Who else here got into Dragon Ball with original series?

[Psajdak]

Even though I already saw the name Dragon Ball in newspapers (there used to be TV listing for other countries, in this case it was most likely German RTL2) even before it aired in my homeland Croatia some time later, I still didn't really know what it is about.

When at the start of 2000s there came Nov@ TV in Croatia, one of the titles for young was also Dragon Ball - original series with Japanese audio, and, well, Croatian subtitles.

I myself only started to watch around the time Goku wore those winter clothes when he assaulted Muscle Tower, since in my house we had trouble receiving signal for Nov@ TV, and watched it for a while...

Due to reasons like school, and life in general, I wasn't able to see every episode on TV, especially when Piccolo Daimao appeared, and DBZ, I mean the start with Raditz I randomly watched later on some Serbian TV station, dubbed though - up to that episode which ends with Zarbon telling Vegeta about his hidden strength.

...

Now that I think about it, most of the DBZ (and partly GT) later stuff was shown to me with games Ultimate Battle 22, and Final Bout - both of which were I believe in French which I still don't understand in 2003, and a 2 - 3 years later it became easier to understand with Budokai 3.
So many post Namek characters seemed so strange to me.

In Budokai 3 I think I realized / found out that Super Saiyans aren't their own characters, that Bulma ends up with Vegeta, etc...

...

When I got Internet I watched episodes randomly, but only in 2015 I decided to see the entire series (minus those early 90s end of the year DBZ specials, and last few episodes of Buu saga Kai) from the beginning with movies, OVAs, and specials between the episodes which aired at the time of their release.

Too bad Slump anime (plural) still isn't subbed in entirety - DB feels incomplete without it.

[Mister_Popo]

I did.
Because at that point DBZ still wasn't made.
The French were already dubbing the original series in the late 80s, and they simply followed the chronology of the manga.

[Matches Malone]

I did.
Because at that point DBZ still wasn't made.
The French were already dubbing the original series in the late 80s, and they simply followed the chronology of the manga.

You must be old, like in your 50s or even older.

[Mister_Popo]

I did.
Because at that point DBZ still wasn't made.
The French were already dubbing the original series in the late 80s, and they simply followed the chronology of the manga.

You must be old, like in your 50s or even older.

I am one of the older fans, yes. But not that old.
I have actually just turned 40.
Are you shocked?

[goku the krump dancer]

I did.
Because at that point DBZ still wasn't made.
The French were already dubbing the original series in the late 80s, and they simply followed the chronology of the manga.

That's awesome! You're perspective on the series must be completely different from the common folk in the States like most of us, who started in the late 90s.

[Mister_Popo]

I did.
Because at that point DBZ still wasn't made.
The French were already dubbing the original series in the late 80s, and they simply followed the chronology of the manga.

That's awesome! You're perspective on the series must be completely different from the common folk in the States like most of us, who started in the late 90s.

When kid Goku and Bulma were introduced, i was still a kid myself, 7-8 years.
Then when the characters got older and the fights rougher, i was 12-13 years.
I kinda grew up with the series.
Dragon Ball is a childhood memory for me.

I have heard in the states DBZ was often shown without the original show first, just because it's more popular?
That's a shame really, because you're missing a lot of important character background and development that way.

[PurestEvil]

I have heard in the states DBZ was often shown without the original show first, just because it's more popular?
That's a shame really, because you're missing a lot of important character background and development that way.

Yyyyyup. Though Harmony Gold did a dub of the first series first, it was only for the Pilaf arc, and was REALLY obscure. It was because Saban/Ocean dubbed the whole of DBZ first, it became popular.

[Matches Malone]

I am one of the older fans, yes. But not that old. I have actually just turned 40. Are you shocked?

I'm actually jealous you got to be a fan as it was airing/being published. What a great time to be following the franchise. The franchise was dead for nearly a decade by the time I became a fan, so everything about it was old news.

How did fans react to the big moments back then ? as they happened I mean ? Krillin's first death, Goku being an alien, Goku going Ssj, Vegeta working with the heroes on Namek, etc...

What about GT ? how was that received overall ? including its ending of course.

[Mister_Popo]

I am one of the older fans, yes. But not that old. I have actually just turned 40. Are you shocked?

I'm actually jealous you got to be a fan as it was airing/being published. What a great time to be following the franchise. The franchise was dead for nearly a decade by the time I became a fan, so everything about it was old news.

How did fans react to the big moments back then ? as they happened I mean ? Krillin's first death, Goku being an alien, Goku going Ssj, Vegeta working with the heroes on Namek, etc...

What about GT ? how was that received overall ? including its ending of course.

