How did some of you younger fans find Dragonball?

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

I've been noticing a fifteen years and younger fan base on this site and some of you have been on here before Kai aired on Nicktoons. Not that there is anything wrong with it(hell I think it's kind of cool), but I was wondering how you learned of the show? My brother is your age and he was around the age of 5 when the show was airing on Toonami. He doesn't remember much of the show and what he does know comes from my fandom and not from memory. How did you guys first find the show, and are there more kids your age that like it?

Also, if there are any of you that became fans through Kai, how did you find this site? Also have you seen any of the original Z and or Dragonball?

[Zarathustra]

It was aired a lot when I was a kid on Toonami and similar cartoon blocks, so I always had fond memories of it. Then right around Kai started I decided to rewatch the anime, and my interest picked up again. I probably found Daizex during some random google searching for something DB-related, I'm sure

[SSJSteve]

I first got into Dragonball Z when it was airing on Cartoon Network, I was 6 or 7 at the time (so around 2000/2001). I loved the show up until I was about 11, they started airing GT at the time, which was when I lost all interest. When I started Secondary School I completely forgot about the show, then one day me and a group of friends were talking and someone mentioned that they had started watching Dragonball Z again. That day I went home and watched a few episodes online (I think I was about 14 at the time), since then I've found a new love for the show.

Not sure how I found Daizex, probably through random browsing.

[Castor Troy]

I first got into Dragonball Z when it was airing on Cartoon Network, I was 6 or 7 at the time (so around 2000/2001). I loved the show up until I was about 11, they started airing GT at the time, which was when I lost all interest. When I started Secondary School I completely forgot about the show, then one day me and a group of friends were talking and someone mentioned that they had started watching Dragonball Z again. That day I went home and watched a few episodes online (I think I was about 14 at the time), since then I've found a new love for the show.

Not sure how I found Daizex, probably through random browsing.

The younger generation must have felt lucky to not experience Goku landing on Namek then cutting back to Raditz over and over again.

[BluezaBladeNZ]

Not sure if I would count as a younger fan (I turn 19 in less than four months), but I first discovered Dragon Ball Z in 2000 on TV3 around the time during Vegeta vs. Zarbon. I do remember those constant replays they had after episode 53, which did get a bit annoying, but was confused when it finally played newer episodes and everything was different when FUNi's 1999 inhouse dub began. But I still regularly watched it after that.

[Piccolo Daimao]

I think I may've learned of Dragon Ball from my friend when I was...8, I think. I only had five channels, so I didn't know of the show from television, but I had a friend who told me about it one day in town. I remember not really paying much attention and thinking what the hell a "Super Saiyan" was. Then I went round his house a while later, played on Ultimate Battle 22 and Final Bout, and was hooked. Yes, when I was 8, I thought those games were awesome.

Sometime later, I bought a DBZ magazine and then Budokai 2, which I enjoyed as well. Years later, as a 15-year-old, DB's my favourite series ever.

There aren't that many kids at my school that I know of who like DB. One of my friends briefly took an interest in it after we read the Boo arc portion of the manga (his favourite character was Fat Boo) and we even made a forum (which is dead now), but after that, he didn't really become a fan. And I know one girl who only likes Goku because she thinks he looks cool.

For the two that I know actually like DB, one of them's my friend. I talk to him about DB occasionally (we used to talk about it all the time one and two years ago, but we don't hang out that much anymore). I think I recall him telling me that he got into DB when he and his brother would watch it on Toonami or Cartoon Network in the mornings.

Ah, this makes me all nostalgic...makes me reminisce about the times when my life wasn't centered around exams, society and masturbation...

[Son Satan]

Well, I'm 15, and I do consider myself someone with a good memory, so I remember seeing Dragon Ball Z on KidsWB! way back in 2000/2001 during Pokemon. And I thought it was pretty cool, but then my parents said, "This is too violent to be for a child your age!" and wouldn't let me watch it. The I found out it was on Cartoon Network from some of the super-cool fifth graders in my neighborhood, and my parents didn't think it was the same show, because it was on a different channel.

