If you HAD to pick either the manga or anime...

[Herms]

I believe that it's very possible for an adaptation to surpass the work it's adapting. I also believe that this is not the case with the Dragon Ball anime

That sums it up for me, really. I don't prefer the manga because it happened to come first, I prefer it because I think it's a better version of the story overall. The anime could have been better, but it wasn't. I'll point to Yu Yu Hakusho as a Jump series that got a much better anime adaptation, with the result that I'd have a really tough time picking between the manga or the anime there.

Also, I'm probably coming at this from a different place than many because while I was introduced to the series via the anime, I very quickly switched to reading the Viz manga and from there the Japanese manga, so most of the series I first experienced in manga form, and there's still quite a bit of the original DB anime I haven't seen. Even with the Piccolo Daimao arc, which is one of my favorite parts of the series hands down, I still haven't gotten around to seeing the anime version of the first half yet. So my emotional connection is definitely with the manga over the anime. It's not merely a matter of "well, quality-wise I think the manga's more consistent than the anime", though that is a big factor too.

Really though, since I've already read the manga a dozen or so times and seen almost all of the anime at least once, if I had to stick with one version of the series for the rest of my life I'd prefer it to be something new. I'm still holding out for a kick-ass Guardian Heroes-style action RPG that covers everything from Goku meeting Bulma to the end of GT.

[Gaffer Tape]

Also, I'm probably coming at this from a different place than many because while I was introduced to the series via the anime, I very quickly switched to reading the Viz manga and from there the Japanese manga, so most of the series I first experienced in manga form, and there's still quite a bit of the original DB anime I haven't seen.

There is that for me too. I was introduced through the TV series, but because I quickly fell out of love with the dub, didn't want the dub to be my first exposure to the remaining parts of the series, but couldn't afford to buy every DVD single, there are still parts of the anime I haven't seen, while I've read the manga in its entirety countless times. I'm finally rectifying that, though, and doing a watch-through of the entire adaptation from beginning to end. Once I get halfway through the Piccolo Daimao arc, I will have seen it all.

[Kid Buu]

I'm in the inverse, I just started reading the Saiyan arc for the first time with the coloured manga.

I'm also curious to hear why Herms prefers the YYH anime over its manga, although I guess that's off topic.

[Gyt Kaliba]

It's kind of funny to think that I'm the complete opposite of a lot of that. I've seen the entirety of the anime franchise at least twice through (dubbed and subbed), but I've still only read large sections of the manga. This is something I really need to correct when I can.

I'm also curious to hear why Herms prefers the YYH anime over its manga, although I guess that's off topic.

Well, he didn't really say he preferred the anime over the manga, just that he'd have a hard time choosing between the two. And while I don't want to put words into his mouth (er...e-hand...whatever), if I had to venture a guess based on my own preferences, it'd have something to do with how good the animation is for YYH by and large and what an awesome soundtrack it has, versus the material the manga has that the anime doesn't, but also the fact that the manga's art can be a little...lackluster, at times.

[rereboy]

That sums it up for me, really. I don't prefer the manga because it happened to come first, I prefer it because I think it's a better version of the story overall.

Exactly. Couldn't have said it better.

[Kid Buu]

Well, he didn't really say he preferred the anime over the manga, just that he'd have a hard time choosing between the two. And while I don't want to put words into his mouth (er...e-hand...whatever), if I had to venture a guess based on my own preferences, it'd have something to do with how good the animation is for YYH by and large and what an awesome soundtrack it has, versus the material the manga has that the anime doesn't, but also the fact that the manga's art can be a little...lackluster, at times.

I think I prefer the manga because my favorite portion is the early adventures with Botan, which the anime seems to kind of fast-forward though.

I also agree that the DB manga can be a little fast-paced. Like when Goku goes Super Saiyan on Namek, it kind of just.....happens.