1. Dragon Ball Z

I honestly don’t even know where to begin talking about Dragon Ball Z. It’s a cultural phenomenon, but more than that, it was my childhood. I used to run home after school just to catch Dragon Ball Z on Cartoon Network’s anime block, Toonami. I remember the pumping electronic rock soundtrack by Bruce Falconer. I remember the crazy fights with Kamehamehas being fired by heroes that could destroy planets with their power. There’s just so much to say about DBZ, and so little space. The characters are just iconic, with Goku, the peaceful alien Saiyan who grew up on Earth and will protect life in all of its forms, to the goofy bald headed Krillin, to the wise and battle hardened green Namekian, Piccolo, to Goku’s own young son, Gohan, who has an enormous power hidden deep within him. Out of all the characters though, Goku is the most well-known, and for good reason. I’ll be honest, Goku, although fictional, is a person that inspires me. I actually think that Goku is a role model right up there with Oskar Schindler, Martin Luther King, and Gandhi. Yes, I know it sounds ridiculous, but when I was a child, I was literally changed by Goku’s attitude and way of life. He detests violence but will never back down when evil threatens the weak. One of my favorite quotes from him, as he turns into a “Super Saiyan” and fights the evil space tyrant Frieza who has just killed his friend, is this “I am the hope of the universe! I am the answer to all living things that cry out for peace! I am protector of the innocent! I am the light in the darkness! I am truth! Ally to good! Nightmare to you!” This is the stuff of legends. If you want a child to be raised with good morals, let him watch Dragon Ball Z. I’m serious. Goku always does the right thing and even his enemies like the ruthless Saiyan prince Vegeta are changed by his heart and eventually convert to being one of the good guys. The show itself is full of ripped guys shooting energy blasts at each other and doing martial arts so fast that your eyes can barely keep up. The only bad thing about Dragon Ball Z is that the show is full of filler and stupid side-stories. Get past the junk though, and a treasure chest filled with gold awaits. Dragon Ball Z is not only the definitive action anime, it is the greatest animated show that has been made or ever will be made.