10 Years Of Bilingual DragonBall TV Series DVD's In America!

[Castor Troy]

After all the nonsense with the "uncut" dub-only VHS and season three, the big petition, all the work Steve and Brian were doing... folks, if you weren't there, I can't even begin to describe in words how it felt. The announcement of the Dragon Boxes almost pales in comparison.

Yeah, I can vouch for this. We ALMOST got dubbed only dvds like the pioneer ones, but Brian and Steve literally fought to include the Japanese version and won. It was truly a bittersweet victory for us.

I remember when the Ginyu Assault DVD came out all too well.

I had lost my job at the time which really sucked and instead of saving up my money, I decided to blow it all on a $200 dvd player and the $24.99 Ginyu Assault dvd. It was pretty surreal seeing the gigantic leap in quality from VHS to DVD and bought the dvds religiously up till late 2001 when I started losing interest in the series. The Trunks discs were a huge step from the Ginyu ones and I remember MrE and Jon Allen telling me how much they rocked.

I just popped in the Ginyu Assault DVD in my PS3 right now. It looks horrible by today's standards, but it was amazing back in the day.

[Gaffer Tape]

It's funny. One of the only negative(ish) reviews of the Ginyu DVDs was by Chris Psaros, who, interestingly enough, berated them for the kinds of things we would berate them for today. I often do wonder what he would have thought of the domestic Dragon Box releases, because they pretty much satisfy exactly the criteria he hoped for when he reviewed the Ginyu discs. I don't at all feel his criticism was unjustified, especially considering it took all of nine years to rectify them all (with several intermittent steps forward and one giant step back). I considered them then and still consider them to be valid points. Obviously all of us do considering how much love nearly all of us are giving the Dragon Boxes for finally getting it (very, very nearly) completely right. Those early DVDs were quite rocky and certainly deserved criticism for their sometimes amateurish production values early on. But their impact can't be understated. Despite all their flaws, they were exhilarating to get. As I said, they were the sole reason I got a DVD player. It was one of the first times the original version and its fans were ever so much as acknowledged, let alone catered to. And just the idea of it was amazing. Well, after the first disc at least, it was an amazing tool to judge just how different the dub was from the original. Due to multiple audio tracks on one video track, you could easily switch between the two on the fly, or use one set of subtitles on another version to compare the scripts. In a way, it rendered such sites as DBZ Uncensored almost unnecessary as more and more episodes became legally and widely available for the first time instead of some only-heard-about relic. And of course there was the fact that at that point, not even the Japanese had gotten a home release of the series, which was most likely the reason for it taking so long to begin with. It was a rocky start, but it was definitely a start.

[Tanooki Kuribo]

I'm wondering, did the bilingual Pioneer DVD release of the first three movies come out before or after the Ginyu discs?

Yea, but this is 10 years of the series being released like this. Not the movies.

[AgitoZ]

I'm wondering, did the bilingual Pioneer DVD release of the first three movies come out before or after the Ginyu discs?

Yea, but this is 10 years of the series being released like this. Not the movies.

But the topic title only says DVDs and....

Nevermind...

But on topic I don't know exactly when I acquired my first DB DVD. I know I was late to the party, but can't think an exact date. I remember it was the Movie 8 single from FUNi, which I found at the local Wal-Mart. Then at a ROSS I found some UUE Vol. 1 and every once in a while I would find others.

I never have bought the season sets. I was going to after I would have some more UUEs but I don't know what kept me from them. I might have already discovered Daizex by that time. But with the DB Boxes I hope I won't have to.

Although I did pick up some VHS of DB before DVDs.

Funny story about the first UUE. One day I found it at Wal-Mart for like 16 dollars and I was pondering if I should get it. My mom said you might find something better, and then an employee stepped in and said I should get the Season Sets. So you can assume I decided against the purchase. But later that same day or week (I can't remember) I found at ROSS for only $4 or $5!

