I will begin this post by prefacing everything that will be mentioned here. First, I am willing to admit that my liking for DBZ is possibly influenced by nostalgia since I began watching the series back when I was in elementary school. This is not to say feelings of nostalgia are a bad thing, but I will admit that nostalgia can sometimes make things of the past seem better than they probably are. Secondly, I would also like to say that my opinion here is in no way trying to exclaim DBZ as the best anime ever or as being superior to other anime series. I know full well that everyone has their own tastes and preferences. Some, might even hate DBZ. I am willing to accept that while, at the same time, expressing my admiration of DBZ :)
Now, on to the actual subject at hand...
One thing that I greatly appreciate about DBZ is the fact that valuable life lessons can actually be learned from watching the series. Whether it be the downfalls of having too much pride (see Vegeta) or the perseverance to always be there for your family/friends (see Goku), DBZ definitely can be used as a teaching tool. To be honest, I actually attribute watching DBZ when I was a child to the person that I am today. I sincerely believe that some of the adult qualities that I have now can be traced back to what I saw in episodes of the series. These lessons are definitely not limited to just the series' main protagonist, Goku, but also come from Vegeta, Piccolo, Tien, even Android 16. I think the fact that the series has characters that encompass a wide spectrum of personalities allows for a more of the audience to connect to said characters. Though many of us probably would like to see ourselves as the good-hearted, determined Goku, others might relate better to the hard-skinned, selfish but eventual noble heroes Vegeta and Piccolo. The series definitely touches upon a wide gamut when it comes to its characters.
