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Title: Dragonball
Description: ...epic!


Clown Prince of Crime - September 28, 2007 08:01 AM (GMT)
Dragonball
Legends are not born... they are MADE!!

user posted image

Dragonball started off as a 42 volume manga by Akira Toriyama then spun off into two tv series (the first tv series being based on volumes 1-16 of the manga and the second tv series, titled Dragon Ball Z, being based on volumes 17-42 of the manga). Also, a 3rd tv series, not based on the manga but continuing the story, was also made, titled Dragonball GT.

Btw, I recommend getting into this series if you like Naruto, as it inspired Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto has even admitted this himself!

Anywho, Dragonball is unique in that it's one of the few anime/manga where you actually see characters age from childhood to adulthood! Goku, the main character for example, starting off as 12 and ending up as 47. In many ways, it's like seeing the entire life of a character unfold before your very eyes!

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Also, Dragonball has been stated quite often to be the best action cartoon of all-time by many sources. The series has a unique blend of fantasy, sci-fi, comedy, and martial-arts action! Although the emphasis on comedy was rather large at first, the series gradually shifted more and more to action, setting into the tone it would best be known for for the rest of its duration sometime around volume 11 of the manga; the sci-fi aspect never being around at all until volume 17.

Also, for those of you wondering what Z and GT stand for... well, Z doesn't stand for anything. Toei wanted to revamp the anime and Toriyama suggested they add a Z to the title because Z is the last letter in the alphabet. The reason Toriyama wanted the last letter in the alphabet added to the title of the anime was to hint at the "fact" that the series was coming to an end soon. Of course, he was dead wrong about that, since the series still lived on for a very long time to come. As for GT... that stands for Grand Tour, which probably has something to do with the fact that Goku and the gang have to travel all around the galaxy, I suppose. Though when titling that show, Toei turned to Toriyama. While "Grand Tour" is, officially, what GT stands for, Toriyama picked GT because he's a racing fan.

Anywho, discuss anything and everything related to Dragonball here.

Oh... and here's a pic I've always liked:

user posted image

Avenger29 - September 28, 2007 08:17 AM (GMT)
That opening picture... Did you do that?

Thats ballin'.

And thats NOT a pun.

Anyways... Anyone else here have the Season Three DVDs yet?

Clown Prince of Crime - September 28, 2007 08:53 AM (GMT)
Nope, I didn't. That's part of an actual poster... a really, REALLY big poster. I have several pics of the poster, but I've never been able to find a pic that actually shows the entire poster. That pic is the best one I've seen, as all the others I've seen cut off more.

I don't have the DBZ Season Three DVD Set yet, but I'll be getting it soon. I hate that these new "remastered" DVDs cut off the top and bottom half of the screen, but since I already have all the episodes in Japanese and without the screen cut off, I don't mind. The main reason I've been getting these DVDs is because they include the original Japanese bgm on the dub track, which is just pure win! Until now, they've only done that with the original Dragonball anime, and not Z.

Anyway, just cuz I'm bored, here's all the different sagas to the anime:

Emperor Pilaf Arc (Episodes 1-13)
21st Tenka'ichi Budôkai Arc (Episodes 14-28)
Red Ribbon Army Arc (Episodes 29-67)
Fortuneteller Baba Arc (Episodes 68-83)
Tenshinhan (aka Tien Shinhan) and the 22nd Tenka'ichi Budôkai Arc (Episodes 84-101)
Piccolo Daimaoh (aka King Piccolo) Arc (Episodes 102-133)
Piccolo Majunior (aka Piccolo Junior) and the 23rd Tenka'ichi Budôkai Arc (Episodes 134-153)
Saiyajin (aka Saiyan) Arc (Episodes Z1-Z35)
Freezer (aka Frieza) Arc (Episodes Z36-Z107)
Garlic Junior Arc (Episodes Z108-Z117) (Anime Only)
Cell and the Artificial Humans (aka Androids) Arc (Z118-Z194)
Great Saiyaman and the Otherworld Budôkai Arc (Z195-Z209) (Anime Only)
25th Tenka'ichi Budôkai Arc (Episodes Z210-Z219)
Majin Buu (aka Djinn Boo) Arc (Episodes Z220-Z291)
Black Star Dragonballs Arc (Episodes GT1-GT16) (Anime Only)
Bebi (aka Baby) Arc (Episodes GT17-GT40) (Anime Only)
Super Artificial Human #17 (aka Super Android 17) Arc (Episodes GT41-GT47) (Anime Only)
Shadow Dragons Arc (Episodes GT48-GT64) (Anime Only)

Phew... that took longer than I expected... x_X

QUOTE (Avenger29 @ Sep 28 2007, 12:41 AM)
As for GT, it could've and should've been a little better, but it was still awesome. I mean, it was epic in alot of ways. My gripes about that, however, will be mentioned in the impending Dragonball topic.

The topic is created now. Share your gripes. :p

Avenger29 - September 28, 2007 09:36 AM (GMT)
Thank you, good sir. I will.

Firstly, Goku becoming a kid again. Seriously, WTF? I know alot of people somewhat enjoyed the comedy it gave, but for me, aside from the occasional laugh, it was just really lame. It really cheapened everything for me.

Secondly, Baby. Normally, I'm fine with Funi's renamings, but this was an unnecessary one. Why didn't they call him by his true name, Bebi? I mean, Baby Vegeta? Super Baby? I dunno about you guys, but to me, that doesn't sound like an uber powerful parasitic villain. That sounds like a joke character in a oneshot manga.

