were painted from the outset.
In addition, now that the generation of children who read Dragon Ball in serialization have become parents, they have looked to Dragon Ball as something that they can enjoy together with their own children. The economic power of these adult fans is now quite substantial, which will likely spur the release of a variety of additional merchandise going forward.
Thanks to the birth of new hobbies and improvements in technology, new Dragon Ball merchandise continues to be born into the world even now, 20 years after the end of the manga in serialization.
PEKING DUCK has spent 25 years as a Dragon Ball collector, amassing anything and everything Dragon Ball-related, including figures, toys, cards, stationery, food products, and more. Has also appeared on the TV program HokoTate: pekindbz.blog90.fc2.com
Dragon Ball Fandom: A Personal Introspective
One fan’s reflection on his own fandom, its many twists-and-turns, and how it continues to evolve
By Heath Cutler
Dragon Ball, the series that has become such a large part of my life, turns thirty this year. I myself am in my thirties, and many of my closest friends here are as well. It makes one truly look back at their journey with true fondness...to see where you once were and to see how far you have come. Not only has the series evolved over this long stretch of time, but we as fans—as people—have changed as well. Many of us are no longer kids, but have grown to be kids at heart. The age range of fans varies so drastically these days that it now encompasses children in kindergarten to full-grown adults with children of their own. But at the center of it all is one thing: Dragon Ball!
Each fan has their own story, their own introduction to the series. For many it is the same, but to each it is unique. To each fan, the series shares something different, something that intrigues them. The series provides us all with an outlet to a common adventurous world centered on a country bumpkin. While it is true that the series has evolved as much as we fans have over the past years, it cannot be ignored that the meaning of the series has changed within each of us. For some, the series is simply a window back into their past, a vehicle for nostalgia if you will, while to others the appealing natures of the series have completely changed over time. What intrigued us about the series all those years ago may not be what intrigues us today.
As much as we convince ourselves that we are in control of our own fandom, it is also largely influenced by its origin. In the United States, our fandom has always been divided, due in large part to how the series was introduced. Dragon Ball was an experiment. While other series had paved the way, it was Dragon Ball that was used as a stepping stone to help shape the landscape of the modern anime and manga industries as we see them today, and its fandom paid the price. Many modern day series do not see such a divide within their fandom thanks to simulcasting episodes and chapters, providing more accurate translations, and an overall complete shift in dubbing practices to maintain the integrity of the original series.
At the same time this division also makes the Dragon Ball fandom very unique, providing diverse opinions and discussions. It has further separated this fandom from any of its peers, setting it apart in so many ways. No other series has quite the checkered past, or such a complicated history, as Dragon Ball. New fans that have been tossed into the fray quickly become aware of this fact. It is within this unique and complicated history that we find ourselves, the fans, trying to make sense of it all. We all bring our own history along with us, which shapes our opinions of what the series is to us.
I was about 14 when a childhood friend of mine first mentioned Dragon Ball Z to me. It was a new cartoon I had never heard of airing on TV right after school. At the time I was already interested in similar animated TV series, such as ThunderCats and Voltron, but I really had no idea about their background. After a few episodes of Dragon Ball Z I was hooked, absolutely intrigued with the story and characters, and I was driven to know more about the series, more so than I had been with any other series up to that point.
Along came the Internet and its hundreds of fansites to my rescue, or so I thought. The Internet in those days was equivalent to the Wild West, with no law or order. You could do, or say, just about anything. We were all so young then, with a shiny new toy in front of us which we didn’t quite yet know how to wield. It was at this time that I began working on web design, teaching myself code and learning how to use photo-editing software. For me, web design and Dragon Ball have always been inextricably linked. In my mind the two are inseparable.
As time went by and the series became more widely available to fans, my intrigue shifted from the series’ story elements to its production. Now in college, I wanted to know how the series was made and who made it. I became infatuated with learning the ins-and-outs of Dragon Ball’s production process and researching the production staff that had created it. It was shortly thereafter that the Dragon Boxes were announced in Japan, and my infatuation hit an all-time high as I became engrossed with sorting through episode credits. For the first time, I could actually see who did what on each episode of the series. I was astounded by how much I could learn from this. But there was one issue: I barely knew a lick of Japanese and therefore had no way of deciphering the credits.
It was because of this moment that I first began learning Japanese. If it were not for this series and my blinding passion for answers, I can safely say I never would have attempted such a thing. From then on, Japanese opened up a window into a world I could only have dreamt of in 1998, one I never thought I’d find myself in. It has allowed me to delve into the series I love more than I ever thought possible. It opened up the world of Japanese goods and collectibles, including the original collected volumes of the series, their associated guidebooks, and much more. My collection has been ever-growing since, with no end in sight.
Since then my attention has swayed from subject to subject, and I find myself always looking for more answers. Most recently my attention has switched back to the very beginning, researching the series’ original serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump. Much of the research is due in large part to the unprecedented access we have to materials in Japan thanks to Julian. Every day is now a new adventure of its own, providing us tidbits about the series once lost to time. To be able to hold original issues of Weekly Shonen Jump in my hands, as I scour their pages, takes me back—if only for a brief moment—to a feeling of what it must have been like picking up a brand new issue and reading it for the first time, not knowing what was going to happen in that chapter. It is truly indescribable.
We all enter this fandom with our own preconceived notions, thinking we know what we want from Dragon Ball: action, adventure, and more action. But if you stick around long enough, Dragon Ball has a remarkable way of giving back.
The experiences, the knowledge, the skills, and the life-long friends...all these things are my fandom now. It is a remnant of its former self. It is ever evolving, and will surely be even more different years down the road.
And I’m okay with that.
HEATH (“Hujio”) is one of the co-founders of Kanzenshuu. In addition to being one of the manga gurus alongside Julian, he keeps the site from crashing and burning on a daily basis.
Animazement
2013 Convention; Raleigh, NC
By Doug Cruces
If you asked me what the best day of my life was, I would have to say it was a three-way tie between the three days of Animazement 2013!
Not only did I get to meet the amazing guests, but I also got to meet fellow members of Kanzenshuu. Even though I had barely talked with them on the forums prior to Animazement, we all became instant friends through our mutual love of Dragon Ball.
I had the chance to make Masako Nozawa glee with joy over seeing the Battle of Gods “Super Collaboration Ticket” I brought for her to sign. She sounded as excited as Goku would be if he discovered a fridge full of food! Through her translator, she told me that the ticket was very rare and to take good care of it. I can promise you all tha
t you will never see it up on eBay. If times ever get tough I would rather sell the cardboard box I’m living in than that ticket.
DOUG (“Drabaz”) has taken up the torch of making award-winning DBZ AMVs. He also made a DB LittleBigPlanet level. Doug is a pretty cool guy.
Con Prizes + EXP
Looking to level up your fandom? The experiences and prizes at conventions are for you!
By Mike LaBrie
My first anime convention was Otakon 1999. Making my way down to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, and having only been running my website for less than two years at that point, I had no idea what was in store for me.
Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of attending, interviewing, and presenting at Otakon, Shoujocon, AnimeNEXT, Katsucon, Anime Weekend Atlanta, AnimeUSA, and Animazement. Though my attendance has waned over the years, each time I make my way through the sea of fans (and after making it through the usual “I’m too old for this...” apprehension), I somehow manage to come away with a smile on my face and having learned something new.
The Internet is an amazing place for fans of all types to meet, gather, and share ideas...but there is something particularly special about actually meeting those friends “in real life” and sharing