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Dragon Ball [ドラゴンボール] #17
Dragon Ball Z, Vol. 1: The World's Greatest Team
Chapters 1-10 of the Dragonball Z manga
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 10, 1989
597 people are currently reading
6049 people want to read
About the author
Akira Toriyama
1,917 books1,726 followersAkira Toriyama (鳥山明) was a Japanese manga artist and character designer. He first achieved mainstream recognition for creating the popular manga series Dr. Slump, before going on to create Dragon Ball (his most famous work) and acting as a character designer for several popular video games such as the Dragon Quest series, Chrono Trigger, and Blue Dragon. Toriyama came to be regarded as one of the most important authors in the history of manga with his works highly influential and popular, particularly Dragon Ball, which many manga artists cite as a source of inspiration.
He earned the 1981 Shogakukan Manga Award for best shōnen/shōjo manga with Dr. Slump, and it went on to sell over 35 million copies in Japan. It was adapted into a successful anime series, with a second anime created in 1997, 13 years after the manga ended.
His next series, Dragon Ball, would become one of the most popular and successful manga in the world. Having sold 260 million copies worldwide, it is one of the best-selling manga series of all time and is considered a key work in increasing manga circulation to its peak in the mid-1980s and mid-1990s. Overseas, Dragon Ball's anime adaptations have been more successful than the manga and are credited with boosting anime's popularity in the Western world. In 2019, Toriyama was decorated a Chevalier of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for his contributions to the arts.
In October 2024, Toriyama was inducted into the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame.
He earned the 1981 Shogakukan Manga Award for best shōnen/shōjo manga with Dr. Slump, and it went on to sell over 35 million copies in Japan. It was adapted into a successful anime series, with a second anime created in 1997, 13 years after the manga ended.
His next series, Dragon Ball, would become one of the most popular and successful manga in the world. Having sold 260 million copies worldwide, it is one of the best-selling manga series of all time and is considered a key work in increasing manga circulation to its peak in the mid-1980s and mid-1990s. Overseas, Dragon Ball's anime adaptations have been more successful than the manga and are credited with boosting anime's popularity in the Western world. In 2019, Toriyama was decorated a Chevalier of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres for his contributions to the arts.
In October 2024, Toriyama was inducted into the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 351 reviews
September 7, 2014
Saiyan…
Dragon Ball was an incredible series and I’m so glad to have finally read it. But I wanted to read Son Goku’s childhood stories before I got into what I really REALLY wanted to read: Dragon Ball Z. Specifically for the Saiyans, and the other adventures I know of vaguely from having caught random episodes of the TV show years ago. And it doesn’t disappoint - Dragon Ball Z Volume 1 is AWESOME!
Five years have passed since the events of Dragon Ball Volume 16 and not an awful lot has happened - probably why Akira Toriyama chose to skip them and jump straight into the now. The big news is that Son Goku is now a dad with an adorable boy called Son Gohan (named after Goku’s grandpa) who also has a hat with the soshinkyu (four star Dragon Ball) in it.
But a powerful new enemy has landed on Earth: a being called Raditz who calls himself a Saiyan warrior (insanely strong aliens). And he has big news for Goku - he’s his long lost brother, and together they are destined to destroy the planet!
The last Dragon Ball book felt very Superman-y and I mentioned in my review that Goku had essentially become Superman at that point. But this volume in particular draws even more comparisons to Superman. Goku finds out he’s a Saiyan warrior sent to Earth as a baby from a dying home planet (he’s banged his head when he was little and suffered amnesia so he didn’t know until now). Sound familiar?
And then three Saiyan warriors - the only three remaining, besides Goku and Gohan - are on their way to Earth. Sounds like Chris Reeve’s Superman with Zod, Ursa, and Non, doesn’t it? Those are just things I noticed - I’m not saying these are negatives in any way, but it’s just interesting to me, as a Superman fan, to see Toriyama doing a Japanese version of that character.
What was the worst thing about the Star Wars prequels (besides the fact that they exist)? Arguably it was the midi-chlorian scene. That was the scene where Qui-Gon explained to Anakin that the Force was a blood disease or something retarded. The Force could now be measured in some lab. Ugh. Well, sad to say Toriyama did something similar in this book.
The Saiyans have these headset dealios that tell them how much power beings have. So when Raditz faces Goku and Piccolo (who team up), we learn their power levels are 320 and 310 and the kamehameha is 910 and so on. It’s not enough to wreck the book for me but I really wished Toriyama hadn’t put numbers to their power or moves - this ain’t Top Trumps, dammit!