These are really the "pioneer times" that I am talking about now. Dragon Ball had not yet reached the popularity of later and now in the West. The French were also one of the first to dub the series. And they did that quickly, efficiently and well. I think it wasn't long after the first Japanese episodes that they also started broadcasting.

At the end of the nineties, there was no internet yet: no social media and no websites. Later, in the second half of the 1990s, the internet was actually rolled out worldwide. Then the first sites, the predecessors of Kanzenshuu, arrived. And that of course immediately increased the possibilities to discuss Dragon Ball with other fans.

Things were somewhat different in the late 1980s.
I grew up in a rather rural municipality with limited contacts.
The other guys of my age then mostly spoke of Transformers, GI Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ...
Those were the shows that were popular with young guys at the time.
And you could talk about that with your friends too.

Anime was only broadcast on the French channel, in a language other than Dutch.
Dutch is the official language of the area where I live.
GI Joe and Transformers were broadcast in English, with Dutch subtitles.
So everyone could clearly follow and understand that here. That's why those series were so popular.
But French spoken anime, that was a different cup of tea ...
I was a bit tired of the standard cartoons and was looking for something else.
One day, while zapping, I ended up on a channel that aired anime, with a French dub.
I was immediately fascinated by the different drawing style and the serial nature of the stories.
Not 1 or 2 episodes and the story ended.
No, a long-term continuity with characters that evolved with it. But still drawn, and even better than most other cartoons.
That combination really appealed to me.

In the beginning I mainly followed Saint Seiya. I still think that's a great anime besides Dragon Ball.
Dragon Ball, the original anime, aired just before Saint Seiya.
Because of the cartoonish style, especially from the first part of the original anime, I first thought it was a classic children's cartoon. Nothing could be further from the truth. It turned out to be much 'bolder' than what I had dared to dream. So yes, I started tuning in to that rather 'edgy' children's cartoon half an hour earlier.

The characters, which were much more human than those of classic cartoons, with their imperfections, especially appealed to me.
The "good" also had their hidden flaws, and the "bad" weren't always all bad either.
Since I became more fascinated with the show, I also talked about it at school. But nobody really seemed to know it or be sufficiently interested in it. There was 1 schoolmate who did know and with whom I occasionally exchanged briefly 'and what did you think of this episode?' Over time, the guy turned out to be a little less interested in the series than i.
I was actually mainly dependent on my own experiences and my own theories about how things would go on. I tried to watch as much as possible. On Wednesday afternoons, but that was not always possible due to school work or other activities. Because of this, and also because it was broadcast in a different language, the story was sometimes difficult to follow.

I was along with the great storylines of the arcs. It was the amusing interaction between Goku and Bulma that drew me into the story. And honestly, I didn't expect something that started out so playful and a little 'naughty' would end up being such a martial arts blockbuster. The Red Ribbon saga seemed to go on forever. I was greatly intrigued by that mysterious pole that Goku had to climb to reach Kami's palace. That is why I later chose this nickname 'Mister Popo'. Dragon Ball turned out to go beyond 'the ordinary'. There were some mysterious figures who looked down on the earth and had their own higher "divine" purpose in the story. That drew me even deeper into the story.

I empathized with the characters. With their annoyances, their joys and victories, their defeats, their camaraderie for each other ... I also remember very well what a huge 'monster' I found Tenshinhan for injuring Yamcha's leg so violently when it was not necessary. Later he became one of my favorite pesonnages. I was also intrigued by Chaozu, by the mystery he carried. And I thought his fight with Krillin was a real spectacle. At the time, power blasts were very special. After all, it was mainly about the martial arts.

I really loved the whole martial tournament sagas. The character Piccolo actually originated from the antagonist of the previous arc, in order to connect different storylines, something i also really appreciated.
Eventually the story then spontaneously turned into DBZ. I have experienced that transition as very natural at that time. I can't imagine what it would be like to start with DBZ. You really miss a lot of character building.

In DBZ especially the extended battles appealed to me enormously. And that was allowed. It was allowed to keep coming for me. An iconic moment and one of the major turning points of the series was the death of Vegeta on Namek. I still think that is one of the top moments of the entire series. Vegeta was a real inhuman at first, but he had eventually proved that he also had that good side in him. When Goku acknowledged his goodness and buried him before starting his fight with Freeza, it really affected me as a 12-year-old.
It confirmed to me that there are no good or bad people, but that the truth is usually somewhere in the middle. A message that was often hard to find in the more classic children's cartoons.

I have continued to follow the series. But after the Cell saga I lost track of things. In the meantime I had switched to secondary school, I had to study more and had less time to follow everything properly. So I slowly lost sight of Dragon Ball.

