Dragonball Video DVDs Collection Help All Seasons / Sagas

[zentradi]

Hello Guys,

I hope I get some good replies here as I have been searching for some answers about this for a while. I am an old Dragonball Z fan I used to watch the series in Asia when I was growing up in late 80s early 90s. But I was very poor and could not afford any VHS or collectable stuff at the time. Plus, I did not knew any japanese or chinese and all DBZ in asia were in these 2 languages at the time.

I was so much into DBZ without even understanding anything I bought DBZ part II on Super Famicom from my 1 years of kiddy savings. It was in Japanese and I wasted countless hours trying to make out the story and all that lol! Anyways, so I am in NYC now and have the means to collect DBZ DVDs and actually go through the story.

I want to start watching DBZ (yes only DBZ first) but need your HONEST advice about where to start from?

I only have 3 requirements

1. It MUST be in Japanese with English subs! Sorry I cannot stand English dubbing at all. If I actually didn't understood english it would be okay but since I do understand it perfectly I do not want that dubbing in my ears. lol!

2. The Video footage MUST be unedited and uncut By that I mean no editing as most anime from cartoon network gets edited one way or another. (I am not talking about video cropping and all that just the content/script)

3. It MUST be available now! I cannot wait and pretend I will have time for this a year from now. Sadly, while I do have the means to collect all DVDs I do NOT have the time anymore.

So there you have it! I will be watching them on my ipod ONLY when I commute in NYC. I know a cardinal sin probably for most of you but that is the reality of it. I dont have any other time.

Now comes the classic Orange Box vs Dragon box vs blah blah debate. Here is my first question and I would appreciate If I can get an honest answer. Does Orange Box releases feature true uncut versions in Japanese dialouge mode with English subs? They are labeled as uncut and it is rather shady not to menion probably unlawful to lie about it if they are not as such but still you people here are hardcore fans so I want to double check.

I am starting with Dragonbox as my 1st DVD set because it is available and by the time I finish 42 episodes (during commute lol!) the 2nd one will be out. However somewhere around summer i will catch up with it and eventually I will have to go to orange boxes because the releases for dragon box is like twice per year I think. I am fully aware of the cropping issues and actually do not have problem with it.

The ONLY thing I CANNOT stand is edited or dubbed versions. I want full versions as they were presented in Japan (content wise not picture size). So, I will ask again. I know most people favor Dragon Box but do Orange boxes have true uncut version in Japanese dialouge with english subs? Please only give FACTUAL info.

I have been meaning to see all seasons when I had accquired decent means to buy them but sadly was out of luck because of time issue as VHS does not really solve it nor does DVD without IPOD. What is THE BEST option avialble for this route? Are Japanese dragon boxes worth getting? I can get them but definetly want English subs. Are Dragon Box and Orange Box only two options for DVD or there is more out here for TV series? (not movies)

Help a fellow amature DBZ fan fulfill longtime dream.

Thanks
Z

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

Does Orange Box releases feature true uncut versions in Japanese dialouge mode with English subs?

Yep the orange boxes are 100% uncut with Japanese dialogue and English subtitles.

[zentradi]

thank you sooo much for this ^^^

[Kaboom]

I would suggest just completely collecting FUNimation's new Dragon Boxes, but you said you want to get them all "now," and their release is probably going to span over the next year or so, at least...

So here's what I suggest. Get DragonBox Z 1, which is available now, and then get Box 2 which is due out next month. This will cover the early portions of the series for which the Season Sets' footage looks its worst. From that point on, if you don't mind the widescreen, the Season Sets are okay. You'll end up double-dipping into a handful of episodes that are both in DBox 2 and Season 3, but with how horrendous some of the Namek arc footage looks (and I don't even want to think about what it'd look like when shrunk to iPod quality), I'd say it's worth it.

[sumpter360]

Just out of curiosity, after you get the Season Sets, will you be buying the Dragon Boxes as they release? Like earlier stated, it would be double-dipping, but I think it'd be SUPER worth it! xD

[zentradi]

I would suggest just completely collecting FUNimation's new Dragon Boxes, but you said you want to get them all "now," and their release is probably going to span over the next year or so, at least...

So here's what I suggest. Get DragonBox Z 1, which is available now, and then get Box 2 which is due out next month.

Thanks for the info. Like I said, I am getting dragon boxes no doubt. Also since I haven't started watching em it will take me a while to catch up to 82 episodes (offered with 2nd dragon box release). By that time it will be summer and I think 3rd box should come out if not I will go to Orange box.

Now here is another imporant question. Dragonball Kai! Is this avialble ANYWHERE with good english subs? If so please tell me where? How are all those episodes at Youtube have subs on them? Please let me know about Kai also.

