Where Do People Get the Impression That DB is for Adults?

[DragonBoxZTheMovies]

Just wondering. I mean sure its got nudity and stuff, but it's all presented in a very childish manner and the lyrics to some of the songs doesn't exactly scream adult at me.

[MarcFBR]

Just wondering. I mean sure its got nudity and stuff, but it's all presented in a very childish manner and the lyrics to some of the songs doesn't exactly scream adult at me.

They get the impression because they want to feel special and feel superior to people who watch 'normal' cartoons.

Or, for the short version- delusions.

[Mountain]

Just wondering. I mean sure its got nudity and stuff, but it's all presented in a very childish manner and the lyrics to some of the songs doesn't exactly scream adult at me.

They get the impression because they want to feel special and feel superior to people who watch 'normal' cartoons.

Or, for the short version- delusions.

Lol. That's fairly accurate. Although, I think a lot of it may have to do with ignorance, with regard to the show's origins, intended themes, etc. Many people, here at Daizenshuu EX, have a grasp on just what exactly Dragon Ball is, whereas the casual viewer may be watching a dubbed version of the series that has totally deviated from the source material -- in the musical, writing, voice acting, and marketing departments.

There are some dubs out there that try hard to turn Dragon Ball Z, in particular, into something that it isn't; these new adaptations rub off on people, even those who aren't fans. So, what we are left with, after a misinterpretation of the atmosphere of the show, can hardly be called Dragon Ball, and, yeah, what Marc said on top of it all.

[AnimeMaakuo]

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[DanielGClapp]

Really? I never even heard of DB before DBZ, but as far as DBZ goes, I was under the impression that it was for kids. To be honest, one the main reasons I got so into the DB universe is for its nostalgic values. My watching DBZ is what led me to watch DB, and the whole time I watched it I thought it was intended for kids, just with some occasional adult humor.

[Super Sonic]

Also back when the initial run of DB was airing in syndication, you had these commercials that made it seem all anime was for adults and hardcore. So some people were thinking it'd be like the movies in those commercials. (Grant I only saw the first Project A-Ko and it wouldn't be what I'd call hardcore, but PG-13 at the most).

[DanielGClapp]

That was literally the worst commercial I have ever seen. Maybe after I buy those DVD's I can make a snack with my new Slap-Chop and clean up the mess with a Sham-Wow. No, but I see what you mean. That commercial made anime look like something that was rated R. Those shows didn't even look that good. Definitely not the best that anime has to offer.

Edit: I just noticed that you had 2 links. That ^ is in response to the second one. Now that I've watched the first one, I still think that was a bit ridiculous. Although I did like Akira, it was completely blown out of proportion by that commercial. You think your about to watch hentai or something when it starts.

[Super Sonic]

Akira is considered a big cult-classic even among non-anime fans. Though to be honest I've only seen the newer dub with Johnny Yong Bosch and Joshua Seth, not the old dub that commercial advertised with Cam Clarke (Leonardo). And the new dub did have an R-rating from the MPAA.

[Rocketman]

Violence, blood, impaling, dismemberment, death, violence, child abuse, facepunching, eye gouging, death, more child abuse, three separate genocides at least, etc, etc.

[DemonRin]

I think the fansubs of the time had something to do with it as well. I remember movie 13's infamous "How fucking dare you fucking destroy my fucking house!? I'm really fucking pissed off now! Get the fuck away from me! Fuck You!!" that Vegeta screams at Hildegarn...

Couple that with how ridiculous and childish the dub is... ("Cat Loves food, Yeah Yeah Yeah!", "Let me say something in my native language to you...", "Ride-em cowboy!", "I am the hope of the universe! Ally to good, nightmare to you!" "Sorry, but being your partner doesn't seem to have much job security") and some people probably were like "This English version is for BABIES! Look at how much Vegeta cusses in Japanese!"

I fell into this trap myself...

But to be honest, by American TV standards, DB has certain things that aren't kid-friendly. So I'd rate it as like, an all-ages kinda thing like the Shrek films. They're made as animated kids movies but the plot is engaging enough and there are jokes thrown in that may go over a kid's head (like the part in Shrek 2 where they found "Catnip" on Puss and he goes "That's...uuh... not mine?...") that an Adult CAN enjoy them.
Same deal for DB as far as I'm concerned.

[TheBlackPaladin]

But to be honest, by American TV standards, DB has certain things that aren't kid-friendly.

Nailed it. That's precisely why some less-informed people think that it's for adults. It all has to do with cultural standards. When people argue whether DB/DBZ/DBGT was meant for kids or adults, my response is always that it was indeed for kids--but for Japanese kids. It was made according to cultural standards that few to no Japanese kids would find outlandish or offensive. However, lest it need be repeated, Japan has different cultural standards than the U.S. does, so what seems violent over here may be very tame over there, and visa versa.

Another part of it might also be a defense to the "nerdy" perception that one might receive for watching cartoons at an adult age. "It's not cartoons, it's anime!"

Ugh...yes...and you know what I describe anime as to anybody who asks what it is? "It's Japanese cartoons." People need to get over the fear of the "nerd" label. If you like cartoons as an adult, there's nothing freakin' wrong with that--be open about it!