Third, this is just a fanboyish opinion, but Gohan and Videl were horridly written. I mean, at the end of DBZ, Gohan was the single most powerful unfused character, even stronger than SS3 Goku. I know that he stopped training to focus on becoming a scholar, and to take care of Videl and Pan, but his powers shouldn't have diminished that badly.

And don't you think Videl would've been taught a little more by Gohan other than to fly? To go from a total BAMF crimefighter in DBZ to a normal housewife just makes no sense.

Also, this is a gripe I've had about the entire series. The ape transformations. I know that Goku was based on the legend of the monkey king and all that, but come on. Does he really have to transform into a monkey?

Oh well, the pluses do outweigh the minuses heavily, so while they were problems, they didn't diminish the overall experience.

Clown Prince of Crime - September 28, 2007 10:05 AM (GMT)
To me, having Goku turn back into a kid again seems like a gimmick. Overall, I think that one of the biggest reasons GT didn't do as well is because it didn't have Akira Toriyama having much to do with it. On the other hand, all the movies had even less of Akira Toriyama's participation and yet a fair deal of them were successful, so I dunno...

And while the writing for Gohan and Videl sucked (I'll agree with ya there), I do think Videl looked really nice... especially considering how much older she's supposed to be.

All in all, I'd say that GT ranks a lot lower on my list than the original or Z, however I wil admit that the ending was epic and tear-filled... heck, even better than the original ending that's featured in the end of the Dragonball manga (which was the last episode of Dragonball Z in the anime). Though Toriyama did go back and change that ending in the newer Kanzenban edition of the manga. I do like that ending better than the old ending except for the little part with Vegeta, which I felt contradicted something that had happened earlier during the final fight with Buu. If I could make my own version of the ending, it'd be a mix of what happens in the Kanzenban version of the Dragonball manga and the last episode of GT.

Anywho, continuing the discussion of GT, I really, REALLY liked the TV Special (better known to dubbies as "A Hero's Legacy"). It was kind of sad and stuff, but in a good way. Heh, the Goku that appears in that TV Special, though (who is Goku's great, great grandson since he's Pan's grandson) is very different from the ancestor for whom he was named after. Have you seen this, Avenger? It's really good. There's not much action in it, though, but I found it quite good, albeit very... melancholy. Also, the villains (which are actually just a side-plot, since the main story isn't about "saving the world" or anything like that) look a lot like something out of Chrono Trigger. At least to me, anyway.

Anywho, I guess that's all I really have to say on the subject of GT.

Avenger29 - September 28, 2007 10:13 AM (GMT)
On your point about Vi, I really liked the character designs for GT. Bulma's was the only one I didn't quite care for, because they made her look too old. Did Toriyama design GT's characters or did he just give some insight on them? I can't quite remember.

And GT's ending was brill. I was teary eyed too when the final scene aired. (Which I won't spoil for anybody because it was THAT epic.) DBZ's ending honestly disappointed me. I was hoping for a good feeling of closure, but it never happened. That right there justifies the existence of GT.

I've heard alot about "A Hero's Legacy", but somehow, I've never seen it. I really want to, though.

Oh, and on the subject of GT, I was reading through the books that came with Season Three of DBZ, and it says that the Black Star Ball Saga will be released in a boxset in November. Wootsicle!

Clown Prince of Crime - September 28, 2007 10:20 AM (GMT)
Gah! Really? Hmmm... depending on whether or not they'll have the dub have the Japanese BGM, I may or may not sell the GT DVDs I already own. XD

Oh, silly Funimation and their constant re-releasing.

o_o Though, geez... I just realized! It's the year 2007! That means Dragonball is roughly 23 years old! Wow... it's old but it's STILL popular!

Avenger29 - September 28, 2007 10:27 AM (GMT)
I'd say they're doing the same thing with GT as they are with DBZ. Of course, with the smaller number of episodes, and the lesser popularity (compared to Z) of GT, it's boxsets should be cheaper as well, around the $20 range.

EDIT: The book lists it as this: Dragonball GT: The Lost Episodes. November 13th.

And yeah, with almost 25 years under it's belt, and still maintaining its popularity all over, the franchise as a whole is legendary, and really has to be respected for its staying power. Not many anime, game, or cartoon franchises can say that.

I wonder if Toriyama has anything special planned for the 25th anniversary... :shifty:

AGodofIrony - September 28, 2007 08:31 PM (GMT)
I almost feel like I'm intruding...

Anyways...DBZ!

This was the first of the three I watched. I remember seeing bits and pieces of it from time to time, and it was always Goku racing to save his friends, of what I saw.

But, finally, I began to watch it, and I loved it.

DBGT was okay. I didn't see all of it, but a good chunk. I didn't really like the fact that Goku was made a kid again (What's the point? He acts the same any age it seems), and then, after beating the bad guys, leaves with the Eternal Dragon. To be honest, I was hoping Chichi would go with him. Is that just me?

Also...Frieza Saga...How many episodes took up that five to seven minute timespan for the planet to blow up? Way to many.

Also, was there a 'Namek Saga' and a 'Ginyu Force' saga as well, before Frieza?

And isn't there a 'Fusion Saga' and 'Kid Buu' saga at the end too, instead of just 'Majin Buu'? Because I have some videos that say that on them...

Just wondering.

And as for Dragonball...I haven't seen nearly as much as I would have liked to, but I hope to see some more in the future.

Dark Phazon - September 28, 2007 09:00 PM (GMT)
DragonBall...