The Saiyans themselves are a bit odd. Their job, so to speak, is wiping out planets of their inhabitants and then selling the planet - they’re kinda like a psychotic Rentokil! And really, what do these guys need money for? They can do just about anything - if they can wipe out a planet, they can take whatever they need, so what use is money? Are they saving up for something - what?
I’m starting to see why Dragon Ball Z is 26 volumes and Dragon Ball was 16 - this first volume is 130-ish pages while the volumes in Dragon Ball were 190-ish. If all the Z volumes are going to be this short, no wonder it’s ten volumes longer than the last series!
And yet - none of these criticisms made me dislike this book any less than I did. I ate this one up in one and am hungry for 25 more! Toriyama’s not the best writer - there are some info dumps in the first act, just to get it out of the way and get to the main Saiyan storyline - but he’s good enough and his stories are totally compelling. His art is fantastic - the way he draws perspective is amazing, and there’s a strong sense of motion in the action scenes.
And I just love this new setup - the characters are a bit older, Goku’s facing a vastly superior foe, with more on the way, and the story immediately drew me in. I can’t wait for more. As if I didn’t already expect it, Toriyama’s crafted another superb book in Dragon Ball Z Volume 1!
Dragon Ball was an incredible series and I’m so glad to have finally read it. But I wanted to read Son Goku’s childhood stories before I got into what I really REALLY wanted to read: Dragon Ball Z. Specifically for the Saiyans, and the other adventures I know of vaguely from having caught random episodes of the TV show years ago. And it doesn’t disappoint - Dragon Ball Z Volume 1 is AWESOME!
Five years have passed since the events of Dragon Ball Volume 16 and not an awful lot has happened - probably why Akira Toriyama chose to skip them and jump straight into the now. The big news is that Son Goku is now a dad with an adorable boy called Son Gohan (named after Goku’s grandpa) who also has a hat with the soshinkyu (four star Dragon Ball) in it.
But a powerful new enemy has landed on Earth: a being called Raditz who calls himself a Saiyan warrior (insanely strong aliens). And he has big news for Goku - he’s his long lost brother, and together they are destined to destroy the planet!
The last Dragon Ball book felt very Superman-y and I mentioned in my review that Goku had essentially become Superman at that point. But this volume in particular draws even more comparisons to Superman. Goku finds out he’s a Saiyan warrior sent to Earth as a baby from a dying home planet (he’s banged his head when he was little and suffered amnesia so he didn’t know until now). Sound familiar?
And then three Saiyan warriors - the only three remaining, besides Goku and Gohan - are on their way to Earth. Sounds like Chris Reeve’s Superman with Zod, Ursa, and Non, doesn’t it? Those are just things I noticed - I’m not saying these are negatives in any way, but it’s just interesting to me, as a Superman fan, to see Toriyama doing a Japanese version of that character.
What was the worst thing about the Star Wars prequels (besides the fact that they exist)? Arguably it was the midi-chlorian scene. That was the scene where Qui-Gon explained to Anakin that the Force was a blood disease or something retarded. The Force could now be measured in some lab. Ugh. Well, sad to say Toriyama did something similar in this book.
The Saiyans have these headset dealios that tell them how much power beings have. So when Raditz faces Goku and Piccolo (who team up), we learn their power levels are 320 and 310 and the kamehameha is 910 and so on. It’s not enough to wreck the book for me but I really wished Toriyama hadn’t put numbers to their power or moves - this ain’t Top Trumps, dammit!
The Saiyans themselves are a bit odd. Their job, so to speak, is wiping out planets of their inhabitants and then selling the planet - they’re kinda like a psychotic Rentokil! And really, what do these guys need money for? They can do just about anything - if they can wipe out a planet, they can take whatever they need, so what use is money? Are they saving up for something - what?
I’m starting to see why Dragon Ball Z is 26 volumes and Dragon Ball was 16 - this first volume is 130-ish pages while the volumes in Dragon Ball were 190-ish. If all the Z volumes are going to be this short, no wonder it’s ten volumes longer than the last series!
And yet - none of these criticisms made me dislike this book any less than I did. I ate this one up in one and am hungry for 25 more! Toriyama’s not the best writer - there are some info dumps in the first act, just to get it out of the way and get to the main Saiyan storyline - but he’s good enough and his stories are totally compelling. His art is fantastic - the way he draws perspective is amazing, and there’s a strong sense of motion in the action scenes.
