Upcoming DragonBall Announcement: Speculation and Discussion

Li'l Lemmy · Post by **Li'l Lemmy** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:22 pm

Included with the confirmation that FUNimation will be releasing the original DragonBall series in season set format was this interesting little nugget:

DaizEX wrote:The audience was apparently also told to stay tuned for more information regarding the series within the next month, so we'll be on the lookout for that.

Things like this here drive me absolutely nuking futs, so I figured that a thread for the discussion and speculation of what this announcement could be would help to alleviate that feeling somewhat.

I have absolutely no idea what this could be, mostly because (knowing FUNimation) it could mean just about anything, but also due in part to the ambiguity of the wording. For instance, when they talk about further announcements "regarding the series", do they mean DragonBall specifically or the property as a whole? Is that FUNimation's wording or DaizEX's? It's worth asking given that an announcement regarding the original series would knock off several notable possibilities that would impact the Z franchise, most notably a domestic release of the new special.

There's several possibilities regarding this supposed announcement, so let's discuss them all.

~Da Lemmy

MCDaveG · Post by **MCDaveG** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:24 pm

Broadcasting Dragon Ball, Z and GT again in US, because of Kai in Japan?

Ex-Dubbie369 · Post by **Ex-Dubbie369** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:26 pm

Well, I don't have really any idea what it would be other than DBZ Blu Ray sets, but I'm gonna go out on a limb and assume the announcement will be at San Diego Comic Con later this month.

I guess it could also be announcing the DB movies.

Innagadadavida · Post by **Innagadadavida** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:26 pm

I guess the two most obvious are either remastered Dragon Ball movies or video game news. But FUNimation did say that they want everything and anything Dragon Ball because "it prints frickin' money." So it could also be the JUMP special or the video game OVA that some fans want so bad. Either of those would be a-ok for me.

It could also be news for Dragon Ball Z on Blu-Ray. Or maybe news of a Kai dub. Kai doesn't seem very likely, though.

Freeza Heika · Post by **Freeza Heika** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:26 pm

The way it was worded originally, I thought it meant updates regarding the Dragonball series releases.

As for what I hope it is, assuming that my initial assumption was wrong, I would like to see an announcement about either the Jump special or the Dragonball movies.

MCDaveG · Post by **MCDaveG** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:28 pm

At 100%, it won't be Kai..... I believe in it, because it doesn't make sense for Funimation to dub Kai now

I think it'll be that Jump special or video-game as people here before me

Li'l Lemmy · Post by **Li'l Lemmy** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:29 pm

MCDaveG wrote:Broadcasting Dragon Ball, Z and GT again in US, because of Kai in Japan?

Possibly, although domestic broadcasts of something as tired as DragonBall appear to be awfully low-level on FUNimation's list of priorities right now. The time to capitalize on the popularity of Z for broadcast purposes would have been when the first season set outsold just about everything else in the universe, not now when it's two years after the fact and Afro Samurai is (apparently) #1 in sales.

~Da Lemmy

Freeza Heika · Post by **Freeza Heika** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:35 pm

Li'l Lemmy wrote:
MCDaveG wrote:Broadcasting Dragon Ball, Z and GT again in US, because of Kai in Japan?
Possibly, although domestic broadcasts of something as tired as DragonBall appear to be awfully low-level on FUNimation's list of priorities right now. The time to capitalize on the popularity of Z for broadcast purposes would have been when the first season set outsold just about everything else in the universe, not now when it's two years after the fact and Afro Samurai is (apparently) #1 in sales.

~Da Lemmy

Does it even air on THEIR channel?

Li'l Lemmy · Post by **Li'l Lemmy** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:41 pm

Not at present.

~Da Lemmy

Freeza Heika · Post by **Freeza Heika** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:44 pm

Perhaps the announcements is that they are going to play the series in chronological order on heir channel.

Li'l Lemmy · Post by **Li'l Lemmy** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:49 pm

Whether it would be via Cartoon Network or FUNimation's own private channel, I highly doubt that the upcoming announcement has anything to do with broadcasting DragonBall anywhere. There's simply not an audience for it this many years later.

Then again, you're the second person to mention it, so maybe I'm wrong and there is one.

