Dragon Ball Z.  How is it pronounced?  Perhaps you never asked yourself the question, but it turns out there are a few different ways to say it.  All because of the Z.

For example, is it pronounced Dragon Ball Zee, Dragon Ball Zed or something else entirely?  The title of the show represents a linguistic problem with various answers that depend on where you live and what language you speak.

Why does it matter?  Because the show is an international phenomenon with no agreed upon standard for how to pronounce its name.  And the differences stand as another example of diversity seen within the localized versions of the Dragon Ball series.

To really understand why this is the case we have to learn a little about languages and world history from within the Dragon Ball perspective.

The American Way

Dragon Ball Z is a proper noun, the name of an entity, so it should be pronounced the same in every country, like how the band ZZ Top should be pronounced Zee Zee Top regardless of where you speak it.

But unfortunately this is not the case for DBZ, and the pronunciation varies around the world.

Americans are taught to pronounce the letter Z as Zee.  We are taught to pronounce it this way in schools as well as on Sesame Street at home.  So we pronounce the show’s title as Dragon Ball Zee.

We pronounce it Dragon Ball Zee in the theme song, in the marketing materials, video games and everywhere else.  For example, the original theme song to Dragon Ball Z in America has lyrics of, “Dragon, dragon, rock the dragon, Dragon Ball Zee!  Dragon, dragon, rock the dragon, Dragon Ball Zeeee-yah!”

Now, in the United Kingdom the people use the Queen’s English and pronounce the letter Z as Zed.  They end their alphabet with a full stop; “X, Y, Zed.”  So it is pronounced Dragon Ball Zed.

And Australian’s, while normally saying Zed if the letter stands alone, will still finish the alphabet with “X, Y, Zee.” Same with New Zealand.  Yet in words they’ll pronounce it as Zed but without the d, so Zebra is not pronounced Zed-bra, in contrast to the American Zee-bra.

In Canada they have both French and English as national languages, but which English do they speak, the Queen’s English or American English?  In this case, the answer is both, and it’s called Canadian English!  Because the country is so large and geographically varied sometimes they will say Zed and other times Zee, depending on the region.

Yet this is not an English specific issue.  To make things more complicated, the French also pronounce Z as Zed, so if Canadians decide to speak French, then they will say Dragon Ball Zed.

In other parts of Western Europe the Spanish may say Ceta, the German’s say Zed and the Swede’s say Zeta.

However, as a result of the popularity of the American Dub (and the intro along with it), the American pronunciation of Dragon Ball Zee was catapulted into the common fandom across the world.

A user by the name of “Super Sayian Prime” on the Daizex.com forums stated that he grew up in Canada where he was taught to pronounce Z as Zed, but he also grew up watching American Dragon Ball Z, which confused him because they always pronounced it Zee.  He said, “This shows’ theme always screwed me up on the alphabet. I’d always say “Zee” instead of “Zed”.”

The same problem occurs in Australia where children watch the American’s Sesame Street alphabet song and are then corrected later by their parents to say Zed.  The letter T (tee) rhymes with Zee, but it does not rhyme with Zed, hence the issue. Therefore, teachers that instruct children in the alphabet use the rhyme as a learning device but also teach them about Zed.

Americans might it find it strange to pronounce the Z as Zed, but the reasons why others do so is very rational and goes back thousands of years.

A Brief History of Z

The Greek Alphabet, source (www.uic.edu)

As mentioned, Zee and Zed are not the only pronunciations.  In fact, Z has a rather involved past.

In ancient times when the Romans borrowed 21 of the 26 letters from the Etruscan alphabet, they included Zeta as the 7^th letter in the alphabet.  But at some point after 250 BC the letter was dropped because Latin words no longer needed that particular sound.  Then when Rome conquered Greece in the first century BC, the Z was taken back into Latin from the Greek so they could transliterate Greek words.  This time they placed it at the end of the alphabet and pronounced it Zeta just like the Greeks.

The modern pronunciation Zed is derived from the Middle French Zède, which the French in turn derived from the Latin Zeta, which the Romans borrowed from the Greek.  Today, some languages use Zed while others use a form closer to the original Latin and Greek.

The pronunciation Zee comes from America.

Noah Webster (1758 -- 1843), an American lexicographer and author of the American Dictionary of the English Language (today known as the Merriam-Webster dictionary), proposed to change the pronunciation of the letter.

Why?  Primarily because he wanted Z to be pronounced in the same way as B (bee), D (dee) and V (vee).  And perhaps as a point of national identity to distinguish from the British form of English.

There were other pronunciations as well, such as Izzard.  In the 1755 Johnson’s Dictionary it states “Z… zed, more commonly izzard or uzzard, that is, shard.”

These pronunciations were rarely used up to the middle of the 20^th century alongside the more common Zee, but they were there all the same, and for a while their use could help could signify where a person was from.  If a person said Zee then they were from New England and the North-Eastern colonies, and if they said Zed then they were from the South, where it was born from French or Spanish colonies.

As we know, eventually Zee conquered Zed.

Even so, then you might reply, “Our alphabet would no longer rhyme: T, U, V, W, X, Y and Zed?”

The thing worth keeping in mind is that the alphabet is not a poem and it does not have to rhyme.  But we prefer that it does and creative people still find a way:

“….

O, P, Q, R, S and T

Read it back again to me.

U, V, W, X, Y, Zed

Now it’s always in your head.”

See?  And there’s a brief history of the letter Z.

But what about the Japanese?

The Japanese Z

The Dragon Ball Z Logo

How do the Japanese pronounce the letter Z?  Dragon Ball Z was created in Japan so certainly the Japanese must know the proper pronunciation of their own show.

Not necessarily.

The letter Z is not part of the Japanese language, and the Japanese pronounce the Latin alphabet Z by saying Zetto, which is based off the original Latin Zeta.

To be specific, the Japanese say “Doragonbôru Zetto” from the katakana of ドラゴンボールZ.

To confuse matters further the developers and marketers of the shows’ related products occasionally say Zed as it is pronounced most everywhere else in the world, perhaps to cater to those markets.  So they are inconsistent in the pronunciation of their own creation.  Notably, they do not say Doragonbôru Zii.

Mike Labrie from Daizex.com said on a forum post about the topic, “Hell, I’ve seen tons of Japanese commercials with a narrator and the zed pronunciation, followed immediately by another one with Masako Nozawa and the zetto pronunciation. If the original country won’t decide on a pronunciation, you don’t have too much to complain about.”

Another important question, what does the Z in Dragon Ball Z even stand for?

