You've seen Dragon Ball Z. Probably not the entire show, maybe not even an entire episode. Heck, even if I showed you a picture of a scene from Dragon Ball Z you might not be able to recognize it. But you have, at some point or another, seen it. Who hasn't seen the iconic image of Son Goku as a Super Saiyan? It's practically plastered all over the world.
Now when I was a child, when DBZ was still being aired on the afternoon block of Toonami (so happy that Toonami is back, by the way), my mother hated when I watched Dragon Ball Z. She saw it as nonsensical violence. Probably because every time she would watch a part was where someone was getting killed--which happens a lot on DBZ--and the show did not really hold back on the violence in a death either. I probably saw it as nothing more than violence, too, but it was awesome.
You might think I'm biased in writing this because I grew up with this show...and it's my favorite show of all time...but I have a reason for giving it such high praise. Even as a child who hardly stood anything about drama or tragedy, DBZ was able to strike me. When my favorite character died, right before my eyes, I can remember jumping off of my bed in complete shock. I was so mad and so sad. The way that the killed him off was in the blink of an eye, too.
Of course, that and of course the sacrifice of Goku in the Cell Games struck a tough chord in my heart, too. If you didn't tear up at that, then, you need to have your emotions checked, that stuff was powerful. And as a kid, I didn't really get what was going on, but I understood the implications enough. And now, as a child in a grown-ups body, I get all of what Dragon Ball Z was doing.
For a show with a simple premise (Son Goku and the Z-Warriors fight off enemies that endanger the Earth and the universe) and such a simple delivery, it's easy to pass it off. Yet at the same time it has such iconic, awe-inspiring moments that you can't help but watch. It has some of the most epic moments in all of television. In my opinion, Goku's first transformation into a Super Saiyan is both the single most epic moment and most important moment for all television series to follow. But I'll get to that.
Dragon Ball Z would hardly pass nowadays, though. Dragon Ball Z Kai was re-released on Nicktoons, and now on the CW's Vortex on Saturday mornings, with all or most of the blood cut out along with some of the swear words they would occasionally say. They actually cut out a lot of the filler episodes, which is both a good and bad things. They even cut out, though, a huge location in Dragon Ball lore, Hell. "What they would say Hell in a children's cartoon?! How dare they!" Yes, they said Hell, so what? It's a location in the Dragon Ball universe where the bad-guys go (and apparently Piccolo, but, GT messed up more than just that).
The reason Dragon Ball Z would hardly pass nowadays is for exactly those reasons. Too much violence, too much blood, the use of swear words (Hell and damn, I mean, come on people!) and probably just for being too long of a show compared to the shows that used to run. Very few animes or cartoons get the opportunity to run for so long unless they are re-run shows like Yu-Gi-Oh! or ongoing shows that somehow still have popularity like Pokèmon. Also there's a little perversion from Master Roshi but it's more funny than it is annoying.
Kai got me to thinking, though. Why wouldn't people be able to handle Dragon Ball Z like it was originally shown? Yes, parents would view it as stupid and annoying, but, that's only because they're in the background doing adult things while the kids are watching some awesome-sauce television. When I grow up I know my child(ren) will watch Dragon Ball Z. It teaches valuable life lessons like family and friends and how to kick major alien butt. Or what to do if your planet is invaded by monkey-people (ah-ha, now you're interested, aren't you?).
Violence in television has been on the decline. Or if it exists, it's in the stupidest, cheesiest manner that probably makes children dumber. Power Rangers is nothing compared to what it once was. The action shows now are maybe a fight scene an episode. Dragon Ball Z was the epitome of action shows. You would have entire episodes dedicated to a fight.
Even the time made absolutely no sense (there's probably an astronomical reason behind that meme, I'm in Astronomy, I feel qualified to make that assumption). You would also have entire episodes dedicated to dialogue to either set up a fight or just provide a break in the action for comedic relief.
I know I've been selling Dragon Ball Z as a violent show to make kids wanna become intergalactic super heroes. And if they do become intergalactic super-heroes, more power to them! Let's just get back to the Moon first, okay?
But Dragon Ball Z is far more than that. It's a show full of comedy, drama, and tragedy. There is a lot, a lot of comedy, even during the fights. Most of the time it's because the hero or the villain is messing with their opponent, making the audience laugh at the other's incompetence. Future Trunks is very good at this, as he completely messes with Mecha Frieza in their encounter (coolest entrance by a character ever, by the way).
Yet out of those three, tragedy is the most evident. There are three very important moments in Dragon Ball Z history that stand out to me: the climactic battle on Namek, the Cell Games, and when Vegeta leaves Goku to fight Majin Buu (the fat one). There are going to be spoilers here, but, there have to be to exemplify what I'm talking about, so, here we go:
The first is the climactic battle on Namek. Vegeta and Dende have already been put down by Frieza, Vegeta in a much more heartbreaking way because we see his Saiyan soul get crushed and he just loses the will to fight, something we had yet to see out of Vegeta. But when Frieza stands back up after the Spirit Bomb, there is a sense of utter horror instilled in both the characters and in you. Goku is out of energy, Piccolo is out of energy, and there is no way that Gohan and Krillin can hold their own against Frieza. First to go down is Piccolo, and we're left to believe he died. Then, Krillin dies. "Pop goes the weasel." And what happens next is the most powerful moment in all television, I feel.
Goku becomes a Super Saiyan. But you have to understand the circumstances, so I'll explain: There hasn't been a Super Saiyan in the universe in the last thousand years or so (ironically, that first Super Saiyan was Goku's father Bardock, in another awesome moment). Frieza is the strongest being in the entire universe, that we know of. Vegeta's dying words were for Goku to avenge the Saiyan name, to become the legend. Bardock's dying vision, well, before he was warped back in time, was of Goku standing off against Frieza. Goku was destined to this. And how does it happen?
