Would DB still be popular if it came today?

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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super michael
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Re: Would DB still be popular if it came today?

Post by super michael » Tue Oct 28, 2025 12:03 pm

JulieYBM wrote: Tue Oct 28, 2025 11:56 am It's a thirty-five year old cartoon, of course people are skipping Dragon Ball Z lol

A complete second adaption of the series really would revitalize the fan base lol
Old cartoon and anime doesn't mean people would skip it. Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z doesn't look bad at all.

Dororo came out on 1969, it got a remake on 2019. The original doesn't have colour.

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Re: Would DB still be popular if it came today?

Post by Koitsukai » Tue Oct 28, 2025 12:35 pm

I've never heard of people skipping DBZ, like what are they skipping it in favour of? the Yo Son Goku OVA?

I don't think the fanbase needs to be revitalized either, I keep seeing children with DBZ shirts and not only where I live, I've seen this in Europe, in Brazil, teenagers, children, and I don't even want to know what's going on in Mexico, diapers with Freeza's face probably would sell like crazy. I keep seeing more and more sportstars celebrating like DBZ characters...
The show is still being aired, that's more than enough, it's definitely alive. Dragon Ball is far from being a relic like Mazinger Z.

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Re: Would DB still be popular if it came today?

Post by JulieYBM » Tue Oct 28, 2025 12:41 pm

Koitsukai wrote: Tue Oct 28, 2025 12:35 pm I've never heard of people skipping DBZ, like what are they skipping it in favour of? the Yo Son Goku OVA?

I don't think the fanbase needs to be revitalized either, I keep seeing children with DBZ shirts and not only where I live, I've seen this in Europe, in Brazil, teenagers, children, and I don't even want to know what's going on in Mexico, diapers with Freeza's face probably would sell like crazy. I keep seeing more and more sportstars celebrating like DBZ characters...
The show is still being aired, that's more than enough, it's definitely alive. Dragon Ball is far from being a relic like Mazinger Z.
For the record, I don't really care about putting more money into the right holders' hands, I was just laughing at how the series is rightfully sliding into obscurity.
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Re: Would DB still be popular if it came today?

Post by Koitsukai » Tue Oct 28, 2025 1:05 pm

But it isn't. I see waaay more people (of many age groups) sporting DBwear nowadays than back in the day.

It is not sliding into obscurity any more than any of us are sliding into our graves. The right holders might be sleeping on the franchise and keeping it stalled but the fanbase is livelier than ever.

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Re: Would DB still be popular if it came today?

Post by super michael » Tue Oct 28, 2025 1:11 pm

JulieYBM wrote: Tue Oct 28, 2025 12:41 pm
Koitsukai wrote: Tue Oct 28, 2025 12:35 pm I've never heard of people skipping DBZ, like what are they skipping it in favour of? the Yo Son Goku OVA?

I don't think the fanbase needs to be revitalized either, I keep seeing children with DBZ shirts and not only where I live, I've seen this in Europe, in Brazil, teenagers, children, and I don't even want to know what's going on in Mexico, diapers with Freeza's face probably would sell like crazy. I keep seeing more and more sportstars celebrating like DBZ characters...
The show is still being aired, that's more than enough, it's definitely alive. Dragon Ball is far from being a relic like Mazinger Z.
For the record, I don't really care about putting more money into the right holders' hands, I was just laughing at how the series is rightfully sliding into obscurity.
Dragon Ball survived just fine when the only getting released was games, people didn't forget about it even when there was no new anime, manga and movie. Dragon Ball will survive, even if there is no new anime, manga and movie now.

I see many shops with Dragon Ball merchandise and people wearing Dragon Ball clothes.

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Re: Would DB still be popular if it came today?

Post by PhantomSaiyan » Tue Oct 28, 2025 1:29 pm

Koitsukai wrote: Tue Oct 28, 2025 12:35 pm I've never heard of people skipping DBZ, like what are they skipping it in favour of? the Yo Son Goku OVA?
As I have already said, Super. In favor of Super clearly. Why are you talking as if we're in 2008 lol

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Re: Would DB still be popular if it came today?

Post by Dragon Ball Ireland » Tue Oct 28, 2025 1:46 pm

I can also attest to seeing people expressing their love for Dragon Ball becoming more common. Even in my nearest town in rural Ireland (which is known for not moving with the times as quick as urban areas) I've seen people wear Dragon Ball shirts in the grocery store, and aside from Daima we don't even have the series on a mainstream streaming platform like Netflix. This franchise is far from falling into obscurity, quite the contrary.
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Re: Would DB still be popular if it came today?

Post by Yellow Flower King » Tue Oct 28, 2025 1:59 pm

I saw a DBZ shirt while going out shopping.

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