The ‘Z’ was added to the title by Akira Toriyama to signify it as different from the original Dragon Ball, as well as to denote it as the final arc of the series.  He was tired of working on the show and wanted it to end, so he picked the last letter of the Latin alphabet thinking that there would be no further place to go afterward.  The irony of course is that it lasted even longer than the original and was followed by another, known as Dragon Ball GT.

The Z series lasted much longer than Toriyama wanted it to, and the Z theme began to creep in, such as in the Z Sword, the Z Warriors, and Z TV.  It became a part of the comic book and the show.

In regards to the Z Sword in particular, Americans (FUNimation) called it the Z (Zee) Sword, while the Japanese called it the Zetto Sodo.  And as you might have guessed, the British called it the Zed Sword.

So, which Z is correct?

The Latin Z, from Wikimedia Commons

There is no correct one, per say.

It depends on where you live and how you speak.

I cannot base an argument for the American version being “correct” simply because it is the most popular in the West.  Why not?  Because it is an American translation of a Japanese TV show to begin with, and Zee is an altered version of both the original English Zed and Latin Zeta.

Likewise, I cannot pose an argument for Zetto being “correct” either because it is only the romanji pronunciation of the Latin letter, although it is the original pronunciation.

So what’s to do?  Is there a solution to all this?

Fundamentally it is a linguistic concern that stems from Americans pronouncing the letter Z differently from everybody else.  If we want a global pronunciation, then Americans will have to change their Zee’s to Zed’s, and the others that followed the American pronunciation will slowly change in turn.

But I have doubts that this will happen because it would involve a complete shift in our educational system.

If you’re an American, then as an individual fan you can certainly make the effort, but is it even necessary?  Other international fans will know what you mean all the same when you say Zee.

Perhaps if you’re a hardcore fan of the Japanese you may even want to call it Zetto, but others might have a hard time with it.

Luckily, now if you’re talking with a fan and they say Dragon Ball Zee, Zed or Zetto, then you’ll be able to understand why, if you didn’t already.

Zee, Zed, Zetto, it’s all in the mind!

Resources

http://daizex.fanboyreview.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=8413&p=186738&hilit=Zed#p186738

http://daizex.fanboyreview.net/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=7462&p=161336&hilit=Zed#p161336

http://daizex.fanboyreview.net/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=4741&p=98900&hilit=Zed#p98900

http://dragonball.wikia.com/wiki/The_Z_Sword

http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=110064

http://momm-eh.blogspot.com/2005/10/zed-versus-zee-love-letter-to-nancy.html

http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/index.pperl?date=20000707

http://www.teenspot.com/boards/showthread.html?p=13322594

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2c8FzDm4Gbo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFOvKQPk9LI&feature=video_response

http://www.uic.edu/las/clas/style/greek_alphabet.gif

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-692114.html

Post from: The Dao of Dragonball Blog

Dragon Ball Zee or Zed?

Hitler Heil's Hello in DBZ Movie 12

There are many unique aspects to the Dragon Ball series and several may contain socialist and communist elements.  In this article I will introduce 5 of them.

They are the following:

1. Red Army
2. Stars
3. Hitler
4. Hooked Cross Z
5. One World Government

The elements on this list are the results of watching the Dragon Ball series and seeing what is already there.  I am not making any of these up.

This article is not only here to reveal what was in front of us all along, but to also help explain how and why.

Red Star Hammer and Sickle

Please keep in mind that Dragon Ball is above all else a fun and lighthearted show with a heavy dose of silliness and martial arts antics.  These socialist and communist elements do not detract from the Dragon Ball experience in any way.

It’s possible you may disagree with some of the inherent meaning behind these elements within the series, and a lot has been said about one of them in particular, but that does not take away from the fact that they are there to begin with and left for us to explore and understand.

If you have any thoughts on their meaning and why the creator’s put them in, then please state your thoughts in the comments below.

Now let’s begin our adventure.

Red Army

The Red Army is a term used to describe an army that gathers under the Red Flag, a militaristic symbol of a Communist force.

The term Red Army was first coined by its commander Leon Trotsky to refer to the newly created army of Soviet Russia after the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917.  The term continued to be used in Europe for the next several decades and became synonymous with violence, bloodshed and power.  Afterward, the term spread east when Mao Zedong created his own Red Army in China, which would later be known as the People’s Liberation Army.  Both of these army’s militarily dominated Asia for several decades, including several wars with the Japanese, the birthplace of Dragon Ball.

Commander Red

We find the Red Army in Dragon Ball in the form of the Red Ribbon Army, a spoof like representation of a unified military threat.  Most of the Red Ribbon Army and all of its leaders are “Foreigners,” i.e. Westerners (or talking bipedal animals).  They represent the stereotypical socialist or communist army trouncing across the country and taking whatever they want with their military might.

The Red Ribbon Army has a collection of foot soldiers, military experts, assassins, evil scientists, technicians, a mobile division (speeders, trucks and tanks), a flight division (planes, helicopters), a sea division (subs, boats), killer robots, androids and special operatives (scuba divers, flamethrower shock troops) and more.  Red Ribbon Army headquarters is a huge base surrounded by and filled with defensive weapons technology.

They appear to be depicted like the army of an evil villain in a James Bond film.  Though more accurately they are reminiscent of the Red Army of Soviet Russia, upon which many of the James Bond villains were based.

The main theme that accompanies the Red Ribbon Army contains the following lyrics (translated):

Dye a red ribbon in a sea of blood

Hands of demons creep through the wilderness

A screen which reflects the dark desires

The leader, Red, watches and laughs

Blue, Black, Silver, the sky is scorched

Yellow, White, Brown, a mechanical army

Only if we conquer everything in this world

will our supreme pride be fulfilled

Soldier Red Ribbon

We’ll drop the world into a deep terror

Soldier Red Ribbon

The demons that came from hell

Red Ribbon Army

All of the soldiers are dressed resembling World War II era troops with a minimum of personal equipment, consisting primarily of a jacket, baggy trousers, a rifle and high-top boots.  The Red Ribbon Army’s “RR” logo is placed on their chest and hat.  The elite soldiers wear colored “RR” logo armbands to denote their superior rank.

Red Ribbon Army's Red Flag

The “RR” logo stands for “Red Ribbon” and is usually seen as a symmetrical red ribbon with white text placed anywhere the logo could be applied, such as on a military uniform or tank.  But it is also seen on a Red Flag that is very similar to Stalinist and Nazi versions of the Red Flag.

Their leader is Commander Red, a short power obsessed man with a Napolean complex and a desire to gather all the dragonballs so he can make a wish to grow taller, and thereby (naturally) rule the world!  He also has bright red hair that is styled a lot like Leon Trotsky’s, the original commander of the Soviet Red Army.  It seems oddly similar, though this could just be a coincidence as Toriyama has never commented on his inspiration for the character.

