How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

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How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by WittyUsername » Mon Dec 23, 2019 11:12 pm

I’m not exactly the first person here to draw any sort of parallels between Dragon Ball and Star Wars, in terms of them both being old franchises that have been brought back in order to cash in on nostalgia. I know that in the case of Star Wars, there was still the extended universe and the Clone Wars cartoon even before Disney bought it, but Star Wars was seemingly done on the big screen. Now, both it and Dragon Ball have constantly been shoved down people throats through the back half of the decade.

Anyway, I don’t know if this topic is a bad idea or not, but my curiosity is too great for me to just not ask this, especially with how controversial the newest Star Wars film is. Would you say that Dragon Ball has had a better or worse revival than Star Wars?

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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by MasenkoHA » Mon Dec 23, 2019 11:55 pm

Like Dragon Ball, saying Star Wars has a revival seems weird to me because it never felt like it went anywhere. Maybe I’m just not involved in the fandom but ever since Phantom Menace in 1999 it always felt like there was something.

Like yeah the Force Awakens was the biggest Star Wars thing since Revenge of the Sith but it seemed like there was cartoons and video games and what not.


Likewise with Dragon Ball a lot of the lukewarm reception to this idea of a revival is partially because the franchise came to the states so late. But sheesh there hasn’t exactly been a long dead period. Yeah Battle of Gods was the first new thing in a while but all these re-releases made it hard to feel like I ever “missed the franchise”

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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by WittyUsername » Tue Dec 24, 2019 12:28 am

MasenkoHA wrote: Mon Dec 23, 2019 11:55 pm Like Dragon Ball, saying Star Wars has a revival seems weird to me because it never felt like it went anywhere. Maybe I’m just not involved in the fandom but ever since Phantom Menace in 1999 it always felt like there was something.

Like yeah the Force Awakens was the biggest Star Wars thing since Revenge of the Sith but it seemed like there was cartoons and video games and what not.


Likewise with Dragon Ball a lot of the lukewarm reception to this idea of a revival is partially because the franchise came to the states so late. But sheesh there hasn’t exactly been a long dead period. Yeah Battle of Gods was the first new thing in a while but all these re-releases made it hard to feel like I ever “missed the franchise”
If you want to get technical, Star Wars has pretty much been a thing nonstop since its inception. Even before the prequels, you had the extended universe.

Perhaps a better choice of words would be “How would you compare post-BoG Dragon Ball to post-Disney Star Wars?”

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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by CWCprime » Tue Dec 24, 2019 1:40 am

It's a very subjective question. So for me, in general, I would say that I have enjoyed Dragon Ball Super more than the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Both have had their ups and downs, but Dragon Ball Super has felt more consistent overall and true to Dragon Ball whereas the new Star Wars movies feel very different from their predecessors. It's almost like each trilogy is completely different film series. Bear in mind I only really follow what you would consider the "canon" material. So no Rogue One, or Super Dragon Ball Heroes, or any of that other stuff.

The two franchises are very different because of their mediums. Star Wars always is such a big event with so much hype surrounding it. It's a lot more "grandiose" feeling. It feels like going out to a fancy restaurant whenever a new movie comes out. Whereas Dragon Ball feels like comfort food you'd pull out of your kitchen cabinet and munch on while snuggled in a warm blanket. They are both unique experiences with their own merits and very hard to compare.

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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by KBABZ » Tue Dec 24, 2019 5:21 am

WittyUsername wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2019 12:28 am If you want to get technical, Star Wars has pretty much been a thing nonstop since its inception. Even before the prequels, you had the extended universe.

Perhaps a better choice of words would be “How would you compare post-BoG Dragon Ball to post-Disney Star Wars?”
I think that would vary, but the extended universe didn't really become a proper thing until the novels in the mid-90s, a decade after the series "finished" with Return of the Jedi. Similarly, Dragon Ball didn't start producing new original content until the early 2000s when the PS2 games became more regular, with Battle of Gods kicking off the return proper.

