We all frequent message boards and online forums (such as alt.fan.dragonball), and we all contribute as much as we can. Unfortunately, we don't KNOW of all the places people post questions, so it's impossible for us to reach everyone. However, if you're reading this, you at least know where WE are, so it's possible for you to ask us directly.

What we're going for here is sort of an "Answerman" or "Ask John" (from Anime News Network and Anime Nation, respectively). We'd like you to e-mail in whatever questions you may have, so long as it somehow relates to the world of DragonBall; be it the manga, the anime, merchandise.. whatever. We've been around for a few years, now, and we know the ropes... we like to think we know our stuff.

And we want to help. E-mail your questions to VegettoEX@aol.com with the subject "Ask VegettoEX." We'll try to update this section every weekend with at least one question straight from the fans. Thanks!

[ Last Updated: Sunday, 18 April 2004 ]
[ Past "Ask VegettoEX" Archives ]

Q. OK, OK, so there's never going to be a new Dragonball series. But what about at least a new movie or TV special? I mean, isn't this year the 20th anniversary of Dragonball, and such a thing would be appropriate, wouldn't it? - FDLink

A. A new movie or TV special is the only thing I'd ever expect to see, yeah. It's true that this December will be the 20th anniversary of the DragonBall manga, and you would think that it'd be a huge deal and they'd be celebrating with something bigger than the merchandise that's been released thus far.

The problem is that they haven't said anything about a new production, whether it be for a movie, or for a television production. I certainly hope they do at least something; I'd love to see a clip collection with Toriyama or the voice actors narrating over it, at least... that'd be fun...

You can be guaranteed that Daizenshuu EX will be celebrating, at least! - VegettoEX

Q. I'm confused over the name of that girl from Jingle Village back in DB vols. 5 & 6. In the manga she isn't referred to by name, and in the Japanese series she's referred to by two different names. In Dragon Ball, the subtitles said her name was Suno (like the dub). In the episode of DBZ she pops up in though, it says her name is Snow. Which is it? - Wassup2

A. Well, depending on your preference... it could be either! In Japanese, the character's name is written out as "Suno" — just as the DB dub called her. However, the pun here is pretty obvious: she lives far in the north, where it's always winter, so they (or possibly Toriyama; I forget if she had a name in the manga when she first appeared) gave her a "wintry"-sounding name! Of course, Calling her "Snow" outright may be stretching it a bit, since technically, you would write that as "Sunô" (with a long "o") in katakana. That's why I prefer to call her by neither of the names you mentioned, and call her "Sno," instead! :-P - Julian

Q. OK, I like to think myself as a... resident DBZ expert. I have collected all of the DBZ movies and the two TV specials on my computer, I have all of the DBZ, DBGT episode on VCD and I have even seen the actual live action DBZ movie put out years ago. One thing I do have on my computer is a movie called "DBZ OVA - The Plan to Destroy All Sayians." Now, this is neither a collection of video game images nor is it a fans submission. If you would, could you tell me what I have then? Like I said I am a fairly knowledgeable person on DBZ and I do believe that there is a DBZ OVA. - Nathan Penkert

A. I would have thought having a section called "There is no OVA!" would have been the best answer we could have ever given...

Short breakdown? Read below. Long story? Read the section.

• Bandai releases "PlayDia" video game system in Japan in 1994
• Gaiden: Saiya-jin Zetsumetsu Keikaku, parts 1 and 2, are released in September and December of 1994, respectively
• The games are like point-and-click FMV adventures. You choose where they go and what they do, and the game simply plays full-motion video (read: new animation) of the characters on their adventure.
• The footage from the games are released on VHS in Japan by Bandai in 1994
• Winter of 2000, Ramza (of Dragon Ball Blast) releases the footage fansubbed on VHS
• September 2003, the footage from the games are included (untouched) as extras on the second DBZ "Dragon Box" DVD set in Japan

So... what's our conclusion? Since the footage was originally developed for a video game, and premiered as such, regardless of the fact that it was later released to a home format, we do not consider it an OVA ("Original Video Animation"). OVAs are traditionally high-quality productions developed for and released straight to a home format (VHS / Laser Disc / DVD); this was not the case with the video game footage, so we don't consider it an OVA! - VegettoEX

Q. Your Dragonball A(pril)F(ools) prank was great, but I have a question about the reasoning behind it. You mentioned in DBZ there are hints that the Androids have driven Trunks insane, the question I ask is where? All I can think of are the rather haunting visions he has at two points in the series. One of these takes place as he's flying Goku from the Son Family home to the Kame house, the other as he's powering up to fight Perfect Cell. These are technically flashbacks, though, and if flashbacks are grounds for insanity than over half the DB cast needs to be lobotomized and choked by a Native American, quick (extra credit if someone can recruit Upa for this last part).

