Why is the DBZ formula so attractive

[HellsPerfectSpawn]

I have to ask, why do the readers(which the authors try to appeal to) find the old Dragon Ball Z formula so attractive. The old my number is bigger than your number. But the fights don't change in any way or the displayed feats. Nor it's effects on the surroundings.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

Because it's about bursting through limits, and people like that.

 

[HellsPerfectSpawn]

Because it's about bursting through limits, and people like that.

Is it really about that though? Seems more like its trying to convince someone progress is happening. When nothing else supports that notion.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

Is it really about that though? Seems more like its trying to convince someone progress is happening. When nothing else supports that notion.

First part of saga...

"This enemy is too strong!"
Second part.

"We have to train and find a new power"

Third part.

"How did they get so strong? Noooo!"

 

[Xcalibur_Xc]

15 minutes of screaming and flexing power up

 

[Glitched]

It's literally just a never ending power fantasy. That's it. That's why people find it attractive. It would do poorly if it was released nowadays.

 

[HellsPerfectSpawn]

15 minutes of screaming and flexing power up

ahh the classics

It's literally just a never ending power fantasy. That's it. That's why people find it attractive. It would do poorly if it was released nowadays.

I don't think so. Aren't litrpgs and all their derivatives the classic manifestation of big numbers better. Although to be fair I am generalizing.

 

[Vnator]

It's not just numbers go brr, it's also the story and themes surrounding it. That part was done really well, and the rest is window dressing for giving it an impact

 

[ACertainPassingUser]

Because it allows you to feel good.
Because it makes you feel powerful.

Its a power fantasy after all.

There's big majority of people who like power fantasy.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

HAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

MEEEEeeeeeeeEEEEEEE...

Pretty much how it goes.

 

[BearlyAlive]

Screaming for hours while looking like your log is too big for the poophole seems to strike a cord

 

[Corty]

The first DragonBall was great. It was such a fun tale with great characters and themes and a fun spin on the Journey to the West story.

DragonBall Z sucks ass. Fight me, I will use “kick in the nuts” while you power up your spirit bomb.

 

[RepresentingDesire]

The abridged version was kinda good.

 

[Tsuru]

I have to ask, why do the readers(which the authors try to appeal to) find the old Dragon Ball Z formula so attractive. The old my number is bigger than your number. But the fights don't change in any way or the displayed feats. Nor it's effects on the surroundings.

Because it's about bursting through limits, and people like that.

^this

But at same time, you basically said the answer in your question.
"NUMBER GOES UP BOOYAH !"'s Human psychology. And Vampire survivor being one big example.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Asmongold/comments/1daddue (oops wrong one)

TikTok - Make Your Day

(couldnt find the reddit post so i gave up and gave tiktok link found by googling)

It's literally just a never ending power fantasy. That's it. That's why people find it attractive. It would do poorly if it was released nowadays.

You basically said what said one of my fav CN author in a author note rant.
"If it was released nowadays, it would do poorly"
(one of their "classic work" in their country's childhood, had a martial artist girl, being raped when her body couldnt move / she misunderstood at that time it was MC as the person put a napkin on her face)

Today there are lot of novels (or art) rivaling or surpassing the quality of old works, but bc of "abundance" they wont make as big a splash as them. Some succeed, some will fail and be incognito.
Crab eaters effect.
Slave harem series, Vtuber agency, TrueEndgame. Beside the first one with the arrogant author being rude against own "poor readers" (like a OF creator) and bad quality with lot of complaints, somehow became NUMBER1-SH-series for a long while.
The other 2 SH series (unlike first one) had VERY HIGH QUALITY but at same time, they were lucky to surf the wave of SH's start, Vtuber, AI be a interesting topic, and during the small period before GENz came and internet didnt have so much toxicity (pre-Endgame-marvel era). A era where people still commented a lot.

Its like art.
Danbooru. Years ago. It was full of medium quality. And people took the time to appreciate the good ones.
Basically same with "gaming".
Now there are so much of everything, that things that could be acclaimed before bc of how well it is, is now have like no popularity.
In short its like humans throwing the food away bc their table is overfilled.

Humans are weird creatures.

 

[PancakesWitch]

I know all of you are on the whole "hating DBZ is cool now i'm such a mature and deep thinking person for disliking a classic" after hitting puberty but DB and especially DBZ shaped the entire manga and anime industry as a whole forever. All of their fantastic fresh ideas inspired hundreds if not thousands of new stories since its conception and without it most of your favorite stories even those that aren't shonen wouldnt even exist. Imagine traveling back in time and killing baby akira toriyama, the moment you go back to the present all anime, manga, and perhaps even videogames will never be the same as now. the genius that this man is and how much creativity he had with everything back then when everyting was so barebones is incredible. Everyone that shits on his creations is just a edgy teen that can't appreciate the roots of what they love.

 

[FayeBliss]

Considering the large number of Cookie Clicker type idle games, numbers go up appears to be a very powerful draw.

 

[HellsPerfectSpawn]

I know all of you are on the whole "hating DBZ is cool now i'm such a mature and deep thinking person for disliking a classic" after hitting puberty but DB and especially DBZ shaped the entire manga and anime industry as a whole forever. All of their fantastic fresh ideas inspired hundreds if not thousands of new stories since its conception and without it most of your favorite stories even those that aren't shonen wouldnt even exist. Imagine traveling back in time and killing baby akira toriyama, the moment you go back to the present all anime, manga, and perhaps even videogames will never be the same as now. the genius that this man is and how much creativity he had with everything back then when everyting was so barebones is incredible. Everyone that shits on his creations is just a edgy teen that can't appreciate the roots of what they love.

Alright alright, no point getting heated.

The first DragonBall was great. It was such a fun tale with great characters and themes and a fun spin on the Journey to the West story.

DragonBall Z sucks ass. Fight me, I will use “kick in the nuts” while you power up your spirit bomb.

I find it particularly egregious that books with unlimited potential and creativity tend to imitate games and shows which by their nature are limited.

I mean look at a RPG/MMORPG. All your character's animations need to be hard coded into your character. How do you show growth then as a dev. Well the simplest and least time consuming thing is giving your character a higher level and higher level equipment.

Same for anime/manga like DBZ your power level is in the billions then how come the feats you can show are no different visually than they were at the start of the show. I mean how is it that you can't wipe out the Earth if you sneeze too hard if Piccolo at less than 1000 could wipe out the moon.

 

[NotaNuffian]

I like violence when:
1. It is done by my proxy, in this case the MC and his group.
2. Onto someone who solely deserves it, ie someone playing the antagonistic role.

And oftentimes, those who play the antagonistic role displays malice towards my proxy, all the more so when they are said to be stronger than my proxy.

So how to display strength? Use numbers or alphabets (if you want to be that guy). It is just for show, not a scale.

 

[TASTYLEADPAINT]

It's literally just a never ending power fantasy. That's it. That's why people find it attractive. It would do poorly if it was released nowadays.

I don't know about that the popularity of anime/manga like jujutsu kaisen says the opposite

 

[NotaNuffian]

I don't know about that the popularity of anime/manga like jujutsu kaisen says the opposite