"Dragon Ball: Doragon bôru" (1986) TV series 1986-1989

User Rating:

8.9/10   

Director:

Daisuke Nishio

Writer:

Akira Toriyama (story)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy | Thriller

Plot:

Son Gokû, a fighter with a monkey tail, goes on a quest with an assortment of odd characters in search of the Dragon Balls, a set of crystals that can give its bearer anything they desire.

Plot Keywords:

Dragon | Transformation | Innocence | Martial Arts | Tournament

Cast

Masako Nozawa	...	Son Gokû (153 episodes, 1986-1989)
Doug Parker	...	Beast Oolong / ... (153 episodes, 1986-1989)
Jôji Yanami	...	Narrator (153 episodes, 1986-1989)
Hiromi Tsuru	...	Bulma (114 episodes, 1986-1989)
Mayumi Tanaka	...	Kuririn / ... (105 episodes, 1986-1989)
Tôru Furuya	...	Yamcha (101 episodes, 1986-1989)
Naoko Watanabe	...	Puar / ... (101 episodes, 1986-1989)
Kôhei Miyauchi	...	Kamesennin Muten Roshi (99 episodes, 1986-1989)
Naoki Tatsuta	...	Oolong / ... (91 episodes, 1986-1989)
Mami Koyama	...	Lunch / ... (78 episodes, 1986-1989)
Kenji Utsumi	...	Announcer / ... (72 episodes, 1986-1989)
Hirotaka Suzuoki	...	Tenshinhan (64 episodes, 1987-1989)

Also Known As:

Dragonball (International: English title)

Runtime:

25 min (153 episodes)

Country:

Japan

Language:

Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Certification:

USA:TV-Y7 | Brazil:Livre (cut) | Brazil:12 | Canada:PG

Trivia:

Puar is referred to as female in the anime and has a high-pitched girlie voice in most dubs, however series creator Akira Toriyama has always referred to the character as male.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Goku bites Piccolo Daimao's hand and makes him bleed, his blood is red. But in DBZ, all Namekians have purple blood.

Quotes:

Klilyn: Slow down! You know if I lose my grip on you I'll fall through this cloud!
Son Gokû: Well if you would stop thinking bad thoughts, then it wouldn't be a problem!
Klilyn: Fat chance.
Son Gokû: Hey Krillin, look, do you think Master Roshi would like that lady over there?
Klilyn: You mean I have to look down? ... Goku, that's a man!
Son Gokû: Really? How can you tell? Gosh, they all look pretty much the same to me.
Klilyn: Huh? You're joking, right? I mean you really can't tell the difference?
Son Gokû: Well, usually I can figure it out. I just have to touch them first.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Edited into "Doragon bôru Kai: Tatakai no makuake! Kaettekita Son Goku (#1.1)" (2009)

Superb!

Dragonball is one of the best cartoons ever made. Dragonball Z is a bit disapointing compared to this one. Dragonball tells the story of Son Goku, a kid with a tail(?), who's origin is really explained only on Dragonball Z, and the story is all made up around 7 crystal balls that when all are together, allow you to ask any wish to the Dragon. It doesn't have all those "Super" stuff of Dragonball Z, all characters have different combat tactics and special moves, and they obtain their skills through hard training and not fury or spells. For Dragonball Z fans, if you want to see Bulma still young and more beautiful, Yamcha still an honourable fighter and Piccolo a bad guy, you have to see this!