Why did Dragon Ball have so few openings?

[PiccoloFan7289]

I have never been a big fan of Dragon Ball and it's openings. I watched some One Piece Openings and they all seem really well made in my opinion. I wish Dragon Ball would have had more openings like this as well. I know One Piece is a modern anime and Dragon ball is an older anime but with 444 episodes total (not counting GT) you would think a show it's length would have had more openings than just 5 or 6. Maybe Toei was just lazy and didn't want to create new openings as often. Dragon Ball Z had the same opening and theme song for 199 episodes. That is just pure insanity. I know the cutscenes changed in the opening but would it really have killed Toei to be more creative and create new openings with new theme songs every 30+ episodes or so?

[SHINOBI-03]

Dragon Ball was made in the time when anime had their own special themes that had something to relate to and not random j-pop songs that changes every year to sell CDs and music collections like what we get nowadays.

[Sshadow5001]

Dragon Ball was made in the time when anime had their own special themes that had something to relate to and not random j-pop songs that changes every year to sell CDs and music collections like what we get nowadays.

Basically this. I love old anime Openings and Endings because there actually relevent to the show (One piece still sort of does this for a few of its openings)

[JulieYBM]

Yeah, before it became popular to sign with J-rock and J-pop bands to advertise their latest single cartoons had their own original themes produced and performed by what are now known as 'anison' (animation song) artists. Guys like Sasaki Isao, Horie Mitsuko (who is also the voice of Upa), Kushida Akira, Mizuki Ichirou, and Kageyama Hirobobu were all at the forefront of performers. Nowadays these guys perform their signature theme songs at all the big animation theme concerts (like the Anime Shudaika Daizenshuu). Sadly, since younger artists are doing the animation and tokusatsu theme songs these days there isn't much new work for the veterans. Sasaki is returning for the new Uchuu Senkan Yamato TV series and Kushida did do the opening for Toriko, but Mizuki and Kageyama are off busy doing stuff with JAM Project (or in Mizuki's case producing for new talent).

Since Dragon Ball typically had two new movies a years it isn't like Toei wasn't cashing in on new music. Each movie had a new theme song for the ending. There were also a few insert songs in the animation, too, so there was always music abound.

[Eire]

Back then one opening and ending per series was a custom. Long running series (100 episodes were nothing extraordinary) used to have very short OSTs (if any). The fashion for thousands openings began about late 2000s and honestly it seems to focus on quantity over quality. It usually seems that openings and endings are so similar to each other that you could mix it without any changes and nobody would notice. If you want difference, Dragon Ball songs were dubbed dubbed in many languages- some versions are really nice to listen.

[Godo]

When you have an intro with Cha-La, is there really a need for more intros? I can't think of anything that would top that, even today.

[JulieYBM]

While the idea is "more openings and endings means more money" that doesn't necessarily mean the openings and endings chosen were bad. While there is the occasional controversy among the fandom (see: One Piece opening #12), many modern openings are well done and received by fans. While the special feeling of a anison opening and ending might be missing, I can still get excited about an opening done by a J-Pop or J-Rock band. One of my favorite openings of recent is One Piece's fourteenth, Fight Together. It perfectly captures the somber mood of the Goa Kingdom arc, espicially after how dark of an ending the previous arc had. Conversely, one of my favorite more up beat openings as of late is the first opening of the 2011 Hunter X Hunter series. It has a great sense of rising energy to it which makes it a perfect first opening song.

[dprez]

I do love the One Piece openings, and how they change as the arcs progress, but DragonBall is an old school anime that came out before all the mainstream pop rock music took over anime intros.

[dbboxkaifan]

CHA-LA-HEAD-CHA-LA and WE GOTTA POWER are more than enough openings for Dragon Ball Z, they're much better than Kai's opening (Dragon Soul), imo.

No need for too many openings really.

[PiccoloFan7289]

I believe Toei should have created more openings and had them layed out something like this. I have this based on timeskips as well.

