How to raise our kids on the DB anime.

[Chaos Saiyajin]

Oi, if my kids want to read/watch the glory of Dragon Ball...

I would start them out with the manga up until the point that the cover pages in the back say that the anime started in Japan. At that point, I'd probably just go about letting them watching the anime and reading the manga, provided FUNi produces some Dragon Boxes so I can own the whole darn series for them to watch. >_>

[Akira]

I'd show Trunks Special AFTER the Trunks Episodes before the Android Episodes. If you show the special first, it is too confusing and ruins the suprise factor of the "Mysterious Youth" that turns out to be a Super Saiyan from the future. Then you show that future right after his appearance to gain greater understanding of him.

Other than that, I agree with where you intend to show Movies 1,5, 9 and 13 along with the series.

Now, as far as me showing it to any kids I may have someday, I guess I never thought about an approach. I somewhat figured I'd have the whole series on DVD on display in a bookcase somewhere. If they asked about it, I'd just say, "Oh that? That's a cartoon for older kids to watch. When you turn 12 you can start watching it with me sometime if you want to."

Then just say nothing else about it. If they come back again a few times and ask to watch it, then I'd go ahead with it and start showing them some of it. As long as they are coming to me and asking to see it, and they watch it with me so I can answer questions or fast forward past parts they shouldn't see at a young age, then I'd be cool with it.

I doubt I'd ever make it a forced thing though, just when asked about it. That would be the best approach.

[The Chibi Kiriyama]

If I had a kid, I would expose him or her to the knowledge that I own a rather lengthy DBZ collection and leave it at that. If my child likes the notion, I'd further it with an explanation about the basics and basically let them take free rein from there. DBZ as a whole was an amazing experience for me and I wouldn't want to stifle my child with overbearning pushes for him or her to enjoy it. If he or she want to listen to the dub, that would be fine; if he or she wants to listen to the Japanese original, fine by me. If he or she decides the manga is the place to be, that's good for me. And if there is no interest in DBZ then that's just how it is. I wouldn't put an age limitation or restriction on the wild thing called life, and I wouldn't imagine enforcing that on my child's interest. So, my approach: slow and easy, ready to expose my fanboyism at a moment's notice.

[LegendarySSJ7]

If I had kids, which I doubt I'd ever do, I'd probably start them off with the Manga. I'm even skeptical whether their interest would be piqued or not.... but if it is? Great. If it isn't? Oh well. After they finish the Manga, I'd offer them the chance to watch the Dragonball Japanese Anime with subtitles.... after that... even the Dub... in all likelihood, the OCEAN dub... then FUNimation, if they will. Then Dragonball Z (in all the aforementioned fashions). Then the movies. But.... considering how pretentious and on the level of lament GT is... I wouldn't even bother making mention of such.

Whatever floats their boat...

[Eclipse]

I'd show them (when they're around 8 or 9, that's how old I was when I saw DBZ on TV ) first the dub, pretending it's a show on TV. I'd just show it to them in chronoligically released order. After the Cell arc, I'd stop at that point, show them a few of the movies, then allow them to start watching Dragon Ball. After they finish that, we can finish up the Buu arc, then watch the movies, and then we're done. I know some people might be thinking "Hey, that's confusing'. Not really. (As far as I'm concerned, I'm not touching GT)

[Panda]

Erm... this is an odd topic.

I wouldn't show my children anything Dragonball. I wouldn't show them anything anime. Part of it has to do with the way I was brought up and part of it has to do with the way I refuse to bring my children up.

Granted, if they found they were interested in it (not obsessed, mind you, children can be obsessed with one thing. Poke'mon anyone?) I wouldn't mind supporting the interest but I would do nothing more than that. Now if my child requested I become interested also I would more than likely only briefly watch an episode or two with them and then quietly exit the scene to humor them.

Regardless of Dragonball being Japanese, exposing children to other cultures can be very biased if you make it so. I figure, if 'm going to show my child somehting fro Japan, why not show them something from Germany or India as well? But since that would be very difficult and there is a possibility of the results not being what was expected, I say let the children do as they please.


(Just for effect, I got into anime at age nine. I began subtitles at age ten with Otaku No Video. Children are not stupid. They are not objects. They are not programmable machines. They are very easy to influence however. That is my train of thought on children.)