They are the items for which the series is named: the Dragon Balls. Akira Toriyama had toyed with “dragons” and “balls” before in series like Dragon Boy, but it will forever be the Dragon Balls that he is best known for. When the series begins, we are told that Shenlong is able to grant any wish. By the time the franchise and its extensions came to a close, we had three independent sets of Dragon Balls all with their own individual rules and stipulations. Just what are those rules, exactly, though? Decades of fan misinformation combined with Toriyama’s own laid-back writing style have resulted in a bit of confusion, so it is Kanzenshuu to the rescue!

SHOW DESCRIPTION:
Episode #0354! VegettoEX and Herms discuss all of the rules for the Dragon Balls. Earth and Namek have their own sets, and even “Dragon Ball GT” introduced a third set. Can Shenlong truly grant any wish? Is there a power balance threshold that no dragon can cross? So is it two or three wishes at the end of the series? All these questions and more are answered!

REFERENCED SITES:

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Enjoy! Discuss this episode on the Kanzenshuu forum.

As each new year begins, we like to take a look back at some of the biggest stories to hit Dragon Ball fandom that prior year, pick out some of our own favorites, and make predictions for the new year. Part of that ritual is also checking in on the predictions we made the year before and seeing how absolutely, disgustingly, embarrassingly incorrect we all were.

For the most part, anyway.

What do you all see coming our way in 2014? Give the show a listen and let us know!

SHOW DESCRIPTION:
Episode #0353! VegettoEX and Julian discuss their own top three Dragon Ball stories from 2013. What were the biggest things to smack us upside the head over the last twelve months? How did we do with our predictions from last year, and what do we see on the horizon for 2014?

REFERENCED SITES:

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Enjoy! Discuss this episode on the Kanzenshuu forum, and let us know your predictions for 2014… as well as how nicely or poorly you made out with last year’s predictions!

(We are aware that Robo-Julian makes an unwanted appearance for the tail-end of his predictions. Rest assured it is just for that tiny little segment and then he is back to normal to wrap up the episode. The content was important, so it was something we decided to keep as-is rather than cutting it out entirely.)

A new year marks a new anniversary for the website, and what would a new year be without a new re-release of the Dragon Ball Z TV series? Having been here for the entire ride, we decided to dive back and look at every single last “DBZ Vol. 1” release FUNimation has put out in North America. Arrival hit VHS in 1997, and the latest Blu-ray releases came out just a week or so ago. In between we have seen everything from in-house remasters to licensed Japanese remasters to releases canceled mid-run. Over these seventeen years, how have the different releases stacked up to each other, how have they been marketed differently from each other, and where on Earth do we go from here?

SHOW DESCRIPTION:
Episode #0352! VegettoEX and Hujio dive back to dissect every “Vol. 1” release of the Dragon Ball Z TV series from FUNimation. Things kicked off with the “Arrival” VHS release in 1997, and continue onward today with the company’s latest Blu-ray remaster. Over these seventeen years, how have the different releases stacked up to each other, how have they been marketed differently from each other, and where on Earth do we go from here?

REFERENCED SITES:

• 2013 In Review: Top 5 Dragon Ball News Stories
• FUNimation Responds to Kanzenshuu Community Blu-ray Questions
• FEATURE: The “Arrival” of the “Ultimate Uncut Edition”: DVD Showdown!
• FEATURE: FUNimation Dragon Box History & Significance

Enjoy! Discuss this episode on the Kanzenshuu forum.

As we conducted more research and collected more material in the process of researching this episode, enough information came together to warrant even more coverage. We hope to put together a whole new feature at some point in the near future!

As we start to wind down here in 2013, we look ahead to what 2014 has in store for us. Kanzenshuu is already at the forefront for every bit of Dragon Ball news and information documentation, so what else could there possibly be?! Well, it turns out there is a lot more coming!

SHOW DESCRIPTION:
Episode #0350! VegettoEX and Hujio dive into The State of The Kanzenshuu 2013 Edition. What is on tap for the site in the coming months? Will this legendary wiki ever make its grand appearance? What old magazines and books are we still pulling material out of? What guides can we expect to see receive major expansions? Is the “GT Review of Awesomeness” even still a thing? Is the staff just having children to lay the groundwork for future website contributors?

REFERENCED SITES:

• “Kuroko” & “Sket Dance” Support Chars. Join “J-Stars Victory Vs”
• “J-Stars Victory Vs”: “Jojo” & “Nube” Characters + Opening Theme
• Bardock & Coola “Zenkai Battle Royale” Details in Jan. 2014 V-Jump
• “Battle of Gods” Coming to Japanese PlayStation Network
• “Jaco the Galactic Patrolman” Collected Release in Japan Delayed?

Enjoy! Discuss this episode on the Kanzenshuu forum.

Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods is the gift that keeps on giving for our podcast here at Kanzenshuu. Before the movie came out, we attempted to figure out which “AGE” it would take place in during the Dragon World’s chronology. We dove into the original scripts and drafts for the movie. We have even reviewed the movie twice: once after its Japanese theatrical debut, and once again after its Japanese home release.