Just out of curiosity, after you get the Season Sets, will you be buying the Dragon Boxes as they release? Like earlier stated, it would be double-dipping, but I think it'd be SUPER worth it! xD

yes ultimately I will replace them at some point no doubt or will keep both if I dont have time to sell them. lol!

[Budogenkai]

For now, I reccomend getting the Season Sets as well, they are currently the most affordable way of owning all of Z in it's original format.

With that being said, The Dragon Boxes do have much better quality in terms of picture, because the video on the Dragon Box is the original remastering done by Pony Canyon in Japan.

So yeah, Remastered sets now, Dragon Box in the future if your still interested in it.

About the Kai question, you can import the Japanese DVD's or Blu-Ray's, but they don't have subs on them, and the ones on Youtube are fansubs.

[Piccolo Daimaoh]

thank you sooo much for this ^^^

Thanks if you want my opinion buy the orange boxes, you get good value for money and they are all already out so you can buy them now.

[Captain Awesome]

It's a complete no-brainer.

The Orange Bricks at this stage are a complete waste of money if you're a sub fan, there is a superior product out there, put your money towards that.

[Greenman]

It's a complete no-brainer.

The Orange Bricks at this stage are a complete waste of money if you're a sub fan, there is a superior product out there, put your money towards that.

The problem for Zentradi, though, is that he wants the DVDs now. The rest of the Dragon Boxes wont be out for a while.

[CashmanX]

It's a complete no-brainer.

The Orange Bricks at this stage are a complete waste of money if you're a sub fan, there is a superior product out there, put your money towards that.

The problem for Zentradi, though, is that he wants the DVDs now. The rest of the Dragon Boxes wont be out for a while.

Good things come to those that wait.

[Kaboom]

Some folks don't like to read, apparently.

3. It MUST be available now! I cannot wait and pretend I will have time for this a year from now. Sadly, while I do have the means to collect all DVDs I do NOT have the time anymore.

[Captain Awesome]

Some folks don't like to read, apparently.

Oh, I read it.

I just come from the school of thought where I don't waste money on an inferior product because I'm impatient.

[Innagadadavida]

Gotta side with the Capt. on this one. I just can't imagine a scenario where it's more beneficial to buy the season sets over the Dragon Box, ESPECIALLY if your No. 1 viewing choice is Japanese, I don't care how much time you don't have.

Just save up that money you'd use for the orange bricks and set it aside. How much time does it take to go to a store and buy a DVD?

[xzero]

First and foremost, get Dragon Boxes 1 & 2. We don't have any confirmation of this, but Funimation's Dragonball months are, and have been for a couple of years, February, May, September, and November, so Dragon Box 3 should be out in May, 4 in September, and 5 in November. That's approximately the first 210 episodes of the series.

I recognize that you want them now, and I'm going to go with a slightly different suggestion from everyone else concerning the other episodes. This one's really dependent on geography. There are some FYE locations, KMarts, and Suncoast Video stores that have new or used single DVDs for really low prices. I've seen them for $1-5 new and used. The only thing missing from those was the episode previews (one dub preview for the first episode of the next set counted as an "Extra"). The singles had decent video quality, a completely uncut Japanese version (except for early Ginyu and possibly Freeza-era stuff, which DBox 2 corrects anyway), and no cropping. Here's the bad part: tracking these down can be a pain, and storing them is a nightmare if you acquire enough of them. Like I said at the outset, this is really dependent on you living somewhere with reasonably good access to DVDs like this. Last time I was home (around Christmas), I could have walked out of Suncoast carrying bags with every, or almost every, single release and probably spending only about $200. You might not have the same luck.

That gets back to the Orange Brick versions. I own all of them, and for an easy alternative, they aren't that bad. Seasons 6-9 looked really good, minus the cropping, and the subtitles are 100% perfect on all of the sets thanks to Steve Simmons. It's also really quick to just walk into Wal Mart or Best Buy and pick up the whole series. But if you're in it for the Japanese version, you really are better off, at least for now, waiting for the Dragon Boxes if you want the best for your money.

As an aside, if you ever start looking for Dragon Ball or Dragon Ball GT, I highly recommend the Blue Brick and Green Brick sets for both. Full screen, subbed, etc. for a really good price.

EDIT: With respect to Dragon Ball Kai, as already noted, the only DVD option at this point is to import, and that's going to be expensive. I suspect that we'll hear an announcement concerning that series over the summer, maybe at Otakon. I think Funimation's pretty interested in it, but I believe that there are some logistical hurdles to jump before getting it released. My prediction is that if they can license it this year, we will see a box set with episodes 1-13 or 1-14 in November. The way things are going, Dragon Ball should finish its box set release in September, and Kai would be a nice second product to put out with Dragon Box 5 if they get that far by then. Obviously this is just speculation, but I know Funimation's been actively assembling the things it needed for Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood in order to get a Spring release this year. Brotherhood would take basically the same work (licensing the series, reassembling the cast, etc.) that Kai should, so hopefully both will see a 2010 release. If Kai does get released here, though, there's no telling whether we get the cropped footage from TV or the 4:3 footage from the Blu-Ray release in Japan.

