To start off with, I must make light of the fact that I saw Dragonball Z before I saw the original. If you do so as well, don't be scared away from Dragonball! It is shorter, funnier, and overall, a much more enjoyable series than its sequel.
Dragonball is about Goku as a young boy. After his grandfather died, he decided to live and train in the forest. Goku always keeps with him a shiny yellow ball with four stars on it (which we all know is a Dragonball, but Goku's too dense to know that... ha ha). One day, he's out in the woods getting food and he runs into a girl for the first time in his life. This particular girl would happen to be Bulma, a character who reappears in Dragonball Z.
She tells him that the ball his grandfather gave him is a special one. It, when gathered together with six similar balls, will grant a wish to the summoner. This summoner calls an eternal dragon from a slumber, and IT decides if you get your wish.
Goku and Bulma go off together to find the other six balls (I hate saying that...). Along the way, they teach each other about specific things (Goku learns about girls and civilized things, and Bulma learns about fighting and what not) and meet up with different (yet enjoyable) enemies. Some other characters join their team and fight along side of them. All together, it is funny, not too drawn out, and you feel a certain soft spot for Goku's happy-go-lucky attutide towards life.
We saw the edited version. We would much prefer to see the unedited, but Dragonball has been butchered by too many people. It was released in many countries, and the original copies (unedited) are hard to track down and get a hold of. When we rented this, though, it was really easy to see what was edited with the crappy early 90's job done. ^_^ Nothing digitally enhanced like Tenchi Muyo on cartoon network...
Storyline
5/5 Wasn't too highly original, but it was very enjoyable. I thought the story was cute ^_^.
Character Development
5/5 They all have quite distinct personalities.
Plot Depth
4/5 Not really all that deep, but there were parts when you felt so happy, sad, or embarassed for other characters.
Music
5/5 Pretty cutsey. I think it was redone for the minds of two year olds, but that's okay. Most teenagers don't watch Dragonball like we do...
Sexual Content
5/5 Well.... none in the edited version!
Nudity
4/5 Goku is naked more than once. Not that it matters, because they do a PERKY job of editing it. Say with... flowers strategically (and shakily) placed, other shaky graphics placed on underwear and naked people... etc.
Violence/Gore
4/5 Quite a violent show! Hardly any blood. There are several scenes where they actually dismember (!) monsters.
Animation
5/5 It is pretty good most of the time. There are some scenes where the animation goes oddly smooth, and then there are others where the backdrops look like 5-year-olds scribbled them in one of their pseudo-art classes. HA HA.
Profanity
5/5 None in the edited version, but in the unedited version they do swear.
Overall goodness
5/5 It is a great show! Funny as well. There's lots of weird humor, such as farting, taking craps in the woods (among other places), crossdressing, eating, nudity, falling over constantly, and other stuff. I actually laughed out LOUD at it (usually, when I think things are funny, I'll just laugh in my head. This was different).
Totals: 47/50, a very good show. I actually recommend this because EVERYONE was likeable, even the enemies. Besides that, it was a kids show, but it had things (such as TONS of fighting) in it that appealed to older audiences too.
Well, Goku is a little kid, growing up all alone-like in the woods. His grandfather passed away (how is revealed all sneaky-like later on in the series) awhile back, and he trains and stuff. Fun for all ages! So, while hunting one day, he runs into Bulma and her car. Bulma is a teenage girl; the likes of which he has never seen. Of course, he tries to "defeat" this monster. That monster is her car. She sees this little ball he's got, which happens to be a Dragonball. These little handy-dandy things are the reason she was UP there in the first place. She tells him the legend, which is - "Once all seven balls are gathered together, they will summon the "Eternal Dragon". You are granted one wish." The thrills. Well, she wants his ball. ^_^ (hee hee. I am a pervert sometimes.) He wants to keep it; it is a memento of his late grandfather. So off they go together on an ADVENTURE, to gather the Dragon's balls! I'll never get over that. Never.
Well, of course, they are not the only ones after these lovely little things. The Emperor Pilaf (?) wants them too! So he has his two agents, Mai and Chau (or Shau, not sure), go after these little pesky children. Mai and Chau are about the cutest bad guys I've ever seen! Chau is a fox-dog-like creature, and Mai is a human girl. Anyway, so this Emporer (who has bad gas for such a little guy) wants to rule the world, as always. Goku, Bulma, and whoever else they happen to pick up along the way, must stop this from happening. Many characters that are in DBZ are in Dragonball. You'll see Oolong (the Communist Pig), Yamucha (he has Wufei's voice! Wufei Chang is from Gundam Wing), Puar (the cat that's always with Yamucha), Chi-Chi (Goku's future wife. She was COOL when she was little), the Ox King (Chi-Chi's dad), Master Roshi and his turtle (the turtle hermit and many other things besides) and probably more. No Tien, Chau-Su or Vegeta. Poo Poo.
Storyline
5/5 All cute-like and fun.
Character Development
5/5 Much developing! BREAKTHROUGH IN THERAPY TODAY!
Plot Depth
5/5 Deep? NEVER!
Music
5/5 It's. . . GOKU! HE'S GONNA SHOW YOU! He's gonna help you find the way! Cheesy.
Sexual Content
5/5 Yamucha is a little. . . weird about pretty girls like Bulma ^_- At least, according to him (about Bulma, that is)
Nudity
4/5 Goku has a naked butt! There are lots of no-big-deal nudities.
Violence/Gore
4/5 Your general violence. The absolute WORST violence is when Goku's tail gets cut off. No blood, even. Well, MONSTERS get beat up.
Animation
5/5 Well, for 1987, it's pretty good.
Profanity
5/5 They could have - EDITED this?? No... of COURSE NOT!
Overall goodness
5/5 Well, everybody was very likeable. I can't think of one totally MEAN person. Their "torture" was pathetic at times. Pilaf could have done some pretty cruel things, but to no avail. There was a few tragic parts, but overall, a very light-hearted series. A fun romp. ^_- You had to have seen that one coming.
Totals: 48/50, or lots of funny things that I shall laugh at for days.
TOTAL SCORE : 47.5/50 or much fun for you and meee.
***We rented it from Comic Junction dubbed, edited (but that IS the normal form; very difficult to get UNEDITED or SUBBED!).***
| Title: | Dragonball | ||||||||||||||
| Original Creator: | Akira Toriyama | ||||||||||||||
| Year: | 1987 | ||||||||||||||
| Licensed by: | Funimation | ||||||||||||||
| Length: | 294 minutes (not including "Curse of the Blood Rubies", the movie) | ||||||||||||||
| Rating: (not professional) |
G (nothing too objectionable, some mild violence and nudity)
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Number of Tapes:
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6
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Price for individual tape:
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Dubbed: $9.99
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Box Set? Price:
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Yes, $59.99 (includes "Curse of the Blood Rubies", the movie)
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Number of DVD's:
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1 (includes all 13 episodes AND movie)
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Price for individual DVD:
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$29.99
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Box Set? Price:
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No
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Comments:
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Dragonball is funny. It has no real objectionable parts to it, and would be enjoyed by both genders. It is aimed at younger kids, but there IS some adult humor in it.
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