Dragon Ball Z - The Best Manga Series

Blending aliens and martial arts may seem like an impossible thing to do, but Japanese author Akira Toriyama has done just that in the highly popular manga series, Dragon Ball Z.

Originally part of the Dragon Ball manga series, Dragon Ball Z follows the character Goku, who is part of an alien race called the Saiyans. He has lived his entire life on earth, training to protect it from invaders. In this series, he is once again faced with protecting earth from evil creatures who want to do it harm, but this time he has someone who he can trust at his back, his son Gohan.

While young Goku was the hero and head character of the primary Dragon Ball manga, Gohan has become the lead in Dragon Ball Z. Half Saiyan, half human, Gohan is constantly at fight with his personal inner anger, and throughout the majority of the series this is a core plot point. Lots of people (both characters in the manga and readers of it) are convinced that Gohan is definitely the most powerful figure ever, but his strength is definitely restricted in when he is angry or terrified. In the first volume, a 4 year old Gohan has the ability to injure his evil uncle Raditz when Goku is in trouble.
But despite his great strengths and abilities, Gohan is still a young child, and all children have to go to school. In scenes which are common to children all over the world, Gohan is forced by this mother to do his homework.

This series isn't only about fighting and death; it wouldn't be as popular is it is if that was all it had. Dragon Ball Z is about love; love for yourself, love for your family, love for your friends. Gohan loves himself, his family, and his friends too much to turn to anger and let his power take over. Piccolo, too, is motivated by love. Once an enemy of Goku, the two join forces to defeat evil. After Goku dies and is transported to train in the afterlife, Piccolo trains Gohan and they form a bond so strong that it leads to Piccolo dying in order to save his young friend. Gohan then goes out of his way to restore Piccolo.

The ceaseless battle between good and evil is one more good reason that this manga series is so popular worldwide. Young men particularly like the action and fight scenes, but both women and men of any age can appreciate a fantastic saga where good is pitting against an evil creature.

The science fiction elements involving creatures from other planets and space ships are popular in many manga series, but Dragon Ball Z offers more of a walk on the line between action and humour. There are times where characters lose limbs in gory fight scenes, and other times when characters can say something so funny that the reader laughs out loud.

Dragon Ball Z offers many volumes of great reading material for people of all ages. You don't have to be a fan of comics, graphic novels, or other manga series to be able to appreciate the wonder of the series