[zentradi]

Good things come to those that wait.

yeah but I have been waiting for them for past 15 years (since 96' when they ended in Japan I think) nearly. First I didn't had the money and after that never had the time so its truly a now or never moment for me.

Gotta side with the Capt. on this one. I just can't imagine a scenario where it's more beneficial to buy the season sets over the Dragon Box, ESPECIALLY if your No. 1 viewing choice is Japanese, I don't care how much time you don't have.

Just save up that money you'd use for the orange bricks and set it aside. How much time does it take to go to a store and buy a DVD?

Sorry didn't understood your post. I will buy dragon boxes whether I can see them or not is a different matter. Right now say there are 82 episodes available on dragon boxes (include set 2) so I do not need EVERYTHING right now lol! It will take me about 2-3 months to view all of those 82 episodes but by the time I reach 82 I would like to have episodes lined up ready to view. It is at that point if no further dragon box set are available that I was thinking of going to orange boxes.

I will still get all dragon boxes regardless whether I watch a few episodes on orange box or no. As I said I will be viewing them on IPOD 99% of time so a bit of cropping is okay to me.

EDIT: With respect to Dragon Ball Kai, as already noted, the only DVD option at this point is to import, and that's going to be expensive. I suspect that we'll hear an announcement concerning that series over the summer, maybe at Otakon. I think Funimation's pretty interested in it, but I believe that there are some logistical hurdles to jump before getting it released. My prediction is that if they can license it this year, we will see a box set with episodes 1-13 or 1-14 in November. The way things are going, Dragon Ball should finish its box set release in September, and Kai would be a nice second product to put out with Dragon Box 5 if they get that far by then. Obviously this is just speculation, but I know Funimation's been actively assembling the things it needed for Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood in order to get a Spring release this year. Brotherhood would take basically the same work (licensing the series, reassembling the cast, etc.) that Kai should, so hopefully both will see a 2010 release. If Kai does get released here, though, there's no telling whether we get the cropped footage from TV or the 4:3 footage from the Blu-Ray release in Japan.

I REALLY like the idea of Kai and based on my first "trial" episode I saw. I don't know if it is a "sin" to like kai over original DBZ but I like it. The problem is of course where to get them with english subs. Youtube video right now are giving an abnormally small font on subs thereby making them near impossible to view on that puny ipod screen. I can use cropping to zoom in but that looses too much footage like 30% before it is legible.

Okay here is the question about Kai. It is now at 40 episodes. Where is this exactly in DBZ world? I mean 40th episode will be equal to which episode in DBZ? I know frieza is there so it has to be in frieza arc somewhere. Is Kai going to air for few upcoming months nonstop or will there be a break?

thank you for all your comments

[Jon Jon]

They are up to the beginning of the Goku and Freeza fight (I believe Goku arrives fully revived on this week's episode).

[Gaffer Tape]

It is worth mentioning that the Orange Bricks are not entirely complete in content either, as they are missing the next episode previews. Most people consider that pretty nitpicky, but the original poster said he wanted the experience as it was on Japanese televisions, content-wise, so it's certainly worth mentioning that, content-wise, the orange bricks are missing something. Granted, even if you get the DBoxes, the previews are in the wrong order, but they do contain the content.

[saiyanprincess]

If you are not fussy about owning second-hand DVD's (most anime collectors take good care of their sets), you can find the unwanted orange brick boxsets fairly cheap.
Personally I own these sets myself and they really are not as bad as everybody says. It's true the subs could be better, and there is no episode previews. However the picture quality and sound is brilliant, despite Funi chopping and cropping.

If it's a good buy you're after then perhaps look out for a collector who is selling their full orange brick sets off cheap, as they have upgraded to the DragonBox set.

- Also on another point, the orange brick boxsets are multi-regional discs, and thus play in most DVD players around the world. I'm not sure about the DragonBoxes.

Just a friendly point of view. Although now given the chance I wish I had waited rather then spending all my cash on the orange brick boxsets. I just had season 9 left to go, when the sods announced they were bringing out the DragonBox sets.

[Jon Jon]

The Dragon Box releases I believe are only Region 1 and 4? I could be wrong.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Dragon-Ball-Z-Compl ... 5890wt_958

There you go if you don't want to wait. Includes shipping. That's roughly 30 dollars per boxset.

You can save money and buy them individually since I know you can find some for $20 USD including shipping off of ebay new.