Dragon Ballis a long-running franchise in both manga and anime. It’s a popular property in each medium, with the latter mostly remaining faithful to the former. The onscreen adaptations maintain the essence of the written work. That said, there are some notable differences.
Certain arcs play out differently in theDragon Ballmanga. These deviations stem from a variety of factors, from format to scheduling to simple creative liberties. Whatever the reason, the anime diverges from Akira Toriyama’s original vision. This undoubtedly hurts it in places. Fans ought to read these parts instead of watching them. It takes more effort, but it’s ultimately more rewarding.
5Pilaf Saga
The franchise’s first saga deals with the initial quest for Dragon Balls and the eventual run-in withEmperor Pilaf. As is often the case, the series has a few growing pains. That’s doubly so for the show. Though it’s mostly an enjoyable journey, this debut arc is notably different from the rest of the series.
Toriyama is still operating on hisDr. Slumpmindset. He loves silly subversion and satire, so the story has a lot more winks and self-aware gags.These jokes land better on the pagethan they do onscreen. Whenever the show attempts these zingers, the timing is clunky. The localization doesn’t help, either. These factors mean much of the humor lands with a thud.
4Ginyu Saga
Largely a victim of production, theGinyu Sagahad a rough journey to get to western audiences. The initial English broadcast ofDragon Ball Zcame courtesy of the Ocean Group, but these guys only got to the point where Goku lands on Planet Namek and takes on the Ginyu Force. The series stagnated in re-runs before finally continuing in the hands of Funimation. The trouble wasn’t over, though.
Not only were themusic, sound, and localization different, but the new voice actors clearly weren’t comfortable with their characters. In fact, most of them did impressions of their Ocean counterparts, leading to stilted line deliveries. That remained a problem even after the more experienced Funimation went back and dubbed earlier episodes, as the quality of their performances suddenly goes downhill upon reaching the Ginyu arc. All in all, it’s a bump in the road.
Obviously, the manga doesn’t have that awkward transition. The result is a far smoother experience.
3Great Saiyaman Saga
Many fans frown on theGreat Saiyaman Saga. Not only do they have to sit through Gohan’s geeky antics in high school, but they must also endure his exploits as a superhero. To combat crime in the city, he takes on the alter ego of the Great Saiyaman. This flamboyant persona deals out corny catchphrases and frilly dances before collaring crooks. He leaves perps perplexed, and devotees disgusted.
The journey is somewhat more tolerable in the manga. Part of that is due to getting through it at a faster rate. More importantly, though, the format is more appropriate. Toriyama once again falls back on satire, and the Great Saiyaman ishis take on superheroes. The character even boasts many of the same tropes asSpider-Man. The author is blatantly mocking the inherent silliness of costumed crime-fighters, and these jabs are usually funnier on the page for the same reasons as the Pilaf Saga. In addition, it’s more fitting since superheroes originate from comics. The manga medium is a natural complement.
2Buu Saga
The final major saga (or sagas) inDragon Ball Zhas to do withMajin Buu. While it has plenty of great moments,it’s undoubtedly the weakest in terms of storytelling. The narrative here has some serious pacing issues. There are long stretches where little is happening; the heroes are either hiding or out of commission entirely. These flaws cause the whole plot to drag. It’s clear that Toriyama was running out of ideas when writing it.
Nevertheless, the manga is easier to consume. It doesn’t take nearly as long to get through.The filler is absent, and fans can read the narrative beats instead of watching them play out. As a result, they can cover entire episodes worth of story in a few pages. The bouts of inactivity are still present, but they’re significantly shorter and more bearable. Thanks to that, readers can get to the good parts sooner.
1Tournament Of Power
Everyone loves a goodtournament arc, especially inDragon Ball. It’s a chance for multiple characters to go at it in back-to-back brawls. These arcs aren’t just mindless fighting, though. The manga understands that. Here, theTournament of Powerfocuses more on strategy than might. That manifests in many memorable moments. For instance, Goku learns Ultra Instinct from watching Master Roshi. The Turtle Hermit’s simple, relaxed style has always echoed the form’s essence. He’d naturally benefit fromhis lifelong knowledge of martial arts. Contrast that with the anime, where Goku stumbles on the power-up by absorbing a Spirit Bomb. This choice exemplifies the anime’s tendency to fall back ondeus ex machinas. The story sometimes sacrifices logic to either raise the stakes, or ensure the main heroes look good. That’s another area where the manga has the edge.
Toriyama provides more moments with his supporting cast. A highlight comes when Gohan and Frieza fight theSaiyans from Universe 6. On top of that, rather than the normal contestants, the Gods of Destruction compete in the preliminary expo. The side characters still get their time to shine in the anime, but it mostly involves grunts or minor threats. Goku and Vegeta take out the heavy hitters and get all the glory. Both versions give fans a fun time, but the manga is ultimately more satisfying due to greater variety and better writing.