And then I found out there was a "comic book" while I was at Borders getting some Pokemon manga, in 2001, and my parents would buy me those little monthlies. And I became a real reader when I started reading my cousin's US Shonen Jump in 2003, and got myself a subscription.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

I know the show was on UPN(when it was called UPN...not CW?) back in 95' when I first saw it but I don't ever remember it on Kids WB. I only knew of it being on Cartoon Network. Then again the Kids WB and CN share many of the same shows so I'm not doubting your memory.

Not sure if I would count as a younger fan (I turn 19 in less than four months), but I first discovered Dragon Ball Z in 2000 on TV3 around the time during Vegeta vs. Zarbon. I do remember those constant replays they had after episode 53, which did get a bit annoying, but was confused when it finally played newer episodes and everything was different when FUNi's 1999 inhouse dub began. But I still regularly watched it after that.

You are around my age so I wouldn't consider you the younger audience. I was asking the 15 and under guys around here. Nice story though! I remember being thrown off by the change in voices myself. I was never really active on the internet so I wasn't aware that there was even a switch from Ocean Group to Funimation. To me, the voices just changed. I do remember making fun of Vegeta's old voice but that's for another thread.

[Great Saiyaman I]

I would consider myself a younger fan at 13. I played the Budokai games when I was younger, but never really got into it. My interest was actually ignited with DBZ Abridged (that's right Toei, go and take down free advertising). I looked around online, got the Dragon Box (FUNi), and started off watching the Japanese version. So unlike most people on here, I didn't start out watching the dub.

I'm a forum kind of guy, so I searched Google and found Daizex. And that's where I am now. I do think its kind of funny to consider yourself an "older fan" when you're only 19, though.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

I would consider myself a younger fan at 13. I played the Budokai games when I was younger, but never really got into it. My interest was actually ignited with DBZ Abridged (that's right Toei, go and take down free advertising). I looked around online, got the Dragon Box (FUNi), and started off watching the Japanese version. So unlike most people on here, I didn't start out watching the dub.

I'm a forum kind of guy, so I searched Google and found Daizex. And that's where I am now. I do think its kind of funny to consider yourself an "older fan" when you're only 19, though.

Well, almost 21(lol big difference! ). The reason I said younger was because when I started on here I felt like the younger crowed. Most of the guys on here seem to have been around 13 when the show first aired in the states; yet now I'm seeing people well younger than myself.

I feel like my age group was the target audience for the American version of the show. I was around 5 when I saw my first episode and around 9-10 when the show got big here in the US. My idea of the younger audience is of the kids that were in early elementary school during it's debut, or hell not even around when I saw my first episode. My brother is fifteen now and was five when the show was getting big. He was aware of the show but his generation didn't seem to take an interest like mine did. By the time he was 10 the show was off the air completely. That is why I was wounder how kids his age(and younger) found the show.

I know I'm not that much older than you but in relevance to the shows American television debut(let alone the Japanese debut) your generation is a little young. Not like this is a bad thing at all; like I said, I think it's kind of cool actually. Seeing kids that didn't "grow up" with the series still have appreciation for it is really awesome. Not to mention I couldn't fit "how did some of you fans of fifteen years and younger find Dragonball?" in the subject bar.

[Great Saiyaman I]

Okay, I see what you mean. Regarding generations, a couple kids both my age and elementary are into Kai. I'm pretty much the only person who watches any subtitled show at school, but nobody gives me a hard time about it. Actually, a couple of them are starting to watch subtitled shows.

Another thing regarding voices- when I have a certain one of my friends over, we'll watch Japanese Z. He doesn't like Goku's voice that much, which I don't find surprising. What I do find surprising is that he doesn't mind Adult Gohan's or Bardock's voice, and says it fits the character. I didn't expect that. Other than that he watches the Kai dub.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

Okay, I see what you mean. Regarding generations, a couple kids both my age and elementary are into Kai. I'm pretty much the only person who watches any subtitled show at school, but nobody gives me a hard time about it. Actually, a couple of them are starting to watch subtitled shows.

