Dragon Ball

I have to say that Dragonball is by far my Favorite series of all time. Its the show that got me into anime and I cant wait to buy all the seasons remastered when they come out.

The Dragonball story is goofy, fun, and all around brilliant! It throws great humor with huge action and you cant beat it. I started Dragonball by reading the manga when I was younger and still love them and the show is just as good if not better! Sure, some stuff form the manga has been taken out of the show but thats because some of that is more mature(nudity) then would be for the audience.

All in all, Dragonball is one show you need to see in it entirety to feel its greatness. I recommend it to everyone because its that good and every age can enjoy it. From the silly monkey boy to the perverted Turtle Hermit, its all out fun.

10-10

When the 1st episode of Dragon Ball kicks in, no one would even imagine where this is going to lead. That single episode led to near 500 episodes divided into 3 series, about 20 OAVs, real-life movies (one of them still being produced), hella-long mangas, mass hysteria when it ended, fan fictions all around, rumors about a new series that never arrived, several videogames and gadgets... did I forget something? Probably. Dragon Ball is what brought animes outside of Japan to the mainstream. And it did deservedly, as Dragon Ball, as a whole, is one of the best series ever made.

But let's focus on Dragon Ball, the famous prequel to the even more known Dragon Ball Z. Forget the extreme sci-fi from Z. Forget the huge muscles (well, do not, just imagine them smaller), put in loads of humor, and you get Dragon Ball, the first series. The story is funny, but smart and thrilling, and despite the obvious ending of all the parts, there's still some thrill to be had - mostly with the typical superhero scene where you wonder "How will they get out of this?" even if you know for sure they WILL get out of that. The characters are hilarious, but given the impressive amount of them, you'd better not start loving too many of them, because there could pass dozens of episodes without seeing certain people. This is quite a flaw in the Dragon Ball formula, in fact the power levels of the characters raise so fast that someone who appears to be the strongest person on the world, will be beaten by half of the cast about 50 episodes later.

The drawing style is very typical and good, although sometimes it's a little flawed - nothing bad though. Another flaw is that some sagas inside the story are quite boring - the last episodes are quite a filler that do not inflict the later storyline in any way, so it could have been avoided, and cut at the last fight. Otherwise, Dragon Ball all things considered is epic. You might watch it today and think "What's the fuss all about?" - you might not get it with today's eyes. But believe me, this thing was huge, and I could re-watch it anytime. And it leads to Dragon Ball Z, which is one of the best TV-shows ever made.

I'm a 90's kid and grew up with Dragon Ball Z. I never watched the original Dragon Ball since it was never on Cartoon Network whenever I got back from school. However, now that I am 25 (getting old!) I decided to watch the original series where it all started. I had been told it was a lot more light-hearted and fun, so I was looking forward to it. Boy oh boy, was I in for a treat!

Dragon Ball comes from a time when cartoons were truly free to do whatever they chose. From the 1st episode we got a taste of this and saw things that would cause a cartoon to get an instant ban...namely Goku's method of determining what identifies a girl. Goku is the main protagonist in this series as he is in DBZ, but seeing him as a kid really makes you see him in a new light. The word Saiyan is never used, so to new watchers he is just a kid with a tail. He still has the same kind personality and love for fighting (and eating!). The other characters of the series are great too. Roshi is how I remember him in DBZ...as sexist as ever. Seeing others like Yamcha, Bulma, Krillin and Tien as their younger counterparts was also a treat. Their personalities really differed from their DBZ characters and it was great to see them develop throughout the series.

The fighting in Dragon Ball is what I really wanted to see. I knew that it was a lot more focused on martial arts, rather than crazy ki-blasts, powers or even flying (the Nimbus was as close as we got in the early episodes). I have to say, despite the fights being a lot less epic they were still enjoyable. A prime focus on martial arts was actually quite refreshing. The martial arts tournaments were great to see new characters be introduced and seeing their methods.

In terms of the story lines, they were as I had expected from my experience of DBZ. The first few sagas were more of an introduction to the world of martial arts and Dragon Ball. The focus was on collecting the dragon balls and the main enemies were merely those trying to get in Goku's and Bulma's way. However, in later sagas you get to see true evil villains. Seeing Tien and Piccolo as a villains was weird, but the fights were great fun. It was also weird to see Goku struggle against them! Goku from DBZ would have wiped the floor of them!

All in all, I really enjoyed this series. Seeing the origins of my favourite DBZ characters was great. It was a lot more light-hearted than DBZ but it had its serious moments. If you loved DBZ then I highly recommend you watch this. If you are new to the world of Dragon Ball, I would recommend you actually watch this first!

Young Goku is here. Lovable, kind, and pure-hearted. Also discover the origin of how it all started. To be honest, this was the best anime cartoon I ever saw next to my other favorites, Akira and Galerians.They don't compare at all but its funny and perfect for the family. If you heard DBZ was good, watch this series. The best shows are the first two sagas, when Goku did the most comedy. Although this isn't REALLY recommend for kids, due to violence and nudity. I recommend this to ages 9 and up. Young Goku journeys with a girl named Bulma hoping to find the seven dragon balls. During there journey they run into enemies who also have the same objective. Will Goku and Bulma receive all of the dragon ball and summon the dragon or will there plan be a failure. The whole search rides on a dragon radar created by Bulma.

Dragon ball is the cartoon that pioneered the fame that anime enjoys today. "What FF7 did for Rpg's, DB does for anime". It showcases wacky characters that each develop over time. It is definitely for kids but, considering Japanese culture, some actions(e.g. young Goku touching/smelling "genitalia") may seem vulgar but of course in a comedic and innocent manner. This is as well, slapstick humor.... not in its finest... BUT IN ITS EXTREME FORM! (e.g. One of Goku's enemies, Ninja Murasaki, falls from the roof. Then.... the "poor" ninja lands ass-first on Goku's stretch stick, protruding from the ground. Talk about the worst anal probe ever! Thats how the guy loses. Hahahaha....)

The plot is built around an odd little boy that that is blessed with great strength and physical prowess. The general formula of the series is one of a "Boss saga" type. What i mean by this is that each "chapter" always begins with a new enemy boss introduced while it ends with the protagonist defeating that boss. Later on, in the series (DBZ), the origins of Goku is revealed. Dragon ball is centered on how Goku attains super hero status. By the latter parts of Dragon ball, Goku actually "grows up". A trademark as well of the show is the many memorable characters that it has. What is memorable?? This is simply: Ulong (the shape-shifting pig), Yamcha (the outcast that fights using his "Wolf fang fist"), Bulma (the main focus of "fan service"), Goku (the monkey boy), Lange (the schizophrenic sneezing babe).....

This is actually a good example of what anime generally is. All the peculiar humor that Japanese cartoons portray are nicely shown. From the sexual overtones, slapstick, stupidity, childishness, super deformed "chibi" and what not considering Jap-humor. Don't forget that this is a kiddie show. It is enjoyable though even for adults as the "oddities" (goku's old master, the ultimate "hentai" "perv" Tortoise Genie, in his eternal pursuit for sexy women.) are enough to keep you laughing.