Dragon Ball Z: The Ultimate Review - The Saiyan Saga
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 มิ.ย. 2024
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Dragon Ball Z was the ultimate anime for me as a kid! And the Saiyan saga was my first introduction to what would become a life long obsession! I adore this story and I wanted to pour my heart into a passion project like this for so long! I hope you have fun watching this love letter to the adventures of Goku, Gohan, Krillin and Piccolo as they try to defeat the evil Nappa and the heinous Vegeta!
SUPPORT US ON PATREON: / totallynotmark
MUSIC USED
Kikuchi Score from DB and DBZ
The Biggest Fight (DB Final Bout)
Low Life on the Highway (Battlejuice)
Drifter (White Bat)
Covers:
Cha La Head Cha La (Cover by Termosismicos)
Gohan's Anger (Cover by Vossel)
Challengers (Cover by Enigmo)
Fearsome Ginyu Force (Cover by Android Orchestra)
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Introduction
1:28 Raditz' Arrival
14:27 The Training
23:45 The Saiyan Invasion
46:37 Goku Arrives
50:31 Behind The Animation
1:00:57 Goku vs Vegeta
1:15:41 The Earth vs Vegeta - บันเทิง
![DRAGON BALL: Sparking! ZERO - Fused Warriors Trailer [BUDOKAI TENKAICHI Series]](/img/n.gif)
Bro was so serious he actually admitted that he totally is Mark
More like Totally Off The Mark, amirite or amirite?
I feel this was the first video where he ends it with his name proper. You think so too?
LMAOO true he kept saying his full name, i thought i was the only one to notice
It wasn’t the first time Mark has fully introduced himself😊
Bro is him fr
Dude, that bit about Yamcha's sacrifice had me floored. I completely forgot that Yamcha volunteered to go before Krillin because Krillin already died before. It was tactically sound, and he was proven right. Big props to the guy who is meme'd on perhaps too much than he deserves.
I love memeing on him because of just how right he was vs him dropping his guard. It's a cruel irony, and I am here for it because of that. Yamcha may not be everyone's favorite z fighter, but he's mine. I also just love his techniques, I mean technically he's the first to bend ki like we see later on with the spirit ball, meaning without him we get zero hellzone grenades or other strategically amazing moves that just didn't work, aka the ones I like, I'm noticing a pattern of liking things that fail often, should I be concerned?
@@shadowsnake5133this the first time in my life I met another person who yamacha fan. They need to put that meme energy on chaptzu that thing a straight walking L
Oh God, they're breeding😂
-tfs Vegeta
I love how people forget literally ANYONE could of had died the same way - bein blown out by a surprise attack -, regardless of their training. Its not even me trying hard to defend Yamcha, it was just perfect common sense being aware of that fact. In the 90s early 00s Yamcha diying that way was an heroic sacrifice, but now it has gotten into an annoying meme that needs to not be a thing anmore - globally -. So annoying
@@nowonprzn7442 If by - L - you mean - Loser - then just straiht up say the word - Loser -. Theres nothing wrong with saying word how they are
I feel bad for chi chi tbh. Imagine getting a news that your husband is dead and that your son is kidnapped on the same day. She didn’t see both of them for a year. And when she sees them again both of them are almost dead. She sees her 4 year old son unconscious on the floor. She also sees her husband lying on the floor after just coming back to life. And not to mention that she was watching the battle through a crystal ball. That means that she sees Vegeta crushing her husband while she can’t do anything else but to watch. It’s no surprise that she forbids Gohan to fight.
Though I didn't like how she brushes off Goku getting hurt to console just Gohan.
@@mechajay3358it's a man jobs to protect his family, also she knows its his shit. Probably upset that goku has to include their infant son
@@mechajay3358yeah, it’s not excusable but it’s pretty understandable.
Everyone’s had those days where they’re so mad they can’t even muster a straight dance anymore (much less a kind). Even when the people in your path don’t deserve much if at all.
Going through depression and loss can do that to you.
Like idk man??
If my husband was killed, most of his and by proxy MY friends an acquaintances were also killed along with my son being kidnapped by the same guy who tried to kill her husband the day he proposed--
And to top it off, not only are both of them crippled, your 4 year old son is found naked and unconscious and about to go away into space for even longer to do the same things again, and half the people left are the ones telling you that YOU’RE being the crazy one for being upset with all this.
I’d find it pretty hard to be anything but a LITTLE catty at that point.
This would be most people’s breaking point, the fact that she’s here at all is a must
@@stanbrule9357toriyama is prolly the only thing standing between chi-chi and the villains.
She definitely strikes me as the person who would go all “tien” on someone if she had control💀
@@stanbrule9357 lmfao that wouldve been so in character for her too.
The part with Gohan being unable to attack Nappa after the combo attack made me realize something: During the Cell Games, the reason Piccolo is the one to make Goku realize he made a miscalculation with putting Gohan in his plan is because Piccolo made the EXACT same mistake when making the plan here against the Saiyans. He learned about Gohan's biggest weakness WAY before Goku ever got to know his son. that's crazy.
Oh damn, I never put that together, but it works so well!
The power of kidnapping your arch enemies kid.
well goku never got to know gohan tbh. and thats chichi's fault in some way
@@ImotekhtheStormlord-tx2it How is it her fault?
@@ImotekhtheStormlord-tx2it ??? It's not Chi-chi's fault Goku died against Raditz, or Cell. Heck, when Goku's not dead he has a great relationship with his kids, especially Goten by the time of Super. And remember, Chichi trained Goten because she knew Goku would want him to be strong.