And I just love this new setup - the characters are a bit older, Goku’s facing a vastly superior foe, with more on the way, and the story immediately drew me in. I can’t wait for more. As if I didn’t already expect it, Toriyama’s crafted another superb book in Dragon Ball Z Volume 1!
January 13, 2020
Dragonball Z 1 but Dragonball #17, kindle version
Raditz shows up, rawr, Goku you must be a Saiyan; where is your tail; I can beat you all; rawr... blah blah! I’m going to take your new son!
Here comes Piccolo with some teamwork and Shapow!
Raditz shows up, rawr, Goku you must be a Saiyan; where is your tail; I can beat you all; rawr... blah blah! I’m going to take your new son!
Here comes Piccolo with some teamwork and Shapow!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2024
Now passes the Dragon Ball era to Dragon Ball Z, and a shift from the charming fantasy-martial arts comedy to a new genre: science fiction. In DBZ, Toriyama takes himself more seriously with the revelation that Goku is an alien Saiyan. The world-ending villains now are no longer mystical demons, but rather powerful aliens from other planets (when there's no one left to fight, and becoming the strongest in the world is already overwith, there's nowhere else to go but other worlds).
The timeskip made this for a good jumping on point, and most people are far more familiar with Z than the original Dragon Ball. It's enough to know that Goku was been a warrior since he was a kid, then meet some of his friends, and archenemy Piccolo, and we are introduced to his son Gohan who replaces him as the child protagonist.
Immediately Goku's long lost evil brother suddenly shows up, is far stronger than everybody else, but the story quickly wraps up in this volume. Then it turns out it's a just a prologue as the bulk of the saga is about waiting for Vegeta and training as the team anxiously waits for the next-level villains to show up. It's a trope that DBZ will repeat several times, and it is a trope because it works.
Also, Toriyama's art develops into a more muscley and jagged style after this point. That's certainly popular with adolescent boy readers--that's why they call it Shonen. While it does feel like something was lost in the old Dragon Ball, there is good reason that Dragon Ball Z became one of the most popular comics of all time. It's expertly paced, fun, and just plain an entertaining mythology. I might argue other Shonen manga surpassed it in quality later, but so much of these clichés started here and Dragon Ball Z will forever get the credit for inspiring such a phenomenon.
The timeskip made this for a good jumping on point, and most people are far more familiar with Z than the original Dragon Ball. It's enough to know that Goku was been a warrior since he was a kid, then meet some of his friends, and archenemy Piccolo, and we are introduced to his son Gohan who replaces him as the child protagonist.
Immediately Goku's long lost evil brother suddenly shows up, is far stronger than everybody else, but the story quickly wraps up in this volume. Then it turns out it's a just a prologue as the bulk of the saga is about waiting for Vegeta and training as the team anxiously waits for the next-level villains to show up. It's a trope that DBZ will repeat several times, and it is a trope because it works.
Also, Toriyama's art develops into a more muscley and jagged style after this point. That's certainly popular with adolescent boy readers--that's why they call it Shonen. While it does feel like something was lost in the old Dragon Ball, there is good reason that Dragon Ball Z became one of the most popular comics of all time. It's expertly paced, fun, and just plain an entertaining mythology. I might argue other Shonen manga surpassed it in quality later, but so much of these clichés started here and Dragon Ball Z will forever get the credit for inspiring such a phenomenon.
April 4, 2023
Wow, what a wild way to jump-start Dragon Ball. I really though Dragon Ball couldn't get much more creative and unique. So Akira Toriyama decides to let us know Goku's true origins and the series becomes an interplanetary affair. I know I'm decades late to the game - but this is awesome!
August 2, 2022
A brilliant introduction to the world of Saiyans with a quick five-year leap in time (not much really changed except for a new member of the Goku family). One thing's for sure, everything feels more serious this time around, even with some Toriyama humour, but nothing as innocent and perverted as in Dragon Ball.
This first volume establishes the stakes for what's to come and what's to come is clearly exciting.
If you know, you know.
This first volume establishes the stakes for what's to come and what's to come is clearly exciting.
If you know, you know.
November 3, 2016
This was a great read. This takes place years after the events of Dragon Ball have ended. I really loved the anime. It is great to learn more about the world of Dragon Ball from the manga. It didn't disappoint. There was so many action. I really loved seeing Goku, Gohan, Burma, and the others. Gohan is my favourite character and I can't believe he has that much power within his little 4-year-old body. Overall, an enjoyable read.