I've seen a decent amount of DBZ (everything after Vegeta's self-destruct against Buu/Boo, and most of everything with the extremely slow Frieza-arc), but I'm not that big of a fan of it, mostly because everything just happens sooooooooo slooooowly and drone on and on and on. My liking of it hasn't aged well, as I think I liked watching it a lot more when I first watched it, compared to watching it now.

I've seen a fair amount of DBGT (none of the ones they didn't air on the first run on CN/Toonami, though), and like it less than Z, as it really has that feel of being very different from the normal of the DB series.

I've seen almost all of the original DragonBall (though I've missed a bit of the stuff with the different Picollos), and by far it's my favorite. A lot more humor, more interesting stories (not just "Really evil and powerful alien dude's coming to kill the entire world, but don't worry as we'll just wish everyone back to life afterwards" stories), and the single battles don't drone on for 15 episodes. Plus, it has the Dr. Slump cameo. It has a nice charm to it, and isn't just action action action. Though near the end, like CPoC said, it got a bit more action oriented.

I've not read the manga, so I have no opinion I can give about it.

QUOTE
Also, the villains (which are actually just a side-plot, since the main story isn't about "saving the world" or anything like that) look a lot like something out of Chrono Trigger.


:LOL:
The designs of everyone in CT (as well as Dragon Warrior/Quest and Blue Dragon) look like something out of DragonBall (due to Akira Toriyama's very distinctive art style; and in other news, Toriyama seems to have a monopoly on designs of characters of series' whose names involve dragons XD )

QUOTE
Also, was there a 'Namek Saga' and a 'Ginyu Force' saga as well, before Frieza?

And isn't there a 'Fusion Saga' and 'Kid Buu' saga at the end too, instead of just 'Majin Buu'? Because I have some videos that say that on them...


Those are smaller subsections of the overall arcs (namek and ginyu force were the first two parts of the way too long arc involving Frieza; Fusion and Kid Buu/Boo were sections within the overall Majin Buu/Boo arc, Fusion involving Gotenks {who's hilarious}, and Kid Boo/Buu from the very end of that arc).

Avenger29 - September 28, 2007 09:25 PM (GMT)
Don't forget my personal favorite sidestory, The Great Saiyaman Saga!

And yeah, Toriyama is like the Dragon King or something. Dragonball... Dragon Quest... Dragon Warrior... Blue Dragons... GAH! Wouldn't it be ironic if he were born in the Year of the Dragon? Maybe I should research that...

And yeah, I agree with Sporky about Chi-Chi going with Goku. That would've been sweet. But in some ways, I'm glad she didn't. It made Goku's departure that much more dramatic.

So... Who was everybody's favorite villain?

amechaninwonderland - September 28, 2007 09:57 PM (GMT)
-sigh- Ah, Dragonball. I remember, it was one of my first animes(aside from Pokemon, Sailor Moon and Ranma 1/2). I remember when my cousin showed me acouple of episodes from the Frieza Saga. It wasn't until I got into action shows(ala yuyu Hakusho) that I truely got hooked. :3

I never really liked GT that much. I thought the first few episodes we're okay....but then the rest seemed like it was lagging. .-.

Hum...I never realized how long it took the series just to finish an arc(like what AGoI mentioned). X.x;;

QUOTE
So... Who was everybody's favorite villain?


Hum..I really really loved the Buu Saga of DBZ, so I suppose he was one of my favorites. If Android # 17 is considered a villan, then it would be him. Then there's Cooler...

....

Oh! And the Red Ribbon general from Dragonball. ;D

And another side-question : What was your favorite Dragonball movie out of the entire franchise? <3

Avenger29 - September 28, 2007 10:10 PM (GMT)
Mine has to be Frieza. He was that guy you just loved to hate. I mean, no other villain was as evil as him, in my opinion, and no one else really gave the gang as much of a problem as he did. I mean, Cell and Buu were still problems for Goku and company, but they were somewhat well equipped to take on those two. When they fought Frieza, they were clearly outclassed in every way, which allowed him to handily own all of the fighters, especially Vegeta and Krillin.

Movie-wise, Broly: Second Coming or Wrath Of The Dragon, just for the large amounts of Gohan and Vi! Of course, the battles in Second Coming make it the better movie. I mean, that stuff was epic!

AGodofIrony - September 28, 2007 11:30 PM (GMT)
Speaking of Frieza, when we (my sister and I) first saw him, we thought he was a girl.

Much confusement.

And favorite villain? I got to say Cell. He inspired a lot of fan characters (including my Issai), and he's just pretty darn bad gluttonous maximus.

Avenger29 - September 28, 2007 11:33 PM (GMT)
Heh, me and Nikki always refer to him as Grandma Freezy!

Dark Phazon - September 28, 2007 11:48 PM (GMT)
QUOTE (AGodofIrony @ Sep 28 2007, 07:30 PM)
Speaking of Frieza, when we (my sister and I) first saw him, we thought he was a girl.

His voice in most of his 27.458 forms probobly didn't help. :LOL:

I don't really have a favorite villain... If forced to say something, I'd probobly say either Pilaf & Co (for being humorously bad), or Tien/Tenshinhan. And, I've never seen any DB movies.

Clown Prince of Crime - September 29, 2007 12:09 AM (GMT)
QUOTE (Dark Phazon @ Sep 28 2007, 02:00 PM)
Those are smaller subsections of the overall arcs (namek and ginyu force were the first two parts of the way too long arc involving Frieza; Fusion and Kid Buu/Boo were sections within the overall Majin Buu/Boo arc, Fusion involving Gotenks {who's hilarious}, and Kid Boo/Buu from the very end of that arc).