[Tanooki Kuribo]

But the topic title only says DVDs and....

Ok, I guess you're right. I did say "the series" every where else though. Topic title and image fixed!

[SonEric84]

I actually didn't get a DVD player until about '05, though I knew all about the bilingual DVDs. (I quickly bought up the whole series of singles/boxsets soon after) Actually, I was really happy to find out they were being released even though I had no way of watching them at the time. For a while I was stuck with the "uncut vhs" (I can't believe I paid $20 a piece for those) and I would watch the original on the International Channel. Now I'm buying the series all over again with the Dbox releases. It's been quite the ride.

[Jon Jon]

It kind of makes me happy that I wasn't financially capable of buying dvd sets and etc. until more recent years. I guess I just missed that sweet bumpy ride. Outside of random vhs box sets I bought on the cheap off of ebay and etc., the dragon boxes are my first real physical copies of the show .

I might actually pick up the season sets at some point though...just for the falconer dub track XD;

[BluezaBladeNZ]

We got our first DVD player back in 2001/2002, but it wasn't till years after that I started getting Dragon Ball DVDs, mostly because of the price, $30-40 for 3/4 episodes wasn't easy. I did get a Cell Games single back in 2003 from a used store for $18 but it was scratched and started glitching so I returned. I think the first purchase I made after that was Season Two back in Christmas 2007, back then I wasn't really concerned about how it looked, I just wanted to own the series. But now when I look back at it after getting the Dragon Boxes, it's hard to watch.

[Shiyonasan]

I didn't get my first Dragon Ball DVD until early 2005. Interestingly enough, it was A Hero's Legacy. I recieved it as a birthday present. I had to play it on my PS2 back then...

I don't remember the first DVD I actually bought. If I had to take a guess, it was probably the Tenshinhan Saga set that was released in 2004. I probably bought it back sometime in mid to late 2005.

I have never owned any of the original TV series singles of Z nor have I owned any of the VHS tapes. I did however purchase the first seven Ultimate Uncuts. Before the announcement of the Dragon Boxes, I considered purchasing the singles in place of the Z Season Sets after I learned about what was missing from them through Daizenshuu EX. Fortunately, the Dragon Boxes got announced soon after my consideration. My choice was pretty clear at that point.

Since then, I've been purchasing each of the Dragon Boxes as they come out. Haven't gotten rid of any of my DVDs, but I am considering getting rid of the first Orange Brick eventually...

[jjgp1112]

First DBZ DVD I ever bought was Movie 8

[Daimao]

Good times, good times.

Here's to another ten years.

[Bardo117]

First DBZ DVD I ever bought was Movie 8

First DBZ DVD I ever got was a Buu saga DVD.

[GizmoKSX]

I had the "Arrival" VHS with the first few episodes spliced into a feature as well as the first three movies on VHS. I didn't start collecting the series until the Trunks episodes, and that was still VHS. I stopped before the Cell Games and just caught the show on TV. The only DVDs I picked up were "Frieza - Transformation" (US episodes 64-66*) and Lord Slug. At this point, I was used to the English version, but gave the Japanese version a listen as well. I'd just paid for pricey DVDs; might as well check out all the features on them, original language included. I didn't form a strong opinion about the differences at the time, though.

As time went on, more and more TV series saw season sets and even complete series releases on DVD. The 3-4 episode Dragon Ball Z DVDs looked like progressively worse deals as time went on, so I never bothered collecting them. I caught the Ultimate Uncut episodes dubbed on Cartoon Network, but didn't go for the DVDs. Then, not having caught any hype, I saw the first orange brick on a Best Buy shelf. I was thrilled! Finally, an affordable, sizable collection of episodes! I started reading the buzz on the back. "Remastered in high definition and digitally restored." Even better, then! "Widescreen transfer from original Japanese film." Sounds fantas...uh, widescreen? 16:9? I'd already been a longtime advocate of original aspect ratio, so I knew something was amiss. I held off on buying the set, doing some research, and finding Daizenshuu EX. (Yes, I have to thank the orange bricks for bringing me to this site. ) I listened to the podcast about "the big, orange lie," and was pretty bummed that the DVD releases were so close to being what I wanted, and yet, filtered and cropped to crap. I begrudgingly bought the first two season sets for lack of an affordable alternative before falling behind, my interests focused elsewhere.