December 26, 2020
This starts with Raditz arriving on earth and he wants to wipe off the entire civilization here on earth and he meets with his brother Goku and his newborn son and he is way too powerful to defeat but can Piccolo and Goku team up to save this world or not and some interesting revelations about Gohan are here! Also Vegeta! Great arc, amazing pencils and actions and just loved everything about this arc!
April 20, 2016
When I first picked up Dragon Ball Z from the library about a year ago something stirring inside me kept preventing me from reading it or getting absorb into this fantasy world. I grew up with the anime and the video games so I know pretty much 95% what happens in Dragon Ball Z and yet I simply gave up and returned it to the library. Now I rediscovered this series and realized that there is a prequel called Dragon Ball which was the original manga that led to Dragon Ball Z and it deals with Goku's childhood. At that moment I remember glimpses of Goku's past and decided at that instance I will read Dragon Ball from the beginning.
Dragon Ball in of itself was epic and innocent. We got very simple characters, a steady storyline, and it enable me to understand the Dragon Ball universe and all the minor details that I skipped over when watching the anime. I fell in love with Goku and the gang and I felt sad to part ways with Goku of the past and now catch up with the series that made me fall in love with it in the first place with is now Dragon Ball Z.
We are shifted 5 years into the future from the last volume which Dragon Ball, Vol. 16: Goku vs. Piccolo so that means that Goku is 23 years old since he was 18 when this ended. Nothing has happen which is interesting since Piccolo was going to destroy the world in the previous volume and yet nothing bad has happened within those 5 years. Goku got married to Chichi and has a kid named Son Gohan (named after his grandpa) who wears a hat with the 4th Dragon Ball and looks almost exactly like his father even with the tail! He flies on Kintoun with his son and they travel to Kame's house to introduce everyone to his child.
At the same time a new evil comes to play as a space pod crashes on a random farm. This evil goes by the name of Raditz and he is a Saiyan warrior trying to locate his long lost brother Kakarrot whose mission was to destroy all the inhabitants of planet Earth. With his computerized headset Raditz goes on a mission to track his brother and encounters Piccolo along the way. Piccolo cannot believe he has encounter this powerful force believes at first it is Goku but realizes its a bigger threat that can ruin his plan for world domination. Piccolo is weaker when it comes to battling with Raditz but immediately the battle ends since Raditz was able to track Kakarrot.
When he finally arrives to meet his brother lo and behold it is Goku and immediately this family reunion ends badly. Goku is an alien and he was born evil but one day he bumped his head in the forest and almost died but Son Gohan was able to heal him and immediately he changed to being a good person. Raditz needs Goku's help to claim a foreign planet for profit and he refuses. When that happens Raditz beats the living hell out of Goku and steals Gohan as a ploy for Goku to work with him.
Immediately between the illustrations and the storyline, this new series is nothing like is prequels and the tones are way much darker. When looking back at Dragon Ball it all feels like a fairy tale because now we are dealing with death, murder, revenge, and evil that no one has ever seen before. I love that in the original series, Goku was portrayed as Superman as this unstoppable force and now in this series we get to see him come back to earth and in many ways it is like a restart for Goku and the training he will need for the future. Piccolo tracks Raditz down and teams up with Goku at Kame's house to kill Raditz. You may think that Piccolo is good but he is acting on a selfish desire to make sure no one is going to get in the way of killing Goku and this world.
As Gohan is held captive we get a glimpse at how powerful he is as a child and the theory is if you mix Saiyan blood with that of a human, its DNA blends perfectly creating a super saiyan that has never been seen before which Raditz takes notes at Gohan's chi levels. Goku and Piccolo discover Raditz location and they end up in a battle that will hopefully put an end for Raditz. They believe that together they have a chance to kill him and in the end Piccolo has to kill Goku in order for Raditz to die which feels heartbreaking to see our beloved die at the end.
When Piccolo kills Goku, Piccolo and the gang mention about the Dragon Balls and resurrecting Goku and Raditz was able to capture it all on film on his headset and send it to his two other brothers who are even more powerful than him. He promises them that they have a year before they arrive and when they do all hell is going to break loose and they are going to die.
Before I go into how much I really enjoyed this manga and found it to be AWESOME I need to go on a rant on what really pissed me off.I know Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z are two separate entities that make up a whole but I seriously wish it could have Dragon Ball Z, Vol. 17 instead of Dragon Ball Z, Vol. 1 because every time the reader is reintroduced to a character or place from Dragon Ball, they make a footnote and interrupt my flow of reading to tell me information I already know and the same message over and over again which is you can learn more if you read the previous Dragon Ball series.