General Blue

In addition, one of their leaders, General Blue, is based on the ideal disciplined soldier of Hitler’s eugenics program.  Blue is lean and strong with blond hair and blue eyes and it is implied that he is of German descent as he speaks German in one line of the English comic book, saying the phrase “Auf Wiedersehen” (Goodbye).  He is the strongest fighter of all the Red Ribbon Army soldiers and matches up against Goku for several episodes, employing super human strength and psychic abilities.  The funny thing is that in the anime Toriyama made him into a very effeminate (with implied homosexuality) character.  He loves his own appearance, stops to smell the roses and is disgusted by mice.  However in the comic book he is much more serious and clever.

The Red Ribbon Army is already well established by the time Goku comes along, and they have generated a healthy dose of fear and respect in the world community.

The Red Ribbon Army met its match time and time again at the hands of Goku, and he defeated them almost entirely by himself.  He had some slight assistance from a few companions he met along the way, but there were no other Z warriors or main characters of the series involved.  Just him against an entire communist inspired army.  And he won.

Stars

Red Star of Communism

Stars are another communist symbol, and they are frequently seen in the Dragon Ball series because each of the dragonballs contains stars.  Red five-pointed stars in particular carry the most symbolism.

The five-pointed Red Star is a symbol of communism and socialism movements in general.  There are different interpretations as to why this is, and the argument is often made that the five points represent the five fingers of the common worker’s hand, or the five major continents of the world that will one day be ruled under a communist government.  It could also be indicative of the five forces that would bring communism to power, namely the youth, the military, industrial laborers, peasants and intelligentsia.

The Red Star is a symbol used throughout all Communist nations, along with the Sickle and Hammer, and can be seen on national monuments and government buildings as well as flags and military uniforms.

Often times the Red Star will stand alone or be outlined in yellow on a red background.  Sometimes the stars will be completely yellow on a red background or feature multiple yellow stars arranged around one another, such as in the Chinese Communist Party flag.

Dragonball Collection

The seven dragonballs are a golden orange amber type color and the five-pointed stars inside them are all red.  The seven balls are named by the amount of stars that each ball contains, such as the 1-star ball, the 4-star ball and so on.  The dragonballs naturally play a major role in the series and so we see this imagery again and again.

But we also see stars elsewhere.

We spot a red five-pointed star time and again on Emperor Pilaf, another diminutive character with an out of control ego questing for more power, power that can only be granted by the dragonball’s.  Pilaf is a blue skinned impish character that repeatedly has his plans foiled by Goku’s presence.  Goku doesn’t even go out of his way to interfere with Pilaf’s schemes; they keep bumping into one another as if it were fated to be.

Pilaf wears a red and blue cap with a black band around the rim.  A red five-pointed star is placed on a yellow background front and center.

Emperor Pilaf

It’s possible that the star is there to represent his “Imperial Status” as stars have also been used throughout medieval history to denote royalty.  But once again Toriyama has left us with no explanation.

The shape-shifting pig Oolong also wears a Red Star on his hat in the beginning of the series.  He is a short and fat pig seen dressed in a green Chinese Communist style uniform similar to the one Mao Zedong would have worn.

It’s not known exactly why Toriyama decided to create him to look like a Chinese Communist soldier, but it’s possible that he was trying to take a jab at the CCP by dressing up a pig in their clothes and making him short, fat, obnoxious, loud and selfish.  What do you guys think?

Oolong in CCP Clothing

Goku and his traveling companion Bulma soon trick Oolong into traveling along with them on their quest for the dragonballs, and while Oolong never really improves his demeanor he does learn to tolerate his new friends, at least more so than he did initially.  He stays with them for the rest of the series.

In addition, we see the star in every episode of Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball GT, as they are featured in the logos.  Dragon Ball Z’s logo has a small orange 1-star ball standing in for the “O” in Dragon.  Dragon Ball GT’s star is placed inside the “O” of Dragon and is a red five-pointed star on a yellow background, like the one Pilaf wore before.  It can also be seen in logos of derivative works, such as the video game Dragon Ball Online where the red star inside a circle is used as the entire “O” of Dragon once again.

So why are there so many stars in Dragon Ball?

We are left to ponder.

Hitler

The biggest and most frequently talked about reference to socialism in Dragon Ball is Hitler himself.  Hitler is in Dragon Ball Z Movie 12, Fusion Reborn (Japanese title:  The Rebirth of Fusion!  Goku and Vegeta!) as a guest villain who comes back from the dead after a demon takes control of the underworld and the laws of life and death.

Hitler comes back to life with his whole zombie army and rolls his tanks through the city, crushing cars and barking out orders like the dictator he is.

He is depicted as a diminutive man (once again) dressed in a purple Nazi uniform with a red “X” armband wrapped around his left arm.  The red “X” is also on the front of his hat.  This is because the Nazi double hooked cross (German: Hakenkreuz), which we often refer to as a Swastika, was replaced by the red “X” for censoring issues.  Aside from those changes he looks just like his namesake, mustache and all.

Hitler starts to destroy the city and is challenged by Goku’s son Goten alongside Vegeta’s son Trunks.  Hitler orders his men to fire at the pre-teen boys and they dodge the hundreds of tank shells and bullets with ease.  The two pint-sized heroes make a mockery of his entire army while they punch and kick his tanks into tin cans.

Hitler screams to “Destroy the infidels!” and the pair turn into golden Super Saiya-jin fighters in response.  Their hair and eyes change color and they are surrounded by golden flames.  Hitler looks at them in confusion and replies, “Blonde hair, blue eyes, super strength, I should be recruiting them.”  Then he yells, “… Shoot them down, they are no match for us, they are inferior!”

In the Japanese version after a bit more fighting with Goten and Trunks he says, “What are they, bright youths outshining the gods?”

These comments are in reference to Hitler’s philosophy and world perspective, as he stands looking at that which he pursued in life, a master race of perfect warriors that are superior to anything created on earth and powerful enough to conquer heaven.  Slight downside is he’s not in control of them.

The line about “bright youths” is also a comment from Japanese parents on counter culture youth dying their hair blonde and other colors.  The joke is that Hitler thinks they are rebellious kids.

Goten and Trunks kill Hitler and destroy his zombie army, sending them back to where they came from.

Hitler’s presence in the movie and the “golden haired supermen” that defeat him have led many fans online toward a presumption that DBZ is racist or has racist connotations.  There are other pieces of supporting evidence to their arguments within the show, but this Hitler reference will almost invariably be used at some point in an argument on the topic.

This isn’t an issue that will be settled any time soon unless Toriyama decides to join the conversation.