I think it can generally be agreed on that Star Wars' return has been more successful; whether you enjoy the new films or not, Star Wars is much bigger now than it ever was before, and has more stories that people are paying attention to even outside of the numbered movies. By comparison I feel like Super is nowhere near the wildfire that the manga and anime were back in the day in terms of popularity.

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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by Saikyo no Senshi » Tue Dec 24, 2019 6:17 am

Disney media frustratingly dominates the cultural conversation like nothing else so its hard for DB to compare which is pretty big by all metrics, but can't compete on that level cause sadly 'Merica and its media is still the centre of the world. Both do exploit nostalgia in the shallowest ways possible and some would argue DB sucks more from a craft perspective even, but the more important point is that it hasn't ruined mainstream anime like Disney has ruined mainstream Hollywood with SW, MCU and their remakes for me.

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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by Kamiccolo9 » Tue Dec 24, 2019 6:51 am

I've been reading the 2015 Vader comic, and it's better than anything Dragon Ball has put out over the last 20 years, so that's something.
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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by coola » Tue Dec 24, 2019 6:53 am

They both have few similar elements. Both retconned/change some in universe stuff, and most of them, were changes for bad :) Star Wars had Expanded Universe and Dragon Ball had GT, and while Toriyama/Toei didnt flat out say GT didn't happened, like Disney did with EU, there are so many retcons already it is impossible for GT to happen, at least without some tweaks. Luckly, while Super vs GT topic can be pretty heated, i ve never seen it as toxic as Star Wars, where "fans" go out of their way, to harass staff and actors of Disney Trilogy.
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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by Kataphrut » Tue Dec 24, 2019 6:59 am

Kamiccolo9 wrote: Tue Dec 24, 2019 6:51 am I've been reading the 2015 Vader comic, and it's better than anything Dragon Ball has put out over the last 20 years, so that's something.
And I just watched Rise of Skywalker and it's worse than anything Dragon Ball has put out over the last 20 years. So swings and roundabouts I guess.

Although to be fair, between TFA, TLJ, The Mandalorian and that new game that's apparently quite good, modern Star Wars probably has a balance of hits overall compared to modern Dragon Ball. And quality is subjective. I've always said that it's pointless lamenting the endless cycle of reviving nostalgia-driven properties. That's just the state of pop culture, and it's been that way for a while. Getting upset that we're getting new Dragon Ball and Star Wars is like getting upset that we're getting new Batman and Spider-man comics. All we can do is hope they're good and give them a miss when they aren't so good.

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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by Neo-Makaiōshin » Tue Dec 24, 2019 8:19 am

As some users said before, SW was never away, it always had content coming.

Anyway, as far as the Disney era goes, the new content has some problems but on the whole I enjoy most of them far more than post 2013 Dragon Ball.
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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by ABED » Tue Dec 24, 2019 8:55 am

Both revivals are way too reliant on nostalgia and miss what made them special. Despite that, it seems they are both very successful, but how successful they are in comparison to their initial heyday, who knows? The metrics are SO different these days.
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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by Dragon Ball Ireland » Tue Dec 24, 2019 10:00 am

I'd say with Battle of Gods and The Force Awakens both franchises returned on the right foot retaining the heart and spirit of their original incarnations.

With the addition of the Tournament of Power and Rise of Skywalker I still find both entertaining but underwhelming in story and narrative.

DBS Broly and The Last Jedi were the highlights of both revivals and among the best in the two series, so overall, despite some bumps in the road I'm pleased they happened.
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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by ABED » Tue Dec 24, 2019 10:44 am

Battle of the Gods, yes, but The Force Awakens only has the appearance of the heart and spirit of their predecessors, but it doesn't actually do what made Star Wars so popular - the new and unexpected.

Out of the revivals, I think The Last Jedi and Battle of Gods were the big bright spots in otherwise underwhelming efforts.
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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by funrush » Tue Dec 24, 2019 3:42 pm

Dragon Ball's revival is much less hit or miss, so I'd say it's better. Super's pretty good all the way through aside from some crappy filler. All 3 revival movies are great. Dragon Ball Fighterz is fantastic. Kai is a great update of Z. Looking forward to that new Kakarot game.