It goes to show you that they already know that most people are not going to read Dragon Ball so they make a shortcut. In my honest opinion they shouldn't make fu$@ing shortcuts because for (I) the story doesn't make sense if you've never read Dragon Ball, (II) that is absolutely pure laziness and you don't deserve to read Dragon Ball, and (III) if I didn't take any shortcuts to arrive where I am at in this story and neither should you. If they didn't include any footnotes or tips I guarantee you it would pissed off people not understanding the manga and then they would start from scratch.
Dragon Ball is a magnificent and simple read and in the end it is so worth the journey to finally arrive at Dragon Ball Z. I noticed a few people have argued about this topic and I do believe in their statement but I understand why Akira Toriyama did what he did. Dragon Ball in its simplicity never measured the level of a powerful fighter especially since they are above the average fighter and that is what many people loved like how in the Original Star Wars it was simply "The Force" with no explanations or something that could be measured.
These Saiyans with the headset are able to determine a persons power level making it easier to determine if they are a worth opponent or not. It kind of ruins the whole specialty of Dragon Ball but I understand that these people come from a different planet where technology is advanced from our mankind. These Saiyans are so used to this headset that finally meeting Goku and the others, it shows that the device is archaic and how based on their skills and training they power level is carefully measured in combat.
I cannot get enough of this series and I am really curious as to what is going to happen to Goku, Gohan, and the rest of the cast. Growing up I always loved Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, and Kuririn so it is refreshing to meet these lovable characters again and grown up. More reviews coming your way so until then please stay tuned to another volume of Dragon Ball Z (I have finally been waiting to say that since I always felt like something was missing which is the Z).
To check out all my reviews visit http://dancinginth3dark.blogspot.com
Dragon Ball in of itself was epic and innocent. We got very simple characters, a steady storyline, and it enable me to understand the Dragon Ball universe and all the minor details that I skipped over when watching the anime. I fell in love with Goku and the gang and I felt sad to part ways with Goku of the past and now catch up with the series that made me fall in love with it in the first place with is now Dragon Ball Z.
We are shifted 5 years into the future from the last volume which Dragon Ball, Vol. 16: Goku vs. Piccolo so that means that Goku is 23 years old since he was 18 when this ended. Nothing has happen which is interesting since Piccolo was going to destroy the world in the previous volume and yet nothing bad has happened within those 5 years. Goku got married to Chichi and has a kid named Son Gohan (named after his grandpa) who wears a hat with the 4th Dragon Ball and looks almost exactly like his father even with the tail! He flies on Kintoun with his son and they travel to Kame's house to introduce everyone to his child.
At the same time a new evil comes to play as a space pod crashes on a random farm. This evil goes by the name of Raditz and he is a Saiyan warrior trying to locate his long lost brother Kakarrot whose mission was to destroy all the inhabitants of planet Earth. With his computerized headset Raditz goes on a mission to track his brother and encounters Piccolo along the way. Piccolo cannot believe he has encounter this powerful force believes at first it is Goku but realizes its a bigger threat that can ruin his plan for world domination. Piccolo is weaker when it comes to battling with Raditz but immediately the battle ends since Raditz was able to track Kakarrot.
When he finally arrives to meet his brother lo and behold it is Goku and immediately this family reunion ends badly. Goku is an alien and he was born evil but one day he bumped his head in the forest and almost died but Son Gohan was able to heal him and immediately he changed to being a good person. Raditz needs Goku's help to claim a foreign planet for profit and he refuses. When that happens Raditz beats the living hell out of Goku and steals Gohan as a ploy for Goku to work with him.
Immediately between the illustrations and the storyline, this new series is nothing like is prequels and the tones are way much darker. When looking back at Dragon Ball it all feels like a fairy tale because now we are dealing with death, murder, revenge, and evil that no one has ever seen before. I love that in the original series, Goku was portrayed as Superman as this unstoppable force and now in this series we get to see him come back to earth and in many ways it is like a restart for Goku and the training he will need for the future. Piccolo tracks Raditz down and teams up with Goku at Kame's house to kill Raditz. You may think that Piccolo is good but he is acting on a selfish desire to make sure no one is going to get in the way of killing Goku and this world.
