How to get someone start with the DB manga instead of Kai?

[sangofe]

So, I have an irl friend who wants to get into Dragon Ball, well, DBZ... He says he's tried DB but that it's too "childish." I didn't really know what to tell him when he said that. True, DB is more "childish" in a way, but in another, no. I mean, Goku is naive and kinda childish. And the action, until the Red Ribbon Army saga, is kinda less brutal than DBZ. So he wants to watch DBZ Kai... (Because Kai's much shorter).

Anyway, I'd like to get him into the manga. But what arguments should I use? And what version of the english manga's the best?

[UltimateHammerBro]

I wouldn't describe DB as "childish" since many of the jokes in the early part seem to be targeted to teenagers/adults more than children, but I understand that it may seem that way if he's accustomed to the idea of "DBZ is non-stop hardcore action and fights".

I don't really know much about the English editions, but I'd suggest giving him the manga anyway.
If he thinks it's childish, insist and tell him that it'll only be that way for the first 5-6 volumes, until he gets to the RR saga.
Once he finishes the Piccolo arc, he can jump to Kai if he wants, but I don't think that starting from the Z part of the story is good.

Long story short: FORCE HIM TO READ THE MANGA!

[ZazamPow]

You should try and explain to him how Dragon Ball is not split into two separate series' as most people think, the Z was only added by Toei for marketing purposes. Jumping straight into the Raditz stuff is tantamount to watching a movie when it's already halfway through. You need to start with DB because that's the beginning, it isn't two separate stories, it's one continuous narrative, the Saiyan arc picks up exactly where Piccolo left off. If you start the story in the middle you won't understand all the characters and what's happening.

[sangofe]

I wouldn't describe DB as "childish" since many of the jokes in the early part seem to be targeted to teenagers/adults more than children, but I understand that it may seem that way if he's accustomed to the idea of "DBZ is non-stop hardcore action and fights".

I don't really know much about the English editions, but I'd suggest giving him the manga anyway.
If he thinks it's childish, insist and tell him that it'll only be that way for the first 5-6 volumes, until he gets to the RR saga.
Once he finishes the Piccolo arc, he can jump to Kai if he wants, but I don't think that starting from the Z part of the story is good.

Long story short: FORCE HIM TO READ THE MANGA!

Lol, he started to watch yesterday, stayed up all night, and is at the Android Saga now xD

[shinmaru]

To get into it, I would let him watch the movies.If he likes it, he will start watching DBZ and DB by himself
that's how I introduced DBZ to starters, and it worked for me. Kai is not good for starters it makes DB less interesting and spoils to much of Z to watch it again.

[Cold Skin]

Some of my friends started with Kai just fine, and THEN wanted to read the manga as a prequel.

But most of them, I got converted just by giving them volume 1 to read. It's so funny that it's basically irresistible and not dragged down by overly kiddish aspects on the contrary of the anime.
Make him read just volume 1 of the Perfect Edition / Kanzenban, and if he resists, just tell him "read the first four chapters and then you can decide if you want to go on or stop here".
ANYONE I've tried this with always wanted to read the rest of volume 1, then the other volumes.

[sintzu]

I think the best way to get someone to read the manga would be to let them see it on screen first.

[Gaffer Tape]

Lol, he started to watch yesterday, stayed up all night, and is at the Android Saga now xD

Off-topic but... holy fuck! How do people even do that?! One of my roommates is the same way. He'll sit on the couch and just watch episodes of the same show continuously for hours. I've been doing my first ever straight through Dragon Ball anime marathon. So far I've watched all 153 episodes of Dragon Ball and its three movies, and the first 150 episodes of Z (149+the first special) and its first seven movies. And I've been doing this since January. Of last year. And that seems like a perfectly reasonable pace to me. I just could not ever "marathon" a show the way people do when they use that term. First off, I just don't have the time. Second, I... I just... I just couldn't. I really can't watch more than two or three episodes in one sitting before I just get bored and want to do something else, be it something constructive like pay bills, exercise, work on videos for my channel, or even just some other form of goofing off like playing a video game (which I'll do for, like, an hour, tops) or watching something else. I just... Just the thought of watching 50 episodes of anything in one sitting gives me a headache.

I don't know. I suppose this is coming off as extremely judgmental. I apologize. It's just something I can't really wrap my head around.

