DragonBall Z - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

Discuss Dragon Ball Z here.

[Sandman87]

A few comments on the current Toonami run so far:

 

Goku resembles Superman somewhat, especially in his origin story.

 

Damn, there's a lot of existing characters from previous series to get familiar with. That's what happens when one jumps in to a long running franchise.

 

King Kai might just be the worst punster I've ever seen on a TV show. Naturally I approve. The more it hurts, the better it is. The training he gave to Goku basically started out as "try to touch my monkey."

 

Bulma needs to shut up soon. She seems incapable of opening her mouth without annoying me.

 

That must be a well built spaceship if Goku could crank up the internal gravity to 100x without damaging it.

 

Love the Ginyu Force's painstaking choreography (complete with kabuki noises) on their introductory poses. They even manage to make Freeza uncomfortable with their little routine. Also love the fact that Goku couldn't resist getting in a couple of cheap shots during the pre-combat posing.

 

Vegeta seems like he might grudgingly become a good guy eventually if he survives. Maybe, maybe not.

[Sandman87]

The awful pun in the thread title is courtesy of King Kai, during Goku's training in the Other World.

[Sandman87]

Last week's Toonami: Frieza gets really ticked off that the kids yoinked his balls and then broke them. You might say he's really Frieza burned. He reveals that he's been using his race's transformation ability to reduce his power level. Then he hulks out and gores Krillin with his horns. Meanwhile Piccolo merges with another Namekian, making his power level skyrocket.

This week's Toonami: Holy crap! Don't ever hurt anyone that Gohan cares about, because he'll go off like a nuclear bomb. In this case it's Frieza who's on the receiving end of the rage powered pummeling. Unfortunately, it's not enough to defeat old Pink 'n' Scaly. Frieza proceeds to beat Gohan like a rented mule, but Krillin distracts him by cutting the end off of his tail with his energy buzz-saws. A pleasant game of tag ensues, then then new and improved Piccolo shows up to play.

[Sandman87]

Last week's Toonami: The new and improved Piccolo demonstrates his new and improvedness. Frieza demonstrates that he's got another, even more improved transformation. He also mentions in passing that the can transform a third time, to make his already monstrous power level even bigger. Everyone demonstrates their ability to freak out.

This week's Toonami: Vegeta convinces Krillin to almost kill him so that the Namekian kid who's hanging around can heal him and he can use the Saiyan power up ability. For some reason the kid is ticked off at Vegeta for murdering most of his fellow Namekians, and refuses to cooperate. Then he un-refuses. Frieza transforms for the third time and figures out that the first thing you do in any player vs. player team game is kill the other team's healer. Buh-bye Namekian kid!

[Sandman87]

Toonami: Vegeta spends half of the episode talking about how unbeatably powerful he is now that he's a Super Saiyan. Then he spends half the episode trying to beat up Frieza. Then Frieza spends the third half of the show beating Vegeta like an old rug. Also, Goku finally finishes healing up in his high-tech medical test tube, so we can expect to see him rejoin the fight any time now.

 

At one point Piccolo says something like "He's going to unleash that power! We all have to take cover now!" Then everyone flies straight up and hovers in mid air. Uh, guys? That's not taking cover. That's the opposite of taking cover.

Edited September 29, 2015 by Sandman87

[Lantern7]

Since Toonami picked up Dragonball Z Super, I figured a media thread was in order.
 
I've been following Team Four Star and their abridgement of DBZ for years. Last year, they counted down the top 24 moments from DBZ. Today, they're doing the same for the various movies. They're doing one per day on their website, and they complied the first items on their YouTube accout.

 

Be warned . ..  apparently, there have been 24 movies, so the stench can be unbearable to start. And you need to be a fanboy/fangirl to fully appreciate the list. TFS also has done abridgements of some of the movies, which can be found here. It's a fun thing to check on each day before Christmas.

[Lantern7]

Here's the finale of the countdown . . .

 

I don't follow DBZ that much, so I have to defer to TFS. I did see the top pick. Also, after seeing Battle Of Gods and Resurrection [F], I don't see Beerus as a villain. An antagonist, sure, but not a villain.

 

And for anybody with an abridgment itch  . . . TFS came through with their 51st episode, a major turning point in the Androids/Cell saga.

 

ETA: Almost forgot . . . what if Gohan and Krillin hit up Porunga for something other than Piccolo's life?

