Single Episode to Show to Non-Fan?

the_abberration · Post by **the_abberration** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 5:07 pm

I have a friend who has never watched Dragonball /Z/GT.
In trying to convince him that it is a good show, I came up with the topic of this post.

If you had to choose one episode from the Dragonball series to convince someone to watch it, which one would you choose?

Or what episode from the series hooked you on Dragonball?

ChaotixXero · Post by **ChaotixXero** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 5:21 pm

I'd say show him from Dragonball, let him know and start lovin' the characters all from the start.

Conan the SSJ · Post by **Conan the SSJ** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 5:37 pm

Well, I'd say this depends. Do you wanna start him off as watching the Japanese version, or the dub? If the dub, then I'd say start the guy out straight from the Saiyan saga, believe it or not, I'm actually gonna say start him out with the Ocean dub of the Saiyan/Namek sagas if you have them on tape. Though the dialogue and accuracy isn't as impressive as the Ultimate Uncut versions, the VAs are still quite superior to the FUNi VAs (IMO) and the cutting of a lot of filler and whittling does admittingly move the episodes along at a nice rate. This is the dub that basically got 40 or 60% of us here at the boards hooked, give or take. Basically just show him the Uncut version of the Ginyu through Cell Games sagas after that.

Then, begin showing him episodes of original DragonBall if he's interested in learning about Goku's Earth past that's often flashbacked in the DBZ series. If not and he wants to continue on to the future, then start him up on the Great Saiyaman saga and move across through the Buu arc. Afterwards, go right ahead for GT, and he may in fact enjoy it. When all is said and done, and you guys still haven't seen any of original DB, then just introduce it to him like a Superman fan would be getting the Smallville TV series; an entire series devoted to Son Goku's Earth origins, right up to the literal point when he marries Chichi and settles down for a family life.

Now, if it's just one episode you wanna sample him on and for watching the Japanese version, then my suggestion is either the driving school episode, or an early Buu arc episode. It's your call, I've only given as best advice as I could. Good luck on bringing your friend to our crazy fandom.

The Mole · Post by **The Mole** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 6:34 pm

I think you ought to start him on one of the movies, DBZ Movie 2 in fact. Because When I saw movies one and three, I wasn't really impressed, but movie two got me hooked. After I watched movie two, I went on to watch the rest of the DragonBall everything.

El_Diablo · Post by **El_Diablo** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 7:12 pm

Try showing him some of the manga beforehand. If he likes the art and story and whatnot, move on from there.

Chaos Saiyajin · Post by **Chaos Saiyajin** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 7:19 pm

Goku's death at the beginning og the Saiyajin saga got me hooked...

Xyex · Post by **Xyex** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 7:33 pm

One of the Budokai episodes could work. one of the Goku Vs. Jackie Chun ones, if you want to use DB to hook him. I'd say, however, your best option would be to show him a movie. Namely, Path to Power. That should hook him pretty good, I think, if you have it.

Sun_Wukong · Post by **Sun_Wukong** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 8:36 pm

Show them a movie. Narrowing it down to one episode would be way too hard. Id say movie 1, arguably one of the best.

Demi · Post by **Demi** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 8:56 pm

Show him the Videl VS Spopavitch episode.

tarsonis · Post by **tarsonis** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 9:09 pm

Episode 1 is a good place to start.

But seriously, if you think they need a little action to get pulled into the series, the episodes around when Vegeta and Nappa land on Earth would be good.

Eclipse · Post by **Eclipse** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 10:52 pm

Nah. Either the Ocean dub, or just get him to play and beat DBZ: Budokai (the original). I found that helped me a lot. Budokai, I mean.

masenko · Post by **masenko** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 11:12 pm

Goku's defeat of Piccolo Daimao. Probably the most exciting and visually stunning part of Dragonball.

TheMajinRedComet · Post by **TheMajinRedComet** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 11:31 pm

Either movies 9 or 12 or the episode where Gohan goes SSJ2(lots of fighting for everyone)

Adnan · Post by **Adnan** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 12:14 am

Pick anyone of these (preferably all of them and the original jp version of course)

DBZ episodes (in chronological order): 4, 28, 30, 31, 34, 64, 67, 69, 70 , 83, 90, 91, 94, 95, 98, 103, 120, 121, 127, 183, 184, 185, 187, 188, 230, 279, 280

Basically these happen to be my favorite episodes (in terms of replay value) and are guaranteed to please anyone, even non-fans.

