So I just started getting into Dragonball Z (documenting my running thoughts as I watch as well)

[Mr Hate Coffee]

I've been intrigued due to watching the new fighting game. Somehow I missed out on it during my childhood. I tried to watch it in high school at my homeboy's house but after watching the two kids talk about fusing for 3 episodes I was like

Where should I get started? I've been watching some summary vids. I don't really have time to watch every minute of the show (too much filler). Is there a good account on YouTube I should follow?

So far my favorite character is Future Trunks.

 

[Take It In Blood]

to my knowledge Dragon Ball Z Kai is essentially the original dragon ball Z but in HD with all the filller cut out

so start there

 

[Spliff]

The beginning.

Kai is a b*stardized rehashing of events. OG Japanese and Funi dubs are the reason why DBZ became wildly popular. Stick with those... or read the manga if you don't want filler.

 

[Brandeezy]

Use the filler list and watch the Funimation Dub

Dragon Ball Z Filler List | The Ultimate Anime Filler Guide

None of the movies are canon and neither is Dragon Ball GT so you can skip those is you want.

After DBZ, you can go on to Super which might have the full English Dub by the time you finish catching up to DBZ. Then again these fools just started the TOP on Toonami they're not gonna be done until at least March/April 2019

 

[Mr. Manhattan]

man watch Dragonball Z kai to avoid episodes of nothing but screaming and powering up, it condenses the fight scenes so you get a better pacing of fights

 

[Money Be Green]

Just started ?

 

[Sir Charles Barkley]

i prefer the original japanese version with english subtitles but you may not be ready for that yet. if you're up for it definitely seek that out because imo that is hands down the best version of the series.

DO NOT watch the in house funimation english dub. it's beyond awful. the music is okay at best and the voice acting is just terrible. complete amateurs. sadly this is the most current and most popular dub and is likely the most readily available.

i would say go with the ocean dub. most north american fans, including myself, were introduced to the series via this dub. if you ask me this is the perfect introduction for a newcomer to the series. they condensed the first 67 episodes into 53... so you could probably breeze through whole dub in like 17-18 hours... and that would take you to the middle of the 2nd story arc. the voice acting was really good (except for freeza). this was the version of DBZ that popularized it in the U.S... they censored some stuff back then so there's no blood (and they never use the word 'kill')... but i'm telling you it's the best version of english DBZ there is. shyt if piff.

they released a DVD box set a few years ago:

Dragon Ball Z: Rock the Dragon Edition

granted they never finished dubbing the series but by that point if you're still on board... you might be ready to watch the japense version.

 

[Monoblock]

I still have the entire series(DB, DBGT,movies 1-13) in VHS quality of course with original music on 12 CD-R data disc. The struggle was real back in the day.

I caught the show before it came to the US and had to pay someone in Japan to send the fansubs. It was jarring for me when it came to the US b/c the voices were different and scenes were edited like crazy and music was changed but I'd still say the Ocean Dub is the best version to check out.

 

[ComorianKid]

Watch Kai, Kai is superior

 

[The Fade]

Funimation and watch one ep per day

 

[Mr. Manhattan]

I still have the entire series(DB, DBGT,movies 1-13) in VHS quality of course with original music on 12 CD-R data disc. The struggle was real back in the day.

I caught the show before it came to the US and had to pay someone in Japan to send the fansubs. It was jarring for me when it came to the US b/c the voices were different and scenes were edited like crazy and music was changed but I'd still say the Ocean Dub is the best version to check out.

I was the same kid spending my allowance money on VHS struggle tapes
but damn it felt like rare treasure to own them and see what other people didnt
and the fansubs had shytload of cussing

 

[Monoblock]

I was the same kid spending my allowance money on VHS struggle tapes
but damn it felt like rare treasure to own them and see what other people didnt
and the fansubs had shytload of cussing

Never got that sub You must've had some crazy cat do the dub himself for you during The Rock's reign on WWF(fukk a WWE).
But nah being serious the whole tone of the original show was dark as hell and had heads getting chopped off and blood flying everywhere but I understand that they had to sell the US version to kids at the time.

 

[Sir Charles Barkley]

I was the same kid spending my allowance money on VHS struggle tapes
but damn it felt like rare treasure to own them and see what other people didnt
and the fansubs had shytload of cussing

OMG I remember that one!

In the beginning I was blown away at all the cursing but as you watched more tapes and got more familiar with the language... eventually you realized they were taking the same word and just translating it however the fukk they wanted lol.

But yea the struggle was so real. I was paying 10 bucks a tape for like 3 episodes... blew all my money on the cell saga ... episodes would end with huge cliffhangers and I had to keep going


meanwhile the fans here were still stuck on the namek saga

 

[Mr. Manhattan]

OMG I remember that one!

In the beginning I was blown away at all the cursing but as you watched more tapes and got more familiar with the language... eventually you realized they were taking the same word and just translating it however the fukk they wanted lol.

But yea the struggle was so real. I was paying 10 bucks a tape for like 3 episodes... blew all my money on the cell saga ... episodes would end with huge cliffhangers and I had to keep going


meanwhile the fans here were still stuck on the namek saga

that struggle of copping VHS with 3 episodes some were uneventful it was a blind buy, but I managed to get the SSJ2 Gohan transformation episodes, Cells death, Majin Vegeta vs Goku episodes, and the Kid buu saga

but the real treasure was the movies.. I had a solid collection the cooler, janemba, Broly, and Tapion movies all were crack and the quality was in great condition

 

[Renkz]

Watch kai, for a little bit and switch to dbz abridge you wont regret it