It's funny how we got so used to hearing that DBZ is simple and that is has "no story" that some of us ended up accepting that "truth" and simply anjoy the series as if it were mindless fun.
HOWEVER this video is a wake-up call to many of us who fell under this falacy that DBZ is shallow and it is only about fighting.
Thanks, Mark. This video is not just good, it is NEEDED!
I think you have to put it into context based on what we have now. So many battle shonens have been released since DBZ that are much more complex, in terms of the power systems and the stories and characters, that DBZ SEEMS much more shallow by comparison.
There is nothing wrong with Dragonball being mindless fun. Grow up
@@user-bt9yh8jn1q I don't think that's wha the was saying. I don't think he meant that there's anything wrong with enjoying Dragon Ball as mindless action, but that there's tons of people that insist there's no intended depth whatsoever, which is categorically false.
DBZ is pretty basic on it's writing style even if there's a lot to see within it but it's a product of it's time
The thing is that people can't register something being just simple not meaning that it's bad or uninteresting
I think a story is only as mindless or deep as the person experiencing it wants to be. If you just want DB to be dumb, meathead action it is just that. If you want to hone in on the deeper implications of a story between humans and aliens where a hero we assumed to be a human is actually an alien, DB gets a lot deeper. And you can have fun with it either way.
Memes aside, Yamcha's death was pretty impactful. Imagine being some Japanese kid in 1989, watching Dragon Ball Z for the first time live. You’re a big Yamcha fan, and despite all the bad luck, misfortune, and nut shots, you watch him kick some cabbage monster’s ass. He stands defiantly against the Saiyans, ready to take on more Saibamen, until the previous one lunges out of the hole, and latches onto Yamcha, self-destructing.
Krillin goes to check his pulse, but there is none. Yamcha has died, the first casualty of the Saiyans. Krillin cries, Puar cries, Bulma cries, and you cry, because your favorite Dragon Ball character just died right before your eyes, and he died not to the Saiyans, but to one of their cabbage monsters in an amazingly pathetic way.
Then 30 years later, Yamcha’s death becomes a joke so big, that even the animators and writers for the new Dragon Ball series make a cheeky reference to it in one of their filler episodes. What was heart wrenching then, is funny now, and that itself is pretty funny.
super saiyan was iconic for me back when I saw the french dub, I've watched DB into DBZ and seeing all the growths the characters went through and it all culminated with super saiyan, the sisnister music as the lightning strikes and the transformation with the iconic pose. Absolutely phenomenal
That entire nappa fight after must've been like seeing a horror movie, I reviewed it in 3 parts and though there are actually some weird issues w it (mostly nappa stamina and ki seems endless, and the anime added some fighting that wasn't in the manga, so it makes people look reeeeaaaally bad for standing around), it's truly excellent and relentlessly impactful. Still trying to build the channel but I've been busting my butt on it
.
Me. That was me. As a kid, and even now was a big Yamcha fan. He was my fave in the original DB, I thought the wolfs fang fist was cool as hell. And I always like the loveable rouge/theif character (Locke is my fave character in all of FF for example.).
So seeing him go down to basically the equivalent to putties in Power Rangers really did up the tension of the entire situation.
And then to have it mirror by the hero's side against Nappa and do nothing spoke volumes, which is something I don't think gets brought up enough.
@@gwell66v2AnimeReviewsoh hey I watch your vids!
But as for Nappa’s stamina, the Saiyans land at 11:43 on November 3rd (apparently) so let’s say for the sake of argument that the battlefield is about an hour time-zone away, so now it’s 12:43pm. Then the the other earthlings arrive, and fight the Saibamen, now it’s maybe 1:30. That leaves about 30 minutes for Nappa’s massacre, which lets his use his stamina conservatively cause they fight one-on-one, before Vegeta gives them 3 hours, restoring his stamina, which makes it 5pm when Nappa resumes his assault, Goku arrives a few minutes later, and makes quick work of Nappa, so I’d say Nappa only fought around 45 minutes total.
As someone from Latin America, who atually saw Dragon Ball before Dragon Ball Z, the weight of what Piccolo did by saving Gohan was so damn powerful. I remember being a tween crying over him. That moment turned him into my favourite character.
A eso suma el detallazo de Carlos Segundo diciendo el "Gohan...te quiero..." antes de la muerte de Piccoro
Poderoso momento
@@boruhiro sí! eso es original del doblaje latino, y me dio más feels. Lo máximo.
@@MirellaSnapeet
@@MirellaSnape Doblaje Latino de los 90... vive en el primer podio junto con la versión japonesa
@@MirellaSnapegracias al maravilloso doblaje, no me puedo creer que la voz original en japonés de Goku sea tan chillona xd
After hearing of Toriyamas passing, i decided to revisit this mammoth of a review series, a love letter of some of Toriyamas most loved work.
He may have passed, but his work remains here for us to enjoy. That will allow him to live on for many many years.
Genuinley hope the current games in circulation do domething to celebrate his life
Same
"When do you think people die? When they are shot through the heart by the bullet of a pistol? No. When they are ravaged by an incurable disease? No. When they drink a soup made from a poisonous mushroom!? No! It’s when… they are forgotten." -- Eiichiro Oda, one of many vectors through which Akira Toriyama's will lives on
100%
1:24:42 That little flash of Majin Vegeta sent chills down my spine. We joke about Toriyama forgetting things, but when it comes to things like this, he never forgets.
I'm keen to see the review of the Boo manga arc.
I like to imagine that he does forget, but he just happens to come up with the same idea that he originally planned for, but he comes up with that same idea like a year later.