When the renaissance was already in full swing and Super had already ended up in the Zamasu arc, something about DBS suddenly appeared in my Youtube feed. This is how the ball got back rolling. "Isn't this that good series from my childhood again?" I'm also a bit of a nostalgic by nature, so I was definitely open to it. Then I started following the Zamasu arc, and especially the fact that there turned out to be a bad version of Goku, I found intriguing. It's also Super's best arc yet, so that was actually an ideal time to get back to the taste.
So I bought the DVDs and binge-watched the whole series, and also saw the beginning of Super, GT and all the movies.

Then I fully moved back into Dragon Ball and I also registered as a member at Kanzenshuu. And apparently I met you there among others.

[Psajdak]

In the beginning I mainly followed Saint Seiya. I still think that's a great anime besides Dragon Ball.

I myself knew about Saint Seiya for years, but only decided to watch it around 2015.

Similar to my big Dragon Ball series, I also watched everything Saint Seiya in order of airing with movies between the episodes that aired at the time of their initial release - I only skipped that one recap special that was released in early 2000s.

Phoenix Ikki is one of the coolest shonen (anti?)heroes ever, IMO; and it is amazing how many classic legendary seiyu worked on it, including those from Dragon Ball, like Toru Furuya (Pegasus Seiya), or Ryo Horikawa (Andromeda Shun)...

Some of them reprise their roles from 80s to this day.

If they brought SS earlier in NA, I think it would be as popular as DB.

[Matches Malone]

Dragon Ball had not yet reached the popularity of later and now in the West.

Not 1 or 2 episodes and the story ended. No, a long-term continuity with characters that evolved with it.

I can't imagine what it would be like to start with DBZ. You really miss a lot of character building.

Looking at DB now, it's hard to remember there was a time when it was just like any other show, trying to find its place in the world of entertainment. I'm sure you never thought it would become as big as it has, or as influential.

I remember the Two-Face 2 part episodes form Batman being a big deal for me and others, so you can imagine my reaction watching a 35 episode arc. I couldn't believe something like that existed.

I did, and you're right, there was so much I missed that I wish I could've started from the beginning. With that said, I can't think of a better arc to get someone into anime than the Saiyan arc.

[Mister_Popo]

Dragon Ball had not yet reached the popularity of later and now in the West.

Not 1 or 2 episodes and the story ended. No, a long-term continuity with characters that evolved with it.

I can't imagine what it would be like to start with DBZ. You really miss a lot of character building.

Looking at DB now, it's hard to remember there was a time when it was just like any other show, trying to find its place in the world of entertainment. I'm sure you never thought ir would become as big as it has, or as influential.

I remember the Two-Face 2 part episodes form Batman being a big deal for me and others, so you can imagine my reaction watching a 35 episode arc. I couldn't believe something like that existed.

I did, and you're right, there was so much I missed that I wish I could've started from the beginning. With that said, I can't think of a better arc to get someone into anime than the Saiyan arc.

I asked for the complete DB manga series a few years back in the local comic book shop, and the salesman said 'ah, you mean classic DBZ?'.
When i told him i went for the whole series, he knew what i was talking about, but he said most people just ask for 'DBZ' and that's it.
Ironically DBZ is not a classic name for the manga itself, but something the producers of the anime came up with to add promotional value.
Later on Viz Media took over the name for that part of the manga.
But storywise of course there is no sequel, only one integral story.

DBZ however to date generally remains the most popular brench of the story.
Some of my colleagues at work know 'DBZ' but didn't know there was an original DB-series for example.
I personally think the original series, after rewatching it, definitely can stand beside the DBZ-part.
I can understand why DBZ is so popular, mainly because of the action and that part may be more attractive for people who don't know manga or anime to get started as you suggest, but it's not completely justifiable in terms of proper storytelling.

[Matches Malone]

I personally think the original series definitely can stand beside the DBZ-part.

Same here. I think the decision to separate them into 2 parts has done a massive disservice to the story as a whole, as there are so many people who skip the first part on the basis of it not being important. Nothing could be further from the truth.

[SuperSaiyaManZ94]

I personally think the original series definitely can stand beside the DBZ-part.

Same here. I think the decision to separate them into 2 parts has done a massive disservice to the story as a whole, as there are so many people who skip the first part on the basis of it not being important. Nothing could be further from the truth.

So true, especially considering that the manga in Japan didn't have the DB/Z split (which to me personally feels rather arbitrary) the anime did both in the original serialization and all of the collected editions. It was one whole story beginning to end and Toei did the name change and separation in 1989 mostly for marketing and branding purposes.