That would be correct! Funimation split the arcs up into smaller sagas. I can only theorize why they did this, though. My theory being that they either wanted to make people think they were getting into something new or... perhaps having them broken up makes it easier for selling DVDs. :p

QUOTE (Dark Phazon @ Sep 28 2007, 02:00 PM)
:LOL: 
The designs of everyone in CT (as well as Dragon Warrior/Quest and Blue Dragon) look like something out of DragonBall (due to Akira Toriyama's very distinctive art style; and in other news, Toriyama seems to have a monopoly on designs of characters of series' whose names involve dragons XD )

Oh, I'm well aware of that. But when I was referring to those villains, I didn't just mean the art style, I also meant that they look like they could actually be IN Chrono Trigger. Like, the way they dress and stuff like that.

QUOTE (Dark Phazon @ Sep 28 2007, 02:00 PM)
I've seen a decent amount of DBZ (everything after Vegeta's self-destruct against Buu/Boo, and most of everything with the extremely slow Frieza-arc), but I'm not that big of a fan of it, mostly because everything just happens sooooooooo slooooowly and drone on and on and on.


Ya, there was a LOT of dragging on throughout the anime, what with the staring down, the powering up, the trash talk... and then 500 episodes later, when they finally get around to fighting, that tends to drag on, too. However...

QUOTE (Dark Phazon @ Sep 28 2007, 02:00 PM)
I've not read the manga, so I have no opinion I can give about it.

The manga doesn't really do the whole "dragging on" thing for fights. Everything moves at a much faster pace. The dragging in the anime is just filler.

QUOTE (Avenger29 @ Sep 28 2007, 02:25 PM)
So... Who was everybody's favorite villain?

That's a tough choice... most villains I don't care for, since I feel they're way too similar to one another. *rubs chin* Even the awesomeness that is Piccolo Daimaoh is guilty of that. So, I'd have to go with Majin Buu (the fat version), since he was pretty much just fun-loving and wanted to eat candy. He was unique to the rest of the Dragonball villains. XD

QUOTE (amechaninwonderland @ Sep 28 2007, 02:57 PM)
And another side-question : What was your favorite Dragonball movie out of the entire franchise? <3

I'd have to say... the DBGT Special (aka "A Hero's Legacy"). The plot had nothing to do with the Earth being in crisis or anything. It had to do with a cowardly little boy overcoming many obstacles and proving himself worthy of being named after the mighty warrior Goku, as he goes on a dangerous and perilous quest for the mystical Dragonball in the hopes of saving his dying grandmother. Plus... there's a part towards the end featuring Goku (the original, not the main character of the movie... although, I guess that part has both of them in it) that really makes me teary-eyed... and reminds me of what a country-bumpkin Goku really is. XD

user posted image
"I'm your Great, Great... Great... ummm... wait, how many greats is that again? Ah, forget it, just call me Grandpa!"

QUOTE (AGodofIrony @ Sep 28 2007, 04:30 PM)
Speaking of Frieza, when we (my sister and I) first saw him, we thought he was a girl.

QUOTE (Dark Phazon @ Sep 28 2007, 04:48 PM)
His voice in most of his 27.458 forms probobly didn't help. :LOL:

Well, in the dub, he was voiced by a woman, and it SHOWS... in the Japanese version, he doesn't sound like a woman, because he actually IS voiced by a man. However... while he may not sound like a woman in the Japanese version... he does sound... ummm... ya know... okee-dokee, MOVING ON!!

Hmmm... the ironic thing here is that in the Japanese version, Goku is voiced by a woman, but it doesn't really show (at least in my opinion). Of course, in the dub, Goku had different actors portray him for when he's a child and when he's an adult, while in the Japanese version it was the same actress regardless of how old he was. She did make her voice a bit lower-pitched for when he's an adult, but it's still the same person... PLUS, she also did the voices for Gohan and Goten... and Kintaro in Urusei Yatsura and Guilmon in Digimon Tamers. :p

Hey, Avenger, since we keep bringing up the ending to DBGT... here's the original Japanese credits to that episode!

[dohtml]<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ixNlX0Bf-4U"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ixNlX0Bf-4U" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>[/dohtml]
For those of you that are curious, there are no spoilers in this! It's just Goku having many flashbacks about his past adventures and fights. Also, there's no subtitles, but that doesn't really matter because there isn't really any dialogue, either.

Avenger29 - September 29, 2007 02:01 AM (GMT)
Nice post! You know, I honestly hated Goku when I first got into DBZ. Being a Vegeta fanboy and all, I was convinced that Goku was lame and Vegeta would destroy him.

Then, as I got older, and got back into the series, I realized how awesome Goku really was. He's a perfectly well rounded character in every sense of the word. Yeah, when he needs to be, he can be deadly serious, as seen when he becomes a Super Saiyan versus Frieza, but most of the time, even in some of the most grave situations, he's carefree and happy. For example, the time he grabbed Frieza's tail. Even in a brutal fight, he still wanted to crack jokes and have fun.

That, to me, is what made Goku so great as a character.

This being said, who is everybody's favorite character? I bet none of you can guess mine... :rolleyes:

AGodofIrony - September 29, 2007 02:08 AM (GMT)
Is it this guy Avenger?

Seriously though...I'm not sure who my favorite it. Maybe Goten...