As Gohan is held captive we get a glimpse at how powerful he is as a child and the theory is if you mix Saiyan blood with that of a human, its DNA blends perfectly creating a super saiyan that has never been seen before which Raditz takes notes at Gohan's chi levels. Goku and Piccolo discover Raditz location and they end up in a battle that will hopefully put an end for Raditz. They believe that together they have a chance to kill him and in the end Piccolo has to kill Goku in order for Raditz to die which feels heartbreaking to see our beloved die at the end.
When Piccolo kills Goku, Piccolo and the gang mention about the Dragon Balls and resurrecting Goku and Raditz was able to capture it all on film on his headset and send it to his two other brothers who are even more powerful than him. He promises them that they have a year before they arrive and when they do all hell is going to break loose and they are going to die.
Before I go into how much I really enjoyed this manga and found it to be AWESOME I need to go on a rant on what really pissed me off.I know Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z are two separate entities that make up a whole but I seriously wish it could have Dragon Ball Z, Vol. 17 instead of Dragon Ball Z, Vol. 1 because every time the reader is reintroduced to a character or place from Dragon Ball, they make a footnote and interrupt my flow of reading to tell me information I already know and the same message over and over again which is you can learn more if you read the previous Dragon Ball series.
It goes to show you that they already know that most people are not going to read Dragon Ball so they make a shortcut. In my honest opinion they shouldn't make fu$@ing shortcuts because for (I) the story doesn't make sense if you've never read Dragon Ball, (II) that is absolutely pure laziness and you don't deserve to read Dragon Ball, and (III) if I didn't take any shortcuts to arrive where I am at in this story and neither should you. If they didn't include any footnotes or tips I guarantee you it would pissed off people not understanding the manga and then they would start from scratch.
Dragon Ball is a magnificent and simple read and in the end it is so worth the journey to finally arrive at Dragon Ball Z. I noticed a few people have argued about this topic and I do believe in their statement but I understand why Akira Toriyama did what he did. Dragon Ball in its simplicity never measured the level of a powerful fighter especially since they are above the average fighter and that is what many people loved like how in the Original Star Wars it was simply "The Force" with no explanations or something that could be measured.
These Saiyans with the headset are able to determine a persons power level making it easier to determine if they are a worth opponent or not. It kind of ruins the whole specialty of Dragon Ball but I understand that these people come from a different planet where technology is advanced from our mankind. These Saiyans are so used to this headset that finally meeting Goku and the others, it shows that the device is archaic and how based on their skills and training they power level is carefully measured in combat.
I cannot get enough of this series and I am really curious as to what is going to happen to Goku, Gohan, and the rest of the cast. Growing up I always loved Goku, Gohan, Piccolo, and Kuririn so it is refreshing to meet these lovable characters again and grown up. More reviews coming your way so until then please stay tuned to another volume of Dragon Ball Z (I have finally been waiting to say that since I always felt like something was missing which is the Z).
To check out all my reviews visit http://dancinginth3dark.blogspot.com
January 30, 2019
A thrilling beginning to a seemingly strong series.
July 17, 2021
I mean, I can see how the idea caught up - it's a pretty simple and exciting way to sum up a character's martial capabilities and rank them up a bit. And on the other hand, there's the opportunity to get across that these things just can't summed up in a single number, and that there's more to the fight than raw strength and ki. Here where the concept first shows up, it pulls it off fine: it makes it instantly clear that this alien warrior is a terror unlike anything Earth has ever faced before, while at the same time - later to the fight - fluctuating the numbers a whole lot as the heroes charge up, and having them beat the supreme warrior through teamwork and heart and pluck anyway.
Alas, the series later forgets both these things. The numbers go completely off the scale - even after the scouters an the numbers themselves are forgotten - and whoever's the strongest of the lot will, from the Namek arc onwards, invariably win.
On the other hand, I like Gohan immediately. There's great contrast in his usually polite demeanor and the balls-out terrifying berserker rage. I wish the series had done right by him.
September 18, 2014
My goodreads buddy Sam has been raving about this series for a few months now but to say I've been hesitant to dive in would be downplaying it a bit. I did enjoy the cartoons but I remember a metric shit ton of filler shows that I didn't really care to relive via the books.
The jury is still out on how much filler books are coming but the 1st volume had the perfect amount of reintroducing the main characters and dealing with a new powerful foe with fists, kicks, and energy blasts. I also really like the uneasy alliance between Son Goku and Piccolo it felt believable to me (well as believable as a magna can be I guess).
If you liked the show give the books shot, I think you'll enjoy the stroll down memory lane.