This time around, we take a look at what new information the film has added to the Dragon World. From new Saiyan back-history to new gods to entire new universes, the film adds much more to the series than anything else has done in a very long time!

SHOW DESCRIPTION:
Episode #0349! VegettoEX and Herms dive back into “Battle of Gods” to review all of the new information it has added to the Dragon World. The Saiyans have a new legend erased from history, the god hierarchy continues to expand, and new universes are out there potentially filled with strong new opponents!

Enjoy! Discuss this episode on the Kanzenshuu forum.

As Dragon Ball Heroes — the most recent video game adaptation of the long-running Dragon Ball “Carddass” series in Japan — approaches its “new chapter” with “JM” (Ja’akuryū Mission or “Evil Dragon Mission”) entries starting next month, we thought it would be worth taking a look back at the nearly-three-years the game has been running. We specifically wanted to determine what it has accomplished in terms of furthering the Dragon Ball franchise and its longevity, and what could be done to keep the popularity at an all-time high. Would it even be able to work — *gasp* — outside of Japan, and would a new animated series be the key to its success…?!

SHOW DESCRIPTION:
Episode #0347! VegettoEX and Julian look back on “Dragon Ball Heroes” and its accomplishments over the last nearly-three-years. What has the game done to further the popularity and longevity of the franchise? Where does it need to head with this “new chapter” in order for it to accomplish something new? Would a new “Dragon Ball Heroes” animated series be the answer, and how could that work with a global fandom? This week’s DBZ news and second “Who’s That Character?!” segment round out the episode.

REFERENCED SITES:

• FUNimation Posts & Removes Widescreen DBZ “Season One” Trailer
• Viz Dragon Ball “Full Color” Comics Cover Art Revealed
• “Dragon Ball RPG: Boyhood Arc” (Android/iOS) Website Opens
• “J Legend Retsuden” (JP 3DS) Commercial & Promotional Video
• “Battle of Z” (360/PS3/Vita) North American Release: 2014-01-28
• Mayumi Tanaka Confirms More Voice Recording in Blog Post

Enjoy! Discuss this episode on the Kanzenshuu forum.

It is a short (and slightly delayed!) episode this week, but the news is extensive. Join us for a deeper look at the December 2013 issue of V-Jump along with a few of your listener questions!

SHOW DESCRIPTION:
Episode #0346! VegettoEX and Julian catch up on two weeks worth of news, including a ton from the December 2013 issue of V-Jump. “Dragon Ball Heroes” is entering a new chapter with all sorts of tie-ins and other video games are on the horizon! Your questions wrap things up.

REFERENCED SITES:

• “Battle of Z” (360/PS3/Vita) Character Customization Screens
• “J-Stars Victory Vs” TGS 2013 Updates & More
• “Super Butōden 2” Coming to “J Legend Retsuden” (JP 3DS)
• “J-Stars Victory Vs” (PS3/Vita) Vegeta Updates
• “J-Stars Victory Vs” (PS3/Vita) Release Date & Price Announced
• “Dragon Ball Heroes: Special Binder Box Set 2” Coming in Japan
• Selecta Visión Acquires “Battle of Gods” License For Spain
• “Dragon Ball RPG” Coming Soon to Android & iOS in Japan
• “Battle of Z” Japanese Release Date: 2014-01-23
• Bardock & Coola Coming to Arcades in “Zenkai Battle Royale”
• “Victory Mission” Chapter 14 in December 2013 V-Jump
• Bonus “Dragon Ball SD” Chapter in December 2013 V-Jump
• Information Pages For Dragon Ball Z Movies 1-3 Now Available
• “Battle of Gods” Home Release Information Pages & Translation

Enjoy! Discuss this episode on the Kanzenshuu forum, and we will be back at you will a topic-filled episode next time around!

When Jaco the Galactic Patrolman was first unveiled, there was excitement in the air simply over it being a new short work from Akira Toriyama. Shueisha spilled the beans very early on, however, announcing it as a “shocking revival of Dragon Ball“…!

SHOW DESCRIPTION:
Episode #0345! VegettoEX, Meri, and Julian dive into “Jaco the Galactic Patrolman”. With the 11-chapter series now complete and confirmed as a “Dragon Ball” tie-in, what did we think about it? Does it live up to the success showcased by its predecessor? Is it a good, self-contained story in and of itself, or does it rely on “Dragon Ball” to get any kind of reaction out of the reader? This week’s news and stories from Julian’s trip to a “Battle of Gods” viewing party wraps up the episode!

REFERENCED SITES:

• “Battle of Z” (360/PS3/Vita) Naruto Costume & Opening Theme News
• Anime Comics Cover Art Updates: “Battle of Gods” & DBZ Movie 8
• Daisuke Nishio to Attend Spain’s 2013 “Salon del Manga”
• “Dragon Ball Heroes” New Chapter Teased in Promotional Video
• “Jaco the Galactic Patrolman” (Spin-Off Manga Guide Section)
• Viz “Weekly Shonen Jump” Back Issues

Enjoy! Discuss this episode on the Kanzenshuu forum.