Avenger29 - September 29, 2007 02:17 AM (GMT)
Heh, you were close to my numero dos favorite with that one.

And Goten... GAH! GOTEN IS PWNTASTIC! He's one of the absolute best characters in the series' history, right behind my top two.

Clown Prince of Crime - September 29, 2007 03:03 AM (GMT)
I like waaaaay too many characters. And I'm in a hurry to go meet someone right now, so I can't stay to decide who my most favorite is, BUT... there is something I made earlier that I want to share...

http://ronnietheclownprince.deviantart.com...taller-66033085

Avenger29 - September 29, 2007 04:13 AM (GMT)
Gah... Wow. How is that even possible?

Isn't Gohan the tallest earthling in the series? From what I can tell, he is.

Clown Prince of Crime - September 29, 2007 11:50 AM (GMT)
Hey, lookee here! The covers to all 42 Volumes of the Dragonball Tankōbon manga!

[dohtml]<CENTER>user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image user posted image</CENTER>[/dohtml]

Okay, now that I got that out of the way, I'll get back to discussion!

QUOTE (Dark Phazon @ Sep 28 2007, 04:48 PM)
If forced to say something, I'd probobly say either Pilaf & Co (for being humorously bad)

Ya, Pilaf & Co were rather hilariously bad. As the series went on, I really started feeling bad for them, too. XD

At least they knew when to give up, though. Which is probably why you see less and less of them as the series goes on.

QUOTE (Avenger29 @ Sep 28 2007, 07:01 PM)
Nice post! You know, I honestly hated Goku when I first got into DBZ. Being a Vegeta fanboy and all, I was convinced that Goku was lame and Vegeta would destroy him.

Then, as I got older, and got back into the series, I realized how awesome Goku really was. He's a perfectly well rounded character in every sense of the word. Yeah, when he needs to be, he can be deadly serious, as seen when he becomes a Super Saiyan versus Frieza, but most of the time, even in some of the most grave situations, he's carefree and happy. For example, the time he grabbed Frieza's tail. Even in a brutal fight, he still wanted to crack jokes and have fun.

That, to me, is what made Goku so great as a character.

Heh... it was kinda the opposite for me. XD I hated Vegeta at first because he was (and still is) such an arrogant jerk... but yet, I did eventually see that underneath that he's not such a bad guy. He has way too much pride and such, but I think that's more because of his upbringing. Besides, he's a full-blooded Saiyan that DIDN'T get hit on the head as a baby, so a rough demeanor should be expected, I guess. :p

QUOTE (Avenger29 @ Sep 28 2007, 07:01 PM)
This being said, who is everybody's favorite character? I bet none of you can guess mine...  :rolleyes:

Hmmm... okay, I guess I'm ready to answer this... but there's so many characters I like, so instead I'll make a Top 5 list.

1) Master Roshi - OMFG, this old coot is hilarious! Him and his lecherous antics! XD Whenever he's up to his perverted antics, it's hard not to burst out laughing. XD

2) Chichi - She's pretty awesome. I like her better during her child and teen years (especially her teen years, though that much was only shown during the Piccolo Majunior arc) than when she's a mother, but she's an awesome character, regardless. It's just a pity that you don't see her fight very often... and lemme tell you, she's a VERY skilled fighter. At least by normal human standards.

3) Goku - Come on, the guy's so stupid it's funny! XD Well, I guess you could call him an idiot savant. He's a master strategist in battle, can learn special moves by merely watching them, and can often see or feel things in people that others can't... yet, he's still an idiot. XD But he's a lovable idiot!

4) Mr. Satan (aka Hercule) - Come on, he's hilarious! Need I say more? Hercule pwns j00.

5) Kurilin (aka Krillin) - I know most Dragonball purists prefer his Japanese spelling to be Kuririn, but I think Kurilin makes more sense. Why? Well, if you didn't know, his name comes from Kuri (Japanese for chestnut) and Lin (a suffix ending the word Shaolin). Anywho, I think this guy's great. He's such an underdog I can't help but root for him. That and... I can relate to his shortness... u_u;

QUOTE (Avenger29 @ Sep 28 2007, 07:17 PM)
And Goten... GAH! GOTEN IS PWNTASTIC! He's one of the absolute best characters in the series' history, right behind my top two.

Yep, he's pretty awesome. Wow, though, has ever a son looked so much like his father? XD

Weird how when he gets older he doesn't really look like Goku anymore. :blink:

QUOTE (Avenger29 @ Sep 28 2007, 09:13 PM)
Gah... Wow. How is that even possible?

I have no idea how that's possible, but ya... I guess Goku was just a runt who needed a LOT of time before his growth finally caught up to him...

Poor Krillin's still waiting for his...

Hey, waitaminute... how come Chaotzu never grows...? Or ages, for that matter...

QUOTE (Avenger29 @ Sep 28 2007, 09:13 PM)
Isn't Gohan the tallest earthling in the series? From what I can tell, he is.

Nope. Even if by Earthling you just mean Human, there's still plenty of others that are taller than him. And Goku isn't really shorter than Gohan... just that Gohan was taller than Goku at certain ages if both were the same age... I dunno if I'm phrasing myself correctly, but you should get what I mean.

But ya, even at Orange Star High School there were other students who were taller than Gohan. I believe Sharpener was taller, for example...

Avenger29 - September 30, 2007 04:18 AM (GMT)
Speaking of Sharpner, and Erasa for that matter, why were THEY featured in the Z-Fighters group shot at the end of the final intro? As far as I know, after their tiny speaking parts during Gohan and Videl's parts in the Budokai, they were never seen again, not counting the movies.

