Product Description NTSC/Region1. In 1986, the animated adaptation of Akira Toriyama's manga Dragon Ball debuted on Japanese television, launching one of the most popular franchises in anime history. Dragon Ball introduced a special mixture of male bonding, rigorous training, martial arts fighting, slapstick comedy, and sci-fi action that scored a huge hit with boys and led to the follow-ups Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT. .com In 1986, the animated adaptation of Akira Toriyama's manga Dragon Ball debuted on Japanese television, launching one of the most popular franchises in anime history. Dragon Ball introduced a special mixture of male bonding, rigorous training, martial arts fighting, slapstick comedy, and sci-fi action that scored a huge hit with boys and led to the follow-ups Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT--and numerous imitators. A small boy from another planet, Goku commands super-human strength, but he was raised in the remote mountains by an old man and he knows little of the world. Goku meets Bulma, who's trying to assemble the seven magical Dragon Balls so she can wish for a boyfriend. The naive boy and the hot-tempered girl join forces, then form a quarrelsome alliance with Oolong, the shape-shifting pig, and Yamcha, a dashing bandit with a metamorphic familiar, Puar. The heroes compete for the Dragon Balls against the pint-sized Emperor Pilaf (who wants to rule the world). After defeating Pilaf, Goku goes to study martial arts with Master Roshi, a lecherous but extraordinarily skilled old man. Goku and fellow student Krillin develop formidable powers that they use in the World Martial Arts Tournament. These episodes set the pattern for Dragon Ball and numerous other series: humans and creatures of all description train endlessly, then gather to pound the ramen out of each other before an audience. Naturally, the hero wins in an extended final match. The first adventures are lighter in tone and more broadly comic than the beginning of the darker Red Ribbon Saga. For years, the first13 episodes of Dragon Ball were only available in the U.S. in the heavily edited set Saga of Goku, to the chagrin of the fans. Following their successful release of the complete Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT, Funimation is presenting Dragon Ball uncut and digitally restored. The series probably looks better now than it did when it premiered, as it was reportedly filmed in 16mm. Note: The sight of the prepubescent Goku and Krillin running around naked doesn't bother Japanese audiences. (Rated TV 14, but appropriate for ages 12 and up: nudity, risqué and toilet humor, cartoon violence, ethnic stereotypes, alcohol and tobacco use) --Charles Solomon (1. Secret of the Dragon Balls, 2. The Emperor’s Quest, 3. The Nimbus Cloud of Roshi, 4. Oolong the Terrible, 5. Yamcha the Desert Bandit, 6. Keep an Eye on the Dragon Balls, 7. The Ox-King on Fire Mountain, 8. The Kamehameha Wave, 9. Boss Rabbit’s Magic Touch, 10. The Dragon Balls Are Stolen, 11. The Penalty Is Pinball, 12. A Wish to the Eternal Dragon, 13. The Legend of Goku, 14. Goku's Rival, 15. Look Out for Launch, 16. Find That Stone! 17. Milk Delivery, 18. The Turtle Hermit Way, 19. The Tournament Begins, 20. Elimination Round, 21. Smells Like Trouble, 22. Quarterfinals Begin, 23. Monster Beast Giran, 24. Krillin's Frantic Attack! 25. Danger From Above, 26, The Grand Finals, 27. Number One Under The Moon? 28. The Final Blow, 29. The Roaming Lake, 30. Pilaf and the Mystery Force, 31. Wedding Plans?)
I**T
Excellent picture quality in the original aspect ratio...unedited!