Opening 1: Search for the Dragon Balls Arc (1-13)
Opening 2: 21st Tenkaichi Budoukai Arc (14-28)
Opening 3: Red Ribbon Army Arc (29-82)
Opening 4: 22nd Tenkaichi Budoukai Arc (83-101)
Opening 5: Piccolo Daimao Arc (102-132)
Opening 6: 23rd Tenkaichi Budoukai Arc (133-153)
Opening 7: Saiyan Arc (1-35)
Opening 8: Freeza Arc (36-107)
Opening 9: Garlic Jr. Arc (108-117)
Opening 10: Artificial Human Arc (118-125)
Opening 11: Artificial Human Arc (126-199)
Opening 12: Majin Buu Arc (200-291)

[Piccolo Daimao]

I don't see why you need 12 openings for one (or two) series. Quality over quantity, having individuality, recognizability, etc.

[Raykugen]

I never liked We gotta Power, that opening has only sense in the first 15 episodes of the Buu Arc

[dbboxkaifan]

I believe Toei should have created more openings and had them layed out something like this. I have this based on timeskips as well.

Opening 1: Search for the Dragon Balls Arc (1-13)
Opening 2: 21st Tenkaichi Budoukai Arc (14-28)
Opening 3: Red Ribbon Army Arc (29-82)
Opening 4: 22nd Tenkaichi Budoukai Arc (83-101)
Opening 5: Piccolo Daimao Arc (102-132)
Opening 6: 23rd Tenkaichi Budoukai Arc (133-153)
Opening 7: Saiyan Arc (1-35)
Opening 8: Freeza Arc (36-107)
Opening 9: Garlic Jr. Arc (108-117)
Opening 10: Artificial Human Arc (118-125)
Opening 11: Artificial Human Arc (126-199)
Opening 12: Majin Buu Arc (200-291)

Good God, 12 openings? That's totally unneeded and this is Toei who produced the DB/Z anime series, so the quality itself of the animation isn't anything amazing.

Toriyama drew them, though.

[Super Sonic]

I have to ask Piccolofan, would you have wanted pop songs, or songs made for the series? The thing I like about DB is with the songs made for the series when you think of theme of DB/Z/GT you think of the opening. When you think of other shows with multiple openings from pop songs, you don't think of them as the theme. Inuyasha and Detective COnan had multiple openings, but when you think of their themes, you think of particular instrumentals that play during the show, and not the opening.

[Attitudefan]

I never liked We gotta Power, that opening has only sense in the first 15 episodes of the Buu Arc

So much truth to this!!!

[PiccoloFan7289]

I have to ask Piccolofan, would you have wanted pop songs, or songs made for the series? The thing I like about DB is with the songs made for the series when you think of theme of DB/Z/GT you think of the opening. When you think of other shows with multiple openings from pop songs, you don't think of them as the theme. Inuyasha and Detective COnan had multiple openings, but when you think of their themes, you think of particular instrumentals that play during the show, and not the opening.

I would have loved more songs for the series. I have no preference between the pop songs and the songs made for the series. I just get so damn tired of seeing the same 3 damn openings over and over.

[Son Satan]

I just get so damn tired of seeing the same 3 damn openings over and over.

Well, most of the video games have a unique OP and animation, so I suppose you could just look at those for a change of pace. Besides, I've always felt like the themes are there to sort of signal you to know what's about to happen, like every time I hear the beginning instrumental to Cha-La Head Cha-La, I know some Dragon Ball Z is right around the corner. It pumps you up, in a way, which is the whole point.

With series like One Piece, I couldn't just hear an opening and know it's from One Piece (save for a few), and I think it's that recognition which makes DB's themes so great.

[Super Sonic]

Rock the Dragon has that same effect on me to this day Son Satan.

[ShinRogafuken]

I just get so damn tired of seeing the same 3 damn openings over and over.

With series like One Piece, I couldn't just hear an opening and know it's from One Piece (save for a few)

Agreed, with the obvious exception of "We Are". I feel that "We Are" is to One Piece as "Cha La Head Cha La" is to DBZ.

[ThunderPX]

Dragon Ball was made in the time when anime had their own special themes that had something to relate to and not random j-pop songs that changes every year to sell CDs and music collections like what we get nowadays.

Instead, Dragon Ball has a bunch of music collections that barely have anything from the actual show.