[DemonRin]

Ugh...yes...and you know what I describe anime as to anybody who asks what it is? "It's Japanese cartoons." People need to get over the fear of the "nerd" label. If you like cartoons as an adult, there's nothing freakin' wrong with that--be open about it!

I don't define anything as a cartoon unless it's humorous. Because that's the original intent of the word. That's why those non-moving comic strips in the papers are called "Cartoons" too.

Like, I would call Spongebob Squarepants or South Park a "Cartoon" while I'd call Batman: The Animated Series an "Animated show".
Likewise, I would call Sgt. Frog, a "Cartoon" while I'd call Evangelion or Akira an "Animated show/film"

[DanielGClapp]

While that is true, most people consider a cartoon to be something that is animated. Once you start talking about the origin of the word and where it is to be applied, people in general get confused. I think "Japanese cartoons" or "Japanese animated series" are perfect ways to explain to your average joe just what anime is.

[MarcFBR]

Minus that the majority of people who are DBZ fans now saw it on Toonami, where it was rated TV-PG I believe.

What aired on TV was arguably more kid friendly than a decent chunk of Batman Beyond, the 4kids TMNT series, and plenty of shows that aired at 'roughly' the same time.

People just like to pretend it's somehow more mature than 'cartoons' subtly ignoring any cartoon that could disprove their point.

I don't define anything as a cartoon unless it's humorous. Because that's the original intent of the word. That's why those non-moving comic strips in the papers are called "Cartoons" too.

No it wasn't. The term came into common use hundreds of years ago in reference to stained glass windows, tapestries, and other such pieces of art that weren't necessarily realistically styled.

In the 1800s it was used in regards to (generally) single panel humorous drawings (much like the comics The New Yorker runs today.)

Since then it's been used for comic strips and animation in general, which generally goes back to the original use, which was works or art that weren't necessarily realistic or were 'pseudo' realistic.

Claiming a cartoon has to be humorous goes back to people trying to feel better about themselves because they are embarrassed.

To that I say... deal with it.

[Rocketman]

I don't define anything as a cartoon unless it's humorous. Because that's the original intent of the word. That's why those non-moving comic strips in the papers are called "Cartoons" too.

No it wasn't. The term came into common use hundreds of years ago in reference to stained glass windows, tapestries, and other such pieces of art that weren't necessarily realistically styled.

My curiosity was piqued, so I went to Merriam-Webster:

Origin of CARTOON
Italian cartone pasteboard, cartoon, augmentative of carta leaf of paper — more at card
First Known Use: 1671

So cartoon and carton come from the same root. Interesting.

[DemonRin]

Claiming a cartoon has to be humorous goes back to people trying to feel better about themselves because they are embarrassed.

To that I say... deal with it.

Well, I watch cartoons. I'm not embarrassed to say. I enjoy the hell out of Animaniacs and Sgt. Frog. They're fun, they're cartoons, I watch them. I will wear a sign around my neck that says "I Proudly Watch Cartoons".

But I don't think all animated medium should be referred to as a "Cartoon". Just because, something that is action or drama oriented just doesn't feel like it fits the word "Cartoon"...

[jjgp1112]

I'm pretty sure Z was TV-Y7 on CN. The UUC episodes were PG, though.

[Sshadow5001]

I used to think it was for adults because I watched it edited for so long, then I saw some japanese DBZ movie 9 footage and Trunks and Gohan punched a hole through a guy and there was a lot more blood plus the fansubs had quite a bit of bad language apparently.

I now know better now

[Eire]

Violence, blood, impaling, dismemberment, death, violence, child abuse, facepunching, eye gouging, death, more child abuse, three separate genocides at least, etc, etc.

My loved and beloved Grimm's Fairy Tales! Three books with blue cover!

Personally I find all that "animated series" elaborates too sophisticated for my simple taste. I have no problems with watching cartoons no matter if it's Avatar, Hedgehog in the Fog, or TMNT.

[Cold Skin]

Saying it's "for adults" is a bit exagerated I think. I'd say it can be viewed by adults (not only for nostalgia, also the ones discovering it), but it's not targetted at them in essence.

It is clearly meant above all for kids... in Japan at least. Because the fact that it requires censorship during localisation (not talking about the one "by default" like Kai, but the one actually added by countries importing the show) clearly states that, by official criterias, it is unsuitable for kids.

In France, they use the edited American Kai for example when it has to be aired on a kid channel, and language is sometimes tamed down. The uncensored version will be aired on a channel mostly aimed at teenagers (and probably with a sign "forbidden to those under ten years old" like One Piece).

And the weirdest thing is that the manga, which is much more graphic than the show in any format, is not censored at all and still said to be okay for kids. I never really understood that...

But anyway, I guess regardless of what we think, it seems that at least by official criterias, the anime is meant for kids in Japan, but for teenagers minimum in western countries (unless it is transformed to be suitable for kids). To me, it's "for kids, but suitable for all ages" much like Disney movies (by opposition to things meant for kids and only kids like Dora the Explorer and else that adults could hardly bear to watch).