Yet so far we have seen how Goku, who is believed to be natively Japanese by the Japanese people, has crushed a Western Red Army, repeatedly stopped an Emperor from ever gaining power, changed the wicked ways of a fat Chinese Communist pig, and now defeated Hitler himself through his superior genetic offspring of “supermen.”

What’s noteworthy is that this scene was cut from the German and French versions of the film due to strict prohibition of Nazi emblems and references.  Likewise it was removed from the Hebrew version of the film to avoid the sensitive nature of the scene in relation to Holocaust survivors.  It was also removed from the American televised version shown on Cartoon Network’s Toonami block.

Recognition of these separate yet relatable events that are already within Dragon Ball has caused some fans to question Toriyama’s motives.

Did Akira Toriyama have ulterior motives?  Unfortunately the definitive answer to the question is unknown.

Keep in mind it’s a parody scene and is humorous, but it’s still there nonetheless.  Quite an odd thing to include in a major theatrically released animated film, and it’s not something you would ever see in a Disney movie.

Hooked Cross Z

Dragon Ball Z Logo

The Z in the Dragon Ball Z logo is very unique and unlike a regular roman alphabet Z.

The logo is something which has yet to be talked about on the net, and this may in fact be the first time anyone has discussed the logo in greater detail, at least from what my research has discovered.  I guess it’s just taken at face value, like many other logos.

This is my attempt to explain why the Z is drawn the way it is, as it is displayed promptly in every single episode, movie, video game and piece of related merchandise.   It is an iconic and easily recognizable logo and I am surprised no one has ever looked beyond its superficial value.

Perhaps you never gave it a second thought but it has some noteworthy aspects.

DBZ Logo Z

This Z has two unique elements.  These are notably the hooked cross ends and the slanted cross in the middle.

The hooked cross ends of the Z in the logo are the ends that point both diagonally up and down, like the German hooked cross (German: Hakenkreuz).  A normal Z does not have these, and these two ends appear similar to a single hooked cross.

Please remember that the Swastika was two hooked crosses placed on top of one another and inverted.  I am not implying that the Z logo is a Swastika, rather I am saying that it resembles a single hooked cross.  If you placed another Z on top of the original than it would resemble a stylized swastika, but this is never seen in the series and a presupposition like that should not be made.  The Z just is what it is.

The second element is the slanted cross in the middle of the Z.  The cross is slanted from the top left to the bottom right in a form similar to a Russian cross.

Russian Cross

A Russian cross is a variant of the familiar Latin cross, and is a three tiered cross (a Latin cross is one tiered).  The Russian cross’s first tier is a horizontal line near the top that stretches across half the horizontal distance.  The second tier is placed just beneath it and stretches all of the horizontal distance.  The third tier is short and placed near the bottom, where Jesus’ feet would have hung while on the Cross.  It is slanted from the top left to the bottom right.

There are different interpretations as to what the slanted cross means in the Biblical sense, but I’ll leave those to the Biblical scholars.

What does it mean in Dragon Ball Z?  Nothing as far as I can tell.  There does not appear to be any correlation between the slanted cross and the contents of the Dragon Ball series.

But in researching Z’s and their overall meaning I found that the Z is often associated with the lightning bolt, and a Z with a horizontal cross in the middle of it was once used by Hitler to denote his Socialist party, as seen in the yellow on black flag (pictured).

Crossed Z Hanging from the Wall of a German Town

In addition, the Z and S in the German language are used interchangeably, as seen in the symbol for “SS,” two sharp S/Z lightning bolt shapes next to one another.

Furthermore, a single S or Z with a horizontal cross in the middle of it was the precursor to the use of a full double cross Swastika.  This is the single hooked cross.  At some point the single and the double hooked cross began to be used alongside one another.

Moreover, a study of Hitler’s signature shows that in the late 1930′s and early to mid 40′s he signed documents with an S/Z shaped lightning bolt shape, this time with a slanted cross like in the DBZ logo and third tier of the Russian cross.

Now all of that may sound very interesting, but there are no hard and fast correlations between Dragon Ball and the socialist party of Germany or the Nazi party and I don’t wish to make accusations or lead anyone to assumptions based on a small amount of conjectural evidence.  This is simply the best explanation I’ve come up with so far for the Z’s unique shape.

SS Logo

It’s entirely possible that Akira Toriyama merely thinks this particular Z looks nice and that it has no deeper meaning.  This would be in line with his usual explanations of doing what is easiest.  If he comes out and says something to that effect, then the mystery is solved.  But until he does we are left to our own devices to try and figure out why the Z is drawn like it is.

We are each free to our own interpretations.  I like to ask “Why?” and Toriyama likes to stay quiet.  So far this is the best explanation I can produce and I’m totally open to it being refuted with logical arguments to the contrary.  If you have a rational alternative explanation, then please let me know.

What do you think?  Does this theory make sense?

Whatever the case may be, we march onward…

One World Government

Dragon World

The goal of communism is to unite the world in a communist controlled utopia, ruled by the people.  The goal of socialism is state ownership and control of the fundamental means of production and distribution of wealth, to be achieved through restructuring existing capitalist or political systems.

The government in Dragon Ball doesn’t exactly fit the communist description, as it is ruled by a King, but the concept of a single united world government is still strong.

In Dragon Ball the entire planet is ruled by the King of the Earth, a talking bipedal dog named King Furry (Japanese name: King Koku) who resides in the World Capital.  There are several capitals, such as the Northern Capital, Central Capital, etc, similar to a Dynastic Chinese feudal organization system (Beijing, Nanjing, Xi’an, etc.).

King Furry seems to run things fairly peacefully and everyone appears to get along rather well.  Of course the world is not without its problems by any means and there is an army established to suppress any serious evils (such as aliens and super villains that attack the kingdom or planet) as well as city employed police forces and systems of law to handle domestic issues.  There are individual mayors within the 43 districts of the complete landmass, but they all pay homage to the king.

There are no other countries on this planet, and because there is only one large landmass in Dragon Ball it means that there is only one world government.  One government is in charge of everything, including (presumably) banks, schools, large farms and production facilities.  Private and smaller enterprises like local village farms and residential areas appear to be managed without supervision, such as Goku’s house in the mountains, but city life appears somewhat regulated, as almost every city across the world looks the same.

I noticed this same thing while traveling through China in 2003.  Were it not for the traditional ancient buildings, palaces and natural landscapes, all of the cities would look the same.  Everything created by the government had the same style.

King Furry

So how was this socialist utopia formed?  The country must have been broken up at some point and then unified and placed under the leadership of a king at another.  It’s not known when this happened, but no world of such diversity, race and culture could have been unified at the outset.  There must have been some type of social change which led to this grand unification.  But we’re given no evidence or hint as to what this could have been.  A large threat or looming crisis?  Military conquest?  A slow and gradual shift of power toward the few?  It’s unknown.