~Da Lemmy

SweetCosmicPope · Post by **SweetCosmicPope** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:50 pm

That'd be cool.

I'm thinking that the most likely scenario is the DB movies (including movie 1) and/or the Jump Special. I don't see the latter as likely though (yet). I took it that they meant specifically DB.

SweetCosmicPope · Post by **SweetCosmicPope** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:51 pm

Li'l Lemmy wrote:Whether it would be via Cartoon Network or FUNimation's own private channel, I highly doubt that the upcoming announcement has anything to do with broadcasting DragonBall anywhere. There's simply not an audience for it this many years later.

Then again, you're the second person to mention it, so maybe I'm wrong and there is one.

~Da Lemmy

It's an inDemand channel, though, so they don't stand to lose anything (except possibly DVD sales) by airing it.

Edit: Sorry for the break (double post) in online protocol, here, EX.

Li'l Lemmy · Post by **Li'l Lemmy** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 1:52 pm

SweetCosmicPope wrote:I'm thinking that the most likely scenario is the DB movies (including movie 1) and/or the Jump Special. I don't see the latter as likely though (yet). I took it that they meant specifically DB.

If the (leaked) trailer for the first season of DragonBall is any indication, FUNimation knows what we want. And we've been whining about that first movie almost as much as the first 13 episodes, so an upcoming release is certainly within the realm of possibility. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it's this that turns out to be the upcoming announcement.

SweetCosmicPope wrote:It's an inDemand channel, though, so they don't stand to lose anything (except possibly DVD sales) by airing it.

Edit: Sorry for the break (double post) in online protocol, here, EX.

All you'd have had to do was edit your previous post, technically.

And I guess that it's possible when you put it that way, but it still not something that (to me) seems worthy of an announcement.

~Da Lemmy

MCDaveG · Post by **MCDaveG** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 2:02 pm

What I really want and looking for is that 1st movie of Dragon Ball finally!!!I really don' care about first 13 episodes, I had the possibility to see Funimation dub with Nadolny at Madman's release, so I'm not that curious about it. 1st movie in DVD quality, with Daimao Simmons' subtitles, simply awesome!

Li'l Lemmy · Post by **Li'l Lemmy** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 2:05 pm

MCDaveG wrote:What I really want and looking for is that 1st movie of Dragon Ball finally!!!I really don' care about first 13 episodes, I had the possibility to see Funimation dub with Nadolny at Madman's release, so I'm not that curious about it. 1st movie in DVD quality, with Daimao Simmons' subtitles, simply awesome!

There's no reason that it can't happen now (unlike previously); by this point, the movie's release is all a matter of "when".

~Da Lemmy

Tanooki Kuribo · Post by **Tanooki Kuribo** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 2:07 pm

Whether it would be via Cartoon Network or FUNimation's own private channel, I highly doubt that the upcoming announcement has anything to do with broadcasting DragonBall anywhere. There's simply not an audience for it this many years later.

I'm sure the audience for it is there but it probley won't be the same ratings power house it was in the early 00's.

Li'l Lemmy · Post by **Li'l Lemmy** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 2:14 pm

Which is exactly my point. There's only so much space on that channel, which is typically for the debut and continued exposure of new series as opposed to the airing of older, more established FUNimation properties. Airing something that's the size of DragonBall-- even if you limit it to just the original-- is a sizable broadcast commitment that I don't think FUNimation is willing to make considering that no, you're right; it would not be the same ratings draw it was way back when.

DragonBall doesn't need that kind of exposure; we buy it and buy it and buy it regardless of the fact that it's been years since it's been on television in any consistent way. Why would they bother now?

Although it's funny; I seem to faintly remember the original series airing on some channel in a promotional format to celebrate its anniversary or some shit . . . was it FUNimation's channel?? It was a short-lived exercise, whatever and whenever it was . . .

~Da Lemmy

ultimateemail5000 · Post by **ultimateemail5000** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 2:53 pm

Maybe it has something to do with the original Dragon Ball movies?

Chuquita · Post by **Chuquita** » Thu Jul 09, 2009 3:01 pm

I want it to be "Ossu!", but I have a feeling its probably the 1st DB movie (which is also good).