Dragon Ball Forum

Something pretty prominent about the Dragonball series that I've noticed that sets it apart from some other anime and manga is that it is'nt very like deep or philosophical compared to some other stuff like Ghost in the shell,Evangelion,RahXephon or even other Shonen manga/anime like Pokemon,Digimon and Monster rancher which at times in the anime have at times even been introspective ussually with regards to the character development.It has'nt ever really made such a big thing out of romance either besides telling about the relationships of certain characters but never really getting to far into that.Personally I would really like to have known what it meant to Bulma to have known someone as amazing as Goku who she has a bit of a sibling like relationship early on in the original Dragonball and continues supporting him somehow throughout Z and GT to a less prominent extent (that little reminisce she had in last episode of GT did'nt really do it for me).Essentially it simmers down to good vs. evil and fighting.Despite that simplistic formula it sure does a heck of a job delivering good stories through out the franchise and I think that if the series was a bit introspective it would have lost some of it's appeal.I've also frequently heard that "it does'nt take itself to sriously" although I dont really know what that means.If anyone can detect some deep philosophical stuff in the DB series (not the mythology though,I know the very 1st storyline in DB is based on "Journey to the West") I'd really be interested to check that out.Anything else that seperates this series from others?.

@Newdeath said:

DBZ on the other hand became very famous especially the anime particularly due to the fast-paced over-the-top fighting and honestly, there is no better animated fighting than that seen in DBZ.

ND

I think that last part is a bit soaked in nostalgia but I'd agree with this. DBZ is pure insanity and a story told through violence, combat or the threat of violence and combat.

I think it is alot like other animes. Dragon ball z reminds me of a more fantastical, and light hearted version of Fist of the north star. Dragon ball is different though, havent really spent much time watching dragon ball, the few episodes I watched were pretty unique. I think the appeal of dragon ball was lesser than the appeal of Dragon ball z.

it's a shonen, not many shonen are deep and philosophical, except Death Note.

that being said...if you put nostalgia aside...it's a pretty "average" anime at best

The insane amount of promotion that Toei and Funimation put into the series for nearly three decades now and still being a new anime fan's gateway drug into the medium. Only anime to surpass that absurd level of promotion would be Pokemon and Yu-gi-oh back when they were still hot stuff in the late 90s to early 2000s.