What do you believe to be the series intended demographic?

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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by Hellspawn28 » Tue Aug 18, 2015 9:04 pm

I think DB in the US is like Robotech is. It was popular with kids when it was on TV and now it's more of a thing with that grew up in the late 90's and early 2000's. With Robotech, only people who grew up in the 80's and the hardcore anime geeks know about it while pretty much everyone forgot that it exist.
DBZAOTA482 wrote:8-18 is more accurate.
That's too high. The series runs on Sunday mornings and has merchandise made for kids to be played with. People by 12 or 13 start to grow out of kid things, won't stay up watching cartoons very early in the morning or play with toys in their bed room. Think when you where in High School; when you were 15 or 16 were you and all your friends still watching the same shows you did when you were 7 or 8, or playing with happy meal toys?
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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by DBZAOTA482 » Tue Aug 18, 2015 9:19 pm

The original series aired on Wednesday nights IIRC.
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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by FoolsGil » Tue Aug 18, 2015 10:04 pm

1) Japan is weird. Their demographic norms reflect this.

2) Western countries are uptight. Their demographic norms reflect this.

3) A show that has been going on for twenty years, and had a revial series 10 years later is going to have generations in both 1 and 2 wanting to see it, nostalgia, and otherwise.

4) Toys and merch, like cartoons, aren't just for kids. SWAG.

In conclusion, Dragonball demographic is whoever takes time to watch.

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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by Hellspawn28 » Wed Aug 19, 2015 3:59 pm

DBZAOTA482 wrote:The original series aired on Wednesday nights IIRC.
I think it was on a time slot for kids to stay up while they are awake. I mean other shows for kids can be on around night time when kids are still awake before they go to bed.
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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by fadeddreams5 » Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:33 pm

I maintain that the intended age group was 6-14. Many 13 and 14 year olds may grow out of it, but many become just as or more attracted to the sort of stuff DBZ presents (specifically, the serious side and violence) as well. 15+, unless they're anime or comic fans, not so much.
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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by TheGmGoken » Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:35 pm

Well it's obvious what the age group is in Japan. But what about worldwide?

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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by Lord Beerus » Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:54 pm

TheGmGoken wrote:Well it's obvious what the age group is in Japan. But what about worldwide?
It's the same demographic.

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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by fadeddreams5 » Wed Aug 19, 2015 4:58 pm

Pretty sure the demographic I posted above (6-14) would apply to the US too, only with a greater emphasis on the older end of the spectrum (9-14), since that's just how it rolls: usually things targeted for younger kids in Japan are orientated for significantly older kids in America, unless they flat out censor every little thing.
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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by TheGmGoken » Wed Aug 19, 2015 5:55 pm

Lord Beerus wrote:
TheGmGoken wrote:Well it's obvious what the age group is in Japan. But what about worldwide?
It's the same demographic.
Same things targeted and made for kids in 1 country isn't the same in the other. Some countries may easily target 13+ while others it's 8+.

Avengers in some countries was the equivalent of rated M/R. So it's most likely not the same for DB

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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by DBZGTKOSDH » Wed Aug 19, 2015 6:18 pm

Hellspawn28 wrote: I think 4 - 11 seems right for the DB series given by the time slot it airs on and how much merchandise that they made for children to be played with. That's the same age group as other Sunday morning shows like Kamen Rider, Yokai Watch, Precure, Case Close and Yu-Gi-Oh seem to go for.
The shonen age range is from 6 to 15 years old.
Lord Beerus wrote:
TheGmGoken wrote:Well it's obvious what the age group is in Japan. But what about worldwide?
It's the same demographic.
It's not. The manga that I bought (I think it's a UK release) say that it's for 13+, and the official DVDs in Greece say that it's 14+. I'm sure it's the same for other countries as well. US even gives DBZ a PG rating, which means that it may not be suitable for children.
James Teal (Animerica 1996) wrote:When you think about it, there are a number of similarities between the Chinese-inspired Son Goku and that most American of superhero icons, Superman. Both are aliens sent to Earth shortly after birth to escape the destruction of their homeworlds; both possess super-strength, flight, super-speed, heightened senses and the ability to cast energy blasts. But the crucial difference between them lies not only in how they view the world, but in how the world views them.

Superman is, and always has been, a symbol for truth, justice, and upstanding moral fortitude–a role model and leader as much as a fighter. The more down-to-earth Goku has no illusions about being responsible for maintaining social order, or for setting some kind of moral example for the entire world. Goku is simply a martial artist who’s devoted his life toward perfecting his fighting skills and other abilities. Though never shy about risking his life to save either one person or the entire world, he just doesn’t believe that the balance of the world rests in any way on his shoulders, and he has no need to shape any part of it in his image. Goku is an idealist, and believes that there is some good in everyone, but he is unconcerned with the big picture of the world…unless it has to do with some kind of fight. Politics, society, law and order don’t have much bearing on his life, but he’s a man who knows right from wrong.