Meanwhile Star Wars is more spotty. I liked Force Awakens but TLJ and ROS aren't the best. Mandalorian is great, Rebels is pretty good if you can get over the animation style, the comics are pretty good. Games hit or miss. Spinoff movies hit or miss.

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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by Polyphase Avatron » Tue Dec 24, 2019 11:54 pm

The difference is that everything I've seen of the new Disney Star Wars has been terrible, while a lot of the new DB stuff has been good or at least decent.
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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by Lord Beerus » Wed Dec 25, 2019 3:52 pm

Star Wars really hasn't had a "revival" so to speak. It's always had new material whether it be TV shows, comic books or video games. Nonetheless, for the sake of comparison, with Disney acquiring Lucasfilm and it's safe to say that all the new content released from when that acquisition occurred (2012) has essentially been 100% Disney restarting the franchise. Taking that into regard, I think the only part of the Disney's Star Wars that's been worthwhile AND good has been the Darth Vader comic book series, The Last Jedi, The Mandalorian and Star Wars Rebels. Everything else has been a wash as far as I've been concerned.

Dragon Ball in a similar spot. There was yearly video games being released, some of which had their own unique material. But like Star Wars under Disney, there was specific point that marked Dragon Ball's resurgence in content: Battle Of Gods. That movie single-handedly kick-started Dragon Ball's revival. Taking that into account, it's been more good than bad compared to Disney's Star Wars, but there have been some HUGE stinkers produced during that time. Like, some of the worst material to ever be birthed from the franchise.

Honestly though, both franchises have been largely living off of nostalgia and should be retired.

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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by ABED » Wed Dec 25, 2019 4:27 pm

I think it bares repeating, DB is a story about a single character's life. Star Wars is about war. I love the Skywalkers, but there's more fertile ground for great stories in a galaxy far, far away.
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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by MasenkoHA » Wed Dec 25, 2019 4:33 pm

ABED wrote: Wed Dec 25, 2019 4:27 pm I think it bares repeating, DB is a story about a single character's life. Star Wars is about war. I love the Skywalkers, but there's more fertile ground for great stories in a galaxy far, far away.

I think that’s where the extended universe novels and the video games and shows like The Clone Wars and Mandalorian come into play.

I really don’t think the prequels or sequels were needed though or had anything to say and the main canon should have been confined to the original trilogy. And I say this as someone who would put episode 3, 7, and 8 above episode 6.


With the sole exception of Battle of the Gods as an unexpected treat/love letter to fans Dragon Ball really really should have ended in 1995.

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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by ABED » Wed Dec 25, 2019 4:45 pm

The Last Jedi did in fact have plenty to say about the subject, not only about war, but about Star Wars itself, and while execution of the new trilogy as a whole has been lackluster, it's ultimately about legacy and whether it's our choices or genetics that makes us heroes.

MasenkoHA wrote: Wed Dec 25, 2019 4:33 pm With the sole exception of Battle of the Gods as an unexpected treat/love letter to fans Dragon Ball really really should have ended in 1995.
Pretty much my feeling, and has been mentioned here over the years, BoG could serve as a great end to the story. Goku is a character constantly looking for a challenge and the next hill to climb. What better end for him is there to discover there's a whole bunch of universes for him to find levels of strength he didn't even dream of?
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Re: How would you compare Dragon Ball’s revival to something like Star Wars?

Post by MasenkoHA » Wed Dec 25, 2019 5:12 pm

ABED wrote: Pretty much my feeling, and has been mentioned here over the years, BoG could serve as a great end to the story. Goku is a character constantly looking for a challenge and the next hill to climb. What better end for him is there to discover there's a whole bunch of universes for him to find levels of strength he didn't even dream of?
For me the ending of the Boo arc is a perfect ending for Goku in a full circle sort of way.

But I know a lot of people, obviously, didn’t like Goku leaving his friends and family to train a kid he just met. With that in mind, Battle of Gods works even better as a series finale or coda. There will always be mountains to climb and stronger opponents.

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