However, keep in mind that perception of this show is determined a lot by familiarity. The more you know about the characters, the history, the context, the more you're able to fully appreciate it. That's why your hairs stand up when Trunks turns SSJ (ep. 120) while your non-fan goes "that was cool, but what does it mean?".

So just show him enough to arouse his curiousity and interest and then let that person discover the series the way it was meant to be seen: from beginning till end and watch those characters and the story develop. This way he'll be able to appreciate the show to the fullest instead of just watching it in a superficial manner.

Great Saiyaman · Post by **Great Saiyaman** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 12:17 am

I would probably show them an episode in the middle of the Goku & Majin Vegeta fight, that gives DB at it's best action stand point. I would first though, explain to them about the rivalry real quick.

laserkid · Post by **laserkid** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 12:33 am

It all depends on your friend. Is he more dramatically inclined? If so I'd give high preffrence to the episode in which Gohan first becomes super saiyan 2, Unmei no Hi and all. Is he someone who really doesn't preffer to listen to things in Japanese? If so, I'd reccomend starting him off with Dragon Ball Z episode 1, as previously mentioned, the first dub of it, simply to get the basic concepts in there. Is this someone whose a continuity freak kind of person? Then go way back to dragon ball episode 1 (and try to avoid known filler episodes as you go

). Or is this friend of yours more into action. If THATS the case, I'd honestly reccomend showing him an episode out of the 22nd Tenka'ichi Budokai, there are some pretty good fights in there.

Now keep in mind these are just lures to test it out. If you DO end up reeling him in, no matter where you did it with, I reccomend further viewing form the very beggining of Dragon Ball onwards.

lost in thought · Post by **lost in thought** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 12:40 am

I would say the best place to start is the beginning. Although it might be a rocky road.

Not just episode 1, though, since it might be too obsure to reach this person. I would start from the Piccolo Daimao arc, and let him work his way to the end. I am confident (having seen DragonBall now, from start to finish more times than I can count) that this would get your friend right there, especially with Muten Roshi's remarks over the groups many accomplishments.

I could see that as an excellent way to get someone "into" it, as well as make them want to find out more about it, and segway right on into the later series.

Now for those of you who suggest the Cell arc, I think this would be a good, and roughly emotional place to start as well, but not quite as good as the previously mentioned arc, for a few reasons: First, because of how far along it is in the series, this part of the series is more of those bonuses for sticking it out long enough to see it. As well, bouncing right into that arc without any of the building blocks that lead up to it, may leave the viewer confused over said events, as well as the possibility of not quite feeling the emotion of the scene as one would if he or she had been acquainted with the characters and story up till that point.

Now to justify my pick, I think that suffice to say it would be the same way with DragonBall, the series is significantly shorter than its "Z"'d counterpart, so becoming acquainted with the characters would, and is significantly more easy than what one would do with the latter half. Now I also will go on to say that it might be best to get him into the first series' first, as well, because it is generally more difficult to "get into" after spending the majority of your time watching Z; so sometimes moving to the beginning is more difficult than moving to the end.

Anyway, do what you can but don't force it. Fans cannot be created, only nurtured. They must walk along the path of discovery alone, on their own two feet, to see what they will find.

Bejiita · Post by **Bejiita** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 12:57 am

The best thing to do would be to show DBZ episode one.

Reason being, people think DBZ is a show with all charcters that look the same and have names like Gokan(a combination of the two names they may have heard with people usually come out with).

There's no confusion in episode 1, it's pretty basic, and if they want to see what happens next take it from there...

Dubbed or in Japanese with subs, either way...

Socar15 · Post by **Socar15** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 2:23 am

Bejiita wrote:The best thing to do would be to show DBZ episode one.

Reason being, people think DBZ is a show with all charcters that look the same and have names like Gokan(a combination of the two names they may have heard with people usually come out with).

I can definitely agree with this. Reason being is that before I ever actually became interested in DBZ or saw the dub (which was my actual introduction), I had seen a subbed version of a few of the Trunks arc episodes. I was confused as hell. The characters really did look the same to me and I honestly had no idea what was going on. So yeah, at the beginning would definitely be a wise move.

gohanku · Post by **gohanku** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 4:40 am

The best thing to do would be to show DBZ episode one.

Totally agreeable, when Kids Central showed DBZ episode one, I was interested with DBZ, as the show advance (ether Kids Central can't afford some episodes or I missed them

), I was reeled into to the show and then the show ended with Goku trapped on Planet Namek. Well after a long time, Kids Central showed DBZ and when beyond Freeza saga to Imperfect Cell saga, ending around episode 133.