Dragon Ball has reached the level of fandom that many shows would only dream of. All around the world, Goku and the Z Fighters have practically become a household name, with the imaginary Saiyan race giving viewers around the globe loads of entertainment.
While the show Dragon Ball came first, its successor, Dragon Ball Z, is what made the series go viral. For those wondering whether it's right to start such an old anime today, it's safe to say that Dragon Ball and DBZ have earned their place as anime classics. However, there are several questions fans may have before starting such a long series.
10 Should You Watch Dragon Ball Before DBZ?
Not necessarily, but watching Dragon Ball first will enhance DBZ's story.
Since Dragon Ball is the very first anime of the franchise, it tells the fans everything there is to know about the main characters and how they came together. The events during that timeline are very important to understanding the impact of events in Dragon Ball Z.
Even if fans skip Dragon Ball and starts watching DBZ, there wouldn't be much of a problem, since DBZ can still be enjoyed as its own story without watching Dragon Ball. However, for those who truly want to connect with the characters, watching Dragon Ball becomes a must.
9 Who Wrote The Manga?
Akira Toriyama wrote a total of 519 chapters divided into 42 volumes.
The Dragon Ball franchise's history goes pretty far back. Before being converted into a world-renowned anime, Dragon Ball ran in Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan, which was published by Shueisha from 1984 to 1995.
Written by Akira Toriyama, the original Dragon Ball manga stands at an incredible count of 519 chapters, which were divided into 42 volumes by the publisher. To date, Toriyama is held in high regard for creating such a masterpiece.
8 What Is The Right Order Of Watching The Anime?
In order from first to last: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball GT, Dragon Ball Super.
The timeline of the anime is one of the most difficult subjects to tackle when it comes to Dragon Ball. Over the years, several movies and different series have been released, making it tougher for any new viewer to find a starting point.
The first anime released was titled Dragon Ball, and it ran from 1986 to 1989 before its sequel Dragon Ball Z ran from 1989 to 1996. After that, Dragon Ball GT came out and ran from 1996 to 1997. Then, after a huge break, Dragon Ball Super released in 2015, and the first season ended in 2018. In between that time, Dragon Ball Kai also had two brief runs.
7 Who Are The Main Characters?
Goku is arguably the protagonist, but characters like Bulma, Vegeta, Krillin, & Gohan also play crucial roles.
Over the years, the Dragon Ball franchise has kept introducing new characters and arcs, but there are some characters who are pretty much the heart and soul of the anime. Obviously, Goku takes lead as the closest thing to a protagonist, but there are others such as Chi-Chi, Bulma, Master Roshi, Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, and Vegeta, who are very fun to watch.
Despite Dragon Ball's wide cast of characters, however, Saiyans and dragon balls are pretty much the main focus of the anime. Key Saiyans such as Goku and Vegeta can easily be considered main characters alongside their families.
6 Who Are Saiyans, & What Are Dragon Balls?
Saiyans are a nearly extinct & forgotten race of warriors. Dragon balls are magical items that summon eternal dragons.
Whole arcs and storylines revolve around Saiyans, a nearly extinct and forgotten warrior race. At the same time, the series also focuses on dragon balls, which are mythical Namekian-made that have the power to summon Shenron.
Shenron is an eternal dragon who will grant the wishes of anyone who summons him with Earth's dragon balls. While the dragon balls are the main focus in Dragon Ball, much more about the history of Saiyans is revealed in the Saiyan Saga in Dragon Ball Z.
5 What's Goku's History?
Goku is a Saiyan who crash-landed on Earth & trained to become Earth's greatest warrior.
Goku is the closest thing the Dragon Ball franchise has to a poster boy, although one could argue that Vegeta has risen up to share that mantle with him. As a child, Goku came from space but no one knew why, and he was taken in by his adoptive grandfather, Gohan.
Along the way, he made a few good friends in Bulma and Krillin before Dragon Ball Z told the fans about his real origins as a Saiyan. To date, Goku is as cheerful as any character one would ever come across. His greatest ambition is to become the strongest fighter.
4 What's Vegeta's History?
Vegeta was an antagonist who changed sides after meeting Goku & his friends.
Vegeta — or, as he likes to call himself, the Prince of all Saiyans — is the walking example of how an evil man can turn his life around if provided with the right incentives. Vegeta dropped by Earth when his fellow Saiyan Raditz told him about Goku and the dragon balls.
Vegeta fought Goku and lost, but the former forgave him in hope that Vegeta would turn himself around and be one of the good guys. Goku's mercy paid off, as Vegeta married Bulma and settled down on Earth. This once ultraviolent, proud prince is now a devoted family man.
3 What's The Inspiration?
Akira Toriyama drew inspiration for Dragon Ball from the classic Chinese tale Journey to the West.
Akira Toriyama wouldn't write this absolutely amazing manga without getting inspiration for it from somewhere, would he? Dragon Ball draws inspiration from a classic Chinese story called Journey to the West.
While it's a Chinese story about a monk who wants to obtain a legendary Buddhist status, the characters in the story left a good impression on Toriyama and some Dragon Ball characters are quite similar. For example, Goku resembles the Monkey King, since he's childish, immature, and unwittingly funny.
2 Do You Need To Watch Dragon Ball Z Before Dragon Ball Super?
Watching Dragon Ball Z first will give a better experience.
The answer to this question has to be a resounding yes, although it wouldn't be such a massive problem if a viewer starts watching Dragon Ball Super before watching any episode of Dragon Ball Z. The only issue is that Dragon Ball Super is considered a soft reboot of Dragon Ball Z.
For those who truly want to understand what it means to be a Saiyan, why Goku has this obsession with becoming stronger, and why Vegeta acts like an egocentric jerk all the time, then watching Dragon Ball Z first is an absolute must. It's arguably one of the best anime in existence.
1 Why Are There No Women Super Saiyans Until Dragon Ball Super?
Akira Toriyama had trouble figuring out how to design a woman Super Saiyan.
During Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z, fans were puzzled at the lack of women Saiyans in the story because having a woman Super Saiyan in any storyline would have increased the entertainment value. Unfortunately, Akira Toriyama couldn't figure out what a woman Super Saiyan would look like.
Since Toriyama couldn't figure out how to design a woman Super Saiyan character, he decided to hold off on it until he figured it out. Decades later, Toriyama finally succeeded in creating female Super Saiyans. Fans who had been waiting were finally rewarded for their patience.