Yet he’ll forget entire characters like Launch and Raditz
Mark or his editor added dat in post production editing … even super saiyan wasnt a thing yet
@@thenotoriousmichaeljackson8938 I'm very much aware of that. I'm saying that adding Majin Vegeta to the clip was cool, not that he was somehow present in the original scene.
Piccolo’s sacrifice will always bring tears to my eyes, manga, anime or otherwise. The way he says to Gohan “you were the only one who ever really talked to me” strikes an emotional chord I don’t think any over dramatic or explanatory dialogue could. While Goku’s friends saw Piccolo as a monster and even Goku hesitated to trust him, Gohan looked past Piccolos facade and saw what he truly needed, a friend who saw him as someone deserving of love.
Yeah, even though it made no sense given Piccolo can regenerate.
@@dannysmi7162Regeneration won't help when you get hit with a blast so strong it kills you.
@@plewisjr90 He was still alive long enough to talk to Gohan, I don’t see why he can’t just heal. I thought as long as his head is intact he can heal.
@dannysmi7162 Regeneration doesn't heal him, it helps him regenerate lost limbs, but takes energy to do so, which piccolo didn't really have any to spare.
Its probably the most emotional segment in the Z section of Dragon Ball, even more so if you have read/watched original Dragon Ball.
1:24:44 That sick flash to Majin Vegeta when Mark said, "Fight him again."
Literal goosebumps
Also the flashes to Frieza when he talks about foes elsewhere in the universe
The bit with Yajirobe is still one of my favorite moments. This dude has hardly done a thing since they introduced him in the OG Dragonball, then comes in clutch twice at the darkest hour like 10 years later.
This isn’t just a review of Dragon Ball Z, it’s a love letter to the arc and the series as a whole. You’ve really done it this time time Mark! Can’t wait for the Namek Arc! Keep it up man.
it's so good. Someone putting words to what I felt when I watched the series.
Thank you for saying this. This story and and Mark's synopsis of it makes my heart swell with everything I eve felt as a child watching it for the first time!
1:01:00 I was honestly left speechless by this little montage showcasing the fight with little clips from all the different dubs of the show not only including the English and Japanese one but for all the other parts of the world. As someone who grew up listening to the Italian dub this really made me feel nostalgic and caught me super off guard
I truly hope you do this for every major villain of this series.
I heard the French one in there and it made me so happy.
I also heard the Brazilian one and I felt really nostalgic, thank you Mark and all his team!
The 1 frame of Majin Vegeta on screen while vegeta escapes was cool.
Putting Dragon Ball Final Bout opening music there was also an excellent touch that song gets me so pumped for some reason
41:00, the entire sequence is just absolute gorgeous storytelling. What a way to truly honor and showcase how incredible and impactful Piccolo's final moment really was. Incredible Mark and team
Dude that majin vegeta edit when talking about goku wanting to fight him again was perfect! Goosebumps fr
Along with the fact it was when he was turning his head saying "Even for you Kakarot" before blowing up
I knew someone was gonna talk about that edit. It was glorious
@@incran9027it wasn’t that moment, it was him turning his head after blowing up the tournament stadium
@josephhusbands5601 ah my apologies, honestly couldn't tell with how dark the shading was
Dear God. The editor of this video must be paid immensely. The edito done at 41:33 was absolutely beautiful and brought tears to my eye. Absolutely amazing
Exactly! Moments like that and the opening to the Goku vs Vegeta part are fucking incredible. Add an amazing review and analysis to those and you've got some of the best videos on youtube
Hi, the editor doesn't have to be "paid immensely" to do a good job or editing things he likes but glad you enjoyed it!
@@totallynotmusic7803 hell yea we enjoyed it shoutout to the editor fr
@@totallynotmusic7803didn’t mean it like that. It was more of a compliment as his skills were greatly displayed thus he deserves the best!
@@elementaltwins7123 I know I know we just don't want to give the impression that money is editor's fuel lmao
Its finally time to show people why this series is much deeper than most people think.
Its a masterful series to a good extent. Most people just see the yelling and the powering up but... that was only bastardized by Super.
@orlandovazquez7462 I wouldn't say Super was to blame for that. DBZ was infamous for its long stare downs and screaming even before Kai
Toriyama even makes a light joke in the Cell vs Trunks fight when Cell says that all Trunks seens to be doing is "screaming and flexing muscles"
People say that because they watched it once as a kid (probably missed some episodes too since cable had no rewind feature) and haven't actually watched it since then
Their only memories of the series are through TFS and fight clips on youtube and instagram
I've almost finished reviewing every single saiyan saga fight in extreeeeme detail. Still trying to build the channel, but damn you're right when you say there's so much depth to it. Frame by frame at times it's packed to the brim with fantastic things to discover.
@@ecci0261 not incredibly deep, just more than what people know it as (screaming and power ups)
31:50 I love what this moment does for the pacing of this story. Krillin lashing out in a moment of intense hurt and anger is great, but ultimately causes more harm to the earthlings in the long run. Rather than stalling for more time with one-on-one fights, Krillin’s actions are directly responsible for bringing Nappa into the fray earlier than was necessary. Dragonball is full of character moments where individuals acting with the best of intentions make the situation worse (Piccolo vs 17 for example) and I honestly believe that’s one of the best aspects of this story. It also subverts the expectations we as fans have for one-one-one fights following the tournaments earlier in the series. This one attack does so much legwork to get this arc moving.
Really great stuff. I love that you point out how Yamcha's death at the hands of the Saibaman wasn't because he was weak; it was a _heroic sacrifice_ that would have happened to whichever of them fought. _Yamcha won that fight;_ it was only because of a kamikaze sneak attack that he was killed, after he willingly stepped up to fight before Krillin to save him from risking a second death. I really hate Yamcha being portrayed as a joke and made fun of.
