What was your first exposure to DB?

[jamiljamtheman]

I'm just wondering how everyone first witnessed and then got into the DB universe; I'm sure there are some interesting stories.

Besides snippits of fights and video games, my first time watching anything DB completely was a couple years ago, I watched the second Broly movie with my friend. Though I was like 'did I just watch a 45min fight scene called a movie?', it interested me enough to watch more.

However, intimidated by the length and the long fights in Z (and ignoring DB for whatever reason), I went and watched GT. That's when I really got into this universe, I really enjoyed that show and still do and I love DB universe as a result
With that said, I am slow with shows so I haven't watched even half of Z or DB, but i like them and know about the characters/events from spoilers (which I'm ok with).

So what's your story?


(sorry if there's an old topic similar to this, I'm new here)

[Kakacarrottop]

I'm pretty sure i first saw the show in 2000 (as a 3 year old toddler) on an Australian program called Cheeze TV. I remember watching the Saiyan/Namek Sagas (Saban dubbed) and Freeza Saga (FUNi dubbed) early in the morning on it. The first episode i can remember watching is "Vegeta... Saiyan Style!" (the episode where Oozaru Vegeta beats up Goku). I think i still have some VHS recordings of those airings.

[fadeddreams5]

Toonami 1998. I was a Sailor Moon fan. Used to watch it with my sister. One day, they decided to move Sailor Moon for a later time. I was disappointed, but in it's place, there it was: DBZ. Slowly, but surely, it became all I thought about as a child.

[Shiyonasan]

In terms of actually seeing the show, I'm pretty sure it was Toonami in 1996 back when Moltar used to host that block. Otherwise, if we want to include word of mouth, I did hear kids talk about it on the elementary school playground back in the late '90s before I started actively watching the show in September 1999 and subsequently became a fan.

[Vidmusc]

Gah either 2002 or 2003. I remember it was the Buu Saga, and I was instantly hooked. I remember when Toonami got around to finishing up Dragon Ball I was incredibly confused as to why Goku was a kid, why Vegeta wasn't there, and why Piccolo wasn't a bad guy. Why I couldn't figure out why that was, I have no clue, but I've been hooked ever since then.

[Lord Beerus]

Old unmarked VHS videos of a bootlegged version of the show back in 94. I officially saw the series for the first time in 2000 on Toonami, and remained a fan ever since.

[TripleRach]

I first saw it back when the Saiyan arc was syndicated on US TV, in either late 1996 or early 1997. In particular I remember seeing the episode where Yamcha died. I didn't dislike the show, but I found it weird and confusing, especially with such a large cast active at that point in the story. (The heroes and villains on the battlefield, the gang at Kame House, Gokuu in the afterlife...)

I didn't actually become a fan until a few years later, during Freeza arc reruns on Cartoon Network in spring or summer of 2000. I think it was the episode where Porunga is first summoned that sucked me in.

In terms of actually seeing the show, I'm pretty sure it was Toonami in 1996 back when Moltar used to host that block.

Toonami didn't exist until 1997, and DBZ didn't air on the block until late 1998.

[Dayspring]

The Saban-era dub of the Pilaf arc which I believe was in 1995. This was before people realized "anime" was a genre of cartoons. I then got back into it once the Saiyan arc aired on TV a year later. Due to North American licensing issues outside the US, there was a big mess in getting more than just the first two season in Canada for several years. After I spotted the books in French (my other native language), I switched from anime to manga. Because of filler, I never went back to enjoying the anime outside of the the movies and TV specials. I still haven't seen much of the DB and Z portions of the anime and am only now trudging through GT (and good GOD, I can't get over how popular GT was in North America given how the first 33 episodes can be skipped over).

[Hellspawn28]

In 1997 when I saw the first three or four episodes of the Pilaf saga dubbed produced by Funimation with the Ocean voice cast. I knew about anime and I was already into Japanese stuff thanks to my love for Godzilla. At the time I didn't like Dragon Ball because I found it to be weird for me at the time. It was not until around late 2000 or early 2001 when I became a fan.

[dalome]

I discovered db With the cards.
It was even before pokemon was out. I was less than 10. (I am 22)
I collected them without understanding the context of the pictures.
I still have a lot, but except 3 rares, I have nothing special. (I had one or two more but I lost them).

I am french from geneva, but I have italian origins.
While I was in holidays in sicilia, in my family.
I discovered The anime db in italian. It was a few years after the cards, pokemon was already out.
It was the end of the Goku oozaru vs Jackie choun fight and i discovered It on a tv in a shop while buying ice cream.
I fell in love and started watching again on tv the next days.
I played final bout with my cousin, without understanding the characters.
I got three cards who change when you move It,
And finaly I bought the vhs With the movie on thales. In Italian too.
It was the first dbz I ever watched and I still have It.