[Cure Dragon 255]

I am one of the older fans, yes. But not that old. I have actually just turned 40. Are you shocked?

I'm actually jealous you got to be a fan as it was airing/being published. What a great time to be following the franchise. The franchise was dead for nearly a decade by the time I became a fan, so everything about it was old news.

How did fans react to the big moments back then ? as they happened I mean ? Krillin's first death, Goku being an alien, Goku going Ssj, Vegeta working with the heroes on Namek, etc...

What about GT ? how was that received overall ? including its ending of course.

These are really the "pioneer times" that I am talking about now. Dragon Ball had not yet reached the popularity of later and now in the West. The French were also one of the first to dub the series. And they did that quickly, efficiently and well. I think it wasn't long after the first Japanese episodes that they also started broadcasting.

At the end of the nineties, there was no internet yet: no social media and no websites. Later, in the second half of the 1990s, the internet was actually rolled out worldwide. Then the first sites, the predecessors of Kanzenshuu, arrived. And that of course immediately increased the possibilities to discuss Dragon Ball with other fans.

Things were somewhat different in the late 1980s.
I grew up in a rather rural municipality with limited contacts.
The other guys of my age then mostly spoke of Transformers, GI Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles ...
Those were the shows that were popular with young guys at the time.
And you could talk about that with your friends too.

Anime was only broadcast on the French channel, in a language other than Dutch.
Dutch is the official language of the area where I live.
GI Joe and Transformers were broadcast in English, with Dutch subtitles.
So everyone could clearly follow and understand that here. That's why those series were so popular.
But French spoken anime, that was a different cup of tea ...
I was a bit tired of the standard cartoons and was looking for something else.
One day, while zapping, I ended up on a channel that aired anime, with a French dub.
I was immediately fascinated by the different drawing style and the serial nature of the stories.
Not 1 or 2 episodes and the story ended.
No, a long-term continuity with characters that evolved with it. But still drawn, and even better than most other cartoons.
That combination really appealed to me.

In the beginning I mainly followed Saint Seiya. I still think that's a great anime besides Dragon Ball.
Dragon Ball, the original anime, aired just before Saint Seiya.
Because of the cartoonish style, especially from the first part of the original anime, I first thought it was a classic children's cartoon. Nothing could be further from the truth. It turned out to be much 'bolder' than what I had dared to dream. So yes, I started tuning in to that rather 'edgy' children's cartoon half an hour earlier.

The characters, which were much more human than those of classic cartoons, with their imperfections, especially appealed to me.
The "good" also had their hidden flaws, and the "bad" weren't always all bad either.
Since I became more fascinated with the show, I also talked about it at school. But nobody really seemed to know it or be sufficiently interested in it. There was 1 schoolmate who did know and with whom I occasionally exchanged briefly 'and what did you think of this episode?' Over time, the guy turned out to be a little less interested in the series than i.
I was actually mainly dependent on my own experiences and my own theories about how things would go on. I tried to watch as much as possible. On Wednesday afternoons, but that was not always possible due to school work or other activities. Because of this, and also because it was broadcast in a different language, the story was sometimes difficult to follow.

I was along with the great storylines of the arcs. It was the amusing interaction between Goku and Bulma that drew me into the story. And honestly, I didn't expect something that started out so playful and a little 'naughty' would end up being such a martial arts blockbuster. The Red Ribbon saga seemed to go on forever. I was greatly intrigued by that mysterious pole that Goku had to climb to reach Kami's palace. That is why I later chose this nickname 'Mister Popo'. Dragon Ball turned out to go beyond 'the ordinary'. There were some mysterious figures who looked down on the earth and had their own higher "divine" purpose in the story. That drew me even deeper into the story.

I empathized with the characters. With their annoyances, their joys and victories, their defeats, their camaraderie for each other ... I also remember very well what a huge 'monster' I found Tenshinhan for injuring Yamcha's leg so violently when it was not necessary. Later he became one of my favorite pesonnages. I was also intrigued by Chaozu, by the mystery he carried. And I thought his fight with Krillin was a real spectacle. At the time, power blasts were very special. After all, it was mainly about the martial arts.

I really loved the whole martial tournament sagas. The character Piccolo actually originated from the antagonist of the previous arc, in order to connect different storylines, something i also really appreciated.
Eventually the story then spontaneously turned into DBZ. I have experienced that transition as very natural at that time. I can't imagine what it would be like to start with DBZ. You really miss a lot of character building.

