First US airing of Dragonball Z?

Hlubocky

My coworker insists that the first US airing of DBZ was on Cartoon Network. I remember in high school (circa 1996) watching it on maybe UPN or FOX for the first 13 episodes or so. They played one episode per week and frequently restarted at the beginning (I'm sure pissing everyone off in the process). Can anyone confirm that this was how it started or if it was also airing on Cartoon network at the same time or earlier than on UPN/FOX?

Thanks!

Dondums

I do not know on which network it began on but careful Wiki'ing has led me to believe it did not start on Cartoon Network.

...originally in syndication in the US from 1996-1998. It was later moved to Cartoon Network(1996-2003).

edit: Actually

The show started in the US in 1996 on Cartoon Network.

YodaTuna

I'm pretty sure it didn't start airing on cartoon network too. Also I think that's the reason Pioneer owned the first season for a really long time and then Funimation picked up it after that.

Inquisitor

There's no way DBZ started on cartoon network in the US.

I know I watched it before on as a kid on TV, and not on cartoon network.

Kubrickon

I don't know what channel it was on, but I watched DBZ on a weekly basis (crazy early Saturday) long before it was on cartoon network. Whoever showed it showed everything pioneer had the rights to.

Invisible

Are you sure you're not thinking of the original 'kid Goku' Dragonball? It used to air on Fox early in the mornings before Funimation bought the rights.

Gabriel_Pitt

No, we're thinking of Dragonball Z. I remember watching both series, first the first season of Dragonball, and then DBZ (I remember struggling to figure out all the changes that had occurred in the vast gap cut out in between) on Sunday mornings in 94-95 or so. Also, Teknoman.

Cruix

I dunno if it helps at all, but I also remember watching Dragonball Z before it ever came to Cartoon Network. I think it was on the UPN, as the original post states, but I don't remember for sure.

I just know I was really glad when Cartoon Network picked it up because they actually started to air NEW episodes. Like it was said before, they just kept running through probably under 20 episodes and then restarting the series.

Kubrickon

I must have seen it on a different channel than you guys because I remember seeing it into the namek saga with the Ginyu force well before it was on CN.

JPArbiter

heck I remember seeing DBZ on FoxKids when I was 10 (1994)

Theungry

I also definitely remember watching DBZ (and not the kid Goku version, the Raditz--> Vegeta first season of DBZ) in '96, and It was on network TV, not cable... probably UPN.

noir_blood

Yep, I also saw it on UPN around that time. They only got as far as the end of the vegeta saga

KingSpike

I used to watch Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z on Fox 31 in Denver back in 93-94. It was every morning at like 7AM. So definitely did not start on Cartoon Network.

Herschel

Yea, it didn't start on CN. It aired on Fox and other networks for a while -- Funimation still produced them back then, AFAIK, but Saban distributed them. That's why CN originally only aired those early episodes over and over -- that's all that was produced.

Gabriel_Pitt

I remember liking the original Vegeta and Piccolo voice actors more than the later ones.

variant

It also used to be on the International Chanel before cartoon network.

darkestshard

The pioneer dubs aired when I was a kid long before Cartoon Network got the rights. I remember watching them real early on Saturday morning on I believe Fox, but before Fox kids was around. Im 35 if that helps with a time frame. They were syndicated so its very possible it was not nationally available. I live in a city that actually has a pretty decent Asian population so that may be part of the reason. It aired as part of a block that also had Dragon Ball and Dragon Quest. Like I said they were the Pioneer dubs and always started over when Goku arrives on Namek... Every time it reachdd that episode I thought it was gonna continue but alas. If I had to give a guess on year Id say between 1990 and 1993. Like I said it may not have aired nationally so that may be part of why info may be obscure. Also it came on real early, I wanna say the block began at around 5 am, maybe 6 am.

Iruka

don't bump threads from 2007.