Is Dragon Ball bigger in the West than in the East?

[DBZAOTA482]

It's hard to deny Dragon Ball's influence on western culture, especially North America and Latin America where it's popularity is so huge it sparked a resurgence of the franchise.

For many people, it was something new and different. It had ongoing story arcs that spanned multiple episodes at a time and was hyper violent. It also helped it had cool-looking characters, epic transformations, and over-the-top fast-paced action.

But is it even more popular within the western hemisphere its homeland?

[Demon Prince Piccolo]

I don't have statistics backing this, but my guess is that it's still bigger in the East than the West. However, it's arguably bigger in the West than it's ever been.

[Ringworm128]

Except for maybe Latin America, where I've heard it's pretty big I'd say probably not. At least proportional to population. Probably.
Only exception I'd *maybe* give is during the late 90's/early 2000's when DBZ was huge in the west but was on sort of a hiatus in Japan.

[WittyUsername]

Maybe in Latin America. I doubt it’s the case in North America or Europe.

[Anonymous Friend]

I don't have statistics backing this, but my guess is that it's still bigger in the East than the West. However, it's arguably bigger in the West than it's ever been.

You think it's bigger than when the series got it's first run of episodes? With all sorts of merch being produced? With new videogames every year?

Now adays Dragonball has huge competiition. More and more anime releasing everyday. dozens of streaming services provide anime from every genre.

[Demon Prince Piccolo]

I don't have statistics backing this, but my guess is that it's still bigger in the East than the West. However, it's arguably bigger in the West than it's ever been.

You think it's bigger than when the series got it's first run of episodes? With all sorts of merch being produced? With new videogames every year?

Now adays Dragonball has huge competiition. More and more anime releasing everyday. dozens of streaming services provide anime from every genre.

Maybe not in terms of its relation to other anime in the US, but based on overall numbers, probably. Especially considering there are nostalgic older fans and new fans coming in. It doesn't feel quite as big, but I'd say it's more widely known outside the niche fanbase than it's ever been.

[BlazingFiddlesticks]

I was under the impression that some products sell better abroad than in Japan due to market share size, but more broadly I'm inclined to say no. This does open a conversation about how Dragon Ball continues to get interest with kids in different regions over the years.

[Bridgeman]

Don't think so. Manga and anime in general are much more huge in the east.

[Anonymous Friend]

I don't have statistics backing this, but my guess is that it's still bigger in the East than the West. However, it's arguably bigger in the West than it's ever been.

You think it's bigger than when the series got it's first run of episodes? With all sorts of merch being produced? With new videogames every year?

Now adays Dragonball has huge competiition. More and more anime releasing everyday. dozens of streaming services provide anime from every genre.

Maybe not in terms of its relation to other anime in the US, but based on overall numbers, probably. Especially considering there are nostalgic older fans and new fans coming in. It doesn't feel quite as big, but I'd say it's more widely known outside the niche fanbase than it's ever been.

Many of us on this site first viewed it on Toonami as youngsters. Almost religiously. Today, even if I had cable or satellite, I don't I'd sit and just watch whatever TV airings. When I'm in the mood I would probably stream a cuple of episodes while fittling with my phone or tablet.

You can't properly compare something at the hieght of it's new-ness and influence to decades later when the new-ness has faded and there dozens of other things doing what it used to do, but maybe better.

It's got a place in our hearts, still. It just not taking up all of our heart like it used to.

[DBZAOTA482]

However, it's arguably bigger in the West than it's ever been.

Are you sure about that? It got its own page on the world's biggest newspaper back in 1999 and that was before anime was widely embraced by western pop culture.

[Demon Prince Piccolo]

However, it's arguably bigger in the West than it's ever been.

Are you sure about that? It got its own page on the world's biggest newspaper back in 1999 and that was before anime was widely embraced by western pop culture.

I mean, I'm pretty sure more people know about Dragon Ball now than even back then, yes. I'm not sure the mania is fever pitch like it was then, but you can't underestimate its massive popularity today either, following Kai, Super, and the films since Battle of Gods.

Then again, though, for Dragon Ball to hit BIG here like it did pre-social media is insane to think about. I wouldn't say it's bigger right now in the moment, but just that it's more widely known even amongst non-Dragon Ball fans.

[Demon Prince Piccolo]

Many of us on this site first viewed it on Toonami as youngsters. Almost religiously. Today, even if I had cable or satellite, I don't I'd sit and just watch whatever TV airings. When I'm in the mood I would probably stream a cuple of episodes while fittling with my phone or tablet.

You can't properly compare something at the hieght of it's new-ness and influence to decades later when the new-ness has faded and there dozens of other things doing what it used to do, but maybe better.

It's got a place in our hearts, still. It just not taking up all of our heart like it used to.

The fever pitch mania isn't what it was back then, for sure, but you can't underestimate Dragon Ball's resurgence since Kai, Battle of Gods, Super, the new Belly film, and FighterZ. I'm not sure it dominates playground conversations like it use to, but more people are aware of Dragon Ball than ever before. That's not something you'd say for a franchise that has dwindled in popularity.