Congratulations! You're one of the few who actually GETS that!
It's about time. Let's go back to where all of our love for anime first started!
He's already done Dragon Ball
@@epsilon_musicmost people watched Z before dragonball
@@epsilon_musicZ aired in the west before dragon ball.
@@epsilon_musicI'm guessing you weren't born in the late 80s or early 90s, toonami is where I could see dbz. DB didn't air till years later.
Pokemon?
I’ve literally forgotten how much horror Gohan witnessed during his childhood. He was only 4 years old during this arc. He learned that his father died and he was then kidnapped by Piccolo. He witnessed Yamcha, Chiaotzu, Tien, and even his teacher Piccolo’s death.
His father eventually came back to life and fought Vegeta. Gohan was told to go back to Kame house by Goku, but Gohan had a bad feeling that his father wasn’t going to make it out alive. And his feeling was right. When he arrived, he sees his father in a great ape’s tight grip. He senses his father’s ki fading away while also hearing his father screaming in agony. He had to watch his father who just came back to life getting tortured by Vegeta. After his father was freed from the monster’s grip, Gohan was forced to fight in his father’s boots as his father’s bones are all broken. He was beaten up by Vegeta, but he still fought hard and eventually they won.
I definitely agree, Gohan didn’t see his father for a year during this arc. When he arrived to the battlefield he sees a giant monster. What makes it worse is that it’s holding his unconscious father. Even when Goku was freed, he couldn’t fight anymore. So Gohan had to fight in his father’s place. It’s no surprise that Gohan was scared to fight Vegeta at first, as he just witnessed his father getting tortured by Vegeta. Seeing his father lying on the ground after all of his bones was broken by Vegeta probably scared him. I mean who wouldn’t be scared and traumatized?
The fact that he’s 4-5 years old when he has to fight radios, Nappa, Vegeta, the ginyu force, and frieza is absolutely insane. He’s literally a preschooler.
Then later, Vegeta goes berserk and chases Gohan on Namek
Poor dude has been through a lot, and has a very complex relationship with Vegeta
I’d kind of like to see another Majin Vegeta but this time Gohan has to take him down
Goku’s childhood was relatively cushy compared Gohan who was basically thrown into a warzone before he even turned 5 years old. All the adults around him were dying and he was earth last line of defense against the saiyans.
You would think that he would clinch the win and wipe out Cell when he had the chance...and definitely that he wouldn't toy with Buu either@@galacticspecter4364
Jesus CHRIST, that little aside you took with Piccolo's Gohan scene was powerful. Well done.
When Mark was talking about Goku's and Vegeta's positioning on the platforms, I remember in DBS's final scene where they both face off again and I realized in that scene, instead of one being positioned higher then the other, they are positioned evenly. As if to show that Vegeta no longer sees himself as higher then Goku, and sees him as an equal now.
Dragon ball z isn’t just an anime, it’s a goddamn phenomenon. It will forever be a legendary series and I’m so excited for this review. As for the saiyan saga I’ve always been a fan of Raditz, even though he’s a minor villain he was the catalyst for a lot of big things in dragon ball. Things like the discovery of Gohan’s potential as a warrior or piccolo starting to become a good guy, to Vegeta’s budding rivalry with Goku. All of those things began with Raditz’s arrival on Earth
It's also a manga.
If you like Raditz Masako X the voice of Goku and Gohan in DBZA did a What if series on what if Raditz turned good. It's an interesting concept.
Hmm what about Pokémon 🤓
Dragon ball is the father of the anime
And has many western references and inspired many boxers we don't talk about how much Dragon ball success and how much money gets
@@jaketheberge1970 Budokai Tenkaichi 2 gives Raditz a "what if" storyline where he loses his memory on Earth and ends up befriending Goku and his family.
I actually have a soft spot for the Gohan training filler. It's arguably the last time that the series feels like classic Dragon Ball, a kid in training learning how to survive and using his incredible physical prowess to help the random people he comes across in his adventures. Once the Saiyans arrive, it really starts to go from massive treat to massive threat with occasional bits of serious training in between, but the low stakes adventures helping ordinary people dry up completely.
Rewatching this ever since the passing of Toriyama hits differently
Scouters have always been the coolest piece of anime tech ever to me
Yeah they just look fucking cool
I never comment on TH-cam videos, like ever. However, in light of TH-cam increasing Premium prices, I just wanted to say:
I will continue paying for Premium as long as it's supporting creators like you, Mark. It's easy to poop on companies when they increase their subscription prices, but after watching a video like this, it's simply worth it. It truly is. It's simply insane that content like this exists on a free (with ads) platform. Thank you for the great work you're doing for Dragon Ball fans and I wish you all the best if you read this comment.
goat
Yeah, I just wonder how much goes to creators since they haven't been super transparent about it. I don't really have a choice but to pay for it since I want to be able to listen to videos while I bike, but the price hike would be more palatable if I didn't think Google would just pocket it.
Word and Same
I completely forgot I had Premium for that reason. Well said.
Delete that youtube subscription and just pay straight to his Patreon.
There's something to be said about Mark's way of telling stories when I (having watched DBZ far too many times) found myself tearing up 4 times during the span of this video. Especially during Piccolo's sacrifice
Jeez I had to hold back a few times
Same here. I've watched and rewatched Z plenty, bur the context provided in what each of those little moments represented, the back story of piccolo especially, and even at times with Gohan...Had me choking up and really hit hard.