Now granted that it’s an immense landmass with great differences in environment and ethnic people, but it’s all ruled by the same talking dog.  Whatever that talking dog says, goes!

Conclusion

These were 5 communist and socialist elements in Dragon Ball.

Hopefully this article helped shed some light on a few of the more unique aspects of Dragon Ball and helped you think a little more about the series and its creator.

Perhaps Toriyama had more in mind when he created this show then is visible at first glance.  There are definitely some unique aspects.  Maybe he’s trying to tell us something and provide a message.  If so, what is it?  The unanswered questions are food for thought.

The neat thing is that you can still find all of these elements there today, so please feel free to watch the show and come up with your own interpretations.  I’d love to hear them.

Post from: The Dao of Dragonball Blog

5 Communist and Socialist Elements in Dragon Ball

Vegetto Smashes Majin Buu with a Double Axe Handle

In this Dragon Ball explorative essay we’re going to focus on the martial arts technique known as the double axe handle. This iconic technique is found throughout the Dragon Ball series and has both a rich history and symbolism.

Dragon Ball is a comic book and anime filled with fighting and all kinds of different martial arts styles.  Yet many of them share similar techniques, and the double axe handle is one of the most identifiable.

These are the questions we will answer in this article:

• What is the double axe handle?
• What are its origins and history, and how does it relate to Dragon Ball?
• What are the histories of East Asian martial arts, Buddhism, and the Lightning Bolt Clasped Hands style of combat?
• How do eastern philosophies and this technique fit into the fights of DBZ?
• Why is the double axe handle used so often in Dragon Ball?
• Outside of Dragon Ball, where else can the double axe handle be seen?

Read on to find out!

What is the double axe handle?

Vegeta's Flying Double Axe Handle

The double axe handle is a martial arts technique that involves bringing both hands together in a clasped position so that they form a hard, dual fist.  The fingers are usually interlocked but it is not required.  To use this technique the practitioner swings their balled fist at an opponent as hard as they possibly can, as if they were swinging an axe and trying to cut through a log or tree.  They put all their weight behind the attack and deliver a full force blow into the opponent.  The move is very dramatic and stylish.

Are there reasons it is so commonly used in Dragon Ball?  I have yet to see another anime or series in any form (comic, animation, film, or game) that applies it so abundantly.  This technique is brought into play in every major fight in DBZ.

And this is particularly odd because the double axe handle is rarely used in the martial arts.  It is an impractical technique that endangers the practitioner who uses it.  Yet in Dragon Ball we see it all the time.

What are the origins and history of the double axe handle?  Where does the technique come from and how is all of this history related to DBZ?

The History of the Double Bladed Axe

Minoan Double Axe

To better understand the double axe handle technique used in DBZ we should take a moment to discuss the techniques’ history and meaning.  Bear with me for a few paragraphs because it will all make sense later.

The double axe handle technique receives its name from the cutting tool known as the axe. An axe is an ancient and still employed cutting tool used to chop and slice through objects.  It consists of a long handle and a sharp bladed head, usually made of metal.  The axe is a simple and effective machine as it focuses all of the weight and force of the wielder into the sharp cutting edge.

The double axe handle technique implies that the wielder is holding onto an imaginary axe with both hands as they swing.  When swinging an axe in real life it is not swung with both hands interlocked, rather it is swung with one hand placed above the other.

But the double axe handle is a move that focuses the power of the technique away from the strength of the fingers and knuckles.  It drives energy into the bottoms of the hands via the core of the body as it brings the arms downward (or sideways) as a result of a pulling motion from the center of the body.

It’s like you’re chopping an imaginary tree and trying to take it down with one blow.

What does the axe itself represent?  And is there a difference between single headed axes and double headed axes in terms of symbolism?

The earliest known form of the double headed axe is the “labrys,” a word from the Minoan civilization’s Bronze Age (2,700 B.C. to 1,450 B.C.).  The etymology of “axe” in the form of “labrys” is where we received the word “labyrinth,” the maze-like setting on Crete used to tell the tale of the Greek myth about Theseus.  The labyrinth is where Theseus was forced to slay the Minotaur, the part-man part-bull monster, the mixed species offspring of Queen Pasiphae and the bull (Taurus) of King Minos, the legendary king of Minoan history.

The double headed axe was considered the holiest of all religious symbols by the Minoans.  Long hafted double bladed axes were used by Minoan priests to sacrifice bulls in ceremonies to appease Zeus, and the double bladed axe represented one of three primary symbols of their culture, along with the pillar and the bull’s head with horns.

The bull’s symbolism was carried over into Thracian, Greek, and Byzantine culture.  In time it spread throughout much of Europe, albeit not always with directly observable links back to Minoa.  For example, in Roman civilization an upright double headed axe was considered a symbol of justice.

Vegeta Strikes Gohan with the Double Axe Handle

The double headed axe is related to the double headed hammer, as both would be used by a smith, one to work with wood and the other to work with metal.

Early axe blades were made of stone and would ignite sparks when used.  Native American, Chinese and Celtic peoples referred to the axe as “thunder stones,” a term denoting the axes power to both destroy and create, like lightning (fire) and rain that accompany a storm.

Altered forms of the double headed axe and hammer can be seen in various cultures, such as the Hammer of Thor via the mythology of the Norse nations.  Also from the vajra (i.e. thunderbolt mace) from the Vedic belief systems of India, wielded by Indra in particular.  In Greek culture Zeus was sometimes depicted as carrying a vajra like implement in his left hand and a double headed axe over his right shoulder.

Jade Axe Head from China with Dragon Inlay

In these forms the heavy bludgeoning device is essentially the weapon and attack of the gods.  Gods would use them to fight against other gods and truly smite (or “smith”) their foes.

In China the battle axe and double headed axe were used as sacrificial tools, and the stone axe in particular was associated with thunder.  The stone or precious rock on the end of the axe was perceived as a dragon’s tooth, capable of calling forth fire when struck properly.  The axe and the dragon were both symbols of the Emperor and signified his relationship as the “Son of Heaven.”  The man or god that carried a battle axe was seen as a wielder of lightning.

We can see a lot of correlations between this information and the characters and fights in Dragon Ball.  In the later parts of the series the now superhuman fights can be described as gods fighting against gods.

Dual Nature

Gohan in Great Ape form tries to smash Vegeta

In terms of spiritual and philosophical representation the dual sided nature of the axe symbolizes both creation and destruction, the place between life and death, old and new moons, and a void, like inside the mother’s womb before birth.  The double headed axe symbolizes a paradoxical state of simultaneous unity and division, like a serpent eating its own tail.

