

The Dragon Ball anime was made to include many dramatic moments of silence and pauses. These reflect not the soundtrack itself, but the editing of the show. It’s no wonder teenage boys adore Dragon Ball Z.įor the unique, custom-made soundtrack alone, you should watch DBZ first. It’s the best adrenaline rush that you can get while sitting on your couch.

You get the impression that two God-like beings are fighting, struggling to defeat each other without shattering the planet that hosts them. That, coupled with the characters screaming in rage, pulses of energy on the screen, and environmental effects, paint an effective picture. It makes clever use of electric guitar sounds, piano notes, and synthesized sound. It can be argued that the Bruce Faulconer score better represents the show and its tone. However, it did not resonate as much with people from outside of Japan.
#Dragon ball z kai episodes 68 series
The original Japanese series had its fair share of legendary tunes.

When watching a good show, the music should blend in with the action itself, forming a symphony of movement and sound.įor Western Dragon Ball fans, those sounds are represented by the Bruce Faulconer soundtrack. A few notes of a tune can take us back many years, to a time when the world seemed more simple.Ī soundtrack works best when you don’t even notice it’s there. Everyone has experienced hearing a certain sound, only to have a tidal wave of memories and emotions flood their mind. Sound plays a very important role in memory storage. Goku was often called the “Japanese Superman” for a reason. The classic Dragon Ball Z broadcast and dub mitigated some of that influence. Yet, this fact can be a little jarring for a teenage Western audience. It is not an inconsistent trait in the protagonist’s personality, it was planned for the start. Many internet memes make fun of Goku’s lack of concern for his children or his poor parenting skills. However, he channels that fanaticism into a devotion to competitive fighting. Goku’s brain trauma erased his malevolent nature and made him lose his sadistic love for cruelty. Another accurate way to describe Saiyans would be Spartans in Space. They mate more like reptiles, not caring what happens to their children after they are born. Otherwise, they show a complete disregard even for biological family. Every cell in a Saiyan’s body makes him care about 2 main things: fighting, and food. The series creator wanted to portray Goku as a profoundly selfish character. Once in American hands, the show was heavily edited to resemble more of a superhero saga. In the original Japanese show, there was a healthy amount of blood and gore, cursing, and even negative behavior by the protagonists themselves. Japanese media can take liberties with many more things when compared to American programming. Here are some of the principal differences between the series, and why it is best to watch DBZ first:Īlthough this may seem like a drawback at first, Dragon Ball Z was a mess when it first aired. It includes the original soundtrack of the show and an unedited script.Ĭonclusion Should You Watch Dragon Ball Z or Kai However, most points will be targeted towards the old, unmastered English dubĭragon Ball Kai – the modern release of DBZ, without any fillers. Here is a bit of clarification so you can follow the rest of the article easier:ĭragon Ball Z – the original release, available in both Japanese and English. However, It would be advisable to watch DBZ first, before watching its more modern, originalist version: Dragon Ball Kai. It is plagued by fillers, inconsistent dubbing, script changes, and a slightly lower resolution. Add to that the excellent soundtrack, and you can see why we recommend it before watching Dragon Ball Kai.įor certain, DBZ has its flaws. So you may be wondering, should you watch Dragon Ball Z or Kai?ĭragon Ball Z is longer, with much more filler and boring moments, yet the payoff is more satisfying. An entire generation of children and teenagers grew up with the old version of Dragon Ball Z on Cartoon Network’s Toonami. This is one of the most engaging and action-packed stories ever put to screen. It can be confusing for a new fan to enter into the world of Dragon Ball Z.
