What made Dragonball so Successful?

1. 85

   Rui Carreiraposted 11 years ago

   What made Dragonball so Successful?
   
   Just as the above states, if you are a fan, what do you think made DragonBall so successful?

   replyreport
2. 93

   MattWritesStuffposted 11 years ago

   Cool attacks, nifty characters, good art... sometimes... and a plot that was easy to follow. Even if you missed a dozen episodes it was easy to get caught up. Pure brainless entertainment.
   
   Also, Vegeta was pretty cool. Just saiyan. (Badum-chssh.)

   replyreport
   1. 85

      Rui Carreiraposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Aye! Vegeta and Picollo were my favorite chars...  I know some other anime with the same attributes.. maybe dragonball was the best because it was the first.

      replyreport
3. 82

   peachpurpleposted 11 years ago

   Dragonball is something similar to pokemon, adventures and learn how to make friends on the way to seek the treasure. Although the graphics are not awesome but it teaches kids about moral too.

   replyreport
   1. 85

      Rui Carreiraposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      thanks for the reply... the attacks are pretty sweet too.

      replyreport
4. 87

   followthestrayposted 9 years ago

   I actually think it lies in the characters and how there is a plot, but it's not overworked--which I'll explain in a sec.
   
   The characters are really uncommon heroes.  A lot of Superheroes--especially in the US--are tragic heroes that carry their gifts like some sort of burden.  Goku, however, is happy-go-lucky, carefree, and fun.  He's never angsty or gritty or edgy.  The only time he's ever not joyful is when his friends and family are in danger--but even then he will ALWAYS offer his friendship to his enemies and would rather pig out with his rival than punch his face in.  He doesn't fit in to most of the hero archetypes we usually see.  This is why, I believe, Tony Stark/Ironman is so popular as well.  Superhero personalities just sort of blend together after awhile, but having a Goku and an Ironman is pretty refreshing.
   
   Also, since it is an ensemble cast (for the most part), everyone can have a favorite character whom they identify with the most.  This also spawns lots of different ships, which only helps in a series' popularity.  People are able to discuss, debate, and cheer on their characters. 
   
   This leads into what I said about the plot not being overworked.  The Dragonball Z storyline is fairly simple; collect the dragonballs, fight bad guys, make wishes, make friends.  That's about all there is to it.  Some are very critical of it's plot for lack of depth, BUT this is precisely why it's so popular!  People can easily imagine their own stories for the characters that could fit into the canon world of Dragonball.  They can even imagine THEMSELVES in the story without necessarily messing it up.
   
   I would argue that series like Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing, which were popular in the US around the same time as DBZ, do not have such a dedicated fanbase because their plots were pretty strict, with not much room for the viewer to imagine alternate storylines or couplings.  The viewer is just the viewer, but in Dragonball Z, the viewer can be more active.
   
   That's at least what I love about Dragonball Z.

   replyreport
   1. 85

      Rui Carreiraposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Wow, that actually pretty much makes sense! I agree with the friendly atmosphere we can enjoy in Dragon Ball, even the villains drop gags every once in a while, and there's no beating majin buu dances.
      Heh thanks for the amazing reply

      replyreport
   2. 87

      followthestrayposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      No problem.  I love this show more than I care to admit.

      replyreport