The jury is still out on how much filler books are coming but the 1st volume had the perfect amount of reintroducing the main characters and dealing with a new powerful foe with fists, kicks, and energy blasts. I also really like the uneasy alliance between Son Goku and Piccolo it felt believable to me (well as believable as a magna can be I guess).
If you liked the show give the books shot, I think you'll enjoy the stroll down memory lane.
March 2, 2020
Son Goku is the greatest hero on Earth. Five years after defeating the demon king Piccolo, he's grown up and had a family--he's married, and he has a child, Son Gohan. But what is the real reason for Goku's incredible strength? A visitor from outer space arrives bearing terrible news--Goku is an alien, and the visitor, Raditz, is Goku's brother! When Raditz turns out to be a ruthless killer, Goku must fight his incredibly strong brother to save his family and the entire human race. A surprising alliance may be Earth's last hope: Goku will team up with his old enemy Piccolo...archenemies united to save the world!
April 21, 2021
8/10 stars
Ok, so this gets a very Superman-y feel now. From Monkey King to a race of incredibly powerful aliens sent to other planets before their own was destroyed? I liked the mythological vibes more, sigh.
That aside, though, I really enjoyed this volume. Son Gohan is pretty adorable, too, in his little gown and cap, and with impeccable manners. The threat is nasty, and the contrast between Goku and Raditz couldn't be any sharper. I loved the tough choices and sacrifices here, and the new streamlined look is not bad, either.
...Though I still prefer the original Dragon Ball ;)
Ok, so this gets a very Superman-y feel now. From Monkey King to a race of incredibly powerful aliens sent to other planets before their own was destroyed? I liked the mythological vibes more, sigh.
That aside, though, I really enjoyed this volume. Son Gohan is pretty adorable, too, in his little gown and cap, and with impeccable manners. The threat is nasty, and the contrast between Goku and Raditz couldn't be any sharper. I loved the tough choices and sacrifices here, and the new streamlined look is not bad, either.
...Though I still prefer the original Dragon Ball ;)
February 7, 2023
Now it’s getting interesting. Little Gohan (my favorite character) is finally here, and the Saiyens have been introduced. Goku may have died in the process, but he’ll be back. Now, onto Piccolo becoming Gohan’s master - and therefore building a relationship with the son of his old enemy.
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December 19, 2021goku is the most powerful of all beings in the universe and I love that his intentions are good
November 21, 2023
Introduced the boys to a staple of my childhood today. They want me to read more. I know what I’ll be doing through winter break.
January 4, 2025
A true joy revisiting this classic. Love the black and white look/feel. The color editions aren’t the same thing. This is it fam.
October 6, 2025
What. A. Start.
Og Dragon Ball was more of a childrens martial arts with some fantasy elements.
Dragon Ball Z? From the very first page is different. Goku is an adult and so is the story.. As Goku has grown so has the story.
Toriyama does an amazing job setting up future events, and so many plot lines.
He does it in such a simple way, that its brilliant...He introduces Raditz, the brother of Goku.
With that he sets up so much:
Goku being an alien and part of a warrior race which exterminates races and sells the planet to the highest bidder
Gokus home planet is destroyed, and he is one of four remaining members of his race.
Goku dies,which is an incredibly risky choice by Toriyama.
The ending of this volume is so good. a simple sentence(there are two more, way stronger members of his race coming in a year) was able to set up so many future events and storylines.
Og Dragon Ball was more of a childrens martial arts with some fantasy elements.
Dragon Ball Z? From the very first page is different. Goku is an adult and so is the story.. As Goku has grown so has the story.
Toriyama does an amazing job setting up future events, and so many plot lines.
He does it in such a simple way, that its brilliant...He introduces Raditz, the brother of Goku.
With that he sets up so much:
Goku being an alien and part of a warrior race which exterminates races and sells the planet to the highest bidder
Gokus home planet is destroyed, and he is one of four remaining members of his race.
Goku dies,which is an incredibly risky choice by Toriyama.
The ending of this volume is so good. a simple sentence(there are two more, way stronger members of his race coming in a year) was able to set up so many future events and storylines.
April 26, 2023
I picked this up at the library on a whim. Man am I glad I did. How much fun was that? I've never even watched the show. I'm not even positive it is a show. I'm pretty sure it's a show though. Kidding, I know it's a show. And I watched some random episodes back in the day.
But who knew the Manga could be so fun?
It's been a long time since I read any manga types. I should really get back into it. I read a ton of modern comics. Superhero stuff. And rarely entertains me the way this did. So good. Should I go five stars? Let's say four and a half. For the purposes of goodreads, of course we have to round it up.
