The Dragonballs, should I watch them?

[Odbarc]

1. Should I watch the Dragonball series?
2. If yes, where should I start. The very beginning or elsewhere?

Dragonball the original with Goku as a child has a lot more slapstick PG comedy elements with fighting mixed in. It's more of an adventure show where Goku wants or needs to find the Dragonballs for some wish or another. In between, they go to the fighting tournaments which is probably the low point in the series - which ironically Dragonball Z fighting are it's high points - merely because they feel stretched out. If you want the full lore, you could start here.

If you start with Dragonball Z, I'd actually recommend Dragonball Kai instead. It has some minor graphical updates and removes A LOT of filler nonsense that serves no purpose. There's plenty of reason for everyone to fight and train and get stronger here with the backlore of the Dragonballs used to revive dead heroes or undo serious damage to the planet and it's population. Rose tinted glasses and nostalgia alike, I find the series to be one of those defining childhood experiences. Watching the Super Saiyan transformation for the first time with the extensive build-up is inspiring. It's, I think, an anime first to have a character like Goku whose gentle and kind but also serious and capable in ways that's pretty much copied into other animes since-forth. You may find him to be a little too trope-y in that regard but he's the original nice-guy in anime. (As far as I know.)
I'd recommend this one.
Then there's also Dragonball Super which continues after Dragonball Z so start only after you finish with Z.
Dragonball GT is pretty lame. It's almost like they tried to return to their roots with the original Dragonball except none of the comedy. The fighting seems to be a checklist which all seem to start and end the same way. If you watch it, you'll be grateful that it ends so quickly.

3. If no, any strong reasons as to why? Any other recommendations to sate my want?

Depends on what you like. Animation is at least fair. Story line is good enough. I don't like recommending things because personal taste can be severely altering to a good or bad experience.
But you've probably already seen Death Note. If you haven't, I'd recommend the first season.
Berserk only has one season (thought I hear there's a second one finally coming out later this year?) which has high animation quality, blood, and the story is pretty damn awesome too until the confusing last episode or two.
Hajime No Ippo is one I've been watching. An anime with realistic approach to Boxing. No super powers. The 'Chosen one' is a side character with an obnoxious personality so you see the average-man, Ippo, struggle as a young Boxer. Fights are interesting and serious, opponents are interesting and inbetween fights, there's great comedy elements in the training phase episodes. Currently 3 or 4 seasons?

 

[KyuubiNoKitsune-Hime]

I'm gonna mirror most here: Start with Dragonball, it's really kinda camp and fun, basically it's a comedy anime mixed with old style martial arts films, with a dash of Chinese and Japanes folklore for good measure.

If you decide to watch Dragonball Z, then watch Kai, preferably the English dub, because Goku's voice in Japanese is funny, at first, then it becomes a pain. Also Z can tend to be tremendously stupid, it's a fun stupid, but it is very dumb on occasion.

Dragonball GT is a mess start to finish, if you really need more Dragonball then it's worth a watch at least, but I'd say watch Super first.

Most of the movies are watchable at the least, some are just amazing, so go after those.

 

[Maphysto]

No, just watch DBZ abridged. You won't get all of the references, but it'll be funnier and WAY more worth your time. Only watch Dragonball or DBZ if you have a lot of time to waste on filler.

 

[Orga777]

Watch Dragonball for sure. That series is just good. Dragonball Z... Ehhhh... It is what it is, but the story is beyond bland and with it being over 200 episodes, you are going to run into a bunch of samey plot BS with the villains who are pretty much just a pallet swap after Frieza. If you want an over-the-top action Shonen that has tournaments and an ever growing power scale, go with YuYu Hakusho, which I consider is DBZ done better. And GT doesn't exist... I would also avoid Super. Just because the animation is absolute trash AND the story sucks. Although if you do get into DBZ, the two newest movies are actually very good, so... there is that.

 

[Veldel]

If you answered yes, then you should ABSOLUTELY watch Dragonball, you will enjoy it. If you answered no, then you should NOT watch Dragonball, you'll think it's for 12 year old boys.

Im 26 I recently rewatched Dragonball and loved it. I also watch tons of anime.