Marks storytelling is amazing
There's such a sincerity to his voice when he's covering it that gets me often, the GT video and Sanji arc video really got to me, did such a good job of conveying the emotions of the stories.
Coming back to listen to this series of videos again, and re-appreciate the work of the legend Akira Toriyama. Rest in peace, “may heaven be the joyous world you envisioned it to be”
And Mark, I can’t imagine how difficult this is for you. I’m just a guy who was introduced to anime through Dragon Ball Z and I’ve been crying on an off all morning. Hope you’re doing ok. Thank you for the amazing credit you do to the amazing series that is Dragon Ball
Edit: fixed spelling
I always loved how when Piccolo set aside his ambitions for conquest and became a good guy, he later merged with Kami and became what he wanted: a god watching over Earth, but not as a conqueror, as a protector.
I LOVE the Yajirobe tail cut! I always love when less relevant characters get to accomplish something. It's a real shame we don't see him do much anymore.
When I first saw Yajirobe I thought he was a new character that would be important( hadn't seen the king piccolo saga yet),shame he didn't do much after.
@@justinarzola4584 yea for real
Several others have mentioned similar sentiments in other comments, but Mark’s ability to contextualize a show and manga that I’ve experienced over a dozen times over; is unmatched.
Being able to tell a story I’ve known for most of my life in a way that brings me to tears several times throughout is truly a remarkable feat.
Thank you Mark for your videos, and I’m looking forward to the rest of this series.
Ok
It's subtle but I absolutely love the way the hair is animated in this section of the series, right before the huge shakeup in art style that comes during Namek. Anyone who's ever tried it will tell you that hair is hard to animate, so whenever a character's hair moves so fluidly and it responds so dynamically to the motion of the characters and environment, I can really see and feel the momentum of the moment.
Listening to this part 13:18 hits different now. He served as a light during such times. He will be missed
There isn't anyone on TH-cam that does story telling like Mark. You are in a realm of your own, Sir.
Being Irish helps. Storytelling has always been a big part of our culture.
@@jdrvargo287story telling is one of the many ways a culture develops, Ireland wasn't the only place with creative people. I'm part Irish and Jewish, and I'm proud of both cultures ❤️
Another thing about Vegeta and Nappa's arrival is the conversation after Nappa nuked the city, and how it sets up their dynamic. Nappa is boisterous and bloodthirsty, reveling on the destruction he brought about while Vegeta is calculating and rational, berating Nappa for going too far, believing that the city may have had one of the Dragon Balls they were looking for. Nappa then sheepishly apologizes to him. Now when people see the two of them, one would assume that Nappa is the stronger of the two, but the way Vegeta commanded him, and put a bit of fear into him hints to who the real threat between the Saiyans really is.
Oh wait, you mentioned it.
I like how nappa is a Brutish warrior while Vegeta was more level headed and calculating,it makes me wish nappa lived a lot longer because I enjoyed their dynamic.
King Piccolo glassed an entire city too and he literally had people shuffle numbers to see which one would die. That's nothing.
@@HeeHungersForHos I was talking about the relationship between Vegeta and Nappa, not the feat of destroying the city itself.
1:06:41 you said this REALLY well, and perfectly explains why Goku vs Vegeta is my favorite dragon ball fight ever. it's like Goku as a martial artist just peaked in that moment, and it really resonated with me as a teenager. while everything after it kind of gets shafter in favor of transformations acting as multipliers, I still always find myself hyped when watching Goku think about the way he fights, the way he chains his attacks, the risks he takes and the techniques he can use, all while staying slightly grounded in terms of style. there's choreography to be seen, and brawls to be had at the same time, which makes the entire series so much more appealing to me.
I'mhappy that they brought that back with nice looking sequences during the cell games and buu arc, but saiyan saga went above and beyond to conclude the martial arts aspect of Goku's character man. it peaked there in my opinion... love how much you deconstruct Mark. it doesn't make any of these series narratively deep, but it shows us how layered it is as a whole. there's stuff to think about, and there's reasons why people love certain aspects. i enjoy the fact that you dive into these things and make those that care about it feel seen, like me.
Saw this a few months ago and came back to watch it all again after finding out Toriyama-sensei's passing. Thank you Mark, for making this tribute and help us recapture and understand the world impact that Toriyama made on all of us and how it touched and influenced the upbringing of so many people across different cultures. His work will be forever inmortilized and he can rest easy knowing that his legacy and message will live across all generations to come. Fly high Master!
Bruh I made a Colossal Breakfast specifically to eat while watching this Video. I have been Hyped all week for this
Lets GOOO!
Reletable man! This Rocks!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Hahaha I am currently doing the same thing
As someone who watched Kai in 2010 when I was 5 I’m so happy I can see these people who are older then me have so much passion for something I love. And it’s because of you I was able to find this amazing thing called anime
I'm just like you. I grew up with Kai and I loved it I didn't know it was anime; I just thought it was epic and cool. Trunks cutting Freiza left a huge and great impact to my childhood.
As someone who watched the Ocean/Pioneer dub on Toonami when I was 5 and still enjoys the series today, I’m so happy to hear that there are still younger fans like yourselves that are discovering and falling in love with the series in your own ways. 👍 So glad y’all are keeping this cultural touchstone of a series alive and spreading it through generations.
Dragon ball is the father of the anime
And has many western references and inspired many boxers we don't talk about how much Dragon ball success and how much money gets
A lot of stuffy older fans give Kai crap simply for not being the original dub/sub, but I think it's valuable solely for this. It introduced a younger generation to an awesome series they may have otherwise never heard of beyond it being a historical touchstone.