But who knew the Manga could be so fun?
It's been a long time since I read any manga types. I should really get back into it. I read a ton of modern comics. Superhero stuff. And rarely entertains me the way this did. So good. Should I go five stars? Let's say four and a half. For the purposes of goodreads, of course we have to round it up.
June 15, 2018
Bluma Teamwork she is able to work with a bunch of people
May 8, 2020
This was a very good book. At this point i had already watched a lot of the anime series, so it came as a surprise when a huge amount of details were changed. I would recommend this book to anyone who has already watched the DBZ anime or is new to the series.
June 10, 2024
After years of watching the anime only.. i am finally reading the manga. I'm going to add each one to good reads as i get through it. But I am increasing my book goal by 25... seems only fair lol.
April 2, 2012
I grew up loving the dragonball z anime that was always on cartoon network. I didn't have cable until recently, so whenever I was over a friends house or my grandparent's, I would watch this show. I'm even in a van whose name is a direct reference to it! So reading the actual graphic novel was a geeky treat to say the least. Centering on the life of the super saiyajin monkey man Goku, this fun action adventure is full of fighting and giant explosions. While the series can become a bit formulaic (bad guy comes, beats goku's friends, destroys earth or things around it, goku's hair changes, Goku wins), it is very engaging, with characters that a long time reader comes to love. On the surface, dragonball z seems to be action heavy and light hearted, but it can really be taken to a much more epic scale. I would recommend it to anyone who likes manga or japanese culture. It's a classic series!
October 24, 2014
This is the first manga about Dragon Ball Z and it takes place years after Dragon Ball ended. Goku's brother has arrived from space with the quest of convincing him to join the Sayin's crusade to destroy Earth. Goku refuses and his son is kidnapped by his brother Raditz. Goku gains the help of an old enemy named Piccolo. Together they fight Raditz. They defeat Raditz using Piccolo's special attack but at the cost of Goku's life, with his final words, "Do it!" he sacrifices himself to kill his evil brother. I greatly enjoy the Dragon Ball Z series and would recomned this book for its amazing action and deep story. Anyone who's a fan of superpowers should read this.
March 26, 2013
I was a fan before it was cool!. Story of Son Goku, a Sayain(or however you spell it) who was sent to earth to take it over..they have tails like monkey's and have wicked powers and are super strong.
e was a baby at the time. With loss of memory he was adopted raised to be good then go on magical and fantastic adventures revolving around the 7 Dragonballs. It's a good starter manga for those getting into it. It's one of the most beloved stories out there. Often imitated never duplicated. 1989–1995
e was a baby at the time. With loss of memory he was adopted raised to be good then go on magical and fantastic adventures revolving around the 7 Dragonballs. It's a good starter manga for those getting into it. It's one of the most beloved stories out there. Often imitated never duplicated. 1989–1995
October 6, 2017
With Piccolo finally defeated and the world saved, Goku and Chi Chi run off together and our new story picks up 5 years later. The start of the Saiyan Arc brings a fearsome new foe into the mix named Raditz and he is looking for his younger brother who is none other then Goku or as he knows him, Kakkarot. With Raditz's power way beyond what Goku has ever faced, he teams up with Piccolo to bring an end to him at the cost of his own life. However with his dying breath Raditz tells the gang that two more stronger Saiyans will arrive in a years time.
February 28, 2014
Epic
Right from the start this book was awesome but it has way too much talking but it is still epic
Right from the start this book was awesome but it has way too much talking but it is still epic
April 22, 2019
Great book and helps me remember my childhood of this show
March 1, 2022
I have heard a lot about manga in recent years and thought the time was right to enter this new world. This is the first manga I ever read. I must say this was really good. I usually prefer to read comics in color but the B&W challenged me in a good way to let my imagination set the scene. I enjoyed this story because of the action, dialogue between specific characters and the intriguing cliffhanger at the end. I know it’s early but consider me an official new manga fan. I like the DBZ series and look forward to exploring more of this story.
September 17, 2024
Undoubtedly a classic. Z improves greatly on most of my complaints of Dragonball. The build from the start of Z to the end of the Freeza Saga is one of the best in fiction. However, I feel the Cell and Boo stories can have some low points and keeps my rating of this story to 4. Even with my qualms regarding some sagas, I appreciate the work put into the setting and characters which was much more compelling than the original and brought this iteration up a notch from its predecessor.
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