In DBZ especially the extended battles appealed to me enormously. And that was allowed. It was allowed to keep coming for me. An iconic moment and one of the major turning points of the series was the death of Vegeta on Namek. I still think that is one of the top moments of the entire series. Vegeta was a real inhuman at first, but he had eventually proved that he also had that good side in him. When Goku acknowledged his goodness and buried him before starting his fight with Freeza, it really affected me as a 12-year-old.
It confirmed to me that there are no good or bad people, but that the truth is usually somewhere in the middle. A message that was often hard to find in the more classic children's cartoons.

I have continued to follow the series. But after the Cell saga I lost track of things. In the meantime I had switched to secondary school, I had to study more and had less time to follow everything properly. So I slowly lost sight of Dragon Ball.

When the renaissance was already in full swing and Super had already ended up in the Zamasu arc, something about DBS suddenly appeared in my Youtube feed. This is how the ball got back rolling. "Isn't this that good series from my childhood again?" I'm also a bit of a nostalgic by nature, so I was definitely open to it. Then I started following the Zamasu arc, and especially the fact that there turned out to be a bad version of Goku, I found intriguing. It's also Super's best arc yet, so that was actually an ideal time to get back to the taste.
So I bought the DVDs and binge-watched the whole series, and also saw the beginning of Super, GT and all the movies.

Then I fully moved back into Dragon Ball and I also registered as a member at Kanzenshuu. And apparently I met you there among others.

How did you feel when Krillin died for the first time? THAT was a major turning point NOT ONLY in Dragon Ball but in everyone who experienced Dragon Ball properly from the beginning.

[Mister_Popo]

How did you feel when Krillin died for the first time? THAT was a major turning point NOT ONLY in Dragon Ball but in everyone who experienced Dragon Ball properly from the beginning.

Well, to be really honest with you, when i first was watching the series, i believe i unintendedly missed that episode.
I did see the first part of the battle untill Freezas appearant defeat by the Spirit Bomb.
When i tuned in again a couple of episodes later, i was surprised Gokus hair had suddenly turned yellow.
I didn't know he had gone Super Saiyan, altough i noticed he had become stronger. But i didn't complete understand the dub at that time, so it was kinda difficult for me to find out exactly what had happened.

When i saw Trunks and the others go SSJ in the later sagas, i suddenly realized i must have missed Gokus first epic transformation.
I only saw that episode years and years later. Of course it has passed the test of time, it's still one of the great classic moment of DB history and always will be. Simply because of the catharsis effect for the viewer. It enables him to become deeper empathically involved. The endgame thereafter feels more rewarding because of that tragic event and its consequence. But personally i do find Vegetas last attack against Freeza, him being tortured and Gokus speech thereafter can stand beside it within the Freeza arc. Because of the degree of impact and drama, but also because of the long term different perception it meant for Vegetas character.

[Cure Dragon 255]

I meant the first time in CLASSIC OG DRAGON BALL. I put it in caps for emphasis. I dont care about his Z death. But to tell you the truth if you indeed meant that death I ALSO missed the episode back when it first aired!

[Super Sonic]

While it was more Z that I really got into as a fan, I was back in 7th grade watching those first 13 eps that were done back then, along with catching a little of "Curse of the Blood Rubies" when it aired. The one with this intro. Admit I was confused about Penny being in the intro, but never showing up and wondered if she was like the Flintstones' cat. (For guys not familiar, the Flintstones' cat only appeared in the intro and ending credits of the show but not in episodes themselves outside a brief scene or two in the original series and even the first live-action movie).

[Mister_Popo]

I meant the first time in CLASSIC OG DRAGON BALL. I put it in caps for emphasis. I dont care about his Z death. But to tell you the truth if you indeed meant that death I ALSO missed the episode back when it first aired!

All right, now i gotcha. I should have known this, this is an original series topic after all.
Altough visual less spectacular than the second death, the first one was in a sense maybe even more impactful, i remember being very impressed, because of their very close bound (Goku - Krillin) during the original series.

[KBABZ]

I'm in the more unique position where I can say I "got into" Dragon Ball with both Z and the original. Z is where I'd heard of it, and bizarrely I watched Namek and the Androids and Buu on-and-off after school, getting an idea of where the characters went but wasn't paying attention enough to really be truly invested.

Everything changed when I started watching the original Dragon Ball, which I watched very close to when they debuted Episode 1 (I think I came in a couple of episodes late). At that point I was shocked at the differences, but very quickly I became much more invested in the story. It's not that Z isn't character-driven, and more that OG-DB has far more room for characterization through the adventure, which is what truly captivated me and kept me coming back every Saturday night. I have fond memories of watching the show every Saturday with my little sister over oven pizza, and watch an episode of Cardcaptors after that.