Director: Daisuke Nishio and Minoru Okazaki
Starring: Stephanie Nadolny, Masako Nozawa, Tiffany Vollmer, Hiromi Tsuru, Mike McFarland, Kouhei Miyauchi
Running Time: 700 Minutes
Certificate: 15
It almost seems strange to go back to where the Dragonball franchise began after such a lengthy and expansive universe of television series’ and animated films followed this 1986 cult classic. Manga Entertainment’s strange decision to release Dragonball on DVD in the UK after its two successors, is admittedly part of the reasoning behind the jarring effect of re-watching the shows first ever season. Having said that, returning to the series’ roots after watching the epic finale with the culmination of 11 years worth of storytelling in Dragonball GT, does have its up sides.
Dragonball Z is easily the most famous and recognizable series of the anime trilogy, and over time that has made it incredibly easy to forget the superb quality of the franchise’s original show. Dragonball tells the story of a young boy named Goku, who lives on his own after his adoptive grandfather Gohan died many years ago, leaving him with a quiet home in the forest. Goku’s life is soon changed forever when he meets a young woman named Bulma, a feisty and determined teenager in search of the mystical ‘Dragonballs’, which legend has it will grant the user one wish after collecting all seven. After learning that Goku is in possession of one of the seven Dragonballs, Bulma persuades the young boy to accompany her on a worldwide search for the remaining relics. Together they journey across the globe on a whirlwind adventure to find the Dragonballs, while learning about Goku’s mysterious past and strange superhuman abilities.
It’s great to be re-introduced to the world of Dragonball from the very beginning, in an odd alternate Earth where past, present and future collide to create a beautifully bizarre world where talking dinosaurs roam and vehicles appear from tic tac sized capsules. The narrative is also remarkably simple and straightforward, which is definitely refreshing after some of the convoluted storylines of modern anime shows. Watching this season as a hardcore Dragonball veteran, also brings the sad realisation of what the series lost following the wonderful simplicity and endearing quality of this series. It may be the case that in the years following the series’ debut, the show got carried away in the world-building and expansive universe of later seasons. This is hardly a bad thing and it shouldn’t be mistaken for negativity towards the gems that are Dragonball Z and Dragonball GT, however it does make Dragonball even more special.
In many ways Dragonball is also a huge compliment to the anime trilogy as a whole, due to the excellent sense of continuity and consistency in every single aspect of the entire franchise. Great compliments are definitely in order to the writers, as well as English distributor Funimation, for the intricate attention to detail in terms of the characters and their gradual evolution. It’s comforting that Funimation have dubbed the whole series using the same brilliant voice actors to give us these amazing characters, giving it a strong sense of connectivity among all the various television series’ and animated films. It should also be noted that the original Japanese voice actors are even more consistent and also remain throughout the entire series.
Dragonball is a wonderful story that can be relatable for both young teenagers and adults through its themes of youth, morality and sexual desire. This show is far more risqué than its predecessor’s and explores several elements of lust throughout, which may go unnoticed to youngsters through clever innuendo. Although this aspect will clearly interest older viewers (especially the promiscuity of Bulma), Goku’s innocence and kindness as a child with a mentally and morally blank slate, will be identifiable to some of the younger and far more untainted members of the audience. The differences between Goku and Bulma also help create an interesting dynamic between the two characters that remains through the series. If I had to choose a negative aspect of the season (and it is very difficult) I will admit that the animation hasn’t aged very well, however it must be taken into consideration that the show originally aired in 1986.
My positivity and enthusiasm for this series isn’t merely because I am a fan of the franchise, but because Dragonball is the perfect adventure story with a healthy does of ‘coming of age’ plot threads weaved in to make you fall in love with its multiple characters. The set contains the ‘Emporor Pilaf Saga’ and the ‘Tournament Saga’ which are both interesting, engaging and action orientated in their own right. The World Tournament episodes also become a frequent bookend to the shows multiple season’s, which helps maintain the atmosphere of the series’ maiden outing. The season doesn’t end on any ridiculously annoying cliff-hangers but still leaves you anticipating the second. Be sure to check out Dragonball Season 1 for a fantastic and entertaining thrill ride of vintage anime at its absolute best!
[usr=5] Dragonball Season 1 is available on DVD now via Manga Entertainment! Click here for a chance to win the Boxset!
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