The axe is also a part of Sumerian culture and of primordial man in general, one that has been inherited by cultures across the world over thousands of years.  The axe is a sign of the Freemasons organization, as axes were a common tool in the shaping of wood, and their beliefs state that notable men of antiquity were said to have used axes in the creation of Noah’s Ark, Solomon’s Temple and the Ark of the Covenant.  The 22nd degree in the 33 degree system of Freemasonry is known as “Knight of the Royal Axe, Prince Libanus.”  It stands for among many other meanings, those who have a zeal for their work and a passion for the law.  Religious groups and even entire civilizations (such as Egyptian) have regarded deities wielding axes as “The Cleavers of the Way,” i.e. those who clear the path to be followed.

In ancient Egypt the hieroglyph for a god was a single bladed axe, while a double bladed axe represented a god with a dual nature.  The esoteric representation and symbolism of the double headed axe can be seen as a male / female duality, the dual and polar opposites of one single united force of energy.

The duality of life and of Yin and Yang in the native Chinese religion of Daoism is a key principle in the martial arts, which we will now explore.

Lightning Bolt Clasped Hands – Vajramukti, the Martial Art of the Gods

Martial Buddha Law Guardian Statues at LongMen Grottoes, China

The martial arts of Dragon Ball are primarily based on eastern martial arts systems, such as Gong Fu, Karate, and traditional martial arts and religious / cultural beliefs.

The practice from which the majority of eastern martial arts are originally derived is known as Vajramukti, the “Lightning Bolt Clasped Hands” system of martial arts.  Vajramukti is a complete and systemized ancient art form that was believed to have been handed down to the Indian people by Indra, the highest deity in the Vedic pantheon and the god of war, thunder and storms.

Vajramukti was a martial art designed to make the warriors that practiced it into supernormal beings with increased strength and defensive capabilities, and at the highest levels to ascend beyond the cycle of life and death, thus becoming immortal.  Those who inherited this system of practice were spiritual and
political elites.  The spiritual leaders of India’s caste based system were known as Brahman’s, and their highest level teachings were only made available to those of royal caste.

Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Buddha Shakyamuni, was a prince of a royal family and therefore educated in the Vajramukti style of martial arts.  Before he became an ascetic to find and overcome the true cause of life’s suffering he was a martial artist in the Lightning Bolt Clasped Hands style.  All royal elites were educated in this system of mind and body.

After Buddha Shakyamuni attained enlightenment and remembered who he was, he began to spread his teachings.  Buddhism quickly extended across Central and East Asia.  Vajramukti traveled along with it.  From ancient India the practice spread to the north east toward China and the south east toward Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.  Once in China it became known as “Chuan Fa,” or “Law of the Fist.”  The system reached its zenith via the Shaolin Monks of the Tang Dynasty (618 -- 907 A.D.)  From there it spread to Korea and also Okinawa where it was known as “To-Te,” or “Tang Hand,” as it had become synonymous with Tang Dynasty China.  “To-Te” made its way over to Japan where it would eventually become known as “Kara-Te,” or simply Karate.

This was a brief synopsis of the history of eastern martial arts.  More information on the history of the martial arts in relationship to Dragon Ball can be found in the martial arts focused chapter of The Dao of Dragon Ball book entitled Spiritual Warrior.

How did Vajramukti Become Popular?

Pai Mei, a Legendary Martial Artist with Many Supernormal Abilities (Kill Bill pt. 2)

Vajramukti became popular for two main reasons.

The first was that it was effective and the perception of what it entailed and enabled was highly attractive.  The ability of a martial artist to “call forth lightning” through his hands was no doubt attractive as well as feared.

The second is its transformation to the populace.  The system and all its derivatives were originally taught exclusively to royalty, and most often accompanied with high level religious teachings.  But in hard economic times or dire circumstances the masters of these styles were placed in situations where they had no choice but to teach commoners for their very livelihood.  Once the teachings were taught to commoners in various regions of China, Korea, Japan and elsewhere the martial arts became a part of popular culture.

This isn’t to say that all martial arts originated this way, as East Asian martial arts existed for millennia before the introduction of Vajramukti, but the supernormal practices related to Vajramukti were made popular in this manner.

Spiritual groups such as the White Lotus and Yellow Turbans would evolve in China to believe in and promote supernormal powers brought forth by practicing the martial arts.  The ability to project light beams out of the hands, fingers, eyes and to become invincible in combat were all believed possible, as was self powered flight.

A martial artist that could fly, was nearly invincible and could shoot light beams out of their hands eventually became an accepted part of Chinese culture.  As China played its role of the Central Kingdom this culture continued to spread throughout East Asia.

Supernormal abilities, immortals and outlandish characters are even seen in classical works, such as Journey to the West, which was one of the “Four Great Classics” studied by all scholarly men, and a tale that helped inspire Akira Toriyama to create Dragon Ball.

Strike Like Lightning

SSJ3 Goku Powers Up his Double Axe Handle

The Lightning Bolt Clasped Hand style incorporates a large variety of hand symbols and techniques, but none is closer to the symbolism of the martial arts’ name than the double axe handle.  To see it incorporated in Dragon Ball so often requires some explanation.

The Lightning Bolt Clasped Hand style of martial arts is emblematic of two things, the first is lightning and the second is a principle of a celestial connection.

The lightning bolt is feared and respected by ancient cultures throughout the world, such as Norse, Roman, Greek, Native American, Chinese, Mongolian, and Japanese… pretty much everywhere.  It was believed that male gods (associated with the sky) or deific creations such as dragons would bring immediate retribution to evil, carry water to the earth or call forth winds to fertilize the land and bring reward.  The lightning bolt and the thunder, fire and rain that followed could bring both destruction and creation, similar to how a double headed axe could crush ones enemies or be used to cut down timber and create a home.

Every culture has a different understanding of where lightning comes from and what it means.  In Greek mythology the lightning bolt was said to be controlled by Zeus and he used it to smite those who disobeyed the gods or to exhume his anger upon humanity.  In Satanic practices the lightning bolt is a symbol of the “Destroyer,” and in Nazi controlled Germany the Nazi Party used the double lightning bolt (SS / ZZ) to represent their brutality and speed, the intensity and supposedly divine connections of Nazi power.  Perceptions can vary in specifics and application, but the intense nature of lightning is always present.

What is the perception of it in eastern martial arts?

In traditional eastern martial arts there is the principle of Yin and Yang, the duality of polar opposites that share an interwoven and cyclically inherent structure.  This belief system is primarily derived from Daoist teachings and philosophy.  Daoist philosophy generally teaches that “energy channels” run through all life forms, including our homes, the planet, stars and galaxies, the universe, and our own bodies.  Individual channels are associated with different amounts of Yin and Yang.  Seen from this perspective the left side of the body is Yang (male) while the right side of the body is Yin (female).