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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by Lord Beerus » Wed Aug 19, 2015 8:36 pm

DBZGTKOSDH wrote:
Hellspawn28 wrote: I think 4 - 11 seems right for the DB series given by the time slot it airs on and how much merchandise that they made for children to be played with. That's the same age group as other Sunday morning shows like Kamen Rider, Yokai Watch, Precure, Case Close and Yu-Gi-Oh seem to go for.
The shonen age range is from 6 to 15 years old.
Lord Beerus wrote:
TheGmGoken wrote:Well it's obvious what the age group is in Japan. But what about worldwide?
It's the same demographic.
It's not. The manga that I bought (I think it's a UK release) say that it's for 13+, and the official DVDs in Greece say that it's 14+. I'm sure it's the same for other countries as well. US even gives DBZ a PG rating, which means that it may not be suitable for children.
Well, here in the UK, a PG rating mean that some scenes may be unsuitable for children, but the content, as a whole, should not unsettle a child aged around eight or older. Which is basically the same demographic in Japan.

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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by Cipher » Wed Aug 19, 2015 9:04 pm

Well it's obvious what the age group is in Japan. But what about worldwide?
The only real answer is that it's aimed at Japanese children. It may be marketed with different restrictions or suggested age groups elsewhere (though even in the States, it's always been marketed toward, and popular with, kids), but that's the one answer that's going to explain its creative drives and choices.

Who is Dragon Ball enjoyed by? Lots of people! Who is it aimed at? Japanese kids.

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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by Hellspawn28 » Wed Aug 19, 2015 9:06 pm

DBZGTKOSDH wrote:
Hellspawn28 wrote: I think 4 - 11 seems right for the DB series given by the time slot it airs on and how much merchandise that they made for children to be played with. That's the same age group as other Sunday morning shows like Kamen Rider, Yokai Watch, Precure, Case Close and Yu-Gi-Oh seem to go for.
The shonen age range is from 6 to 15 years old.
.
Yu-Gi-Oh is a shonen and yet is market around that age group. Some shonen like Attack on Titan, Hunter x Hunter are market to a older age group while DB, One Piece, Naruto and Yu-Gi-Oh are market to younger kids. Even Naruto had happy meal toys and role playing toys for kids.
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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by Kamiccolo9 » Wed Aug 19, 2015 9:07 pm

Cipher wrote:
Well it's obvious what the age group is in Japan. But what about worldwide?
The only real answer is that it's aimed at Japanese children. It may be marketed with different restrictions or suggested age groups elsewhere (though even in the States, it's always been marketed toward, and popular with, kids), but that's the one answer that's going to explain its creative drives and choices.
I would argue that the fact that it was so heavily censored was an indicator of who it was targeted to abroad. If it was meant for an older demographic, it wouldn't have been censored the way it was.
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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by DBZGTKOSDH » Wed Aug 19, 2015 9:19 pm

Hellspawn28 wrote:
DBZGTKOSDH wrote:
Hellspawn28 wrote: I think 4 - 11 seems right for the DB series given by the time slot it airs on and how much merchandise that they made for children to be played with. That's the same age group as other Sunday morning shows like Kamen Rider, Yokai Watch, Precure, Case Close and Yu-Gi-Oh seem to go for.
The shonen age range is from 6 to 15 years old.
.
Yu-Gi-Oh is a shonen and yet is market around that age group. Some shonen like Attack on Titan, Hunter x Hunter are market to a older age group while DB, One Piece, Naruto and Yu-Gi-Oh are market to younger kids. Even Naruto had happy meal toys and role playing toys for kids.
So, anime like Attack on Titan don't have merchandise for kids? What kind of merchandise to they have that isn't aimed for kids, dildos with Eren's face?
James Teal (Animerica 1996) wrote:When you think about it, there are a number of similarities between the Chinese-inspired Son Goku and that most American of superhero icons, Superman. Both are aliens sent to Earth shortly after birth to escape the destruction of their homeworlds; both possess super-strength, flight, super-speed, heightened senses and the ability to cast energy blasts. But the crucial difference between them lies not only in how they view the world, but in how the world views them.

Superman is, and always has been, a symbol for truth, justice, and upstanding moral fortitude–a role model and leader as much as a fighter. The more down-to-earth Goku has no illusions about being responsible for maintaining social order, or for setting some kind of moral example for the entire world. Goku is simply a martial artist who’s devoted his life toward perfecting his fighting skills and other abilities. Though never shy about risking his life to save either one person or the entire world, he just doesn’t believe that the balance of the world rests in any way on his shoulders, and he has no need to shape any part of it in his image. Goku is an idealist, and believes that there is some good in everyone, but he is unconcerned with the big picture of the world…unless it has to do with some kind of fight. Politics, society, law and order don’t have much bearing on his life, but he’s a man who knows right from wrong.

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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by RandomGuy96 » Wed Aug 19, 2015 9:40 pm

In the 7-14 range. Most ideal age is around 10. By American standards, though, it's much too graphic for those below 13. At least the manga is. I think people tend to look over this, but the series is extremely violent, especially in the last two arcs, and that's ignoring all the cursing and sexual "humor".