[Lantern7]

Just found this . . . Goku making a sandwich . . .

[Lantern7]

Somebody on Etsy made DBZ-themed lamps.

[Sandman87]

I'm still watching the show, but there doesn't seem to be much point in posting about it very often when no one else is hanging around in the thread.

This show seems to have a rather loose definition of "android", what with Cell being a product of genetic engineering.

Androids 17 and 18 seem remarkably non-murderous toward normal humans so far, while 16 would probably be happy communing with birds and butterflies for the rest of his existence if he didn't need to kill Goku.

[Sandman87]

I haven't mentioned it before, but I'm enjoying the different versions of the song in the opening credits. I assume that it's the show's VAs doing the singing, since the voices sound like them. Similar to the credits for the Sayonara Zetsubo Sensei franchise, or the "Fly Me to the Moon" closing credits from Evangelion.

[Lantern7]

I've been getting sketches from Chris Giarrusso for years. Every day, he puts a sketch card for sale at $5. Yesterday, he posted Tien. I lost the only card I ever bought, so I'm not the sort to go for that. But I'm hoping one of you picks it up. Look, he's doing the triangle thing with his hands!

In other news, here's the latest chapter from Team Four Star. Featuring the debut of Mr. Satan, Cell relates the Dragonball history to a reporter, and we find out how Goten got his name.

[Lantern7]

You knew it was coming: Dragon Ball Super will air on January 7 on Toonami. Will DBZK still be a thing, or are we going to skip the Buu saga? I'd be okay with that. Gohan-as-main-character worked for me, but then his dad had to come back from the dead. Again.

ETA: Speak of the devil-looking-alien . . . DBZK will continue to air at midnight, after DBS at 11;30. This would be like airing Naruto and Naruto: Shippuden back-to-back.

[Lantern7]

Bumping up for Dragonball Z Kai: The Final Chapters. Teen Gohan! Goten! Fucking Mr. Satan/Hercule!! And a bad guy that looks like a yellow testicle!!

[Sandman87]

Cell has been defeated, seven years have passed. Gohan has a little bro named Goten now who is best friends with little Trunks. He's also taken up being a half-assed Japanese-style crime-fighter superhero when he's not attending high school classes, complete with motorcycle helmet, cape and dumb name ("Great Saiya Man!"). His super-gig is so camp and corny that even Adam West is rolling his eyes.

So far the major plot thread seems to be "will Gohan's classmate Videl, who happens to be Mr. Satan's daughter, figure out Great Saiya Man's secret identity?"

[Lantern7]

Only saw the first episode. The Otherworld Tournament got cut, which is probably for the best.  I mean, nice to see other Kais and Pikkon, but they don't really add much to the plot. And as big a nag as Chi Chi has been about Gohan not being a clone of his father, it's nice that the kid is flying right, even if the best school is so far away that he has to break out Flying Nimbus. Remember that? When Goku and his friends didn't fly every-damn-where?

@Sandman87 . . . things will pick up soon. Also, I kinda like Videl after her haircut. Short hair worked for her.

ETA for anybody who's seen the Freeza arc . . . you think Gohan could have claimed a spot on the Ginyu Force with those moves?

[Sandman87]

Training, training, everyone's training for the martial arts contest! Gohan teaches Vidal to fly, and that's not a coy euphemism. She blows his mind by managing to fly on her second day of training. Goten blows her mind by shooting an energy blast. Trunks blows Vegeta's mind by going Super-Saiyan. Piccolo blows his friends' minds by powering up solely through meditation.

Edited February 12, 2017 by Sandman87

[SilverShadow]

I love the way Gohan and Videl's relationship develops. She starts off so cynical and disbelieving and he's just clueless about How To Teenager. 

[Sandman87]

I get a kick out of the crowd shots, especially the signs that say "Go Satan!"

[Terrafamilia]

I had to explain to my dad that "Mr. Satan" was his ring name.

[Sandman87]

Piccolo spends an episode peeing his pants about a contestant named Shen, then concedes the match as soon as it starts. Krillin owns his over-sized opponent immediately. Chi-chi and Bulma engage in "my husband can beat your husband" squabbling.

[Sandman87]

Last week/this week: Vidal's opponent won't go down, so she keeps hitting him harder and harder, until she accidentally kills him...but he twists his head right back around and keeps on coming. He then proceeds to beat her like a rented rug. She ends up in the infirmary, and Gohan is pissed.