Also, while watching some DBGT tapes I have last night, I noticed something interesting.

user posted image

Hmm... She looks familiar...

user posted image

I'm not sure if it was intended, but the girl in the above picture looks to be none other than a grown up version of Gohan's old High School stalker, for an episode at least, Angela!

Now, we all know about Toriyama having what I like to call "Nomura Syndrome" (Creates characters that more often than not look like other characters the artist has created.) but if this was intended, I think its a rather cool little easter egg from the GT staff.

Also, I finally found the dubbed versions of "Until We Meet Again" and "A Hero's Legacy" online, so I'm dang happy.

Also, the Saiyagirl cameo in the Super 17 Saga made me UNBELIEVABLY happy.

Clown Prince of Crime - October 3, 2007 11:38 AM (GMT)
QUOTE (Dark Phazon @ Sep 28 2007, 02:00 PM)
Plus, it has the Dr. Slump cameo.

Heh... speaking of which, I found more Dr. Slump/Dragonball crossovers. Sorry that these are neither in English nor Japanese. I have no idea what language the first video is in, but I think the second video might be in German. At any rate, the first video is from an episode where Arale ends up bringing the Dragonball manga to life and then you see black and white versions of Goku and Majin Buu fighting each other. The second video seems to be a remade version of the original Dragonball theme but with Dr. Slump characters thrown in. It seems to be the opening to either an episode or a movie (not sure which) that is basically a retelling of what happened in those videos you linked, DP.
[dohtml]
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<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SJjxSZ0HMJ4"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SJjxSZ0HMJ4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
[/dohtml]
Here's an AMV someone made that has a lot of clips from whatever it is that song was an opening to...
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[/dohtml]
Also, I've recently found out that Arale will be an unlockable character in Dragonball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3 (not only is that a long title, but Atari can't seem to figure out that Tenkaichi should come BEFORE Budokai... though, I guess most Americans won't think it sounds weird since they don't know Japanese).

Dark Phazon - October 3, 2007 04:05 PM (GMT)
QUOTE (Clown Prince of Crime @ Oct 3 2007, 07:38 AM)
QUOTE (Dark Phazon @ Sep 28 2007, 02:00 PM)
Plus, it has the Dr. Slump cameo.

Heh... speaking of which, I found more Dr. Slump/Dragonball crossovers. Sorry that these are neither in English nor Japanese. I have no idea what language the first video is in, but I think the second video might be in German. At any rate, the first video is from an episode where Arale ends up bringing the Dragonball manga to life and then you see black and white versions of Goku and Majin Buu fighting each other. The second video seems to be a remade version of the original Dragonball theme but with Dr. Slump characters thrown in. It seems to be the opening to either an episode or a movie (not sure which) that is basically a retelling of what happened in those videos you linked, DP.
[dohtml]
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5RpbIbAyAUA"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5RpbIbAyAUA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SJjxSZ0HMJ4"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SJjxSZ0HMJ4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
[/dohtml]
Here's an AMV someone made that has a lot of clips from whatever it is that song was an opening to...
[dohtml]
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Zq0J9ud2LKg"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Zq0J9ud2LKg" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
[/dohtml]
Also, I've recently found out that Arale will be an unlockable character in Dragonball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3 (not only is that a long title, but Atari can't seem to figure out that Tenkaichi should come BEFORE Budokai... though, I guess most Americans won't think it sounds weird since they don't know Japanese).

I'm pretty sure video 2 is from an OVA or similar involving the Dr. Slump cameo in DB, but searching for info has proven fruitless for me. :LOL: But it, as well as that first video, are based from around the time of the 2nd Dr. Slump anime series (the first was likely within one of those 2nd series episodes), because Arale has brown hair.

The whole OVA/similar used to be on youtube, but I think it got deleted some time ago during one of their mass deletions...

Clown Prince of Crime - October 3, 2007 09:20 PM (GMT)
Man... now I really want to see that...

If Funimation knows what's good for them, they'll get their hands on Dr. Slump! Funimation has milked the Dragonball cash cow practically dry. There's not much more they can do after they finish releasing their Dragonball Z boxsets... except maybe release boxsets of GT and the original series, but still, there really isn't a whole lot more left. That being the case, I really hope they go back to Toriyama's classic poop joke filled comedy about a little nearsighted android girl.

Avenger29 - October 3, 2007 10:02 PM (GMT)
Isn't Slump like the cartoon version of Toriyama? I mean, in the manga, when the characters refer to the editor, Slump usually appears.

Sadly, I've never read Dr. Slump. I've heard alot of glowing things about it, though.

Oh, another thing I noticed in BT2 yesterday. Choose SS4 Gogeta in his second costume, and see what you get. It reminds me of a certain rumor starting fanart...

Clown Prince of Crime - October 3, 2007 10:17 PM (GMT)
QUOTE (Avenger29 @ Oct 3 2007, 03:02 PM)
Isn't Slump like the cartoon version of Toriyama? I mean, in the manga, when the characters refer to the editor, Slump usually appears.

The title character, Dr. Slump (which is just a nickname as the character's real name is Senbei Norimaki) was indeed a caricature of Akira Toriyama. Not only in looks, but in personality.

In Dragonball, there is no character that looks like Toriyama, but a character that shares personality traits with him would be Master Roshi.

QUOTE (Avenger29 @ Oct 3 2007, 03:02 PM)
Sadly, I've never read Dr. Slump. I've heard alot of glowing things about it, though.