Anime isn't for kids mate its for all ages.


OT: Watch Dragonball first as everyone else has said its great fun and the adventure and story is entertaining as you see Goku grow up and meet most the chars of the franchise.


Dragonball Z or Kai I say watch its dub its actually pretty good.

Avoid GT its just blah.


and for bonus watch TFS's Abridged you dont need to know the lore or anything its just hilarious.

 

[Asita]

If you decide to watch Dragonball Z, then watch Kai, preferably the English dub, because Goku's voice in Japanese is funny, at first, then it becomes a pain. Also Z can tend to be tremendously stupid, it's a fun stupid, but it is very dumb on occasion.

Kai also fixed some of the dialogue. That said, Kai arguably has worse music than the original. Case in point:

Spoiler: Late Namek Scene

Original:

Kai:

And just because it's available on YouTube, here's the kai version with the music of the original:

It's a more minor change than a lot of other examples (such as the "I am" speech that comes later), but that line about "losing what little reason [he has] left" does a better job at selling the rage that transformation embodies. In the original dub it almost sounds like he just ran out of patience and is finally taking the fight seriously. In Kai, it's quite evident that he's pretty much seeing red and suggests that he's fighting to keep a modicum of control

 

[008Zulu_v1legacy]

I wouldn't recommend it, no. I watched the Cell Saga of DBZ, and I never really found myself drawn in to it. For an action series there was a lot of talking, the action scenes themselves were... not that action intensive. Oh we were shown fighting, but they moved so fast during the fights, the animators just drew zippy lines all over the place (which I found to be lazy). Most of the action shown was up close quick cuts, the kind Hollywood likes to think make for good action scenes. I found most of the characters annoying and one dimensional, no real growth over the series. The best character development was from the limited eps of the follow up Buu run, where Vegeta "sold his soul" to gain enough power to defeat perpetual fan favourite, and ultimate undefeatable Goku. I never thought Goku to be that good, but the amount of fan rage over him being anything less than God-like is staggering. I think the hardcore fans are another good reason not to watch it.

That actually went on a bit longer than I anticipated. Short version; Skip it. Read "Journey to the West" instead, DB was based off it.

 

[Fox12]

An odd position to take on a site like this.

How is that an odd position to take "on a site like this"? Last I checked, this wasn't an anime fansite. The OP asked a question, and I answered it honestly.
You might enjoy ridiculously overly musclebound men screaming like they're trying to pass a kidney stone 'til their hair turns blonde, then flying around punching each other, but I don't. I find it childish, and boring.

I think the same basic argument could be put forth with regards to pretty much every hobby treated with on the Escapist.

Wait, you mean the "I don't have the same opinion you do" argument could apply in a broad, general context outside of this specific thread? Mind = Blown.

Well, that is a tadbit silly. You can't watch Neon Genesis, Berserk, Perfect Blue, and Princess Mononoke, and tell me that no one should watch them for any reason. I mean, you can, but your basically a philistine.

It's like saying that you should never read for any reason when the works of Jane Austen, Faulkner, and James Joyce are sitting right there. You're entitled to your opinion, but no one whose knowledgeable about the art form is going to take you seriously.

 

[Bocaj2000]

This post convinced me to engage in Dragonball. My only question is, "Should I watch the anime or read the manga?"

 

[Elfgore]

Shit, didn't expect to get this many responses. Well thanks, everyone for the responses. Guess I'll pick and choose some quotes here.

If you've watched One Piece, I'm pretty sure you can handle what passes for filler in Dragon Ball/Dragonball Z.

If you've watched either Naruto or Bleach, I'm doubly sure.

Your post pretty much made me choose to watch it. I was mostly worried about filler and if it's on the same level as One Piece I can easily tolerate it.

Have you seen Ghost in the Shell? It's a vastly superior anime that inspired The Matrix movies. Unfortunately, the newest miniseries/season, Arise, is by far the weakest.

You can and should trust me, I'm an expert. And a doctor*.


*Neither expert nor doctor. Treat with caution- Mandatory Disclaimer, Interpol Security & retention

I've seen quite a few people talk about how great Ghost in the Shell is, not to mention I bought that recent FPS game they made about it. Might be time to go watch it.