A faithfully adapted live action film would definitely be rated R.
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dbgtFO wrote: Please elaborate as I do not know what you mean by "pushing Vegeta's destruction"
He's probably referring to the Bardock special. Zarbon was the one who first recommended destroying Planet Vegeta because the saiyans were rapidly growing in strength.
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Herms wrote:The fact that the ridiculous power inflation is presented so earnestly makes me just roll my eyes and snicker. Like with Freeza, where he starts off over 10 times stronger than all his henchmen except Ginyu (because...well, just because), then we find out he can transform and get even more powerful, and then he reveals he can transform two more times, before finally coming out with the fact that he hasn't even been using anywhere near 50% of his power. Oh, and he can survive in the vacuum of space. All this stuff is just presented as the way Freeza is, without even an attempt at rationalizing it, yet the tone dictates we're supposed to take all this silly grasping at straws as thrilling danger. So I guess I don't really take the power inflation in the Boo arc seriously, but I don't take the power inflation in earlier arcs seriously either, so there's no net loss of seriousness. I think a silly story presented as serious is harder to accept than a silly story presented as silly.

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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by DoomieDoomie911 » Wed Aug 19, 2015 9:57 pm

RandomGuy96 wrote:and that's ignoring all the cursing
Hell and damn? That's pretty much as far as the cursing goes unless you're reading scanlations or watching fansubs. :P
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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by RandomGuy96 » Wed Aug 19, 2015 10:07 pm

DoomieDoomie911 wrote:
RandomGuy96 wrote:and that's ignoring all the cursing
Hell and damn? That's pretty much as far as the cursing goes unless you're reading scanlations or watching fansubs. :P
I've heard "bastard" thrown around.
The Monkey King wrote:
RandomGuy96 wrote:
dbgtFO wrote: Please elaborate as I do not know what you mean by "pushing Vegeta's destruction"
He's probably referring to the Bardock special. Zarbon was the one who first recommended destroying Planet Vegeta because the saiyans were rapidly growing in strength.
It was actually Beerus disguised as Zarbon #StayWoke
Herms wrote:The fact that the ridiculous power inflation is presented so earnestly makes me just roll my eyes and snicker. Like with Freeza, where he starts off over 10 times stronger than all his henchmen except Ginyu (because...well, just because), then we find out he can transform and get even more powerful, and then he reveals he can transform two more times, before finally coming out with the fact that he hasn't even been using anywhere near 50% of his power. Oh, and he can survive in the vacuum of space. All this stuff is just presented as the way Freeza is, without even an attempt at rationalizing it, yet the tone dictates we're supposed to take all this silly grasping at straws as thrilling danger. So I guess I don't really take the power inflation in the Boo arc seriously, but I don't take the power inflation in earlier arcs seriously either, so there's no net loss of seriousness. I think a silly story presented as serious is harder to accept than a silly story presented as silly.

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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by Hellspawn28 » Wed Aug 19, 2015 10:10 pm

RandomGuy96 wrote: A faithfully adapted live action film would definitely be rated R.
No it won't really. The violence in the series is not as bad as most people make out to be. PG-13 movies get away with so much these days for the last 10 years.
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Re: What do you believe to be the series intended demographi

Post by RandomGuy96 » Wed Aug 19, 2015 10:14 pm

Hellspawn28 wrote:
RandomGuy96 wrote: A faithfully adapted live action film would definitely be rated R.
No it won't really. The violence in the series is not as bad as most people make out to be.
Gero squeezed a guy's neck so hard that his head popped off like a fucking pez dispenser. Very messily too. Babidi made a guy's head explode into a shower of gore in the Buu arc, and also cut people in half (you can even see intestines hanging out), killed children by stabbing them through the chest, and made a guy swell and pop like a balloon.

By contrast, the PG-13 rated Avengers had to censor an impalement.
The Monkey King wrote:
RandomGuy96 wrote:
dbgtFO wrote: Please elaborate as I do not know what you mean by "pushing Vegeta's destruction"
He's probably referring to the Bardock special. Zarbon was the one who first recommended destroying Planet Vegeta because the saiyans were rapidly growing in strength.
It was actually Beerus disguised as Zarbon #StayWoke
Herms wrote:The fact that the ridiculous power inflation is presented so earnestly makes me just roll my eyes and snicker. Like with Freeza, where he starts off over 10 times stronger than all his henchmen except Ginyu (because...well, just because), then we find out he can transform and get even more powerful, and then he reveals he can transform two more times, before finally coming out with the fact that he hasn't even been using anywhere near 50% of his power. Oh, and he can survive in the vacuum of space. All this stuff is just presented as the way Freeza is, without even an attempt at rationalizing it, yet the tone dictates we're supposed to take all this silly grasping at straws as thrilling danger. So I guess I don't really take the power inflation in the Boo arc seriously, but I don't take the power inflation in earlier arcs seriously either, so there's no net loss of seriousness. I think a silly story presented as serious is harder to accept than a silly story presented as silly.

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