Kristina Potts
January 3, 2012 
Connoisseurs say the most succulent steaks are those with a balanced marbling of fat. Perhaps the same can be said of the original Dragon Ball Z compared to the leaner Dragon Ball Z Kai update of recent years. Some may appreciate having “the fat trimmed away,” but few can argue that the original form doesn’t offer a more well-rounded flavor. That’s precisely where the Dragon Ball Z Level 1.1 Blu-ray release comes in. Classic Dragon Ball Z presented in the purest, most unadulterated fashion to date, and here we start from the very beginning.
For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past 20 years, Dragon Ball Z tells the tales of the continuing adventures of Goku, a childlike free spirit who also just so happens to be the strongest man on the entire Earth (and could probably blast away that pesky rock problem for you). All grown up from his escapades in the original Dragon Ball series, Goku now has a carefree rural life in the mountains, with his wife Chi-Chi and his young son Gohan.
These peaceful times predictably come to a sudden end as an unwelcome visitor from space, the Saiyan Raditz, crashes a happy reunion with familiar faces of Goku’s past and reveals not only the mysterious source of Goku’s power but also that the Earth is facing impending doom. Compared to the typical slow pace of Dragon Ball Z (this is a series of 290+ episodes, after all), these introductions and revelations go lightning fast, as the battle with Raditz is already over by episode 5. This fight is but a mere appetizer to the entrée that is Nappa and Vegeta, two additional Saiyans possessing twice the power of Raditz, who aim to wipe out every last Earthling upon arrival in one year. The following dozen episodes of this set consist of nothing but preparation for this oncoming menace. Episode 17 leaves us with no defined concluding point. Goku’s friends and rivals are still doing what they can to power themselves up, and Goku is still running along the Serpentine Road in order to meet with Kaio-sama for his own training. The only turning point of note is that Gohan has survived his six months alone in the wilderness, wiser and stronger, ready for his mentoring from Piccolo.
Those who seek nothing but non-stop action would be better served by Dragon Ball Z Kai, as this set is a bit light on fighting, but if you’re like me and enjoy watching super-cute 4-year-old Gohan playing jankenpon with crabs, befriending grumpy robots, and playing doctor to injured dinosaurs, you’ll find that Level 1.1 is well-balanced and produces smiles aplenty. These smiles come in the face of surprisingly cruel life lessons, which result in valuable character development even from “filler” episodes that stray from the ultimate goal. Truly, the indefatigable joyful spirit of Dragon Ball Z is captured in the opening song lyric: “No matter what may happen, I feel as though nothing can bother me.”
This unrelenting exuberance, even against the worst of odds, is a trademark of Akira Toriyama’s work, as is his distinct artistic style, which was quite unlike anything of its time or even now. At this early point in Dragon Ball Z’s history, it’s yet to fully adopt the sharp geometric lines it would later be known for, in which characters have piercing spikes of hair and rectangular eyes. Here the characters are still slightly pudgy-faced and exhibit some degree of soft, rounded lines, despite the rugged, muscular manliness dominating the cast. Characters comes in all shapes, sizes, colors, and species, however, and there is a wide assortment of goofy creatures of all varieties, from chattering chipmunks to fearsome dinosaurs, a Toriyama strong point (as proven by the iconic monster designs of Dragon Quest). The multitalented Toriyama is also loved for his unique landscapes, best appreciated in the soaring, sweeping flights past rustling forests, crashing waves, and domed abodes. The animation itself isn’t remarkably fluid, a given considering the nature of the beast that is shonen anime, but it’s good for its genre and compared to similar televised shows. Besides, when martial arts is this over-the-top—to the point of absurdity even, like when Piccolo nonchalantly blows up the moon—it’s easy to overlook the fact that there isn’t a huge abundance of frames.
I
n this first Blu-ray release that the series has ever been granted, Dragon Ball Z has never looked better. The original film print was painstakingly rescanned, color corrected, and cleaned to provide the truest visual experience possible with today’s technology, but younger anime fans may struggle to accept that a higher resolution equals grain. Unlike in modern anime, you will not find flat, consistent computer-generated colors—another reason to consider Dragon Ball Z Kai depending on one’s preferences. But if you can appreciate the artistry of the old methods, Level 1.1 is a treat. The visceral appeal of genuine paper, cels, ink, and paint is in full force, and even the imperfections produced by the human hand have a charm of their own, such as when noticing a spot of paint outside of the lines. Level 1.1 supplies the clarity to absorb it all.
In terms of features, Level 1.1 doesn’t offer much beyond the basics. The marathon feature skips past the opening, credits, and recaps for quicker viewing, and the short “Film to Blu-ray” segment dishes out a few interesting details but mostly comes off like a commercial. The best “extra” would be the multiple audio options. Beyond the usual dub or sub choice, you get to pick from the Japanese dialogue with the original cheerful, optimistic music, the English broadcast version with its new darker, brooding score, or a happy middle ground with English dialogue and the Japanese soundtrack. The only aspect that’s truly unfortunate is that the original stereo mix of the Japanese audio has essentially been lost to time (outside of Japanese fans digging up old television recordings). Watching hi-def visuals with mono audio is a saddening juxtaposition, but, that aside, the Japanese performances are still excellent and worth your while.
But to experience genuine depression, you needn’t even open the case because the painfully long zipper-like release chart is enough to make an anime fan cry. It’ll take a whole lotta cash to pull that tab to the bottom, if you so desire. Those who have yet to purchase Dragon Ball Z in any form will find no better release for the complete 
entirety of the show, but if you’ve already depleted your pockets of zeni for past releases, it may be challenging to determine if it’s worth your investment for the upgrade. Then again, some may find the price of a prime aged steak exorbitant, but a fine dining experience always outclasses ground chuck, just as Goku always pounds out the pulverized meat on the receiving end of his fist.
Distributor: FUNimation
Available: Now
Rating: TVPG
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