A few years back, I put together a crazy-person’s guide for watching Dragon Ball in order. This is extra challenging as the series has released nearly twenty movies, plus TV and other specials. This list describes Dragon Ball as it was experienced by its original Japanese fans at the time that it came out.

As fans know, Dragon Ball Kai (in the US, called Dragon Ball Z Kai) is a retelling of the events of Z but closer to the original vision of Akira Toriyama. You’d have to be even crazier than crazy to watch Kai immediately after DB/Z/GT, but if you want to do it, I include those episodes here as well.

I love Dragon Ball. I can’t properly explain why, but I’ve never claimed that my TV habit were sane. Like many American fans, I was exposed first to its sequel series, Dragon Ball Z, on Toonami. They played a fairly butchered version of the start of that show (the Saiyan arc up through the first portion with Freeza’s minions).  I had no idea at the time that I had missed out on the real beginning of the story or that it was based on a manga or really anything else. It, Tenchi Muyo, and Sailor Moon made up most of my early anime habit.

It has been many years since I’ve seen just about any of the original Dragon Ball and I’ve never made it all the way through that series. I’ve decided to kick off a new rewatch for myself of the show in order, discussing episodes in roughly groups of 10-15 depending on where the plot points break off. This first post covers the 13-episode “Pilaf Arc” which kicks off the anime.

Continue reading The Pilaf Saga – Dragon Ball Episodes 1-13 →

So, let’s say you are crazy. SUPER crazy, with a lot of time on your hands. And let’s say that you (like me) are the kind of OCD completist that wants to watch Dragon Ball the “right” way: as it was experienced by its original Japanese fans at the time that it came out. How might you do that? I’m glad you asked, because this is the list that I came up with:

Continue reading Crazy Person’s Guide to Watching Dragonball In Order →

When I was in high school and college, Dragonball Z was one of my favorite shows. Thanks to Cartoon Network’s “Toonami” block, I was able to experience to adventures of Son Goku and his martial arts ass-kicking friends as they saved the earth time and time again. The show had fantastic action, occasional bursts of humor, and a good heart. Unlike so many other heroes, Goku’s good heart and attitude was often able to gradually swing the villains onto his side, just in time to combat the next set of villains to attack the world. When was the last time that Superman managed to convert Lex Luthor? I didn’t think so.

But if there is one thing you can say about the series: it is long. Goku’s battle against Freeza probably lasted longer than most relationships. And that is where Team Four Star comes in: they edit, re-dub, and re-imagine Dragonball Z as a kick-ass comedy in small and amazingly watchable parts, called Dragonball Z Abridged. They’ve been at it since 2008 and are only around half-way through the series. But that made me wonder: when will they finish? And, more importantly, when will they get to some of my favorite parts? (Goten and Kid Trunks!)

Thanks to the power of math, I have some pretty good answers. Read on for more!

Continue reading When Will Dragonball Z Abridged Get To My Favorite Part? To The End? (Updated 7/15) →