Alright, this is my first written review on Anilist, and figured that since I finished the original series of the Dragon Ball manga it’d be good to share my thoughts on that. And while I know that technically both DB and DBZ are actually one whole story, I thought it would be easier just to review the first part of the series since it’s depicted as it’s own thing in the US. Also, both series feel very distinct and could really be enjoyed on their own, so I felt comfortable just reviewing chapters 1 to 194 for now.
Characters: I genuinely think that the original series had a really strong cast of simple yet memorable characters. Everyone from Goku, to Krillin, to Lunch, to Piccolo felt so distinct from each other yet were very likable and charming in their own way. Goku’s growth as a fighter was probably the best development throughout the whole story, as seeing him go from an innocent and optimistic kid to a still kindhearted yet ambitious warrior was super satisfying. And everyone supporting him was a blast to have, especially whenever they got to play off of one another, providing some really strong character dynamics that were fun to read.
Presentation: I think it goes without having to be said that Akira Toriyama is an incredibly adept artist when it comes to making comics that are genuinely entertaining to read. Everything from his soft and charming character designs to how absolutely seamless every fight scene and encounter was proves that you could enjoy this story without caring much for it’s plot and cast, but simply because it’s a legitimately good read. The panel flow and crisp, expressive artwork serve as one of the strongest elements Dragon Ball has to offer. If there’s one thing that’s always spot on about the original run of this series, it’s how perfectly constructed it is just as a comic.
For my thoughts on the overall plot, I figured it’d be interesting to break down my thoughts on every individual story arc in this series. Since arcs and sagas have always been a staple within the industry, looking at every single one I think would be a fun way to express my thoughts on the overall thing.
Dragon Balls arc:
Definitely not as memorable or interesting as all that would come later, and it’s episodic nature did make it hard to get into for me (also the sexualization of a 16-year-old Bulma definitely made me uncomfortable) but after pushing through it I’d say it was a charming set of simple stories on it’s own. Not as action packed or intense as what the series would actually become, but I could appreciate just reading fun adventures about Goku and Bulma searching for magic treasure. 6/10
Strongest Under the Heavens Tournament arc:
I always get excited whenever I see that there’s going to be a tournament in an anime or manga I’m consuming. I’m such a sucker for that trope, so obviously I had a great time with this arc. It was a blast to read, as every fight was a breeze and never once felt as if it went on for too long. I also liked how much development we got to Master Roshi’s character. His role in this saga was pretty interesting, and the final confrontation with Goku was a great way to end it all off. This was just a great tournament arc on it’s own, that’s all that should really be said about it. 7/10
Red Ribbon Army arc:
Wasn’t as enjoyable as the last arc in my opinion, as a lot of the scenarios and encounters throughout weren’t as interesting or memorable as some from before. Not to mention that Goku being by himself a lot of the time and largely interacting with just one-off characters wasn’t that interesting to read. It certainly wasn’t terrible by any means, in the end I still had a good time. It just honestly felt more like a basic series of quests that didn’t have as much charm as other moments for me.
I will say, though, that the last third was a great climax. Goku climbing Korin tower, fighting Taupaipai, and storming the Red Ribbon base was a lot of fun to read. It was much more fast paced and featured plenty of entertaining characters and fights than before. So yeah, while a lot of it felt pretty basic to me personally, I’d say that final set of chapters made it all worth the time. 6/10
Fortune Teller Baba arc:
My least favorite arc, though it’s probably unfair to judge it that way since it’s such a short plot. I simply wasn’t too engaged with any of the fights. It was a very short story that felt like it only served to have more action and show off how much stronger Goku has become. I will say that the moment Goku has with his last opponent was very sweet, but aside from that one scene everything felt pretty average by DB standards. 5/10
Second Tournament arc:
Definitely a step-up for me after the last two arcs. With the overall scale of everything slightly larger than the last tournament arc, and the introduction of the infinitely likable husbando king Tien Shinhan, I’d say this part of the manga was on par with the last Martial Arts tournament (if not even better given the stronger cast of characters).
From Goku vs. Krillin to Shinhan’s satisfying arc, this second tournament had a lot to offer in terms of great character development. We got to see all sorts of new sides to these characters that would end up greatly defining them for the rest of the series. If there is one criticism I’d have to give, it’s that having another tournament arc take place in the exact same setting as before felt pretty tedious to me. I was hoping for a sort of change in scenery, but having what is essentially the exact same scenario as before with only one or two minor changes sort of irked me. But overall, a pretty good arc. 8/10
King Piccolo arc:
Easily my favorite arc in the series. The stakes were high, the plot was constantly moving around with its twists and turns, and King Piccolo was a really fun (even if really simple) antagonist. It’s obvious that Toriyama really gave his all to tell this part of the story, pushing the limits of his characters as far as he could to make everything feel so huge and exciting.
King Piccolo is the biggest threat that has been introduced so far, and just seeing the raving monster become so mad with power was so much fun to read. He may not be a complex character by any means, but just seeing how much ambition this guy had, and seeing him go completely all out once he achieved his goal was an absolute blast. He was a perfect opposition to Goku’s kindhearted ideals, and is certified proof that you don’t need to have a layered or complex villain to still have a great villain. He was evil cause he loved being evil, and that’s really all that this story needed.
The final confrontation with Goku and King Piccolo was such a top notch fight. Seeing Goku fight a full on Demi-God was exhilarating, and didn’t even feel as if it went on for longer than it needed to. It was a perfectly climactic fight that also served as an amazing payoff to hands down the best saga in this manga. It was honestly just a flawless plot line. 9/10
Final arc:
While not as great as King Piccolo, this final arc of the original Dragon Ball series felt like a great send off to everything that’s happened. The best part of this arc was easily Goku vs. Piccolo Jr. and how chaotic it all felt. Bringing everything to a close was such an explosive sense of scale was honestly the best way to end what is, at heart, a martial arts series. 8/10
Dragon Ball is a really great manga. While the first few set of chapters were pretty slow, and not every aspect of the whole story was exciting or interesting, everything that was good was really spectacular. I think I really enjoyed this manga because it was such a simple story. It may not have the most layered characters and richly written plot, but the cast is a set of genuinely lovable personalities and all the fights were wild, entertaining moments of pure action. Toriyama must have had a fun time making this, as the whole thing just oozes with so much heart and energy. Definitely a must read for any manga, shounen, or even martial arts fans as it’s a humble yet charismatic story that pretty much anyone can get into.