Then I came back home.
I discovered The anime on tv, dbz and dbgt in french.
I watched db again in another italian holydays.
I bought the manga, but not In the order, I am ashamed.

Then, I got my AF hard period.
I kept searching info, and put dbaf on google pictures.
I thought It would become real.
It was a good time.
I discovered fan made stuffs.

Then, later I disvovered others manga by starting with naruto.
I discovered scantrad and streaming.
And recently, I discovered amv, fan mangas, forums.

[Gaffer Tape]

Just to clarify, Dayspring and Hellspawn28, Saban had nothing to do with those first 13 dubbed Dragon Ball episodes.

Anyway, on topic, I first saw it when I was 12 in September of 1998 when the reruns of season 1 first aired on Toonami. Hard to reconcile my first memories. The earliest things I remember is the spiky-haired guy in orange running along this road in the sky, and this almost identical spiky-haired kid living in the wilderness. I assumed the spiky-haired kid was the spiky-haired guy's son, but then I saw the episode where the spiky-haired guy meets the snake princess. He sees his son in a dream mirror, and it was some smaller kid in yellow with a tail, so I figured it was just a coincidence the spiky-haired ones looked and dressed the same way.

[DBZAOTA482]

Reruns of the Saiyan, Namek, and Garlic jr. sagas. Not too long before the first Budokai came out.

[Kakacarrottop]

Just to clarify, Dayspring and Hellspawn28, Saban had nothing to do with those first 13 dubbed Dragon Ball episodes.

I was just about to post this. The first 13 Dragon Ball episodes from 1995 were made with a Canadian company called BLT Productions. Saban were only ever involved with the first 53 DBZ episodes and Tree of Might.

[jamiljamtheman]

Old unmarked VHS videos of a bootlegged version of the show back in 94. I officially saw the series for the first time in 2000 on Toonami, and remained a fan ever since.

wow that's pretty hardcore How were the subs on those old VHS tapes (unless it was a bootleg of an already existing English dub...not too sure when the dub first started)?

Also, when DBZ/GT was actually airing in America, I was a huge fan of YuGiOh and found it blasphemy that some kids in my school thought this show with spiky-blonde-haired buff people screaming at each other was better than the amazing show where Ancient Egyptians play card games with dark magic. xD So I guess I was always a "YuGiOh kid". I'm really glad I let that go after all these years and actually watched DBGT because seriously the DB universe is so cool.

[Dayspring]

Just to clarify, Dayspring and Hellspawn28, Saban had nothing to do with those first 13 dubbed Dragon Ball episodes.

I was just about to post this. The first 13 Dragon Ball episodes from 1995 were made with a Canadian company called BLT Productions. Saban were only ever involved with the first 53 DBZ episodes and Tree of Might.

Saban wasn't involved in distribution? I seem to recall seeing their (so very dated) ending-credits logo when it was on YTV. But whatever. I'm referring to whichever version aired on YTV in 1995.

[Hellspawn28]

Just to clarify, Dayspring and Hellspawn28, Saban had nothing to do with those first 13 dubbed Dragon Ball episodes.

Thanks for the heads up. I always thought Saban help produced both DB and DBZ from 1995 - 1998.

[Basaku]

First episode. I knew it would be coming to local TV (RTL7) from manga/anime magazine I was already regularly reading. I didn't knew/understand that much about the series but definitely wanted to check it out because the magazine said it was one of the most popular animes ever. Especially as originally, DB/DBZ was suppoused to air right after massive success of Sailor Moon in Poland, it was widely advertised by at the last minute the station pulled the plug on the show because of violence concerns. Took a few years before RTL7 bought it.

[sayian_nation_]

My uncle introduced me to the show. Started watching it right before Goku arrives to fight the Ginyu force. I remember being hooked after seeing Krillin being killed and Goku going super saiyan. The music, the tension, the power ups....all drew me to watch this show even more and loved it ever since.

[Polyphase Avatron]

Toonami in the late 90s.

[Shiyonasan]

In terms of actually seeing the show, I'm pretty sure it was Toonami in 1996 back when Moltar used to host that block.

Toonami didn't exist until 1997, and DBZ didn't air on the block until late 1998.

*Looks up on Google*

Oh, your right. My bad. My memory of the late '90s is pretty fuzzy since I was so young back then. I also forgot that Toonami debuted in '97.

I might've seen DBZ on The WB or UPN, but I'm pretty sure I saw it in late '98 when Moltar was still the host of Toonami; I think I remember watching part of a Saiyan arc episode around that time. For sure though, I did start watching the show regularly in September '99.