Man what
I almost cried watching this. This show was my CHILDHOOD and this video reminded me of how perfect the Saiyan arc was. Definitely can’t wait for the rest of DBZ arc reviews
Dragon Ball is not just a manga. It’s not just an anime. It’s an epic. And Z is where it became the legend truly shocked the world and became the most iconic anime of them all.
Enormous props to Akira Toriyama and his team for creating this franchise for the world to cherish for years.
Toriyama’s Magnum Opus… The first anime I didn’t even know was gonna carry my heart through time. DBZ was a true journey growing up and it never gets old every time I watch it. For better or worse, it truly paved a road for storytelling and will never be forgotten.
Rest in peace Akira Toriyama💔✝️🐐
It must have been absolutely wild watching this all unfold as the manga published/the anime aired.
I rewatched the Saiyan Saga recently while doing some work and I forgot how *good* it was. What really struck me was the scene where they collect the bodies and Bulma just starts quietly crying as she drives them away. Something about that really hit me for some reason. And I can’t help but have a soft spot for the orphan episode seeing as that’s the very first episode I saw, which lead me to getting into DBZ, which brought me to my love for anime/manga. Though I can appreciate why others may not like it so much.
Yamcha essentially sacrificing himself for Krillin is such an awesome thing for me, and the scene following with krilling destroying almost all the saibamen was just awesome
I'm in the middle of a rewatch of Kai and man is the Saiyan Saga the perfect pacing nothing drags on to long. Nappa and Raditz are such underrated imposing villains. The build up to facing off against Vegeta was incredible and Vegeta as a final boss just was such a never say die threat with how the guy just wouldn't stay down.
We hated seeing raditz for awhile bc it meant ending the namek arc at recoome but he really is a great villain. First dbz fight I ever reviewed.
Kai is for people with short attention spans 🙄
Kai is the ADHD of Z
@@5Ci0N Kai is objecively the superior way to watch DBZ as it removes much of the unnecessary filler that ruins the story's pacing.
One of my favorite parts of this video is when Mark says "To keep training, keep learning, keep improving, because there will always be someone stronger in the next point. The way Freeza's face blinked after he said that. For me its just kind of motivating.
RIP Sensei Toriyama
Picollo's sacrafice for me was really suprising.
I've always thought he's like o lone wolf in this world.
But how he safe Gohan was really sad and suprising.
And this all after his pesonal goal to revenge his father!
Man, you had no right to make me cry with Piccolo’s death 😭 In Mexico, normal Dragon Ball was huge and this moment hit me full force back when we first saw it in public TV. Honestly I was too young back then to understand the complexity of it. Beautiful review, thanks so much for making it.
Why is dragon ball popular in Mexico?
We only had like two channels on TV so basically every boy (and some girls) born in the 80s saw it. Normal Dragon Ball (before Z) was aired in Mexican television, so the problem mentioned in this video didn’t apply to us. Also, DB is freaking awesome!
@@albertotensai Alright I was kinda curious since I have seen that Mexico likes it a lot and sometimes it seemed like it was somehow different from the original.
th-cam.com/video/q09m7kKghks/w-d-xo.html
Not only that, but the dub changes a bit of Piccolo's dialogue (presumably the voice actor, Carlos Segundo, improvised it) to have him say “I love you” to Gohan as his final words. It was devastating, man 😭
RIP Akira Toriyama thank you for blessing me with my favorite manga/anime of all time Dragon Ball, you are the foundation and the pillar for many other mangas and anime’s you will truly be missed. Thank You 🙏 😢
As someone whose loved everything DBZ since it first aired on Toonami, all I can say is this is amazing and truly captures everything we love about the series. Not to mention the editing is incredible. Bravo!
My first experience with Dragon Ball Z was in the middle of Piccolo vs 2nd Form Frieza. It was on when I was going to sleep on Toonami and I had never been more confused in my life. But, at the same time, I found myself intrigued by the strange, green man and kept watching. I'm proud to say that the man who introduced me to Dragon Ball has solidified himself as one of my favorite characters in fiction. Thank you, Big Green.
The foreshadowing to future arcs with the editing was awesome. The flashes of Freeza while talking about “monsters/stronger foes around the corner” and the flash of Majin Vegeta while talking about Goku’s request to spare Vegeta to fight him again one day were standouts. Great work on this one
RIP Toriyama Sensei
While the Gohan filler may have gone on a bit too long, there's one scene that really stands out. It's when Gohan finds his way home. He is elated to see Chi-Chi, and return to his peaceful life, but ultimately realizes that he can't. Gohan comes to the realization that he is one of the few who can stand against the Saiyans, and cannot simply turn away from it all. It is here that Gohan _chooses_ to train, and Piccolo would remain with the boy from then on.
Piccolo's sacrifice is so much more meaningful of you saw dragonball first.
I have sadly forgotten how i felt the first time seeing it, but the older i get, the more complex my emotions for this scene get.
I am sad when he dies, despite him being "evil". And i am also extremely happy when he does it because it show his growth and love for gohan.
Yeah im here for a reason. RIP to a legend, guess its time to finally watch this
I was fortunate enough I saw DB in its intended order thanks to it airing as it should in Mexico and I'm glad I saw it. The Saiyan saga was indeed the best arch in the whole franchise and this Vegeta vs Goku vs Everyone fight was peak DB and I just didnt know about it. The beam struggle, the Kaioken, the Genkidama, the swerves, the choreaography, the colaboration (why does DBZ insist so much on 1 on 1 fights when their best one was 1 vs 4?) yes Yajirobe! Most of the rest of DBZ gets really good too but, IMO (and apparently Mark's), never again does it ever reach these heights.
