Dragonball's intended length

Discussion, generally of an in-universe nature, regarding any aspect of the franchise (including movies, spin-offs, etc.) such as: techniques, character relationships, internal back-history, its universe, and more.
Saiyan
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Post by Saiyan » Thu Oct 26, 2006 9:35 pm

DBW wrote:
This interview is from a limited item called the "Shen Long Times" which came with the Daizenshuu (kind of like the Dragon Ball Children interviews from the Kanzenban). I've never seen these interviews in person, but Greg Werner had a bunch translated on his old site. Unfortunately, these interviews don't seem to be online anymore.
I actually have the Shenlong Times that come with the Daizenshuu. I have most, if not all of them. If anyone wants, I can provide scans of them. Then maybe someone can translate it for accuracy or something.

I dunno.

Anyway, I've always felt that the series should have ended around the Freeza arc. Like everyone else mentioned, I feel it would have brought some real closure to the series, rather than the lackluster ending of Goku flying away with Uub (the original ending). But, if the story ended with Freeza, we wouldn't have the Cell arc, which is my favorite, and all of the good movies that come later on in the series.

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Post by Rocketman » Thu Oct 26, 2006 10:15 pm

Steven Perry wrote:If it did stop there, the ending would've been so good if we saw Goku disintegrating (Bardock style) during Planet Namek's destruction- with Bardock's spirit saying, 'You did it, my son'. Then as Goku fades away into nothing, he'd say, 'Piccolo, look after Gohan for me...' with a smile on his face. THEN, you'd do a Dragonball GT-style ending, with flashbacks of Goku's childhood.

The ending scene would then finish, with Chi-Chi looking up at he stars with watery eyes (10 years after Goku's death).

If the series was that long, we'd have better animation and writing- just like DBW said. :D
I would have bawled like a baby.

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Post by DBW » Fri Oct 27, 2006 1:10 am

DaemonCorps wrote:And I guess the whole thing with Freeza being able to breath in the vacuum of space would have either been a bluff on Freeza's behalf, or removed completely if the series were to end there.
Freeza would have been killed by Goku's final ki blast (after Freeza throws the disk at him). The stuff with Freeza's mangled body surviving in space is the biggest cop-out ever. Not because of the breathing in space thing, but just the idea that he survived Goku's final blow, plus the explosion of the planet. I mean, after the battle of the millenium, Freeza just shows up a year or so later in robot form...lame.
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Post by Kendamu » Fri Oct 27, 2006 4:00 am

I can see how cool it would've been to have it end at Frieza. However, despite Goku being my favorite character I would've hated for the series to end without giving Gohan enough spotlight for him to realize his potential and kick some villain ass! Of course, the Cell arc did this for me and that's why I find it to be a more appropriate ending.

Of course, in the end we got what we got and in manga form I enjoy the entire series. In anime form it feels more like Drag-On Ball Z once it was deicded that Frieza vs. Goku would not be the end of the series. In manga form it has a very good pace and though some aspects of it are cheap marketing crap it was good cheap marketing crap that I enjoyed.

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Post by Rocketman » Fri Oct 27, 2006 9:59 am

Kendamu wrote:However, despite Goku being my favorite character I would've hated for the series to end without giving Gohan enough spotlight for him to realize his potential and kick some villain ass!
To hell with Gohan! Let him get his own series. Like Neon Genesis Evangelion, that'd fit him better.

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Post by Kendamu » Fri Oct 27, 2006 10:35 am

Then where would Shinji go?

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Post by Rocketman » Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:01 am

Kendamu wrote:Then where would Shinji go?
Out back behind the tool shed. I'll be out shortly with my shotgun.

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Post by Majin Buu » Fri Oct 27, 2006 12:35 pm

Saiyan wrote:
DBW wrote:But, if the story ended with Freeza, we wouldn't have the Cell arc, which is my favorite, and all of the good movies that come later on in the series.
Plus we wouldn't have the Majin Buu arc, which is my favorite.

