Dragon Ball Z Kai

Dragon Ball Z Kai, known in Japan as Dragon Ball Kai (lit. "Dragon Ball Revised"), is a Japanese anime series that is a high-definition remastered and recut version of Dragon Ball Z, created for its 20th Anniversary. The series premiered on Fuji TV on April 5, 2009 and ended on March 27, 2011 with 97 episodes aired (with a 98th released direct-to-video). There were initially no plans for Dragon Ball Kai to reach the Majin Buu Saga, but the series returned to Japanese TV from April 6, 2014 to June 28, 2015 with the Majin Buu Saga; bringing the total episode count to 159 (167 for the international versions).

Funimation licensed the series for an English dub release with most of the same cast as their in-house dub of Dragon Ball Z, except for a few re-casts for various reasons. The series aired on Adult Swim's Toonami block from November 8, 2014 to June 23, 2018. The series returned to Toonami for a second run from September 29, 2018 to December 15, 2018. The series returned to Toonami for one night only on April 11, 2020, for a 3.5-hour marathon.

Plot
Five years after the events of Dragon Ball, now a young adult and father to son Gohan, Goku meets his older brother Raditz, who reveals to him that they are members of a nearly extinct extraterrestrial race called the Saiyans. The Saiyans had sent Goku (originally named "Kakarot") to Earth as an infant to conquer the planet for them, but he suffered a head injury soon after his arrival and lost all memory of his mission, as well as his blood-thirsty Saiyan nature. Goku refuses to help Raditz continue the mission and has to team up with Piccolo, and sacrifice his life, in order to defeat him. However, Goku is revived a year later by the Dragon Balls, after training in the Other World with King Kai, in order to save the Earth from the Saiyan prince Vegeta. However, in the battle Yamcha, Chiaotzu, Tien and Piccolo are killed. Due to Piccolo being one with Kami, the Dragon Balls no longer exist, resulting in Gohan, Krillin and Bulma traveling to Piccolo and Kami's home planet, Namek, in order to use the balls there to revive their friends. However, the galactic tyrant Frieza is already there doing the same, leading to several battles with his minions and Vegeta, the latter of which teams up with Gohan and Krillin to fight the Ginyu Force. After Goku arrives on Namek, the final epic battle with Frieza himself comes to a close after Goku transforms into a legendary Super Saiyan and avenges the lives of billions across the galaxy.

Later story arcs of the series involve Goku and his allies defending Earth from the threats of newer enemies that include the bio-android Cell and the magical creature Majin Buu.

Characters
Heroes=

Differences from the original
Dragon Ball Z Kai features remastered high definition picture, sound, and special effects as well as a re-recorded voice track by most of the original cast (from both the Japanese and English dub casts). The English dub by Funimation also features a more faithful adaptation of the Japanese dialogue than their previous dub of Dragon Ball Z.

As most of the series' sketches and animation cels had been discarded after the final episode of Dragon Ball Z in 1996, new frames were produced by digitally tracing over still frames from existing footage and filling them with softer colors; thus reducing visible damage to the original animation. Some frames were selectively cropped, while other frames feature new portions added to scenes that were hand drawn to conform to the designated picture ratio.

Much of the filler material from the Dragon Ball Z anime that was not featured in the Dragon Ball manga has been left out in Kai, thus significantly reducing the total episode count.

English dub re-casts

 * Several minor characters' voices have also been re-cast by Funimation.

Gallery
Promos=

Broadcast History
The series premiered in Japan on Fuji TV on April 5, 2009 and initially ended with the Cell Saga on March 27, 2011, with the final episode unaired and later released direct-to-video due to the Tōhoku offshore earthquake and tsunami. The Majin Buu Saga premiered on Fuji TV from April 6, 2014 to June 28, 2015. The series originally aired in the U.S. on Nicktoons from May 24, 2010 to January 1, 2012, in an edited format. The series also aired on The CW's Toonzai block (later renamed Vortexx) in an even more edited format from August 14, 2010 to September 27, 2014.

DBZ Kai began airing uncut on Adult Swim's Toonami block on November 8, 2014. From February 21, 2015 to June 25, 2016, a rerun of the previous week's episode could also be seen each Saturday at 8:00 PM on the regular Adult Swim block.

The Majin Buu Saga of DBZ Kai made its U.S. debut on Adult Swim's Toonami, airing from January 7, 2017 to June 23, 2018 under the title Dragon Ball Z Kai: The Final Chapters (airing concurrent with Funimation's dub of Dragon Ball Super).

Reruns of the series returned to Toonami from September 29, 2018 to December 15, 2018 at 9:00 PM, and continued to air on Saturday nights at 8:00 PM on the regular Adult Swim block until September 28, 2019. It returned to Adult Swim once again from January 4-25, 2020, airing at 8:00 PM, and returned yet again on March 14, 2020 in a double episode format, airing at 8 and 8:30 PM. Reruns of the series returned to Toonami for one night only from 11:30 PM-3:00 AM on April 11, 2020 for a 3 and a half hour marathon.


 * Japan (Fuji TV) — April 5, 2009 - March 27, 2011; April 6, 2014 - June 28, 2015
 * United States (Nicktoons) — May 24, 2010 - April 13, 2013
 * United States (The CW) — August 14, 2010 - September 27, 2014
 * United States (Adult Swim) — November 8, 2014 - June 23, 2018; September 29, 2018 - September 28, 2019; January 4, 2020 - January 25, 2020; March 14, 2020 - August 8, 2020
 * United Kingdom (Kix!) — December 26-28, 2012 ; January 5, 2013 - 2014
 * Asia (Toonami) — December 1, 2012 - March 31, 2018

Toonami Broadcast History
In Southeast Asia, Dragon Ball Z Kai was one of the original series aired on Toonami Asia on December 1, 2012 and was a mainstay on the channel until it ceased function on March 31, 2018.

In the United States, Dragon Ball Z Kai began airing uncut on Adult Swim's Toonami block on November 8, 2014 at 12:00 AM, replacing Bleach in the lineup. The series moved to the 11:30 PM time slot on July 29, 2017 and on December 2, 2017, the series moved to the 11:00 PM time slot. After completing its run on June 23, 2018, the series was replaced in the lineup by Pop Team Epic the following week.

Reruns of the series returned to Toonami for a second run on the block from September 29, 2018 to December 15, 2018 at 9:00 PM. Reruns of the series returned to Toonami for one night only from 11:30 PM to 3:00 AM on April 11, 2020 for a 3 and a half hour marathon.


 * Toonami (Asia) — December 1, 2012 - March 31, 2018
 * Toonami (United States) — November 8, 2014 - June 23, 2018; September 29, 2018 - December 15, 2018; April 11, 2020

Toonami Marathons
The following is a list of Toonami marathons in which at least one episode of Dragon Ball Z Kai appeared.
 * DBZ-Athon (July 4, 2015)
 * DBZ Kai Marathon (December 19, 2015)
 * DBZ Kai Marathon (December 31, 2016)
 * DBZ Kai Power Hour (May 21, 2016)
 * DBZ Kai Marathon (September 2, 2017)
 * DBZ Kai Marathon (November 25, 2017)
 * DBZ Kai Marathon (April 11, 2020)