It’s not that much of a hot take when you think about it.
When our team gave it some thought, we found very few heroes out there who are more iconic, or recognizable than Goku. And, just when you think Dragonball is finished they come out with another dope arc, or movie to push the story along. In 2019, that’s no different, especially with the release of the new DBZ Super: Broly. All of this got us thinking that Dragon Ball might be the greatest anime ever made.
Here’s our argument:
The Storyline
Dragonball has all of the makings of a classic story. First, we get the Protagonist Goku who has a similar background to most superheroes; He’s an alien from a distant world whose parents sent him to Earth after their planet was invaded. Although he was supposed to destroy the planet he’s been Earth’s greatest champion. Sounds a lot like another favorite DC hero, right?
But along the way, we get to see him undergo the classic hero journey which includes training, a death of someone important to him, and the eventual looming threat that could possibly destroy the world. And if that isn’t enough, you even get introduced to the Dragon Balls, the namesake of the show, and the mythical dragon, Shenron, who grants wishes for collecting them!
Dragonball excels with these tropes and hasn’t been stifled in the way other animes have because of their attention to detail, and the pace of the story.
Moreover, as you get deeper into the DBZ we get taken on twists and turns that even the most acclaimed stories don’t experience. The main character even DIES! Multiple times, at that… In many stories, whether we’re talking about anime or your typical Thursday night drama writers never venture to kill their main character. At best, the protagonist is brought close to death and miraculously revived, but not in Dragonball Z; Goku dies and stays dead for quite a while.
Character Development
The characters in Dragonball are so dynamic, and their development should be taught to aspiring writers and animators worldwide. Each character’s motivations are well thought out, and over time you see them all mature, have families or even retire from fighting (looking at you, Krillin). The villains are equally as compelling from King Piccolo to Kidd Buu and beyond. In just one arc we see villains go through multiple transformations physically and emotionally; Paired against the pure intentions of Earth’s mightiest heroes it’s easy to get drawn into the story.
Even in more recent arcs of the DragonBall saga, like Super, characters such as Jiren also add a different layer to the story with their complex and checkered backgrounds that give us a glimpse into what made them the way they are and show how good Toriyama and the crew are at creating depth.
It’s Impact on Culture
Dragon Ball’s blueprint has been copied so many times over it’s hard to think about what things would look like without it. ESPECIALLY, THE FIGHT SCENES. One thing they’re known for is the epic fighting sequences and the speed at which they take place. Since bursting onto the scene the fight scenes in DBZ have been a staple that the show relies on — using full episodes to build tension for a 2-minute fight scene. This same format has been adopted by countless anime series ever since.
And truthfully, everything from the animation to the hairstyles, and signature attacks show that Toriyama’s DBZ has transformed the way that mainstream America looks at Anime. Hell, they even had an SSGSS Goku float at the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade — and though I’m not a fan of that personally it speaks volumes about the foothold Dragonball Z has on the culture.
And being for specific, if were talking about the gaming community, games like Budokai & the Legacy of Goku are considered til this day, as classics and for good reason. In my opinion, they ushered in a new era of cut scenes and fighting that have since been seen in other anime games like Naruto: Ultimate Ninja. Could it just be that they’re using the same engineers and developers to make games these days? Sure, but when you think about who did it first, or even who did it the best, Dragonball gets the gold.
The Legacy
Dragonball’s been one of the most talked about anime for at least the past 3 generations. People in their thirties who’ve been watching Dragon Ball since the late eighties still re-watch the old episodes and tune in to see Dragonball Super. That alone shows that this show has a lasting effect on the fans who’ve clung to it and that they continue to pass that magic down to the younger generations which keeps it relevant. And though some of these things can be said about other anime series, it’s not necessarily true that your typical anime continues to transcend generations and innovate on the stories they tell. For the most part, they come and go with a clear beginning, middle, and resolute ending.
And don’t get me wrong, sometimes it’s good for a story & the writers to quit while they’re ahead lol. But in Dragon Ball’s case, I’m hoping that they’ve got some more stories to tell.
P.S. Can somebody tell Toriyama & co. that the fans are due for another Ultra Instinct appearance in the next arc of Super? The Dragonball Heroes appearances are cool but give the fans a cannon MUI appearance, please.
— Snobhop
