Who gets sick of the DBZ hating by anime fans?

[Grandmaster J]

However, it bothers the shit out of me when someone makes fun of Dragon Ball Z, Naruto's dub, or any of the other shows I like, and then they say how much they love [character] from "Code Lyoko." Stupid f-ing ten year olds, who think they're elistists or something. I just--! Must smack the crap out of those kids!

I just laugh at youngsters like that. And a majority of the time, all they know is the English dubbed Dragon Ball Z by FUNimation, which means that they don't know shit. I've ran into a couple of them in Suncoast myself.

[Remix]

Does Dragonball Z have phenomenal depth? No.

Is it a massive and fun story? Hell yes.

But, if one were to flesh out all of the characters, sub-plots and backstories, it would be out of this world. It would have absolutely everything. You know, the tribute drawings by the other manga artists got me thinking. Perhaps we should all get together and do the fleshing out of DBZ ourselves, for fun. Write our own deep or different versions of Dragonball Z.

[Kaboom]

Does Dragonball Z have phenomenal depth? No.

Is it a massive and fun story? Hell yes.

But, if one were to flesh out all of the characters, sub-plots and backstories, it would be out of this world. It would have absolutely everything. You know, the tribute drawings by the other manga artists got me thinking. Perhaps we should all get together and do the fleshing out of DBZ ourselves, for fun. Write our own deep or different versions of Dragonball Z.

Well, I'm working on re-writing GT, as a fanfiction. Does that count? I see it as a sick, injured little animal that needs nursing back to health.

[Kristiann]

I think one can say DBZ has depth. Of course, if you compare it with series such as, say, Serial Experiments Lain or Utena, it's as shallow as a puddle. @_@; But it's not your normal, everyday, slice of life anime either. For example, the Cell saga contains post-apocalyptic worlds and time traveling - it's not just limited to the powering ups, martial arts, and fighting (although there is a big chunk of that...and that's what most people remember.) But it's not like some random enemy just popped up to fight - there's a backstory behind it, such as Goku defeating the Red Ribbon Army before, so Dr. Gero plotted revenge, yadda yadda...

I think the characters themselves have major depth in them, but most people are quick to label. Goku is one of the most unpredictable anime/manga heroes for me, but he's often labeled just an idiot. Which makes me sad, because people forget his other qualities such as being a fighting genius (which is more evident in his fights during his youth.)

But in the end, I don't care...if some people don't like Dragon Ball, then they're the ones missing a lot, I say.

[Jodaku]

^

Yeah, I wouldn't go with the whole 'DB hasn't got much depth' thing either, it alomst sounds too self-deprecating to the series when I hear fans say that. No one is calling it the deepest or most complex, but it's certainly got depth in there, some of whcih you stated.

Characters like Gohan and Vegeta stand up well to other characters from other series with more developed plots and stroylines. Sure the situations other characters are put into are more complex, but when you get into the characters thoughts, motives, backgrounds etc. Gohan and Vegeta more than hold their own.

Also what I love about DB (manga-wise especially) is that Toriyama always gives you room make up your own mind on things, allows you to use your own imagination on things what might have happened on those year(s)-gaps intervals in the story. And characters as well, they can be as straight forward as you want, but Toriyama also gives you enough to let you know there might more to the chracter without force feeding it down out throats.

[Gokuden553]

It got even worse when I was at college, most people thier always said when I watched DBZ on Toonami "What's that babyish Pokemon cartoon your watching?" I HATE when people compare it with pokemon in terms of it being childish

[Remix]

Does Dragonball Z have phenomenal depth? No.
You know, the tribute drawings by the other manga artists got me thinking. Perhaps we should all get together and do the fleshing out of DBZ ourselves, for fun. Write our own deep or different versions of Dragonball Z.

Regardless, I still think this idea would rule. It would be a major event in the DBZ community. First in a looooong while.

[Anonymous Friend]

I think the issue of depth in Dragonball Z comes from the fact that Db Z is a continuation of Dragonball and most of the main characters have been establish back then.

[GI_Judd2287]

I wouldn't say Dragon Ball has much depth to it. But it does have lots of character development. We see Goku go from a 12 year old to a grandfather! All the characters have very dinstinctive personalities. Many times in the series, enemies become friends. While DB isn't the deepest thing out there, it has better and more developed characters than a 26 episode series like Neon Genesis Evangelion or Cowboy Bebop (I'm not dissing them, I'm just saying those series are awfully short).