Speaking of people going crazy in movies, during the first of the flashbacks mentioned above, Trunks wanders around a tunnel with other refugees. This (in fact, much of the Android storyline) seems a lot like Kyle Reese's flashbacks from the first Terminator film. Toriyama says he's gotten ideas from such movies as Drunken Master and Alien, is it possible he could also have used Michael Biehn and Arnie himself as the basis for Trunks and #16, respectively?

And wouldn't it have been fun if Trunks had ended up in the Terminator timeline instead of Reese? That way he and Sara could've produced a Jon Connor capable of going SSJ and REALLY leading the resistance. - neo anderson

A. Yeah, I was shooting for the whole "haunting visions" thing. We know that Trunks killed both of the jinzôningen, as well as Cell... so who else would there be? My thinking is that there's been so much death and destruction in the world (most of which he's seen first-hand), and now that there's nothing to even FIGHT against, anymore (giving him little purpose to even exist)... he would start to lose it.

It's true that Trunks has flashbacks, and so does everyone else... but the flashbacks Trunks have seem to be totally different in nature. When other characters have flashbacks / premonitions, they rarely include other, general people of the population; Trunks was concerned with (and actually saw) just regular ol' people on the street... and it didn't seem like he was dealing with it well.

I wouldn't doubt in any way that Toriyama got some outside movie influences in what he did. If his early works pre-DB are any indication, he's actually not the most original person on the planet! ^_~

And to answer your last remark / question.... YES. ^^ - VegettoEX

Q. Back in the day when Planet Namek was still around, I remember they had almost all the DB manga volumes fan-translated and up to download in zip files. What's the story on them and are they still around anywhere? I imagine they would be illegal but the internet's a shady place and DBZ fans are shady people. - Stephen Hohmann

A. What I think you're missing is that... well... we're not shady people. Viz, up until this point, has done a fairly respectable job of translating and releasing the manga. If you'd like to see the rest of the manga released (and maybe even some other fun things, like daizenshuu, if you keep the sales and interest strong enough... that'd fuckin' rock)... stop bootlegging. It's lame. This isn't the late '90s, when DB fans actually had something to complain about. - VegettoEX

Q. I noticed in one place, as well as in several places in the domestic Shonen Jump, that Toriyama-sensei is a fan of Oda-sensei's One Piece. I noticed that they have a similar art style; rarely placing screen-tone, similar trees, etc... I noticed as well that Luffy and Goku are very similar in personality. Is pure-hearted, naive (read:"stupid"), and blunt a popular character type in Japan? Would people at least notice if mangaka were using similar characters?- Makankoposo

A. I don't think it's that Japanese fans like stupid characters... I think it's more of a matter of them being able to releate to the ideals of these characters. Goku and Luffy stand for everything that's right and just in the world, and that's something to really aspire towards. They honestly are great role-models. (OK... with the exception of Goku being an absolutely terrible father and husband, but that's a different matter entirely!) - VegettoEX

Q. I know you are not a Viz employee and that in the end this question does not even matter, but I'm curious... Do you think Viz will print the NEW DragonBall ending when they get to it, or just use the old ending since they are using the original 42 volume release. And while on the subject, how do you think they'll handle the release of DragonBall US Volume 16? I can't recall if they put the remaining chapters that were DBZ with DragonBall Vol. 17 (DBZ vol. 1) or kept them a separate volume. On the original (non Shonen Jump) Viz release the spine said "Vol. 17 of 42." Did I just answer my own question? - GotenZ1

A. As for your first question, I really don't know. I supppose it could go either way, actually... but my personal preference is that they use the original ending, and then do a complete, uncut-all-the-way-through re-release of the manga, based on the recent kanzenban re-release in Japan. As for your other question, Viz has already addresed this, and confirmed that the two chapters which did not appear in DBZ vol. 1 will be present at the end of DB volume 16. So, you have no reason to worry, there. ^_^ - Julian

THIS WEEK'S MESSAGE BOARD DISCUSSION:

Here we are in the latest week of this new feature! I think it's a really neat thing to add to the section, and I'm glad to see people are getting involved. Please feel free to contribute to the discussion, and even start up your own!

Q. Okay, I have a question about daizenshuus. Next month, I will be chaperoning a field trip to a rather vast Asian marketplace. The Kinokunya Bookstore, at least last time I was there, held every Daizenshuu, plus the GT Perfect Files. However, I did not buy any, as they were asking $25 a piece, and I only had $30, which I needed for lunch, as well as my regular manga.

So, what my question is, is which do you find to be the best issue, and why? And please, do NOT say "um, Daizenshuu EX is the best one", because I will thump you with the hilt of my sword. - The S

A. Read over the discussion, here! And, like the question says, remember that Daizenshuu EX isn't a choice this time!! :D

We're trying to stay with our weekly schedule for the section... so... e-mail us your questions for next week's update! We love getting all these questions, each week, so the more you send us, the more we can (try to) answer for you!

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