Questions
Who created Dragon Ball Z?
It is based on the manga by Akira Toriyama, and the anime adaptation was developed by Takao Koyama and produced by Toei Animation.
When did Dragon Ball Z first air?
It ran on Fuji Television in Japan from April 26, 1989 to January 31, 1996, spanning 291 episodes across nine seasons.
Is Dragon Ball Z a continuation of the original Dragon Ball?
Yes. It adapts the final 324 chapters of Toriyama’s Dragon Ball manga, which ran from 1988 to 1995, picking up where the earlier series left off.
What are the main story arcs?
The major arcs are the Saiyan Saga, the Frieza Saga, the Androids and Cell Saga, and the Majin Buu Saga, plus the anime-exclusive Garlic Jr. arc.
Who voices Goku in the original Japanese version?
Masako Nozawa, who reportedly also voices Goku’s sons Gohan and Goten and could switch between the roles simply upon seeing the character’s picture.
Where did the look of the Super Saiyan transformation come from?
Character designer Tadayoshi Yamamuro reportedly based Goku’s Super Saiyan form, including the slanting pose and scowling eyes, on martial artist Bruce Lee.
Where does the famous ’It’s Over 9000!’ line come from?
It comes from the English dub of the series and went on to become a widely shared internet meme.
Why did the show shift to a more serious, action-focused tone?
Manga editor Kazuhiko Torishima reportedly requested a change of producers because the original had a cute and funny image that did not suit the series’ more serious tone.
What is the theme song everyone remembers?
The original opening ’Cha-La Head-Cha-La’ by Hironobu Kageyama played over episodes 1 to 199, with ’We Gotta Power’ following for episodes 200 to 291. Shunsuke Kikuchi composed the original score.
How did the English dub come about?
Funimation and Saban produced the first dub in 1996 using a Vancouver-based Ocean Studios cast, and it was heavily edited, cutting the first 67 episodes down to 53.
Did Funimation ever redo those early episodes?
Yes. In 2005 Funimation re-dubbed episodes 1 to 67 uncut with its in-house Texas voice cast, with a score composed by Nathan M. Johnson.
What is Dragon Ball Z Kai?
It is an HD remaster announced in 2009 for the series’ 20th anniversary that cut filler to align pacing with the manga, premiering April 5, 2009 and ending June 28, 2015.
How popular was the show in the United States?
It reportedly outperformed shows like Friends and The X-Files in sweeps ratings and was the number one program for boys 9 to 14 and men 12 to 24 in 2002.
How big has the franchise been commercially?
The series reportedly reached roughly $5 billion in total merchandise sales worldwide by 2012, and over 25 million DVDs were sold in the US by January 2012.
Have fans set any records around Dragon Ball Z?
In 2019, fans set a Guinness World Record for the largest Kamehameha attack, performing the show’s signature energy blast pose at San Diego Comic-Con.