I can say for everyone this, we waited and wanted for so long to you finally make this video, you are my favorite TH-camr reviewer for manga, this story all tied us together. Thank you Mark and thank you Toryama for this amazing work who introduced me to my favorite media and my best friends.
Mark’s unbridled joy during this review had me tearing up. It’s a perfect arc and it’s so wonderful to hear someone else express my feelings about something so succinctly. Just a fantastic video! Kudos to Mark and his team. Looking forward to the next one!
Mark, this was a masterpiece of a video. An absolute masterclass of writing and a true love letter to the series.
I love how Mark is always standing defiantly against the people who go around saying Dragon Ball is just mindless action.
I can't express how much I enjoyed this in depth analysis of Dragon Ball Z's first arc, it was amazing, and it was awesome that you would remind everyone that this is still the same story as before, this arc really hits soo much harder when you have been through Dragon Ball first.
Dragon Ball is always gonna be my favorite series of all time man looking forward to your entire retrospective of the series.
I cant put into words how much i fucking love those hype musical and visual openings to a part you always seem to put out. Goddamn that Goku vs Vegeta opening is hype af with the quotes, final bout music and all
Edit: 1:00:54 for myself
One detail I like about the Goku vs Vegeta fight is that Vegeta never downplays Goku's gains at all. He was right that Goku had hidden power and the proof was how he manhandled Nappa. When Goku says anyone can do anything with hard work and effort, Vegeta never tells him he's wrong. He acknowledges Goku's new strength and even says Goku would be the strongest on Earth -- if not for him.
Vegeta blatantly preaches Goku's learned philosophy of *There will always be someone stronger than you* by flat out telling Goku that no amount of hard work can boost him to a level like Vegeta.
This was stupendous! THE Saiyan Arc already holds a special place in the ol' center mass with it's subtle narrative of clashing philosophies, Mark took it a little further with a fantastic explanation on why Yamcha was caught off guard that I have never heard before. Yamcha became quite honorable after his first outing and he was always the type thereafter to defeat his opponent, not murder or brutalize. He couldn't conceive that someone would throw away their like just to win and dominate, founded on fear, fear of losing, and the reverse of that with Nappa and Chiaotzu. ( who again, just like Yamcha, Nappa was caught off guard). Nappa couldn't conceive that someone would throw their life away for those they love and care about, founded on desperation, desperate to protect others. That is brilliant.
Looking forward to Namek, which, in that arcs infancy is where Z peaks for me honestly, and of course the first Super Saiyan transformation. All in all, the Saiyan Arc is pure 24 karat gold and it astounds me that a lot of fans think the Cell Arc is better than THIS cohesive masterpiece.
meh dragon ball was always dumb and should of ended before z.
I really appreciate the little segment about the animation and different studios involved. I always wondered why the character design and proportions could vary so much in the anime, especially toward the end of the Saiyan saga, it's really interesting to see all the different artists/animators and styles. It's nice to see all these people getting the recognition they deserve, too.
Imagine Monday thru Friday coming home in 6th grade to see 2 episodes per day being on the edge of your seat then eagerly awaiting tomorrows episodes. This was truly a highlight of my childhood and my first introduction to anime but somehow nothing has ever topped it. My brother and i bonded over Dbz and now i come here to try and recapture some of that especially now that my brother and i have fallen out😢
Man, I miss the sheer brutality of the frieza and cell arcs. It really hammers home the stakes way more than 'endless beam battles' the ki moves used to be finishers not lightly brought out due to just how dangerous they were
Dude dragon ball used to just be an badass epic action show to me when I was a kid. But going over a lot of these scenes makes me feel so much emotion, almost to tears sometimes. There's so much more here I can appreciate about db today.
Yeees, there's so much in the saiyan saga to appreciate. After reviewing every fight in it (almost 3 hours of material on fight reviews alone), it made me really appreciate it all over again
Glad to finally see you tackle Z! The Saiyan arc is my favorite Dragon Ball story in the manga. Toriyama was firing on all cylinders at this point. I understand why fans prefer Freeza or Cell but nothing tops the Goku vs. Vegeta fight for me.
After reviewing it in 3 parts (just the stuff before the ape transformation) I have to agree. Even kk x 3 is fantastic, its the only time I can think of where a transformation or power up is dangerous. The entire series depends on if goku can even survive it.
RIP Akira what an inspiration for anime as a whole
RIP to the legend, You will forever be missed...
This arc is what made following Krillin and Gohan throughout Namek without Goku so fulfilling. Those to turning up like they did here gave us the confidence and belief that they would pull through even in a foreign land with the most formidable opponents thus far. Such an amazing way to put side characters over.
It’s finally time! I’ve been waiting for this since I trained my dinosaur to balance on a ball!
Rewatching this series now. You know why.
Coming back to this after hearing the news... I can't stop thinking about how you must be feeling mark, I really hope you're holding up well. This is a tough time for so many fans not just of dragon ball but other manga and anime as well. Akira Toriyama was a legend that influenced an entire media and art form and then some. May he Rest In Power
The magnitude of a man who explicitly shunned his name for so long using his full (assumedly) legal name to head off this series was not lost on me.
OH boy, here we go! Ive been anticipating this video for years from TNM.
EDIT: Marks deep understanding of what this series is is amazing. It helps that he read dragonball too. amazing video and worth a whole hour and a half. One thing you forgot about Chiaotzu is that along with his sacrifice, it was his second death so he wasnt going to be coming back, making his sacrifice all the more impactful. Also shoutout to editor-san for totally nut* mark. Love having to pause and go back a few seconds to see the 2 frames of some of the jokes they split in.