The energy of the body fluctuates from side to side and changes according to our own internal rhythms and mind intent.  It can either decrease or increase in energy based on the mind’s control, but when left alone will basically flow on its own.

SSJ3 Goku Repels Majin Buu's Energy Wave

One of the main energy points (acupuncture points) in the body is the Lao Gong point in the palm of the hand.  It’s believed that the Lao Gong point on each hand is connected to a large amount of energy stored in our body and in other dimensions.

When the two hands are brought together it allows the energy from both sides of our body to come together in one point.  By using the double axe handle technique correctly it is like putting your entire body into an attack with not only the energy from this physical body but also the energy from other dimensions.

In DBZ the energy from the attack travels instantaneously between dimensions and into the opponent, striking them like lightning, often accompanied by a flash of light.  The inertial energy that goes into the target often sends them careening downward into a mountainside followed by an enormous explosion of debris, spiritual energy and light.

And when the Saiyan characters like Goku, Gohan and Vegeta reach higher attainment levels of Super Saiyan 2 and 3 we can see lightning that surrounds their bodies.  It is as if lightning emanates directly from within their body and each of their attacks is coming straight from the heavens.

Only modern man has created a weapon that can match the intensity of a lightning Superbolt, which can carry upward of a hundred times more energy than a normal flash of lightning and can be up to five times hotter than the Sun (the Sun is approximately 10,000 degrees).  Average nuclear weapons come close to this, but still fall short.  Only the most powerful nuclear weapons can match that amount of energy.  And that’s just on Earth, while Superbolt’s on other planets such as in storm clouds on Jupiter can be one thousand times more powerful than our own.  But all of these weapons are external technology.

Now imagine if a being held such power in their own body and could control it with their mind!

“Everybody was Kung Fu Fighting.  Those Cats Were Fast As Lightning.”

Lightning Strikes a Tree

Lightning is also incredibly fast, moving between 3,700 miles per second to just below 186,000 miles per second depending on air conditions.  Lightning itself is not light, but the light that radiates from it and that you see with your eyes definitely travels at the speed of light, which is 186,000 miles per second.

Speed is one of the most important aspects of the martial arts, and speed training is essential to the higher levels.  It’s believed that supernormal abilities move at extremely fast rates, much faster than can be detected by our eyes.

The fights in the first story arc of DBZ already move faster than untrained eyes can detect, and the fights only get faster as the story progresses.  It’s my understanding that every fight from that point onward is taking place at super human speeds.  But of course it wouldn’t be much of a show if the audience couldn’t see it, so everything is played out at a fairly normal rate.

Nevertheless, these fights would, in theory, be as fast as lightning and just as destructive, and those are exactly the results we see.

Modern Usage of the Double Axe Handle

In modern times the move is usually credited to Ivan Putski, a professional wrestler of the 70’s era wrestling circuit.  He gave the move the title of “Double Sledge” and it was sometimes referred to as the “Polish Hammer” because of Putski’s Polish background.  In later years it was transformed into “Double Axe Handle.”

This move was then copied by generations of wrestlers to come, including in foreign countries such as Japan where they had created their own professional wrestling circuit in the occupation years that followed World War II.

Developed in the wrestling ring, there is also what’s known as a “Flying Double Axe Handle Smash,” which is a double axe handle jump off of the top rope.  This is called an “Aerial Variation,” and is an easy one for DBZ characters to pull off as almost all of them can fly through the air… and without the use of a rope.

There is also the single axe handle version, which is the same technique but with only one hand.

The character that uses the double axe handle the most is Vegeta.  The axe is a symbol of royal power, and as a weapon and religious device it is considered one of divine power, so it makes sense in this perspective why Vegeta would prefer it, as he is the “Prince of All Saiyans.”  It could also be that Akira Toriyama just thought it looked cool and that it matched Vegeta’s personality.  He’s never commented on the subject.

There are other variations of this technique, including the axe kick, which is a leg technique that arcs straight up above the practitioners head and downward onto the opponents head or body, using the bottom of the foot or heel as the striking point.

“Meteor Moves” are an extension of this technique.  A “Meteor Move” earns its name from Dragon Ball Z Super Butouden for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System, where it was every character’s ultimate move.  A “Meteor Move” typically involves one of three scenarios.

1. Knock an opponent out of the sky and toward the ground (often using the double axe handle technique).
2. Catch the opponent in mid-air and then crash both the opponent and themselves into the ground (like a professional wrestling pile-driver from the highest top rope imaginable).
3. Knock an opponent out of the sky and then, before they can make impact, catch up to their falling body and strike it again.

There are many other variations, and DBZ seems to have invented most of them.

These types of attacks have been emulated by various comic books and cartoons, including Superman and other shônen manga such as Naruto.  Naruto is an ongoing drama about the life of pre-teen ninja’s as they struggle to overcome their limits, and is a spiritual successor to Dragon Ball.  The main character Naruto’s traitorous but lifelong friend Sasuke uses a move known as the “Lion Barrage,” a combination of the first and second scenarios followed by an axe kick finisher.  Sasuke’s move was a modification of their fellow ninja Rock Lee’s “Full Lotus Barrage.”  Both of these were then emulated by Naruto in his “Naruto Uzumaki Barrage” where he used his ninja techniques to create shadow body clones of himself to attack the opponent all at once.

A “Meteor Move” was also seen in The Matrix Revolutions, where Agent Smith grabbed Neo in mid air and pile-drove him into the street below.  This was the first time such a move had been displayed in western cinema.  Personally, I think the whole fight looked like it was ripped straight out of DBZ.  Piccolo did the exact same thing to Android 17 and Freeza on two separate occasions.

But as mentioned before, in real life the double axe handle is not a very practical martial arts technique.  This is because it’s completely offensive nature opens the practitioner up to their opponents’ attacks.  It looks great in comic books and films, but isn’t employed very often by real people.

Masutatsu Oyama Strikes a Bull

There are however some martial artists that have exhibited their superior techniques and abilities to great effect, and some which go far beyond normal, such as Masutatsu Oyama (1923–1994), founder of Kyokushin Karate.  Oyama is said to have killed 52 bulls with his bare hands and defeated over 300 opponents in Kumite competitions.  His nickname was “Godhand,” and the slogan of his school was “One punch, one kill.”

Martial arts masters of legend were also said to be able to crush the spine of a horse with a single strike using the Iron Palm technique, punch a boulder with their bare hands and move it over 10 meters, or knock someone down without touching them using an invisible “Empty Force.”  All of these stories, true or false, add fuel to the fire of our imaginations and interest in the supernormal.

Conclusion

That’s the end of our little adventure.

