Do you think Z Kai should have had new artwork and animation

[Dr. Machismo]

Definitely. The biggest turnoff for me (and many people from what I've observed) is that the artwork and animation was mostly unchanged. It felt too much like you're watching the original Z all over again ... and why bother with a show you've already seen? Using artwork and animation like in the show's intro, eycatchers and credits would have been a much better and smarter idea (it's a major tease how there's new animation and artwork everywhere except in the actual show). It probably would have increased ratings in Japan too.

[TheGmGoken]

I'll have DBZ KAI "animation/Artwork"(More like remaster) on the video games with the Kai Audio(Or a redub it doesn't matter) so people can re-watch the best scenes in DBZ kai quality only on video games and t'll make more sense. Well I don't know how it would had help the ratings due to some anime-cartoons having shitty ratings even though the art work is great and the plot is decent. But I see almost all filler being removed. The only filler that would be there would be padding filler. Such as Goku going SSJ for the first time, Some power up scenes(Can't have them super fast like the manga at times), Certain talking scenes, and tiny scenes.

So they can rightfully promote "ALL ACTION! NO FILLER!". Though I would't want the Ultimate Blast animation-art style as they move like robots and they look dead. I would like EOB's animation. Though I prefer the old art-work I'll say it'll make the series look much more like a revamp. Imagine if Hunter x Hunter and HXH 2011 looked the same. However if what I said earlier(DBZ kai remaster being on video games) happen people would complain and said that is what KAI(Going by if it went with new animation art work) should have look like. Though I'll say I have no issue with Kai art-work or animation remaster as it didn't really bother me.

[Vegard Aune]

Yes. In fact I would probably have liked Kai far better if they had just thrown all their material for Z out the window and redone everything from the storyboards up. Well, obviously with the original voice-actors retained, but I feel that by far, Kai's biggest flaw was how restricted it was by what Z did. Z added another character who keeps interacting with canon characters in scenes otherwise identical to the manga? Well then there's no choice but to leave that character in Z. Filler-storylines interspersing themselves with the canon story? Well then obviously we have to keep them in. (Never mind that removing Bulma and Ginyu's filler-stuff seems like it could have been done fairly seamlessly with just the occasional redone shot if you ask me...) And of course, if Z had a moment that was dragged out more than necessary, or an in-theory impressive moment let down by bad storyboarding or animation? Well Kai had no choice but to preserve that either.

Of course that's not to say that Kai was doomed to feel like a chopped-up inferior version of Z that somehow managed to undermine its one clear advantage over Z by half-assing everything that Z got right, but I do think redoing it completely would have made for a much better overall product. Actually, I've been re-reading the manga lately, and as I do, I can't help but imagine how awesome an anime-adaptation that isn't constricted by a shoestring budget and a need to drag out chapters that would reasonably warrant maybe three minutes of content at most, into 10 or 20 minutes of animation, in order to avoid catching up. Oh, and it would also enable them to streamline the story somewhat, and perhaps weed out a few of the manga's minor inconsistencies or insert some additional foreshadowing for future events. (Random example: Having Dr. Gero appearing in the Red Ribbon Army arc. Oh sure, it's not necessary and I never really had a problem with how he was just brought in for the Cell-arc and we're just told that he was always there, but still, giving him a few cameos or mentions during that section of the story couldn't hurt, right?)

[KentalSSJ6]

I personally would have loved it, as long as its the animation we got in the Budokai 2 and 3 openings. Seeing as a lot of people are comparing the original tv animation to the stuff were seeing in the UT cutscenes, Episode of Bardock, and Battle of Gods, id say the Budokai 2-3 animation strikes a happy medium for me personally.

I would think the Budokai opening animation would be cheaper to do than say, a whole series with Battle of Gods level of animation and it still looks very impressive even by today's animation standards.

[TheGmGoken]

I would think the Budokai opening animation would be cheaper to do than say, a whole series with Battle of Gods level of animation and it still looks very impressive even by today's animation standards.

I forgot about the intro for the games. I think Budokai 2 intro animation would had fit best. Budokai 3 would have been a good for special episodes. I would love a Budokai 1 style animation(Yes I'm fucking serious) just to see how people will say the story is shitty by basing off of animation and the fact it's different.

[KentalSSJ6]

Budokai 2 didnt have this.



So utterly pointless but so amazingly awesome to watch. I personally wouldn't mind if they used the animation from 2 or 3 but if they did I'm sure they would make a lot of fans happy.

[TheGmGoken]

Budokai 2 didnt have this.



So utterly pointless but so amazingly awesome to watch. I personally wouldn't mind if they used the animation from 2 or 3 but if they did I'm sure they would make a lot of fans happy.

The sad thing is. Once again in a video game. Is that they SKIPPED THE FUCKING SSJ@ form -_-. I know it look similar to SSJ2 but fucking sakes be respectful to the got damn form and show the sparks. Anyways yes that was very cool and the animation was kick ass. But Budokai 2 animation was cooler IMO. Both would work. IMO I think special episodes should have a different animation. It gives the episode that special feeling. But hey lets be happy that they didn't use YSGAFR art-animation for Kai, EOB, or BoG.

