Dragon Ball Z: Is it as good looking back?

[Anime Forum]

Now. Before the Dragon Ball Z fanboys decide to lash out, hear me out. I'm a longterm fan of Dragon Ball Z and I still enjoy the series from time to time, but looking back at the show as a whole recently made me wonder.

Is this series really worth the 8.20+ score it has on myanimelist? We could argue all day if that score is official, but it still gives us solid proof that people think it is a great anime. Now, the series is a living legend and deserves a massive amount of credit for becoming as big as it once did. Noobs to anime now may not realize just how popular this series was around the world in the early 2000s, but damn it was hot. It still has popularity, but nowhere near its reign 15 years back. Looking back though.. I find myself completely on the fence. The series does offer a good number of things to the anime world, but damn is does have some drawbacks.

I just don't know. Its a good show, but not as good as so many anime out there. It has the "I watched this as a kid effect", but that isn't a valid reason for fanboys to call this: The best made anime ever. Heck, it would be lucky to crack a top 500 in that category.

[Zainox]

Nope it's crap, only good for reminiscing now.

It's way to drawn out, very repetitive, takes forever to get to a point and the battles are way too damn long. But damn, was it awesome to watch back in the day! Same thing with Pokemon.

[GameGeeks]

Decent at best. Vegeta and Gohan are the only chars that got any character development. Goku doesn't change at all outside of power. Outside of a few moments it's doesn't go above a 6.5.

[Anime Forum]

Decent at best. Vegeta and Gohan are the only chars that got any character development. Goku doesn't change at all outside of power. Outside of a few moments it's doesn't go above a 6.5.

Piccolo gets some character development in the very least.

---------- Post added at 03:24 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:23 AM ----------

Nope it's crap, only good for reminiscing now.

It's way to drawn out, very repetitive, takes forever to get to a point and the battles are way too damn long. But damn, was it awesome to watch back in the day! Same thing with Pokemon.

Those fight scenes.. Man. People say the 2 episode Bleach fight scenes are bad.

[GameGeeks]

Piccolo gets some character development in the very least.

Not really, the little he gets is done at the very beginning and in a period of the show that's fast forwarded through.

[星らぶ]

for a late 80s anime it does a pretty good job, the hit was in early 90s though (I believe US got it later than anyone, same with Sailor Moon)
I love the Dragonball classic the best to be honest, the not good thing about the whole series and especially the Z is the insanely long battles, like: they look at each other for 5 episodes, exchange a "kisama" or two and air blows, and ohh look at that his hair got blond!
I could handle that as a kid and I was anticipating for every new episode but too much lack of time nowadays to just spend 20 minutes on the same image.
I always enjoyed the tournaments most, especially the one chichi kicked son's butt LOL and then he married her, and I'm of the very few who actually liked the GT, only minus was that pan didn't turn super saiyan. she was such a kickass kid XD

all in all dragonball overall had a nice story and a great moral to teach(especially how all the hardship didn't changed son at all, how love soften vegita, etc )
I dont know about 8/10 but a 6-7 is easily given from me.

[Digimon_Sommelier]

I like DBZ. Re-introducing it as 'Kai,' though . . . it's okay.

[Anime Forum]

Not really, the little he gets is done at the very beginning and in a period of the show that's fast forwarded through.

His character development lasts up until the android arc, but is obviously a focus in the early stages of the show. Either way, Piccolo does get some character development lol. Not as much as Vegeta and Gohan of course, but it exists at least.

[devinholdinn]

I never even heard of those.

[Nanobyte]

For it's time it's pretty decent. But there were more interesting and better anime present at that point. I think what really got it so popular was the concept of power being multiplied over and over, Goku being a sort of superhero. It's a bit like Marvel if you think about it. They didn't really see it as an anime. Just a "cartoon". Maybe they liked the style too.

But yeah, the show was mainly aimed at kids with lots of comedy intended in the Japanese version. The whole thing was just a parody on shonen in general. The English version misinterpreted it and that's why they seriously made 10 episode long battles only to hear "I'll start using my true power now!" without making it seem like a joke. It's not a bad thing though since the English version is even popular with the Japanese. O_o;

[Yung A$$eroya]

It's crap, compared to the animation and pacing we have today, but it is still a gem. I am assuming it was amazing at its time, and it's still watchable, y'know.

[Digimon_Sommelier]

Since 'Kai' is a reminder, then yes, DBZ is as good.

[Flostier]

It was a good anime for a while that's for sure but it honestly is good to go back and watch it from time to time.

[Yurika]

It can be amusing sometimes, but I prefer the Team Four Star version.

[Anime Forum]

It can be amusing sometimes, but I prefer the Team Four Star version.

That's the abridged version right?

[Yurika]

That's the abridged version right?

It is indeed.

[sakuracwan]

I dont know about 8/10 but a 6-7 is easily given from me.

[Nesh]

It is the anime of my childhood. The one for which I waited impatiently for every new episode to be aired, and for the restless kid that I used to be it's a miracle how I would sit still for twenty minutes without blinking, but that's just how much I enjoyed watching it.

It's true about the fights being too long and the repetitiveness of it, but as a teenager and even now I had re-watched it and the enjoyment and excitment from it all hadn't disapeared. Sure there are better animes nowadays in terms of animation, character development and story pacement but if you think about it almost half of the better ones were inspired from DragonBall (eg. the tournament) and DBZ (the increase in power).

It's a great anime that has opened the path for many more similar to it, to be made and for me it will always have a reminiscent touch and wishfullness to become a superhero myself

[Sidetrackphyco]

Ive been going through and watching the parts i missed as a kid (everything pre cell). Watched in a lump sum its tough because of the catch up at the beggining and all the repititition. But as individual episodes watched on the it wasnt near as bad. Also Super and battle of the gods totally relight a fire in me i thought was exstinguished for ever.