His best friend since Dragon Ball, the little cue ball who couldn't die (seriously, if he did he couldn't get wished back since he already died once), Krillin. Snap. Goku transforms in the second most coolest transformation (I'm getting to the coolest one) and ultimately sets the stage for some many more television shows to come. Of course, in Japan this happened way before American audiences saw it, since it had yet to be dubbed in English. Ever since Goku's Super Saiyan transformation, though, there have been more and more appearance of over-powering transformations on all mediums. Plus, this transformation ignited the fuse for whose stronger: Goku or Superman? (Goku, duh).
Again, I could be wrong and you could say this isn't a huge event, but in my eyes, it is. I've never seen anything quite as powerful or groundbreaking as this, given the circumstances. The whole universe was banking on that single moment. And ultimately, it's tragic. For Goku to do this, two entire races had to be wiped out, his greatest rival and his greatest friend had to die, and eventually, an entire planet had to explode.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves. There are more tragic moments in the Dragon Ball universe. The next big one, I'd say, is basically the entire Cell Games saga following the point where Android 16 gets blown to bits by Cell. The only thing that is intact is his head. Basically what happens is that Cell, who has proven his strength over Gohan's, has unleashed little mini-Cells to terrorize the bystanding Z-Warriors. Cell has been egging Gohan on to unleash his anger and Gohan refuses, because he is afraid of what it will do to him.
Then comes the single most impactful speech on any character I've ever witnessed. Android 16's speech about power and life to Gohan had me choked up. But do you get it? Android 16 is a robot, and here he is talking about how he loved living. Robots can't live, it's impossible for them to feel emotion! Gohan realizes this, and after all the imagery of 16 with the birds that we get to see, how happy he is, guess what happens?
Cell crushes his head.
And that sends Gohan off the edge, that transforms him into the very first Super Saiyan 2. The best part about this is that it isn't really anger or a lust for revenge that makes him transform. It's sadness and a desire for justice. Sound familiar (hint, he is Gotham's Dark Knight)? Oh but the Cell Games don't end there, folks. We've got yet another tragic moment ahead, one that probably caught all of us by surprise.
Gohan has Cell defeated. He's punched Android 18 out of him and now, even Vegeta could finish off Cell. But Cell activates his self-destruct sequence, since he is also an android, and the blast will not only kill all the Z-Warriors, but destroy the entire planet. With only ten seconds before destruction, our hero, the unstoppable, the one destined to save the Earth, steps up.
Goku sacrifices himself for the sake of the Earth, transporting he and Cell away from the Earth (and subsequently blowing up another planet but that's not very important). The point is, Goku left everyone just like that, in a flash. The audience is left speechless, but once it sets in, it sets in hard. The moment is tough to take in. Goku is dead, for good. It's his second death, he can't be wished back with the Dragon Balls. It really, really sucks.
And the final tragic moment is probably the most relatable moment. I mean, relatable is a relative term in the Dragon Ball universe, but what's important is that you get the underlying purpose of the event.
Anyway, the Earth is once again under attack (oh my gosh, shocker). But this time, everyone is caught off guard and Vegeta is evil again. It makes for my favorite fight in DBZ, the rematch of Goku and Vegeta, but also makes for Vegeta's most important moment.
We all knew that Vegeta was Trunks's father and that's cool. But in this season of Dragon Ball Z we get to see Trunks growing up, as a kid. More importantly, we see Vegeta as a family man, as a somewhat responsible father. He actually cares for people. Yet when Babidi takes control of him, he is reduced, essentially, back to the Vegeta we met in the beginning, only a whole lot stronger, seemingly as strong as Goku. After knocking out Son Goku, he heads over to defeat Majin Buu.
Once he realizes he cannot defeat the monster through sheer fighting, out comes the family man once again. He beats Babidi's spell first by a thirst for power but then by the influence of good that the Earth has given him. At first, when he knocks out Trunks and Goten, you're confused. Is he just saving them? He hands them over to Piccolo, and you're still confused.
Then, he faces Majin Buu again. A glow starts to form around him. Still confused. Vegeta looks up to the sky, thinks of his family, expressing his love for them, then, you realize what's happening.
Vegeta is going to kill himself and Majin Buu to save his family and the Earth. WHAT. It sent me in a tizzy. This was so uncharacteristic of Vegeta! What he even says is uncharacteristic!
"Trunks, Bulma...I do this for you. And yes even for you...Kakarot." WHOA. He's killing himself for Goku, his sworn enemy and rival? This is crazy!
The voice over at the end sums it up. Vegeta, the proud Prince of all Saiyans, a race built to kill and be ruthless warriors, gave his life for the life of the Earth and for those he loved.
Incredible. Powerful. Beautiful.
*spoilers are over now go watch the show*
So you see, parents? You see, nonbelievers? Dragon Ball Z isn't just blonde people flying around shooting energy beams or making funny faces. It's fully of epic moments and very relatable themes about sacrifice, doing what has to be done for those you love, and even tragedy. Life hurts, and it's how you react to it that makes you who you are. Are you just going to bow to it, or will you stand tall and give it all you've got?
There is no reason for it to get the negative looks from people who haven't seen it, in my opinion. This all isn't to say that there is nothing wrong with Dragon Ball Z, because, the show certainly has its flaws (dumb filler episodes, quite a few plot holes, etc.). But the point is that Dragon Ball Z is far more than meets the eye. And it's certainly worth the watch.
See you next time!
Frieza meme: http://cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/28946831.jpg
Vegeta quote source: http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnfk5xGKUP1qevixfo1_500.jpg
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