That's a bit lewd but to each their own. I'd just say don't stare at Dragon Balls in public spaces.

[sub](I started with Z, watched until Cell's defeat then went through the original. Honestly couldn't tell you where to begin.)[/sub]

Come on, Redlin. You should know I'm a total perv by now. I'm not called the "lewd guard" for nothing.

snip

It helped a lot. Probably the best explanation on what to watch and to expect. I really appreciate it

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

Honestly, I'd say to stick with the original, not Kai. I think it's got better/more characterization. Kai's good if you already know who everybody is and how the story goes.

With Kai, you lose out on stuff like Jayce's accent or Piccolo being a clever bastard.

 

[Drathnoxis]

This post convinced me to engage in Dragonball. My only question is, "Should I watch the anime or read the manga?"

The manga version has more nudity and less filler, but the filler (especially in the 'Dragon Ball' half, not so much in 'Z') often expands and improves what Toriyama himself wrote. Then again, sometimes the filler will keep hammering on one particular trait of a character to fill time to the detriment of the character (again, mostly in 'Z', but it does happen in 'Dragon Ball' too.) It all depends on how pure to the original source you want to be.

Personally, I think a series about choreographed fights gains a lot from being animated. But then, I saw the anime first so maybe I'm biased.

 

[Drathnoxis]

Snip

You never answered the most important question: Are you watching the dub or the sub?

Spoiler: Everybody is waiting to see if you'll make the *correct* choice!

Everybody is waiting to see if you'll make the 'correct' choice!

 

[Guffe]

Dragonball was nice, I read the manga, the anime never surfaced here and I haven't gone back to watch it after the internet and streaming became a thing.
Dragonball Z, well the original series is drawn out and has loads and loads of fillers. But if you want all the characters and the battles. there has been made a Dragonball Kai, which basically is Dragonball Z, but they've removed all the stupid parts. So 500 episodes are now 70 episodes, or something like that, I never watched the Kai version but it got some good reviews if I remember correctly.
Have a go at it I'd say, if you don't like it, you can always stop

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

Dragonball was fun and Dragonball Z was cool as a kid. I think a lot of people who have fond memories of DBZ haven't seen it recently, because it hasn't held up great. DBZ had this weird issue where the show had to drag its feet because it had caught up with the manga, so there are some SERIOUS pacing issues. There are a lot of drawn out scenes of a character powering up and then reaction shots of all the other characters with shocked facial expressions gasping (even an infamous episode which is literally a single half an hour powering up scene)

There is apparently a version called DBZ Kai which shortens the show considerably, but I haven't seen it so I couldn't say how well it fixes the problem. So, I guess consider this a cautious recommendation.

 

[Kontarek]

Watch all of Dragonball.

Watch Z until you get bored.

Skip everything else.

 

[Elfgore]

Snip

You never answered the most important question: Are you watching the dub or the sub?

Spoiler: Everybody is waiting to see if you'll make the *correct* choice!

Everybody is waiting to see if you'll make the 'correct' choice!

Sub of course. From what I've seen of Dragonball Z it's nothing but over the top shouting and fights. Fits perfectly with Japanese VAs.

 

[PapaGreg096]

Honestly, I'd say to stick with the original, not Kai. I think it's got better/more characterization. Kai's good if you already know who everybody is and how the story goes.

With Kai, you lose out on stuff like Jayce's accent or Piccolo being a clever bastard.

Yeah those two things are totally worth the horrible pacing and long hours of screaming.

 

[TheMysteriousGX]

Honestly, I'd say to stick with the original, not Kai. I think it's got better/more characterization. Kai's good if you already know who everybody is and how the story goes.

With Kai, you lose out on stuff like Jayce's accent or Piccolo being a clever bastard.

Yeah those two things are totally worth the horrible pacing and long hours of screaming.

2+ things.

And having watched through it recently on Hulu, I find it going much faster than I remember. (Although my eyes did start twitching every time they read "in other words" in the sub) It's likely CN lengthend the shouty parts of the show to cover for what they were taking out.

Besides, if the goal is to watch the granddaddy of the genre, then you should watch the granddaddy of the genre.