"Glowing"? Sorry, I'm not sure I follow. ^_^;

QUOTE (Avenger29 @ Oct 3 2007, 03:02 PM)
Oh, another thing I noticed in BT2 yesterday. Choose SS4 Gogeta in his second costume, and see what you get. It reminds me of a certain rumor starting fanart...

I don't have the game (I've only rented it), but I'm guessing that's a reference to the infamous Dragonball AF.

Btw, speaking of games, besides the hardcoreness of the fact that Arale is going to be in BT3, I'm ecstatic over this fact:

user posted image

Though I also hope they include Teen Chichi... she's the best! :D And if she does get in, I hope she plays similarly to how she did in Super DBZ.

Btw, Avenger, this should make you happy:

user posted image

Avenger29 - October 4, 2007 08:33 AM (GMT)
BOLD! FEARLESS! AND GORGEOUS!

Nice find, man! I've got Videl and Gohan's art from BT3, but I haven't been able to find a decent Saiyagirl until just now, thanks to you.

And yes, thats a reference to DBAF. I don't have a picture right now, because the menu pops up way too fast for me to get a decent picture, but yes. Gogeta has the silver hair of a "Super Saiyan 5".

And about Chi-Chi, give us the one from the final episodes of DB! I wasn't a huge fan of little Chi, but the one that fought, and subsequently married, Goku was pwnsome.

Oh, and "glowing" means good!

Clown Prince of Crime - October 4, 2007 09:48 PM (GMT)
I like pretty much all forms of Chichi. Btw, the Chichi you just mentioned wanting in the game is the one I mentioned as well, Teen Chichi.

Anywho, I bought the DBZ Season Three Boxset today. Man, as much as I hate how they cropped the top and bottom of the screen (only things that originate in widescreen should be shown as widescreen) I absolutely LOVE being able to hear the fantabulous Japanese BGM even when having the dub voices on. XD

Btw, anybody else notice that Goku's friends always end up getting his leftovers as far as training is concerned?

Originally, both Goku and Krillin trained with Master Roshi, but then way later Goku went off to train with Korin while the Krillin and the others continued training under Master Roshi. Goku later trained with Kami and Mr. Popo.

Basically, they were always one step behind Goku. And it kept going on like that. Goku would be training with King Kai while the other trained with Kami and then it wasn't until Goku fought with Frieza that the others trained under King Kai.

Just something I thought I'd point out.

EDIT: Oh, and as much as I don't like having to go through the same story over and over and over in the Budokai games, I really love the what-if scenarios. I'll share one I found on YouTube. Yes, BT3 is out in Japan.

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What if Dr. Gero had sent out Android 16 while Goku was still fighting the Red Ribbon Army?

Avenger29 - October 5, 2007 12:36 AM (GMT)
Was that an in game narrator? Awesome!

Oh, and heres the picture of SS"5" Gogeta.
user posted image

Clown Prince of Crime - October 5, 2007 01:24 AM (GMT)
Ah, I see. Actually, I think there's already been alternate SS4 Gogeta palettes in previous games. At least, I think I remember there being a white haired SS4 Gogeta in Budokai 3 (which I do own). I wonder if the reference to AF's SS5 Goku is intentional?

Btw, to anyone else who might be eavesdropping but has no idea what Dragonball AF is, I'll enlighten you all. Basically, rumors were started about a 4th animated Dragonball series titled Dragonball After Future. The rumors started because of a very well drawn piece of fanart of a supposed Super Saiyan 5 Goku, and then many others added more to the myth until it got out of control and there were thousands of gullible people that believed Dragonball AF to be a real anime. Even today, there's still people out there that think it's real.

Despite the speculation that AF stands for After Future, it was later revealed that AF really stands for April Fools. :p

Avenger29 - October 5, 2007 03:49 AM (GMT)
Heres some of the artwork from "DBAF" if you guys were curious.

user posted image
user posted image
user posted image


For the record, that last picture is pwntastic.

Anyways, with that kind of artwork, you can imagine how the casual Dragonball fan would be fooled. Of course, what Daizex did for April Fools that time, while hilarious to those in the know, didn't make matters any better! Even today, you STILL have little nooblets aggressively defending their false belief that DBAF is real.

Anyways, off of this topic, before we draw the nooblets here!

So... Question! Would anyone here happen to have any of Mark Menza's DB music work laying around? (The new theme from the DVDs. DBGT's American Soundtrack.)

Clown Prince of Crime - October 13, 2007 01:17 AM (GMT)
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Woah. The Filipino dub of Dragonball Z certainly did a lot better with the theme song than any of the American dubs. They actually used an English language version of Cha-La Head-Cha-La rather than making up an entirely new song!

Though, the original is always the best, of course...
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Avenger29 - October 13, 2007 02:52 AM (GMT)
I never can get the lyrics to the original right... I wonder if this is the reason...

CHARIZARD! HEAD SHOTTA!

Clown Prince of Crime - October 13, 2007 03:30 AM (GMT)
As much as I love this song, I have to admit that was quite hilarious! XD

Avenger29 - October 13, 2007 03:45 AM (GMT)
Heh, I'm more partial to the American music by Faulconer and Menza, but I do like that song, for sure.