[Anonymous Friend]

Many of us on this site first viewed it on Toonami as youngsters. Almost religiously. Today, even if I had cable or satellite, I don't I'd sit and just watch whatever TV airings. When I'm in the mood I would probably stream a cuple of episodes while fittling with my phone or tablet.

You can't properly compare something at the hieght of it's new-ness and influence to decades later when the new-ness has faded and there dozens of other things doing what it used to do, but maybe better.

It's got a place in our hearts, still. It just not taking up all of our heart like it used to.

The fever pitch mania isn't what it was back then, for sure, but you can't underestimate Dragon Ball's resurgence since Kai, Battle of Gods, Super, the new Belly film, and FighterZ. I'm not sure it dominates playground conversations like it use to, but more people are aware of Dragon Ball than ever before. That's not something you'd say for a franchise that has dwindled in popularity.

These statements from you right here indicate you you recognize that the series is not as big as it was in decades past. Pokemon is argueably a bigger franchise in every regard. And way more people are aware of it than Dragonball. And it's been continuing more consistently and at a higher level than Dragonball, and it is not as high profile as it used to be.

[Demon Prince Piccolo]

These statements from you right here indicate you you recognize that the series is not as big as it was in decades past. Pokemon is argueably a bigger franchise in every regard. And way more people are aware of it than Dragonball. And it's been continuing more consistently and at a higher level than Dragonball, and it is not as high profile as it used to be.

I'm not sure I agree that way more people are aware of Pokemon than Dragon Ball. But you're right in that Pokemon has an even more massive following today. What you said about it being produced more consistently is true, which is why I say that it's impressive Dragon Ball is as popular as it is since it's resurgence in 2013.

[Anonymous Friend]

These statements from you right here indicate you you recognize that the series is not as big as it was in decades past. Pokemon is argueably a bigger franchise in every regard. And way more people are aware of it than Dragonball. And it's been continuing more consistently and at a higher level than Dragonball, and it is not as high profile as it used to be.

I'm not sure I agree that way more people are aware of Pokemon than Dragon Ball. But you're right in that Pokemon has an even more massive following today. What you said about it being produced more consistently is true, which is why I say that it's impressive Dragon Ball is as popular as it is since it's resurgence in 2013.

There's plenty of things with no new releases in years and decades with stronger followings. Plus this is the time of the internet. Nothing really ever goes away.

[Demon Prince Piccolo]

There's plenty of things with no new releases in years and decades with stronger followings. Plus this is the time of the internet. Nothing really ever goes away.

Anything in particular come to mind? Saying plenty sounds a bit like a stretch to me.

[Skar]

In Crunchyroll's most watched anime of the decade, DBS was #1 in some Central and South American countries but not in any Asian country.

https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-featu ... by-country

It doesn't really indicate DB's overall popularity since this is only one streaming service but it's all I could find. It definitely has many fans all over the world though .

[Anonymous Friend]

There's plenty of things with no new releases in years and decades with stronger followings. Plus this is the time of the internet. Nothing really ever goes away.

Anything in particular come to mind? Saying plenty sounds a bit like a stretch to me.

Plenty of things come to mind.

Star Wars goes fifteen years between releases. Before Disney bought it, people kept asking for more.
The Godfather and many other mod related movies hasn't had a new movie in thirty years or more. That includes Scarface.
Until recently, The Matrix.
People can't stop asking for new entries in F-Zero, Conker, Banjo Kazooie, and many, many, many more dead series

Heck, these are just stuff off the top of my head that I'm not even a huge fan of, I just hear people endlessly request new stuff for.

[Anonymous Friend]

In Crunchyroll's most watched anime of the decade, DBS was #1 in some Central and South American countries but not in any Asian country.

https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-featu ... by-country

It doesn't really indicate DB's overall popularity since this is only one streaming service but it's all I could find. It definitely has many fans all over the world though .

Heres the thing about anime ... Why would Japanese be clamouring to streaming sites the view when it's always airing on broadcast TV?

[DBZAOTA482]

Many of us on this site first viewed it on Toonami as youngsters. Almost religiously. Today, even if I had cable or satellite, I don't I'd sit and just watch whatever TV airings. When I'm in the mood I would probably stream a cuple of episodes while fittling with my phone or tablet.

You can't properly compare something at the hieght of it's new-ness and influence to decades later when the new-ness has faded and there dozens of other things doing what it used to do, but maybe better.

It's got a place in our hearts, still. It just not taking up all of our heart like it used to.

The fever pitch mania isn't what it was back then, for sure, but you can't underestimate Dragon Ball's resurgence since Kai, Battle of Gods, Super, the new Belly film, and FighterZ. I'm not sure it dominates playground conversations like it use to, but more people are aware of Dragon Ball than ever before. That's not something you'd say for a franchise that has dwindled in popularity.

These statements from you right here indicate you you recognize that the series is not as big as it was in decades past. Pokemon is argueably a bigger franchise in every regard. And way more people are aware of it than Dragonball. And it's been continuing more consistently and at a higher level than Dragonball, and it is not as high profile as it used to be.

Pokemon as a multi-media franchise is far bigger than Dragon Ball could ever hope to be but the anime series fell off a long time ago and people don't really care about it outside nostalgia for the first season while Dragon Ball remains one of the most popular anime series' in recent memory.