Dragonball Dethroned

[ShinRogafuken]

I've always wondered why so many people think One Piece takes off with Arlong. I think that honor belongs to the Kuro arc, myself. I didn't much care for Romance Dawn or the Buggy arc, but Kuro kicks all kinds of ass.

Yes! Precisely. Over on the Arlong Park Forums I have reviews for the One Piece arcs, and I thought the same as you.

Anyways, I'm not bothered by this at all, considering Dragon Ball and One Piece are both my favorites.

[SSJ Helldog]

I actually just recently got into Naruto, after giving up on it twice. The show kinda sucks until episode 33, I thought. I'd previously tried to watch One Piece and failed, but that one seemed to get good sooner than Naruto. I never had this problem with Dragon Ball; the first arc was really fun, even if it was totally different from the later stuff.
I'd say DB > OP > N, but I can't really judge Naruto fairly as I haven't seen even all of the first series yet. One Piece has a better developed backstory for each character and better foreshadowing than DB, but somewhere between art style and action sequences DB manages to come out on top.
How long does Bleach take to get into its groove? was thinking I'd give it a shot.

[Big Momma]

I actually just recently got into Naruto, after giving up on it twice. The show kinda sucks until episode 33, I thought.

For the love of God, when you get to 135 of Naruto, skip to Shippuuden. On second thought, scratch Shippuuden. Just dive right into manga chapter 245(Or 240...somewhere around there.)

[bkev]

@SSJ: not quite all on topic, but I loved Bleach's beginning. It felt unique. Never collected past Volume 8, though - once it got into the "rescue mission" it seemed to get rather generic. Still, a lot of people like that part.

[Adamant]

Mr. Oda's foreshadowing ability coupled with what is either the sharpest memory for 10+ years worth of material or an author who keeps a LOT of notes and the ability to keep the momentum constantly pushing ahead

He has the basis of the series planned out already, so he's able to foreshadow to far future plot points.

[Kaboom]

How long does Bleach take to get into its groove? was thinking I'd give it a shot.

Bleach's "groove" was the first arc. It's never managed to get back into it.

[Krakabeast]

I actually just recently got into Naruto, after giving up on it twice. The show kinda sucks until episode 33, I thought.

For the love of God, when you get to 135 of Naruto, skip to Shippuuden. On second thought, scratch Shippuuden. Just dive right into manga chapter 245(Or 240...somewhere around there.)

Don't skip Shippuuden! I hated Naruto, mainly because I was watching it dubbed, but subbed Shippuuden made me fall in love with the series. Majority of my fandom resides with DB, but Naruto recently swooped down into my life and is definitely my second favorite series.

Sorry, I had to get that off my chest.

[Saiyan-Professor]

I actually just recently got into Naruto, after giving up on it twice. The show kinda sucks until episode 33, I thought.

For the love of God, when you get to 135 of Naruto, skip to Shippuuden. On second thought, scratch Shippuuden. Just dive right into manga chapter 245(Or 240...somewhere around there.)

Don't skip Shippuuden! I hated Naruto, mainly because I was watching it dubbed, but subbed Shippuuden made me fall in love with the series. Majority of my fandom resides with DB, but Naruto recently swooped down into my life and is definitely my second favorite series.

Sorry, I had to get that off my chest.

I agree with you, Naruto have the 2nd place spot for me. One Piece just comes across as a clown’s wet dream. I initially hated Naruto because I thought it was a Dragonball rip-off but the problem was that I had never seen the show or read the manga at all. A friend of mine’s nephew started talking about the show a lot and asked me to give it a chance. Once I began to watch the dubbed and subbed editions, I was hooked. When Shippuden/Part II came along, I find that I watch/read it more than Dragonball at times.

[SSJ Helldog]

I actually just recently got into Naruto, after giving up on it twice. The show kinda sucks until episode 33, I thought.

For the love of God, when you get to 135 of Naruto, skip to Shippuuden. On second thought, scratch Shippuuden. Just dive right into manga chapter 245(Or 240...somewhere around there.)