Another thing regarding voices- when I have a certain one of my friends over, we'll watch Japanese Z. He doesn't like Goku's voice that much, which I don't find surprising. What I do find surprising is that he doesn't mind Adult Gohan's or Bardock's voice, and says it fits the character. I didn't expect that. Other than that he watches the Kai dub.

That is very strange considering Masako Nozawa voices all of them.

Also I think that's awesome.

[Great Saiyaman I]

I know, that was my thinking. One thing I'd like o expand on from earlier is DBZ Abridged. Without this, I probably would have never gotten into Dragon Ball. I got a game after watching it, and then the Boxes. Does Toei not realize its free advertising? Because of it, they have gotten hundreds of dollars of allowance money from a kid like me. If FUNi or Toei could learn to take advantage of that they could lure in a lot of fans, rather than making them angry by taking down videos.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

I think Funi figured it out(hell I think they offered there voices in some videos) but Toei is in there own little world sadly. KaiserNeko, one of the guys behind TFS, is on this site and I'm sure he'd be thrilled to know he got a lot of newcomers into the series.

[Great Saiyaman I]

I think Funi figured it out(hell I think they offered there voices in some videos) but Toei is in there own little world sadly. KaiserNeko, one of the guys behind TFS, is on this site and I'm sure he'd be thrilled to know he got a lot of newcomers into the series.

I know about Kaiser being here. If he's looking at this, then he's got +1 Dragon Ball fan.

[Vegeta1056]

I would have watched it sooner if my mom wouldn't freak out about violence in 2002. But finally 1st Grade came in 2003, and I finally was able to see good 'ol DBZ on Toonami.

[SparkyPantsMcGee]

I would have watched it sooner if my mom wouldn't freak out about violence in 2002. But finally 1st Grade came in 2003, and I finally was able to see good 'ol DBZ on Toonami.

I know it's a bit annoying at times but you have a good mother if she is willing to take responsibility in this sort of thing...especially if you were in kindergarten. You'll thank her in the long run.

[kaialone]

I'm 16 and I´ll be 17 soon.I watched DB as a kid but when DBZ started airing my mother didnt allow me to watch it anymore,I regot into it recenty trhough TFS

[DragonBoxZTheMovies]

My brother use to watch Dragon Ball Z on TV3 and Cartoon Network. My parents however, didn't let me watch Dragon Ball Z till I turned 5. I was so excited and I kept asking my brother questions about the series. The first bits of material I saw were the first 4 Movies and the Two TV Specials. I distinctly remember sitting on the couch after football watching a taped version of 'Lord Slug'. Then Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball GT came on so I'd watch those whenever I could. Eventually Dragon Ball Z went off the air some time in 2005 and my interest began to die a little. In that time we got a copy of 'Budokai 2' which immediately revived my interest. Then one day a commercial came on announcing that 'Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z were returning by popular demand'. My interest was back in full swing, and I've been a fan ever since. I really wanted to see 'The Cell Games' again but my parents removed 'Sky' and hooked us up with a Broadband Connection. I ended up looking up DBZ and stumbled upon several of the movies I had never seen on Youtube. I also rented 'Fusion Reborn', 'Cooler's Revenge', 'Broly: Second Coming' and several others from our local video store. I became even more of a fan when my sister gave me 'DBZ: Movie 8' for my birthday and my brother borrowed the first orange brick from a friend. I began to collect Dragon Ball DVDs and Manga (I bought all of the Double Features apart from the 'Broly: Triple Feature'.) and to this day I'm still doing the exact same thing. I basically owe all of this to my brother although looking at the 'Show Off Your Dragon Ball Crap' motivated me to buy even more crap.

Anyone who just read all of this gets a reward. It certainly isn't the most interesting piece of writing on this forum.

[gotensottile]

I'm 13. My friends, who watched the series on Cartoon Network, who are now 16-18, were talking about Evolution. So I checked out the original version, and loved it.