[Attitudefan]

The Dragon Ball half has more brutal and graphic moments where in Z, Ki blasts censor the violence.

Show him Goku getting blasted through his chest or Red getting a bullet in the head and tell him "see, it isn't as childish as you think. You don't see a bullet in the head in Z."

[fadeddreams5]

Dragon Ball is more of an acquired taste for westerners. Getting anyone to read for fun is also surprisingly challenging. =P

If he's never gotten into either, just let him skip to the DBZ segment. Kai is a good start. The important thing is that he just gets into the series one way or another. =D

[Kamiccolo9]

Lol, he started to watch yesterday, stayed up all night, and is at the Android Saga now xD

Off-topic but... holy fuck! How do people even do that?! One of my roommates is the same way. He'll sit on the couch and just watch episodes of the same show continuously for hours. I've been doing my first ever straight through Dragon Ball anime marathon. So far I've watched all 153 episodes of Dragon Ball and its three movies, and the first 150 episodes of Z (149+the first special) and its first seven movies. And I've been doing this since January. Of last year. And that seems like a perfectly reasonable pace to me. I just could not ever "marathon" a show the way people do when they use that term. First off, I just don't have the time. Second, I... I just... I just couldn't. I really can't watch more than two or three episodes in one sitting before I just get bored and want to do something else, be it something constructive like pay bills, exercise, work on videos for my channel, or even just some other form of goofing off like playing a video game (which I'll do for, like, an hour, tops) or watching something else. I just... Just the thought of watching 50 episodes of anything in one sitting gives me a headache.

I don't know. I suppose this is coming off as extremely judgmental. I apologize. It's just something I can't really wrap my head around.

I watched the entirity of Inuyasha in under a month while I graded papers. It can be done while still being productive

[Lord Beerus]

Lol, he started to watch yesterday, stayed up all night, and is at the Android Saga now xD

Off-topic but... holy fuck! How do people even do that?! One of my roommates is the same way. He'll sit on the couch and just watch episodes of the same show continuously for hours. I've been doing my first ever straight through Dragon Ball anime marathon. So far I've watched all 153 episodes of Dragon Ball and its three movies, and the first 150 episodes of Z (149+the first special) and its first seven movies. And I've been doing this since January. Of last year. And that seems like a perfectly reasonable pace to me. I just could not ever "marathon" a show the way people do when they use that term. First off, I just don't have the time. Second, I... I just... I just couldn't. I really can't watch more than two or three episodes in one sitting before I just get bored and want to do something else, be it something constructive like pay bills, exercise, work on videos for my channel, or even just some other form of goofing off like playing a video game (which I'll do for, like, an hour, tops) or watching something else. I just... Just the thought of watching 50 episodes of anything in one sitting gives me a headache.

I don't know. I suppose this is coming off as extremely judgmental. I apologize. It's just something I can't really wrap my head around.

I watched the entirity of Inuyasha in under a month while I graded papers. It can be done while still being productive

Hold on second... you're a teacher, Kamiccolo9? Well, the more you know.

Anyways, if I were to get someone into the manga before Kai, I'd tell them that the manga is more graphic, better paced, has more humour and just more colorful and adventurous that Kai is.

[Kamiccolo9]

Hold on second... you're a teacher, Kamiccolo9? Well, the more you know.

Anyways, If were to get someone into the manga before Kai, I'd tell tell them that the manga is more graphic, better paced, has more humour and just more colorful and adventurous that Kai is.

Lecturer at my university, working on my Doctorate. I teach general education world history, and have one higher level class focused on ancient religions. My focus is Japanese and American history from the opening of Japan to the end of WWII, but sadly I don't have a class solely devoted to that.

So...uh....Dragon Ball. Personally, I prefer Kai to the manga, but since Kai cuts off the first half, you can't really get the full effect by starting with it.

[fadeddreams5]

Hold on second... you're a teacher, Kamiccolo9? Well, the more you know.

Anyways, If were to get someone into the manga before Kai, I'd tell tell them that the manga is more graphic, better paced, has more humour and just more colorful and adventurous that Kai is.

Lecturer at my university, working on my Doctorate. I teach general education world history, and have one higher level class focused on ancient religions. My focus is Japanese and American history from the opening of Japan to the end of WWII, but sadly I don't have a class solely devoted to that.