Don't skip Shippuuden! I hated Naruto, mainly because I was watching it dubbed, but subbed Shippuuden made me fall in love with the series. Majority of my fandom resides with DB, but Naruto recently swooped down into my life and is definitely my second favorite series.

Sorry, I had to get that off my chest.

I believe what he meant was to just read the "Shippuuden" part of the manga. Anyway, thanks for the advice, peoples.

- Can anyone think of other series that deserve to be on this list? (like your faves?)

[Dayspring]

Where'd this chart come from and what countries does it represent?

EDIT: And why is it all over the place with information on some of the other series?

Ah, forgot to mention that. It's from 2ch, and I'm not sure if it's global or not (it probably is global).

What's 2ch?

EDIT: Wait, is that 2channel? I don't think the Japanese 4-chan is a credible source...

[Chuquita]

What I'm curious about is why do some of the series listed have two sets of numbers instead of just one? That does bother me a bit.

Also, ANN hasn't reported on One Piece's new achievement yet....I dunno.


I was so happy for OP to be the one of the current big three to get this type of honor (what with how 4Kids gave the series a serious beat-down until Funi came to the rescue, and with how Viz basically gave OP the middle finger and ignored them until a few days ago) that I didn't give the chart's legitimacy a second thought. ^^;

[SSJ2bardock]

We had the exclusive right to wave our dicks around, I think.

OP fans are actually running with that thought process quite furiously.

You are correct sir! This is just one of those stupid things they can wave in our faces now... until Naruto reaches volume 70 and becomes the new #1 I mean seriously, is that series EVER going to end?

[Chuquita]

We had the exclusive right to wave our dicks around, I think.

OP fans are actually running with that thought process quite furiously.

You are correct sir! This is just one of those stupid things they can wave in our faces now... until Naruto reaches volume 70 and becomes the new #1 I mean seriously, is that series EVER going to end?

I thought Naruto was headed towards its final arc? Or second to final arc. Though I have learned my lesson and shall remain vague, from what I heard various story parts were culminating towards an important event. Unless a second time jump is created....I can't see it going on for more than another 5 years.


One Piece on the other hand, I heard that plan-wise, its almost--or already had--reached the middle of the story; which means there's still easily a whole decade left of material to go. @_@

Mr. Oda must have enough notes to fill a whole warehouse.

[ssjcj]

I would like to know the validity of those statistics and so I have a few questions.
When were these figures published?
Do they take into account the guides?
Do they take into account the monetary intake in comparison to the quantity? I would find the monetary total a better way to compare as it takes into account how much people are actually willing to pay.

[Kunzait_83]

The first season or so.

Then you've barely gotten a taste. The story develops and matures over time.

I can't speak for JAPPO, but from my vantage point, I'd hardly call 40+ episodes "barely a taste". That's a LOT of screentime for the story to go absolutely nowhere. If it get's better after that, that's all well and good, but having to slog through hours upon hours of tedious, soul destroyingly boring sap to get there hardly makes it worth the effort to care. Z filler at it's all time worst and most monotonous & poorly animated was/is better than a great deal of the opening salvo of OP eps, and frankly that's saying something.

[KaiserNeko]

The first season or so.

Then you've barely gotten a taste. The story develops and matures over time.

I can't speak for JAPPO, but from my vantage point, I'd hardly call 40+ episodes "barely a taste". That's a LOT of screentime for the story to go absolutely nowhere. If it get's better after that, that's all well and good, but having to slog through hours upon hours of tedious, soul destroyingly boring sap to get there hardly makes it worth the effort to care. Z filler at it's all time worst and most monotonous & poorly animated was/is better than a great deal of the opening salvo of OP eps, and frankly that's saying something.

That last bit was uncalled for and you should know it. I'm one of many who enjoyed the first 40 episodes -greatly-, from the early development of the characters to the exposition about the world around them. Sure, it doesn't speed right into the good stuff, but One Piece actually profits from it's development.

And not to mention, a lot of people feel that the series starts getting really good around episode 20, when Sanji shows up. So one can say that only the first 20 episodes are slow, but even I'd disagree again with that as we get to meet all the characters who become so very important along the journey.