And I'm glad I did fall behind, because then we got the Dragon Boxes, and all was right with the world. Well, the world of region 1 Dragon Ball Z DVDs, anyway.

*In between US episodes 64 and 65 is "Gohan Attacks (Uncut Version Only)," with a screencap of Kuririn impaled by Freeza's horn. Interesting that this episode isn't numbered. Even with uncut DVDs available, the episode numbering—or lack thereof—continued to contribute to confusion.

[TripleRach]

I think my first DVD was one of the TV specials, followed shortly by the other, back in summer 2001. At the time, I didn't even have a DVD player yet (I eventually got one as a graduation gift that fall), but I started collecting the singles anyway. Being able to see the series uncut and in Japanese was one of the main reasons I wanted a DVD player in the first place. I had nearly all of FUNi's singles at one point, but I've gotten rid of most of them over the years, except for GT, the movies, and the TV specials. So I guess it's cool that I still have my first ones, but if I could get Dragon Box versions of the specials, I'd ditch the old discs in a heartbeat. I kind of wish I still had everything for nostalgia's sake, but I really don't have the space anyway.

It's sort of funny to me that the Captain Ginyu discs started coming out in June 2000, because that's just when I was first getting into the series, and I had no clue about the hardcore internet fandom at the time.

[linkdude20002001]

I actually didn't pick up any of Z til the DBoxes. I didn't really have to suffer through the Season Sets...

Woo! That's what I did!

I'm picky when it comes to Dragon Ball, so I waited for a consistent release with decent quality. The singles weren't consistent, and the orange bricks weren't of decent quality (and the quality wasn't consistent either).

Hmm... Though, my dad and little brother used to buy the edited VHS tapes of the Majin Boo arc back before it had aired on TV.

[TonyTheTiger]

And of course there was the fact that at that point, not even the Japanese had gotten a home release of the series, which was most likely the reason for it taking so long to begin with.

Of all things, this is what I find most amazing about it. At first I was thinking that Gen Fukunaga was talking out of his ass saying subbed DBZ wouldn't be possible but I'm starting to think that maybe he was being sincere. Who knows what anime licensing agreements were like back then? And for a series that hadn't seen a Japanese domestic release no less.

[TheMajinRedComet]

My first DBZ DVD was either Movie 8 or the first two volumes of the Kid Buu. Does anybody know which came out first? Either way I watched the hell out of the 1st Goku vs Kid Buu fight episode, you know the episode, the one that almost looks like a movie.

... Ok looks like it was the Kid Buu DVD in November 2002 and Brolly was August 2003. Thanks Ex the DVD guide is awesome.

[NUDEoctopus]

I collected a whole bunch of the edited VHS singles when I was little. The first DVD's I ever got was the World Tournament Saga, I recieved it for my birthday, and I think my Dad just got it for me because it was Dragon Ball Z. Looking back now I think it would be really cool to have all the later singles, (full screen, japanese audio, faulkoner dub for those interested) but tracking them all down isn't worth it nowadays, except for the movies I guess, because they are the only full screen release of those I can think of. Dragon Boxes are supreme, and in all honestly I hope they are the final release of Dragon Ball Z on DVD here in the states.

[coola]

My first DB DVD i bought,was Lord Slug,and i payed about 30$ for it{plenty money,but it was in Feburary 2003,before Poland become part of EU}since then the only thing i regret{not only regarding Dragon Ball},is when i spend 100$ at incomplete Saiyan Saga bootleg DVD set {1-27 episodes,crappy subtitles,crappy picture quality}