The saiyan arc appreciation for the z-warriors was so deserved.
Goku's a superhero but those guys are all true heroes.
Yamcha died to a saibaman but it was still a noble sacrifice.
I came back to listen to this masterpiece after the loss of a Legend.
RIP Toriyama.
I can’t put into words how much your words changed my life I hope you found eternal paradise and rest.
It pisses me off when Gohan haters will dislike him for not being like Goku and training 24/7 when the entire point of Gohan's character from the beginning was for him to be different and NOT be just like Goku.
This is so good. I’m 39 and the saiyan saga was my first introduction to anything Dragonball related when I was 12 years old. You recaptured so many of my feelings, and got me all emotional. Stellar job, thanks so much for this video, we all love you man.
Not gonna lie, when I first saw this back on the first run of the Toonami broadcast, when they finally hit Vegeta with that genki dama I couldn't help myself from jumping up and cheering! I'd never seen anything in a cartoon as tense or hopeless as the struggle leading up to it, and the relief was palpable (of course, that relief was short lived, but I'll never forget that feeling)
As someone who was introduced to dragon ball through the nicktoons airing of DBZ Kai, this video means a lot to me. I have so many memories of being so captivated by the saiyan saga. I was shocked to see so many characters die, even the MAIN character!
Somebody archive this, save a copy of this video in case something happens to it!
Gohan’s beast form is not recycled from the cell saga. The triggering lesson for the transformations is different.
Super Saiyan 2: Gohan doesn’t want to kill anyone even a bad guy like cell, but is shown that if he continues to believe this everyone is gonna die. 16’s death was evidence that if Gohan doesn’t change everyone Will die.
Beast Gohan: Gohan believes that he shouldn’t train because Goku and Vegeta will handle it, but Goku and Vegeta was unaware of the Gwmmas and Cell max. When Gohan saw and thought Piccolo died it showed that everyone will die if he continues to believe this.
Each trigger was from one of Gohans original traits from Z.
SSJ2: He doesn’t want to kill anyone.
Beast: Being too depending on Goku and Vegeta.
I love Vegeta in this arc. Anti hero and grumpy sidekick Vegeta is great, but I LOVE evil Vegeta
This evil Vegeta was a great character,he killed almost all of frieza's goons and survived the spirit bomb, Kaio-Ken, Kamehameha and great ape Gohan, he seemed unstoppable until Frieza humbled him.
Two scenes that I absolute love in early arc of Gohan: When Piccolo shows concern for him for the first time after zapping him with his eyes blast during training and when Gohan reached his home until reality sank in - If he wants to preserve the life he knows, preserve his family, his future... he have to fight, therefore he has to train under Piccolo, and he choose, willingly, to return to Piccolo.
I cherish being in my 40s now and having witnessed the beginning of Dragon Ball as a kid. Piccolo’s death against Nappa broke me down, and never thought how starting from DBZ would keep viewers away from the weight of that scene.
By the way, super congrats on this review. Just perfect. 👏🏻
36:33 has such good foreshadowing to one of the most iconic dragonball moments, and the lightning showing a glimpse of what Gohan becomes is so incredible
The heartfelt HYPE in your voice throughout is refueling my life force :D
Can't believe it's finally happening ^^
I always considered Gohan's training to be the A plot. The anime especially emphasizes this, by usually starting and ending episodes focusing on Gohan.
Dragon ball Z was as much about Gohan as it was about Goku. If not more.
Like you said, Gohan training and relationship with Piccolo was the A plot for most of the arc.
The Namek saga happens because Gohan wanted to bring Piccolo back no matter what, and again, most of the arc cover Gohan's adventures.
Sure, Goku was always there to save the day at the end. But the actual plot followed Gohan.
Then, the torch is finally passed during the Androids saga. The Buu saga starts, covering Gohan's life as a teen on highschool. But in the middle of the saga Toriyama decides to change directions and since then the franchise has been a mess from a narrative point of view.
@@clrl936 all Toriyama had to do was have Gohan beat Buu and let him, Goten, and Trunks become the new generation of warriors. But man was just too insecure to keep writing without Goku.
@@305Independent Hell, I dont even Mind that the focus returned to Goku. But there was no need to make everything about him either. Ressuction of Frieza was an example of this. Okay, the plot was about Goku, Vegeta and Frieza but they really need to make Gohan get one shoted by first form Frieza?? Wtf was that? Gohan ends Z as the strongest person alive in the universe and then some months later he gets clowned like that by the weakest form of Frieza? They should have at least made the other Z fighters force Frieza to transform into golden. Then Frieza beats everyone and Goku and Vegeta get their time to shine. Give the stage to Goku without making everyone else seem useless.
@@clrl936 it's not some months, Resurrection F takes place 4 years after the defeat of Buu, and apparently Gohan hadn't trained in all that time.
The deuteragonist varies in each series
Db-krillin
Dbz-gohan
Dbs-vegeta
I'm so glad that I watched the entire video. The insane reveal at 1:26:45 absolutely shook me.
I thought for sure that the astonishing quality of the video and contagious passion for the topic could only have been by Totally Not Mark.
I was not ready for the stellar twist.
All seriousness tho, great video as always. I'm very excited to enjoy the rest of the sagas.
I cant wait to see the video for the Namek/Frieza. Both of my favorite Dub moments are in it, and I am definitely on Team "Ally to Justice; Nightmare to you".
Remember.
You are amazing! You are incredible!
Yes, yes, yes, yes.
You can win! You are GREAT!
YOU! CAN! DO! THIS!
What you did for piccolo's sacrifice was outstanding. Keep up the good work 👏