How Dragon Ball Z Almost Failed

Between the hype for the arrival of Dragon Ball Sparking! Zero and Dragon Ball Daima and the outpouring of love and adoration for series creator Akira Toriyama following his passing, there’s no denying that Dragon Ball is a global phenomenon, but it wasn’t always a sure thing in the United States. Despite already being a champ in Japan, Goku’s off-screen journey to the west was a long one, so let’s take a look back at how exactly Akira Toriyama’s martial arts epic got its start (or rather, starts) and reached an English-speaking audience more than a decade after Goku and company had become household names in Japan. From the ill-fated Harmony Gold USA “lost” dub of Dragon Ball, to Funimation’s failed attempt to get Goku’s early adventures to catch on and subsequent success with DBZ once it landed on Toonami. But still, the average Dragon Ball Z viewer probably had some questions, especially if they strolled through their local toy aisle. Still, DBZ rules, and it became a hit! (Obviously.)