20 years ago today DBZ first aired in the UK

[90sDBZ]

Just happened to look at today's date and realised this. It's crazy that 2 decades have gone by since it first aired on Cartoon Network, which is unrecognisable these days compared to how it was back then.

Here's a video with the very first UK promo, plus a bunch of others;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lBy3HtO5qU

It's funny because we had DBZ on Cartoon Network before Toonami UK was even a thing. Cartoon Network US got DBZ because of the success of the Toonami block, while in the UK it was the reverse, with us getting our Toonami block due to the massive success of DBZ. We'd later get the awesome channel CNX, which concluded our first run of Z and kicked off GT, and eventually turned into the Toonami UK channel, which finished off GT and aired OG DB along with the Big Green movies.

Then in mid 2005 all DB shows were taken off Toonami UK, which continued to go downhill until disappearing for good in early 2007. It was a sad end for the once great channel.

Since then we had Kai air on Kix from 2012-2015, and we now have Super airing on Pop.

I think there was a topic similar to this before, but as it's the anniversary I thought I'd post a new one. Fellow UK fans share your fond memories of the old broadcasts.

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

It really is mind blowing that it's been 20 years as of today. Regardless, it is a wonderful anniversary to mark.

I was actually living in the US briefly in 1999 and I saw Dragon Ball Z before it ever premiered in Ireland. I fondly remember this show being like nothing I'd ever seen done in animation, and then when I got home and seen the promo I was never the same.

I loved watching this show every day after school, and even after it was taken off the air I still read about it online, talked to other fans, imported DVDs, and even double dipped when Manga UK got the license.

Best memory for me was honestly that summer me and my cousin watched my recordings of the Kid Buu fight on a staycation in a small village in the South of Ireland.

So glad to have been part of the first generation in the UK and Ireland that had Dragon Ball, here's to all the future ones to come

[Baggie_Saiyan]

I remember we ended up changing TV providers and my folks didn't opt for the kids package and thought CBBC and Cbeebies was sufficient enough... sadly I missed a majority of the Buu arc until bored one day flicking through the channels came across CNX and they aired the episode Buu turned Vegetto in candy. Because of playground talk I already knew most of the things that happened in the Buu arc but was nice to finally see it.

I remember going to a family friend's house and watching some episodes of the Freeza arc in Japanese.

I remember re-watching Z episode 1 while eating a carrot.

Surprisingly as a kid I wasn't into DB merch at all yet I was into Pokemon and Digimon toys in fact the only merch I got was when I was in year 3 and bought a pencil case from Argos with some money saved. Was a cool pencil case though hence why I remember lol.

I remember when there was "new episodes of DBZ" where Freeza finally reaches his final form and when it was about to finally start my Mom took me clothes shopping but said we would be back for 5 so didn't tape... knowing Mom's you can see where this goes we finally went to a store that had a clock and it said 5.20... I remember trying to hold back tears haha. But thankfully because Z was a terrible adaptation next day at school found out I didn't miss much lol.

I remember when Namek finally exploded and that shot of Goku made me fill with sadness genuinely thought he died.