[Sandman87]

Bipity, Bopity, and Buu? Are you frickin' kidding me?

[Lantern7]

That was my reaction as well way back in the day. Don't know how Disney didn't sue Toriyama.

While I'm thinking about it . . . does Babidi resemble a scrotum to anybody else? Specifically, Piccolo's scrotum? If he had one, I mean.

[Arcadiasw]

Having seen Project A-ko years ago and wondered how DC never sued anyone, I assume there are loopholes created to prevent such lawsuits. 

As for Babidi,Toriyama does spoof a lot of things. Goku's hair and Saiyan name is a spoof for carrots. Bulma and Trunks names spoof underwear. Drawing someone to look like a scrotum isn't far off. 

[Sandman87]

It was fun watching Trunks and Goten playing Human Totem Pole while fighting 18. It never occurred to either one of them that fighting two on one would be considered cheating, or else they didn't care. Meanwhile, Evil Devil Guy meditates his way to maximum power prior to facing Gohan.

[Sandman87]

Things just got serious. Evil semi-mind-controlled Vegeta murdered about 1/5th of the audience at the arena. Hope someone makes a Dragon Ball wish to get them back later.

[Lantern7]

Found this on Facebook . . . Goku vs. the entire Street FIghter II lineup. I found it to be inspired.

[Sandman87]

Goku and Vegeta's fight finally generates enough power to germinate the giant Buu walnut. Buu pops out and says "Buu!"

[Sandman87]

Last week: Vegeta destroys Bobbity's spaceship.

This week: Vegeta makes a two foot wide hole in Buu's torso, but that just makes him angry. Buu responds by blowing up like a tac-nuke, hurting Vegeta and apparently vaporizing Supreme Kai.

[Terrafamilia]

Why is Bulma teetering on a precarious peak trying to grab a dragon ball when there at least three people with her who can fly?

Android 18 claims that she and water don't mix. Assuming that's true does that mean the Android Saga could have been brought to an end by hosing them down?

Yamcha shows off his glutes. What does he do now that he can afford expensive tailored suits and do I really want to know?

[Sandman87]

29 minutes ago, Terrafamilia said:

Android 18 claims that she and water don't mix. Assuming that's true does that mean the Android Saga could have been brought to an end by hosing them down?

Probably not, just like you don't want to drive your car into a lake, but it won't be hurt by a little rain. Unless it's one of those cars that breaks when you look at it funny.

[Arcadiasw]

On Sun Aug 20 2017 at 3:44 PM, Terrafamilia said:

Why is Bulma teetering on a precarious peak trying to grab a dragon ball when there at least three people with her who can fly?

Android 18 claims that she and water don't mix. Assuming that's true does that mean the Android Saga could have been brought to an end by hosing them down?

Yamcha shows off his glutes. What does he do now that he can afford expensive tailored suits and do I really want to know?

I guess baseball is paying him a lot. 

[Terrafamilia]

Goku shows up to keep Bulma's group from wasting their wishes but tells Shenron to take a four month breather instead of trying out a wish to deal with Babidi and Majin Buu even though he knows how dangerous they are!?! I guess that's because he is looking forward to the death-match or something.

[Lantern7]

I flip between this and SNL. I think Maijin Buu can stand as a Big Bad because he's so creepy. I referred to him in the DBS thread as "Benny from L.A. Law," and I gotta stick with that. I mean, he's cute, but then he has no qualms about killing everybody, because he doesn't have a moral center beyond the pale Namekian scrotum called Babidi. I know, Namekians are asexual, but look at the wrinkles and short hairs. Tell me differently.

Heads up: the "season" will be rerun next Saturday, in case you missed an episode.

[Lantern7]

Anybody going to New York Comic Con in four weeks and change? Turns out there will be a DBS panel on that Friday. Scheduled to show up will be Jason Douglas (Beerus), Monica Rial (Bulma), Sean Schemmel (Goku) and Ian Sinclair (Whis). I don't know if any of them will be sticking around that weekend.

[Sandman87]

Big bouncy baddie Buu bops Bobbidy on the bean; big blood blast; Bobbidy becomes brainless. Bye bye!

