trade-off for having all the filler cut out and a more accurate script with better performances.

People nowadays who watch Dragon Ball Kai for the first time will think that the original Kai score is the same one from Z so him saying "Kai sucks due non original music." is kind of an insult because of the history behind the music. Shunsuke Kikuchi is the man who made the scores of Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z series/movies and it was thanks to him how memorable the tunes are to this day.

Sumitomo is still trying to get good at it while Kikuchi was a professional musician from day one and if we take Sumitomo for example, he'll never be as good as Kikuchi nor a legendary composer in the same hierarchy.

Akihito Tokunaga only ever composed for Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball: Path to Power which is somewhat disappointing because I loved his style, he felt very much like a successor to Kikuchi.

[KBABZ]

Akihito Tokunaga only ever composed for Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball: Path to Power which is somewhat disappointing because I loved his style, he felt very much like a successor to Kikuchi.

Agreed, his implementation of Dan Dan and composing a unique theme for Goku and Bulma for Path to Power is really neat. I think that also goes for Sumitomo composing themes for Videl, Vegeta and others, but those are bogged down so most people don't remember that. When I was watching TFC for the first time and Baba showed up with Vegeta and his theme going like old times, it felt pretty special regardless of the quality of the actual song.

Yamamoto, for all his plagirism, at least had good taste in what to steal for Dragon Ball, but a lot of the time the execution felt very bombastic and modern, which clashed with the distinctly 80s and 90s feel of the show itself. That sort of thing probably would have worked better for Super considering that IS a modern show, and the lack of themes I feel let his score down in terms of memorability (even Falcouner, for all that score's faults, at least used themes to tie into character moments). In the end the only theme Yamamoto ever did wasn't even his (how typical) because it was Dragon Soul.

[Cure Dragon 255]

Damn I can't believe what I'm reading let him watch db from the beginning ... He's nine not like he is 5 Gohan's age at some points of show watching a nine ten year old Gohan defeat cell might inspire him to reach for new heights seeing if a kid my age can save the world I can get straight A's maybe or become an athlete or doctor when before he lacked confidence...

I'm getting two different arguments from this post so I'm going to do two different arguments.


"You shouldnt let him watch DB First!"

DAMN I cant believe what I AM reading? So the first half of DB is not inspiring or motivational? Seen Goku grow into being the most powerful person in the universe? That's not inspirational? Especially since Gohan's Cool Badass moment isnt even permanent. God you really bought into the mentality that Dragon Ball is a dramatically weightless.


"You should start with DB!"

Oops misread your post! You are cool good person!

[JohnnyCashKami]

Vortexx

That was like from 4Kids and everyone kinda hated it understandably so because 4Kids censored a shit-ton of stuff unnecessarily.

"You shouldnt let him watch DB First!"

"You should start with DB!"

What? If Dragon Ball is "DB First" then DBZ is "DB Second" and DBGT is "DB Third".

Anyway, people are way too sensitive nowadays and the responses in this thread shows it precisely.

[Cure Dragon 255]

I dont mean to say they should watch the Vortexx version (Even though it is the version that is most kid friendly) but rather I miss the fact that it aired for free on the CW and thus even kids without internet and cable could watch it.