Through this article we have learned a great deal about the double axe handle technique.  We now know what it is, where its name comes from, how it’s performed, what it signifies and why it’s used so often in Dragon Ball.

If you have any further questions or ideas, then please leave them in the comments below.

And keep in mind that the book has several chapters devoted specifically to the martial arts and this article is a small sample and extrapolation of what those chapters contain.  If you are looking for more information or in-depth reports on the martial arts of Dragon Ball Z, then it can all be found in The Dao of Dragon Ball.

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Hammer of the Gods -- Dragon Ball Martial Arts and the Double Axe Handle

Goku Smiles

How do you know what you know is the truth?  Because you believe it to be.

Those who cannot enlighten to higher truths believe that the truth at their level is the highest, and they believe in all that they can see at their level and below them, with the presumption, based on observable information and incite, that their current level is the highest.

If you don’t believe that there may be a higher truth than the one you currently know then you will forever be positioned at that level.

Saying “I do not know” opens the door for potential improvement.

It does not necessarily mean that one will improve, rather, it implies that the walls built up around a person’s current understanding of truth are not insurmountable.  The easier it is for a person to let go of their preconceptions the easier it is for them to understand that their may be higher truths.

In other words, the more doggedly a human being clings to their notions the more difficulty they have in breaking into new grounds and achieving higher levels.  The more attachments weigh them down, the heavier their minds and bodies, and the more difficult it is to rise up.

It’s not wrong for a human being to have notions.  It is one of many things that make us human.  But if a person can take one step back they will see a boundless new perspective.  Continue stepping back and at each level they will witness an even grander truth.

At this point one may think “That previous truth may be true at that particular level, but not entirely so at this level.  What I now see is the truth.”

They may have a faint glimpse that there is something beyond even this, but they will not fully understand it.  Just as man gazes into the endless starry night–the swirling galaxies and universe–and ponders the heavens, his realm of thought is still stuck within the terrestrial… Within this little box.

To drop our preconceived notions and continue stepping back is to open our mind to greater wisdom, to enlighten to principles and standards that are above our current position.  If a person can truly do this then he has the potential to ascend.

A person who does not come with preconceived notions has the potential to enlighten quickly.

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“I Do Not Know” and Ascension

Dragonball Z Extreme

Dragonball Z Extreme is a fun and brain teasing activity book fit for young children and young adults, especially DBZ fans.

This book is licensed by FUNimation, the American owners of the DBZ anime brand, so it’s filled with images of characters from the series. This really pulls you into the Dragon World and makes all of the activities feel very engaging.

Crosswords, number games, mazes, and image questions fill up the majority of the book, and can be played by anyone. But some of the challenges are actually pretty tough, and if you’re not a seasoned fan and know the series’ lore you may feel a bit left in the dark. The 32 pages of content took around an hour for me to complete, and I’m a 24 year old university graduate, so young children should at least get an afternoon of fun out of it. Luckily all of the answers are in the back in case you’re befuddled.

The author of Dragonball Z Extreme appears to be a great admirer of the source material, and cleverly uses it to great advantage with some rather comical games. One question, “What design does Gohan have on his underwear?” is easy for anybody who’s in the know about how awesome Teddy Bear underwear really is. Another highlight is a game called “Going Ape” that has you solve a letter puzzle involving Goku, and references Goku’s monkey-like genetics and lineage with comedic results.

This book is rather inexpensive now (less than $1 in many cases), and is fit for children and adults alike. I recommend the book for any diehard DBZ fanatic, as they’ll definitely enjoy the activities and the completely Dragonball focused theme. Plus it has a glow in the dark sticker of Vegeta, and that’s just sweet.

DBZ Book Information:

By Jeff O’Hare

Published by Scholastic Inc.

Price: $5.99

Pages: 32 + 2 Sticker Pages

ISBN: 0-439-43722-9

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Dragonball Book Review – Dragonball Z Extreme

Pojo's Unofficial Total Dragonball Z

At the time of its publication (2000) Pojo’s Unofficial Total Dragonball Z was the best DBZ book on the market. Even now, in 2007, it’s not so bad. It’s not quite a book so much as a glorified magazine, but it’s a worth a read if you need to read everything DBZ related. If not, I would recommend the newer version, Pojo’s Unofficial Absolute Dragonball Z, which came out three years later, simply because it’s the fresher fish in the market.

Aside from its own merits, this book serves as a walk down memory lane of the year 2000 in American anime and television based pop culture. It captures the influence that Dragonball had on the American telescape with its success on Cartoon Network’s Toonami and Adult Swim, the release of a Collectible Card Game, VHS and DVD obsessions, and video game imports all the rage.

It starts off with a basic synopsis of what DBZ is, along with the success found on Cartoon Network. In this section we find some actual interviews with CN staff, who agree quite proactively that DBZ is unstoppable and that they had no intention of taking it off the air at any point soon. Afterwards, quite inexplicably, they jump into a hypothetical ‘whom would play whom’ in movie casting, were a DBZ film to ever be developed in the Western world (aka Hollywood). This was par for the course on any self respecting DBZ website. At the time the runaway success of the series had prompted many rumors of a major motion picture, and I imagined it seemed quite fitting back then, or even now seven years later, as DBZ fans continue to wait for their beloved to reach the silver screen.

The rest of the book is quite literally titled ‘Dragonball 101’ and serves as such, consisting of episode listings, succinct summaries, an explanation of the GT series (unseen on TV at the time), some 3D randomness complete with 3D glasses, the basics of the card game and some typical strategies therein.

The main complaint to be found with this book is its lack of depth. It’s as if every page is standing knee deep in the shallow end of the pool and there just is no deep end. If you’re obsessed with DBZ then you’ll be providing your own depth by virtue of recollection to your yesteryears, but this book does not provide such on its own. As I said before, it’s basically a big magazine.

The one area it does excel is in the character bio section. There are 300 characters described in alphabetical order, and while the summaries are succinct they are also informative and trigger the great memories of each character that you had perhaps forgotten about (Bacterian, anybody?). Of course while the section is pretty big, it’s not something you can’t find elsewhere, such as Wikipedia.

Overall it’s a fairly decent book, and one of the better DBZ paperbacks in the American market. It’s nothing stupendous and certainly could be better in a lot of areas, but if you’re just looking to find out what this whole ‘DBZ Thing’ is all about, and prefer to read about it in book form rather than go straight to the source, than this might be right up your alley.

DBZ Book Information:

Editor in Chief – Bill Gill, AKA “Pojo”

Published by Triumph Entertainment (Triumph Books)

Price: $12.95

Pages: 128

ISBN: 1-57243-416-3

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Dragonball Book Review – Pojo’s Unofficial Total Dragonball Z