[Arcadiasw]

As casually everyone is being, "oh after we kill Buu we can bring everyone back with the Dragon balls," why did everyone feel differently about Gohan? Goku and Piccolo talked as if Gohan's death was final.  Unlike Vegeta Gohan has never died before.

Even after Yamcha wished everyone back to life earlier that day, Gohan's Ki not being felt should've alerted them something else was going on since he never died before.

[Sandman87]

Trunks and Goten start learning the Fusion dance. If the "save the Earth" thing doesn't work out, they could always use the silly choreography to reform the Ginyu Force.

[Sandman87]

More silly Fusion dancing, and Buu makes a friend.

[Sandman87]

Watching the old Kai doing the dirty old man thing and Goku going along with it was cringe-inducing and creepy.

[Arcadiasw]

Especially given what's going on in Hollywood now.  

At least the old Kai never got his way whereas Roshi has grope all the women on DBZ. I know it's meant to be a joke and Roshi always got payback but I never found it funny. 

[Lantern7]

For anybody who likes cosplay and/or being squicked out: cosplayer dresses as ugly male DBZ characters. So much detail, you guys.

[Sandman87]

Buu gets a puppy! Mr. Satan teaches him how to play with the puppy! No more killing! They're gonna be best friends! Except that some fool with a hunting rifle came along and killed the puppy, then threatened to do the same to Buu. I've seen John Wick, so I know how that's gonna work out...

What makes Mr. Rifle Guy think his rifle can do anything to Buu? Does it shoot neutron bombs or something?

Meanwhile, Gohan continues his super training, and Gotenks turns out to be thoroughly arrogant even after getting his clock cleaned once already by Buu.

[Arcadiasw]

11 hours ago, Sandman87 said:

 

What makes Mr. Rifle Guy think his rifle can do anything to Buu? Does it shoot neutron bombs or something?

 

It makes about as much sense as an army fighting Cell thinking they can win or people believing Mr. Satan beat Cell. 

Edited November 20, 2017 by Arcadiasw

[Lantern7]

In case you didn't here, Toonami will be marathoning DBZK on Saturday.

I flip to this while watching SNL. Quick question: after Gotenks got messed up by Buu, did Goten and/or Trunks have the wicked huge hematoma that Gotenks received? That was nasty . . . and I don't remember any of the characters getting that fucked up that fast. Mr. Satan might be a gloryhound, but he might be super-durable, given how he was able to live after Cell smacked him into the mountain. That was awesome, by the way.

[Sandman87]

The hematoma vanished some time between last episode and this one. Maybe Bulma and Chichi did some first aid before administering the sexy spankings.

BTW Hematoma sounds like an anime character's name. Hime Toma, or maybe Tomahime.

[Lantern7]

Read this a few days ago, thought of this thread.

I can probably quote from Dragon Ball Z Abridged more often ("Oh, no! Yamcha's been Yamcha'd!!"), but I reckon the series (or at least the English dub has good lines. Like Goku upon first seeing Champa: "It's like Lord Beerus ate another Lord Beerus!"

ETA: Forgot about the second Cooler movie, when the Saiyans faced down hundreds of clones. Goku: "Well, it's been nice knowing you." Vegeta: "OH, SHUT UP!!!!"

[Arcadiasw]

The movies did have some good one liners. 

I've been watching the Cell Games lately and there was a moment after Mr. Satan recovers from being tossed in a mountain by Cell, he blows off how he’s not in pain. Vegeta looks at him stunned.

Vegeta: That ridiculous man hasn’t realized his weakness. His stupidity is beyond belief.

In Japan, Vegeta calls Mr. Satan the Champion of Stupidity which fits him, too.

 

After Goku is in Ginyu’s body, he flies back to try to meet up with Krillin and Gohan before Ginyu arrives in his body. I prefer the Japanese dialogue than what was said in English. I know DBZ went with something else. I can’t recall if DBZ Kai followed the Japanese dialogue. 

Goku: Dammit, not only am I unfamiliar with this body, but with this wound I can’t fly so well. On top of that, if I manage to safely get back to Earth, I’ll probably just get ChiChi angry with me again. Look at the face I got now! I’m done for!

I always took that to mean, “If I go home to my wife with this face and body, she’s not touching me again.”

 

After Buu spits out, Gohan, Goten, Trunks and Piccolo

Goku: Look, Vegeta. People popcorn!

Vegeta: What is he on?