I was curious about Dragon Ball, so I caught a few episodes on YouTube and I enjoyed it so much that I had to buy the DVD set to continue watching. The YouTube quality for some episodes was good, but the DVD set is amazing. Others suggest that some of the individual set releases were better quality, but were edited. This set, from my understanding, contains the original unedited versions of the episodes. So, you see blood, brief nudity, etc.. And let me say that the video quality is amazing. I am watching it on a 65" HDTV and it resembles Blu-ray quality. I know some will balk, but unlike other animation sets I own, the lines are solid, with no noticeable jaggedness due to the upscaling of the SD quality to HD and the colors look vibrant. As usual, you will see some macroblocking with large areas of green or blue, in particular, but the set looks great overall. Best of all, the original 4:3 aspect ratio is intact, unlike what Funimation has done with DBZ.As for the packaging, I like it. There is a slipcover that matches the box art. If you remove it the spine of the box has a dragon image that you can combine with the other box sets to form a nice image of the dragon and the Dragon Ball logo on your shelf. The slipcover isn't necessary, but it is embossed, which is nice. All of the disks include the same art, which is applicable to the blue bricks, as they are called, for Dragon Ball, as well as the orange bricks from the Dragon Ball Z sets. Funimation, which produced the sets, stuck with a consistent design, which is commendable.Now, one of the complaints is that the blue bricks now lack the booklet, which includes character bios and episode synopsis. Apparently, Funimation decided to "go green" (i.e., save money) by not including them in the sets. However, you may download them in PDF form from their web site. It is a means to save money producing the sets, let's be honest. But, it is nice to be able to have them on my computer to view, so I don't mind. At least they aren't getting folded, torn, and just generally worn out. I will always have the digital version to reference if I like.For the price of these sets, you can't go wrong. You get hours of entertainment at a good price. The animation is beautiful and the show is a lot of fun. Funimation did a good job with these sets, although, the orange bricks are of lesser quality regarding the video, which is another story.
U**N
Finally! I get to start from the very begining! (Pt. 1 of 5)
Dragon Ball Z, is a show that just sucked me in from the very first episode I ever saw. The intensity and amazing fights and very adult like premise just made me a fan instantaniously. I had always known that the show Dragon Ball existed, but it took such a long time for America to get it uncut not to mention getting the rest of the show. Funimation finally put the whole Dragon Ball saga into season box sets and affordable prices and of cousre like the first time around Dragon Ball is the last one to be released.Most of you know the whole Dragon Ball Z saga, but now we are taken back to a much smaller and simpler time in the world of the innocent, yet vallient Goku. Goku is just a boy living alone in the wild until one day a beautiful teenaged girl named Bulma ends up on his doorstep looking for something called Dragon Ball. Goku had no idea he had it nor did he have any idea what a girl was! Suddenly Goku's simple world is blown wide open and he joins Bulma on her mission to find all seven of the Dragon Balls. On their quest they meet many foes and also a few loyal friends and who knew what this simple mission would turn into years down the line. Maybe..Goku will finally figure out a few things about himself he never would have expected.This show is very different from Dragon Ball z. It such a delight to watch. It is filled with lots of laughs and a Dragon Ball Z fan will enjoy finally seeing where the story began and soon to come all the events that lead up to episode 1 of Dragon Ball Z. I think the part that the fans will like the most is just watching Goku and his friends grow up with each new adventure.
S**N
Great show
I watched dragon ball z when I was young. The games were one of my favorites. But I never watches dragon ball till now. I learned a lot about the show that I never knew before. It helps you understand more about all the characters. I thought it was really cool seeing goku grow up, and how he became so strong. Once I started I couldn't stop. I recommend getting the funimation app though. You'll save a lot of money, Amazon video doesn't have anything good included with prime. Everyone says it's not a good show for kids, but I watched dragon ball z when I was very young and maybe even dragon ball, but I mostly remember dragon ball z. I never noticed all the sexual jokes and how master roshi is a huge pervert, not till rewatching it now that I'm older. When younger kids watch something like this, they don't understand all the adult content they just focus on the fighting and action. If your kid wants to watch this, let them watch it, I'm glad I did, I have some good memories of watching dragon ball z with my brother and cousin. But kids probably would want to watch this anyway, it's to old for them.
Trustpilot
5 days ago
2 months ago