So...uh....Dragon Ball. Personally, I prefer Kai to the manga, but since Kai cuts off the first half, you can't really get the full effect by starting with it.

Ever make references to games or anime in your class? lol.

[Kamiccolo9]

Hold on second... you're a teacher, Kamiccolo9? Well, the more you know.

Anyways, If were to get someone into the manga before Kai, I'd tell tell them that the manga is more graphic, better paced, has more humour and just more colorful and adventurous that Kai is.

Lecturer at my university, working on my Doctorate. I teach general education world history, and have one higher level class focused on ancient religions. My focus is Japanese and American history from the opening of Japan to the end of WWII, but sadly I don't have a class solely devoted to that.

So...uh....Dragon Ball. Personally, I prefer Kai to the manga, but since Kai cuts off the first half, you can't really get the full effect by starting with it.

Ever make references to games or anime in your class? lol.

I've used Rurouni Kenshin in a powerpoint, along with Yugioh to show Japanese mythological references today (Kagutsuchi, for both. The Bujin and Spirit monsters in Yugioh, and Shishio's ouji in Kenshin.) I have used the oni from Dragon Ball in a quick slideshow, but just as one of a bunch of random examples. Outside of class, I had a conversation with some students about the Susanowo/Orochi legend and the Yugioh Bujin archetype.

[Ryuji-Otogi]

Maybe you should just let him watch Kai. I understand your frustration, but if that person has no desire to watch DB then what can you do. He'd have to read 194 manga chapters, or watch 153 anime episodes just to get to where he can watch Kai, which itself is over 100 episodes. It's not easy to convince someone to invest that much of their free time doing something they're not interested in. Maybe it will be easier to persuade him to give DB a look after he watches Kai and (hopefully) enjoys it.

I saw a thread on this earlier (did you make it?), and no it's really not an appropriate substitute, but maybe you can convince him to give Path to Power a watch. At the very least he will have a taste of the original series and characters, or maybe it sparks his interest in the original series and inspires him to start with DB. The movie's got exciting fights, good emotion, and plenty of pervy jokes that may change his perception of the show. Eh, just my thoughts.

[TheKingOfKamehamehas]

Tell him about Kai: The Final Chapters.....and its flaws
Just kidding, tell him that the Manga is written with a good pace, fantastic artwork that is consistent unlike the anime, and since your French, tell him that the kanzenben is colored making it seem closer to the anime.
Plus everything about the series getting serious after the RRA.

[sangofe]

Some of my friends started with Kai just fine, and THEN wanted to read the manga as a prequel.

But most of them, I got converted just by giving them volume 1 to read. It's so funny that it's basically irresistible and not dragged down by overly kiddish aspects on the contrary of the anime.
Make him read just volume 1 of the Perfect Edition / Kanzenban, and if he resists, just tell him "read the first four chapters and then you can decide if you want to go on or stop here".
ANYONE I've tried this with always wanted to read the rest of volume 1, then the other volumes.

I wish I had that in english. He doesn't read french, even if I do. He's norwegian. (and the norwegian translation of the manga is super bad).

Tell him about Kai: The Final Chapters.....and its flaws
Just kidding, tell him that the Manga is written with a good pace, fantastic artwork that is consistent unlike the anime, and since your French, tell him that the kanzenben is colored making it seem closer to the anime.
Plus everything about the series getting serious after the RRA.

Actually, I'm half french, half norwegian. He's 100% norwegian.

[sangofe]

First off, I just don't have the time. Second, I... I just... I just couldn't. I really can't watch more than two or three episodes in one sitting before I just get bored and want to do something else, be it something constructive like pay bills, exercise, work on videos for my channel, or even just some other form of goofing off like playing a video game (which I'll do for, like, an hour, tops) or watching something else. I just... Just the thought of watching 50 episodes of anything in one sitting gives me a headache.

I don't know. I suppose this is coming off as extremely judgmental. I apologize. It's just something I can't really wrap my head around.

Anyways, if I were to get someone into the manga before Kai, I'd tell them that the manga is more graphic, better paced, has more humour and just more colorful and adventurous that Kai is.[/quote]


I couldn't have done it either. But he's got no problem doing that. And time... Well, he's on holiday from studies now and just broke up with girlfriend after having been together for a decade. So I guess he's just got a lot of time right now.