Clown Prince of Crime - October 15, 2007 09:23 AM (GMT)
For several years now, we've all known that there's been an American live-action movie in production, but information has always been scarce. You can take the following information with a grain of salt, if you want, but it seems to be all over the internet, so who knows? Regardless of whether or not this really is going to be the premise of the movie, I just don't see a live-action Dragonball working no matter how you cut it. Dragonball and live-action just don't mix... but at least the special effects will probably look cool and stuff. ANYWHO... here's the premise of the movie, which is speculated to be written and directed by James Wong and will begin production in November. The premise is kinda stated throughout little character biographies.

QUOTE (Cinematic Happenings Under Development (CHUD))
[GOKU] 18 years old, Goku is considered uncool and unpopular at school, but he is in fact an extremely talented martial arts fighter who gets rigorous training from his grandfather, Gohan. After the death of his grandfather by the evil Lord Piccolo, Goku finds his destiny in his grandfather's dying request that he find Master Roshi and gather all seven Dragon Balls (of which he has one) in order to prevent Piccolo from succeeding in his desire to use the dragonballs to take over the world. Trained by Master Roshi, aided by Bulma and Yamcha, friends he meets along the way, Goku proves himself a formidable, almost undefeatable fighter. On many dangerous adventures to find the remaining Dragon Balls and thus save the world, Goku conquers physical and emotional challenges, ultimately saving the world but clearly impelled to spend his life searching for the Dragon Balls with his trusty companions...LEAD


[BULMA] 20s, female, pretty, with great intelligence behind her gleaming eyes, Bulma is a determined, competitive young woman whose father's five star Dragon Ball was stolen by Lord Piccolo, and who believes that she can harness their unlimited energy and change the world like Edison or Einstein. Bulma, who has a DBE (a Dragon Ball locator device), teams up with Goku, and with him meets up with Master Roshi and Yamcha as they attempt to collect the missing Dragon Balls before Piccolo can destroy the world. A resourceful and courageous young woman who's also a weapons expert, she overcomes many obstacles with her colleagues, only to find the seven Dragon Balls ultimately snatched from their grasp--but it's clear she's going to continue searching for them with Goku and Yamcha...LEAD


[YAMCHA] 20s, "the bad boy who has no trouble attracting women," he taunts Goku, Bulma and Master Yoshi, who are trapped in a sand cave, rather than helping them with his rope ladder. However, after overhearing Master Roshi's tale of Piccolo once nearly destroyed the Earth and are preparing to do so again, Yamcha has a change of heart and not only helps the three in the desert, but becomes a valuable part of the team. An ingenious young man whose utililty truck is the Swiss Army Knife of trucks--every tool and gear imaginable sprouts from its body--Yamcha joins Goku, Bulma (with whom he becomes romantically involved) and Master Yoshi on their quest to find the seven Dragon Balls before Piccolo...LEAD


[MASTER ROSHI] This older man is a good friend of Goku's grandfather, Gohan, and Goku comes to enlist his help after his grandfather is killed. Although he looks like a beggar, Roshi is one of the world’s most fearsome fighters. Master Roshi begins Goku's rigorous training to prepare him for the adventure of finding and fighting for the seven Dragon Balls to save the world from Piccolo's destructive plan. A wise, somewhat wry man who knows as much about human nature as he does about martial arts, Master Roshi is impressed with Goku's fighting but reminds him of his failings as well. Ultimately, Master Roshi sacrifices his own life in order to destroy Piccolo...LEAD


[MAI] Late 20s, female, her features exotic, sexy but deadly, dressed in gleaming black, with weapons strapped all over her body, she's a martial arts expert and Lord Piccolo's chief enforcer. Crafty and quick thinking, Mai uses her ability to shapeshift near the climax of the movie and takes on the form of Chi Chi, a young martial arts expert who's romantically involved with Goku and later saves Piccolo from Master Roshi's curse; once she is revealed she ends up in the fight of her life.


[LORD PICCOLO] An ancient being who despite his humanoid appearance, is from an alien race determined to take over the world. Piccolo is the cursed ruler of a demonic race who nearly destroyed Earth 2000 years ago, and with the coming of the eclipse and the possession of all seven Dragon Balls, he's prepared to free himself and do the job right this time. Crafty and smart, Piccolo has some disturbing news for Goku, namely that the boy is actually a Saiyan who's destined to join Piccolo as his right hand in destroying and enslaving the planet...LEAD


[CHI CHI] Goku’s lifelong love interest, Chi Chi is an attractive, tom boy-ish young woman who has grown up with Goku. She has studied martial arts and has always suspected that Goku possesses talents that are unusual and extraordinary. After Goku embarks on his journey to redeem his grandfather’s death, Chi Chi meets up with Goku and his crew at a tournament of champions where their mutual attraction finally heats up during a training session.


[GOHAN] Goku's kindly, wise grandfather, he looks like he's in his 70s but moves like Jet Li. An accomplished martial artist who trains Goku on the bow staff, he loves his grandson and is happy to prepare a special feast for him on his 18th birthday, as well as a special gift: a 3 star Dragon Ball. Tragically, Gohan is struck down by the high ninjas of the Namek-Jins, and as he dies he sends his grandson out to do face his destiny and do battle against them...


Sometimes... becoming popular has its ugly side. Sorry to anybody looking forward to this movie, but I really just don't like the idea of making a live-action movie from this... especially an American live-action movie, as we all know how Hollywood likes to... ya, you read all that stuff, I don't need to say anymore...

Dark Phazon - October 15, 2007 04:38 PM (GMT)
Very... different.

Anyways, now the very slight desire I have to laugh like crazy at that old Japanese (or was it from somewhere else? I don't remember, but it was from somewhere around that part of the world) live action movie that was somewhat based on Dragonball has returned.



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