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Post by Mr.Piccolo » Fri Oct 27, 2006 2:02 pm

The Buu Arc wasn't very complex, imo. The Cell Arc had some good elements in it, but the Buu Arc seemed like it was just a formula. New transformations, fuse some characters, and have rivals fight again. Just looking at Gohan's fate in that saga shows how that saga was thrown together.
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Post by Pedro The Hutt » Fri Oct 27, 2006 2:33 pm

I was always under the impression that the best Dragonball ending would've been after the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai. Goku finally winning it after so many trials and attempts would've been, if you ask me the perfect way to conclude the series, especially since in my opinion the Budokai arcs were the high points in the series.

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Post by Olivier Hague » Fri Oct 27, 2006 7:29 pm

DBW wrote:here's the quote...
Thank you.

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Post by Kendamu » Fri Oct 27, 2006 8:17 pm

Pedro The Hutt wrote:I was always under the impression that the best Dragonball ending would've been after the 23rd Tenkaichi Budokai. Goku finally winning it after so many trials and attempts would've been, if you ask me the perfect way to conclude the series, especially since in my opinion the Budokai arcs were the high points in the series.
That would've been a great ending but we know that Toriyama didn't intend to end it there.

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Post by Eclipse » Sat Oct 28, 2006 6:22 pm

I've never really understood how Goku could have survived the explosion of Namek when I read the manga (Considering he was screaming for about a panel or two while the planet's exploding). Now that I know that Toriyama was planning to end it there, I see it now.

I honestly agree with DBW that the Freeza Arc would have been a great place to end it off, but then all the characters would be somewhat left incomplete. What about Gohan and his increasing strength? Piccolo? Vegeta?

Plus, would the anime be as popular as it is now if it ended at the Freeza arc?

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Post by Rocketman » Sat Oct 28, 2006 6:34 pm

Eclipse wrote:What about Gohan and his increasing strength?
He'd go back to being a schoolkid like his mom wanted.
Piccolo?
Protector of the Earth.
Vegeta?
Dead.

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Post by Mr.Piccolo » Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:18 pm

Rocketman wrote:
Vegeta?
Dead.
How do you figure? Vegeta would be alive regardless, right?
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Post by Rocketman » Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:30 pm

Mr.Piccolo wrote:How do you figure? Vegeta would be alive regardless, right?
No, Freeza killed him. I doubt he would've been revived if the series was actually ending then.

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Post by Mr.Piccolo » Sat Oct 28, 2006 7:35 pm

Rocketman wrote:
Mr.Piccolo wrote:How do you figure? Vegeta would be alive regardless, right?
No, Freeza killed him. I doubt he would've been revived if the series was actually ending then.
Yeah but I'm sure the wish made with Shenron would still revive Vegeta. Even though it would be a bitter ending,imo...
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Post by Rocketman » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:14 pm

Mr.Piccolo wrote:Yeah but I'm sure the wish made with Shenron would still revive Vegeta. Even though it would be a bitter ending,imo...
With Goku and Freeza dead, Vegeta would be the strongest in the universe. It'd be a bad idea to bring him to Earth.

He'd probably have been written out with "except the really bad people" or something.

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Post by DaemonCorps » Sun Oct 29, 2006 10:52 am

Um, let me just casually interrupt and say that no one can really tell what would have happened if Toriyama decided to end the series at X-point. Sure, we can make some relatively good guesses... but they're still gonna be that-- guesses. :D

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Post by Xyex » Sun Oct 29, 2006 1:35 pm

Mr.Piccolo wrote:
Rocketman wrote:
Mr.Piccolo wrote:How do you figure? Vegeta would be alive regardless, right?
No, Freeza killed him. I doubt he would've been revived if the series was actually ending then.
Yeah but I'm sure the wish made with Shenron would still revive Vegeta. Even though it would be a bitter ending,imo...
No, see, that's the thing. Vegeta would be dead. So would Tien, Chaotzu, Yamcha, and Piccolo. Possibly Krillin as well. Not to mention Goku. That wish you speak of, the one Shenlong granted, ya, it wouldn't have happened. It's sole purpose was to restore the cast so the series could continue.
Um, let me just casually interrupt and say that no one can really tell what would have happened if Toriyama decided to end the series at X-point. Sure, we can make some relatively good guesses... but they're still gonna be that-- guesses.
Yes, we know. That's the point. :wink:
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