Disclaimer: Manga is still better than the anime, though. Mostly because of the filler in the show... *Shudder.*

[Dayspring]

I thought Naruto was headed towards its final arc? Or second to final arc. Though I have learned my lesson and shall remain vague, from what I heard various story parts were culminating towards an important event. Unless a second time jump is created....I can't see it going on for more than another 5 years.

At the risk of going off-topic, the author's goal is to end at chapter 500. Since they're at chapter 447 already, the story will probably go past that mark, but like you said, only until they completely resolve this uber-story arc. So yeah, less than 5 years is very likely for Naruto.

I wonder if he'll ever become a Chuunin?

[Kunzait_83]

That last bit was uncalled for and you should know it.

What was uncalled for exactly? Gun to my head and given a choice between only one of the two options, I honestly would prefer to sit through my least favorite (or most hated), most poorly drawn episode of DBZ than I would a very large chunk of what I saw of One Piece. That's not my trying to be a dick, that's me being completely honest.

And I only responded in the first place because I really do feel that the whole "it really does get better after *such and such dozens of episodes later*!" argument to be a very weak excuse once you pass a certain ridiculous number of episodes for a series this long. That's more or less essentially my point, and I'm sorry if that came out as offensive in some way.

I'm one of many who enjoyed the first 40 episodes -greatly-, from the early development of the characters to the exposition about the world around them. Sure, it doesn't speed right into the good stuff, but One Piece actually profits from it's development.

I can get behind the sentiment and idea behind what your saying here, but it also depends on what that development consists of as well as it's execution.

And not to mention, a lot of people feel that the series starts getting really good around episode 20, when Sanji shows up. So one can say that only the first 20 episodes are slow, but even I'd disagree again with that as we get to meet all the characters who become so very important along the journey.

I don't even remember who the hell Sanji is. That should say something about how much of an impression the show left on me.

Disclaimer: Manga is still better than the anime, though. Mostly because of the filler in the show... *Shudder.*

Might be worth checking out then, depending.

[Olivier Hague]

the Japanese 4-chan

Whoa, dude! ^___^;

[Dr. Casey]

Honestly, I think One Piece is just like any other story. It naturally gets much better once the story begins gaining momentum (A process which has begun to an extent by Arlong, but it's still very much in the Prologue phase), but if you don't enjoy the early material of any given story or series, then it's probably just not for you. Even with a slow beginning, you can determine whether you enjoy an author's characters or writing style. It might not be on the same level as what comes later (Which has a lot to do with the fact that, by the later portions of a story, the author's love for their characters and world has grown a huge amount, while early on they probably merely like it and consider it an interesting, exciting novelty, and that developed passion shows itself in the story - do you think Toriyama was nearly as in love with Dragon Ball during Pilaf as Piccolo Daimao? I sure don't), but it's very rare that my opinion of a story goes from dislike or indifference to fondness. Generally the groundwork is set from chapter one or episode one. The first episode of Slayers is pretty dull, for example, but I liked Lina and Gourry and it was obvious the show had a lot of potential. And I don't see what's so bad about a slow beginning, anyway (Not commenting to anyone in here, just speaking in general). I think a beginning's supposed to be slow. Besides, a nice, measured pace is better than rushing things along - I think a huge advantage of Dragon Ball over Yu Yu Hakusho (Another series I'm a fan of) is that Dragon Ball went at an infinitely slower, much more natural pace.

But yeah, I think Kunzait's done his time. If you don't like the show at all by Arlong and don't see much potential, it's just simply not your thing. Though, didn't Velasa say that she'd only read the first volume of the manga? She could perhaps be a potential fangirl if she cares enough to try the series again, since the first arc is rather mediocre. It's kind of like if you don't enjoy 'Bulma and Son Goku' (Which means you have bad taste since early Dragon Ball is awesome, but that's besides the point) - it's early enough and insignificant enough that there's a genuine reason to reserve judgment.

By the way, Kaboom, speaking of the series getting better as it goes along, how have things been recently? I'm an anime viewer and reached the filler arc between Water 7 and Thriller Bark. Have things gotten even more badass as of late?