[kei17]

They didn't do that because they tried to make money from something cheaper than producing a whole new show. Also, ratings don't mean much when it comes to children's show. Merchandising sales are what matter there. What they wanted to do was re-introduce Dragon Ball to children with a cheap rehashed show to increase the merchandising sales, which is clever, but what they actually gained were only high TV ratings boosted by adults' nostalgia, so it failed and ended. I guess whole new animations wouldn't have make a much difference to the result, and their costs might have rather wiped out the sales.

[KentalSSJ6]

While true, we must also remember we are getting a Kai Buu saga solely because of international success. I dont recall DBZ toys coming out here when Kai aired on Nick and yet we are still getting a Buu saga simply because we watched the hell out of Kai. I know Japan cares about domestic market first as any country should, but I also think they severely underestimate the potential of overseas profitability.

In your opinion, if DBZ Kai came out with animation from Budokai 2 or 3's opening, do you think it would have sold better in Japan? I personally think it more or less flopped simply because it was a remaster of the original footage and not the footage were talking about.

[JulieYBM]

They didn't do that because they tried to make money from something cheaper than producing a whole new show. Also, ratings don't mean much when it comes to children's show. Merchandising sales are what matter there. What they wanted to do was re-introduce Dragon Ball to children with a cheap rehashed show to increase the merchandising sales, which is clever, but what they actually gained were only high TV ratings boosted by adults' nostalgia, so it failed and ended. I guess whole new animations wouldn't have make a much difference to the result, and their costs might have rather wiped out the sales.

I have to wonder what would have happened if they tried appealing to the Saku-Ota. After all, if the series was told with all new animation Toei could have easily told their story in a shorter episode count, thus allowing for a smaller period of time that their best animators would have been missing from other titles. I think that would have helped make the merchandise feel more valuable.

[Hellspawn28]

They didn't do that because they tried to make money from something cheaper than producing a whole new show. Also, ratings don't mean much when it comes to children's show. Merchandising sales are what matter there.

That's true since the recent Sentai shows in the past few years like Kyoryuger and Go-Busters have poor ratings, but they had strong toy sales. I think new animation for Kai would have been great and would have more people watch it then rehashing older animation. I don't think many people bought the toys for Kai since Kai was didn't offer anything new. If they made a totally new show instead making Kai then it would have done better in my opinion.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Definitely. The biggest turnoff for me (and many people from what I've observed) is that the artwork and animation was mostly unchanged. It felt too much like you're watching the original Z all over again ... and why bother with a show you've already seen? Using artwork and animation like in the show's intro, eycatchers and credits would have been a much better and smarter idea (it's a major tease how there's new animation and artwork everywhere except in the actual show). It probably would have increased ratings in Japan too.

Only overly expectant hardcore fans have this problem. There was no way there were going to remake as series as long as DBZ, even without filler, when they could just edit existing material to make it different enough to be marketable.

[B]

Only overly expectant hardcore fans have this problem. There was no way there were going to remake as series as long as DBZ, even without filler,

I don't think it's impossible; Give it another decade.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Only overly expectant hardcore fans have this problem. There was no way there were going to remake as series as long as DBZ, even without filler,

I don't think it's impossible; Give it another decade.

I hope you're right. They can't make a Kai 2, re-re-cut and re-re-edited, now can they?

[JulieYBM]

Toei could have easily done a new take on the Dragon Ball Z arcs in a short episode order. They simply chose not to put forth the resources.

[Dr. Machismo]

Didn't Z Kai decline with ratings over time in Japan?

[JulieYBM]

Didn't Z Kai decline with ratings over time in Japan?

Not really. The problem is nobody bought the merchandise.

[KentalSSJ6]

Which is funny considering we didnt get any DBZ toys out here when Kai aired on Nick yet were getting Buu saga for the sole reason Kai got watched to hell over here. I think its also due to the animation just being a revamp instead of all new. Also, Dragonball has kinda already had its run in Japan. Its more One Piece and Naruto that have become the next kings of anime, though for me DBZ is still the first.

[TheMightyOzaru]

Umm who the heck doesn't think this series should have been reanimated? Honestly, it's one of my major gripes with Kai as a whole. The animation is the original stuff cut to shreds. Seriously, go watch the fight with Cell and Goku. It's super Saiyan choppy.

[TheGmGoken]

Umm who the heck doesn't think this series should have been reanimated? Honestly, it's one of my major gripes with Kai as a whole. The animation is the original stuff cut to shreds. Seriously, go watch the fight with Cell and Goku. It's super Saiyan choppy.

How about Toei trying to hide the fact that they killed 8 Cell Jr(s) not 7. When they had Gohan kick a Cell Jr in the original he blew up in Kai..it was SUCH a poor cut. I found it funny in a way of Toei should be embarrassed