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MANGA REVIEWS

Story and Art by Toriyama Akira
Copyright © 1985 Toriyama Akira * Bird Studio/ Shueisha
English Language Version copyright © 1998 Viz Comics
Published by Viz Comics
Monthly
B&W, 32 pages
$2.95




—by Charles McCarter

Viz scored a major coup when it managed to license the nigh-endless DRAGONBALL manga series. After all, the show and the manga are popular worldwide and there are a large number of American fans as well. And, with the success of DRAGONBALL Z on television and its presence in the video market, the time was right for someone to snare this series for American release.
  Longtime fans know that the DRAGONBALL manga contains the stories that were animated into DRAGONBALL and DRAGONBALL Z. The manga started as one thing and as time and the issues passed by, it evolved into something very different. To solve this problem, and to capitalize on the success of DRAGONBALL Z in the video and television markets, Viz split the title into two series, DRAGONBALL, which begins at the beginning, and DRAGONBALL Z, which begins at the start of the Z storyline.
  In the beginning, DRAGONBALL was about Gokuu and Bulma and their adventures to find the seven legendary Dragonballs. The emphasis was on humor and adventure, and not as much on super hero fighting that became the hallmark of the series later on (and in the DRAGONBALL Z anime).
  Gokuu is still a child, and a very naive one at that, having lived by himself for so long. When he is found by Bulma who is searching for Dragonballs, she manipulates him into joining her. After all, who couldn't use a bodyguard who is nearly invulnerable, immensely strong, and easily led? In fact, Gokuu is so unworldly that he really doesn't know the difference between boys and girls until Bulma tries to explain it to him. After that, he continuously tries to determine whether people he meets are girls via the "pat-pat" method. (You'll just have to read it for yourself).
  In this issue (#3), Gokuu and Bulma finish helping the turtle they found last issue reach Kame-sennin's (the Turtle Mage's) island. As a reward, Gokuu gets a magic cloud to fly on. Bulma, upset that she doesn't get anything, manages to coerce the Turtle Mage into giving her the Dragonball he wears around his neck.
  Afterwards, they journey to a remote village that seems deserted. Upon closer inspection, the villagers are found to be hiding in fear of the Demon Oolong. Gokuu and Bulma quickly get involved because a Dragonball is at stake, but what can Gokuu do against a monster that can assume any form it wishes?
  I have always liked the earlier DRAGONBALL more than the later stuff. While it's fun to watch people beat the stuffing out of one another, the humor of the early series (which is presented here) falls by the wayside. I was impressed by the English rendering of the dialog and the way that the jokes were left intact. The characters speak their mind quite often, and in particular, the giant turtle is particularly entertaining. A word of warning, though: DRAGONBALL is not kiddie reading. Lots of panty jokes and other innuendo pervade the series.
  Viz is publishing the DRAGONBALL comics in "Manga format," meaning that they are read as original manga are, right to left. This really is not a big deal and it's kind of nice to see the images "unflipped." Technical production on the comic is pretty good, although sometimes the art seems a little grainy because it's been blown up to accommodate the size of American comics.
  This is easily the best $2.95 I've spent on a translated manga in a long time. Viz is doing a good job with this. American fans of DRAGONBALL have waited a long time, but this is one of those cases where the wait has paid off.


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