For those of us that have been following Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z for well over a decade, the full color manga adaptation of Akira Toriyama's original masterpiece isn't going to offer up any surprises. However, it will highlight just how much of a master illustrator Toriyama was in his heyday and provide a rendition of the legendary manga that's a bit more accessible to Western audiences.
The fifth volume of the color edition of the manga contains 244 pages, which might seem like a lot but it's a very quick read as many panels lack dialogue, instead showcasing the titanic struggle Goku, Gohan, Kirlliin and Piccolo face in the form of the all-mighty Lord Frieza. This volume actually covers the entire Planet Namek saga, something that took the Dragon Ball Z anime dozens of episodes to wrap up. There's no drawn out power-ups or beam attacks as Frieza and Goku trade blows with blistering speed and precision. Even Goku's power up of the Spirit Bomb happens rather quickly, which would definitely be a surprise to someone who's only familiar with the technique from the anime. The only drawback to this rapid pacing is that Goku's Super Saiyan transformation occurs just a little too quickly for such a definitive moment in the saga. It makes you wonder if Toriyama really new just how much the legendary Saiyan power-up would factor into future Dragon Ball Z sagas?
As previously stated, seeing the manga in color adds an extra dimension to the manga that brings it closer to traditional Western comic books. If you no someone who loves Marvel and DC but just can't seem to immerse themselves in the black-and-white pages of a Japanese manga, this is the book to help them make the transition.
Aside from nostalgia, the full color manga doesn't offer much for longtime fans of the series but it's a great segue for those same longtime readers to introduce their kids to Dragon Ball Z.